In the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda

 By: dodong.

The vulnerable provinces of typhoon will have to build better evacuation centers, much safer and sturdier and farther from the coastal areas where storm surges would not be able to reach them. Land use plans as basis for urban built-up development should be reconfigured to factor in storm surges, flash flooding and lost ecological balances that already imperil the inhabitants. Our local government units should now reconsidered their present building codes and ensure that new infrastructure strictly adhere to building codes and zonal regulations. No more substandard stuff, generally the result of rigged contracts and kickbacks. A dense population crammed into a poorly-planned habitat near the seashore or usually in the shoreline of every coastal towns and light materials used in shanties are immensely complicating the task of the government in ensuring safety of its people in the event of another super typhoon.  All devastated places in the recent calamity should undergo reconstruction sooner, the practice must be changed and this should no longer be on the paradigm of purely economic and social gain that saw the haphazard building of infrastructure and facilities from the latest ruins but with a long term plan defense and projection that can withstand the future strong earthquake and typhoon.

While the arrival of Yolanda was anticipated its overwhelming dimensions were not and it may yet go down in history as the most powerful storm to make landfall ever recorded. Typhoons Yolanda, Sendong, Pablo are one type of calamity and its unprecedented devastation of lives and properties introduced the country to a new global reality where environmental issues can no longer be ignored. The problem of climate change that affect our lives due to the modifications of weather should be addressed seriously, not that blithely and only those projects being glossed over by government and business firms in the rush where they can provide public platforms for profit-hungry politicians and their cohort individual enterprises, but rather will set a plan for a proactive solutions to counter these apocalyptic catastrophes visiting our country and imperatively it should now occupy prime place in development policy making. 

I hope that the government and majority of us will now learn and move on to the next step of mindset for the sake of the victims and our country to be security conscious. Disaster preparedness planning literature emphasizes that the effectiveness of a disaster plan can be tested only through actual disasters and that is why disaster preparedness plan should always be evaluated, revised and updated after every disaster. As shown by the preventive and preparation measures also suggested by other well-meaning individual and from other sectors of our society, I push the above ideas. Will the government and the people do it right this time and start a proactive preventive solutions rather than reactive? God bless us all.

A comment for a change of the Speech of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III

By: dodong
November 4, 2013


Defend the indefensible:

People were expecting to hear from PNoy speech explaining on how he will heed the clamor of his Boss, the people, to abolish the much abhorred pork barrel by dividing or subdividing his trillion lump sum executive budget or President Discretionary Funds into a line items in the next year's 2014 General Appropriation Act (GAA). Instead he gave much justifications and seems so certain of its constitutionality to continue using the Disbursement Acceleration Program despite it's now under the SC jurisdiction determining its legality.The DAP issue is "under judicial consideration", it means that a particular case or matter is under trial or being considered by a judge or court, so the parties involved must shun discussing the merits of the case in public lest you'll violate the "sub judice" rule, this is what I understand, he is the president of the Philippines, he has great influence. His public stance on the DAP’s legality and his TV speeches intended to campaign to turn the tide of public opinion in his favor, as well as his continuing use of the pork barrel while cases are pending in SC on the legality of these practices, as I understood somehow constitute undue interference in the judicial function. It was a repeat of this style before that he's openly campaigned in his alleged sponsored impeachment in congress, dots now have been connected and the line formed pointing to his unseen hands filled with fatten pork that influenced the legislators-judges to oust CJ Corona. Being the head of the Executive branch of the government, his actions are clearly in contravention of the principle of separation of powers.

In spite that nobody has accused him of being a thief, he chose that topic to defend and to declare he is no thief and called the people to rally behind him. PNoy’s style of leadership is using his popularity and resorting to popularity surveys to find out whether or not his actions are correct or legal. He seems to be giving the impression that the truth can be determined by the assessment of the greater majority of the people; that as long as he is popular, he is right. 

The issue here is whether or not the people should see the light that the public coffer is protected and the fund should be wisely spent for the general welfare of the people.What the boss want is for you to put the money into a good use and abolish the pork barrel. It's clear and simple, you missed the point Mr. President. 

The boss already identified the pigs in congress. If you walk like a pig, and whine like a pig, then you must be a pig. We will get rid of you.