BAYAN MUNA ABANDONING MANILA STREETS

As floodgates opened and murky water started to sink in across Greater Manila, streets’ avid “borders” like militant activist- Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna (BM) was nowhere to be found. Not that the flood water pushed him on the seaboard but the distinguished statesman is just not that visible whenever people need his help. The recent calamity weathered by Juan dela Cruz that includes dozens still stuck on their roofs and facing hunger is ironically not a matter to be concerned about for militant activists inside Bayan Muna. However, political stunts that have everything to do with ousting President Arroyo draw them almost every day in the busy city corners screaming their lungs-out for what they claim as “public’s welfare”.

Obviously, typhoon Ondoy kept Ocampo off the streets but was it really of the heavy rain and flooding? Or, was it because Ocampo is not that interested with incidents that have nothing to do with building up his political ambitions? Arguably, state at natural crisis does not push militancy but people clinging on their very lives should stir the “humanity” in him. People who had been parading their raised money for the flood victims are way better than people who curl-up on their comfy homes and do nothing but extend their sympathies.

The issue of pump boat shortage or else the contention on the government’s turtle-pacing rescue operations “disturbingly” interest BM solons. They dwell on the issue long enough to simply agitate the distressed victims of Ondoy and box our viewpoints again on politicking that includes the ever worn-out alibi of “crucifying” GMA.

If this calamity asks Filipinos to look back on their complete disregard of mother earth’s preservation, this also put a stop at bombarding political caboodles that stormed the front pages. We are too fascinated about the nearing elections or to whose campaign jingle would reign superior than others that we have complacently claimed that the then nearing tropical depression would not do the metropolis much damage.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Service Association (PAGASA) or even the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) were both innocent on serious allegations of failure to provide substantive and timely forecast of Ondoy turning into a massively destructive typhoon. Storm signals were raised yet and again and they were all flashed on nationwide tv reports. Sad to admit, the victims are just as guilty as those they blame. But the fault remains among those like Ocampo who “whitewashed” the populace on the delusion that their lives hang at a balance with the elections nearing.

I surely hope that after the metropolis is cleared with the clutter of Ondoy, it remains free from the shadowy outcry of deceptive “reformists”. Ocampo chose to stay distant during this country’s trying times of predicament; he surely deserves to be delisted on my ballot.