FINGERPOINTING WON’T DO ANY GOOD!

In times of crises, viewpoints change but egoes remain unscathed. Sadly, this stays true and unchangeable as politicians and even self-proclaimed “reformists” remain susceptible to such. Undeniably, typhoon Ondoy’s aftermath simply nailed this statement.

The here and there fingerpointing on who should be held accountable on the flood’s amassed fatalities is actually exacerbating the helpless cases of those still trapped around Cainta and Pasay. People who have been drenched in cold dump water for over 24 hours with limited food supplies and potable water are not interested in whoever runs the rescue and retrieval operations. All that mattered to them is that someone is willing to help. Getting an extra-hand in times when most Filipinos are slipping away from their faith and optimism.

I am not saying that we should be contended with what the government is doing at the moment. That is hardly the case. People stuck on their roofs with slim chances of getting rescued would arguably contest it but nonetheless they could never disregard the fact that seven soldiers died instead of them. It is not easy to wait for help when your life and of those that you love have been pushed to the edge. But it takes more than a sworn duty to swim across murky torrents and gamble one’s safety for another. Sadly, men in uniform who had been on the ground were never really valued. Worse, misconceptions and even politicking have undermined their sacrifices and heroism. Other than the insufficient pump boats which had been brought-up over and again on radio stations and news reports, there are about a million of men and women in government extending help. Yes, we lack the costly rescue vehicles and paraphernalia but we never come short of brave men willing to give a hand.

Natural disasters such as the drastic dent and loss of life brought by typhoon Ondoy in the country was willed by no one. It was nature taking its course. After all, it was a catastrophe we “helped” made possible. Manileños have transfigured Metro Manila into a huge dumpsite. The clogged sewers and complete disregard of the place we live in have seriously backfired on us. Manila is a fitting water basin with huge problems of waste disposal and overpopulation. Typhoon Ondoy was simply the remaining piece of a tragedy waiting to happen. If we have not been too preoccupied of thinking who to blame, we could have thought of something other than the sickening issue of pump boat shortage. We could have faced the fact that we brought this to ourselves. And if that tiny lady in Malacañang has to be blamed, we all should share her guilt. Not everything had to be about Gloria. Yes, it is easier to point fingers at her; our national “scapegoat”. But what would that make of us; ingrates or hypocrites?

Ondoy was a wake-up call. It magnifies our individual shortcomings and lack of respect to both nature and our children’s future. Most would say, God speaks in mysterious ways and I believe He sure made a statement with this calamity. This had been the end result of our complete disregard of what mother earth has offered. We should not be making the same mistake again by paying no attention to those who valiantly trudged the flood waters for us.

For our true modern day heroes, who died in aid of the helpless, the Filipino people offer you more than just sympathies but life-long gratitude.