If Super Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda was by far, the strongest-ever typhoon to be recorded in modern time, Typhoon Hagupit/Ruby could probably be the sloooooooooowest typhoon to ever hit Philippine shores.
If one did not die from a storm surge or from flying/falling debris caused by Ruby, he/she would've probably died from anticipation as to when exactly this monster was leaving.
Nevertheless, Ruby's extended stay gave way to many side stories worth passing through a whole gamut of emotions for. Some are funny, some are irritating, some are saddening...Like I said, the whole lot.
Let's look back at the past days and see the whole impact of Typhoon Ruby's recent unwanted visit to the Philippines.
LIKE A WOMAN WITH PMS
 |
Satellite photo of Typhoon Hagupit as it was moving toward
|
From the beginning when Ruby was still being identified by her international code name, Hagupit, this weather disturbance was already unpredictable. So many weather forecasting agencies were honed in to its formation, speed, and track, but none of them could really pin down Hagupit's next move.
When she was already just outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), weather forecasters were still at odds as to whether Hagupit was going to make landfall in the Philippines, or skirt the Eastern Seaboard and curve toward Japan.
More nosebleed-inducing was how forecasters would peg Hagupit as a Category 5 cyclone, only to downgrade it to a Category 4 storm, then back to Category 5, then...well, I guess you get the idea. So imagine if you are among the shell-shocked Leytenos still traumatized by last year's bout with Yolanda, you'd be scared shitless -- pardon the French -- with the thought that you'd be going through the very same thing again. Hashtag deja vu much.
It was bad enough that Ruby was being compared to Yolanda; it was even worse that even the best weather forecasters with their shiny shimmering equipment could not agree on the exact time of this typhoon's landfall because of its oft-changing speed. Then when she was already within the PAR, PAGASA would note how Ruby would make a slight curve upwards, remain steady, strengthen, weaken, go faster, go slower...
Yes, very much like a woman with pre-menstrual mood swings.
SO SLOW
Eleven excruciating hours. That was how long residents from Leyte, Southern Leyte, Eastern and Northern Samar, and Biliran endured the howling winds and rain of Ruby.
In fairness to Typhoon Ruby, she was not as deadly as Super Typhoon Yolanda. Most Pinoys learned their lesson after last year's experience with Yolanda, which is why casualties were kept at a minimum this time around. Other than that, Ruby and Yolanda had very different "personalities." Yolanda struck fast and struck hard. In less than two days, Yolanda was out of our hair. Ruby...well, she just took her sweet time travelling along the Philippines' bosom, starting out strong but ending with barely a whisper.
Friends and former students of mine from Tacloban and Tanauan, Leyte were in constant touch with me via Facebook through the whole snail-paced movement of Ruby. It was around Saturday mid-afternoon (December 6) when the first wave of rain began to pound the area. Until evening, the wind and rain tore through the area relentlessly. Larissa, a former student of mine, related how frightened they were by the unceasing sound of roofs flapping noisily through the whole din, threatening to peel off at any given time.
The crashing, flapping, and howling in Tacloban was supposed to abate by 3 AM the next day, but Ruby had other plans. It was already 5 AM when she finally ceased. By then, almost no one there had a fitful sleep for a good 11-hour period.
Eye bags were a dime a dozen that day.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
Some people took note of the iffy nomenclature of this most recent typhoon that wreaked havoc in most of Central Philippines. When it was still outside Philippine territory, its international name was very Filipino-sounding -- Hagupit, meaning to violently toss around or hit in Tagalog. Then when it entered PAR, it acquired a very American name -- Ruby.
What gives, you may ask?
Turns out, the term, Hagupit was among the names the Philippines submitted to this UN agency who, together with this international meteorological agency, has the privilege of endowing names on weather disturbances. The said Pinoy name was applied, together with other local names like "Maliksi," "Danas," "Lupit," and "Talas."
You may read further on this by clicking on this
link.
The name Ruby, however, was concocted early on by our very own weather agency, DOST-PAGASA (Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration). A bit of trivia regarding our local typhoon names: among the names of typhoons for 2014, one was eventually scratched off the list because of a person with the same name who has earned Internet fame/notoriety due to his sex videos with young ladies.
