NEWS | Part 2 of 2: Still reeling from Rolly, the Philippines faced the wrath of Typhoon Ulysses
By Rowz Fajardo
As the situation worsens, several local government units (LGUs) reached out to the national government asking for assistance in their rescue operations. Alongside this, people witnessed the importance of Sierra Madre which serves as Luzon’s frontline during typhoons. The public made sure that their voices were heard as the petition to save the said mountain range resurfaced online.
Lapses in Marikina’s rescue operations
Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro took accountability for the delays in rescue operations for affected families awaiting rescue in Marikina City. According to Teodoro, the local government of Marikina has exhausted all of its manpower and resources for the rescue of affected residents, and has already employed the assistance of the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection.
“Aminado ako na talagang nagkukulang ang pamahalaang lokal ngayon sa bagay na iyan (rescue operation). Inaamin ko ang pagkukulang namin sa pagkakataong ito. Hindi naman namin maipagmamalaki ito,” Teodoro said adding that rescue operations will continue and that they will not cease rescue operations until everything is settled.
All 47 evacuation centers in the Marikina were full, with some evacuees seeking temporary shelter in nearby homes, around 4,000 to 5,000 families sought shelter at evacuation centers after the massive flood. Authorities in the city also deployed 57 rubber boats, however, Teodoro said their resources are not enough to respond to all those who are in need. The mayor asked the national government to send help, but he claimed that the only aid given was the one rescue boat initially sent by the NDRRMC.
“Sabi ko hindi pwedeng isang team lang, napakaraming lugar na binaha. Inaasahan ko ang timely response,” Teodoro expressed.
Moreover, criticized for the government’s alleged failure to inform and convince Filipinos to evacuate ahead of Ulysses, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) shared their report on the total number of alerts and messages sent to the public regarding Typhoon Ulysses. According to the agency, a total of 76 mobile alerts and messages were sent out to the people and insisted that the information campaign to convince people to evacuate ultimately falls on the shoulders of local governments.
Cagayan’s outcry for help
In Cagayan, many families were forced to spend the night on their roofs after flood waters inundated their homes. Major roads were also impassible which hampered the rescue operations aside from the strong current, floating debris, and power lines.
According to Provincial Administrator Darwin Sacramed, the province has experienced flooding for the last two weeks. He added that the provincial government of Cagayan already conducted preemptive evacuation as early as four days ago and again, last November 13, but there were still those who opted to stay in their homes as they did not anticipate the massive flooding.
Sacramed also cited the province’s lack of manpower and resources which also delayed the rescue operations. He furthered that rescue efforts will be focused in the Linao area in Tuguegarao, and that operations in the city have been divided into clusters — north, east, south, and west of the city. According to the local official, 90 percent of Tuguegarao is massively affected by the flooding.
Caritas Philippines, the Catholic Church’s humanitarian arm, urged the Duterte Administration to seek international aid after Typhoon Ulysses caused massive flooding resulting in fatalities.
“We urge our government to seek help from the international community now. It is clear that we cannot do this alone. It is imperative that we leave no one behind. Let us all help each other. Let us save everyone. Every second counts. Every life matters,” Father Antonio Labiao, executive director of Caritas Philippines, expressed.
Pleas to save Sierra Madre
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) earlier shared its forecast on Typhoon Ulysses, explaining that it will slightly weaken while crossing Central Luzon duee frictional effects in the presence of the Sierra Madre and the Zambales Mountain Ranges.
The petition entitled “No to Kaliwa Dam!” was shared by people online after realizing the importance of the mountains of the Sierra Madre as Luzon’s defense from the typhoon. The two-year-old Change.org petition was created by Green Convergence Philippines, an association advocating for sustainability and socio-economic upliftment.
Covering almost 1.4 million hectares of biodiverse forests, Sierra Madre has been a target of illegal mining, deforestation, and urbanization on its land.
Even before the typhoon, several progressive groups and indigenous peoples organizations were actively protesting against the Kaliwa Dam project which can cause widespread environmental damage and displacement of communities on the southern end of the Sierra Madre mountain ranges, particularly in Rizal and Quezon provinces. The widely-debated dam is a China-funded project claimed to be a solution for flooding and water crisis.
“Ang Sierra Madre ang isa sa pinakamalaking panangga natin sa mga bagyo ngunit ang estado mismo ang nangunguna sa pagpatag nito. Kung wala ang Sierra Madre, malamang ay mas malakas at matindi pa ang pagsalanta ng bagyo sa mga komunidad,” Katribu Youth shared in a Facebook post.
“Ang mga pambansang minorya ang nangunguna sa paglaban at pagtutol sa pagpupumilit na pagpasok ng mga dambuhalang korporasyon at minahan. Ang panawagan na depensahan ang lupang ninuno ay kaakibat ng pangangalaga sa mga kabundukan at pati na sa kalikasan.”
(This is a two-part story. For the first part, you may visit: tinyurl.com/y4c3x6vw )
