Health crisis in Dagupan City

THERE is a major health crisis in Pangasinan’s first and oldest city. But the city government led by Mayor Brian Lim doesn’t seem to be aware of it.

COVID-19 contagion is getting worse each day. But still, the city government doesn’t seem to understand how to deal with it. Dagupeños are not seeing, feeling any initiative on the part of their city government that could possibly mitigate the situation. Visible images of crisis are there: worn out and tired medical frontliners of the City Health Office, at the Region 1 Medical Center and discrimination against families of confirmed cases. But city hall does not seem to notice.

Instead, it rushed headlong to further relax the curfew hours to 11 p.m. without a public hearing, not realizing that a later curfew encourages more people to disregard the health protocol set by IATF.

It promoted fun public gathering at the Tondaligan Park without any thought to keep people safe by seeing to the strict observance of wearing face masks and social-distancing rules. Wonder no more why more residents are getting infected by the day.

Why it took Mayor Lim weeks to realize that the regular entry of delivery crews of fish from other provinces completely unchecked are potential carriers of infection (and illegal drugs) is beyond us. Then it issues a ban for a week only!  To keep the protection racket for invasion of fish products in the city going?

The move of the Lim administration to restart the local economy is absolutely in the right direction. What it hasn’t seem to realize is that effective governance is about planning and being two steps ahead of current situations, particularly in a crisis.

 

Duterte dig

NEVER ever underestimate anyone, especially the President of the republic himself.  In one of his strongest pitches yet for patrimony and national sovereignty, President Duterte told the United Nations (UN) General Assembly this week of his call for China to heed the Hague arbitral ruling granting the Philippines exclusive ownership of Panatag Shoal and several more islands straddling the South China Sea.  China has been that stubborn to disobey the 2016 decision, even constructing military installations and denying Filipinos of their fishing activities in the disputed territories.  Credit also goes to both former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio, the President’s most ardent critics on the West Philippine Sea issue, for heaping praise on Mr. Duterte.  When foes find friendship amid conflict, that is unity amplified. Momentous.

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