What Typhoon Sendong’s destruction of Cagayan de Oro City says again about us

While scanning the news the other day, a friend of mine made a rather glib remark. She said that Filipinos have lately been so fixated on their petty politics — the bickering among politicians and justices over the jurisdiction of their respective offices — that the only way to force people to step back from all that and get a bit of perspective will require no less than “another Ondoy”. And then Typhoon Sendong (international code name “Wasi”) strikes. In one night, flash floods caused by heavy rains snuffed out more than 400 lives in northern Mindanao in and around Cagayan de Oro City.

Just 24 hours ago, our concerns were about how the impact of the sort of political pettiness we’ve seen in recent weeks and the disruption to the normal operations of the affected government agencies would play out over the next several months — its impact on a neglected economy and the demoralising effects on Philippine society of the instability the conflict was causing. All of a sudden the issue had become acute and singular, and the answer to the question of whether or not politicians — Filipino politicians — really do make a difference in Philippine society where it counts becomes clear — crystal clear to people like the father of the dead little girl in that photo (not the one included in this article) being passed around all over the Net.

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To make the perspective we gain out of the appalling tragedy of Typhoon Sendong more relevant, I defer to what my colleague Ben Kritz wrote earlier, where he points out how the current government of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III responded to the disaster using a three-pronged approach: (1) order the relevant agencies to assist the victims, (2) order a review of disaster response procedures to identify where the lapses occurred, and (3) identify and highlight where local officials and residents were negligent in mounting a proper response to advanced warnings issued by the national government.

This is pretty much a textbook approach to how an all-too-typical Philippine government would manage public relations in the aftermath of a disaster in which it was seen to be ineffective. As Kritz points out, for a government that ran on a platform premised upon being no way like the previous administration of its nemesis, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (and continues to campaign to that tune today), the point of how Presidents quite simply do not matter to the average Filipino was called out as loudly as ever. Back in 2009 Ondoy left Arroyo’s government looking like an ineffectual lump of bureaucracy and bad policies. Aquino’s looks no better (and probably fares worse) in the aftermath of Sendong today.

Next president, plez.

Perhaps because of how it was the national capital city that Typhoon Ondoy struck back in 2009, the loud soul-searching and Bayanihan grandstanding was a lot more perceptible then. But Sendong struck some city somewhere in the “southern Philippines”. So perhaps the vast distance from Imperial Manila implied by the fact that the disaster happened somewhere in the south gives President Noynoy Aquino the option to visit the calamity area sometime “shortly after Christmas”. Indeed, he reportedly may just do that.

Whatever the case, finger-pointing and blame-mongering have never been in short supply whenever disaster strikes. What is glaringly lacking are results and improved approaches to mitigating risk given the nature of the country’s geographical location and climate. And we see now how despite politicians selling to their voters the notion that they are different — even special — the reality is a lot starker: they are all essentially the same. And because we latch on to the same things over and over, we can expect the same things to happen again and again.

147 Replies to “What Typhoon Sendong’s destruction of Cagayan de Oro City says again about us”

  1. I’m predicting that Noynoy would blame gloria again for this screw up. No wait… he always does that.
    All coming from a president who’s all bark but no bite.

    1. the cohorts of benigno the turd,starting with the stupid mayor of cdo started blaming gma for the alleged illegal logging and mining as the main cause of the flash floods.as if all these accusations started during her term.last february,panot declared a total log ban.hehehe,what happen next was there was an increase in illegal logging in mindanao.

      1. With all due respect, I think the statements above are a little off. Wherever did you hear that the CDO Mayor is a cohort of Benigno? Fact is, because Abnoy hates the guy, he alloted only 50M to CDO while giving 100M plus to Iligan, knowing fully well that CDO incurred a lot more losses and casualties to Sendong.

  2. You did not mention that GMA administration had identified areas prone to flash floods and proposed flood control projects. Aquino cancelled them all.

    1. If you recall, GMA’s administration caught merry hell for the way it handled Ondoy, as it should have. By the time Pepeng rolled in, however, just a week later, things were already being managed better. Still didn’t work out great, but there were obvious signs that someone was taking it seriously and making efforts to fix errors.

      This guy: “We need to review our manual on preparedness.” And, “Well, it’s their own damn fault for not evacuated.”

      Hey, Jackass: Why don’t you review how you vetoed pre-disaster preparedness and training from the 2011 budget?

      F*cking clown. Not only a sorry excuse for a president, a sorry excuse for a human being.

