Grandstand Tragedy

It was a lovely Monday morning when I sent my daughter to school. My husband and I had a "breakfast date" (we often do that when it's my off-work days and I have the time to go along with them when he sends Tea to school) and we really had a nice conversion until it was time to pick up Tea from school. When we got home, Tea hurriedly turned on the television to watch her favorite noontime cartoons. It was not so long when a news break flashed on the television and Erwin Tulfo was reporting about a hostage taking going on in Quirino Grandstand. From then on, I never turned off nor changed the channel of the television so we can have an update on what's happening about the negotiation. I never thought that once very calm negotiation will end up in a horrible end. While we were watching everything, I was having mixed emotions. I felt so sorry for the lives lost--not only the victims but the perpetrator as well. There was a lot of "could have beens" in my mind at that time. But what can I do? The very least thing I was able to make at the time was to pray that everything will turn out fine--but it never happened. I felt as if my world crumbled.

The aftermath of the tragedy is more devastating for me. The travel ban imposed by the HK government followed by 5 or six more countries. I wonder how come some Filipinos can be insensitive at times? I sympathized with the Chinese people about what they feel, it's a natural reaction. And this, to see pictures spreading on the Internet with students, even police men, having their pictures taken (with all big smiles) with the tragic bus behind --that's adding insult to injury. Talaga namang mapapamura ako kung ako ang relative ng mga victims with their action. You see, they are allowing international community know what kind of behavior, attitude we have (those who had their pictures taken). They don't even know the word RESPECT.

What had happened was a wake-up call for the government. Mister President indeed has a lot of cleaning to do with our system if he really wanted to have the Philippines take the road towards PAGBABAGO. Of course, everything will be feasible--if all Filipinos will unite. With what had happened, the very least we can do now is to bow our heads, be humble.

To the international community, please do not condemn a whole nation just because of one man's action. We Filipinos are truly peace-loving people. Even with insurgencies in our country, the Philippine government is making an utmost effort to resolve them. Let us move forward and do not stagnate.

Let me end this writing with this quote:

"There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.'
No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster."

Dalai Lama XIV

My prayers go to all the victims and their families.