Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) is indeed the moment of truth, the defining moment for the "Tuwid na Daan" of this regime!

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal, Philippines  | December 2, 2013

 

The comments of Christianne  Amanpour of CNN to the President during their interview, post Yolanda typhoon crisis, still ring clearly in my ears " How your respond to this crisis, defines your Presidency"  as he was embarrassed by apparent grasp of reality on the ground.

As I got the other stories from somebody whose relatives were victims of the typhoon  (Inside story of the Typhoon Haiyan devastation)  there were several incidents that may not speak well of the rule of the national govt:

1,  The staging of relief distribution;

2.  The repacking of relief goods by the government agencies.

3.  The military commandeering the relief goods for personal use of disposition.

4.   The grandstanding of the Presidency with the LGU Mayor Alfred Romualdez

5.  The military men leading the civilian in commandeering private goods for personal use (the military were in bonnet as seen in TV and fully armed)

It is the time for compassion rather than greed.  How the people in the govt, representing the national government really really reflects zillions the values, the mores of the present govt, and whether the leadership now, has made a dent on how we run things here, especially during crisis.

 

Inside story of the devastation by Typhoon Haiyan in Leyte

It is more fun criticizing

Manila Philippines, November 30, 2013

We met with our construction contractor for labor tonight.  He just arrived from Leyte and he has been there since November 13, 2013 to assist his relatives who were victims of Typhoon Haiyan.  He brought to assist his stricken relatives 50 relief packs and it cost him about a P100,000.  He had many interesting stories to tell regarding the situation there:

Some relief goods distribution were just for a show

Not all were given relief goods.  Those lines which were deemed to be full of people in same household were not given anymore.  After photo ops, relief goods that were given were retrieved/recalled.    Some relief packs were repacked (what for?)

Relief goods even as of this date have not reached the intended beneficiaries;   why?

Some container goods were kept in warehouses and remained undistributed and heavily guarded in warehouses of local officials.  What for?

Commandeered by the military?

He alleges that some relief goods carried by helicopters c/o the military were not 100% delivered;  some were taken for personal use of the military personnel.  Some military men were behind the pilferage of fuel in tanks (the guys in bonnet were encouraging the people to pilfer the gasoline in underground trunk?  why?)

We can see generosity and cruelty of people in times of crisis

There was this townmate businessmen of this contractor who was hated before.  But he brought from Cebu 3 truckloads of relief goods costing several hundreds of thousands of pesos to distribute to the typhoon victims in his town.  On the other hand, there were rapes and robberies going on.  Abandoned cars and motorbikes are being strippped for parts.  There were wholesale theft of motorbikes in a store which was carried out clearly not in the name of survival.

There was even a band of robbers who shouted tsunami, and everybody ran away injuring many in the stampede that ensued.  That was a ruse for the 3 robbers to rob the vacant houses.  They were soon discovered and one of them was lynched, one was caught, and one ran away.

Gasoline is sold for 2x the price, construction materials are sold 2x their price that is why people cant rebuild their lost homes.  If only construction materials were made available at prevailing market price

Lack of strong leadership and management needed

Our friend really deplored the politicking that was going on, greediness, self interest, and cruelty that was going on and the inability of the public sector to control this and take charge. It will tell heavily on the elective officials if they will still stay in office

Logistics management, crowd control, leadership must be practiced and taught.   Many educated people only bring in cash, goods, and repacking labor to the table, but I guess we need good management practices in this kind of situation (and even morality and ethics)  Amanpour was right -  the actions here define the kind of people who lead and manage us.

Unbelievable devastation

From the stories he heard, the surge was more than 30 ft high.  And people were not prepared for that.  Many died from the ships that crushed their homes.  There were little tornadoes that tore the structures apart.  Would you believe that coconut trees were twisted by the strong wind?

Various countries have sent aid to the Typhoon Haiyan Victims

Social and political criticisms

             
                           The just unloaded relief goods from a C 130

From Voice of American News  November 12, 2013

From NBC news 1774 confirmed dead in Tacloban 2774 injured

The US has sent its Japan based aircraft carrier USS George Washington to deliver humanitarian aid to victim of the strongest super typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan in what is to be considered a Category 3 humanitarian crisis (as in Haiti disaster, and Japan tsunami)  Some 11 million people were affected and and 600,000 displaced.  US planes and helicopter have been used to air drop relief goods in far flung and inaccessible areas.

The aircraft carriers assets include 21 helicopters (what is needed in relief, rescue, and even medical emergencies) and a distilling plant capable of storing 1.5 million liters of water, enough to supply 2,000 homes

The PHL has provided some 1,000 troops to help clear the roads, secure areas, and help in the relief efforts.  Various countries have pledged or given millions of dollar in help and relief goods.

However, bodies lay on the road or are buried  and have not been cleared/buried:

 
The dead still littered the street.





   
Gathering the dead