ellen tordesillas – Page 83 – Making life worth living.

Rehab czar should restore Yolanda victims’ human right to a decent life

Published by Ellen on December 1, 2013

Update: The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that Lacson has accepted Aquino’s offer to be the Rehabilitation Czar.

It has been reported that President Aquino is considering former Sen. Panfilo Lacson to head the awesome task of rebuilding part of Visayas devastated by typhoon Yolanda.

The report has not yet been confirmed by Malacañang but if it’s true, that would be an indication that Aquino understands the gravity of the situation and the challenges of the rebuilding of the ruined and shattered communities, most especially in Leyte and Samar.

Let’s hope that partisan politics, particularly the 2016 presidential race, do not again get in the way of this more urgent task. Aquino fumbled bigtime in dealing with immediate impact of the Yolanda-created crisis but he can still redeem himself in the reconstruction of the destroyed communities.

If it’s not Lacson, it is hoped that he does not make the mistake of giving the job of the reconstruction czar to retired Army Gen. Eduardo del Rosario, executive director of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the body that was supposed to oversee efforts in coping with disasters but acted helpless at the time when they were needed most.

Beware of vultures preying on Yolanda’s victims

Published by Ellen on November 28, 2013

Photos from ABS-CBN video

What has been feared by human rights advocates is now happening in Tacloban: human trafficker vultures are on a prowl preying on the hapless victims of typhoon Yolanda.

ANC had a report of a human trafficking attempt in Tacloban. DSWD Assistant Secretary Cheche Cabrera related about two cases which they were able to stop. “A very beautiful girl was escorted by two burly looking guys,” she said.

Cabrera said together with the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations, they are setting up a desk in Tacloban Tacloban City, Ormoc and Guiuan, Eastern Samar.“There are lots of possibilities where very young girls will be trafficked,” she said.

Tenor Arthur Espiritu’s inspiring journey to Llorente, Samar

Published by Ellen on November 26, 2013

Arthur and Christina Espiritu aboard a Philippine Navy ship to bring relief goods to Llorente, Samar.

Tenor Arthur Espiritu and his wife, Christina, are in Llorente, Eastern Samar to distribute the truckload of goods they have gathered from friends to the victims of typhoon Yolanda.

Why Llorente?

Llorente is one of the municipalities badly hit by Yolanda but has not been reported as prominently as Tacloban. Christina is from that place.

The Espiritus left Manila last Saturday late afternoon. From Arthur’s Facebook post, it has not been an easy journey, by water and by land.

Arthur posted that that they were in Bulan Port in Sorsogon Sunday waiting for their truck to be loaded together with more than 20 other trucks. While waiting, they enjoyed the pier scenery. One was people watching the Pacquiao-Rios fight. “Everyone was there. It’s really fun to see Pinoys come together when there’s a Pacquiao fight.”

Later, Arthur, the only Filipino tenor who has sang at La Scala, the world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy, reported that they were finally loading the trucks.”Christina Espiritu is happy,” he said. He counted more blessing: “Yehey. Still have signal while on ship.”

His next post was when they were approaching San Isidro port in Northern Samar: “We came in at 4:30 pm then engine failed. Stuck about 1 km away from shore. Then got power back but it was high tide already. Ramp was too high for trucks to disembark. Now we have to sleep in the ship till 4 am which is low tide. Then we could go. Problem is, all the restaurants and markets around are closed. Just diet for now w peanuts and skyflakes and coffee. Staying strong.”

Antique after Yolanda: making both ends meet

Published by Ellen on November 26, 2013

By Alex C. de los Santos

Photos from Bangon Antique FB and Jun Tens

Destroyed church. Photo by Normeth Preglo from Bangon Antique FB.

Antique province in the western side of Panay Island is one of the provinces in the Visayas that survived super typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan. Reported casualties and deaths from this province had been minimal, the reason perhaps that media coverage has not been as extensive as in Tacloban and Samar. The northern portion of the province from Bugasong town to Libertad and the islands of Caluya had been worse hit. Many people lost their homes, made mostly of light materials such as bamboo and nipa shingles.

“But while there are very few deaths and casualties, it doesn’t mean that we don’t need help. In fact, there should be more help for the living, but have no hous;es,” said Fr. Edione Febrero, director of the Diocesan Social Action Center – Antique (DSAC-Antique) that leads an extensive relief and rehabilitation efforts in the province. The Center coordinates relief operations in collaboration with other non-government, with their network of donors locally and abroad. At the time of this interview, Fr. Febrero is expecting a group of doctors from Hongkong.

Yolanda shows the need for an Emergency Management Agency

Published by Ellen on November 21, 2013

We can give value to all the sufferings caused by typhoon Yolanda and the initial ineptness of the government if we learn lessons from it that can benefit not only us in the future but also the generations to come.

