Only in the Philippines

When most of us are worried about other people’s distress, some politicians are worried how would they make “papogi” to the electorate. Common! This is not the time to repack or pack foods with your name on it. I saw in a blogger’s site yesterday a photo of a packed food being given to victims of Typhoon Ondoy with a sticker on it signifying his color trademark, and a scotch taped piece of paper with the politician’s name. How come these people were still able to do so amid the tragic situation of our fellowmen?

This is not the time to make “pabango” or “papogi.” Campaign period is still way too far. This is definitely not the time to brag about how much you have donated or that you did this and that. Okay, thanks for your help. But please, let’s all be concerned wholeheartedly. Let’s not take advantage of the situation.

Politicians, yes, this is your time to shine, as a defunct TV show says. But definitely, not the time  to be insincere of your efforts. It looks like you’re telling these people, “Hey! During the typhoon I helped you out through sending food so vote for me!” or “Hey! This help comes from me, so you better not forget the essence of ‘utang na loob.’” Shame on you people!

If you’re helping just for the sake of the coming elections or for your own sake come May 2010, you better stop. There are a lot of sincere people out there willing to help without asking anything in return. These victims don’t need you. I may be harsh with my words now, but this is reality. You should stop if what you’re just doing it for your own good. Really, shame on you. Okay, nevertheless, thanks for your efforts.

Oh, by the way, I read in a blog that Mikey Arroyo was seen buying a liquor in Rustan’s in Katipunan while everybody else is so concerned on saving their lives. My goodness! Hail to you Mr. Mikey! You are suck a jerk!
 

Just So You Know

I have shared my thoughts about what Typhoon Ondoy has done to us on my two other blogsites already. Nasabi ko na yung sarili kong experience, as well as yung mere thoughts ko lang about what happened. But there are a lot more things to say. There are a lot more realizations that came my way, which urged me to write this blog.

While I was commending the heroes of Ondoy (people who took their part in helping our unfortunate fellows), I was also in the midst of thinking why in the middle of a tragedy, there are people who were selfish enough not to care at all. Opo, you read it right. There are companies, businesses, people, who did not care. Too bad really.

I thought of not blogging about it anymore, but the hell. I just need to. I need to share my disappointment with these people. I need to spread not nasty words, but warnings perhaps to these people so as to spare this from happening again.

On the night of September 26, 2009, while the whole Metropolis was in darkness, I was listening over to Jam 88.3 through my cellular phone. Lucky enough, I was able to recharge the batteries of my phones before the electricity was turned off. Habang nakikinig ako sa  radio, I couldn’t help but think how lucky I was not to experience what other people were experiencing right that very moment.

Madaming tumatawag sa station nila. Some of them have shaky voice asking for news about certain areas where their family and friends were located. Some on the other hand, were asking for help dahil nasa area talaga sila nung mga binaha. Now, what caught my attention that night were the people texting the station to help them plead to some establishments. They were asking the management of these malls to not let them out, to give them shelter dahil nga stranded sila sa sobrang baha along their way home.

I don’t want to mention the names of the malls kasi baka maging sikat pa sila lalo. Now, ito lang naman ang masasabi ko, mall owners, hindi po ba ninyo naisip na yung mga taong hindi nyo binigyan ng shelter sa kasadsagan ng bagyong Ondoy ay ang mga taong nagpapasok ng revenues, ng asset sa inyo? Hindi po ba ninyo naisip na sila ang kung tutuusin ay ang nagpapakain sa inyo? How come you become so selfish? So greedy?

May isang mall na sobrang kilala dahil sa sobrang laki nito. You know what they did? They kicked out their employees in the middle of a dark, flooded night. Hindi po porket Intsik ang may-ari nito, eh hindi na sila makikialam sa mga empleyado nilang Pilipino, hindi po ba? Come to think of it, your employees are your assets. Without them, no one would run your businesses. Nobody would take care of your establishments. How come na in the middle of distress, you kicked them out instead of giving them shelter and taking care of them?

You are lucky because you have all the wealth and luxuries in life. But how come you could not even give even just yung care nalang for your people, for your countrymen? Sa kabilang dako, may isa pang mall na pinasok ng baha at na-stuck ang mga tao sa cinema lobby ng mall. Ok, they were inside, they were safe. But the big but is, they starved. While the supermarket at the ground floor was soaked in water, the people upstairs were hungry. This what came to my mind. Sa loob po ng mall ay may department store. Meron pong  tinitindang food doon. Sa gitna ng kalamidad, how come di nalang kumuha ng food doon and gave them to the starving people inside? Hindi po ba dapat ang adrenaline natin ay gumagana? Di po ba that would have been our solution to not let people starve?

Naisip ko lang, nasaan ang mga pag-iisip ng management, lalo na ng mga may-ari ng mga establishments na ito habang nasa gitna ng calamity ang mga tao nila? Were they thinking how to save their asses? Oh, I’m sorry, I mean their money, their wealth pala? Too bad for you, really. You know why? Sometimes, karma really strikes back.

Anyway, let me give my another point of view. People were taught to prepare for the worst, but hope for the best, right? Napansin ko lang po, though the government was trying to handle the situation in the best way they could, pano pong nangyari na may mga news na nagsasabing, hindi po tayo handa with such kind of calamity? One example, the National Disaster Coordinating Council was reported to have about 13 or 18 rubber boats only (my apology, I couldn’t recall the exact number). Wow, for the whole country? Yun lang ang meron tayo? I guess we should rather stuck one at home nalang. Kawawa naman ang gobyerno, kulang ata ang budget. Pero in fainess, pagkainan sa bonggang restaurant outside the country, may budget tayo.

By the way, before I forget, my gratitude to those countries who extended their help to us. Government, please make sure it’ll go to the people and not to your pockets. Thanks!