Red Cross helps flood victims in Davao Region

By The Manila Times

January 18, 2024 10

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), through its Davao de Oro Chapter, rescued 34 families composed of 98 individuals stranded in their houses in Barangay Magading in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro, and brought them to a nearby evacuation center in the same barangay for food and other humanitarian assistance on Tuesday, January 16.

Over 1,000 families in Davao Region are temporarily staying in evacuation centers due to flooding triggered by heavy rains since Monday, January 15.

PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard "Dick" Gordon said that the humanitarian organization is strengthening and equipping its chapters nationwide in anticipation of tropical cyclones that will traverse the country in the coming months.

"Palaging naka-alerto ang aming mga chapters sa buong bansa upang agarang rumesponde sa mga kababayan nating magiging biktima ng bagyo o pagbaha (Our PRC chapters nationwide are always on alert to respond to our countrymen, whether they are victims of typhoon or flooding)," said Gordon.

PRC Davao de Oro Chapter earlier deployed a water search and rescue team with five personnel in the municipality of Nabunturan to assist the local government unit in evacuating families after several roads remain impassable due to landslides and floods.

RC143 volunteers in Davao Region are currently serving lomi soup in evacuation centers in Barangay Sasa in Davao City and Barangay Dawis in Nabunturan Davao de Oro.

PRC secretary-general Gwen Pang mentioned that volunteers and staff from PRC chapters in other affected areas, such as the ones in South Cotabato and Cotabato City, are currently monitoring the situations of their areas of responsibility.

Philippine Fairy Tales (XVI) - Philippinische Märchen (XVI): Vom ersten Schmetterling - From the first butterfly

 

VOM ERSTEN SCHMETTERLING

Es waren einmal zwei Waisen. Sie waren Bruder und Schwester. Esther war die Jüngere, Amparo war der Ältere der beiden. Als ihre Eltern starben, leben sie davon, dass sie Gemüse und Blumen züchteten und alles verkauften.

Der Bruder und die Schwester hatten ein grundverschiedenes Wesen. Amparo war ein wahrer Faulpelz. Er wollte nichts tun. Er spielte nur in der Nähe des Flusses. Er hielt es aus, stundenlang sein Spiegelbild im klaren Wasser zu betrachten oder zu verfolgen, wie die Vögel fliegen. Es kam ihm nicht einmal in den Sinn, der Schwester bei der Arbeit im Garten zu helfen und seinen Lebensunterhalt zu verdienen. Aber beim Essen warf er Esther jedesmal vor, dss ihre Kost bescheiden und abwechslungslos war.

"Warum kaufst Du jeden Tag diese kleinen Fische?" fuhr er ärgerlich seine Schwester an. "Wer soll dauernd diesen Fraß essen?"

"Paro", antwortete Esther, "hab Geduld, morgen will ich viel Gemüse und Blumen pflücken. Ich will sie verkaufen und Schweinefleisch kaufen."

"Das soll ich dir glauben? Jeden Tag versprichst Du das und ständig kochst Du ein und dasselbe."

Esther kränkte es, dass ihr Bruder gegen sie so ungerecht war.

"Statt Vorwürfe zu machen, solltest Du mir lieber helfen", sagte sie. "Man muss den Garten besser gießen, sonst verwelken unsere Blumen."

"Was? Du willst aus mir einen Diener machen?" rief Amparo.

"Es schickt sich nicht, dass wir einander vorhalten, wer für für wen arbeitet", erwiderte das Mädchen. "Wir sind allein und haben niemanden, den wir um Hilfe bitten könnten. Worauf sonst können wir uns verlassen als auf unsere kleine Wirtschaft, die uns unsere Eltern hinterlassen haben?"

"Du sollst mich nicht belehren", Amparo war ihr einen zornigen Blick zu.

"Ich bin es statt, bei Dir zu sein, bleib allein hier und iss deine widerlichen Fische."

Während er das sprach, lief er auf den Hof. Er brach im Garten eine duftende Rose und lenkte seine Schritte zum Fluss, wo er gewöhnlich seine Zeit verbrachte. Esther blieb allein zurück und brach in bittere Tränen aus.Es tat ihr weh, dass der Bruder gegen sie so ungerecht war.

