HOMELESSNESS

For two consecutive weeks now, the pictures of an ever increasing homeless people in several countries in the globe permeates the broadcast media. These are in addition to the pre-existing multitude of homeless people in the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Italy, United States. Several reasons were associated with their homelessness. Typhoons, storms, hurricanes, and flooding were the most common destructive factors. But, overall, from the material perspective, I could surmise that the bottomline is knowledge, and next is cost.

Knowing where to erect an abode is number one. Number two is personal management over construction. There are no better architects to a house construction than the family who will occupy the house. If one looks closely at those homes damaged by natural calamities, the vast majority of them were constructed by outsiders or people who does not live in the area long enough. They have mostly no idea of the persisting ecological conditions of the zone. Innovations are more often damaging.

Most costly subdividions does not guarantee anything more than settlements that would run into a gamut of ecological embalances. Besides expenditures on highly expensive materials, denuding most natural resources is another, and sewerage will usually falter in a very short span of time with increased population.

My uncle and aunt live nearby the pier where they worked for a shipping company since they got married. Their house is on the surface of the water. They bore six children in the area. Often when we visit them, we asked if they were not scared of the water surge and strong winds. But, they just smiled and said that, together with the thousands of dwellers, they are used to their lifestyle. When the children had their own jobs after finishing school, one son got a housing unit in a subdividion. Some members of the family excitedly relocated. They seemed to adore just everything about their new surroundings living on land. But, one day, there was a heavy rainfall that caused landslides and heavy flooding. At the blink of an eye, most of the homes perished together with some dwellers.