Possible Food Shortage?
By anne25penn
@anne25penn (3305)
Philippines
September 29, 2009 10:06am CST
As of now every Filipino that lives in Manila is aware of what happened during the weekend. With the onslaught of flooding that wiped out a lot of houses and even claimed lives, people who have not been directly affected by the floods reached out to help those in need. People have donated food, cash and clothes to the flood victims of Ondoy.
I went to the supermarket today and I can tell you that it was jam packed with people buying food. People were buying drinking water, canned goods, rice and instant noodles by the bulk. There were also few vegetables that could be bought. Prices are pretty much the same, but with the rate people are buying food, it makes me wonder if it will create a shortage of food for Filipinos living in Manila.
I know that some of these bulk items will be donated, but it makes an alarming sight to see a store shelve empty. How about your groceries, do you see a similar sight? Are you worried that there might be a shortage of food, especially rice in your city?
3 people like this
11 responses
@CrimsonRain (336)
• United States
29 Sep 09
In more ways than one, we are also to be blamed with what Ondoy brought us.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
29 Sep 09
This is off topic, but if you look at all the debris washed ashore by the flooding, you will see that most of it are plastic bags. I was able to pass through the places where the flood made the most damage and you can see the basement parking lot of a mall with plastic hanging on the cables, as if it were banners. Same goes with wire fences.
For my part, I have cut down my plastic bag consumption by shopping in one gricery that promotes bringing canvas bags when you shop. Where before I would bring home six to eight plastic bags, I only now get one or two with each trip to the grocery. And I also segregate my trash. People have to be really serious if you will be talking about making a change in the environment. Thank you for your response.
@simonelee (2715)
• China
30 Sep 09
Yes, crimson. Another garbage problem. I hope they realize that one of the cause of the calamity is garbage. When are they gonna learn? when another "Ondoy" coming? I hope they watched Wall-e and this up coming movie about end of the world. As i observed those people who are illegal settlers are partly to blame because they are throwing garbage anywhere. They don't care about their environment.
I hope our country is like china and japan when it comes to strict implementation of garbage disposal.
@CrimsonRain (336)
• United States
29 Sep 09
I'm glad about these people who donate goods and stuffs but one thing I notice is that they use a lot of plastic bags.
@simonelee (2715)
• China
29 Sep 09
I don't think it will last, maybe weeks or so but not for months. Sometimes people are taking advantage of the situation. In my opinion i think some suppliers are holding back their stocks to increase the demands and if that happens prices will increase and they will earn big bucks out of their products. Here in my city, which is miles away from metro manila we are experiencing food shortage(instants) not because we are also victims but it is because we are going to donate it to the victims.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
29 Sep 09
This is exactly the same idea that popped into my head when I saw the empty shelves. One word: Manipulation. I know that the victims do need food and clothing since they lost almost everything. But with all the relief goods coming in, wouldn't it be like too much already? Thank you for your response.
@simonelee (2715)
• China
30 Sep 09
Victims who are falling inline just to have relief goods are not only falling inline for them selves. We both know that they're still other family members waiting for him/her at home. Pretty sure those items that they received are only good for one day and for one person. We just hope that our donations will be given to the victims. I'm worried for them ,what if it is only a show? politicians are taking advantage of their situation. What's gonna happened next week, next months and so? Are they still gonna receive help from them? from us? How about the rehabilitation? In coping it needs months to start all over again(starts from scratch). Our city government donated 10M pesos and next month their 1 month salary and we just hope it will be use for the victims.
Lets pray for the victims.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
30 Sep 09
I feel sorry for those who are affected by the floods in Manila. I think the Government of the day should act immediately to send out aids to people who have lost their homes to floods. When natural disaster strikes it will naturally cause panic purchase which can empty the groceries in lightning speed. Everyone fear that the flood might cause shortage of foods. I hope the flood has subsided by now.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
Thank you for your response Zandi. There are some areas where the floods have subsided, but I looked at the news online and saw that there are some areas in the province where the floods have not subsided yet. I don't like this feeling of panic when I see empty store shelves because if the prices will hike up, it will be the working class and poor that will be affected by the price hike.
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13729)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
For sure there will be food shortage early this year... because a lot of the rice, sugarcane, corn, etc. crops were destroyed... during the typhoon... i just hope the farmers will be able to survive this because they are totally depended on thier produce in order to survive...
@agv0419 (3021)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
Yes because of the typhoon many crops destroyed and now that many needs food many going to take advantage of it. I think the government would be importing and some countries too going to help us to overcome this problem. I don't have an idea of the supply in the supermarket because my mother always bought grocery items at home. We need to prepare again because there's another typhoon coming and I'm hoping that this is not disastrous as Ondoy.
