WE BETTER FIND OUT IF WE'RE READY FOR DISASTERS! PART 2

Apart from preparations, we should also start asking both local and national government officials on what PREVENTIVE measures are in place or are being done against disasters.

For local governments, are safety inspections regularly being done on buildings and establishments for both fires and earthquakes? Oftentimes, inspections are done only for fire traps or hazards.

When was the last inspection conducted? There had been reports of condemned structures in various areas in the past. Have these been structures demolished?

For national government agencies, it’s been A LONG, LONG TIME since I last heard or read of safety tests and inspections on vital infrastructure projects like the LRT and MRT and the FLYOVERS.

May ginagawa ba ang Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) tungkol dito? Ano na ba ang nagawa nila?

HALOS 30 TAON na ang LRT. DAANG LIBO ang pasahero nito araw-araw.  Pero KAILAN pa ba huling ineksamin ang TIBAY NITO KONTRA MALAKAS NA LINDOL?

Same question for the MRT, the first track of which is more or less 10 YEARS OLD and also services hundreds of thousands of passengers daily.

More Importantly, there has been NO GUIDANCE from both the LRT and MRT on what passengers should do in case a strong earthquake strikes while they’re in a MOVING TRAIN.

I’ll be happy to stand corrected if I’m wrong.

What about fire traps? Are inspections regularly being done in both public and private properties? Are there enough inspectorsand experts for the job?

ILAN na ba ang nainspeksyion at ilan pa ang hindi? Ilan ang fire trap ANU-ANO ang mga ito para maiwasan ng tao?

For flood prevention, are esteros and other known clogged bodies of water being regularly cleaned? Related to this, is there an honest-to-goodness campaign against throwing trash in bodies of water or drainage systems?

Let me reiterate, let’s not wait for a major tragedy forst before we start finding out if we’re ready for it or not?

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Three of our friends on “We better find out if we’re ready for disasters”:

INNIE WILLIAMS of New Brunswick, USA:

I did a project on disaster planning when I was completing my nursing education. My group targeted families. Each family was taught to (regularly) put aside batteries, flashlights, candles, matches or lighters, toilet paper, tissues, a bottle or 2 of drinking water, acetaminophen, gauzes, canned goods, crackers etc. Students should also be taught CPR so that they can start giving life support while emergency crews are on the way. The first 10 minutes is crucial to a person's survival. The DepEd should include this in the curriculum .

LEAH SALVADOR of Imus, Cavite:

I agree. The local government  must do something in advance to ensure the safety of our fellow Filipinos.  My boyfriend is from Surigao del Norte and he said their town is on tsunami Alert 2 already. This is the time they must act quickly.

CAS MAYOR of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia:

I really don't know if we can prepare for a disaster, any disaster. We don't even know when and where a disaster would strike. To paraphrase a passage from the Bible, it comes like a thief in the night. Each time a disaster strikes, we talk about preparedness but how come we are always caught flatfooted? If there should be any readiness, it should be on building durable structures that could earthquakes and typhoons or other practical ways to cushion the impact of disasters. As a former atheist who has returned to the Faith, I can only say that man's best security is prayers and faith in God. As I said in my book, “The Gypsy Soul and Other Essays”, in life's journey I use reason as my rudder but faith as my compass. I encourage you to keep on reading my friend, Boyet Antonio, but if you have time try to also visit my blogsite "salt-romblonwriter.blogspot.com. My blog is Salt of Life where I often discuss the application of Faith in our secular life. 30