Make barangay kapitan accountable

INFECTION of COVID-19 by local transmission in many towns and cities is already very evident making it imperative for local governments to impose localized lockdowns, by zone or sitio.

The situation obtaining in Lingayen town is certainly not isolated and unique to the capital town alone. Indeed, one does not have to be a rocket scientist to understand what’s happening, and Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil is one who will not hesitate to call a spade a spade during this pandemic.

The only way for local transmission of COVID-19 to worsen in a barangay is for its residents to be negligent in complying with the health and social distancing protocols, and worse, tolerated by barangay officials.

Gov. Amado Espino III should already directly task the Liga ng mga Barangay to fully organize to prevent local transmission to spread and make its members accountable for a reported spike in cases in their barangays.

More specifically, mayors should begin to make barangay kapitans fully accountable for reports of increasing number of active COVID-19 cases in sitios under their jurisdiction. They should be sanctioned for complacency with recommendation for suspension if a high incidence of cases is reported in one single day.

And any mayor who does not impose sanction on erring, complacent kapitans should be recommended by the governor for immediate suspension if only to protect the communities.

Chinese ‘retirees’

MAINLAND China citizens aged 35 and up can retire in the Philippines with $50,000 (about 2.5 million pesos) cash on hand.  Already, there are 28,000 Chinese “retirees” here, according to the Philippine Retirement Authority.  “That is dangerous,” said Sen. Richard Gordon.  “Thirty-five years old is soldier’s age.” And just to compare: Our retirement age is 65.   Is history then repeating itself?  Before Japan invaded us on Dec. 10, 1941, thousands of Japanese came to our shores as “traders,” with many of them as “taho vendors.”  Little did we know that they were actually soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Army.  No doubt the “retirees” phenomenon is a national security concern. “Their number here is equal to 27 (Army) regiments,” said Gordon.  Records show the 28,000 Chinese “retirees” is about 40 percent of all foreign retirees here.

More are coming.  “Why would they retire here at 35?” said Gordon. “I’m disturbed.” Who isn’t? Who’s allowing them?

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