Having little time to recover from the previous calamities, communities are forced to be resilient after being showered by one typhoon after another. As citizens who believe in the ‘Bayanihan’ spirit, volunteers hold the torch of hope for those who were affected—even if they also fell victim to these disasters. They show up and continue to provide, even though the actions should be done by those who legally swore to do so.

Over the past few weeks, the Philippines encountered six consecutive typhoons. As the month of October came to an end, severe tropical storm Kristine entered the country, which left damages in various  provinces, especially in Bicol where P3 billion-worth of the agricultural sector was lost in the region. Almost a day after, it was followed by super typhoon Leon, adding to the injuries that Kristine left. 

Not even a week after, newly monitored low-pressure areas entered the country that were named typhoon Marce, Nika, Ofel, and the latest typhoon Pepito, all while the people were recovering from the aftermath of the previous disasters.

Before, during, and after the pour

Local government units (LGUs) and social media advisories encourage citizens to be vigilant and prepared to avoid further damage from a typhoon, especially for those citizens living in disaster-prone areas, which experience harsher effects from the calamities.

In an interview with FEU Advocate, Far Eastern University Red Cross Youth Council’s (FEU-RCYC) Social Services Committee Press Relations Officer Adrianna Lyka Menes shared that our country’s exposure to storms shaped the citizens to be adaptive, but they still must follow precautionary measures.

“[The] Philippines is a country that is very vulnerable to typhoons, and this is why I know that the citizens [have] become very resilient when it comes to this kind of situation. Despite the readiness that the citizens have equipped, we should always remember to adhere and practice safety precautions even when a typhoon is not present,” Menes said. 

She also added that one of the few ways we can contribute to reducing the typhoons’ effects is by helping spread awareness through simple acts. 

“Let us all together do our best to mitigate, or at least lessen the risks of typhoons by being an advocate of environmental awareness. Let us use modern technologies, such as social media, to educate and empower citizens to take action towards making the environment a safe home for everyone,” Menes advised. 

Being mindful of our environment is important because it gives us an advantage to take action on which precautionary measures are needed in times of calamity.

FEU-RCYC Social Services Committee Vice Head Veronica Grace Postrado also explained that preparing for an anticipated typhoon is an essential action that citizens should take to mitigate its impact and severity. 

“Minimizing the impact of a typhoon can significantly reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities. We should stay informed about the typhoon’s path, its movement, and when and where it will make [its] landfall,” Postrado expressed.

Knowing what to prepare and when to prepare aids a lot with the possible harms we may encounter.

Meanwhile, Tamaraw Volunteers’ (TAMVOL) Director for Events and Operations Stephanie Candice Hainto said that these precautionary measures are not as easy as they sound, but they contribute to minimizing damages. 

“Preparation beforehand, assessing the needs, situation, and weather conditions, as well as keeping yourself alert and level-headed, and information dissemination regarding emergency services and evacuation plans are some of the steps that people can take to help minimize the negative impact of a typhoon. These may not be easily applied, but slowly practicing these may help improve one's response to a disaster,” the Director emphasized.

The preparation before a typhoon is one of the most nerve-wracking situations for the areas that will be directly affected. The emergency kits that contain the necessities to suffice for days are the food to keep our stomachs filled, water to keep us hydrated, candles or flashlight to create light, extra batteries or power banks for equipment or gadgets, clothes to keep us warm, medicine for safety, and more. 

During a typhoon, it is vital to make sure that everything and everyone is safe, such as important documents, necessities, pets, and family members. As much as possible, avoid going out unless necessary, avoid floodwaters as it may cause diseases, and if the need to evacuate arises, make sure to close all the windows, and doors, then turn off all the electrical switches. 

Turning off the electricity is also a crucial act to lessen further damage, especially to houses that were flooded. Faulty wires that are possibly soaked by water should be checked because it can cause electric shocks and damage to wirings. 

Once the weather calms, a new kind of storm is soon to brew, as it is not only the big chunks of wood, roofs, and dirt that are scattered on the roads, but also the emotions of the victims are evident. The aftermath is the most dreadful experience for each survivor of a typhoon because this is the time when they will have to find ways to recover from the calamity.

Volunteers behind the vests

In times of calamity like typhoons, citizens remain hopeful to overcome obstacles because of the Bayanihan spirit that never fades with the help of volunteers from different cities, organizations, or groups.

They are present in every relief operation and donation drive, most especially for the people who are less fortunate in flood-prone areas.

