NAKAKATAKOT. Why is the Department of Health, in particular, and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) always resort to warnings yet no restrictive measures are imposed? The surge remained unabated. And now comes the news that the Indian variant that infected millions in India may have entered the country. OMG. If that happens, a cusp of another rise in Covid cases. This paper last week reported that Central Luzon logged more than 90,000 cases and deaths more than 2,000. It is alarming indeed.
I posted on my Facebook wall how Australia contained the outbreak through snap lockdowns, border controls and speedy contact trading system. It was met with several reactions and most pointed to the inability of the IATF to control the disease spread. Another post I shared is the fact that it is only the Philippines that requires its citizens to wear a face shield aside from the mask. Here’s one reaction. "Very true. Makatakap naka asbuk, pati ba naman lupa kailangan mupang takpan?" (Your mouth already covered, is there still a need to cover your face?) Paging IATF.
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Laudable indeed what Governor Dennis "Delta" Pineda did for the Xevera homeowners. He found time to meet with them to hear their complaints despite his heavy schedules. He has been busy from day one when the veerus circled around the country in early March of last year. He could have just tasked Bacolor Mayor Diman Datu and provincial Board Members Ferdinand Labung and lawyer Ananias Canlas Jr. who are native of the town.
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SunStar Pampanga has been making rounds of the town and reporting how the local executives are responding to the pandemic. Just like the other day, the stories are about Sto. Tomas Mayor Gloria "Ninang" Ronquillo ordering disinfection activities at the town’s isolation facility and Arayat First Lady Madeth Alejandrino providing wheelchairs, walkers and crutches for PWDs (persons with disabilities). It seems the ladies are more active than their male counterparts.
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Finally, our friend General Guillermo Eleazar became the top honcho of the Philippine National Police. He has many friends in Pampanga. He is a member of our Wednesday Club and Monday Club. He was assigned in Camp Olivas as Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief. He is well-loved by the local newsmen. Eleazar is from Tagkawayan, Quezon, where his brother is the mayor. He comes from a deeply religious family. His aunt was a mother superior and an uncle who was a priest. If I am not mistaken, he has a brother who is also a priest. He is the only appointee I know whose appointment met with high approval from the general public which includes senators, congressmen and captains of industries. Don’t fail them Guillor. Many are rooting for him to run for senator after his stint as top cop. He will have my vote.
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Joke. Joke. Joke. Oh, my goodness, President Duterte telling all and sundry that those who believed him that he will ride a jetski and plant the Philippine flag in one of those islands in the West Philipine Sea (WPS) must be "stupid." It was just a campaign joke, he said it with a smirk. The 16 million "stupid" were taken for a ride. End of the story.