The rains that came just this weekend intensified to the extent that come Monday, August 19, the resulting floods brought traffic in the Metro to a standstill. Several parts of Metro Manila had no choice but to call off class for all levels. Government offices were forced to declare “no work” due to the hazards that the weather posed, and the roads becoming impassable. The provinces did not fare much better, either; some were flooded to the point of impassable as well.
When it rains, it pours. Just when the Filipinos already have a big problem on their hands with the current imbroglio involving the misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), better known as pork barrel, the heavy rains come. How could things possibly get worse, right?
| SUPPORT INDEPENDENT SOCIAL COMMENTARY! Subscribe to our Substack community GRP Insider to receive by email our in-depth free weekly newsletter. Opt into a paid subscription and you'll get premium insider briefs and insights from us. Subscribe to our Substack newsletter, GRP Insider! Learn more |
At this point, it would be tempting to join the ranting that occurred on social media against Janet Lim Napoles. Netizens blamed her and corrupt government officials for pocketing money that could have otherwise gone into flood control or flood relief programs.
On Facebook, Raia Dela Pena from Laguna narrated how her family has always been troubled by regular flooding in their area.
“I think of the floods and I remember all this talk of pork barrel funds and government corruption. You realize a lot of that money could have gone to resolving flood issues in different areas all over the country but it didn’t. It went to the pockets of corrupt individuals like the Napoles family and the politicians who benefit from this whole system of corruption,” wrote Dela Pena.
Corrupt government officials form only one part of the equation. Consider the Filipino electorate who put them there in the first place. Remember also, that Filipinos don’t really take care of their surroundings very well. A cavalier attitude towards proper waste disposal and the clogging of essential waterways have only served to aggravate the problems they have with rains and the accompanying floods.
You’ve got politicians hooked on pork (pork-liticians?), and you’ve got people who put those people in positions of authority. Add to that the cavalier attitude that Filipinos have when it comes to treating their environment, and one has more than enough reason to describe the current state of the Philippines for what it is: A pigsty.
Year in, year out, the same old problems occur as a consequence of the Filipinos’ actions both at the ballot box, and on the streets where they live.
How long do they plan to keep on clinging to their insanity?
А вы, друзья, как ни садитесь, все в музыканты не годитесь. – But you, my friends, however you sit, not all as musicians fit.
Well said F.A..
It is astonsighing to any foreigner who visits a populated beach in the Philippines when tables full of Filipino’s sit for hours on end at tables on the beach, under beautiful coconut trees and the bluest of skies, drinking beers and barbeque-ing foods and then…when it is time to leave? What do the Filipino’s do? They just leave the shit there as if their momma is going to come and clean the whole mess up! Of course, momma does not appear and the whole mess just flies all over the beach and makes a complete pigsty out of a beautiful place provided by Mother Earth. An absolute disgraceful practice that happens constantly not only at the beach but virtually everywhere in the country. On several occasions it has occurred to me to say something to these pigs but it is their country and if they do not care enough about it and want to live in shit up to their eye-balls, well that is their decision.
Let it be said though, to see such practices done with total disregard for the consequences of their actions and such arrogance to act as if they have not commited a grave injustice to Mother Earth it leaves a very bad impression of the Filipino in general and can only lead a foreigner to think that they were raise in, what else???
A Fuckin pig-stye!
IDK what it will take to get this shameful behavior done away with but I have tried to get H.S. students to clean-up a certain beach(on Mindanao Island) on numerous occasions by offering 3 of them P500 each for 2 1/2 hrs. work with trash bags and rakes that I had supplied to them, but they did not want to even do it more than once. So I moved to an even more isolated beach as I could no longer stand every single Monday Am walking on the beach and seeing the garbage from the weekend sitting where it was left and/or blowing all over a once beautiful beach.(the owner of the resort will no longer put trash bins on the beach because they get stolen BUT that is hardly an excuse for such piggish and disgusting behavior).
So true. Continually amazes me hearing Filipino rave on about their beaches and how beautiful their country is, only to see exactly the behaviour you talk about. Lived in an apartment on Baloy beach (Subic) for a year. During the week the place was clean as the hotels (foreign owned) would clean the beach in front of them. On weekends jeepneys full of Filipino would come. Fine, it’s their country. After a weekend of Filipinos the beach would look like a garbage dump. Plastic bags, bottles, food scraps. filthy diapers…..right there where the filipinos had finished with them. There was no point staying on a beach if you don’t swim….and who wants to swim in shit! The part of the story that PH tourism officials don’t include.
