Concern for Filipinos overseas was the biggest worry of Pinoys at home the last few weeks.
The turmoil besetting Libya had kin and families of OFW’s stationed in that Muslim nation going into hysterics and rushing to the Foreign Affairs Office in Manila to squeeze more details to the scanty reportings of what is actually happening there and to beg foreign affairs officials to immediately act to insure the safety of their loved ones.
The Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand meantime was agonizing news to affected Pinoys’ loved ones especially as no official reports on Pinoy victims and casualties have been given. The sporadic updates mostly came to individuals who were in touch via cellphone with their kin in Christchurch and whatever scant reports they got were relayed via radio/ tv news reports and interviews.
Galit ang marami, of course sa kabagalan ng pagbibigay linaw tungkol sa mga nakagigimbal na dalawang balitang ito. Syempre nga ba naman, it’s because directly apektado kasi ang ating mga kababayan- mula doon sa mga lugar na yun at ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay here at home.
Of course we are relieved that, kahit paano, nakasilip tayo ng konting liwanag on what is happening through the phone conversations ng mga Pinoy na nakaswerteng meron pang charge and load sa kanilang phone gadget- salamat na rin. Kaya lang, yung kakarampot na mga balita have spawned a deeper curiosity- ano nga ba ang buong istorya?..created worries, too, hanggang mag- panic at magtakbuhan sa DFA and demand that officials do something about the situation.
Naku naman, kailangan pa bang maghysterics sa DFA building at pumukpok ang mga commentarista sa radyo para kumilos ang ating mga opisyales na makisawsaw sa pagtulong sa dalawang kasong iyon? ‘Ala ba namang contingency measures na andyan na at pwedeng ma- activate kapag pumutok ang ganyang mga pangyayari sa buhay ng bayan?
Crisis management in a crisis situation. Alam na alam ko yan kasi we were trained to act swiftly for unforeseen events nung panahon ng pangungulo ni President Cory. Ang galing ng boss namin at that time sa mga ganyang eventualities- si Dodi Limcaoco and the whole television network ay handang handa.
The point is, natural lang that people, in times like these, need the assurance that ordinary as they are, ay lilingapin naman sila ng gobyernong nangakong mangangalaga sa kanilang kapakanan. Una dito is the provision of updates on what is going on. Ikalawa, informing the public on what government will do and is doing to help Pinoys caught in the situation, and third, ang physically moving to relieve the Pinoy and help in his rescue. In the case of the earthquake dead, marecover man lang at/ o maibalik ang mga labi sa mga mahal sa buhay. Mabilisan lang, please. Sabi nga ng lola ko nung araw- ‘pronto, paspas, bilis!’
Parang ito yata ang nagiging weakness ng pamunuan ng bansa sa ngayon- ang kabagalang umaksyon. Ako’y nagtataka, wala namang geriatric- looking sa kanila ( mas madami pa nga nung last administration, a- andaming mga lolo!).
Tama na ang practice and rehearsals, ha? Nine months na since the new administration began- tumodo na! Give real service na- fast and efficient!
THANK YOU, TORONTO!