Government Leaders as Crisis Managers

The onslaught of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng was proof that we need leaders and officials in government to become crisis managers. The unpredictable happened, but it was not really and totally unknown. Why? First, we know for the past half a century most of us have lived that population will grow much faster than it will reduce. Common understanding tells us it means more people will need earth space to build houses, more people will need food, more people will need clothes, etc. Second, our past decades have seen the brightest of minds we could ever recall, whether they ended up as tragic heroes and heroines or made history as icons, they did give a thought or two that became TRUTHS and serve as guideposts to our modern cum hazardous living. Lastly, this common knowledge and the historical legacy give us reason enough to ACT responsibly and become wise inhabitants of this human planet.

The responsibility of looking after the welfare of the community especially during time of crisis falls on the shoulders of government leaders, specifically those in the executive branch. As planning is an essential element of governance, its breadth and scope ideally include planning for natural crisis such as the super typhoons that hit the country. Yet we hear of people in the calamity areas commenting about late rescue efforts, absence of government leaders, untimely and insufficient relief goods, etc. Whether these are valid or not, the gaps are evident in community mobilization and information, crisis resource distribution and management, formulation of contingency plans, etc.

In retrospect, government leaders as crisis managers will prove a great advantage in our efforts as a people to cooperate, unite and contribute to making real, humane communities we all need.