Worse Than Hell

Re-posted of my column published in MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR from November 14, 2013 with friendy permission of my publisher Marietta F. Siongco

"Yes, "Yolanda", the world's strongest typhoon, was it indeed.

Actually I had another topic for today's column in mind. But Monday (November 11, 2013) the program manager of German News TV Channel N-24 in Berlin gave me a ring asking me if I would like to become their new Philippine correspondent. Right now because of typhoon "Yolanda" and in future for reports from the Philippines. I agreed and, just out of the blue, I delivered three live reports over the phone. N-24, similar to the Philippine ANC is screening "breaking news" regarding the situation in the Philippines since yesterday every 30 minutes. The N-24 camera team and reporters didn't get the chance yet to visit the affected areas.

This morning, my inbox has been overloaded by tons of emails sent to me - especially from Grman-Philippine families living in Germany. Many questions are on the table:Where is the plan and why the coordination between the rescue teams is not working? Today's (November 11, 2013) MIRROR's editoril asks also: "Where is the plan? ... What worries us is the rather slow progress of rescue and relief efforts and the apparent lack of any coordinated plan to get every possible help to the affected areas!"

I learned from several private groups, individuals and the German Red Cross, that they don't want to wait any longer. Fact is, and I mentioned it also in my previous TV reports: We are really mistaken believing and expecting goverment to have prepared its rescue and relief efforts before the typhoon arrived.

My heart - and not only mine - bleeds for all the people of the Visayas Regin, especially those families, who lost loved ones and for those who perished in the world's strongest typhoon to make landfall.

German Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle at the ASEM - Foreign Minister Meeting in New Delhi started his speech: "On behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany I would like to expressy Typhoon  our heartfelt condolences and symphaties to the victims and the families who have suffered immense losses by lives and properties by Typhoon 'Yolanda'. Germany stands ready to assist and swiftly deliver humanitarian aid!"

Yes, the situation is worse than hell. And it will become more. What is the intensification of "hell"...?"