When news of the aftermath of Yolanda(a.k.a. Haiyan) reached us, we were devastated. My facebook newsfeed was and is still full of pictures, videos, news updates of missing people, notes from survivors- everything that painted a picture of the shocking destruction made by the supertyphoon and the tsunami-like storm surge that killed an estimate of almost 10,000 in just one area, left thousands homeless, and wiped out entire cities. Not only that, my facebook wall has also been full of personal opinions on how the affected should be helped, complaints on delayed relief efforts, derogatory remarks about the government and the president- even of volunteers, media people, fellow doctors, and the Red Cross– blogposts on people being insensitive about what they post on their facebook walls, attacks on churches and religious organizations, and disputes, yes quarrels on social media about anything pertaining to the use of social media in such a time as this. And this too, is heartbreaking.
Dear fellow Filipinos, the whole world is watching us. We claim to be strong in the face of adversity; we claim to be heroes for withstanding the strongest typhoons, earthquakes and other natural disasters beyond our imagination, but we seem to go on lashing out at each other- judging people by the content of their facebook walls, judging victims who have looted grocery stores, attacking the president or any other politician, attacking churches and whole religions, complaining, oh, endless complaining about almost everything- from the delay of relief operations, to the blackouts, tv programs deemed insensitive- almost everything. Please, let us stop.
Let’s not judge the president for his seeming lack of sensitivity and reported lack of manners by walking out. We don’t know exactly what was on his mind. Let us not judge the church who reportedly refused to help survivors, we do not know what really happened, and if they did really refuse victims, it is not for us to judge them, they are not accountable to us. Let us stop making or even exaggerating the stories about politicians from the affected areas who are also victims of the tragedy. I am sure they are doing their best in helping. Let us stop complaining about the delay of relief operations to the affected areas. We do not know exactly what it entails for the volunteers to travel to the affected areas. We also do not know what it entails for truckloads of relief supplies to reach the area. We know nothing about the logistics. Let us stop judging volunteers if they post photos of themselves helping out on facebook. We are not aware of their intentions, and even if it were to brag, it’s not for us to judge them, at least they’re helping out. Let us stop judging victims who have looted groceries, helping themselves to whatever is left- food, clothing, even appliances- these people have lost their homes and loved ones, and have gone hungry and psychologically traumatized for days. Let us not judge the media for still allowing “happy” shows on television amidst the mourning. They might just want to cheer us up. If you can’t take it, you can turn your television off. Let us stop judging our electric companies for the blackouts, it was actually caused by a lack of power supply due to damage of electric lines and powerplants- and I know this because my brother and of course my dad both work for the National Grid and they haven’t slept (and gone home) for days. Let us stop arguing about the cause of Yolanda, whether it was man-made or divinely appointed. Only God knows why it happened. Let us not blame God for this disaster. We do not know His purpose. We can only trust and hope. Let us not put the blame on the victims for their sins either, it’s like saying the whole earth deserves to be wiped out right now. We are no better than them.
Let’s stop judging. Let’s stop blaming. Let’s stop complaining. Let’s stop arguing and attacking each other. This is supposed to be a time for unity, a time for solidarity among the Filipino people. We ought to love and forgive each other. We ought to help each other, move together, hope for the better. We ought to pray. We ought to live up to our own reputation of being strong (and happy) in the face of adversity. The last thing we ought to do at this time is attack a fellow Filipino. This isn’t war, people, this is a tragedy.
Faithful Resilience 
Great appeal to moaning meanies! Concentrate on the good and what can be done rather than waste energy on negative outcomes and activities.
Beautifully written. We share the same thoughts, along with others surely; you put them together into this great piece.
I agree with abegail and mrebo’s point of view… we cannot keep silent especially if we are the one’s with the families and friends that we cannot get in touch with up to now and are depending on the help and rescue from the government.
I agree with Mau jun about the difference between judging and raising awareness. The social media is the only power ordinary people like us can do to make those in position to act responsibly and immediately. People in other countries does not need to watch us Filipinos because their own people saw for themselves on how our country reacts on the situation. We may not know what’s on the president’s mind but he is wise enough on how to improve logistics at least or even encourage everyone by providing means to volunteer and aid these people. We may not know about logistics but whatever the problems are, we always find ways especially when we know that people are dying out there. To those without means to go to the affected areas, nor enough means to donate or those who wanted to do something more aside from praying, this tool is what we can use to help them make sure they get What they need and pass on information with regards to their current status. This is how we protect our country from further embarrassment to the world and to ourselves.
I agree with your opinion it doesn’t really mean that we give our opinions and negative comments to what is happening now is we already blaming and fighting with the government. It is because we want them do the necessary actions to what is the current situations which is the slow movement of the relief goods and the deployment of the search and rescue operative personnel. If we will not call their attentions and who will??………And that the President alone could give a strong command to the speedy movement of the everything that is needed. (which is unfortunately disgusting)
This article is so refreshing. Finally someone is thinking straight!
THANK YOU!
I think this is really a good blog. Whether it maybe negative or positive comments, people read it. Job well done! No need to defend one’s self. Let us allow people to give their personal comments… hehehe… more blogs to read perhaps? 🙂
Thank you for this. It’s true we have the right to rant and rave abt politicians, looters, etc. But let’s look upon ourselves. Who elected these politicians? I feel it’s a loss of faith that people have resorted to lawlessness. Loss of faith that a lot will help when it is needed. Logistics is a prob. There is no land transport available to bring the relief goods to the areas that need them. People who stop the trucks dont help. People are scared to drive to these areas unless provided with military escort. Good actions should start somewhere and hopefully this will spread. We can start by being encouraging to our govt people who are there in leyte now. They too are experiencing discomfort and putting their lives at risk. Putting them down is not making their jobs easier. We are criticizing in the comfort of our homes.
Exactly! Check your maps and do your math people! Can you not appreciate the logistical problems any govt would have when faced with transporting relief to that many cities, towns, barrios spread out over great distances divided into several islands when we only have 3 planes capable of doing the job? My question is why hasn’t the private sector stepped up? Did any of our commercial airlines offer any planes to fly in relief goods then fly the people out of there for free? Did any of the Ferry companies, volunteer to head to any of these places so to bring relief goods in and transport people out? Have those who suspect or suggest foreign aid is being pocketed,…have they themselves already made a donation? Or are they just donating their comments and opinions?..coz if that’s the case may want to know that donations can be plentiful but all are useful ,,, some aren’t just useless, some can be downright rotten.
HI, Air Asia has been flying relief for free from day 1 via Cebu. They just don’t make it a big thing to publicize. God bless!
Hi! You can check Rappler’s list of private companies that have stepped up and helped. There’s a lot more that we dont know. Some companies have ought not to publicize their efforts.
Well said
“Let us stop complaining about the delay of relief operations to the affected areas. We do not know exactly what it entails for the volunteers to travel to the affected areas. We also do not know what it entails for truckloads of relief supplies to reach the area. We know nothing about the logistics”
WHAT?!?!?
Are you saying let the suffering people also be the victims of ineptness?
We may not know “exactly what it entails for the volunteers to travel to the affected areas…or truckloads of relief supplies to reach the area” BUT those in-charge (if there is anyone in-charge) should know exactly what that entails and have prepared for the eventualities of such a devastating event. There is a NDRRMC whose job was supposed to be to prepare national and local governments for disasters. What happened? We are not supposed to ask?
