Worse than Ondoy

I wanted to just keep quiet and let it go. I wanted to just forget what those people did because they are victims of tragedy. But the more I hear about it in the news, the more convinced I am to talk about it. Sometimes, these bad things have to be said so other people will learn and be warned.

I am talking about the lootings, vandalism and other unfortunate events that have been happening in Metro Manila despite the tragedy of Typhoon Ondoy.

Typhoon Ondoy may have washed away homes, separated families and claimed lives but it also gave rise to heroes and awakened the Bayanihan spirit among Filipinos. The stories of heroism, courage and perseverance amidst the tragedy that the typhoon brought to Luzon are really inspiring.

But while most people who were struck by tragedy, and those people who extended help, tried to find something to smile about despite what happened, there are those who are just out to ruin the moment. These people are the ones who steal relief goods and those who steal from abandoned houses. These are those who vandalize and steal from evacuation centers or insist on staying at schools used as evacuation centers despite being told that they have to transfer because classes will resume. These are the people who leave garbage behind, not showing respect to the areas that gave them temporary shelter when tragedy hit them.

When Ondoy struck, it did not choose which homes to destroy. Rich and poor, big houses or small, Ondoy destroyed them all. But still there were people who had the nerve to steal from fellow victims.

Everyone was hungry, especially those from places that were deep in water and couldn't be reached by rescuers and those bringing relief goods. But still there were people who had the nerve to steal relief goods that were not meant for them. These people had the nerve to make copies of priority numbers provided by those distributing relief goods to facilitate an orderly distribution of goods.

And while there were people who tried to rise above the tragedy by looking for ways to earn to buy food, there were people who just relied on the relief goods given to them and even complained that the help they were getting was not enough!

Schools provided temporary shelter for most of the victims of Ondoy. These schools became the victims' home for a few days after the typhoon. But instead of taking good care of their temporary home, there were evacuees who pilfered the schools they were staying in, taking items like uniforms, notebooks, chairs, and even faucets! There were others who vandalized the rooms they were staying in, destroyed teaching materials and left lots of garbage.

It is so sad that despite the tragedy brought by Ondoy, there are still people who take advantage of the situation, people who think only of themselves, people who are selfish. These people are worse than Ondoy or any super typhoon.

* * *

Email: [email protected]