Justice and reparations for corruption victims

The scenes from Cebu province are straight out of Armageddon, inviting comparisons with the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban.

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So much destruction and death has visited our nation due not just to nature’s wrath in the way we're treating Mother Earth. We have abused our environment in many ways, with deforestation and changing the topography with man-made structures, mining, quarrying and human settlements in the mountains. As I write this, Typhoon Uwan is poised to unleash yet another disaster.

Human greed plays a huge part in this tragic farce. The enormity of scale of the widespread corruption we’re witnessing on a daily basis is mind-boggling and infuriating. Mining permits are issued, residential developments are approved and quarrying is tolerated even without environmental clearances in spite of obvious dangers of deforestation, landslides and subsequent flooding.

Even when these are well-known, we are still shocked at the extent of destruction, death and human suffering that greeted us in the aftermath of Typhoon Tino, and we rush to help our kababayan victims in our own little ways. But what is needed is a systematic and long-term plan to aid those affected. It will require a huge amount of money to rehabilitate the hapless victims and their homes, businesses and livelihoods.