THE decision of the 21 mayors to suspend opening of classes in their respective towns and cities, invoking the health and safety of their constituents as a priority may be providential.

But their unilateral decision to suspend the start of classes also indicates how unprepared they are being the chief executives, being afraid to be made accountable if their unpreparedness result in dire consequences.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been with us for 19 months, and they more than anyone else know what causes a surge and the needed responses.  They know about the minimum health protocols.  Above all, they knew about calendared events like the opening of school. If they can cancel a national event, what will prevent them from continuously cancelling  any event all because they did nothing to prepare for it?

The threat and risk of a surge in cases and will always be there, hence, any cancellation invoking this as an alibi is a copy-out. Should life in their communities come to a standstill because of fear of the unknown? And fear of being discovered as incompetent?

A month’s suspension of the opening will not make any difference because the COVID-19 virus is here to stay. The only good it will do is it will spare the mayors a month of relief from being pressured to do what’s expected of them.

Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil and the 26 others that stayed the course did right. They  are proving their mettle as community leaders. They did not shirk away from their responsibilities and are prepared to act proactively and be responsible.

The mayors that decided to suspend the classes can do themselves a favor by cutting the suspension period down to a week. It’s bad enough that children will have to cope with distance learning and no longer the normal face-to-face instructions so to suspend the opportunity to start learning is disastrous, not providential.

Jinkee insensitivity

JINKEE Pacquiao should reform her ways, otherwise she might turn out to be a liability rather than an asset should her husband decide to run for president in May 2022.  For arriving attired reportedly in a mind-blowing P2.2-million outfit for the recent Pacquiao-Ugas fight in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jinkee incurred the ire of netizens for her ostentatious display of extravagance.  Jinkee exacerbated the issue by saying she doesn’t give a hoot to how people view her pubic conduct.  Of course, she got her hubby’s approval when Pacquiao, who lost on points to his Cuban opponent, said:  “The money Jinkee spent for her dress came from my blood, sweat and tears as a boxer. We don’t steal.”  That is true.  But amid the pandemic when people are hungry and in dire need of medicines against COVID-19, Jinkee’s behavior is utterly unacceptable. Height of insensitivity.

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