no rest for the weary

News on the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars flood the news everyday since typhoon frank hit the Philippines on June 20, 2008.

For a fact, the bereaved have not had rested their weary minds until they have confirmed whether or not their loved ones have been found.

The possibility of a survivor being found diminishes each day. And each day, the possibility of the marine hazard endosulfan contaminating the waters of sibuyan islands increases.

And what has been the indemnification for these damage to life, property and environment of the Sulpicio lines? A mere P200,000.00 for each dead passenger! Is that how cheap life is in the Philippines?

In other countries, the indemnification for each casualty similar to that of the MV Princess of the stars is $50,000.00 or close to P2.8M converted. Legislators even claim that a $50,000.00 is not even enough to indemnify the life claimed in an accident. A proposal that indemnification shall be raised to $P129,000 or close to P6M for each casualty.

So how come you only get to be paid P200,000.00 for a loss of life in the Philippines? When clearly, there is neglect of duty of those involved. Whether the PAG-ASA or the ship owners.
And how could the weary rest their minds when they have to wait for another painstaking three months or more for them to be able to claim their dead? And howcome, this Sulpicio lines still have not lost its license to operate when it has been involved in quite a number of mishaps in the past? And more and more lives are lost!

Clearly, the government has to exert more efforts to settle this issues.Until then, the weary can never rest their minds. Or even, think twice before taking a ferry ride.