Embarrassing! who would like to live in a country that stink and a pigsty? You come home for a vacation but have to be armed with lysol, ton of bottled water,and peptobismol, but pls. we can not blame all the Filipino people, blame the politicians who has no concern for the livelihood and well being of the people. They politicians are the scam of the earth and they are the pigs. Instead of leading the people with good governance, good hygiene, integrity, credibility they are the thugs, the thieves and the maggots. They should be uprooted so they don’t come back along with their sibling and children. They are not embarrass to go to other country displaying their looks and clothing bought from stolen money from the poor Filipino. Uproot these Philippine politicians they do not worth a centavo.
Most Filipinos may have made unaware mistakes on their actions toward environmental conundrums; however, the government still get the bigger share on this problem: In a “democratized” country like us, yes masses vote for these forever filthy politicians but afterwards, it’s government who’s in power by legislating and enforcing laws which people should act upon.
It’s more pigsty knowing that the essence of this constitution is ironic and apathetic. It all goes down to eradicating roots– biggest problem.
How so? By first junking the PDAF.
No pork and it won’t smell pigsty.
I am a foreigner turned permanent resident and in the last 2 years of living in the Philippines I have grown up all over again. The BS that citizens put up with is disgraceful. I see ten year olds buying cigarettes for their parents because mom and dad are gambling the last 100 pesos and I see people unwrap candies and simply throw the plastic on the ground like it has been done since the beginning of time. I have seen several people living alongside the Pasig River throw garbage bags full of trash into it with no hesitation. If you ever get the chance, look at the black sludge-like substance pouring into the Pasig River while it rains.
Although I agree that government officials should come up with a plan and spend the pork barrel money on more constructive things instead of a new house but as the saying goes; those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. The culture in this country is part of the problem. If you see someone littering or acting like a Neanderthal, call them out and embarrass them. Swear if you feel the need. Stop hiding behind the fear of being rude to people because the dirt bags don’t deserve respect. You will be amazed at the difference it will make if people are held accountable for their actions by other citizens. Let’s face it cops won’t do a thing about it.
The second problem is education. I have never seen a recycling center in the two years of my stay. I live in a middle class area because I am not rich, and only half the kids go to school on a regular basis. Granted my Tagalog isn’t flawless but any Congressman/woman or Senator clapping during the address should not be reelected; the Aquino address to the nation was laughable. He claimed that a teacher’s salary will be raised to 30k+ a month. Since most teachers salary is paid by the moms and dads of the students, that means it is more expensive for the parents and not a whole lot of money will come out of the government funds. Good luck keeping the streets safe now. Now all the teenagers with nothing better to do will just stick to making babies as soon as they graduate high school.
I hope that I did not offend anyone by generalizing but please keep in mind that I am generalized every day. People beg for money and food, ask to borrow money and the women introduce themselves to me wearing little more than a bra and panties infront of my wife and 10 month-old-daughter. My advice to the vast majority of Filippinos: Police your own and shame the scrubs destroying your environment. Push for sex education in your school system and stop allowing church and state to mingle. Religion has no place in politics. 83% Catholics in this country, no wonder!!!! Take responsibility for your own actions and do your part.
This was not directed at anyone specifically unless you are a dirt bag using the streets of Manila as your personal landfill.
the hypocrisy in your comment is that you say that ‘do not hide behind not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings’ and then in your closing salutation YOU do the same thing!
Look, this is not my country. I am here on borrowed time and am I going to risk my life telling someone to clean-up after themselves? NO WAY, it is something someone else should have taught them years ago.
if you think I am a punk bitch, that is not the case either. I just know my place, I am a guest that is treated rudely and will not act rudely in return as I am not going to fight an entire neighborhood, the government or anyone else!Filipino’s must do what they must do to clean up their country, its that simple.
Totally agree, as foreigners, why waste time on fixing a country and it’s people that refuse to fix things themselves? Go out and enjoy the hot women and beaches… who in their sane mind would want to LIVE in this crappy country anyway?
