Philippine Rehab Efforts Should Focus on the Flood Victims

A large number of the Philippine population is suffering right now from the massive devastation brought forth by two typhoons: Typhoon Pepeng and Typhoon Ondoy. Current relief and rehabilitation efforts by the government and the benevolent private sector should focus more therefore in improving the lives of these displaced citizens. The number of flood victims is just enormous. National Disaster Coordinating Council gives daily updates on the latest count of people affected by the two strong typhoons. Those numbers are in the hundreds of thousands and are situated in the affected regions in central, northern and southern Luzon, as well as in the Greater Manila area. This is a staggering challenge for the civilian government, the military and the private sector. Despite the creation of a special reconstruction commission to oversee the massive rehabilitation effort and manage the financial aid coming from abroad, it remains to be seen how all efforts to achieve a sense of normalcy can be achieved. Amidst all these activities, the focus should concentrate on how the thousands of victims currently staying in evacuation centers or still living in their damaged domiciles surrounded by a flooded or garbage-strewn environment can have a "normalcy" in their lives. If there is a plan for a permanent relocation of people, this plan should be a genuine effort to transfer these displaced flood victims to a decent location where the basic amenities of living are present and human dignity is preserved. Until now, news about relocations and more improvements and benefits for typhoon victims are hard to find. Government officials seem careful in announcing what will they do to thousands of people currently staying in evacuation centers or to people living in their damaged homes and are daily facing the challenge of wading in flooded streets. Recently, the head of Laguna Lake Development Authority told a group of senators in a Senate hearing that it will take about four months for the water in the various flooded communities to subside and return to the lake. He has no plans to alleviate the suffering of the flooded residents. This is just plain negligence. Efforts should be made, even at its awkwardness, to cut down the time that the people will suffer from wading in a flooded environment. Aside from the lack of the basic necessities of life, it should be noted that diseases are already on the rise. People wading in floodwaters are in danger of developing a bacterial infection called leptospirosis. This illness can be fatal if not given immediate treatment. Other diseases stalking the flood victims are diarrhea, cholera, influenza and dengue. It is therefore an urgent task for the authorities to speed up the process of drying out the flooded streets of the affected areas. Also, money should be allocated to buy bancas and rubber boats and distribute them to barangays. As much as possible, people should be discouraged from wading in floodwaters. By now, these waters are contaminated and very hazardous to one's health. All in all, anything that is being done in terms of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction shoud focus more in improving the lives of the flood victims and giving them hope for a better future.

Relocation Offer For Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng Victims Should be Complete

Aside from the loss of lives, Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng also rendered thousands of Filipinos either homeless or unable to return to their damaged houses. The big question now is: what's next for them after staying at the crammed evacuation centers? The Philippine government recently created a reconstruction commission composed of leaders from the government and private sectors, in order to manage and oversee the massive relocation and rehabilitation programs for the typhoon victims. This newly created commission is also tasked with the judicious use of the millions of foreign aid now coming from abroad for the sole benefits of the typhoon victims as well as for the reconstruction of the country's roads and bridges and other infrastructures damaged by the two typhoons. Relocation program for the thousands of families victimized by floods should be complete. It should assure the families the basic needs and comforts of life such as shelter, food, clothing, water, electricity, and source of income. The children should be be able to go to good schools and nice environment. This is not an easy task nor it can be done in just a short time. But if the government of President Arroyo and the new commission it created believed in serving its people at its time of greatest need, then this massive effort of reconstruction and rehabilitation can be achieved.