      Where’s that Vincenzo guy? I dare him to say something.

      1. people like that are too stupid to think and too self-interested to care.
        shame on him and those like him.
        no empathy for others
        just obsessive and perverted

      2. Vocabulary Count
        Grade 1 Student = 1,000+ words
        Normal Person (Graduate) = 5,000 to 6,000+ words
        University Professor = 15,000+ words
        shakespeare used – 60,000 words

        vincenzo – 100 words continually recycled and rearranged but still no logic or sense. Have a banana. the 4th monkey – hears nothing, sees nothing, knows nothing, and speaks s&%t

      3. What gets me the most is these presidents (and governors, and mayors, and further down the line) have to announce their “ordering” that the STANDARD services be provided by the relevant agencies. In normal places, as far as I know, agencies DO stuff like that without having to receive any “orders” from presidents.

        1. maybe they’re raised on classic anime where they have to announce the name of each weapon before launching it.

          uhh, ultra electro magnetic top?

      4. vinzenzo is presently with carandang,valte and lacierda scheming whom to blame for this tragedy…perhaps, the senate this time…lol

        1. We know Glorias true colors. At alm ntn na syay snungaling kht mganda p pkinggan ng mga yan.

      1. So fine, source of corruption. Then redo the project without corruption. Or is that the sum total of your dumbass Tito Noy’s imagination when it comes to “fighting corruption”? (Which is a freakin joke, because he is objectively the most corrupt president you’ve had since Magellan showed up.) Just don’t do anything, then no one can say there’s corruption involved? He makes me sick, and so do you.

        1. At ano ang tawag mo sa bilyun bilyong pisong pork barrel na nakukuha nya mula sa buwis ni Juan dela Cruz kada taon? Alam mo buti sana kung igastos na lang nya iyon para sa mga naapekutuhan ng bagyo o sa kung ano mang pangangailan ng bansang ito but no because he wants to spend it more for his toys. Now keep on dreaming delusional fool until you get an inconvenient nightmare.

      2. @Nutzi Vincenzo
        Ipakita mo ebidensya mo BadNoy lover. You just keep repeating corruption. Explain the LEDAC meeting meals costing 680,000 pesos. 2 meals only. This is extravagant and shows corruption. Your BadNoy love and his meeting now eats 24K gold foil?

        1. @vincenzo:

          ‘pag sinabing “meals”, meals lang dapat ginastusan. clearly may kickback mga katribo mo.

          pero sila wais, kasi ikaw hanggang isang bote ng c2 lang ibinabayad sa iyo masaya ka na.

      3. Everytime you’re posting here the more with that you’ve become horrible than ever.

        Again, come at us with facts and not conspiracy theories and crap. At sabay WALA. Am I right, tsismoso?

      4. Jeez vincensus ignoramus you’re as worst as that kid who made a very bad review of Contra in Youtube only because it’s too hard when in fact he’s not even trying.

        1. Sus ang hilig mo talagang magbintang na paid hack ako ni gloria na hindi naman totoo and I’m so honest with that. Is that the best attack you got only to make you feel better maggot?

  3. One doesn’t have to be a president to have a heart, and say “Wow, that’s really awful. My thoughts and prayers are with the people affected.” He couldn’t even come up with that.

    Sociopath, like Ilda wrote in article the other day. No capacity for empathy.

    1. his sunday shooting is more important.
      and if the problem is not in luzon then not so important.
      he is a strange person. his manner and difficulty in responding naturally and with compassion everytime there is a heartfelt problem/tragedy exposes the heart and soul (or lack of it) of the inhuman being

  4. Mbuti ngat may gnawang plano na si Tito Noy para sa Disaster group upang mailigtas ang mga kababayan natin don. Hindi ksi trabaho ni Tito Noy magpaphoto-op agad agad upang makita lamang na nagtatrabaho. Hnd tulad ni Gloria,bwat kilometro nilalakbay mo, makikita mo mukha nya

    1. He failed miserably in planning.
      and also your tito noy cancelled all the proposed flood control projects by the previous administration which could have SAVED the lives that were lost.

      1. Well, ang project don ay source of corruption of Gloria bka nga hndi pa para sa baha yon eh. We all know that Gloria is a liar, simula plang sa pandaraya nya sa eleksyon

        1. Uh huh. It must suck hard for you to realize that MOTHER NATURE just stepped in to expose what a clown your idol is. Even the Universe hates him. But go ahead, keep clutching at those straws if it makes you feel better.

