Learning from the lessons of ‘Yolanda’

by Manila Bulletin

Super Typhoon Yolanda, with international name Haiyan, is one that we, as a nation, will never forget. When it made landfall on Nov. 8, 2013 in Eastern Visayas, it affected the lives of millions of people, plunged towns in darkness, and destroyed much of the structures in its path, with Tacloban City “wiped off” the face of the earth. It didn’t spare anyone, carrying with it devastating winds, a destructive storm surge, and massive flooding.

Aside from the gargantuan damages wrought to property, infrastructure, and roads by this Category 5 storm, lives of at least 6,000-plus Filipinos were cut short, making this tally one of the deadliest ever in the history of typhoon casualties in the world. It was a humanitarian nightmare, one that overwhelmed the government and LGUs, shocked Filipinos, and stunned the world.

Until today, Nov. 8, 2022, when the nation marks the 9th anniversary of the storm, mere mention of “Yolanda” sends shivers down the spine. More recent typhoons were always benchmarked against “Yolanda,” with government agencies stepping up their game to avoid another similar tragedy. Lessons were learned from “Yolanda,” and terms such as disaster mitigation, early warning system, climate change, typhoon resiliency, etc. entered the lexicon of the Filipino nation. 

People then realized that super typhoons such as “Yolanda” will not be the last of its kind. Various studies published after the tragedy indicate that there is a correlation between super typhoons and climate change. A study from the World Meteorological Organization’s Task Team on Tropical Cyclones and Climate Change, said, “Warming of the surface ocean from anthropogenic (human-induced) climate change is likely fueling more powerful tropical cyclones. The destructive power of individual tropical cyclones through flooding is amplified by rising sea level, which very likely has a substantial contribution at the global scale from anthropogenic climate change. In addition, tropical cyclone precipitation rates are projected to increase due to enhanced atmospheric moisture associated with anthropogenic global warming.”

This study is revealed in the behavior of recent super typhoons, when they underwent “rapid intensification,” gaining immediate, rapid strength after just a short time.  “With global warming, some regions will experience increases in rapid intensification, and slowing of the forward motion of tropical cyclones,” the study added.

Considering this information, we have to call on the government to be ready, resilient, and responsive to climate change. The Marcos administration has made several steps in the right direction, with the President acknowledging the need for climate-resilient policies and highlighting the importance of sustainability and green energy.

Today’s commemoration will be solemn and dignified.  The local governments of Tacloban, Palo, San Isidro, and Carigara in Leyte, and Marabut in Samar have suspended classes on all levels and work in government offices today, with Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez saying: “The commemoration is a way to recognize the lessons that ought to be learned from the experiences and pay homage to the people who suffered and those who survived the catastrophe, as well as to highlight the resilience of the people.” 

We join everyone in prayer as we remember the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda. May we also continue to learn from the lessons that have emerged from the tragedy — to combat climate change in our own ways, to strive for a greener lifestyle, and to call for a sustainable future.