PNoy was immediately aware of the destruction on the local government level. It took him how many days before declaring it a Calamity? He knew right then the National government should step in. Who set up in Tacloban airport to restore it to full flight status? The US Military 5 days after the typhoon, and in only 2 days after they arrived.
That those supplies are slow in arriving DAYS after the event is something WE SHOULD COMPLAIN about. The people there are complaining. The people you see online have become their voice. You wish to silence that? For whose sake do you speak? For the sake of the Filipino people, which you are not doing good at by asking them to be silent, or for your own only?
The people who are starving and dying don’t give a rats ass as what this church did or what the president said. They just want food, water and shelter. The focus should be how to reach them. Tune out everything else. Once everybody who needs help has been rendered assistance, then those who have the time can restart the blame game.
Those who are capable of doing so do not have to remain silent; however, they also need to have proofs and evidences once they accuse others. No judgment needed; just the facts.
I am sorry but I have deleted (or have yet to delete) and will not tolerate comments that contain foul language and cussing directed toward me, another commenter, or whoever for that matter. This blogpost was not written to approve of (meaning, I AM NOT IN SUPPORT OF) the ineptness of the government and its lack of urgency in dealing with the matter at hand. It was not written to silence people. Nowhere in the article have I written that we should keep silent and stay silent about the incompetence of our government- especially in dealing with corruption. I also did not say that the victims themselves or whoever was affected by the typhoon, or those who are on the ground volunteering do not have a right to complain about the delay of relief operations. Instead, I was addressing us, “fellow Filipinos” the rest of us who (although some have donated large sums of money or have helped in packaging relief goods) are not in Tacloban or any other typhoon-stricken area.
If you notice in the last paragraph, I have emphasized that this is a time for solidarity and the last thing we should do AT THIS TIME is attack a fellow Filipino. This is not the time for judging, complaining, blaming, attacking each other. It will not do good AT THIS TIME. The president or any person subject to criticism will not be able to hear our complaints right now anyway because they either choose to shut off or are busy in dealing with this calamity.
There is a proper time and place for airing our sentiments regarding the ineptness, the ineffectivity and the corruption of our government.
I understand that we are all angry about the corruption and incompetence of our government, but it’s the government we have right now, what else can we do about it? I have been a part of rallies and protests on the streets for the government to change. And believe me, the government hasn’t changed for as long as I can remember. I know it’s sad and frustrating.
Lastly, let us all respect each other’s opinion. We do not know each other, and so we don’t have any right to judge any one. If you do not agree with what the writer has written, you can just say so, without having to attack her or her person, and judge her according to your interpretation of what she has written.
Reblogged this on Exquisite La Vie and commented:
I couldn’t have said it better myself. My heart breaks over the entire tragedy of it all and I wish people would just stand strong and positive for our Kapwa Pilipino. Philippines is is a states of desperation, calamity and despair – the last thing we should be doing is pointing blame and wasting out time creating drama. If you’re frustrated, get up and do something about it.
thank you for your article and I agree to what you are saying…For those with negative reactions or criticisms tungkol sa ating bansa, sa mga politicians, tama na po for now. Let’s reserve those pagtapos na po ang lahat at pagkatayo nang muli ang mga biktima. Hindi magpapakain sa gutom o makatulong sa mga biktima ng bagyo o makapag-inggayo ng tulog para sa mga kababayan at bayan natin ang mga hindi kaaya-ayang salita. Sana po tayo’y tutulong at magtutulungan ng lubos.
If the roads are impassible then fly over them, surely there are Helicopters available. I’M English and live in the U.K. and have a magnificent Filipina Partner and many Filipino friends. I know what a wonderful people you are, carry on expressing your point of view, it’s your right. The lady who lives next door to me came from Cebu nearly 30 years ago, her family have lost everything. May God bless us all.
True. I agree with you.Totally. There will always be a way if they really want to give immediate assistance, there are helicopters which can be used.
ang dali po magbigay opinyon, bakit di po kaya natin e try na tayo ang gumawa? baka dun, malaman natin ang sagot o dahilan kung bakit???
Hello how much can a helicopter load? Hello…
ms sally kaya nga hindi dapat kung sino2 lang ang tumakbo pagka pangulo dibah, kasi hindi madali yan. you have to lead by the million..what we are saying is that they should act better than what they are doing. if they cant take criticism, hindi na sana sila tumakbo pa. dbah…tayo man kaya yung boss niya? and if im one of his boss i have every right to say that im not contented with his performance. and that’s not to demean him, its a call for action. masama ba yun?
sally naman bukag ka pa din ba hanggang ngaun. in the first place, Our government knew about the approaching typhoon right? from the moment they learn about it, they should organized a plan on how to deal with this kind of devastating disaster. I guess our government is only good making plans about how to steal money from filipinos…… Good governance equals happy citizens…. always remember that. PLEASE STOP BEING BLIND.
The problem is we have very meager resources. Few helicopters, etc. but you could help by sponsoring one (you pay for the rent and let the aid workers use it) for the next 2 weeks. That would be a big help.
Kahit iisa lang ang helicopter, makakatulong yan. Kahit pabalikbalik ang iisang helicopter, makakatulong yan. Why do you have to pay a rent? Wla bang helicopter na sarili ang Pilipinas? Yung ginagamit ng mga officials pag pupunta s mga provinces, asan yan? May funds for calamities, bakit hindi puede gamitin para makapagdala ng tulong s mga angangailangan?We have meager resources? I won’t believe that. Kaya nga maraming nananakaw ang karamihan ng mga politicians d ba? may resources tayo. Bawat indibidwal ay tumutulong s abot ng kanilang makakaya, in whatever form, kaya nga tayo nagbabayad ng taxes d ba?
Sweet alam mo ba ang problema kung ano. Ang problema eh ang mga taong pinagtatanggol ang problema and that is one reason why our beloved country is not advancing. Ask ourselves where are the money that supposedly use to buy choppers and help aides in case a disaster like this hit us. sabi nga nila gamit gamit ang isip pag may time please. iwasan nating maging bulag at tanga sa realidad…..
Agree strongly with you, sir. If they are willing, there is always a way.
Eh kase naman ang gulo gulo na… 😔 tama na muna ang sisihan. Magtulungan na lang tayo. Lets inspire, comfort and give hope.
onga~ sa dami ng mga reklamo, baka nawawala na sa focus mga tao’ng nandon mismo~
Andun na tayo tulungan tama yan ganayan naman ang nangyayari ngaun di ba pero hindi mo maiiwasang sisihin ang gobyerno natin. sabi ko nga sa isa kong comment good governance equals satisfied citizens……
Palagay mo nakakabuti ba, o napagbibigyan mo lang ang kati na nakapagbigay ng akala mo matalinong opinion… maliban sa pagsasalita, laban sa kung kanikanino,, ano pa ibang nasa isip mo para makatulong sa pagpapabuti ng sitwasyon? Tama ang sinasabi ng article… wag puro sarili ang iniisip… sariling kati para makapagbunganga… hindi yan ang dapat ngayon…kunsabagay Malaya naman kayong gawin yan… pero tiyak imbes na makatulong, mas lalo pangnagpapapangit sa sitwasyon…
I totally agree. There are people who don’t use their freedom responsibly. This is not the time to complain and be aggressive with political agenda.
