So you think 2011 was the worst year of our lives?

True, we have just gone through a horrendous 12 months of floods and  landslides that resulted in massive crop losses, damage to infrastructure, and the  loss of thousands of lives.

How quickly we forget that Japan went through a triple whammy almost  a year ago – an earthquake, a tsunami, and a nuclear meltdown – in just one day!

Shock, fear, and sorrow initially gripped the nation as the Japanese people tried to collect their thoughts on how to go about sorting the wreckage finding survivors, feeding and clothing them, providing medical services, and containing the leak in the damaged nuclear plants.

But confusion was replaced by an admirable unity of purpose as its leaders and its people closed ranks to maintain order and begin the difficult task of reconstruction.     

It helped that Japan was  global leader in technological innovation. Leading-edge information and communication  infrastructure facilitated the swift dispatch of equipment, rescue and relief workers, medical professionals, and assistance from foreign governments and international relief organizations.

Thus, Sen. Edgardo J. Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology and Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering, stressed the importance of Information and  Communication Technology in disaster governance.

“We should take full advantage of technology to reduce disaster vulnerability. There is a system that can monitor rain in real-time, as well as a low-cost wave monitoring system that automatically sends an alarm when there is an indication of vertical acceleration,” he explained.

He further stressed the vital role of ICT such as the use of the Internet and SMS in sending and requesting relief goods and donations and in providing early warnings for natural disasters like typhoon, landslides and flash floods.

“It is reasonable to assume that it is only a matter of time before we are stricken by another great catastrophe. The science is there telling us that the risk is real. Our experiences in the past couple of decades alone has shown us the fact that our country is prone to disasters, and as such I believe our efforts to create the Disaster Science and Management Center should be fast-tracked,” said Angara.

A project of COMSTE, the DSMC is primed to become a regional training center for disaster preparedness.

“This will not be the run-of-the mill, classroom-lecture type of learning, but an innovative center that harnesses the experiences of nations used to dealing with disasters, like Japan, which will help teach their hard earned lessons to our LGU’s and those of other countries as well,” said Angara.

Earlier this month, the veteran lawmaker visited Japan to attend the 20th Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum. During the summit, he sought the support of the Japanese government in the establishment of a disaster science management in the country. He also lauded Japan’s disaster risk-reduction efforts and urged the other delegates to likewise invest in risk management mechanisms.

“As Japan has demonstrated, there is no better remedy to a natural disaster than preparedness. We may always try to contain, avoid or mitigate their strength but the wrath of nature will always inflict societal and financial costs. Those costs, and not the disaster themselves, can be mitigated, if not avoided. Investing in these risk management mechanisms must always be a priority,” he stressed.