Are we ready when earthquakes and tsunamis strike?

As of today,  hundreds of people are found dead and countless  are missing in Japan after being hit by M8.9 earthquake and the east coast cities and towns were savaged by a 13 meter-high tsunamis. That was the worst earthquake in Japan. 

The earthquake and tsunamis had created a whirlpool in seabed of Fukushima

 At least Japan has developed earthquake-proof buildings, and synchronized alarm systems that have helped evacuated millions of people before the tsunamis savaged the city. If not, maybe millions of dead people will float in the coasts of their cities. Remember, Tokyo alone has 30 million populations.

The busy city of Sindai, caught by a tsunami

Philippines is so blessed. Although we are in the so called “ring of fire,” we did not experience as big as this natural disaster. I cannot figure out if this happened to our country, maybe millions of people will die. Thanks God! 

A disastrous tsunamis heavily savaged this village

Yet, Japan’s disaster is a precaution to us. Such catastrophe may happen to us anytime, anywhere.

The question is how ready are we if these calamities strike our country? 

The shanty area of Manila, with  thousands of poor Filipinos living in poverty

In the Philippines, look at the shanty areas along the coastal areas of Metro Manila where millions of impoverished Filipinos are living. Though they are aware of the danger but  still, they risk their lives of staying along the seashore or they will die in hunger. 

Along the seeashore, our impoverished Filipinos squate riskily

According to Architect Palapoc, one of the best architects in the Philippines, it is safer to stay in a high-rise building rather than being trapped in a three or two storey edifice. He said, at least the government is strict in implementing the policies for tall buildings but not in low-rise structures. 

Philippines is too prone for tsunamis, too. Yet, people choose to live along the bayside for their daily living. 

The very poor conditions of houses prune to eartquake, fire and even tsunamis

Our concern is not only about taking care of the environment because natural disaster strikes like a thief in the night. Readiness and saving lives are among the key concerns we have to do.

Are we prepared when earthquakes come?  At least we can be warned with tsunamis yet nobody knows when earthquakes will strike. Nobody knows!

Imagine if an earthquake and tsunamis strike this city?

Earthquakes, tsunami, volcanic eruption, will be with us forever. They happened in the past and they will happen tomorrow and the next millions of years hence.

We can only hope that the Earth sciences of geology, seismology and related fields will keep improving in order to allow us to better understand and better prepare for the impending natural geological movements.

Again, are you ready when tsunamis and earthquake strike?

VOX POPULI: WHAT’S WAITING TO OUR MID-EAST OFWs?

Millions of Filipinos leave the country to find a descent living in foreign lands. Approximately, there are nearly 11 millions of OFWs worldwide. Majority of them are domestic helpers and personal service workers. Others work as doctors, physical therapists, nurses, accountants, IT professionals, engineers, architects, entertainers, technicians, teachers, military servicemen, seafarers, students and caregivers.

Significantly, they had contributed a lot to the Philippine economy. In 2009, about US$17.348 billion in remittances was sent to the Philippines by overseas Filipino representing 13.5% of the country’s GDP.

More than 4 million OFWs are in the United States and 500 thousands are in Canada.

Europe became a working place and an alternative home for Filipinos. The UNited Kingdom is home to around 200,000 OFWs, while Italy has 131,000 Filipino migrants. Spain has 40,000; Greece , 40,000; Ireland, 11,500 and Norway, 12,000.

Australia has 127, 000 and New Zealand has 17, 000.

In our Asian neighboring countries, most OFWs are in Japan, 250,000; Singapore, over 150,000; Hongkong 140,000; Taiwan, 160,000 and South Korea, over 70,000;

Filipinos make up about 30% of the entire population of Sabah and they enumerate up to 900,000. They work in construction industries, fisheries, and other labor intensive sectors in hopes of a better living. Sad to say, they squatted in slum areas.

In the desert, we have more than 2 millions of OFWs mostly in Saudi Arabia and UAE. 3,000 mostly men working in military bases in Iraq. As many as 30,000 OFWs are in Lebanon. 28,000 OFWs are in Libya, Egypt, Bahrain, and Yemen. These countries are in political unrest.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda urged the government to pass a P750 million emergency supplemental budget for the repatriation of OFWs in the affected mid-east countries.

