Ang Payag ni MamaGirl

These scenes greeted me when I returned to Roxas City after a three-day Strategic Planning seminar in Iloilo City. We were all speechless when we saw how mother nature created havoc in this sleepy farming town.

On the national highway, buses, cars and other vehicles were unable to pass through because of the high water level. The crops were all ready for harvesting if not for the heavy rainfall. My heart went out to the poor farmers whose crops were totally wiped out by the water. The farmers did not lose only crops, but also lost their properties (cattle and farming equipments) and destroyed their houses. In fact, many have been feared missing or, worse, dead. Also, many farmers fear how they would survive this year now that the crops that they had hope to bring them income is gone?

Local authorities are collecting information as to how many families were affected in the municipalities of Sigma, Dao, Cuartero and Mambusao - all of which the provincial government have declared as areas in state of calamity. Up to this point, the government has not determined how much was the damage in these municipalities in terms of crops and properties.

Most of the population were evacuated in evacuation centers and are receiving relief support from the government. Our organization is also readying for a rehab project. To those who want to donate some clothes, canned food and others, please direct them to the Office of the Provincial Governor of Capiz, or through Katibyugan, Inc., the non-profit organization where I am working. Leave me a message here or send me email. Any form of help is very much welcome and appreciated.

I am not surprised anymore (and I am angry) that news like this about Capiz did not or do not merit any attentional from the national media. To media companies, Gretchen's bitchiness is far more important than thousands of farmers devastated by floods and therefore gains a place in the headlines. The only time that Capiz is given attention to by the media is when the subject points at Capiz being the haven of aswangs (flesh-eaters and other supernatural beings). That, we Capizenos are not too happy about, and I am only being polite when I say that. How this affects every Capizeno is worth another post.