You just had to laugh. It sounded like an advertisement for hemorrhoid cream or constipation medicine. Believe it or not, over the past two weeks, we have rushed to get relief goods to Northern Cebu and HAVE HAD TO SCHEDULE TRIPS AROUND TRUCK BANS IN THE MORNING AND AFTERNOONS! How frigging $#%!&%!! stupid is that? It means staff leave at 1 am, 4am or at the latest 6am to beat truck bans in several towns (different times in effect in neighboring towns) on the way out, and avoid late afternoons on the way back to the city. It means rented trucks cost us over PHP10,000 per trip, it means wasted hours waiting roadside for crew, it means added cost for feeding crew, and it means a whole lot of idiotic bureaucratic frustration that makes you want to find a local official and strangle them with your bare hands. Yes, a simple decree that trucks carrying relief goods to Northern Cebu are EXEMPT from the truck ban would have helped immensely. But that is too easy and too simple for the simpletons who put these rules in place. TANGA is truly such a descriptive word. These people and municipalities that enforced this are TANGA, TANGA, TANGA and TANGA-SQUARED. IDIOT works just as well for me.
At no point CAN YOU JUSTIFY THAT A MINOR INCONVENIENCE added by having say 50-70 trucks HEADED OUT of the city during rush hour when most folks are heading in, is not worth it when you are bringing food up North to hundreds of thousands of people in need. But just to calm down and find the humor in all of this, our aggressive dump truck driver took matters into his own hands and wrote a ballpen sign which he taped to his windshield, hoping to scare off traffic aides. It simply stated… “RELIEF GOOD… DO NOT DELAY” The Teen left if up all day, resisting the urge to correct it. It’s like all those signs at places even like S&R that say “CLOSE” at the cash register for hotdogs, when they mean “CLOSED”. Or another frequent sign advising you that there is only space for designers in parking lots when they say “COSTUMER PARKING ONLY”… :)
My apologies for the relative “silence” for the past day or two, we are very busy, and I hope to put together an update of dump truck trips 3,4 & 5 to Bantayan Island, Tabuelan and Daanbantayan over the weekend. Again, my sincerest thanks to all of you for your offers to help, your donations and your support.
Photo taken by the Teen.
48 Responses
Just keep smiling Marketman, you know this craziness is all worth it.
no need for apologies. as much as we love your blog- some people would love what your bringing them by truck, even more. ;)
Very understandable silence,MM.. thank you SO much for all the tireless efforts. Finding humor really helps in dark moments..
thanks for your all the help.
MM, I bet if you put TANGA’s name on the relief goods I’m almost certain he’ll make sure your trucks reach their destination with escorts… But seriously, lets try to use the rotten system to our advantage. What is important is it gets to the people in need… soon.
You always make my day, MM. As we use to use in Iloilo – ay, tan – g- a!
But seriously, thank you for everything.
at work, I used to come up with other “more sophisticated” names for tanga…. VI as in village idiot, moron, nincompoop, imbecile, obtuse, dense… etc. but nothing beats TANGA!!! and BOBO!! and co-workers don’t understand the terms, make it even more hilarious!!
I can also give alot of other terms for this word – coming from my american taxi drivers friends.
Naku, talagang nang-gagalaiti ako sa kahunghungan ng sisyema ng ilan sa ating kababayan. Taho ang laman ng kanilang utak!
