The number of casualties continues to rise and the economic toll is huge. Foreign aid is arriving but these charity funds will only last a few weeks. The national government will have to shoulder most of the expenses in rehabilitating the damaged local infrastructures.

Strong typhoons and other natural calamities will continue to wreak havoc in the country. Situated inside the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines is constantly plagued by typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It is not financially feasible for the government to spend hundreds of millions of dollars every time a disaster hits the country. Instead, the government should focus its efforts in aiming to minimize the disastrous effect of natural calamities. The long term goal should be to reduce the number of lost lives and properties in disaster-prone areas.

The recent storm tragedies provided us with concrete lessons on how to effectively survive the next great disaster.

First, good governance is the key to mitigate the brutal impact of natural calamities. All government agencies should develop programs to deal with environmental disasters. Both national and local governments should have emergency teams that can be dispatched during crisis situations.

Disaster preparedness should be a top priority of all public and private institutions. At the height of Typhoon Ketsana’s onslaught, many were shocked to discover that the government has only a limited number of rubber boats that can be used to rescue stranded residents in flooded villages. The available tents for the temporary shelter of evacuees are grossly inadequate too.

There is also a shortage of skilled personnel who can help the government in the reconstruction efforts. The country lacks competent scientists and engineers who can advise authorities during natural disasters. The government should invest in developing the needed human capital to help the country adapt to the changing state of the global environment.

While the ferocity of Typhoons Ketsana and Parma was unexpected, the possibility that such strong typhoons can occur and hit the country has long been predicted by scientists. The government is aware of the vulnerabilities of the Philippines to the harmful impact of climate change. In fact, President Gloria Arroyo even appointed herself as climate change czar early this year to personally oversee the implementation of green programs in the country.

Now is the right time to assess the environmental programs and policies of the government. Obviously, they are inadequate and ineffective. The Early Warning System didn’t work as thousands were still trapped during the flooding disaster. Hundred were buried in mudslides. Dams released water without giving enough time for villagers to evacuate to higher grounds.

The Philippines has been a recipient of numerous environmental aid programs in the past. How was the money spent? Why didn’t the government upgrade its weather facilities?

It is curious that the cities which suffered the most in the recent typhoon disasters were among the most competitive cities in the country. Marikina was recognized by the Philippine Cities Competitive Ranking Project as the Most Competitive Metro City in 2005. Marikina was hailed for its excellent infrastructure and responsive local government unit. Dagupan was the winner in the small cities category. Both Marikina and Dagupan were heavily damaged by the recent floods. This proves that a city with a dynamic local economy can also suffer during natural disasters especially if its neighboring cities are not competitive. Lesson: there should be a comprehensive development of cities and provinces in the country.

There are also positive stories to remember in the recent storm tragedies. One of which is the intelligent use of the internet by Filipino netizens to help flood victims. An interactive map was established showing the extent of destruction caused by the twin typhoons. New media sites like Twitter and Facebook were maximized to direct rescuers and charity groups to locations where relief and emergency assistance are most needed. By uploading pictures and videos of the flooding in Metro Manila, Filipino bloggers helped in convincing the international community about the need to give immediate aid to the Philippines.

Stories of heroism also abound like neighbors giving shelter to homeless families, strangers rescuing trapped individuals in flooded homes, students donating their school allowances to relief groups, and young people volunteering in community centers and soup kitchens. To use a term popularized by a government agency, the charity-virus is spreading in the country. Volunteerism is back.

Through Typhoons Ketsana and Pepeng, many Filipinos were educated about climate change. In the past, climate change is viewed by many as an abstract subject, an academic term. Today, climate change is feared because of the heavy rainfall, flooding, mudslides, landslides, and other extreme weather disturbances which hit the country. It is now easier to persuade residents about the importance of protecting the fragile environment. Even authorities are beginning to understand the political and social cost of tolerating activities which pollute the environment.

It will take a long time to revive the shattered local economy. Many lives were destroyed and those who survive have to cope with rising food prices, inadequate housing facilities, and damaged public utilities. There is much suffering in the country, especially in the rural areas of north Philippines. The government should tap the renewed sense of volunteerism and hope among many Filipinos to bring back the country on the road to progress.

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Ketsana was not the first great typhoon of the year in the Asia-Pacific region. Early this year, a series of flooding disasters struck Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. A minor flooding calamity also hit Brunei. But the flooding disasters did not force the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other countries in the Asia-Pacific to meet as one body to coordinate relief and rescue efforts.

So how strong was Typhoon Ketsana? It dumped more rain than Hurricane Katrina. In about six hours it unleashed a whole month’s worth of rain in the Philippines, which triggered the worst flooding in Metro Manila in 40 years. It claimed almost 300 lives. More than 10,000 houses, including 260 schools, were damaged.

Half a million people are now living in overcrowded evacuation centers. More than 200 schools have been converted into refugee centers, which could affect the schooling of many children. As of Oct. 2, typhoon Ketsana had affected 3 million people in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

After wreaking havoc in the Philippines, Ketsana unleashed its fury in Indochina. It forced the evacuation of 350,000 people in central Vietnam and destroyed more than 300,000 homes, schools and other vital infrastructure in the country. It killed at least 92 people, left 19 missing, and injured 199 according to a government report. Ketsana also destroyed millions of dollars worth of agricultural crops in six provinces, which will affect the country’s food security.

Residents described Ketsana as the most serious and ferocious typhoon to hit Vietnam in the last five years. They also compared the floods caused by it to the deadly 1964 floods.

Ketsana also battered Cambodia and Laos. The casualties in these countries are lower compared to the Philippines and Vietnam but they also experienced unprecedented flooding.

An expat in Cambodia said that it was the first time floods have been so bad in Siem Reap. Another expat wrote that the level of water in the moat surrounding Angkor Wat had reached its peak. A civil society group reported that in one province alone, almost 15,000 homes were flooded.

Ketsana also damaged the southern part of Laos and caused widespread flooding in Xekong and Attapeu provinces. Authorities are also worried that 50 hectares of agricultural land is flooded.

Last August, Typhoon Morakot became the worst calamity to hit Taiwan in the past 200 years. Again, Asia-Pacific nations failed to call an emergency caucus to discuss collective efforts on ways to minimize the negative economic, social and environmental impact of natural disasters in the future.

Today there is a need for ASEAN unity and cooperation to help rebuild the flooded communities in four Southeast Asian countries. The least ASEAN should do is to share resources and volunteers to aid flood victims. ASEAN should lead the international campaign in seeking more economic relief for the calamity-stricken areas in the region.

ASEAN should have a regional disaster-preparedness program. It should identify the environmental high-risk areas in the region and establish a common fund to modernize the weather monitoring facilities of member countries.

It should implement an innovative system to quickly respond to natural calamities. It should have green soldiers, medical teams and volunteers who can be swiftly deployed to any part of the region that needs assistance.

If Typhoon Ketsana were a terrorist group, ASEAN members would have met by now to denounce it and plan measures to prevent another terrorist group from destroying more lives and properties in the future. ASEAN governments should refocus their priorities. Climate change and not terrorism is the number one threat to stability in the region.

There would be many advantages if ASEAN’s efforts in combating the negative effects of climate change were synergized. This would facilitate a productive exchange of new ideas, efficient programs and modern approaches in dealing with climate change. It could foster economic progress based on the principle of environmental sustainability and generate a sense of solidarity among the people in the region. It would also guarantee immediate relief to disaster-hit countries.

This year, as in past years, ASEAN has failed to demonstrate unity although its member countries were ravaged by various natural calamities. Can Typhoon Ketsana finally force a change in attitude among ASEAN leaders?

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