Sariling pagasa? A Bicol village learns to live on the edge of disaster

Typhoons Ondoy may have been a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence for many people in Metro Manila, but living under the constant threat of disaster has become a way of life for many residents of Sorsogon Province, one of the most disaster-prone sections of the Philippines. Aside from its proximity to active Mount Mayon, Sorsogon is also located along the Typhoon Belt. Over the past two decades, flooding has become even more frequent and severe in Barangay Banuang Gurang in the town of Donsol in Sorsogon. “When I was growing up, flooding often happened maybe once every ten years. Now it happens as often as twice a month," says Barangay Councilor Erlinda Mejorada, a lifetime resident of Banuang Gurang. She said even a little rain nowadays can cause flooding in her community. Residents say they are even more vulnerable to flooding because of their location next to a river which has become more shallow over the years due to sedimentation from nearby cornfields that are expanding in area. The worst flooding they experienced in recent years happened in 2006, when floodwaters from Typhoons Reming and Milenyo went past rooftops. Although they lost many material possessions during those storms, the community is proud to say that not a single life was lost. Over time, the residents of this 200-household barangay have developed their own ways of living and surviving on the edge of disaster. For one, they have developed their own early warning and evacuation systems. During heavy rains, a concrete stairway leading from the barangay’s main road to the banks of a nearby river doubles as a gauge for determining when water levels have risen to dangerous levels. “When the water reaches halfway up the stairs, we know that is the signal for us to leave our homes and go to higher ground," explains Mejorada. Residents also know where to go in case disaster strikes. There are two dedicated evacuation centers located on higher ground within the barangay. An empty warehouse near the village church serves families living on the eastern side of the village, while families on the western side seek refuge in a center donated by a Manila-based foundation in 2006.

Recently, the barangay was selected to receive additional training and resources for disaster risk reduction by the provincial government’s Disaster Risk Management Office, which was established with the help of the international humanitarian organization Oxfam. In addition to their stairway gauge, the community now has a digital rain gauge. Rainfall rates surpassing 3.3 mm per hour signify the possibility of a flash flood and alert residents to evacuate immediately. The rain gauge is strategically located near the church, where the church bell and megaphone double as alarms. The community has also tapped the assistance of the local army detachment to take daily notes on the weather conditions and rain gauge readings. In the future, this data will help to paint a picture of long-term weather patterns in Barangay Banuang Gurang. Despite the various early warning systems, however, some residents still recognize the near-impossibility of preparing for the worst—especially when the worst seems to keep getting worse. As numerous climate scientists have affirmed, conventional understanding of weather patterns is no longer reliable. The ever-warming earth is generating tropical storms that are stronger than most people have known them to be. “I’ve kept these items here for more than two years now," says Kagawad Mejorada, as she rummages through balikbayan boxes containing some of her family’s valuables -- books, electronic items, antiques, and even graduation gowns. As an added precaution, she has kept these possessions tucked away in boxes in the evacuation center nearest her home so that in the event of a truly terrible flash flood, these possessions may be spared. It’s as if she is permanently in transition, a visitor to her own village, always ready and willing to move out at a moment’s notice. In the struggle against uncertainty brought by the constant threat of disaster, this mentality may be Barangay Banuang Gurang’s best weapon yet. - YA, GMANews.TV