Doleups of misery

As if the storm of nonsense emanating from recent congressional hearings conducted by self-important lawmakers are not enough, we poor Filipinos are also being battered by a series of storms to end the year.

“When it rains, it pours,” as the saying goes, although when it comes to our politicians, their gibberish that makes us wonder about their convoluted thought processes is a constant deluge — inundating us 365 days a year.

Now comes “Pepito” threatening to develop into a super typhoon (if it’s not one yet considering Signal No. 4 has already been raised in some areas). It has charted a beaten path so to speak, making Bicolanos, who were hardest hit by “Kristine,” wonder why these weather systems an’t cut them some slack.

As I pound this piece, “Pepito” made his presence felt Saturday afternoon in Makati City, albeit only through a sudden, short downpour and the weather bureau’s report that Metro Manila has been placed under Signal No. 1.

For journalists, bad weather just adds another level of urgency to the grind and deadlines of putting to bed early a paper-and-ink newspaper, even as developing stories are constantly fed through our online mill as they happen.

These typhoons are bringing back memories of 2009 when tropical storm “Ondoy,” known internationally as “Ketsana,” left a trail of destruction in Luzon with 665 recorded deaths and $1.15 billion in damage.

Wiki says “Ondoy” was the “second most devastating tropical cyclone of the 2009 Pacific typhoon season,” playing second fiddle only to typhoon “Kiko” (Morakot), which claimed 956 lives in the region, most of them in Taiwan.

So far, “Ondoy” remains the “most devastating tropical cyclone to hit Manila, surpassing typhoon “Patsy” (Yoling) in 1970. I vividly remember that at “Ondoy”’s height, I had to dash out of the town of Cainta to save our red hatchback from being totaled by floodwater.

Later, I would come to know that the sudden rush of water was caused by the dams releasing water that had breached their critical levels. Lessons should have been learned from “Ondoy,” but here we are in 2024 and the timely release of dam waters still remains a cause for grave concern.

Having brought the car to higher ground, I would walk through chest-deep floodwater, and later cling to the side of a rescue boat to be able to return to our town half a day later, but only as far as the mall at the junction leading to Antipolo.

My mother and grandmother, to my relief, needed no rescuing as they early on were accommodated in the topmost floor of the barangay outpost at the plaza where Andres Bonifacio’s statue used to stand.

Mother had the luxury of time, I surmised, since she even brought a couple of her favorite scents that would serve her and her mother well for the couple of days they had to endure waiting for the flood to subside.

Now going back to where we started, it’s almost as if the universe is laughing at us, as if saying: “You think your politicians are a joke or a collective vexation to the soul? Wait till you see what real chaos looks like.”

Pardon that jab, but our legislators should do more than just waste taxpayer money talking. We need robust infrastructure, effective early warning systems, and well-coordinated emergency response plans to mitigate the risks posed by these extreme weather events.

Investing in sustainable practices and green technologies can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow down the pace of climate change. It’s a must that we learn from past mistakes and take decisive action to protect our communities.

Or, we could just keep doing what we’re doing, and let Mother Nature serve up more misery. The choice is ours.