It's almost a week since Super Typhoon Yolanda devastated Tacloban City and its neighboring provinces. The damage was totally devastating indeed. Lots of relief goods are coming both from within and outside the country. It's so overwhelming how the people/countries joined efforts in sending help to the affected areas. Here in Cagayan de Oro alone, many non-government organizations, companies, private entities and even individuals initiated a relief operations. Indeed, the support was so touching and overwhelming.

However, it cannot be denied that there are some factions going on between the government and some "concerned citizens". There are lots of negative comments against the government concerning how slow the response was. But if we watch the news every night, such claims seems not true at all. The government was in fact very busy with their efforts in giving help to the victims. DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman even broke her silence regarding those negative comments. On her FB accounts she wrote that all efforts were done, 24/7. Well, I can't really say that such post was really from her because I doubt with its grammar and spelling LOL, but it was posted on her FB account (just click the link). 

In my opinion, it's really hard to judge them (the government officials) considering that the impact of the calamity was so great that one can only think of running away from it if given the choice. If we also based our judgment on the victim themselves, they seems too hopeless with the situations. They just cannot rely on food ration and relief goods forever. Though it is their immediate needs but for how long will they entrust their lives to the help of other people? And for how long will the government be able to support them. Most of them are homeless, jobless and worst have lost some, if not all, members of their family and maybe among the casualties was their breadwinner. So how could they stand on their own if they felt like so hopeless with their situations? It is also reported that the food ration given to them will only last for 2 to 3 days depending on the number of its family members. Indeed, the situation itself was so disheartening. Only courageous people can stand to such scenario. Maybe, this is the right time for the government to show to the people, especially to those who thought negative against them, that their priorities was for the welfare of all the victims. With that, a permanent shelter should be built (this time, on a safer place) that could accommodate them all. I guess money is not an issue here because basing on the cash donations we received or we will be receiving from international entities, it worth billions of pesos plus the money coming from within the country. 

Let's just pray that all the cash donations being collected will really be utilized to where and whom it is intended for. Let us also keep on tracking the progress of the relief operations. Let us all be vigilant in guarding the amount that was entrusted to our country. Let us not frustrate those who extend their help and effort for our fallen provinces. And may the government will do something to mitigate such destruction if another Super Typhoon will try to devastate our country again.

As to the question if what was really the real score there in Tacloban and other affected areas, whether the controversial CNN correspondent is telling the accurate news or not, its not just right for me to say anything because first and foremost, I've never been there.