Tag: washi

6 dead so far as #Hagupit (#RubyPH) tears through #Philippines’ central islands

December 8, 2014 benign0 4 Comments

Thanks to “the largest peacetime evacuations the country has ever seen” mounted in preparation for the coming of Super Typhoon Hagupit (locally code-named “Ruby”), death at the appalling scale seen during last year’s devastation wrought by Super Typhoon Haiyan (locally code-named “Yolanda”) had been largely avoided so far. According recent forecasts, the next major populated…

Civics, Government

‘Disaster preparedness’ has become an oxymoron in the #Philippines

October 8, 2014December 21, 2021 benign0 14 Comments

It has been becoming increasingly apparent that “natural” disasters are now a routine occurrence all over the Philippines. The idea that Filipinos ought to be more “prepared” for such calamities — whilst something one would think ought to have been an obvious national priority — is only now resonating across the broader public. To the…

Civics, Development, Government, Politics, Society

Deja vu all over again as Typhoon Mario’s devastation of Metro Manila mirrors Ondoy’s in 2009

September 19, 2014 benign0 26 Comments

Today may as well have been a day in September 2009 when Typhoon Ondoy struck and devastated Manila. Back then I wrote about the Philippine government’s utter failure to step up and provide relief to hundreds of thousands of its victims (a failure to be repeated many more times since), and how Metro Manilans pretty…

Civics, Development, Environment, Government

Korina Sanchez is Mar Roxas’s wife! (and other insights gleaned from the Yolanda disaster)

November 17, 2013November 17, 2013 benign0 34 Comments

Did the Filipino people elect their leaders so that they could be given a “break” in times when their leadership is needed the most? It seems that’s exactly what they did. Many Filipinos are already quite aware of the embarrassingly cringe-worthy manner with which Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III and Department of Interior…

Civics, Environment, Government, Media

Typhoon Pablo casualty could hit 1400+ as Filipinos mourn Pacquiao defeat

December 10, 2012 benign0 20 Comments

The casualty toll in the aftermath of Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) could reach more than 1,400 which is almost equal to the carnage wrought by Typhoon Sendong (Washi) in 2011. According to recent reports, the human toll is rising as search-and-rescue efforts to recover the missing drag on… The toll from the powerful typhoon that swept…

Culture, Environment, Government, Media, Society, The South