There is a time and place for everything… To the people who post/share letters or comments that refer to or suggests that foreign aid/donations are being withheld, or may be pocketed by govt officials…do you think you are helping? Or could you possibly be hurting the efforts to raise funds…coz if so, are you prepared to cover the deficit your activities will render on the funds that will be needed to get our kababayans back on their feet? We have a very small window of opportunity to maximize donations whilst the sympathy is at it’s highest….people donate when they are most emotional…when there is still a sense of shock. It will not be long when there will be less and less interest and instead of people turning the tv on to get updated….people get updated when they turn the tv on. Stand back and forget you are Filipino and ask yourself…will I continue to be as passionate about this tragedy in a month’s time when maybe another tragedy hits another country in the world?…when the international press has a new story to move on to?…when either or both happen, how are we then to appeal to the international community for more donations? Ask any humanitarian org abt how easy it is to raise funds when the world’s interest has moved on. This is not a crisis that will be over in 2 or 3 wks time…nor 2 or 3 months…it”ll take years. There are millions affected….are we, on our own…Filipinos…capable of taking care of & feeding our kababayans who will be living in tents for the next many, many, many mths….will we be able to assist them rebuild their homes etc? Ask yourself…how much do you think you personally will be able to donate when that goes on? In fact, have you already made a donation yourself so far? Its been 5 days, the most shocking images have been released…rescue is already underway with the aid from various countries…The worry and tension is fast dissipating…CNN is already inserting more and more stories between updates re Typhoon Yolanda.. That golden door of opportunity is already starting to close bit by by…Instead of casting doubts and fear on whether donations will reach the victims because we have a few bad apples in the tree…and pointing that out to strangers who were thinking of helping before reading your comments & letters…Wouldn’t it help our stricken brothers and sisters better if we all instead spend our time and energy encouraging donation for the relief efforts? Yes, donations are valuable and must reach the victims….so research! There are many NGOs, International Humanitarian Organizations etc that accept and welcome donations so that they may be able to further provide assistance…Red Cross is well established here in the Phils – they are at each calamity from start to finish. They are not connected to the Govt. They have a plan and the mechanics to implement them. Do not insult the intelligence of the heads state who approved the release of the funds their country donated….they too must answer to their tax payers. Aid can comes in many forms…not a big fat check! So, c’mon people! All these doubts and suspicions of corruption only makes raising funds for the victims harder…It only promotes and increases reluctance and adds onto our already bad reputation/image. Each person who posts these things is wasting precious time that could be put to better use….they are making it harder for other people who are actively trying to raise money…..in the end it will be the typhoon victims who will continue to suffer. Let’s all be careful about the things we say, share and like on FB!
very well said…
Exactlymy thoughts!
I AGREE with you wholeheartedly on this. God bless.
Thank you.this is so true.negative posts/comments doesn’t help.if we can’t donate or volunteer, might as well pray. It saddens me to see my friends in fb blaming the president/govt.some of them did not even vote, some voted for him/majority of who are now in the position,some didnt even lift a finger to help or donate,and some are just narrow minded people.wla naman tayong alam sa totoong nangyayare, ang alam lang natin ung naririnig natin sa news.it doesnt really help to be in nega-mode right now,lalong nakakabigat ng loob.sana kahit sa maliit na paraan mkatulong tayo, kung hindi man dasal ang kayang ibigay pananahimik nlang sana kesa gumatong pa sa galit ng iba.
These things has happened before and, being a Filipino myself, I know how this goes. We post these kinds of comments to let us be aware of what happens when donations pour in. They even change what is put in packs of food to be given to the victims. Let us not act blind. We grew up observing these things happen. May it not happen again. But if nobody reminds us, we tend to forget.
Ganito tayong mga Filipino, nagrereklamo sa gobyerno, sa serbisyong mabagal. pero kung ibang bansa na ang pumupuna sa ating mga kakulangan at kakupadan, arangkada na tayo to the rescue…. kase ika nga “dont wash your dirty linens in public”… haaaay that attitude of saving face will no longer help, people are struggling to survive… basic food and water di marelease even after 3 days after the typhoon???
tama.
right on!
No Aileen you are wrong…… the world already knows how bad our government is….. why do you think the U.S. has taken the lead in the relief efforts, refusing & mind you warned the local politicians to stay away from their relief distribution……local NGO’s again??? The Phil. Red Cross themselves refuse the local governments to get involve……The World wants to help, they are helping, now let us stay out of their way & let them do what they are experienced in doing……… let us demand that our government/ local officials stop getting in the way with their politicking, grandstanding, one upmanship & photo ops……if we stand up for ourselves & for our suffering countrymen, help ourselves, the World then will applaud us & continue helping…….. alam mo there’s nothing worst than helping someone who refuses to help themselves!
I love your post! I thought of the same thing. Thank you!
Typhoon Haiyan: How Technology Is Changing Disaster Response
Digital pioneers are helping to radically change how we respond to disasters like Typhoon Haiyan.
By Kharunya Paramaguru Nov. 13, 2013
Website: http://techland.time.com/2013/11/13/typhoon-haiyan-how-technology-is-changing-disaster-response/
As Super Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines last week, the world has been kept in the loop with almost second-by-second updates of live tweets, images and videos of its impact. It’s another example of how social media is changing how we communicate, but now humanitarians are increasingly using this technology to transform the way we respond to disasters.
The day before the typhoon made landfall on Nov. 8, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) put out an urgent request to the Digital Humanitarian Network (DHN), asking them to activate their volunteer base to sift through social media and other online platforms to help digitally map the impact of Haiyan.
Formed in 2012 by Andrej Verity of the UNOCHA and Patrick Meier, a self-described developer of next generation humanitarian technologies, the DHN is a consortium of online technology communities that are able to help aid agencies on the ground with disaster response.
In terms of traditional humanitarian response models, the DHN is a relatively new departure from the norm, primarily because it relies on utilizing the power of new digital media. Humanitarian and disaster response agencies have been typically “hesitant to jump on board with new technologies or new approaches until they have been proven,” says Verity. This is mainly because there’s a sense that the stakes are too high if something goes wrong—“this isn’t the time that you want to go out to emergencies with new technologies and have it all break.”
But the obvious advantage social media and online platforms have is the opportunity for both the rapid spread of and access to potentially crucial information. That in itself presents a challenge, acknowledges Verity, because there is such a thing as too much information—during Hurricane Sandy in the U.S. there were 20 million disaster-related tweets in the space of a week. For humanitarian workers on the ground operating in already difficult situations, this overload of information can simply be paralyzing, says Meier.
This is where individuals like Meier — digital humanitarians — and the work of the organization he co-founded, the Standby Task Force (SBTF), comes in. The SBTF has been helping the UNOCHA carry out a rapid needs and damage assessment by asking digital volunteers—anyone with access to the internet—to tag reports posted to social media related to Typhoon Haiyan.
