Warning from Nature

Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura and Senator Loren Legarda led the symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of housing units for typhoon victims. Looking on are Antique Governor Salvacion Perez and other provincial government officials.

Very seldom does our province, Antique, merit mention in national TV and newspapers.

But three days ago, Antique was in the early evening news . It was about two persons who drowned when their banca capsized in the rampaging waters of Kangaranan river. The next day, there was another story about families in the coastal town of Belison evacuating to higher grounds.

Antique being a coastal province, residents are used to rough seas and rivers during typhoons. But the impact of recent weather disturbances has been very bad.

I called up our neighbor in our barrio in Guisijan in the town of Laua-an and he said typhoon Nina brought a lot of rain. He said the creek beside our house overflowed and water in our garden was almost knee-high. I can imagine that the houses in lower areas suffered more.

Compared to typhoon Frank last June, Nina did not do as much damage to Antique. But the overflowing creeks and rivers are warnings of the unchecked environmental destruction in the province.

The times that I was in the province during typhoon season, I noticed tree trunks coming from the mountains blocking the flow of the waters, which was one of the causes of the overflow.

I also noticed that the creeks in our barrio are getting narrower and narrower because the families whose houses are on the edge of the creek try to extend their lot by laying sandbags. I also noticed plenty of plastic garbage. Not just plastic cups and paper bags but appliances and furniture! Most probably Katas ng Saudi.

OFW dollars have enabled many families to build concrete houses and buy modern appliances but apparently, they have not been told of the need to protect the environment.

Through typhoons Frank and Nina, Mother Nature is sending a message to take care of what she created or else….

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The rehabilitation of Antique from the severe damage caused by typhoon Frank continues.

Last Sept. 18, Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura and Sen. Loren Legarda were the special guests in the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of housing units for 100 families who were rendered homeless by the devastating tempest.

Legarda’s grandmother is from Antique and is active in many of the development projects in the province.

Antique Governor Sally Perez said the US$79,343 (approximately P3.6 million) grant will be used to build core shelters to benefit 65 families in the town of San Remigio and 35 in Sibalom.

It was the first visit of Katsura to Antique and he said he was “impressed by the vast and beautiful natural environment of your province.”

Since Antique’s airport is closed (there isn’t enough traffic to sustain regular commercial flights to the province) , Katsura took the flight from Manila to Iloilo and traveled by car to Antique. The route from Iloilo to Antique is enthralling. It’s a zigzag drive through the mountains while looking out to the ocean.

In his message during the ground-breaking ceremonies, Katsura said, “It saddened me to imagine how seriously Typhoon Frank affected the lives of the people in the region and their environment. And I would like to extend my deepest condolences for the victims and my heartfelt sympathy for their families.

Perez informed him that although the local government and other non-government organizations provided food and clothing assistance, there were not enough funds for the rebuilding of houses that were destroyed by the flashfloods.

Katsura said Japan will also be providing water tanks, sleeping pads, plastic sheets and power generators.

On Oct. 17, Antiqueños in Metro Manila will be asked to do their share. The Antique provincial government will hold a concert and patadyong fashion show at the Cuneta Astrodome at 6 p.m.