Recent heavy rains and thunderstorms across the country may have looked and felt like the rainy season is in full swing—but as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) clarified, we’re still in the transition period.

To declare the start of the rainy season, at least seven of the 13 monitoring stations across the western parts of Luzon and the Visayas must report five consecutive days of rain, with each station recording a minimum total of 25 mm of rainfall during that period.

Once both the rainfall and wind criteria are met, the state weather agency will announce the official start of the rainy season, which usually occurs between the second half of May and the first half of June.

This distinction is important, not because it tells us when to open our umbrellas, but because it gives us a valuable window of time to prepare.

Now is the time to brush up on disaster preparedness, a crucial task for us living in a country visited – and often battered – annually by 20 typhoons and floods. At home, review your family’s emergency plan—identify safe evacuation routes, assign responsibilities like who fetches the children from school, and establish procedures to inform family members where you are when disaster strikes. Make sure your go-bag is stocked – food, water, flashlights, first aid, power banks, important documents, and protective gear should all be ready to grab and go.

Evacuation center readiness is also top of mind for government agencies. The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) recently urged local governments to expedite the identification of available evacuation sites. While building new centers won’t be feasible within the year, identifying suitable locations now is essential. These centers, as designed by the Department of Public Works and Highways, are not just temporary shelters—they must include areas for studying, nursing mothers, prayer, cooking, and basic utilities like water and electricity.

The challenge is real – many local governments lack available government-owned land, and purchasing from the private sector is costly and slow.

Just as vital is community cooperation. Officials from the MMDA recently reiterated a perennial problem – improper garbage disposal. Despite acquiring new equipment like dump trucks and power cleaning machines through the Metro Manila Flood Management Project (MMFMP), without public discipline of properly disposing garbage, these efforts will fall short.

It is imperative for families to teach their children early on to dispose of trash properly. Clogged esteros and drainage systems remain the leading causes of urban flooding.

Meanwhile, inspect your home and vehicle. Check roofs for leaks and secure loose shingles. Ensure drains and gutters are clear. Have your car checked—especially brakes, tires, lights, and wipers. Floods can come quickly, and vehicle failure during an emergency can be disastrous.

The official rainy season may still be days away, but preparation should not wait. This annual challenge tests our resilience, our infrastructure, and our unity. The more we prepare today—at home, in our communities, and through local governance—the more we reduce the risks of tomorrow.

Let’s not wait for an official declaration that there is a typhoon to act. The clouds are gathering. Let our readiness be stronger than the storm.