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Using calamity an excuse for another calamity

Aquino inspecting damage in Bohol. Photo by Malacañang.
Aquino inspecting damage in Bohol. Malacañang photo.
One week after the 7.2 magnitude tremblor that shook Bohol, Cebu and other parts of Central Visayas, many are still unaccounted for.

Heart rending is the report about the missing five children playing by the waterfall, which has also been obliterated by landslides that followed the quake.

There may still be areas, isolated by the destruction of roads and bridges that are still to be reached by rescuers and people who are bringing assistance.

Speaking of assistance, it is good to know that China has set aside the strain in diplomatic relations and condoled with the Filipino people in this moment of tragedy. Beijing sent through the Red Cross $80,000 assistance.

Taiwan, with whom the Philippines recently patched up relations after the unfortunate killing by a member of the Philippine Coast Guard of a Taiwanese fisherman in the disputed waters in Balintang Channel gave $100,000. The Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Manila said more humanitarian assistance for the quake victims is being organized.

The United States donated $50,000 for relief operations for Bohol quake victims.

Aquino distributes goods to victims of the earthquake in Bohol.  Malacañang photo.
Aquino distributes goods to victims of the earthquake in Bohol. Malacañang photo.
Legal aspects of these donations are covered by the declaration of the earthquake-stricken areas under the State of Calamity.
Republic Act 10121 provides that “The President’s declaration may warrant international humanitarian assistance as deemed necessary.”

VERA Files Yvonne Chua, wrote a piece about her conversation with Eddie, a driver in Guadalupe, Cebu whose house was damaged by the earthquake on how the President’s declaration of a State of Calamity can benefit him.

Chua wrote:”The President can declare a state of calamity in ‘a condition involving mass casualty and/or major damages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads and normal way of life of people in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or human-induced hazard.’”

“The presidential declaration paves the way for the release of calamity funds, a price freeze for basic necessities of 60 days unless lifted, and the granting of no-interest loans, as well as international humanitarian assistance.

“Under the Local Government Code, local government units in areas declared to be in a state of calamity may draw from their calamity funds, a lump-sum appropriation generated from the 5 percent of the estimated revenue from regular sources. The funds are to be used for the repair and upgrading of public infrastructures and facilities, among others.

“On top of that, local government units may enact a supplemental budget to buy supplies and materials or pay for services to prevent danger to or loss of life or property.

“The importation of rice and payment of hazard allowance to public health workers and science and technological personnel may also be authorized during a state of calamity.”

Chua said it is the grant of no-interest loans by government financing or lending institutions that interests Eddie especially those for home repairs.

Chua related that Eddie was told to take pictures of his damaged house and attach them to his loan application with the Social Security System.

Chua further wrote that, “The SSS on Wednesday approved a calamity relief package for SSS members and pensioners in Central Visayas, especially Cebu and Bohol, who were affected by the earthquake. The package includes early renewal of salary loans, relaxed loan terms for home repairs and advance release of three months’ worth of pensions.

“The SSS said it has relaxed its terms for the House Repair and Improvement Loan Program for members living in the declared calamity areas like Eddie. House repair borrowers can avail themselves of reduced interest rates, to be fixed at 6 percent a year instead of the existing 9 percent. The regular application fee of up to P3,000 will also be waived.

“The SSS is allowing members one year to apply for house repair loans to give them time to prepare the required documents.”
The 2013 budget has allotted P7.50 billion for calamities and P1 billion for contingencies. The two fundsa are part of the P957.77 billion special purpose fund which some describe as the President’s pork barrel.

Aquino last week said there’s only P1.37 billion in the calamity fund. The unspoken message, of course, is this is not enough, we will have to tap “savings” which is the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program.

Many saw through the deodorant ploy.

Not to be outdone, members of the Senate, which has been shaken by the Janet Napoles pork barrel scandal, are suggesting re-aligning their unused PDAF (Priority development Assistance Fund) to the Calamity Fund.

Lawyer Harry Roque said:” This cannot be done. Budget is a law. A (Senate) resolution can’t amend a law! Only an amendatory or repealing law can do that. In any case, the Senate president can only realign items from savings in its own budget. They can’t do that to budget of executive and vice versa.”
Doing that would make calamity an excuse for another calamity.

