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Bacolod City, PhilippinesFriday, December 7, 2012
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with Rolly Espina
OPINIONS

We were spared

Rolly Espina

We went back to normal life yesterday. But we overlooked the fact that, elsewhere, in many parts of Mindanao, relief workers continued scouring the hinterlands and digging up mud to scour for the living, if any.

The New Bataan town of Compostela Valley was the perfect picture of a devastated land. Its acres of fruit bearing bananas, the primary export product of the community, were all ruined. Most likely, their loss has amounted to millions of pesos.

Worse, virtually the entire town was covered by knee-deep mud and some places remained unreachable even with the use of tractors and other heavy equipment that got mired in the mud.

That, to a certain extent, should remind us of what God has spared us from. And because He had heard our prayers, it seems that we have also forgotten to thank Him for listening to us and our Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr..

I guess we should be happy our governor remains a prayerful man. The official has his eyes focused on the managerial ability of the local relief and rescue units of local governments but still has his eyes focused on God and His mercy. For it is true, even with the best of equipment and training, all will be rendered naught if God does not assist us during our time of needs.

In a way, we also are grateful that God snatched the life of 8-year old Wennie Vila who went back to wake up her elder brother, who was still sleeping when fire started to gobble up their home in Barangay Batuan, La Carlota City, as reported in this paper.

Wilfredo managed to escape the fire and is now being treated in a local hospital, Don Salvador Benedicto Memorial Hospital in La Carlota City.

He was transferred to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Hospital in Bacolod for second-degree burns, the report also said.

But Wennie died in the fire after rescuing her elder brother.

To her, our salute and kudos. We know that God must have already granted her the prize for her martyrdom in saving the life of her elder brother.

But looking back to the many scenes of disaster from Pablo, the super typhoon’s visit killed hundreds with hundreds more missing.

Perhaps, it will still be days before we finally get the total of those actually killed in what most consider an abnormal typhoon which originated just near the equator.

That was why Pablo caught Davao Oriental and other Davao provinces, including Compostela Valley almost by surprise. They had not really expected that the typhoon was going to batter their provinces.

That is why we were actually spared by a miracle. Pablo just allowed its winds to brush a portion of southern Negors Occidental, notably Hinobaan where it destroyed houses of light materials and damaged 306 others, as also reported.

The provincial government, according to Gov. Marañon, is providing P5,000 to those whose houses were destroyed and P3,000 for those who suffered partial damage houses.

The provincial government also rushed aid in terms of food, medicines and other supplies to the typhoon suffered.

Right now, I think it is time to remind Negrenses to offer thanks to Lord for having spared us a worse experience from Pablo. TV shots will show how much we have been spared.

***

Our heart goes to Victorias Mayor Severo Palanca and permits and license division head Ramsy Panes who were meted six months and one day suspension without pay after finding them guilty of dishonesty for issuing permits to a jai alai gaming station, as reported.

Actually, the acting Mayor of Victorias City is now Vice Mayor Francis Federick (Wantan) Palanca. The mayor is on travel leave.

While we are busy now readying ourselves for Christmas, let us also remember thousands of hapless residents Pablo had victimized during its last visit in Mindanao and the other Visayan provinces.

There were also several curious incidents such as the floating terminal of the Philippines Ports Authority ramming against the seawall fronting the Silliman University in Dumaguete City.

The huge waves of super typhoon Pablo battered the terminal for almost three hours.

But the other curious thing that happened in Dumaguete City was the barge of Delta Ferries, previously anchored to one of the piers, that was pressed to the shoreline, and hit the Rizal Boulevard Seawall.

***

Juliette Jaruta took her oath yesterday as member ex oficio of the Negros Occidental Historical Commission.

Juliette immediately briefed the board members, headed by its president Msgr. Guillermo Gaston, that the Division of Negros Occidental will focus on history and culture this year.

She admitted that the observation of the Secretary of Education was correct that hardly two or three elementary schoolchildren are aware of the history of their communities.

We will start this year a more intensive and thorough preparation of the youth in history and culture, Jaruta said.*


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