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Sensible Precautions for Living in the Philippines
I have another article taken from the Street Wise Philippine Dreams Newsletter. This one has some very sensible precautions one should take when living in the Philippines. These defiantly go under the file away and implement upon arrival.
I have been caught in enough brown outs (the Filipino term for a power outage). A couple of years ago I was caught while staying in what was otherwise a very nice resort in Subic. Everything was fine up until about midnight then the aircon and fan stopped. It ended up be the most uncomfortable night of my life. There was just no relief from the heat and humidity even outside along the beach. I never want to get caught like that again.
I plan to get my own generator when I move there. Combined with the precautions listed below this should protect us from all but the most server interruption to basic services.
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SENSIBLE PRECAUTIONS
We Live In Nature, It’s Not A Theme Park.
If we were truthful with ourselves then I am sure we would acknowledge that
we live a pretty safe life compared to many others in the world and even more
so when compared to our forefathers and ancestors. There isn’t a war raging
at the moment that really threatens our lives, despite what some vested
interests may try and convince us of to the contrary. Unless you are living in
Iraq or on Basilan Island, the odds of you falling afoul of a war on terrorism
related atrocity are pretty low.
However, we do live in a world where nature still rules supreme. Especially
here in the Philippines. In Cebu we are pretty lucky to be sheltered by the
surrounding Visayan islands of Leyte, Samar, Negros and Bohol. Their
protection means the typhoons that do strike this far south usually just
produce a lot of rain and some wind and nothing like the maelstrom those up
in Luzon often face.
The Philippines is a collection of islands, volcanic islands and we lie on the
Pacific Rim Ring of Fire, according to the National Geographic documentary I
saw last year. Very dramatic but also very apt as anyone who witnessed Mt
Pinatubo erupt can attest. There are several active and numerous dormant
(or allegedly dormant) volcanoes making up the very land upon which we
stand. The perfect cone of the Mayon Volcano in Bicol has been making
noises for some time or late, and Mt Pinatubo is also giving hints she is
restless.
On top of all that, there are earthquakes to consider and their oceanographic
cousins, Tsunamis, or tidal waves. Most of us live fairly close to the sea and
so this is something to consider. Can you imagine a major earthquake hitting
your barangay? The mind boggles how our local, antiquated and amateur fire
department would cope.
Besides nature and her extremes, there are also the results of average
weather events to think about. Storms can lead to losing your roof, or land
slides or flooding, even on a relatively minor scale. Nothing lethal or life
threatening most of the time, but at the very least disconcerting and annoying.
If you had to evacuate your home due to a flood, would you expect your
possessions to be there when you return, albeit a little soggy? I wouldn’t.
I will look at events involving human antagonists another time, like riots and
so on. This time, lets just focus on natural catastrophes and what we can do
to prepare for them and live through them. First of all, don’t get paranoid but
don’t ignore the fact that nature does bite some times. A simple storm could
leave you without power for several hours or even several days, how will you
cope?
Firstly there will be no light, no internet and no refrigeration. There may be no
water if the local supply relies on being pumped and the pump is on the same
grid that is affected by the storm. Two years ago in Bogo we had a
“brownout” that lasted for nearly three days. The local water supply was
reliant on the electricity grid to power the pump to get it to our taps. No power
meant no water. Nothing to drink, wash, launder or cook with. After the first
day in the heat and humidity the novelty wore off and bottled water supplies
were already stretched as people bought up “gallons” wherever they could for
drinking water.
The power and water came back on at one stage and I rushed around filling
every container I could with water. Others thought I was being silly, the power
was back on, the water was flowing again, why fill all those containers? Well
the power went out again after just forty minutes and didn’t come back for
another two days. Two more days of no fans, no aircon, no television, no
karaoke (always a silver lining in any dark cloud) no cold drinks, no fresh food,
no ice etc.
Most brownouts last only a few hours, often less. This one was a three day
mongrel. I was fortunate in that I could afford to put my family in the Red
Terror and drive them to Cebu, where we stayed at the Kiwi Lodge for a
couple of days until friends rang to say the power was back on. We could
have survived the two more days with no power or water because we were
prepared but with the Asawa pregnant there really was no reason not to find a
solution such as staying at an hotel. Of course, that solution may not always
be available.
We keep at least three days water supply on hand at all times and regularly
cycle through it. Our bottled water supplier brings three “gallons” every week
but we use only two, so there is always one there in case of an emergency. I
just line them up and go through them so the water is never more than a week
“old” when drank. I also have another “gallon” kept in a cupboard out of direct
sunlight which I swap with a fresh bottle every month or so as I remember to
do so.
We have a battery back up and surge protector for the computer, it will give
you about 15-20 minutes once the power goes out to save your work and
switch off. Then if it is dark a standing lamp also plugged in will carry on for
about the same amount of time giving us light to see by as we get the candles
and torches (flashlights) out.
My wife now realizes why I insist on keeping the torches in the same places
around the house, along with spare batteries and strict instructions the kids
are not allowed to play with any torch except the one specifically designated
as the “one the kids will play with and use up the batteries so it won’t work
when you need it” torch. Keeping them in the same places means they are
easy to find in the sudden darkness of a brownout. Keeping the spare
batteries with them and insisting on a little discipline regarding their use pays
off when the torch is needed in an emergency and is worth the extra effort
required to instil on the average Fil-Am family. (Or Fil-Aus in our case).
We don’t store a lot of food for emergencies, although we do have a cupboard
with tinned goods that I make an effort to rotate through every couple of
months. Since we live in the city now we don’t worry quite as much as what
was prudent when we were way up in the province.
My first aid kit, or kits as I have one in the car, one with my dive gear and two
around the house, are checked every year or so specifically and given a
cursory going over whenever they are used. I always check these things just
around my birthday. It is an annual event I never forget and reminds me to
check the things that may have lain dormant for most of the year and can do
with a little attention.
The secret is to get into a routine and stick to it, take a few precautions and
not get too carried away. If I was in the province or felt the threat justified the
action I would look at safe rooms in the house, firearms and communications
with the outside world etc. Living in Talisay we have a fire evacuation plan
(this is important as many houses here have bars on the windows and doors)
and two cell phones to supplement the landline. Emergency phone numbers
are stored in the phone memories and also handy to the landline on a card.
As far as firearms are concerned, my proactive approach to getting on with
my neighbours should erase any need to keep a gun around for protection.
Besides which, enough of my friendly neighbours have their own guns so
there’ll always be someone around to make noise if needed!
Don’t get paranoid, but don’t get lethargic. I took the same precautions when
I lived in metropolitan Sydney as I take here in Cebu, nature can come calling
with an attitude anywhere, anytime. Keep that in mind and then get on with
living the dream!
Reproduced from StreetWise Philippine Dreams Newsletter with permission from Perry Gamsby
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I have been reproducing a number of articles from the StreetWise Philippine Dreams newsletters and this is typical of the practical information and advice you find in them. I have met Perry and his family in Cebu. I recommend that anyone with a connection to the Philippines (even if you don’t intend to live in the Philippines) purchase his Philippine Dreams ebook which automatically make you a member of this group giving you access to all the Newsletters and the online forum. Click on the ebook above and join today.
Posted: Saturday 30th July 2005, 7:47 PM
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