When Baguio was struck by a 7.9-magnitude earthquake in 1990, I remember hearing US Senator Richard Lugar on TV observing that “the Filipinos are stealing anything that’s not bolted to the ground.”
At that time I thought, nakakahiya.
More than 20 years later, I don’t really want to judge the looters in Tacloban. I get it if you’re desperate and need food or water, or even clothing or slippers. But to steal a Selecta ice cream chest freezer and brand new school trolley bags seems ridiculous to me. Are schools even open??
Actually this Selecta freezer stealing kind of cracks me up 🙂
It’s hard to judge because we’re not in their position. And thank God for us who are far away from the disaster sites. But I don’t know what to make of this video taken by one of the looters inside Gaisano mall.
What a mess it is! I feel so bad for Gaisano and its tenants.
When you’ve lost everything, you become desperate. It is easy to lose hope.
We saw photos of people stealting. Many of them are good people who don’t normally steal. But let’s understand that they were thrown in such extreme conditions and have no idea when help will reach them. They do not know what things may or may not be useful to them. Watch/read HUNGER GAMES to get an idea.
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I, too, do not want to judge but I was hoping they were to go first at the grocery stores? or siguro the clothes section to warm themselves up?
Pero tama, we are not in the position to comment or say anything cause we were not there to experience it. I also feel bad for owners of the Gaisano Mall and its tenants. Baka they just let the people be… get everything they need sa mall and that’s it. Di na sila magfile ng case or something.
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Many poor people in this country actually have beef with the rich and middle classes. We all want a better life but it is the very poor they who feel the weight of the unfairness of the world and the economic situation they were born in–especially those who really have no ladders to climb out of poverty. Looting has been a tool of survival and also perhaps an expression of their desire to get back at the rich and middle classes who view us as a cause of their persecution to begin with. With Yolanda, there are no guards to… Read more »
It wasn’t just poor people looting – it was reported that in Robinson’s mall (in Marasbaras, Tacloban), some people were seen looting high-def TVs and loading them into their SUVs.
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Now that’s sad and really ugly 🙁 I have pity for looters who steal food and other necessities to survive, I am ambivalent about the poor who loot non essential items, but I have no sympathy for middle class looters who have their own SUVs. Many of our dynastic politicians are the same. Already rich from previous terms and yet want to steal more.
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eh Meat grinder? May kuryente kaya? http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/disasters/typhoon-yolanda/43381-tormented-typhoon-victims-scour-for-food-yolanda
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Even Anderson Cooper is getting blamed by the government…mashado daw escalated yun report nya…hello??? are they not seeing what everyone is seeing?
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In the news they are blaming the prisoners who escaped, they are the mastermind of the lootings, in my opinion they can be generalised as typhoon victims, it is already given that they are starving, but i hoped they showed discipline and loot only the food and not appliances, they could lined up properly as well. instead a barbaric uncivilised pinoys was caught on camera. i also pity the store owners because the losses would reflect on them as well, and it will affect the socio economic status of the philippines.
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looks like a scene from WALKING DEAD to me 🙁
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I’m pretty sure kuyog-kuyog yan sila. When they see someone doing it, gagaya na rin sila! (non- food items) I remember the 1986 EDSA Revolution, I was in College and living in Concepcio Aguila along Mendiola, when the Marcoses left Malacanan people rushed inside distroying everything and taking everything that they can grab and carry. I saw people buhat-buhat big chairs, big tables, curtains, books and a lot more. Tawanan pa sila!! “souvenir” daw! We saw gang leaders directing them what to grab and where to go. May nasabugan pa nga ng booby traps! The people of Leyte et al,… Read more »
I think the people who “looted” expensive appliances wanted to see something positive out of the calamity. Maluho din naman tayong mga Pinoy kaya kahit na magkautang-utang tayo, bibilhin pa rin natin yung mamahaling luho natin just because. I would totally understand kung kumuha sila ng pagkain, sanitary napkins, water, medicine o yung mga kailangan for survival kasi ang tagal din naman ng mga relief goods.
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More on looting – #3 Interesting – #4
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CVS Reply:
November 12th, 2013 at 8:32 PM
thanks for sharing
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f1jeepney Reply:
November 13th, 2013 at 3:50 AM
fake
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thanks for sharing
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fake
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Let’s call a spade a spade, and not be afraid of being branded a racist or elitist. People can do the right things, even in such circumstances. As many have said, getting water / food / meds / basic clothing are understandable, but all others are not. It’s not even about “people taking advantage of the situation”. It’s about people who are dishonest (in character) to begin with, and they just showed that trait is a more “socially acceptable” situation.
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A very different scenario took place in Japan after the 2011 tsunami where people actually surrendered wallets and even safety deposit boxes to the authorities in the hopes that these would be returned to the owners. As some here have mentioned already, looting basic necessities of life such as water, food and meds are somewhat understandable after 3 days of waiting for help, but some people were stealing TV sets, toys and even Christmas trees just because they can. This, I don’t understand. [Reply]CVS Reply:November 12th, 2013 at 9:27 AMchristmas tree??? [Reply]Mayet Reply:November 12th, 2013 at 9:22 PMHi. I saw… Read more »
christmas tree???
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Hi. I saw the footage of the woman who got a Christmas tree. She didn’t steal it. She picked it up from the rubble. Pasalubong sa mga anak niya. She said she wanted her children to feel the Christmas spirit despite their situation. I don’t know if this is the same woman referred to above. It was on TV Patrol earlier. It was heartbreaking.
