The Price of Prizes

It was late night last friday when we passed along ULTRA in Ortigas. We were quite curious of the reason behind the flocking of a huge crowd. I thought it was one of those Pacquiao celebrations, or perhaps EDSA 4 since most of the people were of class C. I was shocked when I found out the next day that there was a stampede - the ULTRA Stampede.

The fact wouldn't sink in. I tried to recall the hopeful faces of those people the other night, they looked ecstatic for the coming event. Wowowee's (a noontime game/variety show) first year anniversary celebration was supposed to be a jolly event, but it turned out to be a creepy drama. At least 70 people died and hundreds were injured.

I've seen an interview where a sociologist explained that if not for the people's selfishness, none of it could have happened. She said that not only poor people were present in the said gathering, well-to-do individuals were also there. Imagine those people stepping or running over the corpses around them, not to escape from the tragic scene, but to continue haggling for tickets! Isn't that crazy?! Reminds me of zombies in Resident Evil :( . These people were desperate, they lined up for days, hungry and tired, persisting just to get that 'chance' to bring home the bacon.

I was teary-eyed when I saw a tribute video clip, I can't help but pity those kids and elderly victims. I remember my grandma when she took her last breath upon seeing some footages of people fighting for their lives in the hospitals. I watched a guy cry his apologies out saying that he shouldn't have gone there and wrangled for the chance to win if it was his mother's life, which is priceless, that he had to lose in return. I was deeply touched when I saw a macho guy cry for his four year old who passed away.

I don't think there's sense in pointing fingers at anyone. Technically speaking, it's the policemen's job to investigate who's at fault. Looking at it in a macro perspective, like what my fiddle teacher and a couple of friends said, it's clear to see that the system is a crap. I believe all of us have our share of fault, and each of us has his own role to play. Quoting my comment:

" ... 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 ... “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 ... 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... "

Like Pacquiao's triumph, let's take Wowowee's loss an opportunity for us to unite. I was glad to know that Eat Bulaga, the contending program, extended its sympathy instead of taking the issue against Wowowee. Maybe most of us are so jaded by these happennings but our past failures should never stop us from dreaming of a better world. Each of us can help by doing our part, and by keeping the faith. Let's continue praying for the souls of those who passed away and for the hearts of those they left behind.