Three Lessons I Learned during Philippine Typhoons that are Useful for Balikbayans and Foreigners

Fresh Filipino-American Perspective After Being Away for 20 Years

As I am writing this, one typhoon just left the Philippines and another is threatening to arrive.  After being away for twenty years, experiencing typhoons in the Philippines is a new for me.  In this post, I will share 3 major lessons I learned that will be useful for Balikbayans and foreigners visiting the Philippines.

Frequent Typhoons

According to WorldData.info, “the Philippines is one of the most frequently and severely affected countries worldwide” and has 18 to 20 typhoons per year. More information can be seen in the screenshot below:

Lesson 1: Local and International Typhoon Names

My son’s USA-based friends were confused when they heard him tell stories about Typhoon Kristine. Later, he realized it is called Trami in the international scene. Thus, when you are talking to your friends abroad, make sure you find out the international name first to avoid confusion. Thankfully, local newscasters now tell both the local and international names of the storm.

Lesson 2: Have Flexible Schedules

I had an appointment with a local government agency last July so I travelled from the province to Metro Manila the day. It was already raining but I didn’t mind the coming storm. Unfortunately, Typhoon Carina (international name Gaemi) flooded Metro Manila and government offices closed. I should have cancelled my appointment before traveling but didn’t. As a result, I was stuck in a hotel for days, trying to get another schedule. Luckily, government offices opened after two days and I was able to finish my important task. Three months later, before Typhoon Kristine struck, I was able to rearrange my schedule. This time, when government offices closed, I was prepared. In addition, you should be flexible with your:

• travel plans (cancellations and road blocks may happen)

• utilities (be ready for electricity and water disruptions)

• food supplies

Lesson 3: Use Facebook to Gather Timely Information

I tried to avoid Facebook; like most social media platforms, it is addictive and a potent distraction. However, whenever I search for timely Philippine news, their official websites bring me back to their Facebook page which posts timely information frequently. Thus, I learned to accept Facebook as a Filipino staple and used it instead. I follow official pages of my provincial town, water and electric offices and other government pages. So how do you know if you are getting the right information? As of this writing, Typhoon Leon (international name Kong-Rey) is supposed to come in a few hours so I check official pages:

• I start with the Philippine Information Agency at https://pia.gov.ph/. Most official pages end with *.gov.ph.

• Go down the page and find its facebook link. They would likely have a blue check mark that signifies Facebook validated them.

• look at their posts and find hashtags they use - for the next typhoon they use #leonph

• check the About link of their Facebook page and see if they loop back to a *.gov.ph website

I hope these three lessons will be useful for you, my dear readers. Take care and be safe while enjoying the Philippines during this typhoon season! Next, I will share options on how former Filipinos can stay longer in the Philippines for more than a year.