Cyclones, typhoons, tropical storms, and hurricanes, although named differently, are all the same disaster type. This natural disaster is referred to as “hurricane” in the Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, a “cyclone” in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific, and a “typhoon” in the Western Pacific.
And the Philippines, geographically located along the Pacific region near the Equator, is prone to tropical cyclones and storms.
In fact, Super Typhoon Rolly or Goni, the world’s most powerful storm for the last four years, was the 18th that crashed through the Philippines this year. On October 31, peak winds were estimated at 195 miles per hour (mph) into Catanduanes Island, home to more than 260,000 people.
Authorities, so far, had counted more than 389,000 people in evacuation sites at Bicol Region alone. And according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, two million people were affected in more than 100 cities and towns.
Speed of 195 mph were equivalent to those of a strong Category 5 hurricane. Thus, it was comparable to Super Typhoon Yolanda or Haiyan, the catastrophic cyclone that devastated Tacloban City in the Philippines in 2013 and killed more than 6,000 people.
But did you know that not all natural catastrophes are work of fate – some are actually man-made ones? And that many of these detrimental effects could have been prevented?
With Rotary’s newest area of focus, supporting the environment, Rotarians are now being called for taking good care of our mountains and for the rebuilding of mangrove forests throughout the world.
In Zone 10 A, three Transforming Presidents (TP) of the Rotary International District 3820 came together to answer these environmental issues thru “Logging for Good: An Empowering Environmental Webinar.”
With the support of District Governor (DG) Renato Atienza, Deputy DG Alex Reuyan and DG Aide Ronnie Santiago, TP Guia Lopez de Leon of the Rotary Club of San Pedro South (RCSPS), TP Evangeline “Alpheus Sp” Mandia of the Rotary Club of Marinduque North (RCMN), and TP Rizaldy Reyes of the Rotary Club of San Pedro South New Generations (RCSPSNG) spearheaded this very timely and relevant topic.
Executive Director Conrad Vargas of Save Sierra Madre Network Alliance, Inc., the insightful and honorable guest speaker, was able to discuss “The Importance of Sierra Madre Mountain Range and the Threats it is Facing.” He talked about illegal logging, indigenous people, quarrying and the hazards of Kaliwa Dam, among many others. He also encouraged everyone to do our share for Sierra Madre, our natural protector against typhoons, thru signing their petition at Change.org.
Meanwhile, TP Alpheus Sp was all about “Understanding the Mangroves: The Forest by the Sea.” Interesting questions arose like “What is a world without Mangrove be like? Can we put Mangroves in the Manila Bay area (instead of “dolomites”)? By far, what are the greatest threat to the world’s mangrove forests? And if these mangroves are truly essential, how can we disseminate its importance to the grassroots level?”
All of which were answered and shown in the Facebook Live: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3144612145644495&id=10000287222524 . From the Mountains to the Oceans, the mountains like Sierra Madre and the mangroves all over the world are the effective shields against the wrath of typhoons.
The webinar, including the prelude, lasted for more than three hours. The team learned in that limited time that with science, true concern and common sense, we can help save the country and the planet.
In cooperation with Immediate Past President Pol Castillo of the Rotary Club of Bagong Sandigan, the part two of this webinar will be slated soon and will focus on “Disaster Preparedness.”
Finally, the Super Typhoon landed in a country already pestered with a coronavirus pandemic, a recession, volcanic eruptions, an ash fall, numerous earthquakes and typhoons, political turmoil, etc. And Rotarians across the globe, especially the Filipinos, are now more than ever being challenged to truly “serve above ourselves.”
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