What's Next For Us?
By aylim14
@aylim14 (501)
Philippines
October 13, 2009 8:18pm CST
What's next for the Philippines? After suffering more than Php 7 Billion loss in crops, infrastructure, and other damages, what is left in store for us here in the Philippines? As of the news yesterday, foreign and domestic aids are still below the damaged brought forth by the two storms Ondoy and Pepeng.
To fill in some of the details that this disaster brought about, as of last week, Php 4 Billion worth of damages in crops alone were left by Ondoy. What more of Pepeng and its more than a week-long stay in the Northern provinces where it caused landslides and floods and even placed a few dams in critical levels that it needed to release its waters in order for it to not break at all.
As of local time, several people still are missing in Benguet and other provinces because of the landslides that occurred. And in the newspaper, the road towards Baguio city were just recently opened because the way was dangerous because of more possible landslides and the hazard that was already present.
What about the soon-to-be rice shortage again? not only did the Central Luzon area flooded and its crops destroyed (and unless i am mistaken, it is the area where most our rice comes from, at least in Luzon), not to mention other Asian countries which Ondoy and Pepeng devastated in its course.
Currently, the President is looking for more foreign aid, pledges and not debt, because admittedly, the country cannot recover on its own, especially already being in debt. Anyways, as i am here sitting in my chair, thinking as to what will happen to "my" country in the next few months...i believe we can recover from it. But life will never be the same.
4 people like this
14 responses
@fatherblogger (673)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
Unfortunately, we never learn a lesson. History shows that we had similar cases in the past but still we are being caught by surprise. 
I think that it's now time not to blame the government alone. Actually, all of us should be responsible for what happened. Who among us can honestly say that he truly loves the environment, and not throwing waste everywhere? Illegal logging is rampant simply because we allow them. 
What's left for us now is hope, hope that all of us will wake up and stop pointing fingers. 
Otherwise, something even worst might happen again...
I think that it's now time not to blame the government alone. Actually, all of us should be responsible for what happened. Who among us can honestly say that he truly loves the environment, and not throwing waste everywhere? Illegal logging is rampant simply because we allow them.
What's left for us now is hope, hope that all of us will wake up and stop pointing fingers.
Otherwise, something even worst might happen again...1 person likes this
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
i definitely agree with on this...till this day i see people thrown trash relentlessly anywhere they please.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
14 Oct 09
Hi Aylim,
WE Filipinos are resilient. No matter what kind of calamity/ies we may face AS ONE we always SURVIVE and win the battle. What happened is really painful but aside from working and responding on our BASIC NEEDS, WE need to look into what we’ve learned from this experience. What is the message behind this calamity and as a one FAMILY let’s do something about our present situation. Let’s try to maximize whatever available resources that we have and innovate on how to live life fully making every single day meaningful for each member of the family. Let’s practice the 3S – sacrifice, share and support each other amidst these entire crises. Let’s try to find joy behind all this mess because it made us more closer with each other, more sensitive to the needs of others and became a better person.
Let's pay for a peaceful holiday season. No more typhoon and other calamities!
@aylim14 (501)
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
yes, sorry for the super late reply, it's just that our internet took way lot longer to get fixed and it's not because of the typhoon. anyways, hopefully we would not be hit by another calamity again. and fortunately, ramil which was also close to being lassified as a super typhoon became just another tropical depresion and just shifted and changed its directions towards taiwan.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
26 Oct 09
Welcome back friend. It's okay, i understand we have each others priorities that need to be attended. Good to hear from you again!
@eichs1 (1934)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
Filipinos are known for their resiliency. For sure, Typhoon Pepeng wrecked a havoc that will be felt by many of us in the coming months. The affected areas are some of the top producing provinces in the country and Pepeng came just before many of the crops are to be harvested. Some of our government agencies are claiming that agricultural products will go back to it's old price before the typhoon onslaught now that the roads are open. But are they nuts? It's not just the transportation difficulty that jacked up the price. It's the produce that went down the drain. Yes, the roads are repaired but there will be less vegetables and rice to be distributed in the coming months. How can that scenario return the prices back to normal?