Meier along with colleagues from SBTF and the Qatar Computing Research Institute, a nonprofit research group, created a platform called MicroMappers specifically for this purpose. “It’s exactly an app for finding a needle in the haystack”, says Meier. MicroMappers breaks down the large and complicated task of separating out the useful tweets and images into easily completed microtasks. Users can simply access the website and start clicking, tagging tweets as “offers of help,” for example, or images according to the type of damage shown.
“The beauty of it is that you can dedicate as little as three seconds or as much as three hours,” says Meier. On Friday, the SBTF team collected nearly 200,000 tweets that they filtered down to just over 35,000 based on relevancy and uniqueness. In the space of 48 hours, they were then able to tag these 35,000 tweets with the help of digital volunteers and pass that information to the UNOCHA for its crisis map.
Though using this concept of digital microtasking is not new—online citizen science initiatives have used it to get non-scientists to help catalog galaxies, for example—this is the second time MicroMappers has been deployed (the first was in response to the earthquake in Pakistan in September this year). Meier is keen to point out that because of this, “this has not been perfect, we are learning by doing.” One issue has been in improving speed as the site has experienced high volumes of traffic, the other is the more problematic one: the difficulty of geolocating images and tweets.
Despite these setbacks, “it’s already proving its worth,” says Verity. Where the UN’s rapid assessment usually takes five to seven days, the work of these digital humanitarians has helped to cut that down to two. Meier says he has also been amazed by the response from people around the world: “In every continent except Antarctica, we have people logging on, from someone working for Eurostar tagging tweets during his break to high school students in Qatar.”
The real test now for the future will be to see how humanitarian organizations respond to the shakeup of the industry that digital innovation represents, as the UNOCHA itself has accepted that the rise of digital humanitarians represents a “fundamental shift in power” away from the headquarters of aid agencies. But as with other industries before it, aid agencies may have no choice but to follow the wave of digital innovation–or risk leaving not just themselves, but those in disaster zones behind.
Calling on the Phil. Gov’t to do something now to help the people who are suffering from the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda is not judging or bashing Phil. President Aquino and the government officials. We cannot remain silent and wait until they decide to do something. These people do not have the basic necessities (food, water, shelter and medicine) and 5 days have passed since the typhoon made landfall before any relief efforts started. They were started when the foreign aid workers and the US marines came. I understand the author of this article is concerned about our image as a country but this should not be our priority right now. I always believe that as long as we do what is right, we should not worry too much about what other people think about us. Not saying anything when thousands of people are suffering is not acceptable. We need to start making the Phil. Gov’t accountable for their actions and we need to demand more from them.
Please, this is the last thing we need right now. Let’s discuss later on the lapses ans weaknesses. For now we all
Need to help to the best of
Our abilities.
Of course, everyone is entitled to his own opinion. Saying something
doesn’t mean you are making things worse. It’s a wake up call to the people in power! I am not just watching the news and sharing what I believe should be heard. I am also helping like most people.
agree with ms ludy, i believe the victims deserve better than what they are getting from our govt…
if you dont undestand “right now” and “later”, then so be it..wala tayong magawa dyan..
the message is simple, wag muna yung mga negatibong comment ngayon.. reserve it later when the iron is no longer hot.. so as not to impact the momentum in raising funds and support.. maybe in 2-3 weeks time, sige mag ingay na kayo..
No Ludy is right……. NOW is the time, kailan pa Nelia, when this is over, when another catastrophe hits. We have to start correcting the mistakes of the past to find a better tomorrow!
I’m with you in this call for accountability. Like the author of this timely blog, I’ve appealed for level-headedness and open-mindedness through FB posts. But I agree that we can and must call for government accountability. It’s our right and duty as citizens to hold the government accountable: we simply have to qualify the manner in which we do this. Calling the officials names (AbNoy), speculating on their hidden agendas, and judging them as plainly incompetent rather putting into context the actual challenges they face in doing their jobs would not be productive. For the hardworking, sleep-deprived officials whose hearts bleed for the victims, hearing ad hominem remarks about them or their team just adds to their burden. They’re still, after all, human beings with emotions, even if we expect them to be professional in their conduct.
It helps for the officials to realize that the public is watching their actions and expect more from them. Again, what we don’t need is trash-talking the government, but we definitely need to make them accountable for their performance in the proper context.
Well said……I believe the whole world’s reactions of sending help to the Phil is because of Filipinos abroad who are well liked and admired for their warmth, helpfulness, good working integrity, hospitality, honesty and God fearing traits…..
And also because every human being is affected by a calamity of any magnitude whenever, wherever it may happen…..our first instinct is to help by praying or by action.
I’m just glad that the much needed aid is finally getting to the people. Thanks to the US marines who cleared the Tacloban Airport and the foreign aid workers and military personnel from other countries who worked feverishly to get things going. I hope this humanitarian crisis will lead to changes in the culture within the Phil. Gov’t.
BRAVO Ludy…….maybe we have hope for our country yet……. speak out, point fingers, stop the arrogant madness, incompetence that our politicians display over & over again….. let us change our Cultural meekness, the willingness to follow blindly & the patience to wait. Let us be mad & rage & rave to affect change.
Well said ludy..
Thank you.
I agree with you. Considering all these talks about corruption, we just wanted to make it sure that these help will reach the right people. Most politicians have become so obsessed with money and power that for sure, they will still try to have some of these assistance coming from other countries. The posts may either be intended to remind these people, mostly politicians to have at least a little piece of conscience and must not attempt to take away for themselves these “assistance” from other countries. To stop being selfish and think of those who are deeply suffering right now. If they won’t act now, more people will die. Do you think people will try to loot food if there is no scarcity of it? Time is the essence here. A few days later might be too late. If people from other countries can act fast to help our countrymen, WHY CAN’T OUR OWN GOVERNMENT DO THAT? You should also understand how we feel about this. What could be the reason? You cannot ignore the fact that there are too much corruption in the government right now. Isn’t it possible that they want to get some from these assistance? Or maybe it could serve as a reminder to people to be vigilant of these politicians who are so hungry for money…Shame on these people who want to take advantage of the opportunity… You cannot blame people for feeling this way, for posting anything that you think could hurt our country. Even if other countries will no longer help, we must learn to appreciate what we have and we must know how to cope up with our situation. Knowing Filipinos, we can rise above this.
“Even if other countries will no longer help”
yabang mo! sige mag ingay ka to campaign na di na kelangan yung other countries kung yan gusto mo! tingnan natin anong mangyari.. i bet, sisihin mo lang gobyerno later…
Thank you for your comments. I believe most of the Filipinos empathize with the people who are suffering. It’s good to know that relief efforts are finally underway and they are getting the help they need.
agree with you Ms Ludy
Thank you.
I totally agree with you..helping and voicing out the truth is genuine concern. Filipinos are highly tolerant and patient that’s why we are in this governmental issues. Until when are you gonna keep mum. Every minute count to help and voice concerns. People who voices concerns take actions. It’s a matter of individual virtue and what works for you will not work for me. Some people chose to just pray and most people pray anf perform. See?
I totally agree with you Ludy. This is exactly how I feel. We are so concerned about our reputation, while other countries are busy feeding and helping our victims. Our hungry, fellow Filipinos. Actually, I was more encourage to donate, knowing that Phil. Gov’t. is not too swift to aid our suffering fellow Filipinos. God bless the Philippines and Thank you for the countries that are working hard to be present and helping/aiding our suffering victims of this tragedy.
