Posted by Teejae
When I was having breakfast last Saturday, my sister told me that there was a stampede at the PSC-Ultra for the 1st Anniversary of Wowowee. I dismissed the comment as I thought it was just ABS exaggerating the public interest in the show. But my sis said: “More than 60 people died”. The statement was enough to shake me up and wake me up: Sixty people!?!
I turned on the television. Both ABS and GMA were covering the event. The footages were haunting. It was a tragic disaster. There’s no other way to describe it.
Similar to the Payatas Tragedy that happened years back, the Ultra Stampede is one we can label as: Only in the Philippines. The label is meant to be an insult, BTW. And it is an insult to each and every Filipino reading this piece of material… and yes that includes me. I share in the guilt and shame.
Two things that probably led to such a tragedy are as follows:
1. CULTURE OF POVERTY
The poverty level in the Philippines is at an all time low. The last time I checked, 91% of Filipinos live below poverty line. Unemployment rate remains high, the population continues to grow, and wages have not increased from 5 years ago. The forex improved, but only as a result of dollar remittances.
TV shows have romanticized poverty. Movie themes, human-interest shows, and magazine-type shows quote those heart-stabbing lines like: “Ganyan talaga ang buhay. Kung sino pa ang mahirap siya ang lalong naghihirap.”
One time I was driving along Quezon Avenue, this kid was begging on the street under the rain. I rolled down the window and told the kid to go home to his parents and let his parents work to provide for him. He told me his parents do not have work. When I insisted that he shouldn’t be working, he threw such lines to me. And this kid looked like he was 5 years old!!! Where did he learn to speak those lines? From TV? From his parents?
What are we teaching the children? That it’s good to be poor because people are sympathetic to you? It’s good to be poor because the artistas are helping the poor. It's good to be poor because GMA only cares about the poor.
Instead of teaching our children to work hard to rise above poverty. We, the elders, with the help of Mass Media, are teaching them to EMBRACE poverty!
What we have are more people staying at home, not having jobs, but having a lot of children to feed. They entertain themselves with television. Some of them join raffles and game shows. Others write to “Grant your Wish” type shows. But half of them cannot even afford to join those game shows: they do not have product labels they can drop to join Laban o Bawi, they do not have costumes they can use for the games.
Then came the show Wowowee… a game show that exists to dole-out cash to the poor of Metro Manila.
2. EXPLOITATION OF THE POOR
Wowowee is not your ordinary game show. Unlike Eat Bulaga’s Laban o Bawi, you don’t have to send product labels to participate in the games of Wowowee. You don’t have to wear a costume.
Unlike Starstruck or Star in a Million, you don’t need to have talent to join Wowowee. Unlike Game Ka Na Ba?, you don’t need to be intelligent.
All one has to do, as I’ve been told, was to fall in line outside ABS-CBN. If host Willie Revillame spots you, then you are in luck. You may be part of the Bigat-10 where you win at least P1,000. Or you can tell a joke on air. If he likes your joke, you get Php500. If your joke is corny, you get Php100. Still not bad for doing nothing but fall in line.
If host Willie fails to spot you, at the very least you got fed with biscuits from sponsors, which is not at all bad considering you have nothing at home. Add to that, you were entertained by the celebrities. For a moment, you forgot your troubles at home and tomorrow is another day.
Whenever a certain poor fellow wins a prize, Willie would then ask the person to talk about the sad story of his life. And then the host gives a spiel on how HE and the SHOW exist to HELP THE POOR.
Thus, “the poors” fascination for the show, adulation towards Willie, and interest to go to the show’s first year anniversary is quite understandable.
When we combine those two factors together, a PSC-Ultra Disaster is bound to happen.
As of last night, 75 people have died and scores were injured. Dead bodies lying on the pavement, lined up like fish being dried under the sun. Most of them were elderly women; women who should’ve been home, resting. But because their children could not find jobs to feed the grandchildren, they felt the need to take their chances via the game show. I feel for the people and I cannot blame them for coming there. I cannot help but feel disgusted towards some people involved in the whole drama.
Early on, people were crowding the entrance where the stampede took place. Some people still wanted to go inside the arena to join the raffle, not caring about those who died. The Red Cross, headed by Richard Gordon had a hard time getting the ambulances to the venue. He had to scream at the people to make some space, as some of the people lying there were still breathing.
In the afternoon, a reporter of ABS-CBN was interviewing mothers whose children were missing. One guy, told the reporter he wanted to make a public service announcement. When the reporter gave the guy the microphone, they guy said he came to Ultra to ask the help of host Willie to send him to school. And that he was appealing to Willie to send him to school so he can be an actor and fend for his family. If I were the reporter, I would’ve grabbed the microphone from the guy and slapped it right across the guy’s face.
