Nearly 60 people were killed, Manila was blacked out and airline flights were suspended as a powerful typhoon battered the main Philippines island of Luzon on Saturday, disaster officials said.
Television showed houses swept away by swollen rivers, people on rooftops waving for help and throngs stranded along Manila's submerged main thoroughfares as the storm packing winds of 100 km (60 mph) dumped 341 mm (13.5 inches) of rain in six hours.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appealed for donations of clothes, blankets, food and water as hundreds of families, perched on rooftops or were trapped in submerged areas, waiting for rescue.
"I am calling on our countrymen, especially residents of metro Manila and other provinces in the path of the typhoon, to please stay calm, follow the instructions of local officials and civil defense authorities," Arroyo said in a televised message.
This was the news couple of days ago. The president is calling every one around to pitch in and help. Wow, she is a genius. You wait for disaster to happen and exploit the situation for your political whims and fancies. It is the job of the Government to attend to the matters of natural disasters. What do you do with people’s tax monies Mrs. President? Perhaps the training in Georgetown U has not helped you. You know why, it is one the priciest real estate property in the world. When you live and study there, you just forget how normal people live in normal places in the Philippines.
Mostly all know that the Philippines is prone to bad weather conditions and typhoons happen every year or often. People live and build their houses in these areas since the location is ideal for transportation, employment and schools. What has the government done to improve these people’s lives thus far? None.
25 years ago the Philippines was the best developed country in South East Asia. Today they are behind countries like Vietnam or Cambodia.
The country’s literacy rate is one of the highest in the world. Yet they are unable to come out with a policy of relocating these people into higher ground. Does anyone know the reason? All things point out to just one thing. Greed: by the politicians. No body cares. Every man or woman for him or self, God for all.
Vote them out of office, you deserve better.
2 comments:
You have a point. Good governance is one of the major solutions to alleviate poverty in my country. But there's more to that. What we need is a total change in attitude or should I say culture. People have gotten used to being involved in corrupt practices and in poor situations and I should say, the very institutions that serve my people ought to have change within themselves i.e. church, system of public education, justice system, etc. in order for progress to take place.
However, I strongly disagree that we are behind Vietnam or Cambodia.
AGD
point well noted
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