Headless chickens

BBM said the government's response to the victims of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine was not enough. "It's never enough. I wish we could do more..." He went on to say that the rainfall from Kristine was almost double that of Ondoy, as he explained why the flood control failed and why they failed to do more.

- BOO CHANCO

Of course, BBM must convince himself that they couldn't have done more. But they could have if there was more systematic planning on how this country prepares for these natural calamities. After all, we get at least 20 typhoons every year.

Yet, we never seem to be ready to handle the consequences such as flooding, landslides and population displacement. Our officials, both national and local, still run around like headless chickens when typhoons hit.

That shouldn't happen anymore. We have scientific resources that can help prepare our response, long before the typhoons inflict any damage. Our officials need to make an effort to learn how to use these resources. Assuming the provincial governor or mayor is in his or her locality rather than in some beach resort away from the typhoon's path, they can have all the information they need to make intelligent decisions that will reduce the storm's impact on the lives of their people.

Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) which is now based at the UP Resilience Institute makes real-time scientific data available to LGUs and national government agencies to help prepare and respond to typhoons. NOAH uses a variety of advanced technologies to deliver early warning systems and hazard maps. NOAH has mapped out the hazardous areas nationwide. It should be criminal for our officials not to use NOAH's data to protect people from natural calamities.