Has poverty gotten the best of us, Filipinos, that we have forgotten our spirit of Bayanihan and care?
Some of the people at Ultra were saying that they do not have money for fare. Some came from as far as Bicol. At first I thought these people probably lost their bags in the commotion, thus the need for cash. But some of the women there said: they came to Manila in the hopes of winning money and they really didn’t allocate return-fare.
Why on earth would anyone travel more than 300 kilometers, without money for return fare? Were they expecting manna from heaven?
Suddenly, I heard another tidbit that really got into my nerves. One of the women there said (in Tagalog, but translated here): I came all the way from Tarlac. They told us that once you get a ticket to go inside, you automatically get Php20,000. I was hoping to get Php20,000.
No wonder people were scrambling to get inside and get a ticket. Imagine telling a person who needs to feed a family of 7 that he can automatically get a Php20,000! That’s probably the most money they can hold in their lifetime!
But what disgusts me is the continuing exploitation of ABS-CBN of the poor, presenting these stories in the news-shows, saying that the people “loved Willie.” The management says they feel sorry for the victims, but “accidents do happen.” And that they did everything possible to prevent this but “accidents happen.” They hyped up the fact that people who were in the arena, who did not know about the stampede, still screamed Wowowee and wanted the show to go on. Of course, they do! They lined up 5 days to win Php20,000. They didn’t want to go home.
Add to that were the crocodile tears shed by Willie Revillame. [Maybe I am just judgmental]. He said he was circling around Ultra the night before watching the people. He said his heart sank because he “wanted to help” them all.
If he did so, why didn’t he stop and feed those people? Why didn’t he tell his staff to ensure enough Ambulance and Crowd Control Measures and Disaster plans?
As early as Thursday ABS-CBN news reported 5,000 people had already lined up outside Ultra. The production staff knew the maximum capacity of ULTRA. They should’ve started distributing tickets as early as Thursday so these people can go home and freshen up before the Saturday show. Another 5,000 people or more added up on Friday and a multitude more on Saturday morning. Had they distributed tickets early on, these people wouldn’t have crowded there with no food and no proper ventilation. Other stations have held big events such as these, but they pre-distribute tickets. Had ABS-CBN done this, there would’ve been two lines that Saturday morning: The entrance for those who already had tickets and another line for those still wanting to get tickets. The crowd could’ve been controlled.
But No, ABS-CBN wanted to showcase the popularity of WOWOWEE…never mind the inconvenience of those poor people. On Friday night, they boasted about the number of people outside Ultra via their news program, TV Patrol. They hailed the popularity of the show Wowowee.
But the strategy backfired on Saturday morning. As a result, 75 people are dead (according to the NDCC).
There is no one person to blame. Everyone has a share of the blame.
But ABS-CBN should take more of the load. We must not let them get away with this, via their appeal to masses emotions: “All we wanted to do was help…” While poverty is an underlying issue, the real cause of the stampede is the NEGLIGENCE and POOR PLANNING of ABS-CBN’s production staff.
I do hope that ABS-CBN makes good with it’s promise to help the victims and their families. And am not just talking about those 75 people that died and 400++ that got injured, but the tens and thousands who were inconvenienced and traumatized.
I do hope that the government institute reforms to really uplift the lives of 91% of the Filipinos.
That the media will stop exploiting the poor…
That those who are fortunate enough to have food on their plate would not dismiss the poverty levels as mere statistic. That they saw the faces of those who are so poor and desperate, who would fight for life for a chance to win in a game show…
That those who are involved in marketing and promotions, those who stage shows like these, take time to prepare a disaster plan…
That those who society considers as “poor” may also learn to rely on faith and hard work, and not on dole-outs and luck…
And I do hope that something good comes out of this. May God have mercy on this nation.
I turned on the television. Both ABS and GMA were covering the event. The footages were haunting. It was a tragic disaster. There’s no other way to describe it.
Similar to the Payatas Tragedy that happened years back, the Ultra Stampede is one we can label as: Only in the Philippines. The label is meant to be an insult, BTW. And it is an insult to each and every Filipino reading this piece of material… and yes that includes me. I share in the guilt and shame.
Two things that probably led to such a tragedy are as follows:
1. CULTURE OF POVERTY
The poverty level in the Philippines is at an all time low. The last time I checked, 91% of Filipinos live below poverty line. Unemployment rate remains high, the population continues to grow, and wages have not increased from 5 years ago. The forex improved, but only as a result of dollar remittances.
