Bagyong Falcon bringing massive flooding to Cotabato

The heavy rains and typhoons are natural disasters. I think the weather forecasters have done their job well. We should not be like the Mayor of Cotabato City who is blaming the national government for their own wrongdoing. The growth of water lilies in the Rio Grande de Mindanao river accumulated through the years and its future effects were neglected by the localities near the river. It is a "man-made disaster" caused by years of neglect and lack of maintenance of the river by the local areas which include the City of Cotabato.

It is the first time that a Mayor of a locality complained for lack of relief goods. Being a first income class city, Cotabato is a "rich city". Its calamity fund is in millions of pesos. It could use 30% of this fund for response and relief for his affected constituents. During Ondoy, there are "poorer municipalities" badly affected but they never complain of relief goods. Instead, they work in harmony with the national government, use their funds and resources and mobilize volunteerism and supports from the private sector in order to address the needs of their constituents and solve the problem.

In Cotabato City, relief goods could not be packed and distributed because of lack of volunteers in the area. This is a task that the City Mayor could easily provide. Instead he chose to become a part of the problem not a part of the solution. If the city had existing heavy equipment like backhoe, it should use its own equipment to assist the DPWH to speed up the removal of water lilies. It is a shame for Cotabato City. In other areas, water lilies are sources of livelihood while in Cotabato City, water lilies became sources of disasters.The City Mayor does not deserve another term of office in case he will run again for reelection. He is putting Cotabato City to shame and embarrassment.

More investments for disaster risk prevention and management should be provided by local government units and the national government should provide all sources of supports. Heavy Equipment are very essential for easy and faster mobilization to prevent risks and manage disasters and for maintenance.Transportation links such as municipal and barangay farm to market roads should be improved and constructed. Let us see the situations in the countryside and it should be eye openers for our national and local leaders. We should learned from lessons that nature tries to teach us and from experiences. The leaders should not be constrained by bureaucracies and regulations that delay and impede projects to address the prevention and management of disaster risks. There are no substitutes for loss of lives and properties. Drainage systems in the NCR is a big problem also that should be addressed.