Am Fluss vergaß Amparo die ganze Welt. Er betrachtete sein Spiegelbild; er konnte sich nicht satt sehen. Er streckte sich eine Rose ins Haar und neigte sich wieder übers Wasser. Da rutschte er aus und fiel vom Ufer hinab in den Strom. In dem Augenblick kam Esther, um nachzuschauen, was ihr Bruder machte. Sie sah, wie Amparo ins Wasser fiel und rief aus "Paro! Paro!" und lief an jene Stelle. Amparo aber war nicht mehr zu sehen. Esther rief die Nachbarn zu Hilfe. Die Leute liefen herbei und durchsuchten den ganzen Fluss, doch von Amparo keine Spur! Nur eine Blüte tauchte plötzlich aus dem Wasser empor, dieselbe Blüte, die in Amparo's Haar gesteckt hatte. Die Blume flog über das Wasser, sie hatte Flügel und schillerte in vielen Farben.

Die Leute blickten sie mit Befremden an , und Esther lief ihr nach.

Die geflügelte Blume flog in Esther's Garten und flog dort von Blume zu Blume.

Und die Menschen sagten, das sei Amparo. Er habe sich in einen Schmetterling verwandelt.

+++

FROM THE FIRST BUTTERFLY

Once upon a time there were two orphans. They were brother and sister. Esther was the younger, Amparo was the older of the two. When their parents died, they made a living by growing vegetables and flowers and selling everything.

The brother and sister had fundamentally different personalities. Amparo was a real slacker. He didn't want to do anything. He only played near the river. He could endure hours of looking at his reflection in the clear water or watching the birds fly. It didn't even occur to him to help his sister work in the garden and earn a living. But when he ate, he always accused Esther of her diet being modest and varied.

"Why do you buy these little fish every day?" he snapped angrily at his sister. "Who's going to eat this food all the time?"

"Paro," Esther replied, "be patient, tomorrow I want to pick a lot of vegetables and flowers. I want to sell them and buy pork."

"I'm supposed to believe you? You promise that every day and you always cook the same thing."

Esther was offended that her brother was so unfair to her.

"Instead of blaming me, you should help me," she said. "We have to water the garden better, otherwise our flowers will wither."

"What? You want to make me a servant?" cried Amparo.

"It's not appropriate for us to accuse each other of who works for whom," the girl replied. "We are alone and have no one to turn to for help. What else can we rely on but our small economy that our parents left us?"

"You shouldn't lecture me," Amparo gave her an angry look.

"It's me. Instead of being with you, stay here alone and eat your disgusting fish."

While he was saying this, he ran into the yard. He broke a fragrant rose in the garden and directed his steps towards the river, where he usually spent his time. Esther was left alone and burst into bitter tears. It hurt her that her brother was so unjust towards her.

"Instead of blaming me, you should help me," she said. "We have to water the garden better, otherwise our flowers will wither."

"What? You want to make me a servant?" cried Amparo.

"It's not appropriate for us to accuse each other of who works for whom," the girl replied. "We are alone and have no one to turn to for help. What else can we rely on but our small economy that our parents left us?"

"You shouldn't lecture me," Amparo gave her an angry look.

"It's me. Instead of being with you, stay here alone and eat your disgusting fish."

While he was saying this, he ran into the yard. He broke a fragrant rose in the garden and directed his steps towards the river, where he usually spent his time. Esther was left alone and burst into bitter tears. It hurt her that her brother was so unjust towards her.

At the river, Amparo forgot the whole world. He looked at his reflection; he couldn't get enough of it. He put a rose in his hair and leaned over the water again. Then he slipped and fell from the bank into the stream. At that moment Esther came to see what her brother was doing. She saw Amparo fall into the water and called out "Paro! Paro!" and ran to that place. But Amparo was no longer to be seen. Esther called the neighbors for help. People ran over and searched the whole river, but there was no sign of Amparo! Only one flower suddenly emerged from the water, the same flower that had been in Amparo's hair. The flower flew over the water, it had wings and shimmered in many colors.

The people looked at her with surprise, and Esther ran after her.

The winged flower flew into Esther's garden and flew from flower to flower.

And people said that was Amparo. He turned into a butterfly.

 

Alle Rentner erhalten bald wichtige Post: Das bedeutet der Brief von der Rentenversicherung

Stand:17.01.2024, 16:20 Uhr

Von: Caspar Ibel 

Rentner erhalten in diesen Wochen ihre Rentenbezugsbescheinigungen von der Deutschen Rentenversicherung. Neurentner müssen den Bescheid im ersten Jahr beantragen. Ein Überblick.