I am not sure how many of you have taken trips to Northern Cebu – from my experience in 2011 – there is only highway – the only artery for relief goods and commerce even in the best of times there are tie ups around Logo (cutting into the road to Tuburan, Tabuelan – around Bogo – with pilgrims to Odlot traffic also and of course there are only few ferries going to Bantayan – this artery has to be open not only for commerce as business folks have to continue to make their living on top of utility vehicles fixing roads, power lines, etc. emergency vehicles taking the sick and the injured to clinics and hospitals and public transport vehicles – we are not talking about US style 3-5 lane highways but at best two lanes highways often on mountainous edges – think things through and use your brains – I am sure that the folks are doing the best they can to balance the traffic obviously most of the folks who are extremely critical have never done relief work and can demoralize the folks who are their best with the available resources – when one is one on the ground you are frustrated also because of the need in front of your face that you are helpless – been there, done that – patience and compassion is what is needed to give hope – my two cents a result of direct relief distribution experience not Monday morning second guessing and quarter backing…
Edna, there are TWO main routes up North, one on each coast of the island of Cebu, the one passing the east is more heavily traveled by trucks and buses, and it is the one that gets congested closer to the city. But there is a second route on the west coast, which you can get to through at least two crossings from east to west (trans-central highway crossing to Balamban and much further up, the crossing after Catmon to Tabuelan). Both crossings are paved roads and not heavily trafficked. That’s in addition to the crossing near the top of the island from Bogo to San Remigio. Both coastal routes have existed and been in use for nearly a century, albeit in various states of finish from dirt road to asphalt and cement. The TRAFFIC is manageable for the most part, and the relatively recent rules around “truck bans” were put in place in the past decade or so (Mandaue, Liloan, Consolacion, Danao, etc.) and DO MAKE SOME LOGICAL sense in “normal” times. But to INSIST and IMPOSE them on aid trucks during times of catastrophe is simply IDIOTIC. That is my point. If local officials were too stupid NOT to temporarily suspend (say for a month or two) those rules and announce them so the public would be aware of the temporary exception, to allow trucks filled with aid to reach the North more speedily, then they were STUPID. So please, GET OUT A MAP of Cebu so you are aware of all the routes towards your destination before you choose to present yourself as being knowledgeable on the routes up North, apparently based on a single visit in 2011. And unless you have an insider view as to the rationale behind local traffic rules (which include truck bans AT DIFFERENT TIMES in neighboring towns), I wouldn’t presume to believe that folks are “doing the best they can to balance the traffic”…
And in case you didn’t bother to read the last two weeks posts worth of relief distribution, we HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND and have distributed upwards of 200,000+ meal equivalents, along with other private groups, and in MANY CASES, WELL BEFORE ANY ORGANIZED AID OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY MADE IT TO THOSE TOWNS. So take your two cents worth of advice typed from the 5-lane highway happy state of MI and stick it up where the sun doesn’t shine. Comments like yours are usually not worth a retort, but on this Sunday morning, it has obviously ignited my ire. And once you get to the affected areas up North, there ARE NO TRAFFIC JAMS AT ALL. Few ambulances every heard or seen, several trucks fixing utility poles but pulled off curb, and most roads cleared of debris within a day or two. And there was no traffic causing deluge of people to the shrine at Odlot. So the picture you paint in your mind is completely INACCURATE for Northern Cebu.
Ancestors on my mothers side of the family hail from Tuburan and lived there in the late 1800’s, and had cars in the early 1900’s to drive themselves to the city, or up along the coast for a paseo or to conduct business. My wife’s ancestors have owned property in Medellin and Bogo going back nearly a century as well. So we are aware of the roadways through both the eastern and western coasts of the island heading up North. But a simple glance at a map would tell any amateur or new arrival the same information.
As for some high-profile “previous” and current public officials, seen at least on several occasions during these recent aid missions up North to the island of Bantayan, who arrive in cars and SUVs (with no food or medicine in tow) and who CUT LINES for ferries that aid trucks have patiently waited in line for, I have even worse words I can think of. If people published photos of these MORONS (particularly ones who hold no current government position) doing that, we would hope they would never again get elected to public office… but here in the Philippines, there is instead a high likelihood they would get voted in again, anyway.
No, the picture I painted is true from my experience at the best of times – I spent time, 1 month in 2010 and 5 months in 2011, in Northern Cebu. I am a Montecillo, and members of my family are scattered all over Cebu (there is a statue of one of the great uncles in Tuburan) – mostly Northern Cebu (btw one of the oldest families – my great grandfather was the last Spanish Kapitan in Catmon and my great grandmother’s Rivera family of origin is from Bantayan Island). I spent some of my time visiting family and friends visiting in Northern Cebu along with 3 trips pilgrimage trip to Odlot to pay homage to the blessed Mother, so I am by no means an amateur.
