PeopleSurge: a major event, but where is the dominant media?

By Belarmino Dabalos Saguing

Rome, Italy 26/01/2013

Photo by Tudla Prtoduction

An estimated 10,000 victims of super-typhoon Yolanda which devastated this city in November last year, staged a rally on Thursday to protest government’s policies and strategies in handling and carrying out relief operations and other activities intended for victims of super typhoon Yolanda which ravaged this city in November, 2013. Many of those in the rally were typhoon victims themselves. The rally caused traffic problems in downtown Tacloban’s downtown.

I searched for news items for this event but aside from a few perfunctory lines, I found nothing from the so called ‘dominant media.’ All the informations are found in the internet postings.

The silence of the ‘dominant’ media on this major event is deafening. They have shunned the peoples action that belied the pre-fab ‘good news’ of the administration on how great the gov’s measures in the relief of the typhoon victims and the SWS projection on the ‘liked by majority’ image of BS Aquino.

The dominant media was not at all absent. They were there conducting interviews with leading questions to show that the rally was ‘left’ instigated and not an spontaneous action by the victims. They failed. The protestors maintained they have formed and launched a group they called “Alliance for Super-Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) Victims.” The rallyists also claimed that the rally was the survivors’ own initiative even as it is supported by the progressive organization, Bayan Muna (Country First)’s local chapter, as well as that of other militant groups like Anakpawis active in Tacloban and other areas hit by the typhoon.

The typhoon victims expressed their indignation against what they claim the way the government is handling the post-Yolanda crisis, including what they say is the delayed “politicized” operations involved in the distribution of relief goods, corruption in the construction of bunkhouses, government’s ‘no build zone policies’ and other so-called “irregularities.”

The rallyists alleged that there is inadequacy in relief goods and demanded that more relief goods be given, claiming the dearth in such goods getting to them.

They also demanded that an investigation be made of what they say are such “irregularities” as the alleged over-pricing of bunkhouses which serve as temporary shelters built by the Department of Public Works and Highways for displaced typhoon survivors living in tents and classrooms.

Also t he subject of the rally yesterday was the “no build zone” policy which involves government’s prohibiting the rebuilding of houses 40 meters from the shoreline in affected coastal areas. Protesters said such policy is tantamount to “land-grabbing,” and does not work well for fishermen living in coastal areas.

Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate, addressed the manifestation in solidarity with the typhoon victims who are their constituents and who are dissatisfied and are protesting government’s policies and strategies in handling the post -Yolanda crisis.

All photo by Tudla Production