commentary Draw the line
Draw the line
Friday, 03 February 2012 00:00
IN the movie "Knight and Day," Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) demonstrates to June Havens (Cameron Diaz) the dangers of not staying with him and tells her, "Out there on your own, your life expectancy is right here," and he hand waves to somewhere below her waistline to show how low that life expectancy would be. "With me, it's right here," while he hand-waves, this time to that area above her head. "Without me, here" and his left hand returns to her hips again. After 9/11, former US President George W. Bush made it clear that being neutral does not result to action: "You're either with us or against us in the fight against terror." "A coalition partner must do more than just express sympathy, a coalition partner must perform. That means different things for different nations. Some nations don't want to contribute troops and we understand that. Other nations can contribute intelligence sharing... But all nations, if they want to fight terror, must do something," he said. "Over time it's going to be important for nations to know they will be held accountable for inactivity."
Well, they didn't catch Osama bin Laden right away. Instead, they went to Iraq and found Saddam Hussein. Bin Laden was killed only last year, not in Iraq but in Pakistan, when Bush was no longer president. Cagayan de Oro is probably in that stage where politicians, business establishments and the Cagayanons themselves are being tagged as pro- or anti-top guy. But where to go from there? The top guy for now is he who sits on the presumably purple throne at city hall, with purple again allegedly splattered on his curtains, couch, etc. But can you blame the guy for that? He loves purple. I happen to love purple, too. But that doesn't mean I and the top guy are on the same boat in all issues. I'm not even wishing to be on a boat while cruising through the streets of Cagayan de Oro because that could only mean there's another flash flood and, oh my, who needs that? Especially at this time when Sendong survivors are still struggling more than 40 days after Sendong?
And if you're not a Sendong survivor, please ayaw tawon pag-apil-apil pagdawat sa relief goods and temporary and permanent shelters, because that's like wishing nabahaan pud ka. You're not a Sendong survivor, you're supposed to be helping Sendong survivors, so what are you doing with those relief goods, why are you living inside that tent, why are you preparing documents to qualify for a permanent shelter? Do you even have any idea what these survivors went through during the flash flood? Have you lost loved ones to the flash flood? Were you there while they struggled to hold on to your grasp before they were washed away?
I have relatives and friends who are Sendong survivors. Until now, they're still repairing their houses, that is, if they still have a house to go back to. They try to smile, they try to cope by going back to work like as if OK lang yon. But deep inside I know they're still in so much pain-they just don't want to show it. That's survival instinct. One can't wallow in pain forever.
If only I had millions of moolah, I'd help them buy lots on higher ground and build new houses. They shouldn't be going back to their old houses anymore. The government, big corporations and organizations, and wealthy individuals have the resources to do that, so let's hope every Sendong survivor will receive the much-needed help he deserves.
Some government employees should also learn to treat survivors well. They should stop acting the way they're used to: arrogant, tired, complete with cruel words blurted out here and there. These survivors are already traumatized by their experience, treating them badly would just result to something worse, like suicide. There was already one suicide case in an evacuation center due to his family's exclusion from the list of beneficiaries for the tents or temporary shelters at Calaanan. When I talked with his wife, she didn't even know what really happened when her husband tried to follow up on the tent again because she was then lining up for relief goods outside a supermarket. But she knew he was already disappointed upon learning about their exclusion from that list.
And that's just the temporary shelters. How much more for the permanent shelters that will be built for the survivors? Who will get those houses? What are the requirements? Will there be under-the-table, over-the-table, beside-the-table deals for that? Will the houses be painted with purple? Tsk tsk. Well, if you still believe you're a victim, too, even if a flash flood hasn't made any pisik-pisik on your doorstep, maybe you should go to another line, the one titled, "I've had it with purple! Enough already!"
Malacanang has already sent a letter to the top guy at city hall, requesting him to please "submit within fifteen (15) days from receipt hereof, his verified Answer...to the herein attached Complaint..." Let's see what his response will be.
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