Berlin - Zwischen Januar und Ende Februar schickt die Deutsche Rentenversicherung Rentnern die Rentenbezugsbescheinigungen für das Jahr 2023 zu. Diese beinhaltet Informationen zur ausgezahlten Rente sowie über Kranken- und Pflegeversicherungsbeiträge für das vergangene Jahr. Dabei muss die erste Rentenbezugsbescheinigung von den Rentnern selbst beantragt werden. Dieser Schritt kann unkompliziert über die Seite der Deutschen Rentenversicherung erfolgen. Nach erfolgreicher Beantragung wird die Bescheinigung Rentnern jedes Jahr automatisch zugestellt. 

Deutsche Rentenversicherung hilft Rentnern bei Steuererklärung

Bis vor kurzem war der Inhalt der Bescheinigung notwendig für die Steuererklärung. Mittlerweile hilft die Deutsche Rentenversicherung den Rentnern. Die benötigten Informationen aus der Bescheinigung werden direkt an das Finanzamt weitergeleitet. Eine Übersicht, welche Daten das Finanzamt erhalten hat, ist auch in der Rentenbezugsbescheinigung zu finden. Falls Rentner allerdings vorab das Ergebnis der Steuererklärung wissen wollen, liefert der Bescheid schon frühzeitig die benötigten Daten. Dafür ist in der Bescheinigung genau erklärt, welche Angaben wo in der Steuererklärung zu machen sind. 

Eine Steuererklärung muss auch von Rentnern abgegeben werden, sofern das zu versteuernde Einkommen den Grundfreibetrag überschreitet. In 2023 beträgt dieser Freibetrag 10.908 Euro bei Singles und 21.816 Euro für Verheiratete. Das Ausfüllen der Steuererklärung wird durch die Datenübermittlung an die Finanzämter deutlich vereinfacht. Denn die Anlagen „R“ und „Vorsorgeaufwand“ müssen nicht mehr ausgefüllt werden. 

Auch Arbeitnehmer erhalten Anfang des Jahres Renten-Info

Nicht nur Rentner erhalten Anfang des Jahres Informationen zur Rente. Auch Beschäftigte bekommen zwischen Januar und Ende Februar von ihrem Arbeitgeber die sogenannte Jahresmeldung. Dies ist eine Kopie der Informationen, die der Arbeitgeber an die Rentenversicherung übermittelt. Darin enthalten sind unter anderem Angaben über die Dauer der Beschäftigung und das Gehalt. Da falsche Angaben übernommen werden und sich negativ auf Rentenansprüche auswirken, sollten Beschäftigte diese Informationen überprüfen. 

Dazu rät ebenfalls die Deutsche Rentenversicherung. Beschäftigte sollten stets ihren Namen, die Versicherungsnummer, die Beschäftigungsdauer und den Bruttoverdienst abgleichen. Falls ein Fehler auftaucht, sollte dieser dem Arbeitgeber mit Bitte um Korrektur mitgeteilt werden. 

Kein Ende in Sicht: Winter-Wetter in Bayern bleibt auch in den kommenden Tagen

Von: Lisa Metzger 

Nach der Glatteis-Gefahr kommt der Schnee: Der Deutsche Wetterdienst (DWD) warnt für die kommenden Tage vor Schneefall in Bayern von bis zu 15 Zentimetern.

München – Gefrierender Regen und Glätte haben am Mittwoch in Bayern zu zahlreichen Rutschpartien und vielen Schulausfällen gesorgt. Insbesondere in Franken und Ostbayern hatten etliche Landkreise und kreisfreie Städte den Präsenzunterricht wegen Glatteis abgesagt. Ob am Donnerstag, 18. Januar, die Schule ausfällt oder stattfindet – dazu hat sich das Kultusministerium Bayern bislang nicht geäußert. Vielerorts gab es ein Chaos aufgrund dieser fehlenden Information. Im Landkreis Ebersberg informierte das Landratsamt erst eine Stunde vor Schulbeginn darüber, dass die Schule heute entfällt. Zum Ärger vieler Eltern.

Am Mittwochnachmittag hat der Deutsche Wetterdienst (DWD) für einige Teile Bayerns Entwarnung gegeben, was die Glatteis-Gefahr betrifft. So etwa auch in München. Für die kommenden Stunden und Tage soll die Lage sich aber nun wieder verschärfen.

