Decomposing corpses all over: Survivors' health endangered

CEBU, Philippines -  Five days have passed since Yolanda hit Eastern Visayas but the local government officials, especially in the southern towns of Leyte, have no evident efforts to resolve the problems as a result of the devastation, according to philanthropist Malot Galenzoga of Baybay City.

Volunteer physician Dr. Irma Guibona of the Baybay Para sa Kauswagan group of Galenzoga declared: "Survivors are now in danger of getting ill themselves because of the stench from the dead,"  citing the coastal towns of Tanauan, Tolosa and Dulag where decomposing corpses still littered the roads and yards of destroyed houses. "No one from the government has moved to dispose these properly," she said.

Leyte leaders failed to deliver the basic response to address the immediate needs of the people here. "Incompetence and negligence of key public officials are alarming," lamented Galenzoga who was in Cebu City yesterday to spearhead a donation drive, along with the Compañero Cayetano Tabang Volunteers (CCTV), the Cebu Jaycees and the United Waray-warays in Cebu Inc (UWWCI).

"There are many who would like to help. The problem in Baybay City is that there is no ground commander to oversee the situation and no planning where to distribute the relief goods," Galenzoga said.

"We are here to ask our officials, many of whom have left either for Cebu or Manila to escape the devastation and terrifying situation. Please go back for help. Leyte is like a distressed ship with its passengers abandoned without mercy by the captain," said Galenzoga.

Security is also bad, she said. "Some relief goods being transported to Tacloban and other towns are held up and stolen along the way. Where are the law enforcers?"

Galenzoga said affected people from Tanauan, Tolosa, Dulag and MacArthur towns walked for hours, even days, to reach Baybay City to get foods, transportation fuel and contacts. "Baybay can't control anymore the deluge of people from other areas. Forced entry in houses and holduppings have been reported in the city yesterday with the intent of securing food due to several days of hunger and food shortage. We could not blame the people."

Stocks of commodities in Baybay are near depletion, and there is now overpricing of gasoline, which is now at P100 per liter, but there is not enough supply. "We went to Maasin City to buy our gasoline," she said.

The city's social welfare office had told the people that it was still waiting for funds to come from the Capitol, the reason why it could not extend help. "Why? Is there no more funds in the city coffers? Yolanda was the first calamity that hit Baybay, so the calamity fund should still be there to feed the people and help them survive," said Galenzoga.

Galenzoga also hit Energy Secretary Icot Petilla, former Leyte governor. "He has been calling for help but up to now he has not done anything himself to resolve the problems of his province, not even the restoration of power supply, which he has the power and influence to do, being the secretary of the DOE."

Even Health Undersecretary Janet Loreto Garin, also a close relative of the Petilla-Cari clan, has the power to help due to her post in government, but even now she has not sent a medical team to Leyte to conduct health services," said Galenzoga.

Rey Martinez of CCTV said, “People are starving. Victim didn’t feel any help from the nation government. Where are the billions of pesos in foreign donations?”

Linda Enriquez, executive director of the UWWCI, said: "We are here in Cebu to ask for help. There must be unity and not politics. We need to act. People in Leyte and Samar will die not because of the typhoon but due to hunger and lack of basic needs, such as shelter.

"I personally appeal to PNoy. He has the access to funds, so he must act now and please look into the typhoon victims," she said.

UWCCI founding president Henry Tumalangcad, said the organization is now in full force to gather donations and bring these goods to Leyte and Samar. "Tacloban is now a dead city," he said in near tears.

Superintendent Bart Sagadal, chaplain of the BJMP-7 and UWWCI member, said the Tacloban-Ormoc area has been deprived of help. "Victims could not do it themselves; they need help from outside. For government officials, now is the real test of their sincerity and service to their constituents. A real shepherd attends to the needs and welfare of his herd of sheep," he said.

Cebu Jaycees president Ken Ngo said his organization has enough capability in gathering donations and stocking these, but "we can't sustain the distribution for a long period," that's why more help is needed.

Martinez meanwhile announced that Roble Shipping had offered to transport relief goods to Leyte, free of freight charges, and without fare for the people transporting these. "The firm can even pick up these goods from its source into loading these to the vessel," he said.  (FREEMAN)