Today is the first anniversary of Wowowee, an ABS-CBN noontime show. Thousands of people gathered at the ULTRA in Pasig City to attend the show and get a chance to win one of the big prizes to be given away. People have been encamped around the area as early as Wednesday. As early as 6am, when tickets were supposed to be distributed, the stampede erupted. People were pushing and shoving. People were trampled upon. People were crushed. People died. People were hurt. A gate or a metal railing or a wall, collapsed, killing around sixty people on the spot. Hundreds of people are injured. What could have been a joyous occasion turned to be one of the most tragic events in the history of Philippine television.

As of this time, more than seventy people have died, most of them old women.  A girl as young as four died. Many are still in critical condition in hospitals. Hundreds are missing. People are desperately grieving the loss of their loved ones. The nation is saddened by what happened. I for one am sad that a tragedy as big as this will happen to my fellow Filipinos.

I am sad but at the same time, I can’t believe that parents will bring along small children with them to an event as big as this. I feel pity that people have to suffer such fate to be able to win big bucks. Such is the state of this country that people are willing to risk life and limbs in order to make their lives better.

Can we blame the show for wanting to give away big prizes?

Can we blame the people who want to try their luck even if the chance to do so is very slim?

Can we blame the people for being poor and wanting to win something that will temporarily improve their living conditions?

Can we blame the government for not improving its services and policies that are supposed to make the lives of its citizens better?

We cannot just point fingers at anybody just so we have somebody to blame.

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 4th, 2006 at 9:46 pm and is filed under Bits and Pieces, In the News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.