Published inDisastersMalaya

32 Comments

  1. Mannie Mannie

    First of all, $30,000 donation by China and $50,000 from America is too small considering the huge damage the recent earth quake caused. Sokor even donated $300,000 much more than the said two countries. It’s not that we don’t appreciate the nice gesture these countries showed; but the US for example spends millions of dollars daily to meddle in the Middle East.

    Calamity fund is discretionary. While Atty. Roque was correct in saying that budget is law, calamity fund is emergency fund. The importance is how the fund or funds are being used. We often see that unscrupulous people use calamities to enrich themselves. Contractors and suppliers are like hungry wolves eagerly waiting to be awarded contracts. While politicians and government officials are now more cautious of corruption with the recent Pork Barrel scam, what would prevent them from making a few bucks out of the calamity?

    Going back to US, do you know that when the US economy is down, war to her is the solution? History tells us that every time the US got involved in wars, she was in recession or economically down. The US also encourages other countries to engage in wars so that she can sell the military hardware to them. My comment may not sound pleasant to pro-Americans; but I’m not anti-America. I’m just stating a fact.

    Those of us who live in Metro Manila must be prepared for the big one too. The time is ripe for a big one because there’s a history that big quake struck Metro Manila every 200 years. It’s now in it’s 200th year cycle. What’s alarming is the growing number of buildings and condos built and still being built with substandard materials and not following the correct building codes.

  2. chi chi

    Kawawa naman ang mga batang nawawala. 🙁

    Ilang porsiento lang kaya ang mapupunta sa biktima at rehabilistasyon ng Bohol, Cebu at mga lugar sa Visayas na dinalaw ng lindol?

    Ewan, wala na akong tiwala sa gobyernong ito pagdating sa pinagdadalhan ng pera ng bayan, at mga donasyon para sa mga kalamidad! Disappointing na nagtutulog-tulugan si Noynoy!

  3. chi chi

    Naku, ang Senado puro pulpol na para makalusot sa tiwaling PDAF at DAP! Shame on you, all senators! Wala akong gana sa inyong lahat ngayon!

  4. Joe America Joe America

    @Mannie, I suppose the question is, has the Philippines built the kind of warm relationship with the United States that would inspire American officials to give American taxpayer money away generously, or does the protesting against VFA, withdrawal from Iraq coalition, evicting the military from bases in Subic and Clark have a rather distancing affect?

    I mean, I read your condemnation of the US engagements around the world, engagements which, on balance, serve a lot of people well, and then your demand for more money, and wonder what you are doing to earn it?

    Like you would go up and slap someone and then demand they give you money?

  5. Mannie Mannie

    Again Joe, I’m not anti-Americans. Americans are basically nice people. It’s the US foreign policy that sucks.

    Please consider this: Marcos was spoiled for 20 years only to be dumped for cutting down the US bases to half and became disobedient to Uncle Sam’s dictates. Panama’s Gen. Noriega was also spoiled for 20 years despite knowing that he was into drug trade; then he was kidnapped by US Marines in his own country. Please review the past global wars and you would see that the US was always directly or indirectly involved. Unfriendly leaders were either assassinated or eliminated by coup sometimes instigated by the US. Her CIA and local operatives of those countries were involved. I don’t have the details but the Vietnam War started when fake media/newspaper report accused the Vietcong of sinking two US patrol ships. After the war, this was denied by the US. The US knew she would not win the war but went on. Why? Well, millions of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians were killed compared to the US casualties reaching only tens of thousands. And don’t forget the May Lai Massacre. Before the Pearl Harbor bombing, the US provoked Japan with continuous insults and black propaganda. Today, the US uses terrorists and terrorism as excuse to intimidate and take action against those she thinks as enemies. Homeland Security was created precisely for this reason instilling fear among the people. One can just imagine who powerful this agency is. This is not something new. Hitler used Communism as an excuse to go after his political enemies.
    Oh yes, who could forget the Philippine-American War that began when the US soldiers mistook a Filipino boy as a wild pig.