Auch in den kommenden Tagen warnt der DWD vor Glätte und Neuschnee in weiten Teilen Bayerns. © Imago/Jan Eifert/Frank Sorge/Canva Collage 

(Übrigens: Unser Bayern-Newsletter informiert Sie täglich über alle wichtigen Geschichten aus Bayern.)

Eisregen soll in Schnee übergehen – bis zu 15 Zentimeter Neuschnee

Am Mittwochabend soll es in weiten Teilen Nordbayerns sowie Niederbayerns weiterhin unwetterartiges Glatteis durch gefrierenden Regen geben, meldet der DWD. Ebenso im nördlichen Franken und in Ostbayern, wo der Eisregen teilweise bis Donnerstagmorgen andauern soll. In Unterfranken kann es auch vereinzelt zu extremem Eisansatz an Gegenständen, Bäumen und Oberleitungen kommen.

Am Donnerstag soll es dann nochmal weiß werden – fünf bis zehn Zentimeter Neuschnee sind vielerorts in Bayern möglich. Im Flachland bis zum Abend verbreitet ein bis fünf Zentimeter Neuschnee. In den Alpen erwarten die Meteorologen Neuschneemengen von bis zu 15 Zentimetern innerhalb von zwölf Stunden. 

Which German language level do I require for doing a job in Germany?

 

Arun Mahajan

Career Mentor I Ex-Amazon, Zalando (Germany) I Ex-Flipkart

The question is flawed.

• If you want a successful career in USA, you need to know fluent English
• If you want a successful career in China, you need to know fluent fluent Mandarin (Chinese is not a language, same way as Indian is no language)

In exactly the same way, if you want a successful career in Germany (or any European country for that matter), then you need to know the language at fluent level.

So, the answer is - Learn German as much as you can. Its an investment that will benefit you, in career and life in Germany.

If you will like to discuss something about your career, connect with me on ——> LinkedIn

Check out my Medium articles

I share more career related posts on CDG

More climate bad news for the new year

By Ben Kritz, Manila Times

January 18, 2024 70

WE are not yet three weeks into 2024, and already there have been two unexpected pieces of incredibly bad news on the climate change front. The first was the global temperature data for 2023 from the EU Copernicus program, which showed that crossing the "red line" limit of a 1.5-degree Celsius increase in global temperatures over the pre-industrial average is not, in fact, something that is five or six years in the future but is already happening. The second was a nasty surprise in the form of a research study published on January 2, which revealed that the world's soils, long assumed to be an important carbon dioxide (CO2) absorber, are actually releasing CO2 into the atmosphere at a frightening rate.

The study entitled "Projected soil carbon loss with warming in constrained Earth system models" was led by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and published in the journal Nature Communications. It is accessible online without a subscription — a bit of a rarity, in that respect — at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-44433-2. It is not a long paper, but it is rather heavy reading, so I'll provide a simplified explanation.

Soil absorbs CO2 in considerable quantities from dead plant matter; all of the CO2 taken in by trees, grasses and other plants is carried into the ground when leaves and branches fall, harvested crop plants are tilled under, and so on. The CO2 is eventually released through microbial action as bacteria and other microorganisms break down the plant matter, but it is a slow, gradual process; the soil takes in much more CO2 than it releases over any given period of time.

Or that's what climate scientists have assumed, based on experimental data done years ago; this assumption, in the form of average rates of soil CO2 absorption, has found its way into most climate models. From those models, we get our estimates of the rate of CO2 buildup in the atmosphere, the rise in global average temperature as a result, and the "carbon budget" — the amount of CO2 mankind can still emit before temperature thresholds such as +1.5 C or +2.0 C would be exceeded.

Unfortunately, the latest research has demonstrated the assumption is dead wrong and did so by gathering real-world data from soil samples taken at 366 sites around the world, covering all the various types of landscapes: different types of forests, grasslands, wetlands, croplands, tundra, and so on. The new data thus provided a "constraint" to the climate models, observed data that could be substituted for the older, mostly assumed soil CO2 absorption and release factors.