        2. Imbes na gawin na lang sa mabuti e ang result ay masamang consequences.

          If anything on the past administration is a source of corruption, then you will all just cancel those projects which are helpful and the price of a million lives? Oh yeah, that’s SQUATTER MENTALITY. 😛

        3. nope, thats just idiotic.
          that project can still be put to good use if it is executed properly.
          Sacrificing a project that could have helped saved those people was the most F***** UP thing your tito noy did.

        4. I have to agree with the commenter from Cagayan de Oro. In truth, Vincenzo, you’re so happy just like your Tito Noy. Happy that the her projects were cancelled because they take away the “source of corruption” along with 400+ innocent lives.

          Next time you’ll say: “Ano’ng pakialam ko sa mga namatay? E kurakot din sila!” Oh yeah, you’re so stupid and a sadomasochist, Vincenzo. 😛

        5. “We all know that Gloria is a liar, simula plang sa pandaraya nya sa eleksyon”
          sarcasm mode on
          NaPATUNAYAN mo ba talaga na nandaya at nagsinungaling si GMA o puro kalokohan nanaman as usual ang sinasabi mo?
          Im guessing na puro kalokohan nanaman yan.
          sarcasm mode off

        6. Tnong mo sa mga bumoto at ipinaglaban si FPJ at ang katotohanan n0ong 2004 eleksyon,at mlalaman mong totoong panalo ang idol nila.

        7. @vincenzo: mas maganda kung ikaw ang maghanap sa mga bumoto kay fpj, tapos tanungin mo sila kung binoto nila si fpj. kung hindi nila binoto si fpj, itanong mo sa kanila kung sino bumoto kay fpj. tapos hanapin mo kung sino mga bumoto kay fpj. tapos tanungin mo sila kung binoto nila si fpj. kung hindi nila binoto si fpj, itanong mo sa kanila kung sino bumoto kay fpj. (kung hanggang dito eh hindi mo pa nahahalatang inuuto na kita, magpatingin ka na sa psychiatrist ng idol mong presidente.)

        8. in fairness to noynoy…meron shang happy disposition sa buhay…kaya lahat ng trahedya nginingitian nya…baka dapat ang tag line nya “GUSTO KO, HAPPY KA!” anak ng puto!

        1. If I know you Ana, wala ka rin namang nagawang “long term effect at tulong” sa kapwa mo eh. Pabigay-bigay ka lang ng charity kuno eh mahilig ka rin naman sa party-parteh. Sows, yang mga ganyang comment bumabalik lang sa mga nagsasabi, kasi hindi ninyo muna tinitingnan ang mga sarili kung kayo mismo may nagawa na “talagang mabuti” para sa bayan.

          Next please… sarap barahin ang mga ganitong Pinoy.

    2. Youe Tito Noy is a diffident oaf. The only thing he has done is change the name of NDCC to NDRRMC. And the irony to it all, has the risk been reduced since the name change, huh? Ano sagot mo dun.

      1. Problema ksi sau wla ka sa sitwasyon e. Sympre naman kaya nga nanjan cla eh. Ngkataon lang tlga na lumakas ang bagyo at hnd daanan ng bagyo ang mga lugar n nslanta.

        1. So, porke’t di dinadaanan palagi ng bagyo ang isang lugar di na dapat sila maghanda?

          So we have to blame geographical coincidences for this tragedy as opposed to putting the blame on the NDRRMC? Kaya nga Risk Reduction and Management Council di ba? What part of “Risk Reduction” don’t you understand?

          As expected, iiwasan ang issue to come up with a non sequitur statement.

        2. That’s an act of COWARDICE. Of course it’s their job to handle the situation. Inamin mo na rin na your Tito BadNoy is unfit to be a leader.

          “Kung hindi tayo aako ng responsibiliad, hindi natin kayang harapin ang ating mga sarili.”

        3. They did thier jobs.at ngayun doubletime na cla s pgttrabaho, at hnd tlga maiwasan yan dhl mlakas tlga ang bgyo at hnd daanan ng bagyo ang mga lugar

        4. Then why blame Gloria on that? Meh, you’re indeed delusional.

          I just want to say that SHUT UP, STOP THE BLAMES, AND DOE THEIR JOBS.

          What I’m saying that they should have immediate response. Kung palpak ang LOGISTICS, palpak ang resulta. E ang mga kinuha ng hunghang mo presidente e palpak. Kung ganon then that’s it.

