JUST in case you have missed the announcements or have forgotten about them, here is a reminder.

From Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque:

The worst of the Covid-19 pandemic-related crisis is over even if thousands of new cases are reported by the Department of Health every day. “We have hit rock bottom because we closed the economy,” Roque said, but “we can live while Covid is still here because as long as there is no vaccine, there is no cure, the pandemic will go on.”

Just a word of caution: this is the same Roque who excitedly exclaimed “panalo na tayo!” last June 30 when it became apparent that the number of confirmed Covid cases would not hit 40,000 as predicted by a team from the University of the Philippines, only for the nation to see the number balloon to 269,407 two and a half months later.

But yes, the pandemic will go on until a vaccine is found so please stay at home unless it is extremely necessary to go out, in which event, please wear a mask and avoid crowded places.

From Mayor Edgardo Labella:

All the city’s 23 public and private cemeteries will be closed on Oct. 30 to Nov. 3 in order to prevent the anticipated surge of people who will be visiting their dead for All Saints and All Souls’ Day observance. Last year, according to SunStar Cebu, more than 70,000 visited the cemeteries on All Souls Day alone.

Those who want to pay their respects to the dead will therefore have to do it between now and Oct. 29 or on Nov. 4 onward. Considering our penchant for deadline-beating, it is possible that we will all be trooping to the cemeteries on Oct. 29, creating exactly the same problem that the mayor is seeking to avoid by ordering the four-day closure.

We should not do that unless we’re in a hurry to join our dead. Covid-19 is still around and it takes only a few carriers, including the asymptomatic ones to infect an entire village. Do your visits now. But if you believe that you and the spirit of your dead loved ones can communicate better only on Nov. 1 and 2, pray for them to visit you instead.

From the Land Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources:

If you are qualified for a grant of an agricultural free patent, file your application now. The deadline for filing is still Dec. 31 this year but give yourself time to complete all the requirements by submitting your application early.

Those who hold only tax declarations as proof of ownership of their lands should take advantage of this because the deadline might not be extended any further. As those in the real estate industry know, a titled land fetches a higher price than an untitled one should you decide to sell it, which you can now do without having to wait for five years from the issuance of the patent after President Duterte signed into law the bill lifting the restrictions on the disposition of lands acquired through a patent.

By the way, you don’t need to hire a lawyer to apply for and obtain a patent. You can do it yourself. Now.