I would be the least surprised if the American people are thinking of initiating a move to impeach their President, Donald Trump. After hearing confirmation of the report that he had known about the impending pandemic, but had kept the information virtually under wraps because he wanted to “downplay” its seriousness and not alarm the people, what else could be his people thinking now that his withholding of such dangerous threat be forgiven? Who can’t agree with his potential opponent, Joe Biden, when he said it was a “crime” to withhold such a horrible information that has now decimated their population by the thousands?
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Maybe he wanted to sound like a parent disciplining his child “for his own good”. But this is an absolutely different situation. He apparently was informed about the threat of the virus to his people, and yet decided to “downplay” it to prevent panic “kuno”. Will the American voters ever forgive him for that? In his mistaken decision to “downplay”, he enabled the virus to spread and do its worst among his people. So what is his administration doing now to stem that onslaught of the virus that has not spared majority of the countries in the world? Is he kneeling and beating his breast, and crying out “Mea Culpa, mea maxima culpa!”
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A bit of good news, however, is that oil prices are going down today and what a relief that will be to vehicle owners, and especially to operators of public transportation . But is it true that jeepneys are still limited from plying in most towns and cities in the country? Well, such restrictions do seem necessary, because how can passengers maintain social distancing – which is supposed to some six feet from your co-passenger, in a jeepney? Strictly speaking that would allow for only four to a trip, and how can an operator earn from a day’s work in that situation?
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Meanwhile a little bit of hope is coming with the reports that, at least, three pharmaceutical companies are nearing the production of vaccines that can counter infections for the coronavirus. However, we are hoping also to hear about the completion of a cure to cope with the thousands of afflicted ones worldwide. Vaccines – if those in the works now are successful – may prevent one from being infected, but what about those already stricken? Let us think of them too. I wonder if Philippine scientists are also trying to produce one? Imagine their worldwide acclaim in case they do.
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It was only the day after when reports focused on the remembrance of the horrible suicide bombing case where the famous Twin Towers of New York City were attacked by the suicide bombing planes, rousing horror and condemnation from all over the world. It was also a case of deep concern to Filipinos because we had a lot of our countrymen and women working in those buildings or in their vicinity. What a shock that was to the whole world because those working there included people from various countries – Filipinos among them, too. To us in the Philippines, it was unbelievable, but TV footages kept showing the scene of the actual attack and or the destruction later.
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Our family was terribly affected, knowing that we had kin working, if not in the two buildings, in their neighborhood, and among them was the daughter of my brother Pros, Peachy, who was an executive in an office there. Peachy was, and is until now a very cute and pretty morena, but also a gutsy girl which was why, when she graduated from the U.P. and went to the U.S. she landed a very good job easily. How relieved we were to hear from her later, telling us how she ran down their building by stairs as no one dared to use elevators, and rushed to the streets losing her shows along the way. Fortunately, a sympathetic lady she passed by gave her a pair of slippers!
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That was 19 year ago, but New York commemorated it last Friday, and it is now known as the 9/11 tragedy in New York. Oh there were a lot of stories, not only about the casualties, but also about survivors, like one Filipino girl from Bacolod, who was also working in one of the buildings hit, but she arrived late, and missed the holocaust! The last time I went to New York, I made it a point to go to the site, and see the memorial for the victims where I prayed for them and again offered thanks for the safety of my niece and ahijada, Peachy, now Mrs. Gino Tadiar.
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It seems to be out of place, but perhaps TV host Richard Enriquez had reason to play it on his show yesterday. The piece was “It’s beginning to look like Christmas” and I wanted to call him (he’s a Bacoleño and a student of my late sister, Perla) that over here it’s still not looking like the beginning of Christmas with all the returning OFWs and locally stranded individuals, or LSIs, having brought more cases of COVID to the city and province. But who knows? May Jesus Christ grant us the healing and the conquest of this Virus as His Christmas Gift to us! Let us all pray and implore him for that!”*
