EDITORIAL

By October 17, 2016Editorial, News

Community-based solutions to rehab

IT’S heartening to note that communities in Pangasinan are beginning to heed the call of President Duterte to support and help in efforts to rehabilitate their respective constituents.

The community-based rehabilitation programs of Malasiqui and Dagupan City alone are notable and worthy of emulation.  These were brought about by a serious concern and close collaboration and cooperation among the local governments, their local police and religious sectors.

Indeed, our towns and cities that have already seen more than 20,000 self-confessed drug users and pushers cannot wait and depend on the national government to initiate their rehabilitation. It is bad enough that as early as three years ago, some 3 million Filipinos were known to have been already drug-affected and yet the national government failed to act urgently and positively on the crisis.

The surprise surrender of thousands in Pangasinan would come to naught if it is not addressed today by giving them the opportunity to be rehabilitated and to reform themselves soon.  Until then, they continue to be real threats to thousands of helpless families.

The time to act is now. May we have more of such initiatives and programs in our towns and cities in months ahead.

FVR is off-key

THERE is nothing new in the words of former President Fidel V. Ramos.  Like all previous presidents, Mr. Ramos merely mouthed his patented pro-American sentiments. Understood, of course. Lest we forget, Ramos was American-educated.  As a West Point alumnus, his military thinking—not to mention his diplomatic leaning—has always been Americanesque.  That was all there is to it in his “lecture” to President Duterte about his call for a foreign policy that is independent of and, therefore, free from American influence.

This propensity for dependence on America’s world might has really got to end.  Instead of praising Mr. Duterte for his patriotism and for upholding the honor and dignity of our sovereign state, FVR chose to look the other way.  Why must Mr. Ramos appease a foreign nation, let alone its leader who recently snubbed our own President, at the expense of his own country?  Appalling, to say the least.

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