Hope for the Refugees - An Open Letter

I am appealing to Queen Elizabeth of France, Prince William, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, Mr. Bill Gates, Mr. Donald Trump, Michael Jordan, Mr. Manny Pacquiao , Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Mr. Tiger Woods, Ms. Martha Stewart, Mr. Henry Sy, Mr. Gokungwei of Robinsons, the Signature Brands - Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel, De Beers, Toyota, BMW, Porsche, Revlon, and all other people millionaires/billionaires to please let us join hands in helping the refugees. Do not look at me, I may not be somebody. It is not me who is important here but this important message I wanted to tell you. It is time to give back. Here is the chance to show the world WHO you are. Riches are for the living and what happens when your life shall fade tomorrow? I am just suggesting I am not asking or collecting donations, to clarify. Have you done something worth remembering? Will you leave a legacy for the next generations to celebrate and love?

Money can make things better, and that is what all those persons and companies have to solve the issue. A maybe forgotten hectares of land somewhere can be bought and transformed into a safe haven for the refugees, plus factories or workplace to employ them and sustain the lives of those unfortunate people. Because a place to live is not enough for their survival unless living is sustainable.

I know some of you have extended help to others in some way like providing food or scholarships etc. , but this time refugees are begging for their lives to be spared. We do not hold the ‘trigger’ that might kill them but in our hands HOPE exists. I wanted to take part in reaching-out to the refugees, I want to give them this strand of hope I am holding in my hand – that this little blog will reach the authorities and the concerned to help them LIVE. It may sound like a drama but this is really what I feel at this moment and I would never want to waste this chance, any precious minute to do what I could possibly can to support their struggle for life.

The refugees are humans but today they were treated like stray animals being refused to be owned.  I hope that the European Union can make a program like “Adopt a Refugee” wherein “able” people can act like a foster family to those helpless people thru EU’s arbitration and surety that they will not be abused nor slaved. And that “they will not just be given fish but the way to catch their own..” work to sustain their living. I was deeply saddened to the News at Al Jazeera with a heading “No space for dead refugees…”

Thoughts on Disaster Preparedness

Various man-made disaster (fire etc.) or even natural calamities (flood, earthquake etc.) if not be totally avoided can yield lesser casualty when everyone is vigilant. There is nothing more relaxing than being prepared at all cost, whatever happens.

I have heard a message of a man criticizing the reminders from PhilVolcs about the possibility of having an intensity seven (7) earthquake in West Valley Fault territories dominantly encompassing Metro Manila area. It is not really who is that man who has accused that Philvolcs Director Solidum is acting like a false prophet – predicting what could happen in the future as he meant.  I am not favoring the fact that Solidum is a prophet indeed because he is not and he does not pretended to be, in fact he did not even prophesy a date. He is just speaking in behalf of history, what has happened in the past and observing the movement of the tectonic plates that led him to notice the interval of its movement that occurred at a particular interval of years with a little margin of difference. And due to the fact, he has predicted a prospect of earthquake occurrence anytime. I am not paid by Mr. Solidum nor anyone from Philvolcs advocating their side BUT just being thankful that he (representing his agency) has reminded us to be prepared IN CASE tremors will surface. The warning respected than critiqued by many has led concerned government agencies up to Barangay levels and had taken seriously to have pushed them to provide awareness and sponsor quake drills to their respective constituents. The Church where I belong also unite with the government on this call; in fact the Central Office has already taken a drill as seen on Net25 reports. Earthquake Safety Awareness campaign is but crucial in saving potential victims (injured or maybe even dead at the worst!). MMDA is also doing their share and ready to provide FREE awareness seminar/drill to schools, Barangays who will want to invite them as a resource speaker. There is more apart from going under the table or running in an open space in case an earthquake occurs.  Additional are some family-related measures to ensure the safety and reach of each member during the calamity.