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Not Loans, but Love

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Twinkling with Ninfa R. Leonardia

          Is it true? I must have missed the initial announcement that the whole country, the Philippines, of course,  is now under a “state of calamity” because of the coronavirus pandemic. Are we the only country to declare that? From the news coming from other countries, we are not the only ones stricken. What about China where this scourge originated? Seems no statistics have been forthcoming from the country. Have they found the antidote for it, and if so, why aren’t they sharing it with the rest of the world?

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          However, there are hopeful signs that a vaccine, or vaccines against it have been discovered, but how long will it be before everyone in this planet can get access to it? One gets discouraged, though, upon getting reports from TV yesterday that in the U.S. cases continue to increase and hospitals are practically  filled “to the brim” with patients suffering from it. It is good to hear that a vaccine called Azrazenca has been discovered, but statistics say it has been found to be only 70 percent effective. What about the 30 percent?

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          Another report said the Philippines is planning to borrow funds from the World Bank in order to purchase that vaccine. But how good is our credit standing with the World Bank now? For that matter, ours may not be the only country on the same wave length. So our Health officials should step up and hurry with those loan requirements so we can avail of that remedy before our population is decimated by this COVID. I am sure that if this generation survives this pandemic, anti-COVID vaccinations will become a matter of course for students in the coming years. And let us all pray that no other pandemic comes around in the next generations.

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Speaking of students, public schools may find themselves overflowing with enrollees in June with several Catholic schools poised to close next schoolyear. This was announced by the CEAP, the organization of Catholic Schools. So the problem is now in the hands of the Department of Education, and that is to find more room from the transferees from private schools who may not find slots in public institutions. This COVID has certainly hit all areas, and one of them is education.

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Why is Bongbong Marcos still so adamant about pushing his claims against Vice President Leni Robredo? If I were President Duterte, or just one of his devoted supporters, I would get suspicious that he is imagining the President passing away before his term ends, and the vice president gets a chance to take over. Can he not wait until the next election? He may have a chance then, since the new young voters will no longer have an idea of the state of the country during the reign of his parents that the people called a “Conjugal Dictatorship.”

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Meanwhile, Seoul is one city in Asia that has declared an ”emergency period” with several new restrictions for its citizens. People have been directed to Stay Home, maintain social distancing for two weeks and limit public gatherings to 100. Aren’t they rather late in the day in imposing those? Anyway limiting the number of attendance at public gatherings has its good side. It will discourage long-winded speakers who may talk on and on, boring their listeners to distraction.

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It was very heartening to know how much love our community has for the DAILY STAR as shown by all the calls and greetings we got when our first issue came out exactly a month after we were forced to stop due to what could be appropriately described as “force majeure”, meaning not only because of the climate, but also because of the pocket. We did not reckon on so many readers and supporters coming to our rescue, with “no strings attached” at that.  Heaven must be watching over this STAR,  we missed issues for only one month and now we are assured of continuity.

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          For this we will unceasingly pray for those people who stepped in and supported us. We can never adequately thank them for assuring that they will always be behind us. How can we fail to believe that the Good Lord continues to help this little STAR to shine since it began supplying our community with their information needs? And those who are helping us are insistent that we consider their assistance not  not loans, but help due to LOVE! May God bless them all!*

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