After the Flood

The sun has already shone here in Cagayan de Oro city. After that gloomy week, 16,104 families or 83,321 individuals jampacked in various evacuation centers in 47 barangays or more than half of the city's 80 barangays have been displaced. Cagayan de Oro Disaster Coordinating Council have placed the initial damages to crops and livestocks at P250 million.

What happened last week has never happened in the city for decades. A historian said that the last big flood in the city happened during the 1960’s, but the recent one is probably way bigger. I think this is caused by mining, quarrying and an almost depleted forest.

Mayor Constantino Jaraula suspended all quarrying and mining operations, an act which should have been done years ago. Different sectors have been calling for it to stop for a long time. But as we all know, government needs to be poked in the head in order for it to act. Farmers have to hunger strike and walk the miles and miles in order to be heard. In this case, mother nature has to have landslide and floods in order for her to be heard.

But it is not government responsibility alone. It is everyone’s responsibility to take care of the earth. It transcends boundaries political or geographical.

People are going back to what’s left of their homes, trying to rebuild their lives. Its like starting back to zero for those whose house and crops are completely destroyed. Relief goods are pouring out from individuals to organizations. I think the United Nations World Food Program is giving 600 tons of rice.

I am glad that the sun is up and the rains, floods and landslides are gone.

Undergoing MyBlogLog Verification again