Tell us the true state of the nation

The Philippines is no longer a group of islands surrounded by bodies of water. It is already a huge body of water sprinkled with inundated islands. Despite billions allocated to flood control, the funds were stolen, the floods were left to destroy lives, livelihoods, and jobs. There is gloom and doom hovering over the nation. The state of the nation is in very bad shape.

- Atty. Josephus B. Jimenez [e-mail]

Politicians are busy squabbling for positions in the Senate and House. The people are hungry, angry, and agitated. Millions are homeless, jobless, and hopeless. The trapos’ favorites continue to receive ayuda forcibly taken from the overworked, underpaid, and overtaxed middle class. The whole Metro Manila is under water from Muntinlupa to Quezon City, Caloocan and Valenzuela, from Navotas in the west to Marikina and Pasig in the east. Floods always oppress the poor while the rich, powerful, and influential are safe and happy in their mansions.

Workers have to walk into waist-deep water to earn a minimum wage which is way below the living wage. Millions of Filipinos don’t have regular jobs. They remain casuals, contractuals, and even the government violates the law on security of tenure by hiring more than five million job-order workers in the agencies, GOCCs, and local government units. Cebu Province and Cebu City are also violators of the Constitution's mandate of security of tenure.