Social stratification made the Philippine government twirl – people on top are the main priority and people at the bottom will wait ‘til an ounce of care will be dropped down by our own made majesty.
Like a thief in the night, death knocks in the door in some parts of Iligan and Cagayan De Oro when Typhoon Sendong brought heavy rains causing flush mud flood carrying logs that killed nearly a thousand residents. A disastrous event that made their lives stop, taking everything they have and leaving them nothing but a bit of hope and courage to stand and face the reality again.
The death toll of the Typhoon Sendong is beyond one could assess, more than one expected and the damage is far from what is broadcasted. With the facts that is laid by the Sendong aftermath, inefficient government, less-concerned citizens and passive attitude of every individual explains it all.
I could even recall a statement from a victim that goes like this “Blaming the government for its turtle-like response to this should not be taken against us for they could never understand us because they did not experience what we had hurdled through just to survive in the first place”, dismay and anger is written in her face.
In the midst of distress and sufferings brought typhoon Sendong , victims would consider a smile from a country leader as a crime, an act of irresponsibility and negligence to the immediate need of the affected citizenry. A renowned father of the country attending a party instead of taking the lead for the immediate action to the victims would be no good for the public. The responsibilities laid on the shoulder of our President is not an excuse for tolerating this, putting first things first is a must for a public servant and a leader. Of all the disasters we’ve gone through, we did not learn still, history repeats itself as you may see. The system in our country regarding disasters is already programmed just similar as before. The same in the sense that it is ineffective, passive and could never define the true essence of security for the majority.
Bearing the fact that CDO and Iligan City is far from the heart city of the country and making it as a possible reason for response delay is an implication of superiority of the north over us in the south; a geographical discrimination that is very degrading to the Mindanawans. Aquino’s administration is not far from the administrations that passed, there’s nothing new but just merely a revised edition of inefficient government system.
Human irresponsibility is also a big say to this issue. The logs that killed numerous lives portray less concern to our natural environment. Business always preoccupies us yet we did look forward to the reality that if nature takes revenge all we have will turn to nothing.
Lack of information dissemination regarding Sendong is the scheme of the crowd but the question is, are they willing to evacuate as it will be instructed to? Would they believe in the warning? Partly would say yes but majority it will not come out that way. With this each of us must take the lesson seriously. Let us not wait for another typhoon to come for us to work on. Be prepared always and hand in hand let’s nurse Mother Earth back to health.
Loopholes are clearly seen in the Typhoon Sendong now, may this disaster became a motivation to each individual to take and do our individual part and we must keep a eye in our government, by that we make sense as a citizen.
By: Lynrose Jane Genon and Jhora Samm Genon