I completely agree to your article- except from the government not accountable to us. They simply are.
I agree with the article. ..sa ulit ulit na pangyayari sa pilipinas na trahedya…milyon milyong tulong sa ibang bansa..sinu ba ang nakikinabang..saan ba ang donasyon na para sa tao hindi para sa bulsa ng tao…sino ang di nagrereklamo..kung mkita nyo na ang mga tao ay pra ng mga zombie..di alam kung saan at anung gagawin..boses ng taong masa ang sinisigaw naming lahat…at ng sa ganito ma bago man lng ang bansa natin..kung nahiya kayo sa mga reklamo ng mga tao. .bakit nahiya ba kayo sa mga pinag gagawa ng mga corrupt na mga pulitiko..eto lng ang masasabi ko..magaling lng kayo pag eleksyon..pero pag emergency o pangangailan ng taong bayan para kayong mga baboy na busog na di makagalaw
daldal mo! pwede ba ireserba mo nalang yung reklamo mo.. sasamahan kita mag ingay after 2-3 weeks.. not this time..
isipin mo in actual scenario..you’re speaking on stage with thousands of people nakikinig sayo while campaigning to raise fund..this say this words..”kawawa naman yung mga biktima, kelangan natin ng pera para makatulong sa kanila, kahit 1 peso nyo malaking bagay na yan para sa mga biktima.. tapos dagdagan mo sabihin na sana yung makolekta natin pera ay hindi mapunta sa mga kurakot na opisyal dun..”
do you think it would help encourage people to donate kung sabihin mo yung huling negative statement? think of it my friend..
pwede mo nman sabihin siguro yung last statement after you have collected the donations.. not prior getting the donations..
hope naintindihan mo yung mensahe
Indeed, true. They aren’t accountable for the casualties or the disaster, but it is indeed their duty to improve the situation.
you dont get what he meant!
there is time to blame the govt, but not now.. pwede palipasin mo like 2-3 weeks, saka ka daldal ng daldal.. kelangan lang muna walang siraan para nman di nakakawalang gana para sa mga prospected donors.. i take my self as an example..there is donation drive within our company to raise fund for the victims, pero pag nababasa ko yung mga walang kwentang paninira this time, nakakawalang gana mag donate.. isipin mo kung yung other organization around the world that are raising funds, do you think mas madali maka raise ng funds kung nawawalan din ng gana yung mga foreign individuals dahil sa mga nababasa nilang negative comments at this time
may saktong panahon yung paniningil natin mga kinauukulan.. pakiusap lang, pwede tumahimik muna tayo for a period of time..
Haha! GrABE Kai, wala akong masabe! Artista ka gali na blogger uy! but just as you are entitled to your own voice, so are those who are commenting negatively to your post. So, Don’t judge them, even when it feels that they are judging you. They’re just “sharing awareness” which is probably what you intended when you wrote this article. There are people who know you personally and know the sufferings you have been through in your life. There are people who know for a fact that YOU ARE A SURVIVOR of many experiences na agaw-buhay and AN INSPIRATION to those suffering through the same things. There are some of us who can understand that your article probably came from your own personal experience of battling a rare illness. That you HAVEN’T BEEN IN DREAMLAND FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME is known to many, and that you have been facing your daily battles through optimism and faith, not through complaining or judging or even KEEPINg SILENT, but through some very mature sublimation on your part. I don’t believe that KEEPING SILENT is the message of your article, neither does it say na wala na tayong gagawin. But rather redirecting energies to things that are more constructive. Kasi sa totoo lang, ano nga ba naman ang matutulong ang pagbabash sa isang religion? It will only cause strife between religions and will only add up to the problems at hand. Stuff like that. I won’t say anything about the government kasi allergic ako sa kanila. I don’t agree with some of your points, but you’re entitled to them. And most of all, congratulations. 🙂 To be worthy of comments both good and bad means your voice is being heard. 🙂
Thanks, cham 🙂
Totally agree..SILENCE MEANS YES! to everything?
Thank you all for reading this blogpost. I respect everyone’s opinion, because yes, we are all entitled to our own. I will not judge any of those who have written negative comments and who seem to be angry, for I do not know your exact situation and I do not know how much you are going through. I understand that we are all devastated and extremely frustrated. I, too, have relatives and friends who live in Leyte and whom I haven’t heard from until now. Like you, I too am disappointed at the amount of corruption and dishonesty that the whole country is suffering from. Like you, almost 40% of my income went to taxes, which apparently have gone into the pockets of corrupt officials. With this, I have seen my patients die at the ER and on hospital beds because government hospitals aren’t getting the funding they need. Yes, there are corrupt government officials, angry citizens, poverty, anarchy- these are realities we are all experiencing. However, amidst all this negativity, I can still see the goodness in everyone- the government, the private sector, all the other countries who are helping us, the media, the volunteers who are sacrificing so much, the victims, the Filipino people. And this is why I hope.
Well said
Well said. I agree that amidst all this negativity, I can still see goodness in everyone, and that is why I still have hope for the Filipino and the Philippines.
Awareness: Posting news, articles and info on the state of aid efforts, Pnoy interview at CNN etc
Judging: On top of the article, putting comments like “WTF President! Or I bet relief goods going to officials’ pockets…”
Hi KB Galorport, your article is an epic,
Im a Filipino based here in UAE, so what our country
is facing right now were such a big impacg on all
ofws abroad. Alarming and tearing our hearts here.
Yeah, some other races telling me either that this is God’s
wrath among people who sinned. Just as i remember my answer
God didnt gave any test we cannot survive.
Above all comments, criticisms, you said it very clear my dear
this ain’t a war, its a tradgedy, its not about being silent
but what we Filipinoes ca do at the least or best wherever we are.
I read this from a well known volunteer Lola Lopez, a stranger of our race.
Spreading how she loved Filipinoes and saying lets not
be broke by this. Lets keep hanging, keep the love burning,
Have our hearts breathing for just one call, be United.
It is somehow the result of abusing our mother earth, rampant corruption in government and over populations. but well what else we can do is to help them.
Very well said! I hope you can give me permission to re-post this. Thanks!
SUre go ahead
Reblogged this on The Courage To Be Happy.
Hello, sorry but I do not get why you want to silence people speaking their minds about the ineptness of the government. See reasons below:
1. You seem to assume people who rant don’t do anything for our fellow Filipinos. I have never met anyone who ranted about this government’s inefficiency who did not contribute to alleviating the suffering of our fellow Filipinos in this disaster through volunteerism and donations. Worse, I know two people who also promotes apathy by silencing people – those two people, I’ve never seen volunteer/contribute anything locally. So, although personal, I can not accept your assumptions.
2. If not now, when? The reason we have this state of affairs is because most Filipinos before would rather go on with their lives than ask for change in the government. We always use the easy way out, and we brand people who would differ as bad people, not because of what they do, but possibly because of our guilt in being apathetic. Do you think EDSA (the first one) would have happened if people remained apathetic?
3. We are in a unique time in our history where social media can empower critical thinking among all levels of society. Silencing that critical thinking is counter-productive.
