By now, you probably have gone through hours of ABS–CBN coverage of the unfortunate ULTRA stampede caused by thousands of Filipinos trying to join the anniversary of the gameshow “Wowowee,” also from the same station. The chance of winning was too enticing, with most of the crowd coming from the less privileged parts of Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.
The temptation to start pointing fingers is too strong, but this really isn’t the time nor place for such an action. It was a perfectly simple plan, an honest celebration for the show and its regular viewers. But for some unexplainable twist of fate, it all went wrong. 79 deaths as of writing, and most likely hundreds of injuries. There were reports of mass panic caused by shouting of false bomb threats, but many others insist it was a simple accident — an oversized restless mob trying to pass through a constricted entrance. Not that there are “simple accidents,” they’re all the same, lives are lost and forever changed.
For the show’s host Willie Revillame, everything has been too haunting to be real. The man has gone through numerous ups and downs throughout his career, and now that he has found a job close to his heart and somehow cleaned up his act, a storm comes raining down on him, on the day he’s supposed to touch even more lives of the poorest of Filipinos.
We actually passed by the ULTRA area last night on our way home, after Anne surprised me with tickets to the MYMP concert at the Big Dome. We were wondering if it was a big religious gathering, because it was a sizable crowd, and that was just before midnight. Traffic was really bad, with people waiting on both sides of the road, even on the road itself.
I woke up in the morning with the answers, suddenly feeling it all happened too fast. Too tragic to be true. Lives lost almost in the blink of an eye.
Pray for the souls of those who perished, and God bless us all.
hard as it may seem, but everything happens for a reason. the tragic incident can also serve as a wake up call for people who are more blessed to share their blessings and care for our fellow men – “bayanihan” as they call it. Even a simple yet sincere prayer can do wonders 🙂
Honestly, I pity Willie Revillame. He kept on saying that he was not after the ratings. Somehow I felt his sincerity, too bad the “bigger” people behind his show were less convincing. They were so after the ratings that they kept giving the people false hopes.
Mashado nila sinabik ang mga tao… sana binigyan na nila agad ng ticket yung mga pumila na nung lunes pa lang.
I hope ABS-CBN (as well as GMA) would realize that they cannot solve poverty by giving away 10 taxis or tricycles to a few people. Maybe they should just work with the government or with the church to help the needy. Send the kids to school, employ their parents, lower the prices of commodities.
At the end of the day… kasalanan pa rin ito ng gobyerno. mashado nila pinahirap ang mga pilipino. at kaya na nila makipagpatayan o magpakamatay sa ngalan ng pera!
Anne, you’re right, this is the perfect time for us Filipinos to help others. Unfortunately, our history shows us how easily we forget the lessons we’ve acquired in our past tragedies. Or is it because we never learn at all?
I recall the gospel from Sunday’s mass we attended; most of the people at ULTRA had so much desire to win, or get a chance to win, that they’d step on the fallen elderly, even to their death. Is today’s Filipino this desperate?
Which brings me to Leia’s comment, and I couldn’t agree more. At the end of the day, we have a government and a corrupt political system to blame for all this. And quite blatantly, a broadcast media driven only by selfish business desires, to the point that they would capitalized on the poverty of the many.
I dont think we never learned, maybe we haven’t really tried. Of course there were conscious efforts, but did Filipinos really unite? like what the sociologist in Father’s story said, selfishness and being materialistic are qualities that not only poor people possess, even rich people are guilty of having the said traits. Think about it, an uneducated worker tries to feed his family of five with 200 bucks a day which is only a portion of a socialite’s lunch spending. Its a fact – the system sucks, but we cannot just stand there and let the system eat us alive. We have to start with something. As the passage goes, “for unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:48. But this doesn’t mean that the rich should feed the poor all their lives. As I’ve said last night, “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Those who are being helped should also play their part by helping themselves 🙂 . Like what I mentioned in my previous comment, bayanihan is the perfect term for it. It’s not a perfect world, I know, but with love, respect and faith it can be better 😉 i-blog ko na kaya ‘to hehehehe
In response to LEIA’s comment:
If we had a decent government, who is trustworthy when it comes to financial funds, then I would think ABS-CBN would probably help the government as you put it.
But I don’t blame ABS-CBN if they would not even entrust a penny to the Arroyo Administration.
I am afraid for this TV network because the government is obviously using this tragic incident to take revenge against ABS-CBN because everyone knows that ABS-CBN has been critical against the Arroyo Administration. This revenge is being manisfested through this Task Force Ultra Stampede committee that the government put together which supposedly is to serve as a “FACT-FINDING” Committee.
This committee is a disgrace!!! How dare they claim to be impartial and fact-finding when all of them are with the Arroyo Administration.
