Natural disasters happen here all the time, and we Filipinos are so goddamned used to it we really don't give a hooting fuck if it happens elsewhere. My favorite columnist is ranting about just how insensitive we can be:
I was completely embarrassed when BBC reported on how the world celebrated New Year's Eve, which was that most of it did not celebrate it at all. On one hand, it showed Filipinos dancing in Ayala and exploding firecrackers in their homes. On the other it showed Indonesians, Thais, Sri Lankans, and even the peoples of countries who had not fallen victim to the earthquake and tsunami holding candles or prostrating themselves in temples in supplication or silent prayer for the dead. Sweden cancelled all traditional festivities and declared its intention to donate whatever money it could raise from it to the victims.
I say, what else is new? People die in catastrophes all the time, livelihood and property destroyed. For all we know people drop dead in hunger on our streets somewhere. We take it all in stride and make merry anyway, because exploding firecrackers is escape. Imbibing liters of alcohol is escape. Shouldn't we at least thank the government for making sure the "sin taxes" won't significantly raise the prices of booze? Because well, wouldn't that be anti-poor? And God knows they'll be needing lots more of that for the coming year.
The disasters and tragedies in the dying days of 2004 are portent of things to come. And believe me people, 2005 will be worse. So say all my professors (who incidentally are also NGO and GO consultants), so say my classmates (who are diplomats, civil society workers and government employees) so say my students (both the rich and the poor ones), so say my family, so says my dog. Ah, isn't ignorance bliss?
But for the mean time there is nothing left to do but explode firecrackers, abuse our livers and then prepare for the brunt of the worst to come. Here's to not killing ourselves in 2005. Cheers.
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