4. Do you have family members that you haven’t heard from yet who was a victim of Yolanda? Because most people I know currently pressuring the government to do something for relief distribution (e.g. use the AFP, etc) are the same people worrying about their starving parents/sisters/brothers/children/close friends who they still can’t contact right now. They spend their every waking hour doing what they can to help and to search for them – do not silence them nor paint a bad picture of their priorities when they rant.
5. The only requirement for evil to prevail is for good to look the other way. Kung mananahimik tayo, sino magpepressure sa gobyerno na gumalaw? Mas importante sa karamihan sa kanila ang political power kesa kunsensya.
I’m sorry but I think this blog post being shared just goes against societal change that can improve the Philippines.
So its much better to spread negativity, anger and confusion at this time?
Why not do what needs to be done and that is to save what can be saved in the calamity areas, cheer those with heavy hearts to lighten their load, move what needs to be moved, if one can volunteer and lend a helping hand then GO!
After all these things, when the people who suffered healed, their homes are cleansed and re-built then go pressure the government to create contingency plans for the future, shake the whole assembly, clamour for assistance, if needed. But not now, when what these people needs most are positivity, hope for the future and calmness to do what needs to be done TODAY.
Do we always have to take the aggressive stance?
I absolutely agree Randi! I myself am angered and frustrated by what seems to be a very slow move from the government but that is the least we need to do now, to rant on and blame people….. let’s pick ourselves up, unite and help.
At the moment the whole world is watching the Philippines and the Filipinos….I believe this is not what we want them to see….
i live abroad & pretty much depends only on news i see mostly fr. social media, we can choose d stuff we read or believe, if it’s made on malice over personal hatred to a religious grp or others finding it silly how ppl keeps on posting selfies/food/funny things.. it can only affect one’s stand over an issue on how deep or shallow we really perceive all this views. Yesterday morning i saw an interview in d tv news on how d UN relief operators r reacting over d looting.. it sounded as if he answered w/a bit defense that ds helpless survivors r just desperate to fill their hunger for days, that’s when it cleared up d reporters face to hand more understanding that ds ppl had homes totally wiped out & families lost fr. d tragedy. About d gov’t, it is expected that they will b seen as such, may it awaken d officials to move faster & so we can repay in gratitude the efforts bein made we r recieving by handling all d help fairly. Sad it is.. but hope is what really they r giving to d country.
100% agree with you Sophia
I am sorry but I have deleted (or have yet to delete) and will not tolerate comments that contain foul language and cussing directed toward me, another commenter, or whoever for that matter. This blogpost was not written to approve of (meaning, I AM NOT IN SUPPORT OF) the ineptness of the government and its lack of urgency in dealing with the matter at hand. It was not written to silence people. Nowhere in the article have I written that we should keep silent and stay silent about the incompetence of our government- especially in dealing with corruption. I also did not say that the victims themselves or whoever was affected by the typhoon, or those who are on the ground volunteering do not have a right to complain about the delay of relief operations. Instead, I was addressing us, “fellow Filipinos” the rest of us who (although some have donated large sums of money or have helped in packaging relief goods) are not in Tacloban or any other typhoon-stricken area.
If you notice in the last paragraph, I have emphasized that this is a time for solidarity and the last thing we should do AT THIS TIME is attack a fellow Filipino. This is not the time for judging, complaining, blaming, attacking each other. It will not do good AT THIS TIME. The president or any person subject to criticism will not be able to hear our complaints right now anyway because they either choose to shut off or are busy in dealing with this calamity.
There is a proper time and place for airing our sentiments regarding the ineptness, the ineffectivity and the corruption of our government.
I understand that we are all angry about the corruption and incompetence of our government, but it’s the government we have right now, what else can we do about it? I have been a part of rallies and protests on the streets for the government to change. And believe me, the government hasn’t changed for as long as I can remember. I know it’s sad and frustrating.
Lastly, let us all respect each other’s opinion. We do not know each other, and so we don’t have any right to judge any one. If you do not agree with what the writer has written, you can just say so, without having to attack her or her person, and judge her according to your interpretation of what she has written.
So now we can’t be critical of how our government should respond and take care of its citizenry, its appalling how long it has taken our leaders to respond. Theres no excuse, Tacloban was the worst hit and yet days into the tragedy there is no semblance of order according to multiple reports, so are they lying? Being negative is different from critical, it is the sovereign right of the citizenry to criticize the government, that is the whole point of a democracy. Majority are saying more should be done and not that there is nothing done.
Awareness yes, negativity no, judging no. After reading this piece, I agree, I’ll stop with the “kurakot”/”nanakawin” posts pertaining to our public officials because it is simply noise and personal opinions (but can you really blame people?). however what i cannot do is stand idly by while days and days after the typhoon struck there is nothing being done. I say nothing based on the people on the ground and news articles. I am fully aware of the extent of the damage but if there was any semblance of order and leadership; coupled with the amount of aid and support I don’t see how this should extend this long. Its agonizing to watch from afar and what most people can do is vent out. So understand that as much as I’ve understood this.Now this is a wonderful piece and not without its merits, but . Thank you!
Absolutely! I totally agree with you…You cannot blame people to think that way because it is what is happening in our country lately. Left and right corruption. Definitely, if there is semblance of order and leadership and the numerous assistance coming in, I really believe we can rise above this nightmare. But thinking that we should stop asking the government for accountability right now, NO. These politicians need to be reminded every now and then that people are watching their every move… I can’t blame the others for feeling and thinking that way There are good points in this articles but…. Anyway,….. Every one of us has his own opinion..
I am sorry but I have deleted (or have yet to delete) and will not tolerate comments that contain foul language and cussing directed toward me, another commenter, or whoever for that matter. This blogpost was not written to approve of (meaning, I AM NOT IN SUPPORT OF) the ineptness of the government and its lack of urgency in dealing with the matter at hand. It was not written to silence people. Nowhere in the article have I written that we should keep silent and stay silent about the incompetence of our government- especially in dealing with corruption. I also did not say that the victims themselves or whoever was affected by the typhoon, or those who are on the ground volunteering do not have a right to complain about the delay of relief operations. Instead, I was addressing us, “fellow Filipinos” the rest of us who (although some have donated large sums of money or have helped in packaging relief goods) are not in Tacloban or any other typhoon-stricken area.
If you notice in the last paragraph, I have emphasized that this is a time for solidarity and the last thing we should do AT THIS TIME is attack a fellow Filipino. This is not the time for judging, complaining, blaming, attacking each other. It will not do good AT THIS TIME. The president or any person subject to criticism will not be able to hear our complaints right now anyway because they either choose to shut off or are busy in dealing with this calamity.
There is a proper time and place for airing our sentiments regarding the ineptness, the ineffectivity and the corruption of our government.
I understand that we are all angry about the corruption and incompetence of our government, but it’s the government we have right now, what else can we do about it? I have been a part of rallies and protests on the streets for the government to change. And believe me, the government hasn’t changed for as long as I can remember. I know it’s sad and frustrating.
Lastly, let us all respect each other’s opinion. We do not know each other, and so we don’t have any right to judge any one. If you do not agree with what the writer has written, you can just say so, without having to attack her or her person, and judge her according to your interpretation of what she has written.
