As Severe Tropical Storm “Paeng” (International Code Name: Nalgae) was whipping several regions of the country with all its might of strong winds and heavy rains the past two days, netizens were battered in the social media space with squabbles.
Hours before “Paeng” was forecast to make landfall, Facebook newsfeeds were teeming with dissent from the high number of fatalities due to the floods, flash floods landslides in Mindanao, especially the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Some took to social media about the lack of advisories and national government statements. Others rue the slow calamity response by government agencies. Many were crying for urgent help.
FB user Paspas Balita posted on Saturday morning: “We deserve the same attention and help!! that the Luzon, Visayas get when they are in a state of calamity. Ba’t ang tahimik pag kami naman ang nakaka experience (Why are they silent now that we are the ones affected). MINDANAO NEEDS HELP.”
Proudly Filipino, another FB user, posted on Saturday morning: “A lot of unexpected things happened. Mindanao didn’t expect this kind of tragedy to happen to the region, and the help that they expected to come fast has been delayed. The focus was not on the region, even though Mindanao was the most affected one of the three main regions of the Philippines.”
A journalist based in Zamboanga City, where 21 villages were hit by floods and flashfloods, and displaced thousands of families, wrote in the vernacular: We don’t need your faces on Facebook, we need to see your faces on the field helping the affected families.”
A former broadcaster posted on FB: “Help Mindanao. It looks like only we from Mindanao will help each other. It is not even reported in the Philippines what is happening here in Mindanao that almost 100 hundred people are dying due to incessant rains, flooding, and landslides. Fight friends. Let’s work hard.”
Some traded barbs on the issue of an information agency’s seeming inadequacy but were parried by an official with alleged “arrogance.” A case of “she said, he said” doesn’t address the issue at all.
She said: “Is this true? I know it shouldn’t be like this because we’ve been focusing on all the calamities for 6 years. We made sure that everyone would prepare and we report what is happening on the ground. Honestly, I don’t see any men on the ground. We need to see the movement down there while there is a typhoon.”
He said: “Not true. The government is at work. From President Duterte to President Marcos, the government is working… I started Laging Handa PH that others claimed… this is a huge insult to the government employees she was once part of. This is a big insult to DSWD, to OCD, and all our front liners. Stop the fake news, the disinformation.”
Another said: “… Are you really a public servant? Where is your concern for those affected by typhoon ‘Paeng’ post, none! But you block it seems like you have done a lot! Are you offended by the comments? Just answer it properly like a true servant of the country. Boast now, too bad! May humility find you, not all the time you are on top.”
She said: “I am a private citizen. Like everyone, we are free to ask questions or give opinions. I hope we will be treated in a proper way of explaining.”
There are actually more FB posts — enough to churn post “Paeng” stories. Some make sense while several are irresponsible, insensitive and offbeat.
Our heart breaks from the extent of damage to life and property due to the havoc wreaked by STS “Paeng” which placed 6 areas under Signal No. 2 and 21 others under Signal No. 1. Almost the whole Philippines was affected by “Paeng” due to its vast clouds reaching 980km/dm.
Our kababayans are suffering, enduring the repeated occurrence of natural calamities. At least 20 typhoons enter the country in a year.
As our hearts go to the families who are suffering the unimaginable pain of losing their loved ones, their homes, and their livelihood, this is not the time for bickering.
The staggering scale of the destruction, pain, and misery, should pose a challenge to ensure that recovery and reconstruction efforts will leave devastated communities better prepared to withstand future calamities.
It is evident for everyone, from whatever political or color spectrum, to stand as one in rebuilding storm-ravaged areas.
Complicated and overwhelming as it may be, it is certainly an opportune time to set right the economic conditions that made people living on the margins and in hazardous areas, vulnerable.
It should also open doors to adopt just and resilient socio-economic, cultural, and political structures and institutions as a replacement for unjust social and economic set-ups.
A mutual FB friend Toti Galang said it right — that we need a multi-sectoral approach to comprehensively plan steps to mitigate damage to life and property in the wake of natural disasters for the sake of our national security and progress.
The country’s best scientists, engineers, urban planners, policymakers, and volunteers, alongside the government, should unite in drafting a nationwide strategy to redress the policies in responding to natural calamities that drain concerted resources.