Do They Have the Balls To Do It?

October 6th, 2009 → 11:00 am @ elmot

44

1,709 views





Do They Have the Balls To Do It?

Urban Planner Felino Palafox Jr. has been saying the same thing during the 70’s on a World Bank funded study about urban planning for the Metro Manila area.

The same things that our present government officials are presenting as the surefire solutions on preventing another devastating calamity from happening right at the heart of the Metro:  not allowing houses and industries on river banks, relocating and sending some people back to their respective provinces, dredging of the rivers, clearing of waterways and floodways, and more ( and more sometimes may also mean they don’t exactly what to do.)

Yes, the man who has spearheaded many development projects in Dubai already saw these things almost 30 years ago, but many especially those in government and private sectors with interests on real estate development turned a blind eye on an issue that indeed eventually led to a devastating catastrophe claiming more than 300 lives and almost P10 billion in damages!

The Blame Game is On!

As what Palafox said, this is not the act of God but rather our sin of omission.  Indeed, God must have been very pissed off on his throne in the heavens for always being blamed by man on disastrous events out of their own making.

On the Senate inquiry regarding the recent calamity under Climate Change Committee Chair Loren Legarda, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza blamed the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) for allowing fish pens, factories and pollution on Laguna Lake as the main culprits why many parts of the Metro Manila, Laguna and Rizal were flooded up to this day.  And he also assailed all the Mayors for not strictly following the law regarding waste management on their respective cities and municipalities.  And his solution?  Sue them in court for gross negligence and for not following the law and put up a shame list.

This was also seconded by the tigress Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago who never failed to always redirect an issue in order for the Puno Brothers to be always grilled as the culprits for all our misery as a nation.

But do they really have the balls to do it in a nation where the dynamics of governance is patronage politics and the mechanics of law and order is reward and punishment?  And the spirit and the letters of the law are all dependent on Einstein’s theory of relativity:  the interpretation and administration of the law is dependent on who signs the check?

Local Version of Le Cirque Dinner?

JP Lopez of Malaya posted on Ellen Tordesillas’ blog the lavish, senseless and extravagant celebration of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) on September 30, 2009 on its main office in Balara, Quezon City for its celebration of its 36th anniversary while the whole nation is under the state of calamity and thousands of families were all hungry, cold and sick on their flooded homes and communities.

A source said LWUA ordered 500 reservations for cocktails and 250 reservations for a seven-course dinner buffet from Henry’s Catering Service.  A check with menu showed the catering cost about P200,000 (at P510++, P530++ to P610++ per head).  The celebration, complete with a live band, was held at the LWUA main office on Katipunan avenue, Balara, Quezon City, which was one of the worst hit by Ondoy floods.  The menu consisted of baked mussels with olive oil and garlic as appetizer, “sinigang” soup, and roast pig.  The main course included “kare-kare,” chicken barbeque, squid “salpicado,” spinach with chicken and garlic, “pancit” sotanghon (or canton guisado) and steamed jasmine rice.  Desserts included fresh seasonal fruit platter and “buko pandan” salad.  Assorted sodas, “guinumis” and home-brewed iced tea were also served.  It was not yet known if Prospero Pichay, LWUA chairman and administration ally, shouldered the expenses.

And guess what, the President joined the Roman gluttony at 9:00 to 11:00 PM.

Anyone who got the balls to get back at these Romans?

Gloria’s False Accomplishments Proven by Ondoy

Assail me if you want.  But as I saw it, the government was obviously unprepared and incompetent as to its handling of the calamity and even on its preparation.  For heaven’s sake 10 rubber boats for the whole of Metro Manila?!  Kris Aquino may have been a better head of the NDCC and DSWD, and this time I am not kidding when I say it.

Maybe they are still savoring on their palates the expensive dishes they had on their dinner at Le Cirque that they have forgotten they are already here in the country to serve their people.

No need to explain or narrate everything here for you have surely seen it for yourselves as you watch the television, read the newspapers and browse over online news coverage.

Turning back the hands of time, this is what our dear President arrogantly declared on her most recent State of the Nation Address regarding disaster preparedness and all:

International authorities have taken notice that we are safer from environmental degradation and man-made disasters.

As a country in the path of typhoons and in the Pacific Rim of Fire, we must be prepared as the latest technology permits to anticipate natural calamities when that is possible; to extend immediate and effective relief when it is not. The mapping of flood- and landslide-prone areas is almost complete. Early warning, forecasting and monitoring systems have been improved, with weather tracking facilities in Subic, Tagaytay, Mactan, Mindanao, Pampanga.

We have worked on flood control infrastructure like those for Pinatubo, Agno, Laoag, and Abucay, which will pump the run off waters from Quezon City and Tondo flooding Sampaloc. This will help relieve hundreds of hectares in this old city of its age old woe.

Patuloy naman iyong sa Camanava, dagdag sa Pinatubo, Iloilo, Pasig-Marikina, Bicol River Basin, at mga river basin ng Mindanao.

The victims of typhoon Frank in Panay should receive their long-overdue assistance package.

And when Ondoy came and so was Peping, they have just proven the false claims of the President on her long array of accomplishments…and only once proven that GMA is one of the worst disaster this nation has ever had for many years now.

Indeed, the international community has noticed…noticed the opposite.

I once again ask:  Do they have the balls (Sec. Atienza, Sec. Teodoro, or even Darna and Big Brother, etc) to actually make all those responsible either because of negligence, gross disregard of the laws and incompetence be sent to languish behind bars or suspended from their posts?

My answer for now is:  weather weather lang yan.  But I still pray that they will do what they say…this time around.

Image by Manila Boy

Give Me Some Love, Share This Post:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Google Bookmarks
  • FriendFeed
  • LinkedIn
  • MySpace
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Mixx
  • RSS
  • Technorati
  • Twitthis
  • NewsVine
  • Ping.fm
  • Sphinn
  • Wikio

Related Posts







Search for More News, Commentaries Social, Political and Blogging Issues


Tags:  , , , , , , , , , ,




Subscribe to Receive the Latest Commentaries and Socio-Political News On Your Email Box

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner