Published: October 22, 2009

For a while now, it has seemed as if both earthly and supernatural forces were out to get the Philippines. Tensions from terrorist group Abu Sayyaf, along with the severe damages from the country’s recent typhoons Ketsana and Parma, have caused nothing but violence and death in the Philippines. Not only that, but American citizens are just finding out about it.

In the early 1990s, Abu Sayyaf took base in the southern Philippines, on the island of Jolo. The group has been thriving because it is based near poor cities like Mindanao, where there are few jobs, and residents struggle to make ends meet. Many of these people join the terrorist group so that they can make money to survive. Before reading up on the Philippines, I wasn’t aware that the Abu Sayyaf group existed. I like to think of myself as well-informed, but this issue isn’t mentioned very much in the news. The first reason that came to mind was that maybe the group is not a threat to the U.S. directly and therefore doesn’t merit a lot of media attention. After some research, my theory was dismantled because Al Qaeda has given support to the group through funding, and Abu Sayyaf is currently harboring leaders of an Indonesian terrorist group called Jemaah Islamiah.

According to Robert Furigay, the mayor of Lamitan, another desolate town, who was interviewed by the New York Times, says it is possible for terrorist groups like Abu Sayyaf to thrive because the Philippine military lacks “adequate capability.” He said, “Poor governance also created an environment in which groups like Abu Sayyaf grew.” It only makes sense that people would join these groups if the government never stepped in. With the lack of jobs that cover the cost of living, many turn to the profitable terrorist group. A huge difference between terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiah and Abu Sayyaf is that Abu Sayyaf isn’t focused on religion as much as the other groups. Abu Sayyaf is more concerned with making money. They specialize in kidnapping and banditry.

This month, Typhoon Ketsana overwhelmed the Philippines with a month’s worth of rain in a matter of a few hours. As the typhoon raged on, 16.7 inches of water accumulated  and winds averaged about 53 miles per hour with gusts of 63 miles per hour. It had been 40 years since a typhoon like this had hit the Philippines, and people were in panic. The government declared it a state of calamity. The water got so high that the citizens were escaping to their rooftops; the flood carried some out of their homes. Two dams flooded and the currents smashed some people against buildings. A little more than a week later, Typhoon Parma came along and proved to be just as deadly and damaging as Typhoon Ketsana. Collectively, the typhoons killed more than 300 people. Many died by drowning, but others died from the disease that spread from exposure to stagnant water. Due to drains and sewer systems that weren’t maintained before the floods, debris and water remained, submerging up to 80 percent of some cities. Illnesses like diarrhea, skin diseases and colds have emerged in the aftermath, and due to the presence of many mosquitoes, diseases have been spread widely. The presence of dengue fever and malaria have also concerned officials.

Initially, I wasn’t surprised by these facts. The results of the flooding seemed obvious to me. I realized later that I only knew the Philippines had issues from over-population and over-crowding of garbage dumps, sewage systems and cemeteries because I had studied these problems in class—not because it was mentioned in the news. Most individuals who are not from the Philippines would not know about sanitary life in its cities, especially Manilla. Some of this news is being reported, but people don’t make the connection between what is happening and how it could have been prevented because pivotal data is considered irrelevant. This background information would explain that debris is piling up and contributing to people’s illnesses because garbage dumps and sewage systems are at their max.

Due to the amount of damage, the government predicts that it will take at least two months to clean up the wreckage. Aside from the damage, the flooding has destroyed $57 million worth of infrastructure and agriculture. The fact that the U.S. had been footing the bill for years by giving the Philippines money to try to drive out Abu Sayyaf was also news. There is never talk about what the U.S. soldiers are doing in the Philippines or how the money is being put to use in the news. The Philippines articles are always somewhere in the international section in the paper and not given much attention. The fact is that America is still in the Philippines, and the United Nations is trying to raise money to relieve the country. This news isn’t just international; it is affecting our country and Americans deserve to be updated.