@aylim14 (501)
• Philippines
17 Oct 09
Yes, according to the basic supply and demand theory (is it a theory or a fact, not sure though) that when supply goes low, price goes up. So i do not know why the people from the government can say that when they are "economists". Anyways, i just hope that we can find alternatives to our foods that are still grown locally and not imported because these will really kill our local businesses.
@aerous (13434)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
Re assure the shortage of foods, my friend. Because rice fields and vegetable is devastated. This is another suffering for us...and hope there is no other calamity because were not yet recover...have a nice day!
@aylim14 (501)
• Philippines
17 Oct 09
definitely hope so, because as the top headline for a newspaper a while ago that i just glanced upon, another big typhoon is heading for the country. So i hope that nothing will really happen to us here again. I believe some areas are still flooded and if another typhoon hits, God forbid, i do not know what will happen next. And about the food shortage, i also believe so but there are people who do not believe this kind of stories and say that it is just a propaganda by the government etc etc. maybe they are just rich and insensitive that they do not feel the effects of the shortage because they can afford to buy the high prices of the foods. anyways, let us just find alternatives to our staples, like potatoes for rice? i don't know.
@aylim14 (501)
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
yes, but it is more often than not, easier said than done. Life for the Filipinos has been and in my opinion, will be for a long time, full of struggle and pain. Unless we can set aside our self for another person, then that is the time where we can really recover from this poor stat of ours. We are a country that is full of talents and opportunities, it's just that we are too selfish and would only think of ourselves and our family. We do not care about those whom we do not know, but that is what matters more. If we can show our love to these people, and they to us, then i believe that that would be a wonderful beginning for the country. Caring for others whom we do not know is really a wonderful thing because that way we would think twice about our actions because we would know and would not want to hurt or affect others in what we do. we would think twice about throwing trash by the river or creek, because in the future, when this all accumulates, others will get flooded or even yourself. We will be thinking twice about stopping in the middle of the road to load and unload passengers because we would be affecting and disturbing the motorists at our back. We would think twice about stepping on the gas when we see an orange light even though the traffic is not moving anymore, because the lane perpendicular to us would not be able to move and you yourself would not move so why bother create nuisance to others when you can just stop. see, there are a lot of ways in which we can change, but unless that care and love for the people whom we do not know shows forth, then we cannot grow. That, i believe, is the main reason why the Philippines remain a third world country.
@buping (952)
• China
14 Oct 09
hi aylim. i feel sorry for what you have suffered. and natural disaster happen to every country. we can not avoid, what we can do it to be together to conquer these disasters. and i watched the news that people all over the world is helping you. so you need to believe that the next for philippine is better life.
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
14 Oct 09
That really s*cks, sorry but just can't think of another word to describe it.. I thought of folks here on Mylot when I heard the news and said a little prayer, I will say more.. I think the whole world is in for some hard times coming up before too long..
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
One thing we learn from history is that we never learn from it. Life will surely go on the way it was and certainly we will recover only to repeat the same mistakes. As always, after every occurence of a devastating calamity, there will be looking for someone to blame, finger pointing will be the order of the day and as usual, this will not go anywhere. Water ways will continue to be clogged due to irresponsible wage disposal. Wanton denudation of forests will continue without disregard for the environment. Air pollution will continue to choke cities and even rural places. This cycle has been repeated endlessly. So as to the question, what's next? It will be disasters after disasters with increasing magnitude.
Unless we take this as a wake up call and put our act together, then I think we are doomed.
