Worried Shitless

WORRIED SHITLESS

By Anton Antonio

October 19, 2015

Social media, compared to mainstream media (television, radio and newspapers), gives netizens an alternative means at spreading what could be considered small-town community concerns.  These news items have no national appeal but are very important to a given locality.  In Tarlac City, there exists a Facebook community popularly known as LTCKK (Laking Tarlac City Ka Kung).  In this community page, Tarlaqueños found a means to socialize, renew friendships, and make new friends… as well as allow them to exchange ideas and opinions on present-day socio-political and economic affairs and concerns.

One such concern is the Tarlac River Dike that was breached some two months ago.  Tarlaqueños posted their collective concern via the LTCKK community page with some even offering possible solutions.  Personally, I posted two articles: (1) “The Tarlac City Dike” on September 2, 2015, link: http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-tarlac-city-dike.html; and, (2) “Please Share This Post” on September 4, 2014, link: http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2015/09/please-share-this-post.html.  These articles were designed to increase the level of awareness among Tarlac City netizens that the dike, if let unattended, posed a potential problem in the city.  These blog and Facebook posts were supposed to nudge concerned local government officials into positive action.

Yesterday, Typhoon Lando dumped an abnormally large volume of rain on the Sierra Madre and Zambales mountain ranges and the plains between them --- Central Luzon.  Like the province of Nueva Ecija, Tarlac was not spared.  As a result, the Tarlac River system had to again accommodate and convey a larger volume of rainwater.  The breached portion of the Tarlac City dike (some two months ago) which remained unrepaired albeit sandbagged as a “band aid” solution, stood no chance against the raging river.  Today, Tarlaqueños woke up to the grim reality that the breached portion of the dike has expanded and who knows if the dike is just about ready to totally collapse. 

The uncertainly that shrouds the Tarlaqueños stems from the failure of local government authorities to clearly communicate the solutions they are crafting for this particular problem… if indeed they have one.  While they are busy posturing and even prematurely campaigning for next year’s election, their constituents are worried shitless.

Thoughts to promote positive action…

(Please visit, like and share Pro EARTH Crusaders on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/ and http://twitter.com/EarthCrusader/)

REFERENCES:

Antonio, A. C., (2015). “The Tarlac City Dike”. Retrieved on October 19, 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-tarlac-city-dike.html

Antonio A. C., (2015). “Please Share This Post”. Retrieved on October 19, 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2015/09/please-share-this-post.html

Photo credit: Ms. Diana Barredo