EXCEPT for the occasional rains in the afternoon, let’s thank everyone, especially God, that no untoward incident happened during the celebration of the two-day holidays–All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day–on Nov. 1 and 2.
Funny as it may seem but it happened. No, it had nothing to do with my age. In the afternoon of Monday, which was declared a special non-working day, we went to Calero Memorial in Liloan, Cebu, where my late father Pedro was laid to rest, thinking it was the All Saints’ Day.
We were happy that there was no crowd and our travel to the place was easy. I laughed at myself when I realized it was still Oct. 31 and that we were a day ahead of the celebration. Be that as it may, it’s good sometimes to be oblivious of the dates.
Did you notice that it has only been during the Duterte administration that police and other government agencies are truly involved in ensuring the safety of the people visiting their departed loved ones in the cemeteries? President Duterte and his men deserve praise for the effort.
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Former president Fidel Ramos is a “square peg in a round hole” in the administration of President Duterte because he is a military man and a graduate of West Point, a military academy in the US, while the current administration is “left leaning” in direction.
Ramos’s resignation as a special envoy to China after President Duterte, his Cabinet members and some businessmen went to China on an official visit was the appropriate move to do.
But the Bisaya grateful blood in President Duterte still runs. He acknowledged the help of Ramos and for asking him to run for president. We’re proud of you on that aspect, Mr. President. Truly Bisdak!
The leftist group called Ramos names like “Amboy,” or American boy, after he criticized Duterte on the latter’s “warlike tongue.” Duterte had dared US troops to pack up and leave and hit the EU for criticizing his war on illegal drugs after the body count reached more than 3,000.
Last Tuesday, Duterte confirmed that he accepted Ramos’s resignation as the government’s special envoy to China. Duterte thanked the former president and said he would still be open to consulting Ramos.
The President said Ramos had “broken the ice” to help restore goodwill between the Philippines and China.
With Duterte publicly admitting during the election campaign that he is a socialist, Ramos did not fit in his administration.
With trade agreements that Philippines signed with China and Japan during Duterte’s official visits to those countries, it’s about time that we, Filipinos, enjoy the same privilege as Chinese and Japanese nationals who enter our country without a visa.
I know Filipinos don’t need a visa if they travel to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam. But we are required to a visa to travel to Japan and China. It’s not easy to apply for a visa at the Japanese Embassy.
Having invaded and dominated our country for several years during World War II, the Japanese government should have given Filipinos free entry to their country. After all, those who travel are presumed to be financially able.
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Senior citizens, who are mostly retired and suffering from age-related illnesses, are the target of the government’s efforts to raise its revenue. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) recommended the removal of the VAT (valued added tax) exemption for senior citizens.
BIR officials claim that not all senior citizens enjoy the VAT-exemption privilege. Besides, they said, some establishments defraud the government on the VAT exemption. So, why not go after the fraudulent establishments instead?
The VAT exemption for senior citizens is a big help, especially for the sickly, because it and the 20-percent discount tremendously reduce the cost of medicines, with prices increasing almost every day.
BIR, please spare us from your reckless move.