Better safe than sorry

JUST when everyone thought that the worst has passed, another super typhoon is doomed to devastate parts of the Philippines once more.
A year after the dreadful Yolanda (international name: Haiyan), a typhoon carrying maximum sustained winds of 195 km/hour and gusts of up to 230 km/hour is bound to  hit 66.6 million Filipinos from over 50 provinces over the weekend.
Recently, germanwatch.org released a global climate risk index for the year 2013. Philippines topped the list for countries most affected by climate change—being often hit by strong storms and at the same time, a country that experiences extreme heat.
Geographically, the Philippines is located along the Pacific region near the equator which is, according to studies, a section of the earth most prone to tropical cyclones and storms.
By now, most Filipinos must have learned to cope with the bane of living in a disaster-prone country. Nothing beats a prepared warrior in a battle.
Last year, Yolanda claimed thousands of lives because many were taken aback, small-scaling the intensity of a typhoon. Allegedly, there were miscommunication between the national and local governments.
Some citizens living near bodies of water refused to leave their homes to protect their material possession. The wrath of Yolanda claimed their lives together with every single one of their possessions.
This time around, everyone—the government, and the people—must learn from the miserable Yolanda experience.
Preparations must not only cover short-term. Investing on better equipment for the weather stations throughout the country is a must.
Needless to say, people must equip themselves with emergency kits and build stronger homes away from locations identified by the government as disaster prone.
(AJPress)