Millions of dollars to billions of pesos have been dumped into areas affected by the ravaging supertyphoon Yolanda November last year. A portion of these monetary assistance have been utilized to buy the goods for the relief and now rehabilitation operations, either through the national government, particularly the Social Welfare and the Public Works and Highways agencies, or through the various domestic and international humanitarian groups. Yet in spite of the gargantuan amount fused in, fund or otherwise, there persists the cry for insatiability among survivors of the killer cyclone, especially those in bunk houses and makeshift shanties in the “no-build zone” areas.
While the private-sector-led humanitarian groups have seized dishing out ready-to-eat and ready-to-wear goods and other necessary household wares few weeks ago as they shifted efforts to rebuilding and rehabilitation phase, the DSWD will have to continue providing consumables to the affected families. The victims could not be blamed as definitely, most of them have no stable source of income locally as yet. Sources from the social welfare agency advanced the information of a possible extension of the distribution of these relief goods from the deadline on March 31 to at least a more or two but on less frequent duration.
Beyond this superficial clamor stirred by the ephemeral need for sustenance is the demand for a more concrete aid to the survivors whose homes were totally destroyed and livelihood vanished as well in the deadly megastorm. They bellow for permanent homes now that they could put up their decent abodes anew with meagre pesos in their hands. No livelihood, no work, no concrete source of living, thus providing for their needs, much as reconstruction of their homes, is hard to come by. Situation is even more difficult among those in the no-build zone, and those who have lost their loved ones on whom they once rely on for survival.
Although, generally places hardly hit by the supertyphoon in November last year have vivified their resilience with the regrowth in their economy from day zero and little by little strived to build back the vibrancy of the locality to the pre-Yolanda condition, the demand for more lasting help, especially the government is pressing. Transparency and accountability that is annexed to the receipt of all the donations from across the globe supposedly for the Yolanda victims, in order for the latter to build back their lives, including legitimate and legal livelihood, soon should be given equal attention.
Lest the worst scenario happens, that is certain individuals amassing wealth at the expense of the Yolanda victims, every single peso, dollar or euro should be accounted for. Besides there is nothing to save the donations for unless they go into wastrel due to too much corruption both in the government and the humanitarian organizations.

Breaking into holidays to reflect on the holy days marking the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was recharging to both body and spirit. The holy days are set aside from the rest of the year to afford mankind enough time to retreat and reflect the supreme sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for the salvation of all. The days are determined by the Catholic Church based on its liturgical calendar that other religious sects do not have. Government declares such days as identified by the Catholic Church as non-working holidays to allow workers from both public and private sectors to join in the commemoration. Business establishments also follow the days set for the observance of the holy days. There is therefore commonality among all sectors that the holidays are holidays that carries spiritual and religious significance more than anything thing else.
It runs mock on the senses for people to abuse and misuse the holidays for unholy activities that mocks the spirituality of the holy days. Drastic changes attending the commemoration of the holy week are very much conspicuous these days. In recent years, people would be busy preparing for religious activities set for the week by the Catholic Church. The commemoration is full of holy activities that are all focused on the saga of man’s salvation. Broadcast media plays a vital role in bringing to the people radio and television programs depicting the way that Jesus Christ obediently took in fulfillment of the will of the Father for the salvation of mankind.
People would truly take a break from usual activities and be glued to homes listening to drama presentations over the radio and movies on television, all about the passion of Jesus Christ. Those who live in the rural areas and hinterlands where mass broadcast media are not available for lack of electric power and electronic gadgets of information would spend the holy days reading and singing the passion of Jesus Christ from the holy bible as well as religious pamphlets on the passion. Contemplating on the sorrowful mysteries is the center of the observance and nothing of the joyful kind is done for the duration. The faithful would troop in pilgrim fashion to churches and other religious sites that are apt for a good retreat and reflection.
Disheartening indeed and embarrassing as well that people who proudly claim to be Christians are now getting diverted from the Jesus Christ who suffered for their sins and their salvation. We all have been shown the way but we tend to follow our own way that is apart from the one Jesus Christ gave us. We take a joy ride on the holidays that were basically declared in observance of the Catholic Church’s sacred tradition by setting on a journey where there is joy and self-satisfaction even if without Jesus Christ. We lurk in happiness of the flesh and find contentment in material possessions even to the extent of despising the will of our Father in heaven. We break our condition in prayer to follow the will of the Father as we always opt to follow our own in any given opportunity.