    Economically, the US buys our raw materials at a very cheap price then sell the finished products to us at a much higher price. No wonder the US wants us to remain poor so that we could continue to be dependent on them. Same policy with the military aid. The US poured in billions of dollars to help other allies but just a token to the Philippines. Even our poor Filipino War Veterans who are now disappearing because of old age have not yet received their full benefits they’re entitled to. But Vietnamese and Korean war veterans got better benefits. I can say more and more but for those who are blinded by the Americans’ hypocrisy and insincere attitude toward her closest ally in Asia, the more we say the more it hurts.

    On the other hand, yes you’re partly correct in saying that the militant groups keep protesting against the US for her every move and action. These leftists don’t do the same to China’s bullying and seldom we see them holding protest rallies in front of Chinese Embassy except one time Akbayan which is a moderate group now allied with the current administration. But without the militants’ close watch on Americans’ behaviour, Americans might continue to take advantage of us. At least, there’s some kind of a balance here.

    At the end of the day, no one could help us except ourselves. Japan, China, South Korea were able to rise and became economically powerful despite being victims of wars. They started from nothing…from the scratch. What about us?

  6. Joe America Joe America

    @Mannie, oh, I don’t defend all U.S. actions. I served in Viet Nam, returned to the U.S. and joined the anti-war protests. What I object to is taking each individual incident out of its original context, and dumping it into a new context that supports the notion that “the U.S. is bad”. Without considering if there were good intentions behind the acts or malicious ones or simply mistakes. Or without considering who gained.

    The other thing is that democracy is a strange animal. One President, say GW Bush, will lead the US down a very different path than, say Barak Obama. And to characterize the U.S. according to either one’s policies, or what you don’t like about the U.S., is guaranteed to be wrong. Because the U.S. is likely to change course the next election, depending on what the People (those you say you respect) decide. The leaders who dealt with Marcos and Noriega and Nam are not there any more and Americans far and wide recognize where mistakes were made. To haul out the old complaints is a tad . . . well, behind the times.

    My point is the Philippines ought to look inward for why the U.S. gives such a pittance (which I agree it has for Bohol) and see what the Philippines can do to change that . . . if you want to change it. If you define sovereignty as being distant and apart, and having the right to slap at a friend, don’t ask for more money from that friend. Be consistent.

  7. Mannie Mannie

    Thanks Joe. But I still stick to my position that Americans including their leaders are basically nice people. It’s the US foreign policy that sucks. The US continues to be controlled by big lobbyists. Politicians are at the mercy of these oil and big company lobbyists. The US makes sure that her interests are protected domestically and abroad by all means.

    I salute you as a Vietnam war veteran. Like most of those who were led to believe that they were protecting democracy, I could say you and many of them were unknowing victims used as instruments to achieve Uncle Sam’s goals, whatever the motive was.

  8. Joe America Joe America

    And I stick to my disagreement because the U.S. foreign policy under Barak Obama is very different than under prior presidents. U.S. corporations had nothing to do with the exit from Iraq and Afghanistan and the repositioning of resources in Asia. The U.S. is almost self-sufficient on oil so that is a stale argument.

    The one point I do agree with is that politicians are influenced too easily by large corporations and rich people due to a recent Supreme Court ruling allowing them to contribute to political action groups without limit. That is what is driving the current Tea Party take-over attempt. That will get worked out in the give and take of America’s vibrant democratic process.

    I find it interesting that you believe you know more about how to run American affairs than do America’s leaders who have real responsibility for American lives. The veterans I know are intensely loyal to the democracy they are asked from time to time to defend, no matter if they personally agree with the battle or not. Because they know America is good, and her foreign policy has a reason for being what it is.

    American troops are not being misled. They just have a very keen sense of loyalty and service and sacrifice. It is a form of dedication to country that I’m not sure exists in the Philippines, where public servants are so busy shoving taxpayer money into their pockets and selling rifles and bullets to the enemy that they can’t afford an army.

    So American soldiers are likely to be asked to die for the Philippines. And they’ll do it.

  9. Mannie Mannie

    Joe, no quarrel with you. You’re entitled to your opinion and I’m to mine. I stick to my position and you stick to yours.

    It’s not exactly true that US corporations had nothing to do with Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s all about OIL. Next target is Iran.