Kuya, first of all im very embarrass to read your horrific stories about my country. One thing you had to learn about Filipinos. We are not as nationalistic and civic minded people on earth. Nobody gives a shit i don’t know maybe because of just utter plain ignorance or stupidity. Sad to hear. i wish that someday we can have a leader like lee kwan yu. Former leader of Singapore. again, i apologize for my countrymen’s primitive behaviour. Glad that i now live and have my family here in the US. Once in a while, i will travel to manila but will never live there. The noise, pollution and the behaviour of manilenos are atrocious.
The government, through the help of its agencies, DILG and DPWH are helping to ease flooding especially in Metro Manila by means of relocating informal settlers near waterways and maintenance of drainages. The OP also promised a P6.2 for projects versus flooding.
That is all futile right now because of one thing:
TOO LATE.
U mad? 😀
What a clueless idiot.
You are drowning in your own propaganda
This video should sum up what WE think of YOU:
if the video doesn’t load
The combination of criminality of the politicians and apathy of the people creates a perfect storm of decay and decline.
Big problems need creative solutions and courageous decisions. Ergo – expect no change.
What no change? A P352B to relieve flooding dramatically is on the way. It is a big project, so it takes time.
and thats BS bullshit.
There is no improvement in the way PNoy government is handling the flood crisis because PNoy prioritised persecuting Corona and GMA in his first three years in office. It’s too late for him to try and get credit for any possible improvement the P352B project you are talking about.
Who cares who gets the credit, just fix the problem. Hire a foreigner, pay him fairly and it WILL happen. Hire a Filipino politicians company and the funds will get stolen.
I’ll tell you who cares so much who gets the credit: BS Aquino.
OK but IF that is so, well then: Give the baby his bottle, u kno?
Better to fix the dam (literally) problem than worry about who is getting credit for it, no?
it is so bad that people are drowning in leptospirosis filled water, getting dysentery, what is next? a cholera epidemic? Geez, do something to fix the problem already. HIRE a foreigner too, instead of the relative of a thieving Filipino politician.
‘Gerry says:
August 20, 2013 at 11:44 am
Who cares who gets the credit, just fix the problem. Hire a foreigner, pay him fairly and it WILL happen. Hire a Filipino politicians company and the funds will get stolen.’
i agree. who cares about credit. who cares about opinions.
WHAT IS THE ACTION PLAN MOVING FORWARD FILIPINO PEOPLE? whine, complain, sulk on what could have been, pout.. etc?
The people that your BS master serves needed that flood control project yesterday, birdbrain.
If instead of focusing on persecuting his political enemies and undoing their projects which actually had potential, he had actually focused on, you know, building something, perhaps those wasted three years wouldn’t have been, you know, wasted.
P352B to relieve flooding? I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out they’re gonna spend less than a quarter of that for RELIEF GOODS instead and keep the 3 quarters.
The 352 billion was the knee jerk propaganda reaction to last years floods and the PROPOSAL covered the next 23 years expenditure and a range of ideas/projects! That puts the proposal figure into perspective and the fact that it is fiction not reality.
Just more talk and trying to buy time whilst the money that should be spent on flood control is stolen by cabinet secretaries and politicians.
Hire a non-interested third party, a foreigner who will come in, fix the problem, demand fair payment, and leave. Hire a crooked Filipino politicians relative and you know what will happen, don’t you?
Definitely no change from your bald boss in malacanang and you certainly didn’t change the way you post your propaganda, idiot.
Your president’s time is running out.
a thorough house cleaning is warranted. get rid of all of them. they had their chance BUT THEY BLEW IT! No more thieving, plunder gets the death penalty. Time to stop screwing around. the shit is beyond serious.
Your president was foolish in cancelling the flood control project of the previous administration. He could have adjusted it or changed it but noooo…. he choose to cancel it and now the whole country is flooded again thanks to your president’s decision.
You certainly have proven yourself to be an idiot once again eh, Malacanang idiot?
