Australia is deluged (and some Philippine provinces, too)

I heard my blogger friend in Queensland, Australia, The Beancounter, is bracing for more flooding in their area. They were told to get ready for evacuations.

Anywhere in the world, calamities and disasters happened, be it natural or man-made. The difference there is the people's and the government's readiness to handle such happenings. Although I believe Australia is a first world country but still they suffer. But not as big suffering as compared to us living in the third world. Still.

I hope everyone is safe and in higher grounds today.

More in the news:

• Brisbane braces for more flooding as 90 people missing reported missing 
• From drought to flood, Queensland's woes go on 
• Photos: Australian flooding 

Meanwhile in Albay province in the Philippines (and possibly in some other provinces of the country), similar scenario is slowly dissipating inch by inch almost canceling a dream to come true.

• 'For better or for worse,' come hell or high water 
• Floods bring more misery 

All pics grabbed from various sources in the internet.

Tama na Manny Villar...

...kasi ang tubig at ang nagbibigay ng ganitong may pangalan dahil malapit na ang eleksyon ay TASTELESS.

(galing dito ang pic.)

I am whining and I will stop now

I hate to be mean but enough already of all these floods and deaths and miserable conditions like the Philippines is one whole suffering country. Just because imperial Manila and the rest of Luzon have been flooded does not mean we all suffer the same. Like we all should live all these suffering too.

The sun is up.

The birds are singing.

The fishermen have their catch.

The farmers have harvested food.

The politicians have their moments.

The actresses and actors too.

We have blamed GSIS already.

GSIS has blamed its suppliers.

And everyone has blamed everyone in fact.

We haven't blamed ourselves.

Now let's live our lives and move on. Let's bury the dead. Let's stop whining. Let's work now.

My town also suffered from a deluge

Sometime this year, Batuan, an interior town and my hometown in Bohol suddenly caught itself in an unprecedented deluge. There was no storm forecasted. Or maybe my townmates were just numb to weather forecasts. They were unreliable anyway. It was just a steady rain.

Mother, always on a lookout especially when it rains because our house is a step away from a creek, my Mother who is much better than a meteorologist, started packing things and stored them on the second floor of our house. This was always the case everytime it rained.

Suddenly and without warning, a wave of muddy water invaded our home and almost all homes of Batuananons. Some of our appliances floated by. Nobody came to help because everyone needed help. My aunt shouted and cried because she was living alone at their house. Only when each home had their properties secured that they came and helped everyone.

There was only a local news to record the tragedy. No local government units came and offered help. Even the government officials of the municipality of Batuan turned a blind eye. No disaster coordinating bodies. No nongovernment organizations. Not even the national government's presence was there . There were no private sector offering ukay-ukay, sardinas, noodles or rice.

The day went by as if nothing happened. Just like the flood.

But we survived. They survived.

I was the only one whining. And I was in Cebu and not even affected by that flood.

(photo grabbed from Batuananon Friendster)

Another lesson yet to be learned by Filipinos

Disaster councils kick in only after, the fact and evaluation and physical infrastructural correctives after disasters seem not to be a priority for them or anyone else for that matter. The DPWH seems nowhere to be found nowadays nor does anyone seem to want to get them accountable for anything at all. Our collective memories for disasters, scandals, and political plunder are notoriously short, forgotten, as some point out, when the next one strikes or holiday season comes around. -Paulo Alcazaren, Lessons from the deluge

(Pic from anton.blogs.com)

The Professional Heckler Survives

Personal: I Survived! This street in Makati City used to be submerged in chest-deep floodwaters. I had to wade through it before three men pushing a tryke-kuliglig hybrid vehicle offered me a 300-peso(!) ride to our house at the end of the road. Two monoblock chairs were placed on the sidecar so i could stand on them. I had to raise my hands (a la-Pacquiao holding his WBC belt) to protect my bag with laptop. Para akong santong ipinaparada sa binagyong fluvial procession! Kulang na lang may magsabit sa ‘kin ng dried everlasting. It was Bocaue Pagoda tragedy meets MMFF Parade of Stars meets Manny Pacquiao victory motorcade! Insane!

(No! That was not The Heckler on the trike. Photo from Facebook by Kathy Zablan)

Environmental concerns: Flooding in Batuan (Bohol)

I was in Manila this weekend when I received a text message from an old friend in my hometown. She told me their house was flooded due to heavy rains. It was their first. Their house was in a flat land near a ricefield. She told me that our place was flooded too up to the waistline.

I was not a bit concerned at first because I did not receive any info from my family. Almost all of us got mobile phones, except for my parents who abhor techie things, and being flooded would of course send them to panic, and informing me would be fitting.

But my text message asking what happened to them was unanswered. I was thinking of my book collection I just sent home because I would no longer be staying at my rented place in Tagbilaran.

FYI, our place is right beside a small creek that used to be our playground when we were young. I almost got drowned on that creek. It used to be a river-wide when I was young, but when I saw it as I grow older, the creek seemed to reduce itself smaller each time I go to my hometown. I would laugh at myself, remembering that drowning incident. It would be funny to see that murmuring creek becoming a rampaging river.

But honestly I had its rare overflowing experience. I was sleeping that time when Mom woke me up because the waters had come in up to the level of my bed. I was more amazed than afraid of the flood.

When no one was not minding me, I called up my sister. She told me the truth. The waters have invaded our place and they were busy catching things that floated away. Our appliances, our stuff in the kitchen, MY BOOKS! They were not able to text me back. They had more concerns to do. I was heartbroken.

For the first time I heared my family talking about environmental issues. They told me Mother Nature is getting angry because of wanton destruction of the environment. The cause of the flood was extremely mind-boggling since the water source is just a small hole somewhere. Where did all the water came from?

Despite being heartbroken over the state of my books, I pity my parents who suffer all through the experience. I know they were also concerned of our things and other valuables. The things most people would consider not of value like family pictures and memorabilia were in fact priceless and even worth a million. We could never have them again.

(First picture grabbed from Batuanon's Friendster account)

“Are you upset little friend? Have you been lying awake worrying? Well, don't worry...I'm here. The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you." -Charlie Brown to Snoopy

An Environmental Question

Does planting mangroves justify the presence of a cement factory in Lugait, Misamis Oriental? Just asking. Take note that the place suffered a "flood" just recently brought about by the intermittent weather. I was even wondering why the flooding when the place is way above sea level.