ULTRAgedy

I sincerely sympathize to the families of the victims of the Ultra stampede last Saturday, February 4. We were in Boracay when my Nanay texted me that there were already 66 people declared dead because of the stampede. As of today, reports say there were a total of 71 victims, most of which were elderly people.

I am a certified Kapamilya. I make it a point to watch Wowowee when I don't have work. I especially enjoy Wiillie Of Fortune and Biga-10. I see that the audience is happy and the ambiance is festive. Everyone is enjoying and there ain't any barriers. I also see the generosity of the TFC balikbayan subscribers. You really see them giving money through Willie. I was also touched by the help given by some of the televiewers to the non-winners. I heard one of which was sent to school or was actually adopted by a particular family. Human nature at its best. We see the ordinary people on tv whether it be a carpenter, a tricycle driver or a sampaguita vendor. They are given a chance.

The ULTRA tragedy saddens me. Actually I saw that very long line of people the morning I left for Boracay. My brother who was bringing me to St. Paul that early Friday morning asked me, "Lahat yan kasama sa Boracay?". He didn't have an idea that the line was for Wowowee so I told him, "Tangek para sa Wowowee yan!" I heard the people started lining up as early as Monday, January 30. And by Friday morning, they were already in front of St. Paul because they had filled up the streets near ULTRA. That's how much people wanted to get in and win prizes. As willie said, the anniversary was going to be a blast. They will be giving millions of prizes so he invited the people to come to ULTRA. Who would have thought that thousands would be going? MOre than ULTRA can acccommodate and more than the show and its producers had expected! So that fateful morning, who would have thought that a tragedy could come up from a supposedly happy celebration?

I've been to ULTRA a number of times to watch concerts. The last time I went there was the concert of Ken and Vanness. We also had difficulty coming in considering it was at the football field. From the gate, it was going to be a downhill. Then there's a rotating bar wherein only one can pass through. I remember Bea, then losing her cellphone that quick upon entering the premises. We also lined up early and we got into serious arguments with some inconsiderate people around us.

I could imagine the exasperation and anticipation of the people lining up just to get inside ULTRA and at the same time hoping to come home big time after Wowowee. Of course the tension has been building up because they have been there for hours, even days. I read from a report that in order to save their position in the line, some of them did their "thing" right there. As the DILG undersecretary said, they were like hungry wolves to be fed only with a few meat. That morning's tragedy was something totally unexpected.

But who's to blame? I personally belive that it was an accident. To define what accident means, the dictionary says it is an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance; an unfortunate event resulting expecially from carelessness or ignorance. Let's take the first definition: unforeseen and unplanned. I don't think ABS-CBN and the producers of Wowowee planned the anniversary show to kill people, or to put it subtly to hurt anyone among their audience. Their main goal was to make the people happy and give prizes if not for everyone but for some. Second definition resulting from carelessness or ignorance. On the part of ABS, I think they were careless in terms of planning the security and order of the people that were enticed by the prizes that they were going to give away. But the ignorance I think comes from the people who came there. Di po ba naten alam na game show ang Wowowee at sa isang laro may nanalo at may natatalo? Di po ba naten alam kung hanggang saan kakayanin ng mga katawan naten ang hirap sa pagpila? Sino pong nagsabi sa inyo na lumuwas kayo ng Maynila na baon nyo lang ang pamasahe papunta at wala ng pauwe? I was just asking myself what could these people be thinking of. There were pregnant women lining up and worse elderly men and women. Some mothers even brought along their children. How is that? I saw on the news that there was a father who was already texting his wife to come home because he saw on tv that there were a lot of people lining up and there was no chance that they could get in. The wife brought with her their four-year old son. She didn't want to leave the line. On Saturday morning, the woman said that the people were already pushing each other and she thought that if her son could cross over the fence of ULTRA she could also go in because her son was already inside. As the boy was being crossed over the fence, he got hold of a live wire and and the poor boy died. What kind of thinking was that? I wanted to slap that woman. Lack of coordination from the proper authorities like that of the Pasig Police and Ultra Security was also one of the problems. A policeman said that they went in front of ULTRA on Thursday morning because they were receiving complaints from the nearby residents. He said that he and his men begged the people to just go home. But the people did not listen. So they left. Where is police power there? Then people started blaming President Arroyo. They said they wouldn't be so poor and take the chance in game shows if GMA had given them work. Now it's a national issue and soon enough politicians who are anti-GMA would be seeing this chance again to attack the present government. Hay! Poverty as I tell my students, can be an avoided circumstance. If we just plan our children, make do with their present job, work more and save. I know people will say that I don't know what they are going through because I don't experience their everyday living. Believe me,I do have the same problems as theirs. But I do work and aim for more.

So where is this tragedy going to take us? A reporter then asked Tina Monzon-Palma, head of ABS-CBN foundation, if the show was actually promoting mendicancy or relying on others for money. She quickly replied that they were giving people hope and inspiration. Wrong hope or inspiration? If that is the case, let's stop all the foundations in this country. This is not the time to pin each other down. When help is given, let's not abuse it. Let justice prevail and let the ones responsible pay for it. But for now, it's a BIG lesson learned. If we stumble along the way, get up and continue with the challenges of life. All these things are God's wake up call. Did we thank Him for the day that was done and the new day that He has given us? Think! Reflect!