"Let everyone least give them a consolation,
if not help in order to rebuild themselves."
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| Men tend to women lying on the ground near debris after buildings collapsed during an earthquake in Cebu City, Philippines, in this Oct 15, 2013 still image taken from video. Photo: Reuters/ABS-CBN |
"Help them, but obviously, they know how to help themselves for at first all of you are snobbish, aloof when they at first called your help."
These are the words this writer think of all after seeing comments people urged assistance during a tragic event in the history of the Sugbuanons as well as Boholanons.
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| Filipinos stand by a damaged Basilica Del Sto Nino in Cebu, central Philippines Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013. AP/Chester Baldicantos |
That, all after experiencing a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in the isles of Cebu and Bohol, everything had turned into a pile of stones if not destroyed every piece, especially the old churches that had been destroyed and hence would take ten, fifty years to restore, rebuild, and retrofit every edifice with billions of pesos to spend upon from both government and private institutions willing to restore the grandeur.
Or perhaps exaggerating it.
However, what this writer, as well as others worried much is the people affected by that catastrophe given. Hundreds end homeless, killed, injured, all in need of consolation, if not help in order to uplift themselves both as an individual and as a steward in its own society.
By the way, why this writer had said consolation much in this writeup instead of help?
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| Bohol Churches perished by 7.2 magnitude earthquake Source: Facebook |
Well, as people had afford to post pictures about devastated churches, injured people, and calling for assistance like those of the Red Cross and other institutions, this writer had simply remember the times that those affected provinces such as Cebu had not been given support from the national government itself, as according to Wikipedia:
"During the governorship of Emilio Osmeña typhoon Ruping hit Cebu and devastated the trade-based economy and threatened the collapse of food supply, as Cebu is heavily reliant on the rest of the Philippines when it comes to food production. Desperate pleas to the national government for help was met with outright refusal since it was also busy rebuilding Luzon. The motto "Cebu is down but not out, and we can stand on our own" became a battle cry for Cebuano leaders. CEBOOM was born."
Yes, those times were difficult, both Manila and Cebu were devastated during the last years of the first Aquino administration, but disregarding Cebu? Or even any other provinces underdeveloped yet affected by a catastrophe? For an ordinary person this meant a mockery of national development that focused much on Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces.
Worse, a development that goes end up in the pockets of corrupt bureaucrats especially in an issue still being tackled. Personally, this writer would also say that with that catastrophe will the National Government allocate a big chunk of its own budget in recovering, rebuilding, restoring everything on areas affected? Or again doing the same bullshit just like what happened in 1990? For sure there are more roads and bridges to be rehabilitated immediately in order to pave way for the distribution of relief goods, restoration of communities, and even the rehabilitation and retrofitting of heritage sites Cebu and Bohol known for.
Anyways, all despite given help by those willing, or the possible allocation of the national budget in these so-called "efforts", Sugbuanons would rather still chant aloud and practise the same mantra that Cebu is down but can still stand on its own; there may be those willing to console, and Sugbuanons, as well as Boholnons will gladly accept thanks in assisting on improving themselves, knowing that the past of not being supported by Imperial Manila, and even corrupt officials who cares about profiteering themselves remains significant in their collective memories.
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| A product of corruption: substandard projects made by more sand, less cement and more kickbacks from bragging-rights hungry legislators |
Worse, of seeing roads made by these same people who had afford to brag it over, without steel? WTF! what kind of project is road building without any steel to strengthen upon?
Anyways, continue consoling and support their efforts in rebuilding Cebu and Bohol.
That's all for now,
Thank you.
Anyways, continue consoling and support their efforts in rebuilding Cebu and Bohol.
That's all for now,
Thank you.