The devastation caused by Typhoon Tino in the Negros Islands is still fresh in our minds. As the storm left behind a trail of destruction—44 confirmed dead, 53 missing, over 130,000 affected, and 141 displaced—one thing became painfully clear: the environmental factors that contribute to the severity of these storms cannot be ignored any longer. The scale of the damage wasn’t just due to the strength of the typhoon, but because we have been neglecting the very environment that could have helped mitigate its impacts.

In the aftermath of every typhoon, the pictures are always the same: flooded streets, uprooted trees, destroyed homes, and people left stranded. Yet, buried beneath these images is an uncomfortable truth: we have allowed our environment to become more vulnerable to natural disasters, and in doing so, we’ve made ourselves more vulnerable too.

Typhoon Tino was a monster of a storm, but it wasn’t unprecedented. The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 typhoons every year. These storms are an unfortunate reality of living in a country that’s positioned right in the Pacific typhoon belt. But what we fail to realize is that how much devastation a typhoon causes is not solely determined by its wind speed or rainfall. It is also a result of our environmental negligence.

For years, the Philippines has experienced rampant deforestation, irresponsible mining, and unchecked urbanization. These environmental changes have worsened the impacts of typhoons in several ways. The destruction of forests, particularly the mangroves and mountain ranges, plays a direct role in amplifying the damage these storms cause.

Mangroves, for example, act as a natural buffer to storm surges, reducing the force of waves before they reach coastal communities. But large-scale destruction of mangrove forests, often for commercial purposes like aquaculture or development, has left shorelines more exposed to the fury of typhoons. On the other hand, denuded mountains mean that there are fewer natural barriers to flash floods and landslides, which are some of the most dangerous effects of heavy rainfall.

Bagyong Tino didn’t just bring winds; it brought rain. And when heavy rainfall comes, the lack of proper soil coverage, the absence of trees to absorb water, and poorly managed watersheds turn what could be manageable floods into deadly torrents.

Deforestation, primarily caused by illegal logging, is one of the biggest culprits in the flooding that devastates communities. In places like Negros, where Typhoon Tino hit hardest, the clearing of forests has significantly altered the natural flow of water. Without tree cover to slow down the rainwater, it rushes downhill, sweeping away everything in its path. The result is catastrophic flooding that destroys homes, crops, and lives.

But it’s not just about cutting down trees. The expansion of infrastructure without considering environmental impact—such as poorly planned urban developments, roads, and mining activities—exacerbates the vulnerability of our environment. Unregulated quarrying, for instance, disturbs natural river systems, reducing their capacity to contain floods, while excessive concrete pavement in urban areas creates impervious surfaces that increase surface runoff during heavy rains.

The environmental degradation we’re witnessing in the Philippines is contributing to the overall impact of climate change, which in turn increases the frequency and intensity of typhoons. Higher ocean temperatures, deforestation, and unmitigated carbon emissions are all linked to the stronger storms that are battering the country more often.

Typhoon Tino might not have been a super typhoon, but its aftereffects felt much more devastating because of the ways we’ve altered the environment. The storm’s winds and rains may have been typical for the region, but the heavy flooding and landslides were made worse by the lack of protective natural barriers. As climate change accelerates, we can expect more of these increasingly violent storms, and without taking care of the environment, the cycle of destruction will only worsen.

The lesson is simple: if we don’t start taking care of our environment, we will continue to pay the price when disasters strike. It’s not enough to just rebuild after every storm. We need to rebuild in a way that ensures we’re less vulnerable the next time. And that starts with environmental protection.

The Philippines has made strides in this area, but there’s still so much to be done. We need stronger, more enforced policies on deforestation, sustainable mining, and urban planning that prioritizes nature-based solutions. Reforesting areas that have been cleared, protecting our mangrove forests, and investing in flood mitigation infrastructure that works with the natural landscape are just a few of the necessary steps. We need to create buffer zones between communities and the sea, restore watersheds, and protect the biodiversity that keeps our environment stable.

But beyond policies and actions, we need a fundamental shift in how we see our relationship with nature. It’s not something to exploit for profit or convenience; it’s something to protect for our survival. If we continue to neglect the environment, no amount of “resiliency” will save us from the wrath of increasingly powerful storms.

The aftermath of Typhoon Tino shows us the urgent need to change our approach. Yes, Filipinos are strong, and yes, we can rebuild. But it’s time to acknowledge that this cycle of destruction cannot continue if we want to ensure the safety and well-being of future generations. The government, private sector, and citizens all have a role to play in protecting our environment, which in turn protects us from the worst consequences of typhoons.

Typhoons will come. But if we start taking better care of our environment today, we can mitigate their impact tomorrow. It’s not just about surviving; it’s about thriving in a world that’s rapidly changing. If we don’t act now, we’ll be left not just with a history of storms, but a future that’s increasingly uninhabitable.

In the face of every disaster, the real question we need to ask ourselves is: What are we doing to ensure that we don’t have to keep rebuilding in the same way after every storm?

The answer lies in the environment. It’s so cliche yet so true: take care of it, and it will take care of us.

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