I can say this, that although there are many family owned private vehicles at my disposal; along with my concern for the environment, I tend to use public transportation when I am in the Cebu, Philippines – a country I love very much and I visit as many times as I can afford. However, I believe pedigree is neither here nor there during this catastrophe. My cousin Ben Montecillo Rodriguez is a doctor working with the Israeli mission in Bogo. My cousin Caroline Montecillo Embalzado is working with the LGU in Medellin. Both are like me, great grandchildren of Kapitan Pantaleon Montecillo.
One might say that although I am in Michigan, I have a fairly good picture of what’s going on. Members of my family have been involved in relief work and so are a lot of Catmonanons. My heart is very touched knowing that some folks from Catmon have been sharing what little they have with folks in the affected areas. Since the beginning of this tragedy, a relief trip from Catmon, transporting necessities from medicines to tarps to food and water to clothing, has been made almost every other day to the affected areas. Families from Barangay Corazon and Flores have reached deep into their hearts and pockets, to send aid to the people most affected as there has been some damage in Catmon also. I posted some photos on FB.
Road conditions can be “iffy” even during the best of times – mostly 2 lanes in all 3 instances – however, unless Cebu had an infrastructure highway building miracle sine 2011, the most traveled in the one in the east coast in my experience. During my 3 trips to Odlot, using both private and public transportation, we were stuck in traffic – although not San Francisco bridges crawl, stuck just the same for one reason or another – was it because I am star crossed or ignorant of road conditions?
I am no stranger to disaster relief – had some training from FEMA and the American Red Cross; in turn, training students on how to respond from “mobilization to reflection”. I understand fully well the primary importance of access points to the affected areas as well as the appropriate protocols to be followed. My students, members of my family and friends have served in the hurricane ravages areas of Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, New Orleans, floods in Texas and Northern Mexico, earthquake in Haiti, in Guatemala – doing anything and everything from setting up temporary clinics and soup kitchens in Mississippi and Alabama, to ongoing Habitat for Humanity work in New Orleans (still going to this very day) to setting up classrooms, having book and school supply drives as well as disaster resettlement projects here in Metro-Detroit.
Yes, I respect your right to express your frustration – one of my former students said she could not believe “what cry babies some Filipinos” can be. It is good that you vent, as these are very trying times but –
Please “do no harm” when you vent as there is such a thing as “emotional contagion”. I am not responding as an apologist for the government at any level. I am responding to speak for the ground crew who are confronted with many, many calamitous experiences making them vulnerable to despair – those unnamed and unpaid “no hoopla” responders are our biggest assets with face to face contact with those affected – their morale needs to be protected and respected. This is a very long term process and to demoralize them with extreme negativity is a malicious and sinful – there will be enough time to reflect objectively with no blaming and shaming.
In the field, we train responders to “focus” with the job at hand and trust that “every one up and down the line” are also focusing and doing the best they can. Yes, there will chatting breaks to assess or vent among the workers to alleviate burn out and rejuvenate workers. Usually, because there is nowhere else to go you will see them do this. We train responders to do reflection before going to bed – what went right, what the best practice is, what went wrong and what needs to be changed and rectified – no easy task.
The most important thing to remember is to keep the spirits up, prevent burn out and make sure that they are at their best when in contact with those affected – because of emotional contagion and the emotional vulnerabilities of the affected; one must take care to keep hope and faith alive because if hope is gone, other challenges will surface in the rebuilding process. We need to plan for the long term rebuilding – after the international community has gone, etc… including treatment for trauma and post traumatic stress.
Direct disaster response is a very emotionally and physically trying business. It takes a toll, in mind, body and spirit. I hope the readers will consider that in 2013, the Philippine government, national level to LGU have responded to 26 typhoons and 1 major earthquake. The Philippines is not a rich country with strong infrastructure, let us be care that we do not add to the fragility of the systems.
I appreciate the challenges of all those involved in relief and response – I keep in mind that they are people, human beings with feelings, too – yes, I think they are doing the best they can with they have to work with, under the circumstances.
I hope you will, too – now let us all get on with the work at hand. Take care and May God Bless All!