    3. Your Tito Noy is a diffident oaf. The only thing he has done is change the name of NDCC to NDRRMC. And the irony to it all, has the “risk” been “reduced” since the name change, huh? Ano sagot mo dun?

        1. because your idol is the moron who became president and cut any potential disaster preparedness we might have had anywhere.

          pareho kayo ng idol mong walang alam kundi manisi ng iba. mga inutil at walang malasakit.

        2. ano, vincenzo? hindi mo ma-deny na your idol pnoy is CHICKEN just like you, huh?

          his motto seems to be “responsibility begone!”

          here chicken chicken chicken. come to the chopping block.

        3. Do u thnk Tito Noy must be awake 24hrs pra sa lhat ng problema ng bansa? Baliw lng gagawa non. At alm nman ng mga mayor don na dadaanan cla ng bagyo bkt d sila ngred alert?

        4. @vincenzo: tama ka. kung mapuyat si boyfriend mong pnoy nagvi-video games lang yun. ikaw ang 24-oras gising upang magkalat ng kamangmangang dilaw sa mga utu-utong katulad mo.

          ano ulit tawag mo sa ganu’n, vincenzo? BALIW.

          tama na ang pagsisi sa iba. tanggapin mo nang si noynoy ay isang CHICKEN at ikaw ang isang ITLOG.

        1. There are tasks that are urgent and important (e.g. firefighting) and there are tasks that are important but not urgent (e.g. fire prevention). To be truly successful, we should strive resources for firefighting as low as possible (ideally, zero) and fire prevention should be maxed out. This is not a new concept — it has been around for ages. This is one of the key concepts that is described by Stephen Covey in his book “Seven habits of highly effective people”.

          This principle is followed by progressive entities. Some examples are as follows:
          Why do Singapore allocated a huge budget for their drainage system? To prevent flooding brought about by heavy rains that occur with a probability of once a century.
          Why do South Korea build new bridges with huge lanes? Mobility of its population prevents (or at least minimizes) loss of lives in the event that N. Korea would stage a war and at the same time, be able to deploy their equipment quickly.
          Why do Swiss banks keep a part of their assets (capital allocation)? To prevent losses from their investors in the event of liquidity.

          In this case, Philippines is visited by typhoons every year. It’s a no-brainer that an infrastructure should be in place to limit the loss of lives and properties due to typhoon. Singapore even prepared for something that is very unlikely, how much for Philippines which encounters them on a regular basis.

        2. Singapore’s huge storm drain system is also designed to collect as much rain water as possible to reduce its dependency on Malaysia for its water supply. Indeed, the foresight and vision of the leaders of these countries and the industry and focus of the people who follow them is just breathtaking.

    4. It would help us understand your point if you’ll explain why flood projects are bad. To us its purpose is to prevent disasters and whatever it brings. Since you are contradicting us would that mean you prefer disaster than having PNoy continue GMA’s project just because she, in your opinion, is evil? but not thinking the use and practicality of the project?
      Wouldn’t that be similar to the days of Cory when she removed funding for government facilities, projects and services because it was created by the corrupt dictator Marcos? And again without thinking its use for the Filipinos?
      Please reply with your logical view for us to understand more, if you’ll just reply with hate and obscenity then surely we will just throw your opinions away. Be logical if you want your ideas, and yourself respected. Thank You.

      1. There’s no use reasoning with vincenzo since he has no brains at all.
        He has completely lost his mind defending his tito noy.

    5. @Vincenzo B. Arellano

      Mbuti ngat may gnawang plano na si Tito Noy para sa Disaster group upang mailigtas ang mga kababayan natin don.

      Kaya pala binawasan ni abNoy yun budget sa disaster…eh di hayan, maraming namatay, ala rin sapat na budget pati na rin sa training.

      Hindi ksi trabaho ni Tito Noy magpaphoto-op agad agad upang makita lamang na nagtatrabaho. Hnd tulad ni Gloria,bwat kilometro nilalakbay mo, makikita mo mukha nya

      Hayaan mo at pagnanganib ang buhay mo, hindi ka rin namin sasagipin para maka-iwas rin kami—Mahirap na’t baka sabihin ay nagpapaphoto-op lang kami.

  5. Party ( and partly political) songs for frustrated entertainers/politicians

    In From The Storm
    by Jimi Hendrix
    “It was a terrible rain burnin’ my eyes/
    The wind and lightning took us by
    surprise”
    Mayor of cdo

    Barbara streisand
    “dont rain on my parade”
    Partying P-noy – see you all after xmas if its dry. In hiding – i mean conference

    God bless all those affected.

