Transplanting the problems

Extreme hunger could be forcing survivors in Yolanda-stricken areas in Tacloban City, Leyte to resort to committing illegal acts such as looting. In a DzBB radio interview last Friday, a Filipino psychologist Dr. Bernadette Arcena echoed this possible reason for the reported looting incidents that took place in Tacloban City three days after “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan) struck last November 8.

It would be the natural consequence, Arcena explained, when hungry people in disaster areas would forcibly break their way into getting foodstuff and clothes without paying for them. This exactly happened to grocery establishments and stores like those in the Gaisano Mall in Tacloban City that were looted on the third day after Tacloban folks did not see any immediate relief goods coming in from their local authorities and national government agencies.

The reported looting by those who survived the tsunami-like calamity would be understandable situation when people lost everything to disaster. They survived, perhaps through sheer luck. But they were left with no houses, no food, no water, nor electricity, and no money. All of their properties destroyed by the storm surge that killed thousands of other people.

“Hungry stomach knows no laws,” former President and now Mayor of the city of Manila, Joseph Estrada has always said. But this is not to say he is condoning such actions to justify a person’s turning to a life of crime. It was a call to action for those like them in the government to better the lives of the people they serve.

We had had similar calamities in the past, including the 1991 flood that killed more than a thousand in Ormoc, Leyte.

But Filipinos have never experienced looting in times of disaster. This, in fact, was the first time we had this kind of incident during a calamity.

The presence of national government authorities finally came on the ground on the third day after Yolanda laid a swathe of devastation where it passed through. No less than President Benigno “Noy” Aquino lll flew that day to ground zero in Tacloban City. Supposedly, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas II had “pre-positioned” themselves along with relief goods and equipment somewhere in Leyte on the eve before Yolanda struck. Gazmin and Roxas are the chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

So where were Gazmin and Roxas during the first two days? I presume they have satellite phones with them to keep President Aquino closely updated. But were they accessible to local government officials as their counterparts in the provincial levels of the NDRRMC? Or politics reared its ugly head again?

With everything “pre-positioned” as executed according to disaster mitigation plans, how come Tacloban folks became so desperate on the third day and drove them to loot for food, water and whatever they can lay their hands on?

On the other hand, how can you explain the looting of appliances from refrigerators, television units and even the signage from a popular fast food chain? How can we fathom the reported stealing of cars on display or a gun store being ransacked of these deadly goods? The automatic teller machines were also destroyed to take the money out from it. But where can they use the money when there was nothing to buy anything from?    

The presence of armed men, presumably New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, swooped down and reportedly started the looting incidents. Remember, Leyte and Samar remain the hotbeds of communist insurgency up to present.

The ensuing breakdown of peace and order was raised during the meeting of President Aquino with local government officials led by Mayor Alfredo Romualdez along with his brother Congressman Martin Romualdez. In that meeting, local officials reportedly egged on President Aquino to impose martial law in Tacloban.

It should be no surprise why a knee-jerk solution proposed such as imposing martial law even came up. After all, the two Leyte officials are nephews of former first lady and now Ilocos Norte Congresswoman Imelda Marcos whose late husband, former President Ferdinand Marcos imposed martial rule throughout the country for more than a decade.

Averse to any references to martial law, P-Noy left in the middle of the meeting without any word he was merely going out for a call of nature. (Or should I say, “yosi” or cigarette break at the same time?) Consequently, it stirred talks he walked out of the meeting. The next day, Malacañang Palace had to deny any such walkout ever took place.

The next day, President Aquino declared a “state of national calamity” in all the severely damaged regions, provinces, and islands. But a strict dusk-to-dawn curfew has been in force in Tacloban since Monday night.

The NPA, the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, have belatedly announced they would observe a 16-day unilateral ceasefire until November 24 in the areas ravaged by Yolanda. The truce supposedly includes Eastern Visayas region, Panay, Negros and Central Visayas commands of the NPA.

Long before this ceasefire declaration by the NPA, things have settled down after augmentation forces from the police and military coming from Metro Manila and elsewhere in the country were deployed to Tacloban and other disaster areas to beef up security. Law and order are now restored in the entire disaster-stricken areas.

Other than peace and order, more problems would surely crop up in the days ahead especially with the growing number of dislocated families trying to get out of their miserable living condition. More than a week after Yolanda left them homeless and economically dislocated, more of them would have no recourse but to move out to nearby Cebu, to Metro Manila, and elsewhere they have families or relatives to live with.

Some local governments led by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) have offered to adopt two municipalities each. As agreed, they would support the rebuilding and rehabilitation of these Yolanda-affected areas financially and other forms of assistance until the people get back on their feet again.  

It would be a better option than transplanting the problems of poverty, crime, unemployment, population explosion, just to name some of the ills of migration that evacuees will bring with them.