Edna, your lengthy reply is appreciated BUT FAILS TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL ISSUES your raised in your initial comment. You assert only one main road, that is factually UNTRUE. You paint a picture of roads clogged by traffic up North around Bogo (by ambulances, utility trucks and pilgrims), that is factually UNTRUE after the storm, with the exception of weekend traffic (9 days after the storm), when many private vehicles went up North to see the damage and try and bring help. You asserted that “people are doing their best to balance traffic”, for which you provide NO CREDIBLE SUPPORT. You claim you are a native or by affiliation one, but you don’t present a FACTUALLY ACCURATE picture of what is on the ground post-Typhoon. So yes, I stick by my original post and follow up comment. To vent, as you put it, when appropriate and factual, is always fine with me. As long as otherwise we are working our asses off to get aid to the folks who need it. And if you had been on the ground in Northern Cebu, you would have seen the Germans, the Israelis, the Koreans, and lots of private individuals in the hardest hit areas just days after the storm, all doing their thing. In our many sorties up there, NOT A SINGLE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT aid truck was to be seen (I am sure they must have been there, but they weren’t terribly visible). We ran across OXFAM, The Red Cross, The Aboitiz Foundation, etc. NOT a single Philippine military vehicle to provide security in the towns we visited. I understand their wanting to focus on Leyte which was “harder” hit and where there were thousands of casualties, but Northern Cebu with say 400,000+ population was in essence, left to fend for itself. Thankfully, it was close to help from Cebuanos in the South who could get up there relatively easily, with the small exception of idiotic “truck bans”…
There were very few casualties in Northern Cebu, including the Camotes islands, because those at risk were EVACUATED the day before the storm. Whole islands with thousands of people were emptied out and in some places coastal folks were better prepared than others, but overall, the preparation worked to the benefit of the people. One does wonder why the same wasn’t done in the riskiest areas in Leyte.
It’s one thing to discuss the psychological aspects of relief work, BUT IT IS AN ENTIRELY OTHER THING TO PRESENT FACTUALLY INCORRECT ASSERTIONS ABOUT THE CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND WHILE THE RELIEF WORK IS IN PROGRESS.
Here are some snapshots of recent trips up North, in case you remain unconvinced just how wrong the picture you painted was…
Midway up the eastern highway perhaps an hour out of Cebu, at say 8am, totally DEVOID OF TRAFFIC.
From Tabuelan to San Remigio, the land cruiser and dumptruck in our sortie, so the only other motor vehicle running is the motorcycle on the right. This road was almost completely DEVOID of other traffic except an occasional power utility vehicle driving by.
At small coastal barangays in San Remigio, on the second MAIN ARTERY to the North, we stopped and distributed goods RIGHT ON THE MAIN ROAD, since there was nary any other traffic passing at ALL. Hundreds if not thousands of people lined up patiently here to receive their aid packages. And no one had been to see them yet for nearly 4 days after the storm. Roads here were all passable.
On interior roads in Tabuelan a few days later, to reach thousands in hill top barangays, the dirt roads were completely DEVOID of traffic of a vehicular or human kind.
Just outside Bogo, at the main intersection and typical choke point of traffic towards medellin and Daanbantayan, there was NO TRAFFIC AT ALL. That white passenger van is in our sortie. Only the lone motorcycle turns towards the North. And they were fixing the electrical poles here, with trucks pulled off the curb.
The beautiful concrete highway to Daanbantayan, free and clear…
Notice, NO TRAFFIC UP NORTH, NO BUSES, NO DELUGE OF PRIVATE VEHICLES, NO DELUGE OF AID VEHICLES, NO MILITARY, NO AMBULANCES, NO GOVERNMENT AID TRUCKS, NO PILGRIMS, NO BLOCKED MAIN ROADS JUST 4 DAYS AFTER THE STORM. SO THERE WAS NO PROBLEM IN THE DELIVERY OF AID IN MANY PARTS OF NORTHERN CEBU (with the exception of Bantayan and outlying islands as I will write about soon since FERRIES were clogged) as you asserted in your comment above. THE ONLY PROBLEM WE ENCOUNTERED AND I BLASTED WAS THE IDIOTIC “TRUCK BANS” in towns like Mandaue, Consolacion, Liloan, Danao, etc. right near Cebu City.
So who’s “Monday morning second guessing and quarter backing” now???
