Until when will they have to suffer? Until when will they have to wait? Or all has already been late….?

As an expatriate Filipino it is disheartening to watch the typhoon survivors wait for help in vain. It has been  six days of agonizing situation where many people try to survive the aftermath. The anticipated and much needed relief operation coming from the local and national government are still out of reach to many victims. It’s  very tormenting and miserable to see the scenes and sights of the people desperately dying for food, water, medicines and an ample shelter over their head. 

Until when will they suffer? Until when will they have to wait? Or all has already been late….?

From the interview of CNN’s Christiane Amanpour with President Noynoy Aquino, the president was asked what his presidency has been doing from the apparent slowness of the government in sending immediate support and relief efforts to all the victims. It is very disappointing that he did not have any direct and clear response. At one point he seemed to blame the unpreparedness of the local government units. 

Further, let me quote Christianne Amapour’s direct question about the moral responsibility of the President, “Clearly, I don’t know whether you will agree,” she said, “but the way you respond or your government responds to this terrible devastation will probably define your presidency. Many have talked about how much efforts have gone in, how much reform you have done, how much work you have done against corruption, but many people might end up judging you on how your government has responded. What do you say to that?”.

This is the answer of our President, “I think you can ask all the governors, for instance, of the areas that have been saying that our making them aware of the dangers that were forthcoming from this typhoon enabled them to move their population from danger areas to safer areas and thereby minimize casualties. A lot of them, with the exception of Leyte province, Eastern and Western Samar, have reported that practically well, one or two casualties or even zero casualties, when normally when we have a typhoon you will also have ships that were traveling that would have sunk, casualties in the hundreds probably didn’t merit too much attention.” He had missed out the question completely. It’s a very unacceptable position coming from the President himself. 

As a President, he has all the legal rights, authority and power to mobilize and use all the resources of the government and private entities to immediately send relief efforts from the very first day of the catastrophe. Having no organized relief operation since day one is really not acceptable! It’s unthinkable!

Personally, there had been a lot of practical ways that the government could have done in providing immediate relief starting from day one. I thought about the following ideas  the government could have done:

Food, Water and First Aid Medicines in the early hours

The government should have anticipated and prepared ahead of time. During day one of disaster, the relief goods could have started to bring in. Accepting that they have not done that, they could have immediately directed to send off at least bread, biscuits, bottled waters and first aid kits coming from Cebu City which is a strategic location. They could have used all military and private helicopters to bring in these first aid help to all affected areas. Helicopters have easy access to those isolated and remote areas. They can just air drop the goods if it’s not safe to land.

Relief goods needed for the subsequent days should have been stationed in Cebu City for faster dissemination and distribution.

Law and Order, Search and Rescue

The government took several days to place the police and military presence specifically in Tacloban City. The DILG (Interior Minister) should have straightaway dispatched enough forces coming from the unaffected areas like the Northern Samar, Cebu Province, Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro City to restore peace and order and to establish the search and rescue operations including the retrieval of the dead bodies. We know the degree of devastation were overwhelming and to augment these tasks, they could have hired people from nearby places to help out, they could have tasked the local officials of Cebu, Northern Samar or even from Cagayan de Oro to hire and bring thousands or so people to help out in the in the search, rescue and retrieval operations. The additional forces could have been paid on a daily basis.

Temporary Shelters

With the hiring of thousands or more people coming from unaffected nearby places, they could have assisted the typhoon victims in a staging area and help out in pitching temporary makeshift shelters like tents. And from this staging area the government could have put up  feeding stations and medical first aid assistance.

Rubbles and Wreckages

Again, they could have directed starting from day one all the public and private's trucks, bulldozers, back hoes from the nearby unaffected provinces. These equipments could have been used in transporting the people to a staging area where they will be housed on a temporary shelter.  Clearings of debris and rubbles could have been easily started early. 

Free Rides

They could have provided free boat rides for people who would like to take refuge in Cebu province, free buses going to Northern Samar or to Bicol Region. And a free plane ride for those who would like to move to Manila.

Many of you may say that all these are easier said than done. Anyone of us can think of  better ideas on how the government could have responded in a timely and organized relief operation. Our government leaders could have thought of better and efficient disaster and recovery plans but apparently we have not seen any evidence of it.

Now, there are people who would say that this is not the time to blame the government on their lackluster but instead let's help out in any way we can. This is very true and indeed this is what most Filipinos are doing now. However, every individual citizen of the Philippines has the right to demand timely and vigorous government services and support especially in this kind of upheaval and catastrophe. They have all the chance and resources to have it done and make a difference but all our hopes, confidence and expectations are slowly dimming away.

Indeed, the government’s response in this terrible devastation will define and reflect on what kind of Presidency we have right now.

And by now, you should know the answer.

  

Categories: Current Events