Brothers and sisters, we experienced in these past few months some intense calamities. The successive earthquakes in Mindanao affected over half a million people, and destroyed many homes and buildings. Typhoons Tisoy and Ursula before the end of 2019 affected around 4 million people. The latest is the eruption of the Taal Volcano that affected the livelihood and possessions of about 30,000 families. If we count the cases of dengue and measles from last year, and the current water crisis in Metro Manila, we can say that our country is indeed in a state of calamity.
Amid this situation, it seems that the same way we addressed things, especially the government’s way, is no longer enough. It shouldn’t be “business as usual” where in every calamity, government agencies take action in providing help for those affected. The people are becoming more patriotic, private companies and good-hearted individuals, and even the Church, are going out of their way to help those in need. Local governments are releasing calamity funds. But if these calamities occur simultaneously or succeedingly, like what happened this past year until now, the help that the government and private groups share would not be enough, and many victims won’t be able to get back on their feet.
A new kind of response and mindset is what our current situation needs. Disaster preparedness, like retreating to evacuation centers, and saving up and prepositioning supplies of food, water and other needs are no longer enough. Disaster responses also lack the capabilities to save those in danger, including those involved in relief operations. And rehabilitation, like the new housing and building projects to restore infrastructure destroyed by calamities, is no longer adequate.
Now that these calamities are occurring much more frequently because of climate change and the location of our country, would it not be better to help the people, especially those exposed to dangers and are struggling to rise above these hardships? This is called resilience or the ability to rise again after getting hit by calamities. Because reaching out to help and save everyone affected by calamities is quite difficult, it is much more effective to help particularly those in danger and incapable of standing on their own while they are still not yet struck by calamity.
The first priority would be the poor because they have nothing, including connections to social services and institutions that can offer help. Therefore, in order to help them, the first thing to do is to connect them to services that can help in their development. In this way, we recognize and reinforce their dignity because they will have the ability to help themselves instead of relying on others. They will no longer be seen as people who only receive help. Also, we should avoid what Jesus said in the book of Matthew 6:1-2 about those who help for adoration, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”
Brothers and sisters, as the Catholic social Teaching called Libertatis Conscientia reminds us, the people must be active and be responsible in participating social life. This is a must on how we treat our fellow brothers and sisters exposed to danger and calamity.
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