MM, I love reading your blog. You are a truly blessing to Filipino people. You are not a politician but gives a lot to a less fortunate. Some people are hypocrite. You are a very sincere and true. More power to you and continue what you’re doing.
ano daw??? from MM’s main concern on the truck ban being pointless and irrelevant at this trying time, ba’t humantong sa “emotional contagion”. happy monday nalang sa lahat!
Hi MM,
I am always grateful for all your help. Please know that I believe in you.
Such a shame to some people who don’t exactly know what they are talking about/things trying to impose on you. Pati ako na high blood!!! grrrr!!
EDNA: this? >>> “monday morning second guessing and quarter backing” is full of crap! #$&£¥%!!
Ano kamo?! *kamot ulo*
MM, don’t know if i’d be irked or i’ll just LOL! Great job! :)
Someone has to use her brains. Keep up the good work MM!!
I was trying to be civilized and refrained from shaming and blaming – I guess it is what it is! I would rather be happy and peaceful doing my bit than being right – I guess being right is very important to you. I have no skin in the game, I don’t live there. I do love a lot of people there.
I did have sources who said that the traffic ban was only done in the towns that you mentioned closer to Cebu City. Yes, the event was calamitous and the social fabric has been shredded to bits in Northern Cebu. We must be careful and not cause further rips and tears.
One of the things that I learned – is that the preservation of the parts that are functional and working, ie…the towns mentioned that are still functioning because it serves as a good base for the rebuilding – allowances has to be made for the towns who are trying to continue their normal business routine – I think that the authorities in those towns are trying to balance the needs of their people who could potentially help support those who are affected – like I said, if one has a job to do, you focus on that job and trust that those with other jobs and responsibilities will do their part.
Disruption in the working social fabrics must be minimized. There are two responses – the emotional response often resulting in dysfunction and the rational response balancing the needs of the whole social fabric and prevent further tearing.
Emotional contagion – negative emotions are more likely to jump from person to person – grapevine negativity can spread very quickly – riots are started this way. We need to protect the emotional well being of the front line workers and the folks who are affected – like I said disasters affect mind, body and spirit. I am currently working with a cadre of counselors and psychologist who are giving up their time and paying their own way to work with the affected children. There is already a lot of trauma going around, in my experience folks who are helping wholeheartedly are sensitive to this. Disaster response and relief work can be very exhausting and frustrating.
Some of my friends and my former students and I have been remitting money to help in any way we can. The money is sent directly, so supplies can be bought and delivered to the affected areas, whether it is tarps, buckets, food, medicine, clothes, hygiene supplies. So far none of my contacts on the ground have complained about the truck bans.
That is called resilience – going with the flow, a trait that reporters world wide have recognized and reported – a trait that all Filipinos can be proud of.
I am expressing my concerns now that Haiyan/Yolanda has pretty much disappeared from the headlines here in the US. Negative thinking also affects the mindset of donors. The recovery is going to take a long, long time. People are still working down the Gulf Coast rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina.
As far as the absence of the government – heck, Anderson Cooper among others reported on that fact the second or the third day after the catastrophe…yes, I saw some of the pols doing a lot of photo ops. I also know that some members of my family travelled by car to take medicines and medical supplies including antibiotics to Northern Cebu. One does not need big haulers for that. So I have pretty much discounted the national government I am doing the best I can to help. I have accepted and embraced the fact that the Philippines is a poor country with very limited resources and very poor infrastructure.
Yes, the relief organizations from international community are there to help. If things work out and my health holds up I am hopinh to work with the World Food Program after the holidays. God willing. My roommate and I with some friends are also planning to work with Habitat for Humanity once the projects are developed and we have a good idea of how much money we need to raise for the project. My biggest handicap is that, although I speak fluent Cebuano, I don’t speak Tagalog.
I am not interested in playing NIGYSOB with anybody. Too much “bagotbot” over trifle. I am just sharing my experience and perspective – take what you like and leave the rest. Although it seems that you have a hidden agenda in your venting, I am glad you are helping and I am grateful – I even prayed for you last night – I’m of Franciscan affiliation and practice.
Take good care of yourself…take it easy and find professional help in processing your frustration.
I’m sorry. But “find professional help”?? That’s really insulting. And what is the hidden agenda in MM’s rant? He was merely responding to your comment. Sure, you have a lot of family members in Cebu, but the thing is, you’re not ACTUALLY there. MM and his family and crew members are.
