As I write this, the report on TV is announcing that the United States and its European allies are staging war games amid Russian tensions! Oh dear Lord! All we need now with this COVID pandemic still raging is a war that will surely involve more and more countries after it begins. Why are those countries getting so bellicose now that all we need is to maintain harmony among all nations as we try to find a cure for this mysterious COVID that has struck us when we are at our lowest point?
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And another problem that we could be facing soon could involve oil, that is, gasoline, for our vehicles and other machines uses. Seems the United States is being accused of hoarding its oil produce for its own use, and who can blame them? If we discover oil wells in our own country now, would we be willing to share our produce with others when we need so much ourselves? Are we going to see calesas and carritos on our streets again? It is not only the physical well-being of people that COVID is affecting, our economic life is also suffering!
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But at least, we are not confronting the problems of other countries now, like the Israel and Gaza confrontation which we hope will not escalate by involving other countries, especially the Big Ones, because we might find ourselves in the middle of another World War! Please Dear Lord, protect our generation from this development, we can barely cope with the still ongoing pandemic, how can we deal with both it and a war among the big ones, from which we cannot hope to be spared?
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But it seems as if there are people who still do not seem to care about the problems threatening, not only our country, but several others, if not all. I thought of this when I saw the report about Bongbong Marcos still hounding Vice President LeniRobredo, with his claims of having won the vice presidential election. We are now nearing another election, I can’t imagine what he expects in case – which I think is unlikely, anyway – he is proclaimed winner. Can he sue Robredo for damages? Or will he file charges against the Commission on Election? This will be something for the books, as the saying goes.
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I humbly admit that I need to study Geography again. There have been so many changes in the names of countries, the splitting of some and the development of new cities and towns that one can no longer be sure what a certain country featured in the news as being in trouble, used to be called. I am glad nobody, at least not yet, of our former presidents had gotten the idea of changing “Philippines” to something else. We do know that it was derived from the name of the Spanish King Philip, or Felipe, then.
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How thankful I am that not even Ferdinand Marcos had gotten the idea of changing it. But who knows? Had he stayed long enough and did not have to flee to Hawaii due to the People Power move against him, we might be named “Marcosine” or “FerdiMel” Country! I hope none of our future leaders ever get it into their heads the idea of changing the name of our country that we now recognize as “Philippines, My Philippines”. Oh, and by the way, are those old songs, or hymns, still being sung in our schools?
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I never understood why the vaccination of young people, like adolescents, was prohibited before, but recent reports have confirmed that they can now be inoculated. That is reassuring, because adolescents are probably the most likely to be afflicted as they can hardly be restrained from going out and mixing with friends. With them having gone through the protective shots, at least, parents and elders would not be as worried as they could be. I cannot understand, however, why many are still avoiding, or refusing to undergo it. Maybe the Health Department is not campaigning effectively for it?
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Are people losing their sense of humor? Or are they just not hip on the President’s style in cracking jokes? I heard many were aghast when President Duterte was reported to have said that he will go on a jetski to the West Philippine Sea, our area that is being appropriated by Chinese fishermen. But, just between you and me, and don’t tell President Duterte, I think he is making light of the problem that already looks like a part of our country is being appropriated by China. Mr. President, do something – that is a good part of the territory you are supposed to head and protect from the intrusion by others who are now making money that should be ours from the wealth of fish and other sea products there.*
