Everyone was in the middle of a shopping frenzy and partying, and Supreme Court battle, when the news of calamity broke. It’s alright to spend on the latest gadget, argan oil, a Burberry perfume or a new party dress and be able to share something. If not, that’s a battle only you can answer.
If you have been hit by Ondoy before, you would understand the severity of the disaster typhoon Sendong brought to Mindanao last weekend. Floods rose to 15 feet in the dead of the night sending people to their roofs, while others to their deaths. As of today, the body count has reached to around 700 already including people who had been missing.
Who’s to blame? The government does not have the monopoly of it, since accountability falls on various sectors – the local government that allowed deforestation and illegal mining, greedy business owners, poor technology of PAGASA and local folks who have been complacent since no strong typhoon has struck them for decades. What lessons have we learned? Given all the recipes for disaster, be ready and prepare for any eventualities. If the local officials asked folks to evacuate, flee your homes. Marikina City and the rest of Ondoy victims have learned that lesson bitterly.