We ought it to be true witnesses to our faith by refraining and altogether rejecting anything that diverts us from the real significance of the holy days. Using the holidays to party and picnic outings that despise the true intention of the break which is for holy and spiritual journeys of the soul desecrates the supreme sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross. We need to reorient our practices not purely out of tradition but of our free will to be true to our prayer to follow the will of our Father in heaven. There is always an Easter Sunday when we can all claim to be triumphant in going festive, joyous and happy but such must not be held ahead during the passion and death of Jesus Christ where all are expected to be pensive and never caught in worldly adventures of the flesh.
Comments to alellema@yahoo.com

I happened to check an e-promotion regarding a fable. I wanted to subscribe a book for toddlers for three reasons: for a change, for relaxation (a child’s books are my sleeping pills) and for rekindling. I saw a book I wanted to check out because the lesson in it has jogged a lot of valuable memories.
The book is entitled “Three Hens and a Peacock”. The story is basically about three jealous hens and a visitor peacock that happened to attract more customers into their farm. The hens complained they were doing all the hard work. This book teaches a valuable lesson fortified by my experience with Typhoon Haiyan. This book advocates the value of contentment.
Apparently, contentment is lackluster in the society. We are always hungry for more. We crave for something far beyond our capacities. We downgrade our tangible and intangible possessions time and again. We have become polished megalomaniacs. Unpleasantly, we are involuntarily oblivious of these monsters as they consume every fiber of our rationale and reason.
I remember my erstwhile neighbor. She had no job. She had four kids to send to school. Her husband was a ‘moderate’ drunkard and had no permanent work. They survive by means of her husband’s siblings and parents. Yet every town fiesta, they always made sure that the pig’s death was never in vein. Their modest residence was always jampacked with guests and relatives. The prying eyes of neighbors mean that for another year, they made a successful fiesta celebration through money owing. The debt cycle never ended for them, because they never were pleased of a simple celebration, or a smaller and more meaningful family gathering. The debt cycle is my term for sustainable money owing, where a person pays his debts through debts. The debt cycle is common among run of the mill families and couples. If some fail to sustain the cycle, they fall into the debt abyss.
I know a very hardworking co-employee whom I met last year. I learned that she and her family migrated to Canada two months ago. She was actually my superior. She was part of the company’s roster of top business consultants. Her husband was also a co-employee with a higher position. Both of them earned gargantuan bonuses, salaries, benefits and perks. They had the positions everyone is aspiring to relish. Yet, out of the blue, they decided to quit their jobs and transfer to another country to look for bulkier revenue. No matter what angle I consider, I always find their decision quite hastened, unreasonable and insensible.
The two situations are on the ground of dissatisfaction. My neighbor elicited false grandeur. She was never satisfied despite her financial inadequacies. She felt more dignified of sham riches regardless of her dues. My former workmate, despite her more than enough income, was simply not fulfilled. She sought for more in the face of sufficiency. I firmly believe that her act is a covert insult to the poor. Anyone who squanders or undermines resources is insulting those who have none and anyone who is in greed is insulting those who are hungry.
In parallel to this, unsatisfied and discontented individuals are keeping happiness away from their doorsteps. No one will find peace of mind if no one is willing to appreciate what he or she has attained. No one will tell a story of a life well lived if no one is proud of simple hard-earned personal leaderships.
In the same light, this has got to be one of the premium lessons a Yolanda survivor has achieved. The things disregarded before are the things that we lost after the typhoon: shelter, clothing, food, friends, family, and life. These things that we lost are the things that should be valued more from then on, because the simplest possessions are the ones most painful to lose.
I’m glad I’ve realized the premium lesson of contentment as a juvenile. It took my neighbor’s way of life and my workmate’s attitude to understand it, and Haiyan’s wrath to fortify it. For others, I hope the nudge of Yolanda is enough to both understand and put to mind that contentment spells freedom, happiness and godliness. Again, I hear the bible: “But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.” (1 Timothy 6:6-7)