    I never claim that I know how to run American affairs. To be honest with you, I don’t care. As a Filipino, I care about the Philippines and Filipinos. American veterans and soldiers might be loyal to democracy not necessarily America. America is not democracy. It’s an ideology and system of government. Many countries like China succeed without believing in democracy. If China followed what America wanted her to be, would she be what she is today? Almost if not all America’s products are made in China. All big US manufacturers are now based in China. America chose profit than jobs. Companies and executives only think about short term not long term due to greed. For CEOs and top executives, all they care is their fat bonuses and leave the problems to their successors. That’s how loyal Americans are, uh ? Too much freedom sometimes hinders a country’s progress.

    I’m not here to question the loyalty of American soldiers for I believe many are patriotic and willing to die for America. But some join the services out of economic necessity and be able to get education. Some have other reasons like obtaining citizenship. If American soldiers are to be asked to die for the Philippines, they’ll do it…but behind the Filipino soldiers. The Filipinos shall be in front facing the enemies while the GIs behind as back up.

  10. Joe America Joe America

    You have a distorted view of American life, created by taking incidents as typical of the whole. For example, you demean a whole set of competent and honorable American business executives who are given a job by their shareholders, to create profit. It is this capitalist drive that played a large part in generating the wealth you and I enjoy and the technology we both type on. I fear you are rather ungrateful.

    As for China vs. the U.S. on the scale of honor and dignity and accomplishment, you choose China and I can only conclude ahahahahahahahaha!

  11. olan olan

    Same with big philippines business and politicians… Where are they during this time of need? Whatever happen to those billionaires in congress and government? Yup they are really patriotic!!!

  12. Mannie Mannie

    #10 Joe, please don’t call me ungrateful. It was a healthy discussion and I do expect mutual respect.

    I don’t have a distorted view of American life. It’s there for all to see. Again and again, may I say that Americans are basically good people. It’s the US foreign policy that’s wrong. I for one am for Obama and admire his effort to solve America’s problems. The recent shut down showed the kind of determination and conviction he has. In the end, The Republicans gave in. Typical of opposition, all what the Republicans do is to block Obama’s efforts to restore the US economy and resolve the tons of problems he inherited from the previous administration. In like manner, Phil President Aquino despite his weaknesses is also trying to solve the tons of problems GMA left. The land mines she planted are now exploding.

    Obama is well liked for his charm. For the first time, the US elected a minority president and this was welcome by many countries as shown by a change of attitude towards America even by Iran that’s now softening and showing her desire to accommodate. This would never happen during the Bush administration who was hostile to Iran and other countries not allied with US. Even North Korea has shown interest to open her door. All these could be attributed to Obama’s different views and treatment of once America’s worst enemies. With three years in his presidency left, hopefully the next president most probably Hilary Clinton would continue Obama’s policies and vision for America. Still, the US foreign policy has long been shaped to be one sided and serve only America’s interest no matter which country gets hurt. This is one thing even Obama or any US president could do because the unseen hand is just very powerful.

    China? Who cares about China? But I have no choice but to buy and use Chinese made products. My appliances and other basic necessities are all made in China. What can I do? What can you and all Americans do? It’s because of America’s economic power surpassing that of US the latter of which owes so much debt to China that prevents America from crying as loud as she wants. America can’t do anything about China’s human rights violation. America is frustrated with China’s violation of copy rights and piracy. America cannot even show a clear sign of support for a close ally like the Philippines against China’s bullying. America is good at pushing other countries as pawns to fight for her. Who cares about America and China? What I care only is the Philippines.

  13. Mannie Mannie

    Correction:

    1. This is one thing NOT even Obama or any….

    2. It’s because of China’s (not America) economic power surpassing…

  14. vic vic

    Mannie, Being one of US closest allies and friends (and we have families on both side of the borders), we sometimes have disagreement with the US in just about everything, but we never let it sour our friendship…we have had a bitter war on scallop dispute over the waters in the Atlantic coast that we had to bring to the UN court for arbitration…

    we had disputes on Soft wood lumber in the context of NAFTA and that too takes times to resolve..currently there is a Delay of construction of Pipelines due to US protests and lawsuit that we need badly to pipe our oil to the South even as we “threstene” to talk to China and India to export our oil if the Pipelines delayed further..

    And we refused to send our soldiers to Irag to join GW war against the WMD and yet our friendship is as good as ever. (considering that we have a trade surplus of some $50 billions with the US yearly)

    And the Americans per Capita is the biggest Giver to the Charitable Agencies within and without.

