SUPER TYPHOON YOLANDA | Marcos vows not to repeat Yolanda experience on its 10th anniversary

November 8, 2023 , 05:52 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(November 8, 2023) – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday pledged to include climate adaptation in the government’s infrastructure projects and policies to prevent a repeat of what had happened to areas devastated by the country’s deadliest typhoon in modern history.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary of Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban City, the leader stressed the need to make climate change a “vital component” of the Philippines’ national policy as the climate crisis is expected to further exacerbate the impacts of natural disasters.

“We must make sure that we apply our knowledge on climate change to every plan, decision, and initiative so we can build stronger and more resilient communities,” Marcos said in a public speech.

“Be assured that the government is always striving to ensure that such tragedies of this magnitude will be avoided and will be adapted to.”

Super Typhoon Yolanda, with international name Haiyan, slammed the country’s belly ten years ago, unleashing powerful winds and storm surges that killed more than 6,000 people, displaced hundreds of thousands more families, and caused widespread destruction of infrastructure and farmlands along its path.

The deadly typhoon pummeled Tacloban City, the disaster’s “ground zero” in the northeastern part of Leyte.
Climate experts consider climate change to have contributed to the devastating impacts of Yolanda, as warmer oceans have created an environment for more powerful typhoons.

Marcos also directed his government to address lingering issues that communities affected by Haiyan still face even a decade after the calamity, including speeding up the distribution of housing units and land titles to beneficiaries.

“Let us continue to work hard so that we can provide them with the tools and the resources to rebuild their lives,” he said.

In past pronouncements, the president has promised to push for climate-resilient infrastructure and pressed world leaders to provide further financial assistance to countries disproportionately affected by the climate crisis, including the Philippines.

However, environmental groups have demanded Marcos to take stronger action to combat climate change and hold significant pollution sources accountable, such as major fossil fuel companies.

Greenpeace campaigner Jefferson Chua told Marcos that remembering the scale of Yolanda’s destruction is “no longer enough.”

“We are sending a clear demand to the Marcos administration: make polluters pay for their role in the climate crisis,” Chua said in a statement. “At COP28 (20th Conference of the Parties), he should demand climate reparations from fossil fuel corporations and countries alike and institute policies that will deliver justice to communities.

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