A lot of the quake victims in Negros Oriental are complaining that relief goods are not reaching them. Long lines are common in the relief distribution centers, hours and hours of waiting is also a norm and inadequate relief supplies are also standard. Most of the quake victims haven't eaten for a few days now and they are getting rowdy and impatient. So what's causing the delay and shortage of relief supplies?
Damaged roads are one reason why the supply of relief goods are delayed and in shortage. Bad weather conditions and the sheer number of people affected by the quake is also another. The remoteness of some of the areas affected also contributes to the difficulty of delivering the much needed supplies.
But let's not forget the usual method of local leaders in choosing whom to give relief aid. You see even if the National Government sends lots of relief goods to a calamity stricken area, it's the Local Government units there that are contacted to efficiently distribute the supplies. Technically speaking it's the right move because who else can know better but those from the locality. Like the Barangay Captains (neighborhood or sector leaders), Mayors, Governors, etc. they are the ones who can tell which area is the most affected.
It's also where the problems start because these local leaders have areas that favored them during the past elections and places that also didn't vote for them. So the places that voted them get more help whereas the places that gave them nothing during the elections will get zip. It's just the way how politics works in the Philippines.
That's the real reason why relief goods sometimes don't provide relief to those who need it most. It's politics all over again. Plain and simple politics......nothing more, nothing less.
No comments:
Post a Comment