Submitted by: Submitted by jaquo71
Views: 991
Words: 901
Pages: 4
Category: Societal Issues
Date Submitted: 09/12/2010 10:25 AM
Economic Implications of Typhoon Ondoy
Leaving a path of destruction and countless casualties in Philippines, the deluge brought by typhoon Ondoy is still fresh in everybody’s mind, especially those who experienced it.
The downpour lasted nine hours, the misery will last many, many days. So many dead, so many stranded, so many have lost so much, and so many, even if safe, are consumed by worry and fear for loved ones or the frustration that comes from wanting to help, but not knowing how. I’ve experienced this since I live in municipality of Taytay, one of the main towns in Rizal that suffered so much. Text messages, news, pictures all over the web, and lots of stories about the flood made me uneasy in our home. I felt weak, helpless...
The amount of rain that fell in a matter of hours was comparable to the rainfall that submerged New Orleans during Hurricane “Katrina.” Torrential rain over the weekend triggered the worst flooding the Philippines’ capital has seen in over four decades, submerging more than 80% of the city, killing at least 246 people and displacing hundreds of thousands more. Philippines was unaware and ill-equipped by that time, no one was able to foresee the strength of typhoon Ondoy.
In the face of calamity, one thing I am glad about this catastrophe is that everyone is ready to lend a hand. Millions of donations (in cash and in goods) and innumerable volunteers came. Bayanihan spirit is in everyone’s heart.
As thousands of families were affected by the onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy, economists say there may be a dampening effect not only on the morale of the victims but also on the economy.
Due to this calamity, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday expanded her declaration of a state of calamity over Metro Manila and several provinces last week to cover the entire country to keep the prices of goods at their current levels. This will absolutely be helpful for the Ondoy victims, but I can’t help but to think about the vendors who...