If there’s anyone to blame for this accident it is none other than Gloria Arroyo who is the most selfish, self-centered, stubborn and arrogant being I have ever seen in my entire life. The people are already crying out for her to resign because of the fast growing poverty that they are experiencing and what does she to in response she gives the poor EVAT.
Gloria should be grateful to the ABS-CBN because the Network is able to provide to the poor people what she as the government leader has failed and continue to fail to provide which is the chance to live.
“work with the government”
mali nga ako dito.
“work with the CHURCH” nalang… or other foundations… ah basta tumulong sila sa paraan na hindi na kailangan i-exploit pa ang mga mahihirap. mahirap na nga yung mga tao, hindi pa sila tinuturing na tao.
haaayyy.. matagal siguro bago ko malimutan ang incident na ito. Hindi ko yata kayang palampasin ang ginawa ng ABS-CBN na pagpapahirap sa mga taong kapus-palad. Ikaw ba naman ang papilahin sa loob ng 5days..natutulog, kumakain, dumudumi sa bangketa. Lumikha nga talaga sila ng mga zombie.
Mr. Geny Lopez at Mrs. Gloria Arroyo… may pinagkaiba pa ba kayo?
(first time here) I’d love for her to resign too and let us be to our misery, but sorry to disagree with you, I think it’s just plain illogical to blame the stampede on GMA. Even if she is arrogant and selfish, that’s got nothing to do with what happened. People pushed from behind thinking EVERYONE could get in by just forcing the situation. Plus, think of this. Suppose GMA had been a model President from 2001 and the Philippines today was a rich, progressive country because of her. Is that a guarantee that a stampede at a game show by upwardly mobile rich Pinoys could NOT have happened? Knowing us, more would have died because more Pinoys would have had the transpo to get there!
My group and I is currently doing a documentary about the Ultra Stampede incident (school project).
It is so much disappointing! Initially, we had already interviewed some Ultra Stampede victims. They told their own different stories but all have the same motive — they were all trying their luck in Wowowie, wishing that somehow, they would be blessed with the prices to uplift thier family from poverty.
Who should we blame?
Is it the game show that gives false hopes or the ABSCBN perce? the undisciplined poor people? Or the governement that lacks projects to support its people?
Confusing isn’t?
To that tragic in ultra may it serves as a lesson to everyone of us, that we must first trust everything to God leave everything to him and dont anticipate in any game show because of the big price that you think it will save you in poverty. i think that God wants to say and speaks to all of us that he was there anytime that we need him….but we dont percieve it because we are getting so ambitous and selfish to others… always pray and dont forget to give thanks in God… just trust in him!
hmm.. yea, i dont get it either.. why do we bother when it’s already done? when it’s too late to help? i felt bad not only for the leyte incident but also for the ultra stampede,,, its just so sad to think na 79 people died because of a game show… its sad really sad.. we filipinos… we always risk.. we risk our lives, we risk our families, we even risk our money even if its the last cent… we dont think of the consequences… knowing that there’s a thousand or more people who went in ultra,,, why would we still risk knowing that our chance to win is just a pinch… sobrang liit lang.. hmmm… i gez the best way for us now is to just have a reality check… open our eyes to reality and not just focus our luck on games… games that can bring us luck.. or worse.. can bring us to our death…
.. cool site.. =)
weLL, actually i got to this site because i’m looking for informations about the ULTRA stampede. . ,(my friend’s sister needs an editorial about it). .. ,and so i read and maybe heard your comments inside my head. . ,it is really painful to see all those young and old ones died, crushed, stepped on, and killed. . ,but it happens everyday!can’t we see. . ,whenever an old lady crosses the street. .,do you help her??!when a beggar moves closes to you and asks for alms. .,would you hold his hand and give him your last money??!how much do we spend on buying those luxuries?!latest cellphone units. . ,cars,..magazines. .,silvers?!!try to canvass the groceries. . ,and compute how much you’ve spent on those useless things. . ,seE. . ,!it shows that we spend a lot on things that we really don’t need. .,these people only wants a more satisfying life. . ,to eat 3 times a day. .,and we??!we eat more than that!!the government????!how can they prove us that they are doing good if we can’t give them support??!”united we stand, divided we fall”. . ,we are a part of that government!!admit it!no one is too good or too honest for us. . ,people with power will do the same. . ,corrupt. .they’ll invest during the ellection and get more when they win. . .,think!!
the blame is not only with the ABS-CBN nor the government alone. . ,we are a part of that.. , i am senior student in a catholic school, i was doing a project when i heard that fropm the tv. . ,79 lives lost in a snap??!women wailing. .,children crying?!what can be worse?!the leyte tragedy?!declaration of the state of emergency???!how many lives should be destroyed before we could open up our eyes????!
guys, lets help. .,not judge. . ,lets build not destroy. . ,