Because I am ...

I told myself that I will be quiet and let things take their course, what with this sadness fatigue already engulfing me. But it really is heartbreaking to see chaos, disunity and disarray after 5 days of the catastrophe.

I don't have a personal dislike for Pnoy. In fact, I admire him a lot for his "daang matuwid" mantra and its economic benefits for our country. It's truly remarkable. Because fighting corruption is his priority, he is the epitome of the true public servant.

However, judging from how he handles crises, it seems he is not the best leader for us in times like this. The Hongkong tourist hostage crisis was a precursor of how Pnoy is as a leader. 

Now Yolanda/Haiyan has fully revealed his leadership character. If we look into the wide spectrum of unbiased media reports and social media exchanges, including actual tales and accounts of people from ground zero in Tacloban, Guiaian and other devastated areas, we can really conclude that this administration is not prepared, and does not have the wherewithal to lead in a crisis of this magnitude.

Let's not dwell on the details of the discord. 

Bottom line is LEADERSHIP, and again, to paraphrase another great quote in that movie "the American President," "in the absence of genuine leadership, people will listen to anyone who steps up in the microphone (or media in our particular case). The people need LEADERSHIP. They are so thirsty for it that when they walk through the debris, they will drink the blood of corpses lying there, in the absence of water."

Mr. President, you can actually provide genuine LEADERSHIP.  

If I were you, I would start by simply defining the 3 VITAL THINGS to DO:

RELIEF!  RECOVERY! REBUILD!

Under RELIEF, 
appoint a very credible person like Richard Gordon or Dinky Soliman. Maybe let them be co-leaders under your command. They would know what to do, establishing tent cities, mobile hospitals, soup kitchens, debriefing or de-stressing areas, child care centers in strategic areas.

Let Gordon/Soliman be assisted by Cesar Purisima or Grace Pulido-Tan of COA in handling foreign aid, maybe together with DFA Sec Alberto Del Rosario. They can be the ones to account for the donations, and then channel them right away to Gordon/Soliman.

For domestic donations, you may want to tap Manny Pangilinan Of PLDT, Ramon Ang of SMC Tessie Sy- Coson of SM group, Lance Gokongwei of Cebu Pacific, Lucio Tan of ABI as your point persons who shall coordinate with Gordon/Soliman. They have the resources and people to act right away, and handle the relief efforts of private corporations and individuals.

Under RECOVERY,
appoint DOJ Sec Leila de Lima to head this group. Under her are the heads of the AFP and the PNP, with the primary task of mobilizing the soldiers and policemen to recover the dead bodies, establish the mass graves or burial sites, and also spearhead the body count and identification.

Let them be assisted by DOH Sec Ona  and the NBI to organize the list for survivors, missing persons, and those who died. They can be the central clearing office for the important body count. 

Under REBUILD
This is now the group to be led by DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson. They should take care of re-establishing power and communication lines, clear up the road network, rebuild the ship ports and airports, secure supplies like fuel and construction materials. Sec. Singson can be assisted by DOTC Sec Joseph Abaya and DOE Sec. Jericho Petilla.

This is the group that can coordinate with the US and other foreign military assistance in terms of engineering requirements. 

For other requirements:

1. Appeal to Gabby Lopez of ABS-CBN, Felipe Gozon of GMA 7 and Noel Lorenzana of TV5, as well as to Sandy Prieto of Inquirer and Miguel Belmonte of the Philippine Star, to lead a group that will handle the media requirements of this tragedy.  It is no longer about ratings, it's about responsible reporting and the need for sobriety so that people can be calm.  They will heed your call.

2. Mobilize your sister Kris Aquino to spearhead and lead in telethons, concert, runs, or other fund raising events. She can be very effective here, and am sure that she can count on all her showbiz colleagues to assist her, regardless of network or studio affiliations. She can also devise a media campaign like a 'Bangon Pilipinas" or "Kaya natin ito!" wherein every Filipino will be on board in helping solve the crisis, and putting a positive spin so that we will all feel better, and be resolved to see through this terrible tragedy.

3. Forget about legal implications of your decisions. If it is a state of emergency, do it right away and worry later about the legal ramifications. For as long as you are being decisive and authoritative, and what will it bring is the results needed, then the people will stand behind you.  

4. Please ignore politics for now. Ignore the ramblings of Mar Roxas, of Jejomar Binay, of the opposition, of Congress. Utilize them as is required. Assign them specific tasks. Let them help where they can. People will know eventually.

5. Forget about bureaucratic red tape and established norms and SOPs.  This is a CATASTROPHE, and it needs to be dealt in an extra ordinary manner. This is beyond NDRRMC. This is beyond line agencies or departments or LGUs.  This is for all of us, with you as the LEADER.

6. Harness the awesome power of social media and the internet to get your message around the world, and to provide for a quick search of victims, dead or alive. You know very well we have an enormous pool of tech-savvy people. They are there in the IT sector.  They just need to be tapped.  

It's very basic Sir. You have the people and resources to do these things immediately. You have very good people. They know what to do. It's just a matter of you LEADING and COMMANDING them in this manner.

I may be wrong here, maybe with the names I mentioned. But I am certain that if I were the President, this is what I will do. Immediately. 

I am no expert here Mr. President. I am not a paid hack, nor do I have any personal gain here. I am just a simpleton. 

But I thought of these things in just an hour. 

Because this catastrophe transcends politics, legalities, personalities, agendas, ambitions, and affiliations.   

Because I am as devastated as the victims themselves. 

Because I am concerned.

Because I care.

Because I am a Filipino.