TV shows have romanticized poverty. Movie themes, human-interest shows, and magazine-type shows quote those heart-stabbing lines like: “Ganyan talaga ang buhay. Kung sino pa ang mahirap siya ang lalong naghihirap.”
One time I was driving along Quezon Avenue, this kid was begging on the street under the rain. I rolled down the window and told the kid to go home to his parents and let his parents work to provide for him. He told me his parents do not have work. When I insisted that he shouldn’t be working, he threw such lines to me. And this kid looked like he was 5 years old!!! Where did he learn to speak those lines? From TV? From his parents?
What are we teaching the children? That it’s good to be poor because people are sympathetic to you? It’s good to be poor because the artistas are helping the poor. It's good to be poor because GMA only cares about the poor.
Instead of teaching our children to work hard to rise above poverty. We, the elders, with the help of Mass Media, are teaching them to EMBRACE poverty!
What we have are more people staying at home, not having jobs, but having a lot of children to feed. They entertain themselves with television. Some of them join raffles and game shows. Others write to “Grant your Wish” type shows. But half of them cannot even afford to join those game shows: they do not have product labels they can drop to join Laban o Bawi, they do not have costumes they can use for the games.
Then came the show Wowowee… a game show that exists to dole-out cash to the poor of Metro Manila.
2. EXPLOITATION OF THE POOR
Wowowee is not your ordinary game show. Unlike Eat Bulaga’s Laban o Bawi, you don’t have to send product labels to participate in the games of Wowowee. You don’t have to wear a costume.
Unlike Starstruck or Star in a Million, you don’t need to have talent to join Wowowee. Unlike Game Ka Na Ba?, you don’t need to be intelligent.
All one has to do, as I’ve been told, was to fall in line outside ABS-CBN. If host Willie Revillame spots you, then you are in luck. You may be part of the Bigat-10 where you win at least P1,000. Or you can tell a joke on air. If he likes your joke, you get Php500. If your joke is corny, you get Php100. Still not bad for doing nothing but fall in line.
If host Willie fails to spot you, at the very least you got fed with biscuits from sponsors, which is not at all bad considering you have nothing at home. Add to that, you were entertained by the celebrities. For a moment, you forgot your troubles at home and tomorrow is another day.
Whenever a certain poor fellow wins a prize, Willie would then ask the person to talk about the sad story of his life. And then the host gives a spiel on how HE and the SHOW exist to HELP THE POOR.
Thus, “the poors” fascination for the show, adulation towards Willie, and interest to go to the show’s first year anniversary is quite understandable.
When we combine those two factors together, a PSC-Ultra Disaster is bound to happen.
As of last night, 75 people have died and scores were injured. Dead bodies lying on the pavement, lined up like fish being dried under the sun. Most of them were elderly women; women who should’ve been home, resting. But because their children could not find jobs to feed the grandchildren, they felt the need to take their chances via the game show. I feel for the people and I cannot blame them for coming there. I cannot help but feel disgusted towards some people involved in the whole drama.
Early on, people were crowding the entrance where the stampede took place. Some people still wanted to go inside the arena to join the raffle, not caring about those who died. The Red Cross, headed by Richard Gordon had a hard time getting the ambulances to the venue. He had to scream at the people to make some space, as some of the people lying there were still breathing.
In the afternoon, a reporter of ABS-CBN was interviewing mothers whose children were missing. One guy, told the reporter he wanted to make a public service announcement. When the reporter gave the guy the microphone, they guy said he came to Ultra to ask the help of host Willie to send him to school. And that he was appealing to Willie to send him to school so he can be an actor and fend for his family. If I were the reporter, I would’ve grabbed the microphone from the guy and slapped it right across the guy’s face.
Has poverty gotten the best of us, Filipinos, that we have forgotten our spirit of Bayanihan and care?
Some of the people at Ultra were saying that they do not have money for fare. Some came from as far as Bicol. At first I thought these people probably lost their bags in the commotion, thus the need for cash. But some of the women there said: they came to Manila in the hopes of winning money and they really didn’t allocate return-fare.
Why on earth would anyone travel more than 300 kilometers, without money for return fare? Were they expecting manna from heaven?
Suddenly, I heard another tidbit that really got into my nerves. One of the women there said (in Tagalog, but translated here): I came all the way from Tarlac. They told us that once you get a ticket to go inside, you automatically get Php20,000. I was hoping to get Php20,000.
No wonder people were scrambling to get inside and get a ticket. Imagine telling a person who needs to feed a family of 7 that he can automatically get a Php20,000! That’s probably the most money they can hold in their lifetime!
