Reframing resiliency in the Philippine context
The Philippines is an archipelagic country that is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire which made the country susceptible to different hazards. Currently, the country is experiencing heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon and typhoon Falcon. This weather is not new as the country experienced an average of 20 typhoons per year.
Due to its geography, disaster management posed a challenge to extend the mitigation and even rehabilitation efforts up to geographically isolated and isolated areas (GIDAs).
Filipinos suffered from the consequence of these hazards in the country. Economic systems are affected, and the government alone could not rehabilitate and recover the affected areas and population alone.
Despite the challenges, the Filipinos valued resiliency as one of the core values that shaped our identity amidst adversity. With the initiatives from different sectors, we extend the goods and services to the affected and vulnerable populations. We heard numerous narratives about poor Filipino families who were still able to put smiles on their faces and the extended effort they make ends meet. These scenarios are illustrated as admirable. However, what are the implications when disaster risk mitigation or preparedness continuously fails to address the drivers of need, builds dependence, or exacerbates a negative dynamic to rely on other nations? Is there also a moral imperative to build resilience?
The trait of “keep going on no matter what happens” or resilience is rather a result of the necessity for the under privilege. Resilience is an overused term used to describe us which means to be able to withstand disasters/hazards. But in disaster resilience discourse, resilience is beyond biological survival and being able to ADAPT and BOUNCE BACK EASILY from hazards/disasters and their consequences. It is also characterized by the ability to grow and prosper — to be stronger.
While the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) emphasized that building resiliency must uptake its largest investment in disaster preparedness and mitigation, we are still far away to be disaster resilient. Filipinos can adjust and adapt because it has been a developed response towards suffering, but it is also posed as an excuse by the government for the lack of DRRM planning.
The Philippines could be a promising model of a disaster-resilient country. We should be experts in dealing with hazards and disasters. This calls for take a collaborative approach in planning which includes all sectors to be able to increase disaster resiliency.
