Just these past few days, the Big Three raised pump prices by 2 pesos at most. The government, legislators and militant groups immediately raised their ferocious objections against this insensitive move. The Palace even passed an Executive Order mandating the immediate rollback of the price increase. This, IMHO, is just a short term solution to beef up the sagging reputation of the current administrator, and at the same time, serves as a trumpet call by those politicians hankering for public limelight.
Oil price increase is inevitable. Oil is a decreasing commodity. In time, market forces will demand the price increase. What our politicos should do is explore renewable sources of energy and ways to lessen our consumption of petroleum products. This is a far more effective way of combating the incessant oil price increase. But I doubt if they will ever seriously consider taking these needed steps, since they are known more for blowing hot air than doing things.
Streamline the public transport system. We have too many buses and jeepneys, which are not even fuel-efficient. Worse yet, they are among the top contributors of air pollution. Water and rail transport are feasible alternatives only if our national and local government officials would stop pandering to other stuff for their own advantage.
Tidal generators to generate electricity. We are an archipelago, for crying out loud. Too costly, they say? Stop corruption, then we will have enough money to implement these.
News through the grapevine confirms what a lot of people already know. The Philippines Bureau of Customs is still doing a good job of blocking incoming shipments, particularly those of relief goods. Presumably, this is to expedite the distribution of goods to those affected by Typhoon Ondoy who are currently working in the said bureau. After probably taking the choicest picks, then rest of the shipments will get released after a month or so.
Watching the news yesterday after the torrential rains stopped revealed a landscape of destruction and loss. Funny thing is that one does not seem to see any politicos in the media coverage of the disaster. Where are Villar, Aquino, Erap and others during the height of the disaster? “We cannot do anything… It’s out of our hands”???? Or maybe they are just silently providing their help? I do have one suggestion; instead of wasting millions of pesos for election campaigning next year, why not use the money for disaster relief and donations to rebuild the lives of the affected people???
As people are picking up their lives back, questions will not stop nagging them. Why did this happen? How could this happen?
Reading in Philippine Star online news:
“President Arroyo toured the devastated areas and prodded villagers to move on. She said the storm and the flooding were “an extreme event” that “strained our response capabilities to the limit but ultimately did not break us.”" While the flooding certainly is extreme, but the impact would have been lessened if the government is doing its job of preventing this magnitude of man-made disasters combined with a natural disaster.
A lot of factors came into play, which Typhoon Ondoy acting as the trigger for disaster.
1. Deforestation in Rizal, Antipolo and surrounding areas.
2. Shallow riverbeds.
3. Clogged, inadequate and antiquated drainage system.
