The Rolly-Ulysses Effect
As we all have seen, this was the full effect of the two consecutive super typhoons, Rolly and Ulysses, that had come to ravage the northern portion of the country. Many lives were affected by this natural calamity, some lost, most displaced. This tragedy could have been averted, or at the very least mitigated, had the government not relied on the infamous “Filipino resilience” and focused more on the immediate response, not only to the victims of the calamity, but also to the reinforcement of our country’s defenses against natural disasters like this. With the constant climate change happening all over the globe, it should not have come to a surprise that the connecting super typhoons could come into existence, far worse than the ones before.
I honestly can’t speak for the ones who actually bore the brunt of the typhoons, but it pains me to see all homes, buildings where people work or live in, gone in an instant. Mother Nature truly is relentless when it instigated by human advancements. To me, it honestly just goes to show that not only are we fighting against our own government for change, but also against Mother Nature herself in relation to these natural disasters.
Another situation that has developed because of the typhoons is the calling of the suspension of academic related activities for the year, especially due to the effects of the super typhoons on the students of the affected cities. Hundreds of students go on protest in front of the Ateneo de Manila University and pledge to go on academic strike starting Wednesday, November 18, as they called out the government for neglecting Filipinos during the past 3 typhoons that ravaged the country.
This, I think was a bold, yet heartwarming move as students toss their privileges aside and put themselves on the shoes of their fellow students affected by the typhoons and call for equal opportunities in the face of this tragedy. It helps one realize how united we are, whether we come from public schools or private schools. This shows us a deeper understanding of the bond of the Filipinos towards each other, breaking past social status barriers and economic gaps.
Applying Leonardo da Vinci’s Dimostrazione, I can relate to the experience of the masses affected by the typhoon’s catastrophic effect to some degree. My hometown, Iloilo City, was once hit by a super typhoon of somewhat similar intensity, Bagyo Frank. Such an incident left our city at the mercy of nature. But thankfully we were able to rebuild what was lost and was able to rise and better protect our city. I wouldn’t want to invalidate what the people affected feel, but I would like to share the same sentiments of a former experience of mine and how it has shaped my perception of the world.
I can say that this was one of the most influential experiences that molded the way I feel around people — the way I understand how they feel, not just in the setting of a typhoon, but also in general. I know that we all have varying levels of problems, but one thing is for certain, and it’s that they need somebody to lean on. I don’t regret or wish that it had not happened to me, because I wouldn’t be sure if the way I looked out for others and not just myself would have also changed.
I’ve also always thought that it was only during natural disasters like this when the people of the government start acting like a government and seeing the current state of it really had me thinking if we voted for the right people to power. For the longest time, I’ve always thought of them as the people who were supposed to take care of our countrymen, and at some point I did try to defend them. And one of my friends told me to “get off my high horse” and actually look at the situation people are facing. He showed me the responses, or rather the lack thereof, of the government towards the victims of the typhoons, and I had to reevaluate my thoughts and position on them. Also looking back at the president’s remarks and speeches, I was appalled how he could’ve said such things so bluntly and without restraint. For a moment, I had forgotten that that was our president who was speaking and it opened my eyes to the harsh reality that we’re facing. This isn’t just anyone’s battle, it’s every single Filipino’s.
If I were to thank the government for anything, it would be thanking them for opening my eyes to the reality that there are just some people not fit to run the country and that I should be vocal about my voice because I believe that every voice matters in our country, not just those who are of elite or rich status, but also those who earn little to nothing. With the help of social media, donation drives all over the country are mobilizing to aid those people affected and I really think that this is the perfect time to show everyone how united we are as Filipino people, that we may abolish the notion of “Filipino resilience”, but rather, uphold antifragility, wherein we take measures to ensure no other Filipino has to go through the same ordeal as I did back then, or as what we’re facing right now. I have learned from my mistake of just assuming to actually check out the facts before raising my opinion because it needs to be grounded not just by my emotions, but it must contain my personal thoughts and feelings of the current situation.
Now as for my personal thoughts and feelings about the matter, the tribulations that our fellow brethren have gone through stand as a testament to, yes, how resilient the Filipino are, but, instead of glorifying such resilience, wouldn’t it not be better if people who are in power act on it? I honestly think from past experiences on super typhoons that it’s not really so much about the idea of resilience, but rather, a struggle to live. They’re not being strong because they want to, but because they have to. I, from a point of a certain level of privilege, feel guilty because I’ve seen the effects of the typhoon on various portions of Northern Luzon, yet I’m relatively safe here in the Visayas region. During the weeks that Rolly and Ulysses have ravaged through Philippines, I was safe at home, going about my usual business, and I hate it. I hate having to live a comfortable life while others are suffering due to both the pandemic and the typhoons. I admit, the most I did to try and help them was share links on Facebook or Twitter or other forms of social media sites to try and spread awareness, not only to the Filipino people, but also to the rest of the world. Many times over I had wished I had done more to help, but in my current state as a student, there just a limitation to what I can do, not to mention I’m living in Visayas, so I really can’t just fly over there to assist in donations. But yes, in conclusion, I believe that the Filipino people will once again rise to the occasion and help out our affected brothers and sisters and hopefully the government would be able to learn from this and better prepare for similar or worse typhoons to come.
