The wrath of “Habagat”

Each and every year, the now becoming common sight of people on rooftops escaping rampaging floodwaters, queue of evacuees
begging for relief and food is almost always a picture perfect poster for typhoon-prone Philippines.
It’s more fun frolicking in floodwaters in the Philippines !
The latest August 6,2012 great deluge that inundated the Manila Metropolis, Central Luzon and great parts of the whole country was an abnormally wicked southwest monsoon climate that dumped an estimated more than 400 millimeters of rain in only
A 24 hour period or roughly an equivalent of rainfall for 15 days,
more than what the deadly typhoon “Ondoy “ unleashed in
October of 2009.
The August 2012 massive flooding was recorded as the worst in memory as dams and rivers overflowed, while garbage-clogged waterways and denuded watersheds failed to contain the onrushing
tons of rain waters that continuously poured for several days.
The unusual” Habagat“or Southwest monsoon, which normally occurs from May to December of each year signals the rainy season in the country which is often visited by at least 15-20
Tropical storms or typhoon (called hurricanes in the western hemisphere).
But what makes the monsoon period more deadly and devastating
is the continued rape of the environment and apathy of the populace.
Experts says the problem of flooding in Manila and other parts of the country can be traced to poor planning, lax enforcement of laws and political self-interest.
They are saying its more man- made that a result of natural causes citing out the example of informal settlers (squatters) who are still and continue to live along major rivers and waterways.
These people, although under the law should be relocated to a safer place are allowed to remain illegally by some politicians who needs their votes comes election time.
As of press time, an estimated 2 million people have been affected by the recent flooding while billions in properties and crops were
destroyed.
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IS “MABUHAY “ DYING? After that bungled July 28 Mabuhay fest at the Metro convention Center which my colleague editor Butch Galicia described as something out of “Lord of the Flies “ (read: nilangaw), will the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC)the organizer of the yearly event get back on its feet and regain its lost pride ?
Soul searching, heads to roll and top to bottom realignment
should be the key words if the PIDC wants to save its organization
from certain death.
Certainly this year’s version of the Mabuhay Festival was merely a shadow or a ghost of its past glories. It’s just that too many cooks spoiled the broth.
Against the Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation’s “Pinoy Fiesta “ the Mabuhay fest might as well be called as the “Pinoy Fiasco “.
AFTERMATH;: what is this that some PIDC officers allegedly ganged up on TFC’s Marco Amoranto and Rosary Escano blaming them for the abrupt stoppage of the fashion show.
For propping up a very boring, bland and mediocre entertainment,
this is what TFC officials get in return ? And to think the whole event was somewhat rescued by the appearance of the ABS-CBN artists.
And mind you, who put the youth numbers of the “Barkadas “at the tail end of the show, when there was nobody watching and
going home?
AFTERMATH;: Lilac Cana, the Mabuhay artistic director resigned from the PIDC citing among others Mike Aprieto’s
decision to halt the fashion show. Aprieto is the PIDC exec.vice president and a trusted lieutenant of PIDC prez Norma Carpio who by the way has opted to remain silent amid the imbroglio and the brouhahas.
AFTERMATH: Aprieto said Lilac did not resign but her axing was a foregone conclusion some weeks before the July 28 event.
What more PIDC officials said Lilac ‘s receiving compensation was a violation of the PIDC’s bylaws and constitution.
AFTERMATH: If that’s the case why was she paid the sum of $3,000 and who else among the PIDC officials are being paid ?
An insider said this has been the practice even in past PIDC administrations.
AFTERMATH: The community should now rethink whether festivals like Mabuhay and the Pinoy Fiesta should continue to charge entrance fee or suggest that they change their format which
is as archaic and tiresome with its old formula of beauty pageants, santacruzans, and trade booths. Or better still stop using such words as Filipino culture , heritage or any other words to promote such events when in fact it only tend to promote commercialism,
grandstanding and tasteless extravagant display of inflated egos
of personalities in the community.
Let’s stop the hypocrisy and pretension.
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FRUIT OF THE TOOTH: It might be a typical success story but like any hardworking Filipino, Dr. Benilda Sunga has soared in the filament of dentistry where many of our kababayans are getting
high grades.
From her years of experience from Dr.Vicky Santiago,
Dr. Sunga has finally made it on her own in putting up a new dental clinic called Cedar Dental Care located at 695 Markham road in Scarborough.
She partnered with Dr. Lilian Chan and Dr.Amita Sohal to cater to a growing list of new clients. Congratulations !