“Pictures that speaks of a thousand words” (Taken by Gloryrose Dy)

 

September 26, 2009, will never be forgotten in the history of man. Typhoon ONDOY bat-tered the Philip-pines with storm that flood-ed most of Luzon and Metro Manila areas. Many families were rendered homeless, damage to properties was unaccounted for, hundreds died and hundreds are still missing. To this date, rescue operation con-tinues as another storm has been fore-casted to come.

Behind the emotional tapestry, the façade of the so called coordination between the government and the private sector lays an annoying gap of the “blame game” metamorphosis.  Some with obviously hidden agenda, under the guise of media blitz, has successfully toyed with the psyche of poor innocent victims. The psychology of the “stomach” is the most effective political campaign. And… from today until the Election Day, it is inevitable that who so ever the biggest tri-media group has endorsed will be the next President of the Philippines. Election is therefore over and done with… thanks to ONDOY!

Setting aside politics however, who do we blame for this devastation? Blame it on God! Blame the government!  Blame the people themselves!  Blame the water! In its frenzy to find its way to the lowest level, as the theory goes… “Water always seeks its own level”, it run across homes, property, lives and everything that get in the way… and unfortunately, GARBAGE…and so much of it got in the way! It trapped the water causing it to rise high because the volume of water could no longer be contained. As a result, there was a sporadic rushing of water and flooded areas which were usually flooded during rainy season and also those areas that never experienced flooding at all. There are areas in Metro Manila that are usually flooded to the ankle length whenever it rains. Residents continue to stay in the place in spite of this situation. But the recent flood rose to the neck high and some kids and elderly folks died as a consequence. The TRAGEDY OF NEGLECT spared no one regardless of age, gender or socio economic status.

September 26, 2009 was a TRAGEDY OF NEGLECT! Everywhere in this country we can find a surmountable amount of GARBAGE. The incriminate disposal of waste in places where it should not be, in canals, along the streets, in gutters and drainage system. In spite of laws on Proper Garbage Disposal and Solid Waste Management, it is an undeniable fact that littering is an unbreakable bad habit of the Filipino. There are Laws beautifully worded on Anti-littering but these laws remain without teeth. Seasonally it is implemented but the rest of the year… GARBAGE on the streets is a common site, the best habitat for flies and maggots too… If it is not collected on time by the government agency assigned to that task, the alley cats and the street dogs will clutter them more… and when it rains… these solid waste clogs the canals and water ways.

Dr. Jose Rizal, in his novel, “El Filibusterismo” or “The Reign of Greed”, Pasig River was then a problem. It was murky and dirty and the smell was stench as Donya Victorina would describe it to be then. Nothing has changed in the passage of time.  I wonder what the author would do if he were alive… write a sequel to the novel…  TRAGEDY OF NEGLECT!