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What about the barangays and puroks

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Twinkling with Ninfa R. Leonardia

It was very enlightening to hear that the Department of Health had very good  words about the way Bacolod City has been  administering  the “roll-out” of vaccines in the city. And, unlike in some places where people seem  to be hesitant about  undergoing  the “shots” that could protect them from  this pandemic, our  people are, in fact, eager  to undergo it. I believe this will  mean a reduction in infections, and,  not only that, but also mortalities.

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How come that there are reports of communities  that are still hesitant, and even refusing to get vaccinated? In this day  and age, one would  think our  citizenry are  knowledgeable enough about the advantage of vaccinations and other  medical procedures that can protect them from serious diseases, and especially  those that could reach  epidemic proportions, or, in the case of the coronavirus, a scourge, even pandemic, of worldwide reach. At least Bacolod residents  are accepting this preventive measures, which is why even the Health Department has noted, and appreciate it!

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What I am still hoping and praying for is that this vaccination campaign will not be limited only to cities  and big towns, but will also be  made available  to barangays and puroks all over the land. Remember the old epidemics that occurred in the past that had caused a lot of deaths  because there had been no vaccines against them then. Now that science and medicine have discovered and produced treatments that  can prevent  people from infection,  let us not hesitate  to undergo  them as they could mean protection, not only for ourselves, but for people we love, our families and friends.

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Yesterday, I came upon an interview with Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on TV, and suddenly it occurred to me that this is one person who could be a potential bet for president. But, even before he could be questioned about it, he emphasized that he does not have any plans for the presidency, and  would rather retire , or perhaps  seek another term as senator. Now, that must have made listeners really think of him as a potential president. With all the positions he has held  in government, from the military  to politics. Lacson has never been involved, nor had any scandal ever been attached to his record.

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When I saw the report about the United States leaving Afghanistan, and the reaction of its people to it, I also remembered how a lot of Filipinos were dismayed  when the United States declared us independent. Oh, perhaps majority of our countrymen were  happy, thinking about the freedom they would enjoy, left to their own  devices. Who was the official, was it then President Manuel Quezon, who was quoted as saying that “I would rather have a Philippines run like hell by Filipinos, than one run like heaven by the  Americans”?

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For several years after  that “freedom” came, our country went  through a lot of problems, among them graft and  corruption that the officials couldn’t seem to  control, and with some of them even involved. Some were blaming  Quezon who could  have managed  to see  the “heaven” he had imagined,  but he did not live  long enough to see to that. And  so we went through many years  under questionable  leaderships.  Hope arose when Ramon Magsaysay  became president, but  a plane crash  ended his term prematurely, and our hopes of a “clean and honest government”  seemed to die with him.

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But what is the latest  on the Olympic Games?  Will it go on  despite the  pandemic,  or will it be cancelled? Many countries  are reportedly  prepared for it, and its  officials are ready to hold it, but is  it true that Tokyo, the site for this  year’s competitions is not keen on it? Nevertheless, competing countries are said to have been preparing for it, and are ready to proceed to Tokyo, in  case they  proceed. I guess  that if all  the  officials, participants and staff have been  fully vaccinated, there would  be no reason  to cancel or even postpone it. Sports fans who  don’t want to miss the excitement   can always  watch on TV.

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Have you also heard that there are some people, possibly from Davao, who are pushing for a Duterte-Duterte tandem in the next election? This was after President Digong himself disclosed that he is no longer interested in reelection and would rather return to his home in Davao. Now his daughter,  Sara, is herself  an experienced  public official  and some wags are proposing that  that father  and daughter  both run  for office, this  time, with  Sara as president and her daddy  as vice president!

Puede ba ‘yan? But the President himself has disclosed that he has warned Inday Sara not to seek the office. Then who? Eenie-meenie minee mooo?*

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