I won't share a link -- just Google the name, Kanor.
PAGASA -- ZERO TO HERO
 |
A PAGASA weather forecaster analyzing Typhoon Ruby's
|
I have to admit, I was among PAGASA's bashers when tracking of Ruby started. Other international weather forecasting agencies were up-to-date with satellite photos and maps showing the development of Hagupit and her movement toward the Philippines. Most of them would give updates almost every hour. On the other hand, PAGASA was frustratingly slow in sending out weather bulletins. Even more frustrating was the fact that they really seemed clueless at first as to the typhoon's path.
To make matters worse, PAGASA's website which was among netizens' main link to information on Ruby was already crashing due to the sheer volume of network traffic.
The poor guys were turning into laughing stocks to the point where DOST Chief Mario Montejo had to face the press and emphasize that their data on Ruby was more reliable than that of other weather agencies. He stressed that the proximity of their weather instruments to the typhoon made for better readings, thus making for more reliable data.
As Hagupit moved closer and closer to the Philippines and was renamed Ruby as soon as it entered PAR, people realized that Sec. Montejo and the rest of PAGASA's weather forecasters were right.
It no longer mattered that bulletins on Ruby had a six-hour interval. PAGASA was spot on with its forecasts.
Even CNN was already looking at PAGASA's forecasts as one of its main sources of information regarding Ruby's track.
PAGASA bashers like me ended up with the perennial egg on our faces, but I don't mind. I'm just happy that they proved me wrong.
The men and women of PAGASA who barely slept or ate during those dark days (You could actually see it on their faces during every press briefing, the poor laddies.) are among the big heroes of Ruby's onslaught.
CASUALTIES KEPT AT A MINIMUM
For such an erratic storm like Ruby, it would be impossible to hope that there would be zero casualties after it leaves.
True enough, in Ruby's wake, the death toll was, as of press time, pegged at around 20. There are government agencies who are still debating on the actual tally since some of the deaths may not have been directly caused by the typhoon.
In the Yolanda-stricken areas, there were zero, I repeat, ZERO casualties.
Having a zero, in this case, is a really good thing.
So I guess the formula for zero casualties is this:
trauma from a previous catastrophic typhoon
mass evacuation from coastal areas
early warnings
a more cooperative and more informed populace
+ LGU initiative____________________________
ZERO CASUALTIES
International agencies are now lauding us for our disaster preparedness in the light of Typhoon Ruby. Just imagine how difficult it was for the Philippine government to move around a million individuals to higher and safer ground -- the highest-ever recorded number of people evacuated -- but they managed to do so.
This is one really strong manifestation of the Philippines learning its lessons from Super Typhoon
Yolanda.
TELCOS WEATHERING THE STORM
Last year with Yolanda, among the most severe effects of the typhoon's lashing was the total shutdown of all broadcasting and communications facilities. For around 15 harrowing hours since the last news report from Tacloban City, there was a news blackout. No one outside the affected areas knew what the heck happened to their friends and loved ones. Then when news started trickling in, there was no good news -- only one bad news after another.
Telecommunications was also on the blink, and much as we outsiders wanted to get in touch with our relatives and friends to know if they survived the storm, we could not -- and vice versa on the part of those who weathered the storm. Yolanda hit on a Friday, but I only managed to hear from my family Sunday morning. Believe me when I say that not knowing whether your family is dead or alive with no means to communicate with them is probably among the worst things one could ever feel.
This time around with Ruby, things were a little different. The telcos were readier to face the storm. I don't know exactly how they did it but a manifestation of their disaster preparedness was the fact that even while friends in Leyte were being pummeled by the storm, they were still sending blow-by-blow updates on Facebook and Twitter. (Larissa Dy, this is YOU, hehehe.)
And for this, the local telcos (Globe Smart, and Sun) deserve a pat on the back.
A STUDY IN CONTRASTS
 |
Bunkhouses made for Yolanda survivors by the Philippine
government now destroyed by Typhoon Ruby. (Photo from
|
Going back to the Yolanda-devastated areas that were once again visited by Typhoon Ruby, one scene made for a very stark study in contrasts -- the temporary shelters built for survivors whose homes were destroyed by Yolanda.
Housing units built by private/corporate entities and non-government organizations managed to withstand Ruby's wrath, with very minimal damage.
As for the supposedly international-standard bunkhouses built by the Philippine government for the Yolanda survivors, these came crashing down -- or more appropriately, were blown away -- when Ruby came a-huffing and a-puffing.
So much for this almost-a-million-pesos-worth project.
Despite the epic fail, the Philippine government still tried to defend their trashy bunkhouses, saying that these are just temporary housing units meant to withstand winds of up to 150 kph. Typhoon Ruby incidentally blew more than that so...
Still an epic fail.
IN A STATE OF SUSPENSION
 |
| Just another Erap meme. |
Still learning from the lessons provided by ST Haiyan/Yolanda, another factor that led to lesser casualties (and drier people) was the timely suspension of classes and offices.
When Ruby was threatening to make itself felt in Metro Manila, many city officials were calling all major broadcasting networks as early as the afternoon before to announce the cancellation of classes in all levels in their respective areas.
All except for Manila Mayor Joseph "Erap" Estrada.
You see, many schools and universities are concentrated in the City of Manila. In fact, there are two University Belts there -- one in the Espana-Legarda-Recto area, and another in the periphery of the famed walls of Intramuros.
My daughter is among those students studying in a university located in the Recto area -- the Far Eastern University (
FEU). So just imagine how anxious she was when all the other Metro Manila mayors were suspending classes while Erap was very quiet.
It was early evening already when classes in all levels in Manila were suspended. By that time, my daughter was already cussing in Waray.
I know I should've reprimanded her for the trash talk, but I guess if I was in her place, I'd be using colorful language, too. Haha.
LIGHTS ON
In fairness to the Philippine government, not all of the president's men are as (insert colorful adjective here) as the rest. I gotta hand it to Department of Energy Secretary Jericho "Icot" Petilla who promised to bring back electricity to the Leyte areas within a week after Ruby's landfall. The man did not renege on his promise.
As of this moment, people in the Tacloban-Palo-Tanauan areas are now with light, and can expect a brighter Christmas ahead.
THE WONDER DUO
I had to place this story for last as this is probably the mother of all Ruby side stories -- the epic fails of the Mar Roxas-Korina Sanchez tandem.
Korina Sanchez is a prominent anchor person usually doing the evening news at the ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs.
Mar Roxas, meanwhile, is head honcho of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Incidentally, these two are married to each other.
I don't know what it is with strong typhoons that apparently brings out the worst in these two.
They cannot be more meant for each other, I swear.
----------
 |
Korina Sanchez (L) and Anderson Cooper (R) (Photo from
|
Last year, Korina made a big ruckus during the news coverage of ST Yolanda's destruction. She never stepped foot in Tacloban City during the critical days after the typhoon struck, but CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper was on the ground seeing events unfolding with his own two eyes and making an in-depth analysis of said events.
Among Cooper's observations was the lack of national government presence in Ground Zero which was immediately bashed by Korina in her radio show. Korina noted how Cooper was a mere foreigner who should not make sweeping generalizations.
Cooper eventually found out about Korina's public berating and made his own
statement to debunk whatever she said -- also before the news camera. Rest assured, that shut Korina up for sometime.
----------
Fast forward to the Ruby coverage, and Korina's golden tongue was at it again.
That time, Ruby was still outside PAR and forecasters were still confused as to where she was headed. She and fellow anchors Noli de Castro and Ted Failon were wrapping up their news for the day when they decided to discuss Typhoon Ruby's path. In a misguided show of nationalism, Korina wished that Ruby would hit Japan instead of the Philippines. De Castro tried to cover up his female co-anchor's lack of tact by saying that perhaps it would be better if half of Ruby would be felt in the Philippines, half in Japan. But Korina was adamant: "Japan na lang, kasi mas kaya nila (Just Japan because they could handle the storm better)."
And once again, Korina ate flak for breakfast.
----------
Mar Roxas, meanwhile, is just one failed publicity stunt after another. When before he gained political leverage with his campaign strategy of being a Filipino Everyman through his "Mr. Palengke" schtick, this time, mature voters have seen through the spin and are now utterly tired and disgusted by his "masa (masses)" portrayal.
