Walang silbi

KASAGSAGAN ng bagyong Rolly, at mapalad ang kalakhang Maynila dahil lumihis ang mata ng unos at tuluyang lumabas patungong Manila Bay, ngunit hindi pinalad ang mga lalawigan ng Bikolandia at Katagalugan, lalo ang Batangas. Nakaranas sila ng pananalanta at pagbaha.

Fast-forward tayo, at nagbadya ang “Ulysses” isang pangalan na hango sa isang bayani ng mitolohiyang Griego. Pero imbes lumihis, inararo ng dalang hangin at ulan ang Kalakhang Maynila na nakaranas ng katakut-takot na pinsala. Nalubog sa baha ang Marikina City at bayan ng San Mateo at Rodriguez sa Rizal. Marami sa ating kababayan doon ang lumipas ng gabi sa bubungan ng kanilang nalubog na bahay. Basang-basa sila at nanginginig sa lamig.

Sinalanta ng Ulysses ang halos buong Luzon.  Sa lalawigan ng Cagayan, napilitan buksan ang Magat Dam upang bawasan ang tubig. Nagresulta ito sa malawakang baha sa buong lalawigan. Tila masamang bangungot ang nakaukit sa kamalayan natin. Bangungot na naging katotohanan.

Anyare?

Dahil nag-akala sila na hindi magdudulot ng malaking pinsala ang Ulysses. nagpabaya ang pamahalaan. Kahit ang NDRRMC ay walang kaukulang paghanda. Sa madalng salita, tulog silang lahat sa pansitan.

Ngayon, humihingi ang sambayanan ng paliwanag sa gobyerno ni Mr. Duterte dahil sa kapabayaang ipinamalas nito. Isang komento mula kay netizenMarie Therese Sevilla:

“All over social media, I am seeing people’s appalling views about the calamities that have beset us. This is for you. Don’t tell victims of flooding due to Rolly and Ulysses that it is their fault because they did not evacuate. Duterte shutdown Project NOAH that could have predicted rainfall volume that informs decisions to evacuate, and Duterte’s minions shutdown ABS-CBN that could have timely facilitated two-way communications.

“Don’t tell me that the flooding in Cagayan Valley is a lesson learned because this is utterly defeatist: the tragedy is far from over, and our kababayans have been dying. Why can’t you people value life more by not referring to tragic deaths merely as lessons learned or collateral damage so you eliminate suffering from your narratives.

“Don’t tell me not to hold Duterte’s administration accountable for the Cagayan Valley tragedy. We all viewed that video where we saw nothing it was pitch-black but heard our kababayans howling in fear. Yes, howling, yet Harry Roque has the audacity, the audacity, to declare that his president is on top of the situation.

“Don’t tell me to stop questioning Duterte’s absence during calamities. He is the commander-in-chief and president with authority over resources that should be deployed not only to help those affected but prevent loss of lives and damage to properties.

“Don’t tell me to cheer each time government units and the national government turn to the private sector for critical resources during disasters. While all of us willingly contribute and pitch in, it is deplorable that under an administration where a president with billions in intelligence funds for a fake war on drugs, it has been a habit to call on private entities that have inordinately suffered through COVID-19 lockdowns Duterte imposed. We must demand for our tax money to work for us instead of keeping silent when it is evidently stolen.

“Don’t tell me Filipinos are resilient when it is used to justify government incompetence. Those Cagayan Valley victims are taxpayers who, after this calamity, have to rise up sufficiently to start paying their share for billions in taxes to cover for Duterte’s loans. Nobody is exempt from Duterte’s debts. Besides, don’t we have friends in the international community anymore? Have we been isolated by the president’s murderous policies except for China? Where is China’s aid for us now?

“I will smack in the face any person criticizing Leni Robredo to me despite her indefatigable efforts during these times. Be thankful you ungrateful bastards that VP Leni is resourceful, competent, and compassionate where your president is not. Let me end by quoting Ninotchka Rosca:

“’No, we are not resilient. We break, when the world is just too much, and in the process of breaking, are transformed into something difficult to understand… To say that Filipinos are resilient is an assurance for those who have imposed upon them – much and repeatedly.”

Hindi maganda ang imahen ng gobyerno ni Mr. Duterte, at kahit ano pa ang gawing himas ng kayang mga tauhan.

***

Dahil dito nagpasya ang mga estudyante ng Ateneo, La Salle, UST, UP, PUP, FEU na mag-suspend sila ng klase hangga’t hindi bumababa sa puwesto si Mr. Duterte. Ito ay isang napakalaking dagok sa administrasyon. Lubos na nakababahala, ngunit hindi mo puwedeng sisihin ang taong bayan. Hanap nila ang matinong gabay sa mga nararanasan ng ating bansa, at hindi ito malulunasan ng patulog-tulog at ‘sexist jokes.’

Samakatuwid, ang nagtatayo ng administrasyon ni Mr. Duterte ay hindi mga taong itinalaga niya, kundi ang Pangalawang Pangulo na si Leni Robredo. At makikitang ang OVP ang walang tigil na gumagalaw upang maghatid ng saklolo sa panahon ng krisis. Hindi niya kinailangan na magtatag ng ‘task force,’ ang ginawa lang niya ay kusa siyang pumunta sa mga lugar na naapektohan.

Hindi natin masisisi ang taong bayan.

Ngayon, naghahanap sila ng isang tunay na magtitimon ng bansa tungo sa matinong pamamahala. Hindi ito nakikita ng madla kay Mr. Duterte at kanyang mga kasapakat. At nakikita dito na maraming nasa sangay ng gobyerno at mga pribadong grupo ang kusang lumalapit sa kanya, dahil alam nila na makararating ang tulong sa dapat mabigyan ng tulog.

Siguro, ang maiingay na nakapaligid kay Mr. Duterte na nangangamba, na magwawakas ang kanilang maliligayang araw kapag naging pangulo si Leni Robredo. Siguro hindi masisisi ang taong bayan na maghanap ng liderato na masasabing sulit sa ibinabayad nilang buwis. Siguro natataon na mamuno na si Leni Robredo.

#LetLeniLead

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TAYANGTANG
ni Mackoy Villaroman