In the wake of yet another storm hitting the country, one cannot help but ask if the people are ready to face a possible replay of what happened last year.
Just a month after the storm Ondoy turned a year old, the country is once again drenched in Heavy Rains. Typhoon Juan (international codename: Megi) officially entered the Philippines' area of responsibility over the weekend, and provinces in the northern part of the Philippines were not spared of its damage. Several domestic flights have been canceled, while a blackout has hit five provinces in Northern Luzon, namely Cagayan, Kalinga, Apayao, the northern part of Isabela, and Ilocos Sur.
Though still not that strong compared to Ondoy, Juan can be considered as the first "stress test" for the promised preparedness of different government agencies, especially the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). It can be recalled that President Noynoy Aquino questioned the accuracy of the said agency in their weather advisories. As Typhoon Juan gathered strength however, PAGASA was on top of the situation. Their website now features hourly updates of typhoon Juan's movement, as well as a Twitter service for citizens who are on the go and most of the time on their mobile phones.
These efforts by PAGASA were met by commendations from citizens who are relying on their forecasts and updates.
Though typhoon Juan is expected to exit anytime soon, Manila and seven other provinces would still experience heavy rains until 12 noon today (Oct. 19).
