A FRIEND in Cebu went to Manila for some important errand. Once settled, and his errand already accomplished, he thought of having a tete-a-tete with his famous neighbor, who is an actor by the way, and son of a former actor-senator. The mother is also an actress/politician, so the hint is already very revealing.
Anyway the conversation went this way.
Actor : Prayer granted talaga na hindi mananalo si Dad sa nakaraang election.
Friend: Bakit naman?
Actor : Kasi, pag nanalo si Dad, seguro kasama na siya ngayon sa inimbestigahan sa mga multo nga flood control projects. Sa awa ng Diyos, hindi siya nanalo so libre siya sa problema ng mga senador ngayon.
When the friend reached Cebu and had the usual coffee rounds with his friends, he had a wonderful time relating his conversation with the actor-neighbor.
The following day was a big surprise.
One of the witnesses in the ongoing Blue Ribbon probe implicated the former actor-senator as allegedly involved in the multo projects.
Makabungol lagi ang bahakhak sa grupo oi.
* * *
In pre-linog days, it took only about 3 hours to reach Bogo City from Mandaue.
Nowadays, with the relief goods and all, it takes more than 6 hours travel time na.
Grabe ang trapik, or rather, misamot ka grabe ang trapik.
One noticeable feature of the huge traffic is the presence of kibitzers, mayna lang unta og magdala og hinabang, pero ang ka-pait kay moadto lang kay magpicture-picture, selfie-selfie para dunay ma-post sa pisbok.
Pastilan pod oi.
* * *
Nowadays, there is hot debate on the process of distribution of relief goods in North Cebu – centralized distribution or individual distribution. Asa may mas maayo or efficient?
The LGUs, especially the national government agencies, including those politicians who arrived separately, they want centralized distribution para klaro, patas og matagaan gyod tanan, especially those requiring special and more urgent treatment. So naturally, they want that all relief goods will be “surrendered” to the LGUs for proper distribution.
But there are those who prefer to do it directly and personally; kanang sila mismo ang mangunay og hatag.
That is their way of directly helping the needy and also their way of showing “distrust” to government because of bureaucratic protocol.
Dili sila moangay anang maglista-lista pa kay malangan na kuno ang pagpanghatag.
Of course, there are merits in both ways.
But the thing is – those on the ground, meaning those in ground zero or kadtong naa sa area nga naapektuhan mismo, like Bogo City, Medellin, Daan-Bantayan or San Remegio, know better.
Nasayod sila og unsa gyod ang needed or priority sa mga nabiktima ug mao kini ang ilang gusto nga ihatag, dili kay bisan unsa ra nga mga butang nga mahuna-hunaan sa mang-hatag. This is one good reason why centralized distribution is better.
Pananglit, tent ug tubig ang priority nga gipangayo sa mga biktima karon kay wa silay klaro nga katulgan o kapuy-an labi na kay sigi ug ulan pero ang uban manghatag og nilata, bugas ug uban pa. While magamit man tuod kini pero sa pagka-karon nga wala silay balay nga kapuy-an, mas gikinahanglan sa mga biktima ang tent ug tubig.
* * *
Adunay bikil ang mayor ug ang congressman sa distrito kay matod pa sa kampo sa congressman, namolitika kuno ang kampo sa mayor.
Kadtong ilang tawo ra maoy hatagan sa mga hinabang, kadtong dili ilang tawo bisan nabiktima sa linog, dili kuno maka-dawat.
Kon tinuod man gani ni, haskang paita ug dili maayo padaghanon ni.
Ahem.
