There is no story here. Only angst.
The destruction bought about by Sendong has left me speechless at the cruelty of life.
People are starting to compare us with Haiti. There are decomposing bodies everywhere.

On the other side of the planet, the President is having a party.
Manny Pacquiao just had his boat blessed.
Kris Aquino tells us that even if bad things are happening and many are sad,
Life should go on.
Our own Mayor Emano ordered the cadavers be placed in a dump site meant for garbage.
The big time loggers and the mining industry just celebrated an increase in their profits.

Apparently, there is a disconnect with reality.
Apparently, the book value of a human being is equivalent only to how much he earns or does.


I am not angry at Kris, or the President or Emano. At least not anymore. I mean how can I be?
They have the money to help us. They control the United Nations Relief Goods.

We are after all just another of their charity cases.
A population desperate for food, shelter and dignity.

Things which, as far as I can remember, are inscribed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

I am however sad.
Sad because I expected extraordinary things from them.
They were suppose to be extraordinary people.
Like Brangelina and Oprah

They were suppose to see us -
In a vast array of decomposing carcass.

When I listen to politicians discuss about what is wrong with the country, they all have something bad to say against the Philippine government. There is crime, dictatorship, corruption and a whole host of evil deeds, but the worst crime we can do to one another is neither corruption nor greed, it is APATHY.

For a few days now, our house in Macasandig, Cagayan de oro has laid in shambles due to the storm that ravaged our town. Everyone in our family is alive thank GOD and I am grateful that it was only property that was destroyed. Property after all, can be bought back, lives cannot.

There's a flood of emotions that I feel right now. I am angry.
Angry at Mayor Emano for placing those who died in the storm in a garbage dump like they were an eyesore.
Angry at the President for having a party while we suffered.
Angry at the illegal loggers and mining industry who destroyed our sanctuary.
But more importantly,
I am angry at myself for allowing these things to happen.

There is a lesson here. Or so I'd like to think.
You see when people see you suffer and yet pretend to not see you, it is an abomination.

When people see you as another body in a vast statistics is it reprehensible beyond compare, because now, it becomes a crime not against the state or the church but against our common humanity.

Never forget our humanity.