    And Canada is now the Biggest supplier of oil to the US and the most stable source.

    And as far as US foreign policy is concern, that is politics and like any politics it changes with times…sometimes for good and sometimes for worse.

  15. MPRivera MPRivera

    Nawasak na mga simbahan,
    gagastusan ng gobyerno

    http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/oct2113/news07.htm

    diyan kayo magaling, eh. sa paghanap ng kakampi kapag nalalagay sa gitna ng dagat ng kontrobersiya.

    hindi ko dapat itong kontrahin dahil tahanan ng diyos ang pinag-uusapan. pero BILYONG DOLYAR ang pondo ng vatican gayundin ang CBCP na hindi bababa sa bilyong piso ang taunang kinikita mula sa mga negosyo tulad ng eskuwelahan at “limos” mula sa mga deboto, bakit hindi hayaang sila ang gumastos sa pagpapatayo ng mga nasirang simbahan?

    paano naman kaming mga nawalan ng tirahan? ng kabuhayan?

    NGANGA na lang?

  16. Mannie Mannie

    #14 Vic, if I’m not mistaken, you’re from Canada. Canada is called America’s little brother for nothing. Even the most popular Tim Horton is now owned by the US. Hudson Bay, the eldest Canadian retail giant is now owned by the US. There are more Canadian travelers to US than vice versa. They usually cross the border just to buy gas and groceries which are cheaper. Canadians buy and own lots of American cars and trucks aside from Japanese made. There are assembly plants for American car manufacturers in Canada but Canada does not even have one of her own. Korea and India even have their own. The so called “Snowbirds” spend half of the year living in US owning properties and spending US dollars. What’s the my point? If America sneezes, Canada catches cold.

    Canada has very high taxes. Even mortgage payment is not tax deductible. The most bragged about free health care is not actually free. One has to wait for months and even years to have surgery. Cancer patients die before they’re treated. Weather? The worst. How would you like to live in a country when eight months in a year, it’s cold and all snow? Politically, Quebec has been pushing for her independence. French speaking Canadians and English speaking Canadians remain not to get along. As a free country, Canada still recognizes Majesty Queen of England. Canada national anthem is sometimes sung together with British anthem. It’s difficult to be in high office like Prime Minister unless you’re bilingual or speak French. Many government jobs require that you speak both English and French. Year long, all Canadians care is hockey and beer. Racism? Very much alive contrary to what Canadian media portrays. Try traveling or living in rural areas where the farmers are. The elder Canadians some of whom have never seen a visible minority would treat you like an alien from another planet.

    Overall though, I must admit Canada is better than the US in terms of being more tolerant and neutral in her foreign policy. One is better off carrying a Canadian passport than US passport abroad these days. Foreigners don’t hate Canadians as much as they hate the Americans.

  17. vonjovi2 vonjovi2

    Don’t blame the China or U.S. for small calamity assistance they know na kung mag bibigay sila ng malaki ay mapupunta lang sa bulsa ng iba.

  18. vic vic

    Well, Canada is not rated among the top countries in the world mostly for good things if all your negative perception of its society is true.. Canada is sustaining a $50 billion Trade surplus in its annual trade with the us of some $400 billions..0ur health care is cheaper and all those rumour of Wait List for emergency and serious procedures are just isolated cases that even the Billionaire Ms Stronach has refuted as she had to take her place in Line for her Breast Cancer surgery. She can Afford to have it done anywhere.. And the last time there was a recession ther was not a Single Finacial institution that went over and we export American brand Cars to the US including Toyota and Honda assembled in Ontario and it is much cheaper because of the tax funded health care…and us big states are just as cold as Canada like New York and Chicago..got a house in New York and not much difference.. But ther is one advantage we have plenty of Water and Oil..

  19. Magno, payat na halaga ang gastos sa rebuilding ng mga simbahan considering yan lang ang puhunan ng Bohol para maka attract ng turista, aside from Panglao and chocolate hills, dry ang tours without the visits to the centuries-old churches. Mas maraming mawawalan ng income at pati yung dating pinapasyalan, ipagpapalit na lang muna sa mga more exciting islands like Leyte, Cebu, Negros, Mindoro.

