Are Disasters a concern for Civil Engineers?

Are Disasters a concern for Civil Engineers?

 Mark Lowill Almeda

Growing up in the Philippines without experiencing at least a single typhoon is like a child trying to catch a balloon racing to the sky – it’s almost impossible! Typhoons are natural disasters and they’re even more “natural” to experience here in the country but obviously it will never be “natural” not to minimize the extensive damage of it, especially, unlike earthquakes, typhoons can be directly measured and people can still prepare themselves before it reaches at their respective places. But then again, why is it, nowadays natural disasters like typhoons have been escalating into a larger, more damaging and costlier tragedies not only in terms of property but as well as lives? Is it because the general public is too insouciant? Is it because the government and the civil engineers failed to perform well on their duties and responsibilities in terms of combating natural disasters?

Well, it must go hand-in-hand for both parties and for civil engineers; they too play a very critical role before, during and after a natural disaster. First, civil engineers’ responsibility is to make sure that communities are safe and prepared for any future natural disasters – they need to plan ahead and “build smart” structures. They need to create sea walls, proper drainage and minimize the vulnerability of every structure even if its systems have been aged and deteriorated.

At Park Point Residences, Ayala Center Cebu City! 
Civil Engineering Student of Xavier University Plant Tour August 2014

Meanwhile, in the aftermath of a typhoon like for example typhoon Sendong, the general public’s initial reaction is to cast blame on the government who failed to warn them ahead and even to civil engineers who failed to build and design sufficient structures preventing the extensive damage of the said typhoon. But as victims of natural disasters, the immediate concern is not on who to blame but of survival. Obtaining basic necessities is the highest priority and as civil engineers, the second responsibility in the aftermath of a natural disaster is to help in providing those needs. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they automatically need to donate food, clean water, shelter and clothing but more on making sure that every highways and roads are passable for a quicker and faster relief operation and creating temporary shelters for evacuees.

Third, as civil engineers they were not only responsible for creating structurally capable skyscrapers and bridges but as well as in repairing damage buildings and other infrastructures after a natural disaster occurred which is equally important as providing access to food and water.

Lastly, as civil engineers they were responsible for preventing the catastrophic results from repeating in the future. This might be done by cultivating the newly gained knowledge from the previous natural disasters and by inspecting and making new building codes like what is usually happening in our National Building Codes of the Philippines (NBCP) – it is always updating, providing only the best codes for the betterment of the country’s safety.

To sum it up, the message I’m trying to convey here is obvious: Disasters are part of every Civil Engineers concern and their most essential duty and responsibility is to remember always who they were serving for!

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