COLUMN | “Resillient” Filipinos deserve urgency, not insensitivity

Shekinah Jedidiah Alima

It is that time of the year again; habagat is here. Now, Typhoon “Crising” strikes Luzon prompting local government units such as Manila and Quezon City to declare a state of calamity in their respective areas. Meanwhile, Malacañang suspended government work and classes in all levels in NCR and 36 other areas. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, approximately 1.2 million people were impacted and 82,000 individuals were required to evacuate. 

Lives are clearly on the line, and public figures such as politicians and government agencies who can easily disseminate information have the most vital responsibility at their backs — and it is part of their obligation to perform it with professionalism.  

Unfortunately, class suspension announcements from some local government units come out late, and some even utilize humor in public communication with social media. 

For instance, Laguna Governor Sol Aroganes’ Facebook page announced on Sunday, July 20 that classes for the next day were cancelled due to the inclement weather. However, the publication material appeared to contain elements expressing humor, and the word choices for the information demote the urgency of the matter. 

The official Facebook page of the Department of Interior and Local Government also committed the same act, referring to its Secretary, Jonvic Romulla as “BFF Sol.” Moreover, Brigada Batangas reminded the public on their class suspension announcement last July 21 not to sleep late anymore, with a caption “gigil niyo kami eh!”

These posts drew flak from the public, as they downgrade the extremity and danger that students could experience should they go out of their homes and attend their classes. In public communication, the tone of which the message was conveyed is as important as the news itself. Although the digital world follows algorithms and Generation Z slangs are prominent, it is crucial that public figures display decency and empathy over the disaster that Filipinos are facing. 

The public deserves immediate access to information because lives are in the line. When clout comes before safety, politicians and media figures only worsen the calamity. Not only do they fail to display basic humanity, but the amount of insensitivity these actions scream undermine their role of keeping the public safe in the first place. 

Government officials are expected to help ease the burden, especially when there are stranded commuters, farmers are losing their livelihoods, students cannot go to school, and households are struggling with flooding.

Indeed, Filipinos are resilient and they are glorified for keeping their smiles up even in the face of adversity — but we certainly deserve better. We elected politicians to take care of us, and one way for them to fulfill this is to express genuine concern over our well-being when storms are present, even in the form of public announcements.