@shia88 (4570)
• Malaysia
29 Sep 09
Hi Anne25penn,
For my country,I never think of buying some food for storage as there is no flooded disaster ever happened before (of course,I do not wish it to happen in future).
I am so sad reading about the flooding happened in Manila.It is a normal reaction whereby people start to buy more groceries (in bulk) to keep stock for future used.
I really hope this disaster will over soon and everything will be back to normal again.
The best item to keep stock at home is instant noodle,biscuits,rice,canned foods,mineral waters.
I never worry about rice shortage at my place here.so I never buy extra pack of rice to keep in the storeroom,I will only buy new pack of rice if the balance at home is getting lesser.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
Thank you for your response. I always have these dry goods in my pantry so I don't really worry. Plus, we don't consume that much rice. I am just worried about a possible food shortage because it will be the poor who will be affected again.
@Sweetchariot (1718)
• United States
30 Sep 09
"The Rich get Richer, and the Poor get Poorer" - how true it is! One day, the rich will have to answer to it all!
@LetranKnight25 (33117)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
hello Anne25spen,
THere is a big possibility here since they were a lot of people infected during the floods which are very very hungry. but today i went to the store and so far, there hasn't been any kind of shortage,except for the small of head and shoulders
. probably there are other big store that offers more to these people.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
Thank you for your response. I hope that next time I go back to the supermarket, everything will be back to normal. I am sure this is just temporary.
@rsa101 (40952)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
I just hope that would not happen since it would mean another problem looming around. I am thinking not towards that scenario and hopefully that would not be happening in the coming days. One of the thing that a community could not be tolerated is getting out of food.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
I know and understand that people need relief goods, but with what is happening right now is that people who are not affected by the flood will be affected because of food shortage. I want to tell these TV stations to stop asking for food and just give away what they have first. Thank you for your response.
@jheLaichie (4438)
• Philippines
29 Sep 09
well we can expect that from luzon my friend. being part of the onslaught and the calamity is just devastating. so meaning many people have to buy the needed food because 2 more typhoons are again coming our way. hope that we could strive to all of this. we also help here in mindano by donating some realief goods and money to our fellow countrymen. i just hope that we could pull up together and be ready for another typhoon on our way.
jhelai
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
29 Sep 09
The main reason why I went grocery shopping is because of the news that there is another storm coming in in a few days time. We were spared from the flooding, but since we would have to pass Marikina and Marikina being the source of our goods, we have become isolated when the flooding occurred. I could not even buy eggs from the stores in my street because they have run out of it. Thank you for your response.
@jb78000 (15139)
•
30 Sep 09
i don't live in your country so can't really say too much about this. i do know that when disaster strikes people can panic buy which leads to a food shortage itself - then again it's reasonable enough to stock up especially when, omg, someone said you have another two on the way and as you said some of this was probably intended for the people already directly affected. hoping things don't get any worse.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
Thank you for your response. We are all hoping and praying that these two upcoming storms will not be as devastating as the one last Saturday.
1 person likes this
@danitykane (3183)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
Hi anne,
I'm also here in the Philippines and it is quite hard to get stuff specially some grocery items. I'm really worried at first because I can't find any candles at the store near my place and I have to go somewhere else. Yeah the rice too, I was scared that there might be a rice shortage. But right now everything is fine. Thank God. We just need to hope for the best and pray that we'll survive this calamity. :)
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
I went out again today and saw that there is still rice, a few sacks to be exact. But instant food like canned goods and instant noodles are already depleted. One alarming sight I saw was that there are no vegetables. I asked one employee when they expect to have their vegetables delivered and she answered that she has no idea and that they have had no deliveries since Saturday. Meat, fish and poultry was also running low where one chicken wing was cut into two so that it would look like there was much on the tray.
I haven't gone to wet markets yet, but I do hope that I can buy my vegetables from there. Thank you for your response.
@vopols (204)
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
Yes it is expected to have shortage of food in the Luzon areas due to the typhoon Ondoy. I know that Filipinos not just by words but by deeds are very helpful even though some of them are poor but it is present upon their blood to really help one another that's the greatest quality that a Filipino have a poor may help the poor.This calamity will also test how well the Philippine Government will react and find ways and means to feed the hungry Filipinos.
In situations like this I don't think the political officials will just sit and talk and just watch hundreds of Filipinos having no shelter and hungry they must act in accordance with their oat that political officials are elected by the people and for the people well just see about that in this calamity.
