ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR III
Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker;
observe its ways and become wise.-Proverbs
Ironic as it may seem, we must anticipate the reality of El Nino or long dry spell, even if its raining and Typhoon is at the door. In fact, the predictions of the drought would be wise to heed as leading scientists are on it. The weather bureau expects the country to have fewer typhoons this year because of El Niño. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration predicted that El Niño, the warming of the Pacific Ocean, will most likely prevail in July. This story was bannered by Manila Times early this year. Philippine Daily Inquirer in the April issue of the paper interviewed the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration and predicted that: The occurrence of an El Niño phenomenon this year has become more likely, with now a probability of at least 80 percent, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Tuesday.
The weather bureau, however, clarified that before the looming onset of an El Niño, the Philippines would first experience a rainy season.
PAG ASA warned that heavy rainfalls might occur before the onset of the phenomenon.
“From previous experience natin, pwede tayong makaexperience ng extreme rainfall event like Ondoy noong 2009 wherein nagkaroon ng El Niño noong 2009 to 2010. Bago maramdaman ‘yung kakulangan sa tubig, nakaexperience tayo ng extreme rainfall events,” she said.
Meanwhile, what can we do to prepare;
Here are the measures that LGUs can take:
1. Conserve water. Conserving water is one of the key actions needed to be taken to mitigate the effects of El Niño1. LGUs can enact ordinances curbing illegal connections and encouraging prudent water usage1.
2. Fix water leaks. LGUs can allow water concessionaires and water utilities to conduct emergency leak repairs1.
3. Maximize rainwater usage. LGUs can implement measures to maximize rainwater usage for harvesting and storage1.
4. Implement contingency plans. LGUs can implement and update existing contingency plans related to El Niño1.
5. Stockpile relief goods. LGUs can stockpile relief goods for immediate relief assistance1.
6. Coordinate with other agencies.
What can individual homes do to prepare :
El Niño is a climate pattern that occurs when sea surface temperatures over the Central and Eastern Pacific Oceans warm up and affect air and sea currents. It increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions, potentially causing dry spells, droughts, and other adverse environmental effects1. Here are some tips to help you prepare for and cope with El Niño at the household level in the Philippines:
• Monitor weather forecasts and advisories: Stay updated on the latest weather news and advisories from reliable sources such as PAGASA1.
• Conserve water: During El Niño, water supply may be limited. It’s important to conserve water by fixing leaks, taking shorter showers, and using a bucket to wash your car instead of a hose1.
• Prepare for power outages: El Niño can affect the electricity supply since some power plants depend on dams. Make sure to have emergency supplies such as flashlights, batteries, and candles on hand1.
• Protect your health: Hot weather can increase the risk of heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, wear light-colored clothing, and avoid strenuous activities during the hottest part of the day1.
This may be trivial for now but it may be helpful soon.
The proper attitude towards laws
IT’S obvious that we need laws. We should respect and follow them as faithfully as possible as long as they are just laws. But we have to understand that laws, which in the end come from God, are formulated and articulated by us and therefore are subject to varying human conditions, such as the prevailing culture at the time the laws were made, etc. It’s for this reason why some exceptions can be made in obeying these laws.
We are reminded of this fact of life in that gospel episode where some leading Jews complained to Christ about his disciples doing something unlawful during the Sabbath. That unlawful thing was nothing other than that these disciples picked grains in the field to eat because they were hungry. (cfr. Mt 12,1-8)
That was when Christ clarified to them what the real intent of the Sabbath law was. He explained that exceptions can be made. “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry,” he said, “when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat?”
Still more: “Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?”
Then he explained why such exceptions can be made. “I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
It is quite clear that laws are made to serve our ultimate end, and that can only be that we be led to God, our original source and ultimate end. Our laws should be such that they should not negate nor even undermine the achievement of this fundamental purpose of the laws. Even our traffic laws, so insignificant if impacted with our ultimate end, should respect this fundamental purpose.
But what do we have? We sometimes absolutize our laws as if they are the ultimate purpose in our life. They can be so rigidly and indiscriminatingly applied to all cases when there can be exceptions or even exemptions that can be made. We fall into some kind of legalism.
And nowadays, there are even laws that undermine the ultimate purpose of our life, that is, our proper relation with God. Christ himself complained about this. “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” (Mk 7,8) We are now making ourselves as the ultimate lawgiver, as if we are the creator of the universe.
We have to be careful with our tendency to fall into what is called as legalism, which is a way of making our human laws so absolute as to regulate even matters of conscience that they become the end in themselves. Legalism is when we make our human laws so absolute that they cannot stand any more improvement, enrichment, or even revision and revocation.
Legalism is when we get too obsessed with following the letter of the law at the expense of recognizing the true spirit of the law. It is usually characterized by rigidity and heartless treatment of people, especially those disadvantaged by a given law.
This is not to say that our laws are useless. No. Laws are always necessary and very useful. But they should be treated as means only, not as ends. As such, they cannot be treated as if these laws are the only laws that have to be followed. In a given situation or case, other laws may be followed.