    Economically sound yung i-accelerate yung rehabilitation ng tourist spots kesa ipaubaya sa Vatican yan. Baka mapunta pa sa pork barrel yan ni Jinggoy.

  20. MPRivera MPRivera

    Tongue,

    Oo nga, ano?

    Habang dumadagsa ang mga turista sa Bohol ay dumarami naman ang nagiging puta sa Zamboanga City upang kumain ng tatlong beses maghapon at baka sakaling makapagpatayo uli ng bagong bahay.

    Okey nga ‘yan. Para lalong kumapal ang bulsa ng mga pinutukan ng lintek na mga nakapuwesto sa gobyerno lalo na ‘yung mga nasa huling termino.

  21. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    How long did the impeachment articles take to be signed? How was it presented? Via a powerpoint presentation?

    So the same can be done with a special appropriation for the calamity, or any calamity. Something like that can be passed in a matter of hours. The same was done with the US budget recently.

    If instead of blabbering to the media, this President certified a bill, there would be an appropriation now.

    So what happened to the login process Ellen? It took me four attempts to login. Somebody does not want your blog to discuss? Who? Some paid hack? I meant the political kind, not the tech kind.

  22. Mannie Mannie

    Vic, my sister is a registered nurse working at a hospital in the Province of Saskatchewan. I’m sure you know where it is where the famous Roughriders Football are and where this year’s Grey Cup is being held. She can tell you how much abuse the health care system is in Canada. Most of the patients who drop by emergency are First Nations, drunk and after fights. Sometimes, they just go to hospital to spend the night for being drunk on the streets demanding foods and services. Hospital staff cannot say no. Elderly sometimes go to hospital for some imagined illness just to have a little chat with hospital staff. A Filipina co-worker once suffered racism when a white elderly wanted to see a white Canadian instead of her being a Filipina.

    Who pay for the health care system? Tax payers like you and is being abused by many natives who are lazy to work. That’s how the country’s budget is unevenly and unequally distributed.

    For the weather, at least in the US there are some parts and states that have better weather like California. Except for British Columbia or Vancouver, almost all parts of Canada have long winter. But BC rains all year round with a couple of warm summer months only.

    I agree that Canada’s banking and financial institution are strong. But a banking expert would secretly tell you that banks earn more than lending out making all Canadians slaves for the rest of their lives. Housing market is over valued. The prices of housing in Vancouver is shocking. If the housing market in Canada remains uncontrolled, many fear Canada would suffer the same fate as the US.

    I apologize for my strong opinions. Apology also goes to Joe. While our exchanges could have some political tone, it nonetheless were relevant to the topic. The recent floods in Calgary, Alberta showed how fast and efficient the government was in attending to such a Calamity which we never see in the Philippines. Indeed, there’s so much to learn from Canada when it comes to coming to her citizens’ rescue in time of calamities. The problem is the Federal Government is too soft in dealing with controversial issues involving First Nations. Those natives are too spoiled. Why would the government be so afraid of them?

  23. Mannie Mannie

    Regarding church buildings that were damaged or collapsed during the earth quake, yes the church should not wait for donors to rebuild them. The Catholic Church has more than enough funds to spend on these, though a big part of this is now being spent in settling court cases involving erring priests who committed sex crimes. For centuries, the church acquired so many big lands not paying a single peso of tax. All these years, interests alone earned on values and investment could easily attend to such needs. Or are the church leaders as corrupt as our politicians?

  24. vonjovi2 vonjovi2

    Off the topic 🙂

    Kita nyo sa Barangay election palang ay marami ang nag papatayan kabila kabila ang barilan. Dahil ang dahilan ay pag gawa ng mapapag perahan sa gobyerno. Mayroon diyan na barangay captain ay marami ang sasakyan at maganda ang bahay after makapag lingkod ng isang taon.

    Hindi pag lilingkod sa gobyerno or sa taong bayan ang karamihan nasa politika ngayon. Ang ini isip nila ay ang power at pag kakakitaan.

    “More fun in the Philippines”.

