The Filipinos continue to mourn for the resultant deaths and damages of the siege and calamities of 2013. But no matter how they grieve, the damages were over.

2013 Zamboanga City CrisisZamboanga City Crisis 2013

Last September 9, 2013, an armed encounter between the Armed Forces of the Philippines, with Moro National Liberation Front raged. Independence declared last August 12, 2013 by Nur Misuari was the question behind. MNLF founder and governor of ARMM fled. Senior aide, Ustadz Habier Malik led the encounter creating violence, damages and death. For so long a time the government has not exercised amicable settlements with brother Muslims. Why can’t the government authorities face the situation to avoid residents’ sacrifices. The Zamboanga City Crisis lasted for more than two weeks from September 8 to 29, 2013.

Philippines Earthquake2013 Bohol earthquake

Another setback is the Magnitude 7.2 tectonic earthquake last October 15. In Bohol, its epicenter, 222 died excluding missing and injured persons. Thousands of structures were damaged if not totally destroyed. And worst, surface ruptures from 2-5 meters, scallops, bulges and warps of 30 meters emerged. Fire wipes out everything, however people could evade the flame. Faults are located anywhere, but are the residents willing to leave their houses?

Tacloban Airport 2013 HaiyanTyphoon Haiyan

The roaring anger of Haiyan (known as Yolanda) shook the Visayas, especially Leyte, in the horrible mishap. Massive destruction by Category 5 Super Typhoon, the tropical cyclone and strongest storm ever recorded at landfall drove 11,000 people homeless, farther damaging infrastructures. Google launched Google Person Finder. Many people were missing and believed to be dead adding to the more than 5000 + death toll. The saddest thing, looting of malls and grocery stores, and violent attacks of relief trucks followed the devastation. However blames could not be placed upon these looters. Their families are hungry, anybody could do the same.

The armed conflicts in Zamboanga could have been pacified. Allegations of funding conflicting parties to divert the attention of the public from the Priority Development Assistance Scam seem to find proof. In previous instances, after some time parties to scandals still hold government positions.

As far as calamities are concerned, victims need immediate attention, housing and livelihood assistance. Proper authorities must be speedy or else the billions of dollars aide might vanish into thin air. Still, incidents like these are usual: man versus man, man versus nature, man versus society, nature against itself. And it’s so difficult to understand.