    “We’ll walk this world together through the
    storm
    (Now some of you)
    Whatever weather, cold or warm
    (Might still be in that place)
    Just lettin’ you know that you’re not alone
    (If you’re tryin’ to get out)
    Holla if you feel like you’ve been down the
    same road
    (Just follow me, I’ll get you there)”
    Not afraid – eminem

        1. mick’s blessings by style council
          (daily soundtrack of the way pbrain pnoy “leads” the country down the straight path to the edge of the cliff)

        2. Another song:

          “Everything you know is wrong” by Weird Al Yankovic (regarding Pnoy’s logic on disaster situations)

  6. i’m from cagayan de oro and i am one of those who immediately went to the areas affected the morning after the hell night. believe me, mr. president and mr. benito, blaming people because they were complacent is not exactly the right words to say now. unless you’ve been to similar situations, stop making assumptions!

    our city mayor in an interview disclosed that cdo was not warned. bullshit. ndrcc blaming the people. another bullshit. if people were not so caught up with all these partisan politics drama, they would’ve been able to address “little” projects like dredging the river.

    these scum are now pointing fingers at each other. kesyo walang budget, etc. yes, you mr.president cancelled the program of gma in allocating a budget for the dredging of our river to lessen the silt. for what reason? because it was gma’s project, “another source of corruption” are you happy now mr.president? you’ve taken away the source of corruption… along with 400+ innocent lives.

    1. playing the blame game is always equivalent to being too stupid to realize that youre incompetent. God have mercy on us that we have an incompetent A$$ for a wannabe DICKtator.

      1. Kung di mo pala alam na project yon o derecho sa pocket niya e bakit mo nirereject yung project na yun? Wala ka naman palang proof and reason other than your hate for GMA, have you thought about the people who will benefit from it? Your hateful and vindictive nature causes more harm to many people than to who you intend it to impose.

      2. “At ssbhin ko rn sayo to,Gloria is a liar, hndi nga ntin alam kung project yon o derecho sa pocket nya.”

        You still don’t get it do you?

        You still insist on blaming GMA when in reality it’s your tito noy’s fault for scrapping the one thing which could have saved lives.

        “Its a source of corruption for GMA”

        That project wasn’t even implemented yet and could still be implemented without any corruption.

        Face it vincenzo, you’ve already lost this fight.

    1. I just hope our Philippine Navy ship(Hamilton class cutter)that was sent out to patrol the West Philippine Sea was warned by Manila of the approaching storm. Heavy seas due to storm surge off the Spratly’s is a sure thing.

    2. NASA predicted ‘Ondoy-like’
      rains for ‘Sendong’

      article.
      nasa published 3 days ago rain levels expected to be intense.

      all in all an unnecessary loss of so many lives – again.
      a review!! to avoid govt blame
      local officials ‘sleeping on the job’ – literally according to some.

      binay quick to gain some political points.

  7. Calling the dictator Aquino…
    You focused too much on your political power play games and your hate objects.

    Its not the disaster management plan stupid!
    It is the complete failure(or lack) of an emergency early warning system!

    Because of you and your team lapses hundreds of people died.

  8. President aquino
    A day in the life of…

    Dear diary
    Sunday 18 dec
    7 days until santa

    Morning – shooting ( pretended the targets were corona)

    Afternoon – planning meeting of ‘get corona war commitee’

    Walk with friend and his dog ‘pavlov’
    Why pavlov – everytime he is in trouble he goes and hides under the table and licks his ….
    (Sounds familiar!)

    Evening – PSG xmas party at malacanan.
    ? Singsong – sure, you hum it – i’ll sing it.
    Oh a storm…. sendong. Ask binay. I’m busy with politicking & corona and valerie concepcion

    ++++ @v_concepcion Done w/ work..
    Tnx for having me.. 🙂 It was
    nice to see Pres. P-Noy laughing
    at my jokes & enjoying my
    performance.. PSG party ++++

    Find me a weatherman to shoot/fire/kill/sack/humiliate.
    All together now – “I’ve got the power” by snap

    Weather – fine, but outlook stormy for some (corona) hehe..

    Hacienda luisita, baby

  9. Ayon naman pla eh,gago tlga yang Gloria na yan. Kta mo pnapayagan ang pagtotroso tpos pg nadamay na ang tao wla sya pakeelam. Dpt tlga mbulok yang si Gloria sa selda. At hnd ako naniniwla na dumami, mga kalaban ni Tito Noy at ng gobyerno ngssbi non.

