PEOPLE are talking about...
* MARIJUANA USERS. Former senator Juan Ponce Enrile says he uses marijuana to "reduce tension." He applies oil of marijuana to his back, which relieves him of tiredness."
A daughter, JPE says, brings the marijuana to him from California where medical marijuana is legal. How she gets it through local customs undetected. JPE does not explain... Earlier, House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo disclosed that she uses a marijuana-based pain patch to ease pain in her cervical spine "whenever in a country that allows it." Meaning, not in the Philippines. Not yet anyway; a bill in Congress proposes its legalization... President Duterte had also said he sometimes takes marijuana to stay awake.
Measles outbreak
Central Visayas has been included in the list of regions where the outbreak of measles of "tipdas" is reported.
But Cebu and the rest of CV had to learn it from Department of Health in Manila that first issued two days ago the health alert after recording 196 cases from January 1 to 19. Now the list includes Central Visayas, with 71 cases and one death, with the places of outbreak specified. Local health officials will have to play "catch-up" to calm the anxiety of residents and visitors.
Campaign trail shorts
Talks that come out of campaign sorties in different parts of Cebu give little information on what is going on.
* In the third district, Toledo City Mayor John Osmena, who's running for congressman, may still be cramped by the fact that he really wanted to run for reelection as city mayor and was only forced to stay on because he couldn't make a switch. The situation is novel to Sonny, who is used to fixing his goal and pushing to reach it.
* Critics of Representative Benhur Salimbangon in the fourth district say it is virtually Benhur who's campaigning for his wife who filed the COC to take over the House seat. He speaks for her at public forums and in private talks with political leaders.
If she wins, it will be a lot more because of Benhur. He could wind up as her chief of staff, no kidding.
* Physically hampered in the campaign is former Lapu-Lapu City mayor and former lone-district congressman Arturo Radaza who is reportedly suffering from an unpublicized ailment. Boy Radaza seeks to succeed his wife Paz as city mayor while Paz aims to replace her daughter Aileen as congresswoman. Physical fitness or youth is not a requirement in the elections. And so Oponganons may see more years of the Radaza rule in their city. The "rigodon" of seats take three straight terms or nine years per occupant, health and Sandiganbayan permitting.
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