5 Facepalm-Worthy Things in the Aftermath of Yolanda

Anyone who's come across me ranting about how the Philippine government's efforts to help Super Typhoon Yolanda are faring would know damn well I'm pissed. Unfortunately, unlike some, more talented (or pretentious) people, I cannot hide behind pretty words and pretty writing tones to express my burning displeasure at how things are going. I have to admit, of course, that the international community has been more than generous with the aid, and the Filipino people have once again been possessed by the energy associated with the Pacman's boxing bouts, this time to volunteer, donate, and clamor. I am proud to get to know some of these people.

 However, this blog post is not about the help that we've received and are continuing to receive. I was told before that true charity has to hurt and that might be true, but the hurt is superficial - like having a gauge 19 stuck into your forearm for a blood extraction (trust me, that's less painful than a prick on the finger, where all nerve endings are). Being able to give up something for the sake of others is, in itself, rewarding. That's probably the Vincentian in me talking, but there you go. 

But I digress. 

This blog post is being written for three purposes: (1) because I am heart broken and thus I need something else to occupy my bipolar psyche; (2) because I want to rant on behalf of people who want to point out so many idiotic things which are still happening, but cannot because it might cost them; (3) hopefully to convince people to remember the idiocies enumerated below and, for the love of decency and brain cells, NEVER DO THEM AGAIN.

Death threats and flame can go to the comment section. 

Facepalm-Worthy Thing #1: 

The "Never-My-Fault-Always-Your-Fault" move which heads of freaking state do again and again and again.

Facepalm Level:  

Ah, the blame game. Every spineless leader's favorite ploy. You know how it goes: It's always someone's fault except the spineless leader's. Unfortunately, the truth is, when the shit hits the fan and the ones cleaning the fan fail, the supreme leader fails by default. Moral lesson: don't let the shit hit the fan. If you can't prevent it, make sure the clean-up job would be as efficient as possible. 

Why is the inefficient aftermath clean-up (which includes helping people get their basic needs, recovering the dead and burying them with dignity, and rehabilitating the place where disaster struck) the fault of the supreme leader? Because said supreme leader has access to military power, diplomatic ties, billions of pesos in corruptible form (like PDAF and all the other names which we call the indiscriminate funds of public officials), the power to change protocol and ignore bureaucracy in favor of saving lives, and because the people said supreme leader are accusing of not being prepared do not have such resources. These people include the local government officials who belong to the opposing political family. These people are also the regular citizens who pay for the supreme leader's monthly salary, whose lives were ravaged by a natural calamity.

The blame game isn't helping them with anything, unless you call hypertension secondary to rage over politicking "help".

Facepalm-Worthy Thing #2: 

Saying that God sent the Super Typhoon Yolanda as a punishment/warning against the RH Law.

Facepalm Level:

With all due respect, but we have no need for insensitive middle ages crap like these.

I have two things to say.

1. Yung totoo, bakit puro RH? Kami ngang condom-giving, sex-talking, contraceptive-sharing hardcore RH advocates e tumigil sa usapin ng Reproductive Health Law upang bigyan daan ang pag-aadbokasiya sa mga naapektohan ng Bagyong Yolanda e, tapos ikaw isisigit mo. Yung totoo, you don't want the issue to die, noh?.......Secret RH advocate ka ba!? 

2. When I was a kid, I thought of Jesus Christ as an older brother - the kind who loved me, played with me, comforted me if I felt unhappy. He would be gentle not just with me but with everyone. He's awesome like that. He might sometimes pull my hair playfully or  give me a firm stare if I did anything bad. I imagined that sometimes he would have given me a tap on the wrist before explaining why I deserved the punishment. 

It is these kinds of portrayal - the punitive god, the jealous god, the petty god, the god who freaks out and throws tantrums like a toddler because the imperfect humans he/she/it created did not follow the whims of the supposed "representatives on earth" - killed the image of Jesus as a cool older brother for me. 

Seriously, stop giving God a bad name.

Facepalm-Worthy Thing #3: 

Telling people that if your devastated community elects an administration candidate in 2016, then next time all hell breaks lose, help would come sooner.

Facepalm Level: 

Yup. This baddie got the "I'm-French-kissing-a-mutated-lobster-looking-alien" facepalm. Congratulations, if you've done this kind of shiz, not only are you a hardcore idiot, but you've become eligible to be Supreme Leader of the Idiot Society. How tactless, insensitive, and insulting could you be? 

Let me tell you the truth in case your utter narcissism has blinded you to it: People who have been starving are desperate. They haven't eaten for days and they just really want to get their hands on those relief goods you're handing out, and you find it acceptable to give speeches implying that they haven't been receiving aid more efficiently because their city chief belongs to a rival political clan? Speeches that indicate your intention to run for an election three years from now?

Mahiya-hiya rin pag may time. 

Facepalm-Worthy Thing #4: 

Giving survivors all the wrong kind of help.

Facepalm Level: 

The bunny's kind of ashamed that some people are rather dismissive if not down right apathetic of the needs of our kababayans down South. But this facepalm-worthy moment gets the cutest of the facepalms because some people truly want to help, it's just they don't know how properly do it. You know that moment when you go to your parents crying because you've gotten into this fist fight with another kid at school because said kid was bullying you, but instead of addressing the situation of being bullied, they get angry at you for getting into trouble and think of the situation as child's play? That's how epic the failure is right here. I've heard people who say they have no money to donate but have cash for Starbucks. I've even been told by someone that she already considers that her family is helping out because a family member, who was working as a disaster relief personnel, was already in Tacloban, treating the injured. I've seen people who refused to help just because they know that other people and international organizations have already extended their support. And I've seen others offer prayers and nothing else. 

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Regarding the prayers: I have nothing against them. It may even help the morale and motivate the people in the calamity-stricken areas. Psychological support during times of disasters is important. But as far as I'm concerned, these people need food, shelter, clean water, and decent clothing FIRST. If you're going to offer prayers, better make sure that you help keep that person alive first by providing for the physiologic needs. 

Check out Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as reference for stuff that keep people alive.

Facepalm-Worthy Thing #5: 

"Shut up and just help."

Facepalm Level: 

Mar Roxas was right in saying that nothing was fast enough for the survivors of Yolanda. Of course. There's nothing fast enough to alleviate pain and suffering, which is why the stupidities involving relief operations down south have been highlighted, painted in red letter on a billboard and wrapped with Christmas lights. Some of these expressed above, others still happening (such as that funny little incident when one of my girl crushes, Dr. Raquel Fortun, forensic pathologist, pointed out to President Aquino that we don't have coroners in the Philippines. 

I understand why some people say that posting or talking about about negative stuff regarding the Yolanda relief efforts doesn't help. Some of the people who say this are in the thick of things - the government officials, the volunteers, the peace-keeping force, the medical professionals - and I don't blame them. But this is also pride talking, especially if the person saying this is more concerned about how the Philippines would look in the international community.

There will always be criticisms. You don't always get a pat on the back when you do a good job, but you will probably always have someone notice when you screw up. It happens. Take it as an opportunity and try to not screw up again, especially if people will needlessly suffer as a result. 

Which is why it is annoying that those who criticize the stupidity of these actions are told to just "shut up and help", like you can't point out stupidity and volunteer, raise money, and just care for these survivors at the same time.There is a thing called multitasking, you know. 

Bagyong Yolanda won't be the last test that the Filipino government and the Filipino people would have to struggle through. Although the Idiot Society is quite tightly intertwined with  our own, there is still hope that these will not be repeated. 

Hopefully next time we keep our wits about us.