    1. “Kta mo pnapayagan ang pagtotroso tpos pg nadamay na ang tao wla sya pakeelam.”

      sige, vincenzo. i-puga mo si gloria sa vmmc bago ka humirit na wala siyang pakialam ha. parang may kinalaman siya sa kapalpakan ng aquino administration disaster unpreparedness ngayon. parang may kapangyarihan syang may magawa eh detained nga.

      dali kuha ka ng tricycle, tapos samahan kita.

    2. What a hypocrite, blame GMA again and give support to Jamby Madrigal na involved sa illegal logging.

      E dapat pa makulong si Vincenzo dahil sangkot siya dun sa illegal logging by the Madrigals. Utak SQUATTER talaga, oo. 🙂

    3. Lumang tugtugin na yan vincenzo idiot
      Puro nalang si gloria ang sinisisi mo
      Sisisihin mo rin siya sa pagiging
      TANGA MO
      HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

      1. I’ve already placed your previous comment in the Spam queue. This one is also a candidate but I will leave it here as an example of how not to comment. Hope this serves as a warning.

    4. When GMA was pushing for a flood control project you insisted that she is evil and it will go straight to her pocket. Now your saying that she allowed logging in the area and therefore is evil. If ever GMA discovered the cure for cancer, I bet you will insist that the cure is fake and she would make people pay for the cure and therefore is evil.
      The bottomline is you personally hate GMA. Whatever she does you’re gonna think that she is scheming something.

    5. heller??? eh di ba lahat naman ng head ng government agencies puro tao na ni noy ang nakaupo?? (except sa mga mandated by laws na may power to stay) gloria macapagal arroyo ba ang nakapirma sa permit ng mga bigwig loggers? ay sus!

  10. Nero fiddled whilst rome burnt.
    P-noy partied whilst cdo drowned.

    “Madman, tyrant, cruel, debauched, egotistical,
    narcissistic, selfish, delusional all of these words
    and more describe the reign of Nero. It is little
    wonder that Nero or young Domitius as he was
    formerly known, was unstable and crazed in his
    adult life because his early childhood and
    formative years were far from secure and
    stable. he lacked discipline and suitable role
    models.”

      1. Let me rephrase that..
        Pnoy slept while hostages were massacred
        Pnoy partied while 1000 people died in a disaster

        The similarities are there….

  11. another tweet re p-noys work ethic!
    and sunday morning at mall buying sound equipment.
    the boy’s a fool!

    iamdinahope super saya ng
    party sa malacanang.. 🙂 nice
    dance president #noy ! Nakiparty
    dn sya!

    iamdinahope going to
    malacanang with kuya randy
    santiago! My gosh first time
    namin mkakapasok dun!hehe
    thanks to kuya randz..: -)

  12. This is in reference to henchman Vincenzo and all the followers of the dictator. The mostly black propaganda style of Mr. Aquino shows. Their statements are not premised on truth. Make no mistake about it, he is the leader(not the people) as he sets all the bad examples.

    The dictum of the new order is apparent. Their leader has adopted deceit and lies as an instrument of public policy. Thus his lies become truths while real truths are made to appear as lies. Most have seen this emerging pattern. All will agree that it is destructive and divisive to Mr. Aquino’s improved(not new) society.

    I read a reich ministry of propaganda style Bantay Gloria Network piece of work. It was published in the Philippine Star dated today. One of the statements had this to say. “Corona has to go if the supreme court is to be reclaimed for the people.” What hit me hard is not the stupidity and lie of the statement. To my mind, it says that this institution(SC) is a people’s court. My imaginative mind says red,left of center anomaly in his black propaganda pitches.

    Beware of the deceit and lies of the dictator. Treachery is part of his mindset. Don’t believe that he won’t try to remove the senate president. His political power plays is still a continuing work in progress. All this despite the great disaster in Mindanao.

    1. ‘deceit and lies’

      after the valerie concepcion tweet about the p-noy party on sunday became known

      mlq3 quezon tweeted that it referred to dec 10.

      when called a liar and told the vc tweet was fresh

      mlq3 meekly tweeted – ‘confirming’

      there is no integrity whatsoever in these people

      they are compulsive liars.

      1. Todays PR lesson courtesy of m quezon

        Mlq3 tweet this morning reads: “Good morning. Checked and
        indeed there was a PSG party last night: it
        couldn’t be cancelled (unlike annual Cabinet
        Xmas Party scheduled for tonight, which was
        cancelled yesterday afternoon, so funds could
        go to relief). President dropped by for 30
        minutes to be with those who saved his life.”

