Last Tuesday, another earthquake hit Japan, stronger offshore than the magnitude 4-5 felt in the Tohoku region. Media immediately responded, continuing tsunami alert announced non-stop. The urgent announcement asked everyone to stay away from the shore and rush to higher ground or to evacuation sites. In the areas to be hit by the spotted tsunami, patrol boats with their loud sirens urged all those at sea to hurry back to shore. Police cars also made sure that everyone heard and heeded the alert. Within 20 minutes or less, confirmed reports announced that all residents were accounted for and in evacuation centers. Gratefully, the tsunami dissipated after reaching about 20cm. That Japanese disaster response system is one quick disaster response system that we hope to practice here in our country!
On our way back from Danao to Cebu City last Monday evening, there were about 6 ambulance vehicles rushing their patients to the nearest hospital. Our Toyo University colleague, Gaku Manago-sensei, here with 32 Toyo University students for a community development workshop at the University of the Philippines Cebu asked me the average time it takes ambulance to reach the nearest hospital in Cebu. I said I did not know because the time depended on several factors, like traffic for example. In Japan, he shared, after several experiments, the ambulance is able to reach the hospital within 6 minutes. Wow, that means a very responsive support system is in place, in favor of those most urgently needing the help! Again, we hope that this effective emergency rescue system will be in place soon throughout our country!
Sadly, politics is still the main preoccupation of most Filipinos rather than the poverty or disaster/emergency needs of our people. Do those who are asking for the ouster or resignation of PNoy have a clear alternative of honest effective governance replacement system or people who will take care of our needy? If PNoy continues till May, will he finally prioritize the poor and the needy more than the rich, his party and kaibigan? Before he consented to running for president years back, he went on a spiritual retreat for guidance and discernment. This is another time PNoy badly needs another spiritual retreat so he can be guided by God to stay on, or to offer to resign, or to take alternative paths to finally, genuinely serve our poor and needy millions soonest.
Purok Igot in San Francisco, Camotes was inspiring for us. All of their 113 households were accounted for and duly documented. The vulnerable groups that included the women, children, the elderly, and the persons with disabilities per household were identified and always prioritized especially during disasters. All households also attend regular monthly meetings and join hands doing monthly community work. Environmental waste management and cleanliness/beautification projects are regular practices expected of all. The whole purok also prioritizes their economic thrusts, with community income and other data regularly documented and posted for all residents to see. In their community-installed modest purok hut, kits for disaster and medical emergency are available for all to learn and to have ready in their own household.
Transparency, accountability, participative governance on the empowered residents are so evident to outsiders. What an inspiring example for all other communities in our country!
San Francisco Mayor Al Arquillano has initiated this valuable effective purok system. United Nations awardee Mayor Al dreams that his purok initiative becomes the norm for all our communities in the Philippines. The San Francisco purok model is effective and responsive for all community residents during normal and disaster/ emergency situations.
Mayor Al also gave up politics for now to concentrate on sharing this purok initiative with as many local government and civil society leaders as he can reach. May more leaders like Sir Al thrive in our country!
The puroks of San Francisco allow us to remain hopeful that our country can be better with more and more of our people empowered to cooperate together and to manage their lives and communities together! Padayon San Francisco, Camotes, mabuhay and salamat!