Flood victims accuse Aquino govt of sleeping on the job

Flood victims accuse Aquino govt of sleeping on the job

Typhoon Pedring began ravaging Luzon on Sept 26, but it was only on Oct 2 that an “emergency” meeting to address this was called by the Aquino government.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Outrage over the Aquino government’s seeming “lack of concern for the country” continues to be aired today by ordinary citizens. Some of them gave vent to their frustration over the government’s inability to respond effectively to disasters by sending text messages and appeals for help to the media. A big part of Central Luzon is still submerged in deep water as six dams continued to release water until yesterday, but the affected villages got little to no assistance from the government.

This lack of decisive action from the government was punctuated by what many ordinary victims of flooding in Bulacan described as a bit “belated” call for an “emergency meeting” by the government.
Typhoon Pedring began ravaging Luzon on Sept 26, but it was only on Oct 2 that an “emergency” meeting to address this was called by the Aquino government. As of today, some parts of Bulacan are still submerged up to the peoples’ neck. Water supply remains cut off, worsening the lack of potable water especially for villages that are still not being reached due to strong water current or heavy flooding.

Disease outbreaks are feared in cramped evacuation centers because of lack of water and medicines.

People out on flooded streets to procure water and food, like in these photos taken in Hagonoy, Bulacan last Oct 2, become familiar sight in some Central Luzon towns after Pedring. (Photos by Bro. Martin Francisco / bulatlat.com)

Affected citizens also smarted from the evident lack of information about their predicament as the people are blamed yet again for supposedly not heeding calls to evacuate. Benito Ramos of the National Disaster Risk Management and Coordinating Council also said something like this when he announced that they will no longer “deliver” aid to people stranded in their homes. The mayor of Calumpit pleaded against the decision, reasoning that the people are stranded precisely because they have no means of leaving their flooded homes. Besides, he said, there is insufficient space in evacuation centers and they could not evacuate everybody.

President Aquino had been in Japan when Pedring hit the country in Sept 26. But when Aquino first landed back home, he was barely heard nor seen by Filipinos, except when he threatened the protesting workers of Philippine Airlines with charges.

Filipinos have been expressing their outrage over the “absentee” President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, a social welfare secretary whom they complained of having lingered abroad while typhoons are ravaging the country, the dam operators who ordered the massive release of water simultaneously, and the general lack of relief and rescue equipment that hamper even the immediately cobbled up efforts by the National Disaster Risk Management and Coordinating Council..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/10/02/flood-victims-accused-aquino-govt-of-sleeping-on-the-job/