Help Tacloban survive the present

In the August 3 issue of the Philippine Star, UN special rapporteur Chaloka Beyani is quoted as having said that the government had not done enough for those left homeless by Yolanda.

I'm certain he is referring to the national government whose assistance to Yolanda victims in Tacloban City leaves much to be desired. It came in trickles and much delayed.

Assistance to disaster victims must be immediate - it must address their basic needs: food, clothing, shelter.

Disaster response is an emergency situation and must be treated as such - existing rules re public service must be waived should the need be urgent.

These thoughts arise as we grapple with the realities facing us - the victims - survivors of that horrendous disaster. Did we or did we not get such kind of assistance? It breaks my heart to say we did not!

If people, governments, organizations oceans of miles away did away with distance to reach us - how could our own government abandon us in our hour of dire need? This is the cry of all Taclobanons!

This is not the time for throwing brickbats. But when - adding insult to injury - the high officials of our country fault us with being remiss in the performance of our sworn duties to the public - we cannot but answer in self - defense.

In his SONA, the President referred to a mayor of a Local Government Unit. Unit in the Visayas who he said offered land for housing for Yolanda victims and then changed his mind because that lot was to be used for another purpose.

No one doubted he was referring to our City of Tacloban. The truth of the matter is this: The National Housing Authority rejected the offer of land in the northern barangays because the land was hilly - and it would be more expensive to develop it than if flat land would just be bought for such a project.

This is on paper - the NHA refusal of such an offer is documented! I am sure the President was given data - but not facts. (A fact is a proven truth.)

In local governance, the Local Government Unit is the basic layer. The LGU directly deals with the people in its area of jurisdiction. The National Government's role is to support the LGU's. It has the resources to provide - augment whatever resources are at the local level.

Immediately after Yolanda - if the international community had not come to Tacloban, we would have fallen flat on our face.

We Taclobanons are really at a loss as to why we who were the most badly hit were the last to receive help. If what Secretary Mar Roxas - two days after the typhoon - said to theTacloban City Mayor: "Remember you are a Romualdez; the President is an Aquino" is any indication - then alas, we were victims of political history.

President Aquino is the President of all Filipinos - Taclobanons included. It is his sworn duty to help each and every one of us - most especially those who need help the most.

When Marcos was President Mayor Alfred was only 3 yrs. Old. Is it his fault - is it the fault of Taclobanons - that he is the son of his father who is the brother of the wife of a former President that the present President hates?

We do not want to cross swords with the most powerful man in our country. But we appeal to him - the past is history. You are young - the future still beckons to you. Help us to survive the present. At this point - we don't even dare think of the future.

But we can still say: "Tacloban will right itself - count its blessings - repair its wounds - and move into the future!" ---Writer is the Tacloban City government's information officer.  Bernardita B. Valenzuela