But what disgusts me is the continuing exploitation of ABS-CBN of the poor, presenting these stories in the news-shows, saying that the people “loved Willie.” The management says they feel sorry for the victims, but “accidents do happen.” And that they did everything possible to prevent this but “accidents happen.” They hyped up the fact that people who were in the arena, who did not know about the stampede, still screamed Wowowee and wanted the show to go on. Of course, they do! They lined up 5 days to win Php20,000. They didn’t want to go home.
Add to that were the crocodile tears shed by Willie Revillame. [Maybe I am just judgmental]. He said he was circling around Ultra the night before watching the people. He said his heart sank because he “wanted to help” them all.
If he did so, why didn’t he stop and feed those people? Why didn’t he tell his staff to ensure enough Ambulance and Crowd Control Measures and Disaster plans?
As early as Thursday ABS-CBN news reported 5,000 people had already lined up outside Ultra. The production staff knew the maximum capacity of ULTRA. They should’ve started distributing tickets as early as Thursday so these people can go home and freshen up before the Saturday show. Another 5,000 people or more added up on Friday and a multitude more on Saturday morning. Had they distributed tickets early on, these people wouldn’t have crowded there with no food and no proper ventilation. Other stations have held big events such as these, but they pre-distribute tickets. Had ABS-CBN done this, there would’ve been two lines that Saturday morning: The entrance for those who already had tickets and another line for those still wanting to get tickets. The crowd could’ve been controlled.
But No, ABS-CBN wanted to showcase the popularity of WOWOWEE…never mind the inconvenience of those poor people. On Friday night, they boasted about the number of people outside Ultra via their news program, TV Patrol. They hailed the popularity of the show Wowowee.
But the strategy backfired on Saturday morning. As a result, 75 people are dead (according to the NDCC).
There is no one person to blame. Everyone has a share of the blame.
But ABS-CBN should take more of the load. We must not let them get away with this, via their appeal to masses emotions: “All we wanted to do was help…” While poverty is an underlying issue, the real cause of the stampede is the NEGLIGENCE and POOR PLANNING of ABS-CBN’s production staff.
I do hope that ABS-CBN makes good with it’s promise to help the victims and their families. And am not just talking about those 75 people that died and 400++ that got injured, but the tens and thousands who were inconvenienced and traumatized.
I do hope that the government institute reforms to really uplift the lives of 91% of the Filipinos.
That the media will stop exploiting the poor…
That those who are fortunate enough to have food on their plate would not dismiss the poverty levels as mere statistic. That they saw the faces of those who are so poor and desperate, who would fight for life for a chance to win in a game show…
That those who are involved in marketing and promotions, those who stage shows like these, take time to prepare a disaster plan…
That those who society considers as “poor” may also learn to rely on faith and hard work, and not on dole-outs and luck…
And I do hope that something good comes out of this. May God have mercy on this nation.
3 Comments:
[snip]
> I came all the way from Tarlac.
> They told us that once you get
> a ticket to go inside, you
> automatically get Php20,000.
> I was hoping to get Php20,000.
That statement is not 100% reliable though. It could be mere heresay.
[snip]
> Had they distributed tickets
> early on, these people wouldn’t
> have crowded there with no food
> and no proper ventilation
I agree. Now, ABS looks like a little boy who got burned from playing with fire.
I saw in the news last night that ABS knew they couldn't handle the crowd and requested the local authorities to assist them. They washed their hands of the blame because, as their official statement says, the already passed the ball to the local authorities.
And yet you can't help but think. Between the time they sent that request and the time the stampede happened, were they entirely without any other means? I would say yes if this was a tiny local media company. But this is ABS-CBN, one of the largest media companies in RP! They should have been more proactive instead of just sit there pretending to be helpless. And one way to do that was, as you said, distribute the tickets early.
Thursday, February 09, 2006 8:29:00 AM
HERESAY...that's true. But in the minds of the viewers: PERCEPTION = REALITY.
I hope that they still push through with the investigation.
Kasi in the light of the leyte landslides baka makalimutan na yung 75 na namatay sa ULTRA.
Monday, February 20, 2006 11:46:00 AM
[snip]
> But in the minds of
> the viewers: PERCEPTION
> = REALITY.
That is true. I agree that ABS-CBN would be blatantly irresponsible if it really did offer that P20,000 reward to the audience. However, there is just one problem: We really can't prove for sure that ABS did issue that statement.
All I'm saying is unless ABS-CBN itself admits to saying it or one can get a first-hand witness, then that statement is inadmissible.
Cheers! :-)
Monday, February 20, 2006 12:43:00 PM
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