The results were not good. In the current climate models based on what could be considered a reasonably likely "average" scenario — mild to moderate global warming of something like 1.5-2.0 C, or in other words, the current aspirational goal of most climate policy — it is assumed that soil absorption would remove about 30 billion metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere by the end of the century. Plugging the new data into the models, however, completely reverses that, showing that CO2 "turnover" will actually release about 19 billion metric tons of CO2 over the same time span.

The most important immediate consequence of this is that it means that the "carbon budget" is an overestimate by about 66 percent. Until now, the carbon budget was six years, meaning that we could continue to emit CO2 into the atmosphere at the current rate for only another six years before the 1.5 C limit is exceeded (for the mostly political purposes of the 2015 Paris Agreement, the limit is considered as a 10- to 20-year average, rather than a point). With the latest findings, that deadline has been cut to two years.

It gets worse, however; that new estimate does not take into account the latest Copernicus temperature data, which showed that Earth's temperature actually stepped over the line — or at least stepped right on it — last year. Global average temperatures for all of 2023 were 1.48 C above the 1850-1900 average, and the temperature on every day of the year was at least 1.0 C above that average, with more than 180 days exceeding 1.5 C over the average. Two days in November exceeded +2.0 C over the pre-industrial average, and November's average temperature was 1.69 C over the pre-industrial average for the month. December was even warmer, at +1.78 C.

Ironically, or perhaps not, the current temperature trajectory is very close to that predicted by climate research conducted — and kept secret from the public for decades — by the petroleum industry's CO2 and Climate Task Force in 1980. That research, which has so far been demonstrated to be extremely accurate in other contexts, predicted a 2.5 C temperature rise by 2038.

The scientists who conducted the recent soil research also pointed out that warmer temperatures will tend to accelerate soil CO2 release. The soil microbes that release the CO2 trapped in plant matter as they go about their little microbe business thrive in warmer conditions, and so the "most plausible" estimate of 19 billion metric tons of CO2 added from soil emissions by the end of the century could be as high as 45 billion metric tons.

I suppose the natural question at this point is, "What now?" Don't ask me, man, I just work here. But I do think these latest findings are a further call, nay, imperative demand for climate advocates, policymakers and institutions to pull their heads out of the clouds, resign themselves to living in the present day, and dispense with the laughably, desperately outdated messaging that "we need to take action to keep global warming under 1.5 C before it's too late." It's already too late, and has probably been too late for a long time.

ben.kritz@manilatimes.net

PH storm-free until weekend – Pagasa

y Arlie O. Calalo

January 18, 2024

MANILA, Philippines: The state-run weather agency said on Thursday that it has not monitored any tropical cyclone or low pressure area forming or entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) until over the weekend.

"It would be another generally fair weather in most parts of the country except for isolated or scattered downpours and thunderstorms in the afternoon or at night," weather specialist Benison Estareja of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

Citing the agency's data and analysis, the Pagasa forecaster said there would be no storm inside or outside PAR at least until weekend.

He said the shear line –where the hot and cold air converge – will continue to dump rain, especially in the eastern section of Mindanao.

Meanwhile, Pagasa in its 5 a.m. advisory said the northeast monsoon or "amihan" is affecting Luzon, including Metro Manila and the Visayas where overcast skies with isolated light rain may prevail over the next 24 hours.

The state weather bureau said the rest of Mindanao would likely have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with scattered rain showers or thunderstorms due to the localized thunderstorms.

Love in the making

 How the 'Anyone But You' cast prepped for their rom-com roles

The cast of ‘Anyone But You’ at the New York premiere of the film in December 2023 (from left) Joe Davidson, Glen Powell, Dermot Mulroney, Alexandra Shipp, director Will Gluck, Charlee Fraser, Sydney Sweeney, Michelle Hurd, and Darren Barnet. PHOTO COURTESY OF COLUMBIA PICTURES

Get ready to be charmed by Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, and the rest of the cast of "Anyone But You," which opens today in cinemas nationwide. But first, find out how they prepared to play their roles in director Will Gluck's new romantic comedy.

In "Anyone But You," Sweeney ("Euphoria") and Powell ("Top Gun: Maverick") play romantic enemies Bea and Ben, respectively, who have to put aside their personal vendettas and pretend to be a head-over-heels couple to keep the peace at Bea's sister's wedding. The film also stars Alexandra Shipp, Darren Barnet, Hadley Robinson, Dermot Mulroney, Rachel Griffiths, Michelle Hurd, Bryan Brown, Charlee Fraser, Joe Davidson, and GaTa.