        Note – 30 minutes! Vconc performed for more than that! Mmmm
        Note – sympathy sale – “saved his life” – stop crying!
        Note – ‘ donate funds’. Money talks

        Pr lessons – when you are in a hole, dont digger deeper
        – notice your colleagues are keeping out of it and hanging you out to dry – alone

        “I’ m not upset that you lied to me, I’m
        upset that from now on I can’t believe you”
        Friedrich Nietzsche

  13. There are a lot of Mining going on in Mindanao
    It is to be expected that there will be a big flood…
    the government doesn’t care if the people in Mindanao perish or even if the whole Mindanao is to go underwater
    they just need the little money that the foreigners give
    Visayas will be next it will start at Palawan

    bwisit na buhay to
    putanginang gobyerno yan sarili lang ang iniintindi..
    Putangina nyong nasa gobyerno na makasarili maranasan nyo sana ang hirap na nararanasan ng mga naghihirap sa mindanao

  14. What I hate about this flood-disasters that perennially happen everywhere in the Philippines is the simplistic finger-pointing to illegal logging activities (and mining activities). Not that I support illegal logging (heck, I’m actually against it) and I’m a bit partial about mining, the real cause of flood can actually be explained if you’re familiar with the hydrologic process. As I have mentioned in another forum, the cause can be described by the following hydrologic process:

    1.) Precipitation (rainfall intensity) exceeds the rate of absorption of natural ground and the vegetation cover (infriltration) and the environments’ capacity to evaporate (evapo-transpiration) its ambient water/moisture thus producing excess rainwater in the surface (surface run-off)

    2.) Due to natural terrain (topography), surface run-off and infiltrating water (groundwater) will flow to the lowest portion either to the sea/ocean or basins (lakes/ponds/). The transportation mechanism will be the following:

    2a.) For surface run-off, by drainage (gravity flow) through natural conduits and waterways (i.e. rivers and its tributaries)

    2b.) For groundwater, by percolation to the aquifer/aquitard/aquifuge.

    3.) Flood occurs when either or in any combination of the following conditions are satisfied:

    3a.) The intensity of rainfall exceeds the capacity of natural or catchment basins (eg.lakes, flood plain, dams / reservoirs) to contain the volume thus the overflow of surface run-off.

    3b.) The intensity of rainfall exceeds the rate of infiltration/percolation to the ground, and it also exceeds the capacity of the aquifer/aquitard/aquifuge to store water, thus surface run-off.

    3c.) The rate of flow of surface run-off to natural conduits exceeds the capacity of the waterways to discharge/drain to the basins/lakes or open sea/oceans.

    3d.) Extreme change in weather patterns such as strong storm surges, and increasing mean sea level.

    The parameters therefore for flood to occur are:

    A.) Capacity to contain surface run-off.
    Factors:
    -Insufficient reservoirs
    -Lack of retention ponds/lakes

    B.) Capacity to store surface run-off
    Factors:
    -Insufficient water sheds and vegetative cover (deforestation, indiscriminate land conversion, etc.)
    -Surface run-off not percolating to the ground aquifer/aquitard/aquifuge
    -Ingress of saline water to the groundwater aquifer/aquitard/aquifuge due to grounwater drawdown or pumping from development areas (eg. residential subdivision using groundwater pumps)

    C.) Capacity to discharge surface run-off
    Factors:
    -Inefficient sewer/stormwater network and system
    -Diminishing natural waterways due to economic development (eg. riverside development, informal settlers)
    -Clogged waterways either by garbage or siltation

    D.) Climate Change
    Factors:
    – Change in weather patterns (extended and/or wetter rainy season, extended and/or drier/hotter summers)
    – Rising sea levels
    – etc.

    =================================

    Having defined the parameters for flood to occur, the structural solution therefore should address each or in any combination of the following parameters as described above:

    A.) Capacity to contain Surface Run-off
    – Typical solutions are as follows:

    a.1) Provision for dams and reservoirs

    a.2) Provision for retention ponds & lakes

    B.) Capacity to store
    -Typical solutions are as follows:

    b.1) Watersheds and vegetative cover (i.e. trees)

    b.2) Artificial Recharging wells

    b.3) Swales

    C.) Capacity to discharge
    -Typical solutions are as follows:

    c.1) separate network for each of the stormwater, residential sewer and industrial sewer lines.

    c.2) increasing waterways’ capacity either, or in any combination of the following: dredging the river bed, widening the waterways, raising the embankment by providing dikes or levees.

    c.3) reduce the potential of siltation and scouring either or in any combination of the following: bioswales along embankment, baffle chutes to reduce velocity, riprap/gabions/rock armours along embankment, etc.

    c.4) diversion for other purposes such as irrigation, power generation, water supply, transportation, etc.