Looks like someone is blogging(or blabbing?) in the comment thread…to have to deal with “truck bans” when you’re trying to send help to those in need ASAP is a royal pain! You call it a trifle? Damn!
Dear Edna,
For someone who claims to have come from an affluent family, had some training from FEMA and American Red Cross, and more especially, speaks of emotional contagion, I do hope you get more training and learn to put it into practice. Because telling someone who has helped his kababayan more than you ever have to ” think things through and use your brains” and “find professional help” certainly does not reflect the training you’ve received.
I do hope the people from the World Food Program and Habitat see your comments and realize the possible ’emotional contagion’ you may cause to their organizations.
Oh, God. I don’t understand this.
Someone is so annoying !! What’?? ” >>>You’re this…you’re that…you belong here…there….you have this..that…you have a family there…you speak this….you don’t speak that… hidden agenda…find professional help….” blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!
WTH! What is the problem with you??? You are so out of this world.
Market Man was just telling us what was happening out there, What happened to their relief distribution, etc.
I know a lot of people are so grateful to him, to his family and to Zubuchon staff.
So, why are you so disturbed ??? :-{
PLEASE STOP. PLEASE DON’T INSULT Him.
Edna M. Rankine, you are now the recipient of the MARKETMANILA FISHPAN AWARD 2013! Hahahaha!
You won by a mile my dear, so far ahead of any contenders this year, in fact, that I didn’t even for a minute consider you for the lesser MARKETMANILA CHAINSAW AWARD 2013. And my small panel of judges, which includes a psychiatrist, concurs unanimously.
Hear the thundering applause of marketmanila readers?!! Confused? Don’t be. Regulars know exactly what being “fish-panned” means.
Congratulations, from the bottom of my “frustrated” being… All I needed was to thwack someone good (figuratively, of course) with a copper fishpan. I feel quite good now. And head back to Cebu tomorrow before dawn to begin another round of sorties to Northern Cebu. :)
Note: Ever wonder why many fishpan and would-be fishpan awardees feel compelled to provide their full names in first time comments on this blog? Bizarre.
Edna, what’s is wrong with you? You must be really stressed out. It is YOU who should go and find professional help before you tell others to do so. You can afford it. You come from a landed family, as you say so yourself.
HaHaHaHa!!
Now, I’m laughing! ( I must be crazy!)
It’s official. The Marketmanila Fishpan Award for 2013 has been handed out.
I can only assume Ms Rankine is not accustomed to having anyone contradict her. After all, even though she is the last one to suggest that pedigree (isn’t that for dogs?) is important, she is the lineal descendant of a bunch of Very Important People. Somehow Ms Rankine reminds me of the haughty Filipinas who try to cut in front of me in lines, and give me venomous looks when I politely but assertively tell them to wait their turn.
Honestly, what possesses someone to write such ignorant, patronising rubbish on a thread like this? It was very obvious from her first comment that she hadn’t read your posts and had no idea at all what Marketman and the crew have been doing or even where they live.
I hope she shows the thread to her students (assuming they really exist). It will give them great insight into the character of their teacher, although probably not one that she will like.
hahaha! nice Official(?) Fishpan Shot there!
wish it weren’t so, but she does sound like the (unfortunately) average monologuing, self-absorbed, and ridiculously condescending teacher to me. (and the more teachers i know, the more this “average” rings true. thank goodness for the tail-ends of that bell curve.) too used to talking down to people than to, y’know, actually making sense outside of her head.
meanwhile, kudos and thank you as always to MarketMan for his compassion, patience, and–yes–educational value.
hahahaha it’s my first time commenting here. it took time reading all! keep up the good work Monsieur Marketman! Good job and bravo bravo to the family and staff.
An awardee!!!! Very deserving too!!!
Please DELETE Edna’s future respond in your blog. It’s quite annoying!!! She should create her own blog!
Hands down, MM – she deserves FishPan Award for 2013 –
Last statement about needing to seek professional help – how very condescending and arrogant !!
