WHEN will they ever learn? Billions of pesos must have been lost to local scammers using the Ponzi scheme over the last 10 years alone. The ink had hardly died on news reports about Kapa and how it siphoned hundreds of millions of pesos from gullible people who fell for the promise of “blessings” that will come their way if they donate to God through his worldly agents masquerading as a religious organization.
And here we are, hearing people complaining that they have been had by a company that promised to double investors’ money in a span of only 45 days. The group was previously based in Mindanao but reportedly moved its operations to Cebu when their “business” dried up. We’re supposed to be a little more wary, even discerning, than their Mindanao victims who do not enjoy the advantage of a pervasive media presence so it is completely unacceptable that some of us would still fall for the ploy.
I have therefore little sympathy, if at all, for the scammed. They were victims not only of false promises but also of their own greed for quick wealth. How many times do they have to be told that when something is too good to be true then it is not true, in order to believe this truism?
The police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group deserves praise for the swift response that led to the arrest of five suspects but I think they should seriously consider not straining their resources on helping people who should have helped themselves in the first place by not allowing their desire for quick and easy money to get the better of them.
It is harsh, I admit, but we have tried friendly persuasion before and it failed. They’ll probably be a little more cautious when dealing with quick wealth schemes if they know that they will have to figure out on their own once the s..t hits the ceiling fan.
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Much has been written about the African swine fever scare so that making more comment would be like beating a dead pig, okay, horse. After all, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has strictly enforced her ban on the entry of live hogs, pork and pork products from Luzon which is experiencing an ASF epidemic so what’s there to worry about?
There has been noticeable pressure, however, during the last few days on Garcia to lift the ban and while the governor has admirably rejected all these attempts, including one coming from the Interior and Local Governments secretary, it will not be amiss to point out that ASF is far from having been contained in Luzon.
On the contrary, it has spread to other places in the island. A recent Philippine Daily Inquirer report said the ASF virus has been detected in pig blood samples in Bayambang, Pangasinan prompting the declaration of a state of calamity in at least seven of the town’s barangays.
“More than 400 pigs had been culled and buried since October 18 in Barangay Apalen where the swine fever infestation was first reported,” the Inquirer reported.
For as long as the ASF has not been contained, the governor’s ban should stay. The hog industry in Cebu is said to be worth P11 billion, including not only the big livestock farms but also backyard piggeries. Many families depend on these piggeries to be able to live decently especially since the price of copra has plummeted to record lows.
These families are counting on you, Governor, to protect their means of livelihood. Please do not abandon them even if you have to defy edicts rolling like thunder from imperial Manila.