    D.) Climate Change
    – Typical solutions include:

    d.1) Scenario Planning

    d.2) Improved forecasting techniques

    d.3) Infrastructure adaptation

    The above solutions should be part of a comprehensive water management framework in a regional or national scale and should be incorporated in the land use zonation planning, natural hazard & disaster risk mitigation plan, infrastructure development plan, and economic development plan of the region concerned.

    1. In short it is not just about flood control. That’d be akin to simply trying to control the symptom of a deeper, more systemic problem which is the broader waterway system of the Mindanao landmass (or at least sections of it that directly affects population centres).

      1. @ SalingKetket

        “Why dont you do something about it?”

        The things he discussed were about emergency preparedness for typhoons and floods. FYI: Our dear President pulled the plug on emergency preparedness funds. So, even if that smart guy is in the government, he won’t be able to anything. No money alloted for saving lives. The fund is for when there’s already dead people and destroyed property.

        1. If he is in the government and he cant do anything
          why is he in there?
          Im not in the goverment
          what can i do!? you tell me!

          all I can see in his writings are EXCUSE!!!
          excuse that they can still do that bullshit mining and logging
          that they can still destroy our lands
          they dont care about the filipino people, all they care are there income

          and If your smart and in your in the government, you can do a lot of things

        2. @ SalingKetket

          NOOOOO FUUUUUUNNNNNNDDDDSSSS!!!!

          I repeated the letters so you wouldn’t have to have any misconceptions. Anyone cannot do any preparedness activity because there’s:

          NOOOO BBUUUUUDDDDGGGEEETTT!!! Get that.

          We already did what we can – we paid our taxes faithfully.

        3. You honestly belive that?
          hmp!!

          YOUR WRONG!

          Just remember that
          Our GOVERNMENT IS CORRUPT
          bulutongboy!

        4. @ SalingKetket

          All governments are corrupt, my dear. That’s not exclusive to the Philippines.

          But there’s a big difference with having a budget and having nothing to work with.

          The President’s veto for the removal of the budget for emergency preparedness is all over the news, except the non-sense channels. What’s not to believe?

        5. I don’t believe that there is no fund.

          whatever that guy faux_ph says
          I still blame the logging and the mining for the flood that happen in CDO and Iligan
          the government is still to blame for killing those people.

        6. Smart and in the government aren’t enough. Can’t do anything without the money to fund the implementation of plans and buy materials for it. Other than that… punch in the dark.

    2. A politician should see this and legislate funding for this idea. Well, that’s one way. Somebody has to fund this to get things going.

  15. This Typhoon Sendong is a Wake-Up call on all Leaders, who are more interested in their own Self-importance. Than the welfares of their own people. Natural calamities will continue, thruout the world. The Philippines included. It is because Mother Earth is sick. It is being abused thru: pollutions deforrestations, indiscriminate mining activities, the negative Collective Consciousness of our Leaders, etc…It’s the Birth Pangs of the coming change in our civilization…It’s like the extinction of the Mammoth, to pave way for the Homo Erectus to become Homo Sapien…Hope for the Best, but prepare for the worst…we are on a Bumpy Ride…

        1. Yep. The leaders are busy playing the blame game and caring for the environment, not the least to people who will experience it next time, is of little concern right now.

          God help us with the next natural calamity.

        2. Also, in the next election, never vote someone who has the support of the following:

          Cojuangcos
          Aquinos
          Lopezes
          Catholic Church

          So that someone who can be smart enough to rule shall rule.

  16. Nice post. Thanks for sharing. I hope that preventative measures can be put in place soon. One thing that can be done which costs nothing is each individual take responsibility for their garbage and put it where it belongs instead of throwing it all over the streets, rivers, and everywhere else.

  17. ay naku kayong mga tuta ni arroyo at pinoy wala kayong mapapala sa mga politiko wala silang pakialam sa inyo ,mahalaga lang sa kanila ay ang mga katwiran nila kung papaano sila at ang mga aide nila na kukurakot sa pera ng bayan …

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