Warnings

The response of the ruling generals to the devastation brought upon their nation by cyclone Nargis has been criticized in the international community as “inhuman, bordering on a crime against humanity”.  Being inhuman is defined to be “without compunction, or without human feeling.”  An attempt to try to understand the decisions made by the military minds may be found in the reason that they were saving themselves rather than their people. 

In contrast to the generals response was the Chinese government’s response to the earthquake that destroyed Sinchuan province and, in some communities, tragically wiped out a generation of families with only one child.  The international community has seen the government respond with all available resources to rescue, bring aid and relief to the victims.

The difference in response by Myanmar and China to their unfortunate natural disasters is a revelation of how one is able to take care of their citizens.  The rescue and relief efforts also determine how fast the victims can start the needed healing and rebuilding in their lives and their communities. 

Interestingly, reflecting on the differences on how the leaders think and love their constituents found me pondering on the man-made disasters devastating our land.  This past week saw the inhuman acts of shooting 10 bank employees and sleeping families in the province of Laguna.

Another man-made disaster (for the loser) in the coming is the current controversy on high electricity charges where Meralco management and the GSIS have gotten into a nasty fight that may reach who gains control over the company.  We, consumers have already paid our electric bills, have taken our seats as interested and concerned spectators as the combatants enter the ring to slug it out.  But as I imagined the scenario of the on-going fight as a boxing match, and listened to the National Anthem, I could not help but associate the two combatants as companions of our Christ who were also nailed to their crosses.  In my opinion, in this case, the real winner is the one who repents. 

All these disasters, whether natural or man-made, can only serve as a warning and, even better, as an encouragement for us to respond appropriately toward bringing aid and relief to enable healing and rebuilding.

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A drive to Amlan yesterday was another sad experience of passing the rain-delayed on-going cementing works being done on portions in Sibulan, San Jose and Amlan. While patiently waiting for our turn to use the available lane, I remembered that government projects used to have bill boards erected to inform the public as to what the project was about, the name of the contractor, the project cost and the time period of execution.  In the current case, not one bill board was up, we do not know what the project is about, who is responsible, how much it costs and when the project is supposed to be completed.  These unanswered questions remind me of the following anecdote. The successful road contractor and his wife were relaxing in the living room. He said to her, "I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and taking fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug." She got up, unplugged the TV, and threw out his beer bottle.*