Marcos declares four regions in state of calamity; Climate change gains momentum in media coverage

This Week in Media (October 31 to November 4, 2022)

“PAENG” ENTERED the country in time for the long “Undas” weekend and the traditional Catholic celebration of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day. The Severe Tropical Storm, with the international name Nalgae, entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on October 26. Its track was projected to cover Visayas and Luzon. But by Friday evening, October 28, news reports showed floods and landslides in towns further south— in Maguindanao del Norte with Datu Odin Sinsuat town reporting the highest number of casualties at 40. Local officials later told the media that they were expecting heavy rainfall and flooding since the rains did not let up, but there was no warning about landslides.

As of press time, 154 casualties across affected areas have been reported, with 35 still missing. Maguindanao officials have halted search and rescue operations to give way to clearing activities. Four regions—Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao, Bicol, Calabarzon and Western Visayas have been placed under a state of calamity. Media diligently followed relief efforts in their coverage this week. Reports noted the immediate and long-term requirements of local governments for those afflicted. 

In his October 29 briefing with the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Coordinating Council (NDRRMC), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lamented that the government “could have done better” in Maguindanao, finding the 40 casualties at the time “very high for a flooding incident.” In defense, Renato Solidum, Science and Technology Secretary, said state weather bureau PAGASA did issue rainfall warnings.

In another briefing on November 1, Marcos reported that his aerial inspection revealed denuded mountains in Maguindanao, and that he saw substandard flood control infrastructure during his ground inspection. He suggested that officials of the Bangsamoro region include tree-planting in their long-term flood control programs. 

But the Philippine Daily Inquirer noted the seemingly random points in Marcos’ response. He did not say which nongovernmental organizations he had in mind when he told local governments to work with them on reforestation. The Inquirer added that Marcos did not say what measures would be taken to stop people from excessive cutting of trees. The same report referred to an Inquirer opinion piece that provided data showing deforestation worsened during the regime of Marcos’ father.

CNN Philippines picked up criticism from netizens, as Marcos’ surprise at the high casualty count did not sit well with them. Netizens cited in the report said the government should be well aware of typhoon cycles, and that Marcos has the power to channel resources where necessary. 

InterAksyon featured a Twitter thread  on the phenomenon of stronger tropical cyclones by Renee Karunungan Edwards of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change. InterAksyon reported that actor Dingdong Dantes shared the same thread, with a comment that there is “no excuse for unpreparedness.”

Blame Game 

Deflecting blame is a usual government resort when disaster strikes. On November 2, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama told Karen Davila on ANC’s Headstart that he prefers to follow forecasts by international agencies, claiming these made more accurate classifications for typhoons. He challenged PAGASA to admit it lacks the capacity to do so. In contrast, Cyrus Torreña, Maguindanao Provincial Administrator, told ONE News that PAGASA was not to blame, as it did issue rainfall warnings and the downpour was continuous.

In two separate interviews on ANC and Teleradyo, Dr. Esperanza Cayanan, PAGASA Deputy Administrator for Research and Development and Dr. Vicente Malano, PAGASA Chief, said more personnel are required by the weather bureau due to expansions, and some Doppler radar systems that had been destroyed years ago are still not functional. Cayanan also mentioned budget cuts in previous years, and during PAGASA’s last budget proposal hearing. 

Both Cayanan and Malano emphasized that a lot has been accomplished in modernizing PAGASA, as mandated by law. But they acknowledged that the weather bureau needs to fill staff vacancies so it can improve its communication capacity. Cayanan, in another ANC interview, pointed to accomplishments in “laymanizing” jargon at the local level, but admitted that more needs to be done in making people understand the risks of extreme weather occurrences. 

Malano and Al Quiblat, the PAGASA Visayas chief interviewed by Sunstar Cebu, both said they respect Mayor Rama’s opinion. But they assured the public that the agency is doing its best despite limitations.

Media went beyond government statements, pursuing expert sources to talk about the climate crisis and how the country should address this urgent issue.

Dr. Mahar Lagmay of the UP Resilience Institute spoke to ONE News about the need to invest in hazard mapping reflective of “anticipatory, probabilistic scenarios” that take climate change into account. He also believes complete hazard mapping can be done in six months if there are enough funds and manpower for it. In a separate interview with Teleradyo, he discussed the current capacities of Project NOAH, which has been absorbed by the University of the Philippines after it was terminated by the Duterte government. Lagmay said Project NOAH continues to do the work despite limitations.  

CNN Philippines, ONE News and Teleradyo featured representatives from nongovernmental organizations Oxfam Pilipinas, World Wildlife Fund Philippines and Aksyon Klima, who all stressed the need to make climate crisis an urgent government concern. 

Ret. Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, former head of the NDRRMC, emphasized on ANC that there are working systems in place, but that adequate disaster response largely depends on implementation and the capabilities of human resources. Speaking with Rappler, Pama shared insightful points on improving disaster management, taking into account the “Paeng” aftermath.

Meanwhile, TV5’s Frontline Tonight produced a helpful explainer on the topography of Maguindanao and the possible reasons for the heavy damage caused by “Paeng.” This kind of reporting proves that media can greatly help the public in assessing risks within their areas of residence, calling on the government to attend to their needs. 

The severity of extreme weather occurrences has escalated in recent years, and their impact has been unprecedented on various communities. The media’s discussion of climate crisis in light of “Paeng” is a welcome effort, as it calls attention to perennial lapses and challenges in disaster response that the Marcos administration now has the duty to address. Newsrooms must sustain these conversations, bearing in mind that their duty to the public cannot be overstated as it can mean saving precious lives in the face of disaster.