The principles, or lack thereof, of filipinos that manifests into every single negative thing we can say about the country is so deeply ingrained that I can only think of 3 ways to effect the change we have all been hoping for
1. Elect an effective genuine pragmatic philanthropist. Goodluck!
2. Ethnic cleansing and/or genocide. But I think family annihilation of every single political dynasty is enough.
3. Invasion by a sadistic hostile foreign military force, be under occupation for 5 years then liberation by a friendly force. Basically just another 1941-45 or as Gokongwei would call it “The Great Equalizer.” But I hope that doesn’t actually happen again.
Anything less and I would go so far as to say that our great grandchildren and so on will still be posting, trolling, flame baiting in GRP about the same problems. e.g. FallenAngel VII, Paul Farol III, benign0 VIII, bida kapamilya MCMXCIX??
The point is that the Philippines needs to be reformatted to effectively remove the virus, only then can we choose the right OS to install otherwise it won’t matter how good the OS is if the virus is still running in the background infecting one file after the next. Maintenance would be just to disk cleanup any budding corrupt and defrag the squatters.. 😀
When there is wholesale corruption in government the fallout is
1. Professionals don’t pay their taxes – understandably – so the total available for infrastructure and services, especially after 30-40% is creamed off what is available, gets less and less as the population gets more and more. A double whammy
2. The brightest and best simply leave for pastures anew abroad, leaving behind the incompetent and the criminally inclined to f@ck up anything they try, if they even try, when they are not busy planning scams and managing their nefarious activities. Another double whammy.
Result. The criminals leading the country, the incompetents doing their bidding, the blind believing any propaganda, and the dumb just trying to survive.
And pnoy aquino acting like the deaf dumb and blind kid in “Tommy”
Tolentino should go out with a camera and take a few snaps.
Send the pictures to Dan Brown
Wish You Were Here
Most politicians and government officials and even employees are are pigs because they came from a society of pigs.
The new generation which everyone talks about as “future of the country” are becoming even more pigs than the older ones.
On flooding,the government wouldn’t dare to spend more money on rescue equipment and infrastructures to prevent or alleviate flooding because they are preserving the taxpayers’ money for their personal use.
The “daang matuwid” of president Aquino is pure hypocrisy! When he was confronted with the call to abolish the pork barrel his s**t scattered all over the place.
Change and The Philippines doesn’t even makes sense to be put in a sentence. The problem is already deeper than the flood that BS Aquino seems to ignore. What I’m waiting for now is another release of a photoshopped picture from MMDA/DILG like something that appeared last year from their social networking site, that was a classic example of how “authorities” handle these kinds of situations.
It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.
Joseph Stalin
A man above mentioned ‘Cleansing’. AH, the prefect term for a not too pretty end for all of the SCUMBAGS who have stolen just about everything the country has in terms of monetary wealth.
Well, I’ve got my popcorn and can’t wait till the show starts! YIPPEE! Don’t stop now!
The only way the Philippines can ever make it out of the hole is for another country to pwn it and run it.
Shouldve just let Spain pwn it, Japan pwn it, US pwn it.
Filipinos dont have the capability to run their country due to lack of discipline. Seems like emotional Filipinos just run their mouths and cant commit to things over the long term. Filipinos play checkers and then quit halfway in the game. Need some hitters to play the game of chess.
Only thing pwning Filipinos these days is TV TV TV, pop culture, trying to fit it. being brainwashed by advertisements, dancing, singing, etc… Filipinos would rather look good and lose than look bad and win. That aint gonna get you nowhere bro.
Filipinos, if you want your country to actually modernize and become more civilized, freaking let an established country come in and take over. Afterwards, dont fight for independence, just bend over and take it like a champ.
Don’t be so cruel with your words. Let Mother Nature do her course.
I believe the only things for now, that will teach Filipinos the value of unity, cooperation and respect for healthy political and social systems are EARTHQUAKES, VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS (although they don’t seem to happen often lately) and WEATHER DISRUPTIONS (heavy rainfall, “bagyo”, etc.).
I believe crisis always brings out the best from others over the long term.
Your wrong. How many times had the Philippines Been hit by calamities and yet there are the Filipinos still cannot Learn from that experience. Filipinos need to seriously look in the mirror, brainstorm and evaluate their deficiencies of what can be done to combat mediocrity and incompetence. There should be a code of ethics. ACCOUNTABILITY should be taught to everyone for that is the only way a country and its people will progress.