On Nov. 8, 2013, the typhoon Yolanda ravaged the country’s Central Visayas region with so much damaged to the lives of the Filipino people. It’s the most killer typhoon that made a landfall for almost three days especially in Tacloban. Every Filipino mourned to what happened for the typhoon’s aftermath.
The government leaders were not ready for this kind of natural disaster, in which it gave negative image to the Aquino Administration. Chaos ensued that Filipino culture are showing in time of emergency situation. Even the media showed uncompromising news wherein citizens looted other business establishments for food.
The National Government is very slow to react or take action with this kind of provincial disaster. It’s a fact that the Philippines considered as typhoon-prone country, and every Filipino cannot decipher in advance or not ready for killer typhoon like Yolanda.
More relief organizations around the world contributed much to the Filipinos, to help them rebuild their lives and with the aid of the government. The relief and rehabilitation efforts of President Aquino to the Yolanda victims of Tacloban gives much hope to them. Their needs are mostly identified but the projection to build their lives showed after a year.
The Catholic Group of the Philippines is more concerned with the Yolanda victims and not in tune with the Aquino Administration. On Nov. 8, 2014, the Filipino nation will commemorate the anniversary of typhoon Yolanda that has ravaged the country’s Central Visayas region. Thus, we declare Nov. 8 this year as a National Day of Prayer, especially for the victims and survivors of the typhoon, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said.
The Catholic Church in the Philippines has spent about P563 million to help over 2 million people directly affected by Yolanda through the church’s integrated recovery assistance program, with funds coming from 41 Caritas member-organizations in six continents.
On the eve of the anniversary, Plan International, a humanitarian relief and child rights group, said much work remains to be done in terms of providing survivors with housing and livelihood.
The slow reaction of the government leaders especially the DSWD made this action hard for them to manage and distribute the relief goods. The DSWD contribution to Yolanda victims of the Visayas region, P736.3 million out of the P740.2 million in cash donations for Yolanda survivors remained unused and deposited in the bank account of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as of Dec. 31, 2013.
Most of COA’s adverse findings had to do with poor inventory, storage and transport of relief goods, which in some instances, resulted in relief goods getting wasted and much-needed help getting delayed. Officials of DSWD, the lead agency in the relief operations, limited manpower and equipment hampered some aspects of the relief operations in Cebu.
The government effort to rebuild the Yolanda victims failed in some ways which resulted in disagreement and demonstration. It’s not even completed the other planned projects to the damaged communities. But, President Aquino has other ways to rebuild the infrastructure in a long term.
The Yolanda victims and damaged places are really in need right now. It’s the government task to help them rebuild their lives. Also, they need their livelihood to enjoy life as a gift by God. Preparedness is needed and love for our country.
I hope that the government could offer not only monetary help to these people who have become victims of the typhoon Yolanda but also livelihood. As we know, that's what's more important, for them to continue living on their own. Otherwise, it will be them forever just relying on whatever help's that given.
ReplyDeleteI hope they speed up their efforts as it's been a year. The Filipinos are resilient and life always goes on.
ReplyDeleteOnly seeing how big typhoon is in the news before it landed in visayas is astonishing. I don't blame the Aquino Administration for this things though. It's the dwindling foundation of the people's principles and beliefs. If everyone will take initiative, this will become a better country.
ReplyDeleteI hope it will not happen again. At least, by this time, I hope all the monetary help given by everyone in the world has been distributed - not to politician's pockets!
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