His spin doctors just don't seem to get it. Mar Roxas is no "masa." He's the grandson of a former president, for crying out loud. He never was, never will be. He has never driven a pedicab in his entire life. He never directed traffic. He never hammered nails.
And he never drove through slick and muddy terrain on a motorbike.
----------
Last year, Roxas suffered from foot-in-mouth disease during his visit to Yolanda-stricken areas. It was bad enough that just before the typhoon hit, he and the rest of their government team came in unprepared. Thus, when Yolanda made landfall in Tacloban, their entire party was huddled like trapped rats in the stairwell of the Leyte Park Hotel with no means of communication. Then as soon as the skies cleared, they were eventually picked up and left the ruined city in a huff.
Roxas did return to Tacloban immediately, only to be at loggerheads with the city's mayor, Alfred Romualdez. It was in one of their meetings on disaster and relief operations where Roxas uttered the famous lines, "You are a Romualdez, and the president is an Aquino," and (while shoving a waiver surrendering Tacloban City to the national government in Romualdez's face which the latter refused to sign), "If we cannot legalize (the turnover of authority to the national government), you'll be in charge. We'll help you,
pero bahala na kayo sa buhay niyo (but we leave you in charge of your own lives)."
To say that it left a bad taste in one's mouth is an understatement.
----------
This year with Ruby, Roxas was once again being his usual "epal" self. (Sorry, I don't know how to translate the word, "epal." I guess to be "epal" is to be too attention-seeking for his/her own good.)
Since Ruby made landfall a bit higher this time, hitting Eastern and Northern Samar in the process, Roxas made it a point to go there instead of Tacloban. Every now and then, his discussions with disaster personnel and local government executives from the area were aired on TV, and he did a good job just repeating what weather forecasters and the LGU reps said. Media got tired of his mimicry and eventually turned off their cameras -- until they stumbled upon this gem:
Social media was immediately in an uproar upon seeing this photo of Roxas only wearing a baseball cap and not a helmet while riding a motorbike.
You see, there is a
law in the Philippines mandating the strict use of helmets when driving a motorcycle. Many motorcycle riders have been apprehended already just because they were not using a helmet.
Then Roxas is caught red-handed in this.
Of course, national government and his partymates were once again quick to defend Roxas, saying that circumstances in Samar merited the use of motorbikes, which is why Roxas was seen driving one. As for his non-helmet status, all Malacanang could say was to quit noticing Roxas' faux pas and to just concentrate on the supposed work he has done there.
What work? For the sake of a photo op?
WRAP UP
The Samarenos who may read this may disagree with me, but despite its erratic behavior, Typhoon Ruby still paled in comparison to ST Yolanda.
In fairness though, it did try to reach Yolanda's status, but failed.
Failure came not only in the sense that nature caused Ruby to weaken as soon as it hit land -- it also came in the form of Filipinos knowing better how to handle a typhoon of this magnitude.
Filipinos came in prepared to brace for Ruby's wrath. Everyone, including national government and other vital institutions, has apparently learned from mistakes committed during Yolanda's time. That is, except for the occasional epals and trapos (traditional politicians) who still have this misguided notion that typhoons are the best times for accumulating votes. (Yes, these creatures are still out there and are thriving like parasites.)
With super typhoons becoming the new norm and the Philippines, particularly its Eastern Seaboard,
being the usual welcoming committee for these howlers, it is comforting to know that we are embracing this reality and taking the necessary steps to adjust to the change in our climate.
However, we shouldn't stop with simple adjustment. We are now very much aware of the spectre of global warming and climate change. Being one of those countries being severely affected by these new weather patterns, we also need to play an active part in the worldwide move to mitigate climate change.
There is no point denying it -- global warming is what is creating these super typhoons that will continue to slam into the Philippines, unless we do our own share.
It doesn't have to be flashy or dramatic. It doesn't even require donations.
We just have to be more respectful of our own environment. After all, this is the only planet we could live in. We destroy our planet with our negligence and abuse, we destroy ourselves.
Sir
David Attenborough couldn't have said it any better:
"There is no question that climate change is happening; the arguable point is what part humans are playing in it."
(#)
