By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

 

THIS piece is not about sports. Yes, my very first time not to write about sports since I started writing in 1991when I was still in Guam. My big thanks to my boss Ermin for giving me the opportunity to write outside sports issues this week.

I write about the resentment of the country’s populace (including mine) towards the world weather bureau and echoed by our PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) telling us to prepare for a crippling drought because of the El Niño phenomenon. The exact opposite happened. We saw La Niña moved in.

The heat wave might be to the other continents but not in Asia like China, India, South Korea and the Philippines.  I believe our country suffered the most due to floods brought by two typhoons, Egay and Falcon, damaged our agricultures, infrastructures, roads and human lives (like what happened in the Laguna Lake tragedy in Binagonan town that killed 27 people due to the sinking of an overloaded boat).

Reports said the boat can only accommodate 42 passengers but 70 passengers were allowed to board for the trip. Why was this boat even allowed to travel despite the strong winds while some passengers were not issued life vests? “Only in the Philippines,” as the saying goes. Because of this incident, the captain of the boat, including his men, was charged.

As I write this piece last August 3, we were still experiencing heavy monsoon rains that caused the flooding of the city’s business district, the A.B. Fernandez Avenue.  The flood-prone Dagupan City, placed under a state of calamity last week, was the most affected place in the province by the two typhoons that hit the country. I wish that our government disaster management officials review the flood control system in those affected areas, where livelihood and mobility are disrupted every time heavy rains hit the city. Some flood experts say that while the complex system of water disposal and catchments is a little costly, this can help prevent massive flooding like what’s happening now in the city. On the whole, our disaster response to this problem is inadequate. Undoubtedly, this is now a big headache for the hardworking city’s chief executive Belen Fernandez.

Many said, too, that the overflowing Sinocalan River hugely contributed to the flooding in the city and suburbs. Fortunately, my place in Barangay Buenlag, Mangaldan was not inundated.

Typhoon Egay and Falcon were just the first, and for sure they will not be the last to come this year. But let me say that even the most intelligent scientist on planet Earth can never-ever outsmart our Creator. And that’s for sure.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Then Jesus said to him, away with you Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ MATTHEW 4: 1

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