Checking disaster preparedness, building a culture of resilience

The rains are definitely here! In the past weeks in many areas, heavy downpour came almost every afternoon. Last Thursday, classes were suspended after a night of heavy rains. The weather forecasts have been getting more attention lately for warnings on low pressure areas, tropical cyclones, and flooding.

- 

It's that time of the year when many of the 20 typhoons that visit the Philippines every year blow in to challenge our disaster resilience or the ability of communities to recover and adapt after a disaster. Disaster preparedness, or actions taken before a disaster to minimize its impact, is a key component of resilience.

July, which is National Disaster Resilience Month (NDRM), will not only remind us that disaster preparedness is not optional, it is essential for survival. President Marcos’ recent directive to activate flood protocols highlights the urgency of readiness, as 664 barangays, including 412 in Metro Manila, face risks of floods, landslides, and debris up to the end of the week.

This year’s NDRM, led by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), carries the theme “Kumilos para sa Kahandaan, Kaligtasan, at Katatagan!” It underscores that disaster resilience must move beyond awareness—it demands action. As the OCD has emphasized: Awareness alone doesn’t equate to safety, and consciousness doesn’t guarantee minimized impacts.