Prepared for ‘Juan’

The Philippines' capital Metro Manila may be heaving a sigh of relief after having been mostly spared by the wrath of Super-typhoon 'Juan' (international codename: Megi), but it should empathise with the plight of Northern Luzon that bore the brunt of the storm’s destructive crossing and must not rest its guard lest it be caught flat-footed again the way it was during 'Ondoy' (Ketsana). The supertyphoon has largely brought damage to the northeastern corridor of the archipelago, geographically the first landfall of storms and the most drenched and affected by Pacific howlers. Despite being weather-beaten and storm-tossed, the geographical location of that region and its relative inaccessibility have somehow also ensured that its beautiful flora and fauna are preserved and renewed, especially from the depredation of greedy loggers and the despoliation of tourist-wastrels.