Monday, February 06, 2006

THE PRICE OF HOPING FOR A BETTER LIFE: PHILIPPINE STYLE




Top photo courtesy of CBS News. Lower two photos by the Office of the Press Secretary.

The nation watched in horror as over 70 people (71 as of today) died in a stampede to get into the Ultra field for the 1st anniversary of a popular noontime show of ABS-CBN. True to form, finger pointing and politicizing the issue continues to rage to this very hour.

Issues: Was there a crowd control plan in the first place? Why weren't the authorities informed of such a plan (if it did existed)? Should ABS - or any other network for that matter - be blamed for promoting mendicancy among our people? Is this simply a failure to organize, or is there a deeper perpspective to it like abject poverty, etc?

For the 71 people who died, this is all nothing now. The prizes offered might have been the culprit for them to risk their lives, but it is this very desire for whatever it is - prize money, a new house, a brand new tricycle VERSUS a new hope, a new life, a brighter future - that has caused the loss of the very thing they were trying to change or improve. And this is what makes the whole thing soooo sad.

Justice must be given them the soonest time possible. This blog shares in the offering of prayers for them and their families, as well as joining the collective call for answers and resolution to the tragedy.

4 comments:

Sidney said...

This is really a tragedy.

But I am quite surprised that the blame is put on ABS-CBN alone.

What about the local authorities? What about the mayor? What about the police chief?
Should the mayor not ban activities which are considered risky?
Did the local authorities got no plans ready in case of emergencies?

Sad to say but nobody seems to know anything about crowd control. I witnessed the procession of the Black Nazarene and I am surprised we ended up with "only" two deaths !
Security was almost inexistant and rescue teams could not move around.

I also witnessed the famous millenium New Year festivities in Times Square (NYC)together with 1 million people. Security was so strickt that a stampede was nearly impossible.

Anonymous said...

glad you're back. ain't gonna comment on the tragedy, dami na opinions from all over. basta managot ang dapat managot.

hey i've heard about your mom. hope she's better now.

GENIUS IS JUST ANOTHER MOUSE! said...

Sidney: Yes, there are many excellent examples of people massing together butnothing as bad as the recent one. It is the 3rd in ABS CBN's history, so they say, but the one that has the most fatalities (if not the 1st one to become fatal). It is very tragic. I don't even want to see it if I was there but then again, due to medical training, I might have ended up doing triage. Sigh.

Jher: Hey! Thanks for dropping by. Mom's okay now. At least, so much better after her 1st chemo. I am glad she can walk again.

Anonymous said...

Dylan,

Glad she's okay. Hey I posted the address of New Bombay on my reply to your comment. Para bumalik ka noh. :-)