One thing is for real. Just like Typhoon Sendong which hit our city of Cagayan De Oro many people here in the city just took hold of matters in their own hands and continue to live as normal as possible. There is no sense of looking to our local politicians who racked up all the donations in millions of pesos. The same will happen to Tacloban and areas of Samar that are devastated by Typhoon Yolanda. The truth remains well for many of us survivors of Sendong; surviving was just the easy part but recovering was the hardest.
Great job on writing this article but at some point, don’t you think that for once, for fuck’s sake, let’s just tell the whole world that our government sucks – BIGTIME! This might be our chance to cry out for help. This could be our leaders’ wake up call and I for one could only hope that after this, they’ll realize and hopefully, grow some balls and stand up for the Filipino people and do their fucking jobs fair and square.
I am not against your opinion. Yes, being calm, quiet and united is a great thing. But not to our government! They feed on the mind of people like you. They will ruthlessly steal from the poorest of the poor all day long while eating Filet Mignon on a New York fine dine restaurant and then call it a day. If they were even prepared for this, they could have easily saved a lot of lives by day 2 or 3. But for decades, they were so busy calculating how much they could take away from the countries budget without being caught.
I am sorry but I have deleted (or have yet to delete) and will not tolerate comments that contain foul language and cussing directed toward me, another commenter, or whoever for that matter. This blogpost was not written to approve of (meaning, I AM NOT IN SUPPORT OF) the ineptness of the government and its lack of urgency in dealing with the matter at hand. It was not written to silence people. Nowhere in the article have I written that we should keep silent and stay silent about the incompetence of our government- especially in dealing with corruption. I also did not say that the victims themselves or whoever was affected by the typhoon, or those who are on the ground volunteering do not have a right to complain about the delay of relief operations. Instead, I was addressing us, “fellow Filipinos” the rest of us who (although some have donated large sums of money or have helped in packaging relief goods) are not in Tacloban or any other typhoon-stricken area.
If you notice in the last paragraph, I have emphasized that this is a time for solidarity and the last thing we should do AT THIS TIME is attack a fellow Filipino. This is not the time for judging, complaining, blaming, attacking each other. It will not do good AT THIS TIME. The president or any person subject to criticism will not be able to hear our complaints right now anyway because they either choose to shut off or are busy in dealing with this calamity.
There is a proper time and place for airing our sentiments regarding the ineptness, the ineffectivity and the corruption of our government.
I understand that we are all angry about the corruption and incompetence of our government, but it’s the government we have right now, what else can we do about it? I have been a part of rallies and protests on the streets for the government to change. And believe me, the government hasn’t changed for as long as I can remember. I know it’s sad and frustrating.
Lastly, let us all respect each other’s opinion. We do not know each other, and so we don’t have any right to judge any one. If you do not agree with what the writer has written, you can just say so, without having to attack her or her person, and judge her according to your interpretation of what she has written.
I AGREE
sa mga satsat ng satsat at puro negatib lang ang sinasabi, cge nga, kayo nga tumulong, kayo nga magvolunteer, kayo nga din ang umupo sa gubyerno at ipakita niyo sa amin kung panu ba dapat. kasi sa tema ng mga sinasabi niyo, kayo ang magaling, kayo ang marunong at kayo ang tama. kaya sige, go. kayo na! eh ang sinasabi lang naman ng blog na toh eh wag manghusga. un lang. period. ewan ko lang kung maintindihan niyo toh. haha
korek
i second the motion!
Exactly!
you’re right
Ang sinigaw ng taong sambayanan..ay pra sa lahat..hindi tayo magkakaganito kung hindi dahil sa gobyerno nating corrupt….
yes i agree with what message you are trying to relay. but in mu own opinion we dont need a leader that seeks understanding from its constituents. we don’t need a leader that keeps on blaming his LGU’s. what we need right now is leader that upholds the morale of the people. a leader that is quick in making decisions. quick in making actions.
Everyone is so concentrated in the devastated area, the calamity area. And continuing to focus on only this area and the current situation in only this area. So far, instead of more positivity, I see too many negative people. What has one man got to do to please everyone? Its not just this situation a person who is supposed to lead a country has to concentrate and focus on. This is not about getting the corrupt officials straight, this is not about the ineptness in the distribution of relief goods, this is not about the looters (gimme a break, can those people even read what you’ve been posting in anger?). And for the person who says the President got the whole armed forces– Are you kidding me? Yea, send them all to the calamity area. These people you are sending there— They need to be fed and housed– You wanna take those portion for those who needs it more and give it to the helpers? Yes, these people— These Filipino people who has faced a disaster, a calamity— THEY DON’T NEED TO BE SPOON FED, they can get up and walk and help those who came to help to help themselves. Yes, they lost their houses, their loved ones etc. But the Filipino people are resilient and strong to stand up to help themselves. Shame on you for painting such a bleak picture of Filipinos, being weak and pitiful that they cannot rise up to face this catastrophe.
The president is responsible for what is happening in the calamity area. HE IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REST OF THE PHILIPPINES THAT HAS NOT BEEN DEVASTATED BY THE TYPHOON. You don’t think he is doing his job? Go up and do it then. You don’t need to be a president since it seems you know better on how to keep our economy up, get rid of the corrupt officials, keep the crime syndicates from using this situation to their advantage, make sure that the near-extinct species in Palawan thrive, that our OFWs are safe abroad and being treated with respect, that children are not kidnapped and sold to slavery, that women, men, bisexuals, homosexuals, etc have equal rights, that China don’t take what is ours and still prevent a war. Oh, and let’s not forget the calamity area of today.
Yea, so what if you’ve been there to volunteer and help. Does that give you the right to judge and criticize? All I could see is a person who needs to brag– that ‘ I been there, nana na nanaaa! I was able to do more than you, nanana naaa!’
All I can see are self-righteous people who needs to shut up. Yea, call me a hypocrite for being a self-righteous person in posting this comment? I am not judging anyone for their own opinions— I am just getting sick and tired of buffoons getting on their soap boxes/(insert amount of time) they get in the limelight and getting that little picture in FB for thumb’s up. Y’all sicken me more than those whom you are bashing, criticizing and blaming for the situation that is ‘not good enough’ performance in your own personal criteria. The Filipino people needs to be informed? And what are your credentials that we can trust your opinion and information? Oh, yea— you were THERE!
Have you forgotten that the rest of the Philippines still exist? Most prolly not, so lets send everything and everyone to the calamity area–woooohooo!
Idiots…
PS I don’t usually comment on these things. Its just got to the point that all these ‘concerned people’ that needs to spread the ‘information’, point out all the flaws in how the situation is being handled, crying ‘Shame on you! Its embarrassing to other countries!’.
WELL, YOU ARE MORE EMBARRASSING FOR PUTTING FORTH SO MUCH NEGATIVITY AND PAINTING THE FILIPINO NATION AS WEAKLINGS TO OTHER COUNTRIES WHO MIGHT WANT TO HELP OUT BUT INSTEAD BACK DOWN BECAUSE THEY CAN’T GET TO HELP SINCE THE FILIPINO NATION ARE SO CORRUPT AND CAN’T GET ANYTHING RIGHT!!! SHAME ON YOU!
Shame on me for justifying something that wasn’t the point of my comment?
