When you reflect on the string of earthquakes that have hit the country, it is understandable for people to panic and get an apocalypse kind of feeling. I am not sure about the end of the world, but I am pretty certain that the only thing we can do, the most important thing we should do is to prepare for any eventuality. Preparedness is vital in mitigating the damage of any disasters or calamities.

We have been struck by powerful earthquakes in recent weeks, most recently a magnitude 7.4 quake in Davao Oriental and a 6.9 tremor in Cebu. These calamities led to tragic loss of lives, injuries, evacuations, widespread destruction, and prompt tsunami warnings. I commiserate with all the victims and urge government to utilize all resources at their disposal to help them cope with the aftermath and more importantly, with rebuilding their homes and their lives.

Such events provide a stark reminder of our vulnerability to natural disasters due to its geographic location along the Pacific Ring of Fire—a major fault line prone to seismic activity. And global warming is already wreaking havoc to our climate. The frequency and intensity of these quakes spotlight the critical need for comprehensive disaster preparedness and response to protect lives and property. We do have an established disaster risk reduction and management framework but numerous challenges continue to undermine effective preparedness.

While the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, principally authored by the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago (which we passed when I was still in the Senate) and subsequent government initiatives provide the legal and institutional foundation for disaster readiness, implementation gaps remain significant, especially at the local government level.

The central government needs to pour resources to local government units (LGUs) so they can conduct thorough risk assessments or have up-to-date contingency plans, and integrate risk reduction into development and budgeting processes. I remember toward the end of my last term in the Senate the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in the Philippines (NDRRMC) through the Office of Civil Defense under the Department of National Defense gave us a briefing in which they stated that vulnerable communities remain unprotected, evacuation protocols inconsistent, and emergency response delayed or disorganized. I am not sure if these issues have been addressed since I left government but this has to be on the top of the to-do list of concerned government agencies.

Aside from the executive, I hope the legislative branch of our government initiate inquiries on the measures employed by the national government in disaster management and preparedness programs with the end in view of directing concerned government bodies to consider emergency plans in dealing with the occurrence of threatening disasters and to allot substantial budget.

In my opinion, preparedness needs to be localized. When disaster strikes it is our local officials who need the resources with which to act quickly and decisively. Strengthening local government capacities therefore must be a priority through sustained technical training and better allocation of disaster preparedness funds. We need to emphasize anticipatory actions—preparing before disasters strike rather than reacting afterward—to minimize damage and facilitate quicker recovery.

Beyond government, the role of public cooperation is absolutely crucial for effective disaster preparedness. Preparedness requires active community participation and shared responsibility. Our people need to be informed, trained, and empowered to take appropriate actions, such as drills, creating emergency kits, and following evacuation orders promptly. When people understand the risks and recognize their role in disaster management, they are more likely to stay calm, make smart decisions, and help vulnerable neighbors.

This is an issue that is beyond politics. It is beyond partisanship. Disasters does not take sides. And so the stakes have never been higher, and preparedness is truly a matter of life and death.