Image Credit: Whoever took the photo (Please advise for revision)

“The responsibility of ministers for the public safety is absolute and requires no mandate. It is in fact the prime object for which governments come into existence.”

-Winston Churchill

Yesterday, Ondoy submerged the Metro with flood waters that no one (at least in my lifetime) has ever experienced. It dumped more rain than the country ever got for the month. Save for a few areas that aren’t flood-prone (high ground), practically the whole Metro was submerged.

Rich and poor, famous and the unknown, were forced to deal with flood waters. Many spent hours cold and hungry on rooftops. Many needed evacuation. Many died.

Classic case of Philippines and our government – continuing to deal with problems that should have never existed. Blame poor urban planning. Blame corruption. Blame indiscipline.

We’ve been having flood problems ever since, well, ever but that should’ve made us experts in dealing with the situation. That should’ve prompted us to prepare for the worst. But no.

We’d rather deal with the fallout than the blast but all we have is a tin foil shack for cover.

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Comparisons may be pointless but the devastation brought about by Typhoon Ondoy might as well be our Hurricane Katrina particularly in the social and political ramifications of the calamity. It might not rival Katrina in terms of devastation but the failure of prevention and the failure of relief and rescue echo.

Check out Keith Olbermann back in 2005:

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To MMDA and Chair Fernando: How many of our tax pesos did you spend on the many square feet of tarpaulin banners with your mug pasted? Care to compute how much additional road and drainage work the amount might have made? How many relief goods it would’ve have generated now?

To Sec. Ebdane: Considering running for president, huh?

To President Arroyo: $20,000 on a dinner and many of our countrymen spent a day and night starving in the cold with their homes and property submerged in the flood?

To all the other politicians: This should be a true test to your service to the nation. If anyone’s out to capitalize on the calamity for some election brownie points, burn in hell.

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All we need now is our own Kanye to tell Arroyo, “Gloria Arroyo doesn’t care about the Filipino people.”

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Bayanihan mode. I admire everyone online who coordinated efforts in creating avenues for rescue and relief. I salute you.

Strapped for cash myself, but since I’m thankful I never had to deal with the flood water, I parted with a few of my PayPal dollars. There goes part of the rent but at least I never had to go up a roof.

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I’m pretty worried about Rish as well. The last time I got to contact her was when their landline went out and flood water has submerged their ground floor as well. Mobiles have no coverage.

UPDATE: Rish is doing fine. Thank goodness.

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Emergency/Rescue/Evacuation

• Red Cross: 143, 527-0000. Centers for relief: Red Cross chapters in Rizal, QC, Valenzuela, Bulacan.
• Phil. Nat’l. Red Cross Rizal Chapter operations center hotline: 635-0922, 634-7824. Send full address of stranded friends/family to Sen. Dick Gordon 09178997898/0938444BOYS
• National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) Emergency Numbers: 912-5668, 911-1406, 912-2665, 911-5061. Help hotlines: 734-2118, 734-2120.
• Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA): 136
• Philippine Coast Guard: 527-6136
• Bureau of Fire Protection Region III (Central Luzon) Hotline: (045) 9634376
• San Juan City Hall Command Post: 468-1697
• MERALCO hotlines: 0917-5592824, 0920-9292824
• Contact NCRPO 838-3203, 838-3354 for rubber boat requests. You can also text 0917-422-6800 or 0927-675-1981 for rescue dump trucks. Appeal for those able, to lend 4×4 trucks for rescue: Pls. send truck to Greenhills Shoppng Center Unimart Grocery to await deployment, tel. 09209072902.
• 505 Rescue needs life-vests & rubber boats for their rescue operations. Please bring to Villamor Air Base.
• Office of Sen Villar to rescue stranded people: 0917-4226800, 0917-2414864, 0927-6751981

Relief and Charity

• Red Cross donation through SMS: text REDAMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 (Smart)
• TextPower
• Relief goods for Red Cross (drinking water, baby formula, canned goods, clothing):
• Red Cross Rizal Chapter operations center 635-0922, 634-7824 needs drinking water, canned goods, clothing for Cainta, Marikina, San Mateo, Pasig. or go to Red Cross QC Chapter, QC Hall Gate 7 along Kalayaan Avenue, tel. 920-3672.

Check out these other posts:

1. There is hope yet
2. Got rice?
3. Surreal