The Deadly Punches of Frank

The Philippines suffered the most in mother nature's latest show of fury - Typhoon Frank.

For more than a month now, the country has been experiencing long, bad rains, most especially in the Luzon and Visayas regions. But nothing could beat the destruction and loss of many lives brought about by Frank. News of the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy flooded the televisions. The shock, caused not by the weather, but by its effects, came to the Filipinos last weekend.

While worry and grief consumed the hearts of many, I was living my solitary, unaffected life here in Marbel. I have not watched the news for three weeks now. I have no access to television and radio. And when I have the chance to surf the net, I was always checking http://www.starmagazine.com/ for juicy showbiz news about Angelina Jolie's pregnancy and Jennifer Aniston and John Meyer's romantic escapades.

So the shock came very late for me. During the Mass of the Holy Spirit conducted last Wednesday, the mass presider, at the end of his homily, said, Let us pray for those who were struck by the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy and those who suffered in Iloilo (something like that).

I was clueless and when I asked my seatmate about what the priest meant, he briefed me on what he had seen and heard on the news. I was on the verge of crying. It took so much effort to fight tears from falling.If I were alone then, I would have let my emotions prevail. But I was in public and I did not want to make a scene. My seatmate, looking at me, did not know whether to be amused or what over my reaction.

Today, I checked the newspapers and inquirer.net and learned that around 500 people have been confirmed dead already, excluding the hundreds of unrecovered bodies still left at the ferry, which at present is stuck hundreds of feet underwater.

Many relatives of the victims came out, wanting to claim the remains of their loved ones. There was one who lost 13 family members who were supposed to attend a family reunion. Now, they will be having a reunion plus memorial service.

While many people have lost homes, properties and loved ones, there are others who remain safe and unharmed, including me and my family. I could not say that we're lucky because luck has nothing to do with this. In some ways, I have lost a lot in this, too, even if indirectly. I could not claim that I know how they (victims' families) feel, I'd be a hypocrite. But I feel for them. I am with them. Their loss is the loss of the Filipino people. And at this point, the most that we can do is pray for the victims and those whom they left. And if there are entities who contributed in this tragedy by being irresponsible, then it's about time for them to face their responsibilities.

Nothing can bring back all the loss, but hopefully, this tragedy will prove to be a learning experience for everyone.