Surviving ‘acts of God’

By Herbert Vego

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has, at last after three years in Malacañang, lost his cool over expensive flood control projects gone awry, allegedly due to conspiracy between congressmen and contractors.

In a press conference on Friday, he lamented, “There are 6,021 projects worth more than ₱350 billion that do not specify the exact type of flood control that is being built. Then, many projects also in different locations have exactly the same contract cost.”

“Mahiya naman kayo!” he had earlier hollered in his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

We can only wish the next three years of his administration would bring in palliative solutions to floods and other natural disasters.

“Palliative,” I said, because they are not called “acts of God” for nothing. In legal context, an “act of God” refers to an event caused by natural forces that is beyond human control, unforeseeable, and unpreventable.

But as we see it in the Philippine setting, the President is right that it may also spring from failed government intervention.

Hence, we seek God’s intervention to save us from both bad weather and negligence of our leaders.

The “act of God” metaphor paints the picture of man struggling to survive God’s punishment which could be in such forms as typhoon, flood, earthquake and tsunami.

People who are supposed to rest on their laurels, having retired and are tired of any more work, may suddenly lose everything they have to natural disasters. Imagine a farmer who loses what could have been a bountiful rice harvest to “act of God.” He suddenly falls back to poverty

Much more than the young, the old hate to lose their possessions. It means so much to sit on the same porch where as children they used to play.

Fear of death ranks as the number one reason why we dread natural disasters.

On the positive side, we come to terms with this “punishment” as a wake-up call. It alerts us into the realization that we are not owners but just temporary custodians of our lives, the earth and all material possessions thereat.

“For all the earth is mine,” God said in Exodus 19:5.

It is very important to learn ways of coping with natural disasters and their impact. They can be considered traumatic events that have a high potential to place you at risk for stress, anxiety, and anger.

Here are some “googled” ways to reduce the effect of a natural disaster:

1) Seek out and connect with social support. Over and over again, it has been found that finding support from others can be a major factor in helping people overcome the negative effects of a traumatic event.

2) Identify local support groups or available crisis counselors to talk to. After a natural disaster, crisis counselors may be brought in to help you cope with the impact of a natural disaster. Take advantage of these opportunities.

3) Talk about the effect of the natural disaster. Share your feelings with others. Emotions need to be expressed. If you hold them in, they may only grow stronger in intensity.

Focus on self-care. A natural disaster can deplete you physically. It is very important that you put aside time for caring for yourself.

4) Make sure you eat well, get enough sleep, and exercise.

5) Find ways to help others. Helping others can provide you with a sense of agency, purpose, control, and empowerment.

-oOo-

MORE POWER GOES TO THE FOREST

FIFTY employees of MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) buckled down to “energize” the Maasin Watershed Forest in Maasin, Iloilo by way of planting around 2,000 bamboo and coffee seedlings.

The volunteer group formed a large part of the contingent organized by Iloilo Governor Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. and other elected officials to fortify the forest against natural disasters and to gain commercial productivity.

As a watershed, the forested area also stores potable water for wildlife and human consumption.

“We’re not just planting trees at the Maasin Watershed,” MORE Power President Roel Castro said. “We’re also investing in a greener, more sustainable future for Iloilo. This project shows MORE Power’s commitment to protecting our resources, supporting livelihoods, and making sure that the power we deliver is matched by the care we give to the environment that supports us all.”

The occasion coincided with a groundbreaking ceremony for a multi-purpose facility and  eco trail worth ₱25 million, which is a portion of the ₱325 million budget earmarked for the Maasin Eco-Park project.