As I write this, PAGASA is alerting the nation about a tropical cyclone (international name: Fung-Wong) currently at about 1,500 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao or 1,470 kilometers east of eastern Visayas.

In its latest advisory, PAGASA says Fung-Wong is forecast to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility by midnight Friday or early morning Saturday.

Once inside the PAR, it will be named “Uwan.”

PAGASA says landfall may happen on Nov. 10 over Northern or Central Luzon. In terms of intensity, it is forecast to rapidly intensify and may reach supertyphoon category Nov. 8 evening or Nov. 9 morning. It may also make landfall at or near its peak lifetime intensity of 195 kilometers per hour.

The impending arrival of this new cyclone comes soon after “Tino” left a trail of death and destruction in Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Negros and Palawan. More than a hundred have reportedly died in Cebu alone. The magnitude and scale of this calamity is so great that President Marcos placed the entire country under a state of calamity.

A lot of attention, all well-deserved, is being given to Cebu. But we must widen our view and look beyond Cebu, especially areas where the destruction is underreported or even unreported.

One of these areas is Palawan where the Roman Catholic apostolic vicariate of Taytay is calling for help for typhoon-struck communities and even church buildings.

The vicariate posted on Facebook that the towns of Roxas, San Vicente, Taytay, Araceli, Dumaran, El Nido, Cuyo, Magsaysay, Agutaya, Linapacan and other island towns in northern Palawan need help.

Donations may be sent through BPI, account name “Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate of Taytay” and account number 8873-0927-78, or through GCash number 0977-4092016 (Broderick Pabillo).

Similar fundraising and donation drives are ongoing for other areas such as Canlaon in Negros.

Caritas Manila is welcoming donations through BDO (account number 000560045905), BPI (account number 3063-5357-01), Metrobank (account number 175-3-17506954-3), and RCBC (account number 0000003000902216).

It is difficult to imagine the situation on-ground in Cebu, especially in Talisay and Liloan. The images are too ghastly. While we could be certain that the unflagging faith and fighting spirit of Visayans would ultimately make them prevail, the challenge is always for others to be emphathetic and to express solidarity and support.

The aftermath of “Tino” obviously exposed further the scandals behind the multibillion-peso flood control projects, whether they were ghost projects that never saw the light of day, or whether they were built in substandard manner. Every Filipino, regardless of our location, has the right and honor to raise questions about these important publicly-funded expenditures.

What irks me and other friends is how quickly discussions have descended into the level of gaslighting. Flood victims have been blamed for their own plight supposedly because they voted for certain candidates or parties. This is toxic hyperpartisan political practice that should be ended. Those who do it should be ashamed of themselves.

A friend offers a better, humane point of view. He says that while it is true that we should not quit investigating and questioning the controversial flood control projects across the country, we must also take a look at government policies and government-approved projects related to the environment. The mountain-side housing project is but only one such project.

My friend writes that we must also look at land use planning and zoning in the cities and municipalities, hazard mapping, and socialized housing. I agree, but also hasten to add the quarrying operations in Cebu and other areas.

On a related note, another friend, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, has announced that the House committee on public accounts would start investigating this month the ₱349-million Dolomite artificial beach project in Manila. The dolomite came from Cebu, and based on available information the project has marred the waterways of Manila and also violated the Manila Bay master plan as approved by the Supreme Court.

Regardless of the outcomes of elections, past and future, these issues need to be discussed now. In other words, we cannot wait for 2028 to settle the issues, to prosecute whoever needs to be prosecuted, or to stop practices, policies and projects that are too destructive to the public.

We cannot stop warring political factions in the national and local levels from blaming each other. That’s their expertise. But we should call them out for misusing the tragedy for cheap politics, press them to convert political heat to hot meals and ayuda, and to prepare for supertyphoon Uwan.