I am talking about the Filipino people and what is needed right here, right now. Do we need to flood negativity and aggressive political agenda right now when our countrymen needs more than just physical/material help as they also need hope, positivity and calm in this confusion?
Yes, shame on me for defending my countrymen and believing on their strength.
I live in the UK and everyday since Yolanda hit the Phils, people have been showing concerns about our kababayans but the worst thing is, they also ask me about the negative feedbacks they hear from the media. Some people are just painting our country BLACK.
Well said.
I totally agree with you.
Then go do their job then since it seems you know what needs to be done and that you can carry this responsibility on your shoulder.
What’s making the Philippines stagnant is inaction and just a lot of hot air from people who thinks they know better without doing anything or taking the responsibility. What have you done for the Philippines and for the Filipinos?
Reblogged this on Lorenz Font and commented:
This is the time to Pray, Donate and Help.
I totally agree every word you say…..now can I share this statement on fb
I don’t understand, how about Panay and Ormoc? Why should the people of Tacloban be equal to Imelda Marcos just because she is from that province? And how can you say that the president has a vindictive nature?
No, I am not pro-Pnoy nor defending him.
thank you…
The thing is.. Tacloban is gone, there is no functioning Local Government, there is lack of preparedness.. WE ALL KNOW THAT and no amount of NEGA comments will help. hindi yan maririnig ni PNoy,at hindi rin mbabago ang gobyerno ng overnight. Matagal ng bulok ang sistema,yang pagintensify ng reklamo nyo walang magagawa. Ang pinakaeffective na tulong ay on the spot. para magising kamo ang gobyerno,so they will get some balls..? matagal ng ganyan ang gobyerno, kaya nga may daang matuwid program kuno si PNoy diba? There’s no use crying out foul NOW because people in Tacloban need the help NOW. Na-ggets nyo na po ba bakit sayang lng ung energy nyo sa pagrereklamo ngayon? saka na po kayo ulit magreklamo, at kung ano pang maisip nyong awareness against govt na dapat iraise,pag naibalik na ang semblance ng kaayusan sa tacloban, at sa iba pang karatig lugar. yes di nyo pwedeng iwan ang trabaho nyo and the only thing you can do is spread the awareness. Let the news media do that. As individuals,napakadaming relief center operations na nagkalat,kaliwa’t kanan,mamili ka kung saan ka sasali. The point is, ung relief kelangan now,aanhin ng mga taga-Tacloban yang reklamo nyo,di nila yan pwedeng ulamin o silungan.
Mas maganda siguro instead na mag complain, gumawa ng paraan na makapunta dun sa apektadong lugar at tumulong maglinis dun, or tumulong sa paghakot nung mga patay. Nakakahiya naman..ung mga dayuhan nakakarating sa ating bansa para tumulong, iniwan mga pamilya nila, tapos tau mismong mga pilipino di magawa un? parang nakakahiya naman ata…kaya, GO! GO! GO! na tau dun!
Hindi naman cguro nakakahiya yun.., siyempre they have all the resources at inutusan sila ng mga pangulo ng bansa nila.. paanong makagawa ng ways papunta doon na tulad kong DH sa ibang bansa, gustohin ko mang lumipad papunta dun, I have limited resources, paano nlng ako makapag padala ng financial sa kanila kung andun din ako?, eh di kaming lahat mamatay sa gutom dun..
so ibig sabihin nyan pupunta ka nga Tacloban? good for you.. Maam meron po tayong ahensya ng gobyerno na nakatalaga para sa mga ganung sitwasyon. we are paying our taxes para may maganit po tayo. kung tayo mismo ang pupunta dun para tumulong para saan yung taxes natin? para sa mga walang silbi na mga personalidad na nakaupo lang sa kanilang opisina?di naman ata tama yun… ilang days naba natapos ang Yolanda? marami ng taga ibang bansa ang dumating sa atin para tumulong. yung gobyerno natin di pa rin nakarating sa Tacloban.. gaanu ba kalayo ang Tacloban from Manila? mas malayo ba kisa japan ant USA?
I am sorry but I have deleted (or have yet to delete) and will not tolerate comments that contain foul language and cussing directed toward me, another commenter, or whoever for that matter. This blogpost was not written to approve of (meaning, I AM NOT IN SUPPORT OF) the ineptness of the government and its lack of urgency in dealing with the matter at hand. It was not written to silence people. Nowhere in the article have I written that we should keep silent and stay silent about the incompetence of our government- especially in dealing with corruption. I also did not say that the victims themselves or whoever was affected by the typhoon, or those who are on the ground volunteering do not have a right to complain about the delay of relief operations. Instead, I was addressing us, “fellow Filipinos” the rest of us who (although some have donated large sums of money or have helped in packaging relief goods) are not in Tacloban or any other typhoon-stricken area.
If you notice in the last paragraph, I have emphasized that this is a time for solidarity and the last thing we should do AT THIS TIME is attack a fellow Filipino. This is not the time for judging, complaining, blaming, attacking each other. It will not do good AT THIS TIME. The president or any person subject to criticism will not be able to hear our complaints right now anyway because they either choose to shut off or are busy in dealing with this calamity.
There is a proper time and place for airing our sentiments regarding the ineptness, the ineffectivity and the corruption of our government.
I understand that we are all angry about the corruption and incompetence of our government, but it’s the government we have right now, what else can we do about it? I have been a part of rallies and protests on the streets for the government to change. And believe me, the government hasn’t changed for as long as I can remember. I know it’s sad and frustrating.
Lastly, let us all respect each other’s opinion. We do not know each other, and so we don’t have any right to judge any one. If you do not agree with what the writer has written, you can just say so, without having to attack her or her person, and judge her according to your interpretation of what she has written.
mam the problem is, walang masakyan papunta dun… even free flights ayaw ako iaccomodate. Handa akong iwanan ang trabaho ko para tumulong magrehabilitate dun pero ang hirap parin makahanap ng way papunta. 😦
I think you are the one in Lalaland… Have you done what you just said to the writer? There are worse situations around the world where people don’t have food to eat nor decent water to drink yet they survive. Your exaggeration makes me think about the article of a Tacloban Survivor. I found it weird that he mentioned that they are not zombies but reading your comment, I see what he means…
So what have you done for the Philippines, Mr. Intelligent? Freedom is a responsibility. How can there be improvement when the focus is on the negative? How can you say that this article is baseless and useless when it is promoting calmness and thinking over? Not just jumping the gun and creating more confusion? What kind of future are you working for? The kind of future where ‘freedom’ is who gets to shout the loudest?
Take My Like for this Article 🙂
I agree with you totally.
Jo, I totally agree with you!
Rather than critisizing, the correct word is suggesting ideas what the Government must DO! UNITE & HELP…All these constructive ideas that will help VICTIMS.Time is the worst factor to survive. Say Dept. of Public Works should send ASAP Heavy Equipment to clear all debris so that Logistics and all resources could enter…
yeah thats true eduardo…i agree with you. thanks
All Government Agencies should give help not only those who are affected but as well as all parts of LUZON and MINDANAO. Just like Mr. Duterte did, visit the site and bring anything that could be of help.. Non-reporting government employees should be given not only the Christmas bonus? Diciplinary action of not doing their work.
let’s be critical thinkers and get real.. nice one Jo!