Statistics show that there are 669,042 OFWs in the Middle East of which 28,000 Filipinos are working in Libya with 10,383; Bahrain – 15,001; Yemen – 1,417 and Egypt with 483 Filipino workers. These countries are currently under volatile political situation.

With the repatriation of 28,000 OFWs in the Middle East,  the country would loss $112 million in yearly remittances which could give a negative impact to the country’s economy.

At least the Aquino government aimed at “Zero Casualty” among our OFWs who were caught by the rising conflict in the Middle East.

As of today, our forced balikbayans continue to surge in the NAIA terminal. Thanks God, they are home safe now. Some went home unpaid of their salaries. They are getting at least P10,000 from OWWA and a promise that there are jobs waiting for them in the Philippines.

It is a sad reality, that Filipinos get greener pasture in foreign lands.  The Philippines is endowed with rich natural resources and skilled human race but cannot earn descent living here! Why?

While Philippines is said to be a champion of freedom and democracy, it is evident that people do not enjoy the material blessings of a free economy because of unbridled corruption in the government.

Rich countries in Middle East are fighting to overthrow dictatorship in their governments, but the Philippines is impliedly suffering totalitarianism in most local governance.

How many decades our local governance mostly in far flung provinces is being controlled by few, rich families? In reality, it seems that position in the government is something that is inherited. Are our leaders being elected based on their performance? Or, is it because they have more pesos to buy votes during election?

If our leaders performed well, there were no 11 million Filipinos who submit to be enslaved abroad in exchange of bread and honey.

Our desire is to see our people transformed into a group of performance-oriented community who install leaders based on what they achieved and what they can contribute for the betterment of the country.

I believe in the saying, “What starts well, ends well.” If we want a truly prosperous community, we should start promoting clean and good governance now!

Who's to be blamed?

As requested by some of my readers, I am now updating my blog with my articles published in my opinion column, VOX POPULI  in BUSINA BIKOL NEWS EXPRESS.

Filipinos are no excuse to the political chaos the world is  experiencing today particularly in the Middle east. 

Libya is in the headline of most international media because of the conflict between Gaddafi government and the protesters. As of today more than a thousand  people were dead because of this unrest. 

In Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is now 32  years in power  is facing street demonstrations both from organized opposition parties demanding reforms.

In Bahrain, protests continue to surge as Shi'ite majority wants to overhaul the government and overthrow the al-Khalifa dynasty which ruled Bahrain for 200 years, and the family dominates a cabinet led by the king's uncle, who has been prime minister since independence from Britain in 1971.

We have thousands of OFWs in the Middle East who are seeking for a rescue.

Last week, we are bothered of Taiwan and Hongkong’s indifference to our OFWs. In China, many overseas Filipinos workers are in death row because of drug-related crimes.

These are the undesirable situations our OFWs, our biggest revenue providers are facing today.

Although, President Aquino with his administration is also addressing these problems but its negative effect to our OFWs and to their families can never be under-estimated. As Filipinos, they deserve to have a peaceful life. Out of the country, they sacrificed to earn a living for their family because our government failed to provide them a better employment in their own land.

Last February 25, we celebrated EDSA People Power – the day that gave the Filipino people a big hope that Philippines will be a better country after it. Democracy has been restored! After two decades and a half, Philippines became one of the poorest countries in the world and I think the least improved nation in the Southeast Asian region.

Look around you. Who are getting richer and who gets poorer? Is this the kind of life our government is promising.

I believe, what is happening to us has the consent of our voting populace. We are embracing democracy, but during election most of us instantly submit themselves to be fooled by politicians who buy every vote either at P500 or P200, or even at a kilo of rice and a sardine.

Then, after the election people blamed the administration for incompetence and corruption. Abuse of power in the government is so deafening. Some of us became naïve and numb of malpractices in our government because of hopelessness.

I could say, we never learned from our lessons in the past. Unless we increase our self-worth and dignity, the kind of growth and development we desire for our country can never be attained.

Let us have a good start now. Increase self-respect and stand as men and women of democracy who are created by God with equal worth to anyone.