FOOD FOR THOUGHT

by: Chita Dela Cruz-Heap

People of Courage

With the third anniversary of Typhoon Frank almost upon us, I find it appropriate to reflect upon the events of that day. I was out of the country on another assignment, when Typhoon Frank unleashed its fury upon Panay Island, and upon our beloved province of Aklan. When I returned a few days after the event, my heart wept as the full extent of the damage became clear.

Everywhere I went I saw houses that were flattened, leaving many without homes or shelter. Public infrastructure was down, leaving the entire area without electricity or means of communication. Hospitals were flooded and left without power, whilst civic buildings and offices were unable to function.

As I passed through the streets of Kalibo I saw businesses and livelihoods destroyed, and in the countryside i saw dead livestock and ruined crops. Clean water was no longer available from the tap, food was in short supply, and everything is covered with mud.

Add to this the human cost in lives, in personal injury, in bereavement for those who were lost of those held dear, no one can deny that this was a tragedy of epic proportions, an event unparalleled by anything within living memory.

As I travelled around the various districts to assess the full impact of the damage, each face that I saw had a story to tell, a story that needed no words. For this was a tragedy that had touched us all, a tragedy in which all played a part.

It has been said that it is not the events that confront a man or woman in their lives that define them, but the way that they deal with these events. The same is no less true in the aftermath of Typhoon Frank. For out of the chaos and confusion, out of the misery and despair, heroes emerged; those who we should feel proud to have in our midst. For these were the human beings whose spirit rose to the occasion, those who worked selflessly for the benefit of others regardless of personal cost.

We must thank the doctors and nurses of the various hospitals who worked long hours in conditions far from ideal to treat the injured and the sick, regardless of the fact that their families too were in need. We must praise the efforts of the MMDA, sent by the president to help in clearing the roads of debris, and that of the DSWD under the leadership of Mr. Galicia, the regional director from Iloilo. We musn’t forget the various aid agencies who gave so generously their compassion and their time, distributing food and water to those in need, and the US navy who were also quick to respond. The list goes on, and the various bodies and organizations that were so quick to respond are far too numerous to mention.

Those who impressed me the most however were the ordinary people, who set about cutting trees and clearing the streets without anyone instructing them to do so. Those who impressed me the most were the ones who selflessly went about helping others, sharing what they had, and doing what they could to assist, regardless of the fact that they had suffered too.

Those who impresses me the most were simply Filipinos in whom the bayanihan spirit arose, just ordinary men and women, but everyone a bayani, none the less. It is people such as these who helped make our country to what it is today. It is people such as these who have earned the Filipino race a well deserved reputation for resilience, for optimism, and for their ability to survive, regardless of whatever tragedy unfolds.

It is the ability of Filipinos to work together with other Filipinos. It is their ability to regard their own countrymen as sisters or as brothers. It is their ability to share in times of crisis, and their ability to act with unity and purpose which defines the Filipino. I feel truly humbled by the selfless actions of such people.

But there are two sides to every coin, and it has often been said that whilst a crisis will bring out the best in some, it will also bring out the worst in others.

The first thing to understand is that although the devastation caused by Typhoon Frank was without precedent, the likelihood of a recurrence of such disaster remains high. There are planetary forces are at work of which we have no control over. The Earth’s climate is changing, and weather patterns all around the world have become increasingly unpredictable and extreme. This trend is set to continue.

It is vital that we learn from our experiences, in particular with regard to aid and its distribution, and the utilization of our resources and personnel.

I referred to those in whom a crisis brings out the worst, and I will begin with those who flocked to the airport in droves to collect bottled water flown in by the US navy. These people took the water not because they needed it, but simply because it was free.

I do not suggest that these people be considered as criminals, for theirs was an act of simple naivety, and a lack of awareness of the possible consequences to those who were truly in need. In this instance it is education which offers the remedy.

The loss of life suffered during Typhoon Frank was a tragedy indeed. But it was nothing compared to the loss of life that so often follows in the wake of such an event by the outbreak of cholera. Cholera is contracted by drinking contaminated water in which bodies have been floating, water mixed with faeces and sewage, or water which has been contaminated in some other way. Once an epidemic has begun the disease quickly spreads, invariably resulting in a high number of fatalities.

Cholera takes lives, lives that do not need to be lost, and in order to save these lives and also protect ourselves we should all have a very clear understanding that clean drinking water should be targeted upon those areas where pollution and inadequate sanitation pose the greatest threat. These are usually areas where the population is most concentrated such as down town Kalibo, where rubbish is more likely to accumulate, where pollution is more likely to occur, and where most do not have access to water from wells.

The sad truth is that at times of crisis there are those unscrupulous enough to profit from the misfortune of others, and who are quick to divert aid for their own selfish purpose. Such people only think of themselves. These people must be tracked down, made to account for their actions, and be subjected to the maximum penalty under law in order that they may serve as an example to others.

Clearly we must take time to look into aid distribution, how it is regulated, and how it is managed. This has become painfully apparent to us all. A clear message should also be sent out; that diversion of aid for personal gain will not be tolerated, nor will any form of corruption or profiteering./TE