Two months after the Sendong calamity, many survivors are
already stable in the tents given by the government. These survivors are often
supplied by different kinds of charitable organizations.
Some evacuees I interviewed even bragged about the
abounding clothes given to them. Not only clothes, but a lot of these evacuees are given free
medical check-up (including dental and eye check-ups), food supplies and even
cash gifts. But, behind these fortunate survivors lies an unrecognized purok with approximately 50 families unattended.
The damage in this purok was as extensive as Hinaplanon,
except for the logs. This area was badly hit but some sectors of the local
government unit failed to recognize it as a “hit” area. That is sad because
those people in that area had experienced scarcity in food and resources, not
to mention the epidemic diseases.
Because of it being unrecognized, that purok is
deprived of help from the government. Residents there said that during that day
(after the calamity), many of them were left starving. Good thing that some of
the food they recovered were still edible and they were able to share it with
their neighbors.
But this alarming issue does not only involve their
problem on resources but also health. The epidemic diseases were on an epidemic
scale, threatening the children and not only the children but also the adults
and the seniors. Leptospirosis, a circulating disease caused by the unsanitary
environment is threatening the very lives of the residents.
The more or less fifty families living in that barangay
are deprived by those free Stress debriefing sessions enjoyed by the evacuees
in tent cities. Traumatic experiences if
not dealt with may bring further damage to a person.
Few charitable organizations have already visited there,
but as many volunteers would say, it is not enough. The residents cannot cope
with the damage that Sendong brought to their purok, not on their own. They
needed help. I do hope that the government would soon respond to this alarming
situation.
Why didn't they recognize that place in Hinaplanon, Kim? :( How sad. However, we've got to do what we've got to do. In the end, we cannot really depend on anyone. Maybe it's time we think this way so we won't expect from the government anymore; so we won't be disappointed anymore. Eventually, if they see that nobody needs them and that the people can move for themselves, they'll change.
ReplyDeleteThat is a probability Flor. It's just so sad that some authorities aren't just that responsible. Too bad.
ReplyDelete