In spite of Typhoon Odette’s record strength, many families were seen roaming outdoors just hours after it had passed, cleaning up the damage and looking for their loved ones. Some even reopened their businesses as soon as they could. Such quick recoveries like these are not new to the Philippines, which experiences an average of 20 typhoons per year. Each time, disaster victims are praised for their spirit of “Filipino resilience.”
Filipinos have been known to show extreme resilience. However, some things can and should be prevented. By now, you would think that we would be more prepared for these kinds of disasters. Yet thousands of families sit in evacuation centers or atop their flattened houses, waiting for clean water, food, and a permanent home every single time. Father Raymond Abray of Tandag Catholic Diocese recounted the scene he saw on Dinagat Island, saying, “While I saw such a devastating sight, warm smiles still greeted us. Yet my heart told me otherwise — the people just suppressed their pains and frustrations.”
While there is no denying the strength of the Filipino in times of crisis, romanticizing resilience creates the harmful idea that victims of disasters should immediately move on without pausing to mourn. Phrases such as “Basta Pinoy, kaya yan!” breed mindsets of dismissing negative experiences when we have them, otherwise called “toxic positivity.” The truth is that Filipino resilience results from necessity rather than an innate virtue. Over the years, victims — particularly the poor and vulnerable — have had no choice but to show resilience to survive. Nonetheless, careful preparation regarding finances, infrastructure, and supplies could mitigate the effects of these common disasters. Instead, thousands of Filipinos are forced to defend themselves from typhoons that come like clockwork.
This writeup was published in collaboration with Brtish School Manila's student publication, Winston, for their inter-school Typhoon Odette Coverage: Compassion in Crisis.
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