Work hard at working out

"I didn't realize how naked I would be [in the movie]," shares Powell, who plays Ben. "I knew it was a rom-com, which meant I should stay away from the beer for a bit. But I didn't expect to be this naked, this often. I kept weights and resistance bands in my trailer that I would break out on certain days, just to keep everything looking good."

Joe Davidson, who plays the boyfriend of the woman Ben is truly after, was traveling in Tasmania when his agent called with the news that Gluck wished to meet with him in Sydney. "It said specifically in the email that Beau must be big and strong, and I'd just spent a few weeks in Tasmania traveling around, so I wasn't in peak physical condition at all," recalls Davidson. "I headed up to Sydney and went into a KMart, grabbed two dumbbells, and started a little workout. I did sit-ups, and everyone was like, 'What's this guy doing?' I did a 30-min Kmart workout, then headed in for my audition."

Possible tropical and floods continue in Mindanao, Westpacwx Bagyo Update

https://www.patreon.com/RobertSpeta

Disease threat from climate change must be addressed

By The Editorial Board

January 17, 2024 70

PUBLIC health experts are becoming increasingly alarmed at the spread of tropical diseases driven by climate change, both in terms of their appearance in new regions and their increase in occurrences in tropical regions where they are already prevalent. The reports from data collected for 2023 are disturbing and strongly suggest that our own health authorities must take a more proactive approach to identifying and preventing diseases such as dengue fever and infections from bacteria.

The problem is getting the most attention from countries such as the US simply because cases of diseases associated with tropical conditions are beginning to appear in numbers there. In October, two cases of locally transmitted dengue infection were recorded for the first time ever in California; prior to that, all cases of dengue that appeared in the US were in people who had been infected in other countries. There have been numerous cases of infection in the US from the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, a pathogen that thrives in warm water and is sometimes associated with so-called red tide algal blooms; at least 17 deaths were recorded in 2023, with a couple of those occurring as far north as New York and Connecticut.

There have also been increases in the number of heretofore exceedingly rare tropical infections, such as the nearly always fatal Naegleria fowleri, also known as the "brain-eating amoeba"; coccidioidomycosis, also known as "Valley fever," a fungal respiratory infection; and infections from the lone star tick. The latter is at least one dangerous pest that we do not have to fear here in the Philippines as of now, as it is endemic to warm areas of the southern US and Central America, but we should be cautious about preventing it from arriving here accidentally, such as in cargo shipments; the most common lasting health effect it inflicts on its victims is a lifelong allergy to red meat.

Elsewhere, in South and Southeast Asia, most of Africa, and Central and South America, health authorities have also reported what seems to be a steady rise in the incidence of diseases associated with warmer climate conditions, some of the ones described above as well as other dangerous infections such as malaria. There is also some evidence to suggest that warmer conditions are contributing to a rise in cases of tuberculosis in many tropical countries, including the Philippines.

Researchers have explained that the warming climate is helping diseases thrive and spread to new areas for two main reasons. The first is obvious; most pathogens and their vectors (such as mosquitoes) thrive in warm conditions. The second reason is the changes in patterns of human movement and habits due to hotter conditions. People are simply more likely to expose themselves to diseases, especially waterborne infections, by seeking to keep cool in hot weather or through unintentional means such as being exposed to floodwaters.

Despite their understandable concern, researchers have said that the trend in the increasing numbers and geographical spread of tropical infections is not surprising. Since the problem is being driven by global warming, it is expected to become progressively worse. That is certainly not at all an encouraging outlook, but awareness of the problem does suggest a way in which public health authorities can manage it effectively. However, it will require a substantial shift in the approach to addressing disease incidence, from responding to outbreaks to anticipating them.

Put another way, health officials cannot simply wait for diseases to appear but should apply effort in seeking out the potential infectious agents and the conditions that allow them to thrive. This is already done in some ways, such as the occasional campaigns to educate the public and clean up stagnant bodies of water that can harbor disease-carrying mosquitoes, but these types of initiatives must be expanded and carried out even in the absence of any actual cases of infection.

At the same time, the monitoring and treatment of tropical disease cases should be reviewed and strengthened. The public health system will need to be able to effectively handle the inevitable increase in disease cases, as well as to ensure prompt identification of potential new problem areas that might be revealed by cases of infection, even if there are only one or two victims.