As The Prophet, said, “Suffering is in the grand scheme of things. It is meant to teach a lesson. Sometimes it takes a lot of repeating until the lesson is learned. Both good and bad people reap the benefits of the sunshine. Both good and bad people receive rain for their crops. Chaos and disaster befalls both the good and the bad. The difference in the aftermath of tragedy is the lesson learned or not learned.”

Now that finally, relief efforts in places devastated by typhoon Yolanda seems to be moving , it’s time to use lessons learned to improve our capability to cope with natural disasters.

I was not the only one duped by “Mon Tulfo”

Published by Ellen on November 19, 2013

My first person account last Monday on being duped by a con artist who introduces himself as “Mon Tulfo” elicited responses, two of them from fellow victims.

One was retired Marine Col. Ariel Querubin.

Remember last August, there was a news report of death threats to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, National Bureau of Investigation Nonnatus Rojas, and Atty. Levito Baligod, lawyer of whistleblowers in pork barrel scandal involving businesswoman Janet Napoles?

Querubin said a “Mon Tulfo”, who really sounded very much like tri-media personality Ramon Tulfo, called him up saying that the hired assassin to De Lima, Rojas, and Baligod contacted him and said he was backing out of the contract. “Mon Tulfo” said he and his men were bringing the person to Manila and they will have a press conference at max restaurant near the DOJ.

Con artist preys on sympathy for Yolanda victims

Published by Ellen on November 17, 2013

Relief distribution in Antique. Photo by Jun Tens.

This is painful for me to relate because it is embarrassing. My friends and I have been victimized by a scam artist.

Mahirap aminin na naging tanga kami ngunit ganun na nga.

Last Friday, a “Ramon Tulfo” called me up. I did not have doubts that he was Mon Tulfo, the Inquirer columnist, because it was the number of Mon Tulfo that I have in my directory for a long time. Through that number, I have talked with “Mon Tulfo” about other issues like the Ampatuan massacre. (I’m having doubts now. Was the person I talked with months earlier not Mon Tulfo?)

The “Mon Tulfo” that I talked with last Friday said he has read my column in Abante about our province, Antique, having been badly hit also by typhoon Yolanda. He said he has received donations of 500,000 plastic pails from businessman “Plastic King” William Gatchalian. He said he has filled those pails with packs of rice, canned goods and other items from donations of former Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn and businessman Mark Jimenez. He said he would like to give 50,000 of those pails to Antique. Later on, he increased the number to 100,000. He asked for my help to connect with a non-political contact in Antique.

Guiuan folks still struggle for their basic needs

Published by Ellen on November 17, 2013

Text and photos by Mario Ignacio IV,VERA Files

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar- One week after typhoon Yolanda made its first landfall in this coastal town, residents are still in dire need of basic necessities like food, drinking water, fuel to cook their food and shelter.
They are asking for assistance to repair their houses and to buy equipment and tools for their livelihood. Fishing equipment for fishermen and farming tools for farmers.

Homes, hospitals, and schools have all been destroyed. While some could still be used after major repairs, many have been flattened and need to be rebuilt.

Security in the town also needs to be re-established.

Bagsak si Aquino sa pagsubok sa krisis

Published by Ellen on November 17, 2013

Aquino inspecting relief efforts for victims of typhoon Yolanda.

Ang krisis sa buhay ng tao ay isang pagsubok. Dito makikita ang tatag o kahinaan ng isang tao.

Merong iba na magaling sa pangaraw-araw na gawain, lalo pa sa panahon ng sagana at kaayusan. Ngunit pagdating sa krisis, sa sitwasyun ng kakulangan at pahirapan, wala na.

Mas matindi ang hamon sa mga lider.Tatlong taon na si Pangulong Benigno Aquino III sa Malacañang. Popular siya. Magaling ang kanyang mga tauhan niya sa pagbenta sa kanya. Gusto siya ng mga tao dahil hindi siya corrupt.

Day 7 Yolanda:thank you note and more appeals for help

Published by Ellen on November 14, 2013

The anguish and misery caused by typhoon Yolanda has not at all diminished the wit and sense of humor of Filipinos. d I saw this suggestion, a brilliant solution not only to the breakdown of peace and order in Tacloban, still reeling from the destruction wrought by typhoon Yolanda week ago but also how to recover the people’s money from those who pocketed the Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF.

It’s the post by Edwin Molina in Ace Esmeralda’s wall. I’m sharing this without Molina’s permission.

He said: “We now need the so-called masterminds of the looters to run the show in Tacloban for their organizational/motivational skills, foresight, sense of urgency and swift, decisive actions after Yolanda hit the area.

ellen tordesillas Posts