@aylim14 (501)
• Philippines
17 Oct 09
i 100% agree with what you said. You see, Filipinos are so reactive that even plans for being pro-active dated in the 70s was delayed and delayed over and over again, and that leads to this kind of flooding, especially in places where it should not even be flooded. If the Filipino people keeps on blaming other people for this and that, then nothing will really happen.
for example, people who live near the rivers blame the government for not being able to provide them a secure and safe place to live. Look, i have nothing against people who live in these areas, but only gave an example here. Then the government will tell them that they should not be there etc etc. Then the cycle will just move back and forth. Nothing will happen because they will just blame and blame without looking at themselves and changing something. That is why i admire Mayor Binay of Makati (not in any way supporting his candidacy nor advocating his cause) because he did ways to really change. There is even a program to catch policemen if they accept bribes from the people that is why you seldom can bribe any one from that area.
Nonetheless, Michael Jackson was right in his song when he said that if you want to go and make a difference take a look at yourself in the mirror and change. That is where change will happen. If we stop blaming other people and just do things for the betterment of the country, not for ourselves only.
@earth2jacq (1502)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
I hope that the Philippine government learned it's lessons and I hope we, the Filipino people have learned our lesson. We have this so called National Disaster Coordinating Council but it seems that when typhoon Ketsana hit us, NDCC was clueless as to what is happening. They are unprepared in this disaster. I hope that NDCC will be able to build an evacuation center a building with many floors perhaps that would house evacuees for the meantime so schools won't be used as evacuation centers.
For the Filipinos I hope that this has taught a lesson. I hope that we remember that we should love our environment. That we should take care of it lest we may face nature's wrath again.
From this twin disasters I saw the side of Filipinos that was willing to help. If there is something good that came out of these tragedies, it is letting the spirit of camaraderie and giving shine.
@Bluepatch (2476)
• Trinidad And Tobago
14 Oct 09
What's left is the people who can work and build up the country again. After everyone is finished counting the enormous amount of money that was lost they will all face another day in which to work, repair the damage, and start again. Counting losses is like counting coins thrown in a fountain. If you add them up you are staggered. If you throw in more you go into dispair. If you stand and watch the water fly into the air you'll think how beautiful it all is. So just forget all the statistics they will shower you with and go to work tomorrow morning as usual.
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
22 Nov 09
Note:(I live in Canada and am from Italy)
We live in difficult times. The Bible foretold it for our day. Disasters are happening all the time, everywhere. But we must face each disaster with confidence. If it comes, we will deal with it. We rely on God and we do our best.
Some disasters require aid from others. So I hope you get your share from other countries that can help. I know, here, many efforts are being made by the Phillippino community and others to send some aid.
I hope all works out!
@sharlionse (739)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
I pray that no disaster or threat will come next. The Philippines is so weak now that we can't afford to have another supertyphoon or whatever that may threat lives of the Filipinos. It's so sad to think that many of us have suffered a lot from the 2 typhoons that came. I pray that nothing will come soon.
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
hello aylim,
This has been one of the worst case scenarios in our history when it comes to typhoons and floods. well, partly it's also our fault. building up subdivisions near the mountains or rivers which were not supposed to, and turning our mountains and forest bald where they supposed to serve as a support against the floods and irresponsible waste management,preferably throwing of trash, till this day i still see people throwing trash almost anywhere they please, i won' be surprise if this happens again.i agree there's hope but surely it will never be the same again.
@aylim14 (501)
• Philippines
15 Oct 09
well, i sure do hope that a new system will be installed regarding emergency preparedness. but let us not all blame the government for these things because we also have part in this situations, however little it may be. It may be the little candy wrapper we threw at the sidewalk, that accumulated over time and added to the flooding, maybe. It could be that, according to rumors, that we overstayed despite the warnings of floods and landslides. I heard, although this is entirely based on rumors but of course it could also be true. the night that Ondoy hit, September 25 i think, Friday, people stayed in marikina despite having warnings of possible flood and all was because it was the last night of "Tayong Dalawa". Well, i don't know. Nonetheless, we all learned our lesson of not being prepared. We can be prepared without panicking and that's what matters most.