TAMVOL Internal Affairs Committee member Margina Claire Ravelas shared that, as volunteers, they make sure to create a concrete and clear work plan to ensure efficiency and reliability in conducting their donation drive and relief operation projects. 

“Hosting a donation drive requires careful planning and organization. The process begins with setting clear objectives, which includes determining who we want to help and identifying the types of donations that are most needed… To maintain efficiency, we establish a clear workflow by setting up designated workstations for sorting and packing items [for donation],” Ravelas said. 

Volunteers coordinate with LGUs, community leaders, or any reputable organization to decide on which affected area to prioritize and help during and after the disaster with consideration to the number of people affected, the urgency of their needs, the amount of damage they experienced, and the accessibility of the area. 

During the occurrence of severe tropical storm Kristine, Far Eastern University Central Student Organization’s executive board initiated a donation drive called ‘Tulong Tamaraw’ for the typhoon’s victims and were sent with the help of the non-government organization Angat Buhay. This project ignited the spirit of volunteerism among students and organizations in the university.

In light of volunteerism, hosting volunteering projects is definitely not an easy task. It requires a lot of time and effort to make sure everything is according to plan since these projects will be dealing with the reality of the typhoon's effect. It covers the lives of the people you’re helping—even if it means sacrificing some things personally. 

Additionally, TAMVOL Events and Operations member Marry Queen Ellesse Alasco believes that there is beauty in the spirit of volunteerism even after experiencing difficulties.

“‘Yung spirit of volunteerism, sobrang alive kapag may mga ganitong sakuna [typhoon]. Ang ganda tignan kasi, as students, busy din tayo with our schedule, but we still make time to help other people (The spirit of volunteerism is very alive during times of calamity like the typhoon. It’s good to see it because, as students, we are also busy with our schedule, but we still make time to help other people),” Alasco recalled. 

Aside from Alasco, TAMVOL’s Executive Consultant Suzanne Angela Dela Cruz highlighted that it is inevitable to experience instances where you will have to take the initiative in helping while also facing personal challenges yourself. 

“Ako mismo, ‘yung pamilya mismo namin, was affected with the calamity [typhoon Kristine, but] I had to serve as a proponent of the project of a donation drive while kami mismo ng pamilya ko, is affected din ng bagyo… May mga pagkakataon talaga na ikaw ‘yung mag-take ng initiative, pero ikaw din mismo or ‘yung mga mahal mo sa buhay are directly affected (I myself, my family itself, was affected by  typhoon Kristine. But I had to serve as a proponent of the project of a donation drive while my family was affected as well… There would be chances that you’ll have to take the initiative while also being directly affected),” Dela Cruz expressed. 

Despite these challenges, volunteers are united in one shared objective: to ensure that every individual gets the help that they need. 

The act of volunteerism exists not only in the one who does it. It creates a domino effect on the victims and influences them to also become just like them—a volunteer who helps people in times of crisis.

She reiterated that volunteering does not end with giving relief goods and conducting donation drives, since there are underlying factors the citizens should keep in mind, like holding those in power accountable.

“We need to place greater responsibility sa mga nakaupo sa pamahalaan. Para sa gano’n, hindi na lang aasa ‘yung mga komunidad natin sa donation drives… sa mga relief operations ng mga pribadong tao o organizations, because nandiyan ‘yung government na may tungkulin na tugunan ‘yung mga pangangailangan nila (We need to place greater responsibility to those seated in the government. With this, the communities won’t only have to depend on donation drives and relief operations conducted by private individuals or organizations, because the government woud be there to provide their needs),” she said.

With that, the executive consultant encourages Tamaraws to try participating in volunteering opportunities that would help rebuild what those affected have lost. 

Nonetheless, we shouldn’t be too comfortable with getting help from volunteers nor should we romanticize the concept of resiliency in times of calamities like typhoons. It is true that they are risking their lives for others wholeheartedly, but they still have families to go home to—families who need them. 

The ones that should take action and should be held accountable for problems like these are the people seated in the government who vowed to serve the community and provide concrete solutions. 

Giving their literal blood, sweat, and tears, volunteers continue to serve their purpose by helping those in need even if they are affected as well. They are pioneers of initiatives and contributors of the bare minimum that should be given by the government itself. Bayanihan is surely ignited within us, but accountability must be called out. Typhoons come and go, and preparations for the typhoon are cyclic, but the damage of an uncertain, apathetic government leaves a permanent mark that harms not only the environment but also the lives of millions of people.

- Mariah Louise Miciano
(Illustration by Alexandra Lim/FEU Advocate)