LOOKING BACK: A Decade After Reming
Devastating was all we could describe about the worst typhoon that struck the province of Albay and even the whole Bicol Region. It is now almost a decade since typhoon Reming (Durian, international name) swept our lands and killed many lives. There were a total of 55 deaths counted after the tragedy. Fortunately after the super typhoon, Albay was able to rise again.
To this day, the horrible picture of dead bodies along the streets are still visible in the minds of those who have seen firsthand the aftermath of Reming; The rotten smell that is so strong while passing by the bridge along Padang and Rawis; all those houses that were washed away by the floods could still be remembered. But look at Albay now, cleaner with no dead bodies and smell of those; more developed houses can be observed since years have already gone by.
The government must be given due credit for taking good care of this province and taking full control over the mess the typhoon left. We are now faced with the questions-- what have we done and what have we become? 10 years after, a group of artists also reminisced the remains of typhoon Reming as they managed to conduct a mural painting in Guinobatan, Albay this September. With eight artists and volunteers combined to finish the biggest mural painting in Albay in commemoration of those people who weren't able to survive the tragedy brought about by the typhoon. They called this event "REMINGniscing: Guinobatan 10 years after Reming".
Looking back, scared that Albay may once again experience devastion, in preparation for the typhoons that followed Reming, the then governor of Albay, Joey Sarte Salceda, promoted zero casualty as its vision for the province during the occurrence of natural calamities. Prior notices and extensive information dissemination about the evacuation protocols were applied and are still conducted throughout the province especially in Legazpi.
Truth be told, no calamity can be prevented since it's also the nature's way of balancing everything on earth but man can still prepare itself so less destruction on human beings and infrastructures will be made by these calamities. Moreover, the zero casualty should not only be promoted here in Albay but everywhere in the Philippines even in the world.
The lessons of the past should remain within us. We've already been washed away by a strong typhoon, so we must not let it happen again. The lives of those people who were killed by the catastrophe will never be revived but the lives of the living can still be save d through knowledge and discipline. -Oragon Digest