Thank you for the award to be fair if Filipinos are in fact folks my life is an open book – you can Google me – check out my body of work or check me out on FB and get to know what I am all about – the photos I posted are open to the public including photos of latrines that my students and I worked in Northern Mexico to prevent disease outbreak after disastrous flooding…I am very proud of my students a number have opted to work in community service to serve the people – I am an Activist and a Feminist – my target issues are the environment, hunger and homelessness – the formula I use to teach is awareness – action – advocacy – in my career I have never confined myself to lectures without guiding my students to action to apply.
I am respectful, I don’t label, I don’t make fun, I don’t call people names – the purpose of my response was to reframe some of the issues confronting the people in this very challenging and difficult – if I offended anyone, please accept my sincere apologies.
Again thank you for your time and kind indulgence – Keep the Faith and Spread GOODWILL and most of all, HOPE! Emotional contagion is real…enough said!
OH MY GULAY, It’s like reading the thoughts of a crazy person!
“I am respectful, I don’t label, I don’t make fun, I don’t call people names” – Really?! You just told MM to get professional help!
MM, hands down winner of the fishpan award this year.
Congratulations Edna M. Rankine!! Some people just don’t know when to shut-up. Yes you are a good person, yes you have lots of VIP relatives in Cebu and have lived in Cebu and yes you care for the country. Unfortunately you were proven without doubt, WRONG about the traffic situation. Grabeh ang pride mali na nga palusot pa, pinoy-na-pinoy..hehe
Right on Zerho! You hit the nail on the head with that one. Wish the nail hits Edna’s head so she realizes the wrong in her statements.
It normally happens when people are so full of themselves. The nail would certainly release some of the air in her head. It seems it’s so full of it.
Edna M. Rankine, whatever information you have is second hand. You are not on the ground so accept that you could be mistaken. If you want proof, come see for yourself.
MM’s post points out what is wrong with the truck ban system and how it can be corrected. By pointing out that some government officials are the first to jump the queue is to point out abuses that must be rectified. I can forgive MM for namecalling because I have been subjected to similar idiocies at the NAIA, at SSS, at the Statistics office and the experience was beyond exasperating. Believe me, “tanga” is well deserved.
To keep quiet about the defects in the system is to perpetuate the error. What is wrong with speaking out, especially if is well deserved. What is wrong is for you to call whistleblowing as “emotional contagion” and to suggest that MM “should think things through and use (his) brains”. Aren’t you creating emotional contagion yourself?
Do you know the story of the self-righteous pharisee?
Sabi nga nila — anyare? ‘kaloka ha…
Just… sad.
love the photo MM…:-)
I must seek psychiatric help. I had fun reading all of the posts. Hahaha!
By the way, I’m not from Cebu. Who are the Montecillos?
In hawaii there’s a saying “ALOHA AKU, ALOHA MAI”. It means “GIve love, Get love”.
Edna M. Rankine GAVE emotional contagion, and she GOT Fishpan Award. Just sayin.
Oh Edna, Edna, Edna… tsk… tsk… tsk… you poor dear… time for you to get a life… a real one, not the fictitious one you think you have which you keep writing here… ’nuff said!
Aww, the fishpan award had been handed out. and its only november!
Edna I can smell your ???????? all the way here in down under!
had a blast reading the comments…..thank you for giving me a dose of loud laughter…..fishpan talaga!
“I am no stranger to disaster relief – had some training from FEMA and the American Red Cross;…”
Tehehe. FEMA was unprepared for Katrina and was highly criticized for being “invisible” in New Orleans in the relief efforts. American Red Cross is often accused of corruption and embezzling charity money. Phil. National Red Cross is more trustworthy and competent than the ARC. Heck, grassroot organizations in our country were very reliable and efficient in responding to emergency needs even with little training and experience. I really wouldn’t drop FEMA and ARC training in my resume, they’re tainted.
she can be summed up in one word…long-winded…
I read MM’s and Edna’s exchange, and what I saw was that Edna’s post was all about her.
“I received this training; I worked for that organisation; I came from this family; I live in this State”…Edna, your posts seem to be just showing off. As many of the other commenters here said, MM was talking about the problem him and his team encountered while distributing goods and why it would’ve been better if the truck bans were temporarily lifted. However, you managed to turn it into a declaration of how great a person you are and why you know better!
Well done and congratulations on your fishpan award!