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.
"A Call For Change"
A glimpse of the destruction Sendong has brought; an ounce of emotion it has evoked; the scar it has imprinted is in here being capitated. This is a story that will give us a grasp of the typhoon Sendong disaster.
On the night of December 16, 2012, the rain was pouring hard, the wind was icy cold and everything is dark. No one expected that a catastrophe has come, even the family of Elma Loneros. She is the wife of Virgilio Loveros, they were blessed by 3 children Mover Loneros, 15yrs. Old, Marvin Loneros, 12 yrs old, and Mever Loneros, 1 yr. old. They were calm on that night, not expecting that a flood will destroy everything they have.
When it was early night the water was a bit high, touching their feet and suddenly everything happened fast, the water rose very quick and it reached their neck, they were panicking because the water flow was so rapid and full of mud that made every move of them difficult to do. They left their house because they felt that it is not safe anymore to stay in there, they climbed up in their neighbor’s wooden house and they were shocked in what they saw up there, many people are are crying and begging for help. They stayed there for a while but suddenly a huge wave destroyed the whole house. They felt helpless, they have nothing to hold on to, and they believe that that was the end. They jump off into the rushing water, with nothing to support them but only a single wood, they just let the water take them away. Everything happened very fast, the mother with her 1 yr. old baby was separated to her husband and two sons.
Mr. Elma tried to keep the baby alive but a large log bumped them, she was hurt so badly, she was so confused of what had happened, she felt something’s missing; her baby. She was terrified, she don’t know what to do, she tried to search her baby by going down, swimming against the current of water but she saw nothing, not a single human form and in that moment she knew that she lost her daughter.
By morning, she was rescued by the military team; she was so hungry, thirsty and hurt deeply. She was wandering, trying to search every member of her family, she thought no one survive except her, but in the middle of the search she finally found his husband and two sons in different places. She was a bit glad that they survive but a thought of her lost daughter hurt her so badly. Soon, they were fed by concern people and gave them places to live.
Until now they were traumatize of what had happened, they cannot sleep when it rains. They did not celebrate New Year and Christmas. It was hard for them to move on and start a new life but they have to because the lives of their two remaining children depend on them. At this point they only wish to have a new home, away from the place where they lived before, Bayug. They see that it will be painful for them to go back there. They only now trust everything to the lord because they knew that God has a plan for everything and everything that happened has a purpose.
Life is very unpredictable, today everything felt so good but later everything will turn bad. You will never know. The mere point is “we suffered too much, isn’t it enough?”
A call for change! Sendong means it!
by lynrose genon amd jhora samm genon