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i saw that now. Yes, both heartbreaking and heart warming
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if anything it really speaks to the depth of poverty for many people in the philippines. maybe they owned basically nothing and now see an opportunity to get their hands on something that before they could only imagine to afford. it is unfair to compare this scenario to the aftermath of the tsunami in Japan.
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poverty is and never should be an excuse for stealing
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i think they took the chest freezer for the ice cream inside it.
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CVS Reply:
November 12th, 2013 at 9:28 AM
that was probably melted
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sunshine Reply:
November 13th, 2013 at 2:51 PM
laman-tyan pa rin naman yon.
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CVS Reply:
November 14th, 2013 at 10:00 AM
true!
that was probably melted
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laman-tyan pa rin naman yon.
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true!
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I heard in CNN they even looted aircons!
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My sentiments exactly. Food & water to survive, understandable & forgivable. But the rest is inexcusable, really.
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anoveh, the trolley bags are for the stuff they made nakaw! 😀
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I feel this is what causing us not to move forward. Instead of looting they should help clear the roads and clean the streets, it could make a big difference to have all the relief goods reached their areas. Ang daming taong gustong tumulong so they shoud also help themselves move out of this situation.
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This reminds me of “The Walking Dead”. That TV show has taught me a very important lesson: In case of a total breakdown of society and law and order due to a zombie plague, the living would always be more dangerous for the other survivors than the zombies.
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wenggaye Reply:
November 12th, 2013 at 11:04 AM
actually it also reminded me of zombie apocalypse movies… but even in Walking Dead they still show humanity… they get only what they need to survive… this is just plain stealing
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actually it also reminded me of zombie apocalypse movies… but even in Walking Dead they still show humanity… they get only what they need to survive… this is just plain stealing
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I read somewhere that what was happening wasn’t looting. It was the decision of the Gaisano family to let the people in and take whatever they can to help them to survive. Maybe some people took what is not really necessary for survival but hey, its a freebie, why not? LOL. [Reply]Ithasbegun Reply:November 12th, 2013 at 5:58 AMThat rich family from the south is not known for giving. [Reply]CVS Reply:November 12th, 2013 at 8:04 AMi doubt that they would do that when it’s the tenants’ stuff that are getting looted [Reply]Ithasbegun Reply:November 12th, 2013 at 8:38 PMthe tenants are not… Read more »
That rich family from the south is not known for giving.
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i doubt that they would do that when it’s the tenants’ stuff that are getting looted
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the tenants are not paid right away. it takes a year or more for some concessionaires to be paid. ipinapainteresan pa sa banko ang pera bago magbayad.
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i was watching BBC last night and the commentator – who clearly knows a thing or two about catastrophic aftermath put things into perspective. He said we, and in particular the news media – should be cautious in using the term and be not too quick to draw hasty conclusions; because – as you put it yourself – these were are very desperate times for these people. I don’t think anyone understands how these people feel; desperate, angry, melancholic. [Reply]iarra Reply:November 13th, 2013 at 12:23 PMThank you for sharing this. For some people, stealing is stealing. But I find it… Read more »
Thank you for sharing this. For some people, stealing is stealing. But I find it very hard to imagine greed or intent to gain on the survivors’ part when their primordial (and maybe, only) concern at this point is survival. It’s not being savage at all. As for those who looted appliances and non-basic stuff, it is wrong per se but who are we to judge when we have no idea of their psyche at this point. For me, I just feel that the matter is too complex and beyond the comprehension of those who are not in that state… Read more »
🙁 just sad. how can we even tell them that the more they loot, the more that help will be delayed. international communities have been warned not to go just yet because of security reasons. and, instead of 24/7 relief operations, Gordon is now calling for a curfew to ensure safety of volunteers and staff. [Reply]Joey Melliza Reply:November 12th, 2013 at 2:32 AMi honestly think that’s a wrong move – the strategy should be do as much as possible as quickly as you can – it’s hard to tell a hungry man to wait it out until the curfew passes…… Read more »
i honestly think that’s a wrong move – the strategy should be do as much as possible as quickly as you can – it’s hard to tell a hungry man to wait it out until the curfew passes… medyo mali
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how does looting affect how fast help will be dispersed? it is unclear how you make that connection.
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>> international communities have been warned not to go just yet because of security reasons. Hence, if there’s no looting, they will NOT be advised NOT to go here just yet. If they didn’t go here just yet, then help is delayed.
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I totally understand why they’d want to steal food, clothes or medicines, but the freezer?! Para d masira ang pagkain? And on another note, I guess may signal na, nakapag-upload na sa Youtube e. [Reply]CVS Reply:November 12th, 2013 at 12:31 AMsignal. that’s a good thing! [Reply]JanineVincent Reply:November 13th, 2013 at 11:55 PMI think they used the freezer as a container. Kasi may gulong e. As well as the school bags. I’m sure they are filled with food. It’s hard to get stuff with only your bare hands and arms. Yung iba dyan traveled by foot so that explains why they… Read more »
signal. that’s a good thing!
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I think they used the freezer as a container. Kasi may gulong e. As well as the school bags. I’m sure they are filled with food. It’s hard to get stuff with only your bare hands and arms. Yung iba dyan traveled by foot so that explains why they had to get those. What I don’t understand are the people who stole the tvs. They are probably thinking now na sana food na lang.
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