President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has declared every third week of June as the “Typhoon and Flood Awareness Week.” This is under the power of Proclamation No. 1535.

Sorry for the harsh title. I’m just a bit uncomfortable whenever I hear a blah, blah week, or a blah blah day, or a blah, blah month. I’ve just had enough of these holidays, occassions and celebrations. I mean, we only have 365 days a year and how many days out of that number are holildays? How many weeks are connected to a celebration or another awareness program? And to make things worse, President Arroyo has this habit of “moving holidays“, turning supposedly solemn and historically important days into convenient schedules that are always moved in weekends. I don’t know what history purists think about this but as for me, I’m not buying it.

Anyway, the week is for the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to do its job. I can’t believe they need a special week to do that. The President ordered them to do a massive information and education drive on typhoons, floods, drought and other forms of destructive weather phenomena during this week.

And what are they gonna do the rest of the year? Prepare for that special week? Besides, how are they going to accomplish that if it’s raining like Noah’s time, all major roads are inaccessible, electric power lines are down and classes are suspended while the rest of the country stays at home drinking some hot soup?

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