“You had it coming.”

That is what people who have given advise say when disaster hits the one advised who has put off or neglected to heed their advise. In the light of all these disasters that befell our country this passed three weeks: by typhoon Helen, Igme, and now, Karen; the illusive gold medal in the Olympics, the war in the south. Did the Filipino have it coming then? Some doomsday prophets would predispose.

According to Wikipedia, “a disaster is the impact of a natural or human-made hazard that negatively affects society or environment.” In contemporary academia, disasters are seen as the consequence of inappropriately managed risk. These risks are the product of hazards and vulnerability. Hazards that strike in areas with low vulnerability are not considered a disaster.

Developing countries suffer the greatest costs when a disaster hits – more than 95 percent of all deaths caused by disasters occur in developing countries, and losses due to natural disasters are 20 times greater in developing countries than in industrialized countries.

In some countries and cultures, inaction is shaped by a fatalism that somewhat indemnifies governments from responsibility for what are seen as “celestial” acts, said Thomas Parsons, a geophysicist.

It is the rainy season, the usual time for strong storms and typhoons. It is supposed that our government agencies already know the hazards and the risks of living in these mountains. That is the reason why there are bureaus and geo-hazard offices with the department of environment, city engineering officers, building permits and environmental certificates that have to be checked-out and applied for by anyone who wants to live or build in these mountains.

It is wise to check with these offices and heed their advise before digging, moving mountain sides or building structures; and also, at least, to report noticeable hazardous situations before disaster strikes. Most disasters are the result of human failure to introduce appropriate disaster management measures.

As prevention is still the best defense within reach against disasters, let every citizen know and be educated of the risks of having to live in these mountains. Let us be vigilant, it is also disastrous for all of us to allow ourselves and especially our government agencies or personnel to haphazardly do their work in the maintenance and protection of public conveyances such as the roads, natural foliage and green covering; drainage systems, geo-hazard assessment, sanitation, etc. Government is organized to protect the interests of the vulnerable public not to just collect taxes.#