THESE days freedom takes different contexts. It does not just mean freedom from foreign oppressors. Now, it also means freedom from vulnerability due to disasters, poverty, even pandemics.
The Philippines has long been a sovereign nation but the country is yet to be free from the pressing issues of poverty, defenselessness to disasters and illnesses, terrorism, corruption, abuses, illegal drugs.
But the freedom that Filipinos need the most is the freedom from poverty. What is the use of having freedom if majority of the society still suffers from poverty and all its forms? We can even say poverty enslaves us to diseases, disasters, drug trafficking, prostitution, among others.
Allow us to zero in on one – our vulnerability to disasters. The government has to enhance proactive measures in addressing the country’s vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change. Given our geographical location, the Philippines is normally visited by an average of 20 typhoons in a year. The extent of damage both in lives and properties by severe weather events is practically the same losses that we would suffer if we are waging a war.
With the frequency of natural hazards plaguing the country, our progress and development would not proceed smoothly and continuously as planned. But here’s the good news: We may not escape from natural hazards but we can take measures to adapt instead.
Natural hazards are inevitable, but our vulnerability from disasters can be mitigated. We can prevent the damaging effects of typhoons, flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural hazards through the laws and mechanisms we already have such as the Ecological Solid Waste Management.
If all the communities implement environmental laws, improper management of garbage and dirty waterways will be solved, and with this, problems with flood during the rainy season will also be addressed, if not totally prevented – even the diseases associated with flooding.
Every citizen must take part in our fight to gain freedom from disaster vulnerability. We should all take action to protect the environment and build disaster-resilient communities for us to be able to respond to early disaster warnings and ensure the sustainability of our resources and livelihood.
The greatest humanitarian challenge of our time is the need to free our country and our people from the shackles of poverty, diseases and our disaster vulnerability. Like the dedication shown by the heroes of the Philippine Revolution who fought for the nation’s sovereignty, let the Filipinos of today must strive to overcome the challenges of this rapidly-changing society so that no one would be left behind as we move towards progress as a nation.