  25. MPRivera MPRivera

    Hindi naging topic dito and tungkol sa recent nonsense bakbakan sa Zamboanga City which should have not be that worse and may had not resulted into much damage in properties kung tutuusin. Bakit? Siguro napanood n’yo ang file videos kung saan habang tumatakbo ang mga foolish na pulis at sundalong kanin ay pumuputok nang walang patumangga kahit walang nakikitang kalaban. Same kapag nakapuwesto na at automatic firing ang ginagawa na dapat ay snipe shooting lamang nang sa gayon ay less ammo spending but higher target accuracy that is, KUNG ang mga ipinadala sa labanan ay trained on urbanized terrain warfare and closed quarter battle. Besides, dapat ay gumamit sila ng drone in order to pinpoint any and all enemy positions. Hindi eh. Pinulbos nila ang mga kabahayan just to flush the rebels out. Hindi na malaman tuloy kung ang mga naiwang nagkalat na bangkay ay tunay na mga rebelde o mga inosenteng sibilyang ginawang hostage ng kalaban.

    Ni-raid nila ang bahay ni Misuari isang dura lamang ang layo mula sa Sta. Barbara at Sta. Catalina kung kailan matagal nang tapos ang bakbakan. Asa pang nandoon ang hinahanap?

    Ngayon, unti unting lumalamig na nga ang balita KUNG kailan nila ire-rehabilitate ang aming lugar.

    Sana naman kung MALIMUTAN man nila ay huwag masayang ang tulong salapi mula sa mga donor countries. ‘Yung madagdagan ang kanilang bank accounts ay CONSOLATION na para sa amin. Nakakaawa kasing ang ating mga kagalanggalang na mga opisyales ng gobyerno ay mabalitaan naming nagdidildil na lamang sa litson at mga putaheng banyaga sa hapag at panlasa ng mga katulad naming wala nang makahig upang matuka!

  26. MPRivera MPRivera

    kahit saang lugar na nagkaroon ng kalamidad at pagkasalanta ay hindi mababanaag sa mukha ni noynoy aquino ang simpatiya sa mga biktima. nakangisi pa habang namumudmod ng relief na hindi kailanman nanggaling sa pondong hindi niya gustong mabawasan.

    isang halimbawa na ang kodak niya sa itaas.

    tsk. tsk. tsk.

    hindi lang sampal kundi tadyak sa mukha ng umaamot ng isang kilong bigas, dalawang balot ng noodles at dalawang lata ng sardinas.

  27. Mannie Mannie

    #26 The recent Zamboanga crisis is not only not being discussed here, the media also seems to have forgotten it. And it has become a cycle like scams wherein the media is focusing on one popular topic then if another similar controversial or much more serious topic comes up, they switch to the latest one. It’s all about business.

    I also saw on TV footage one soldier shooting while running at one direction. One TV anchor or reporter said he was shooting at a house where the rebels were suspected to be in hiding. The soldier looked like a kid throwing rock at a house then ran. Was he scared or was even covering the tank beside him? It should be the tank covering the soldiers. Anyway, that shows the lack of training of some of these soldiers. I also noticed that they all were gathered in one group in one area as if it having a party. Even without military background, I think the soldiers should spread out. What if an enemy threw a bomb at them? They looked like a group of kids scared at the enemies.

  28. MPRivera MPRivera

    #29. Main reason why that Zamboanga crisis wasn’t focused and didn’t stand long in the priority of those concerned was WE, the lowly ordinary victims were seen as USELESS trash. Nothing worthy and are unrecycleable. No rights that should be considered and protected.

    But, if they were congressmen’s and senators’ houses ransacked and burned government officials will not stop asking for thorough probe and news banners them on bold titles!

  29. MPRivera MPRivera

    ilang panahon bago humupa ang balita tungkol sa maguindanao massacre kung saan ilang mamamahayag ang kabilang sa naging biktima?

    IILAN LAMANG SILA KUMPARA sa daan libong NAWALAN NG TIRAHANG naapektuhan ng karahasan sa zamboanga city. patunay la’ang na kahit saang sulok ng ating lipunan ay nangingibabaw ang interes at kapakanan ng PINAGPALANG ILAN.

  30. MPRivera MPRivera

    Stagnant water surrounds the tents of evacuees at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex on Wednesday, a month after the fighting in Zamboanga City. The complex was turned into an evacuation center for thousands of evacuees at the height of the Zamboanga siege.

    Photo by Vincent Go for ABS-CBNnews.com

    http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/

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