Think about it
Unstoppable Globalization
By Jun Velasco
AN INDICTMENT of a joint venture between the Philippine and Chinese governments for the exploitation of some l.5 million hectares of idle real estate (PDI full page ad p. A 4) as anti-poor and anti- Filipino overlooks the unstoppable globalization phenomena.
We sympathize with the poor farmers who are always left holding the empty bag, but there should be a better and more creative way in dealing with their predicament.
Think of how they helpless beat the odds with their already lowly priced produce against the same or similar products sold by neighbor China, Vietnam and Taiwan at even much lower prices.
What was agreed upon by PGMA and China’s Premier Wen Jiabao last January was precisely meant to give local growers the break. We advise the government thru Agriculture Sec. Arthur Yap to launch an info drive so that the partnership which was precisely designed to lift the poor farmers from their plight won’t be used as a damaging propaganda against the government.
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Outgoing Mayor Benjie Lim was a sight to see at incoming Mayor Al Fernandez’ birthday bash last Thursday at the Inn Asia.
Here was a heartwarming evidence of two mature and gentle souls who did not allow the hurt caused by the recent election campaign to injure their friendship for long.
Their meeting, which was cheerfully applauded by some close to 3,000 guests and visitors, was a positive sign of Dagupan’s uninterrupted progress. It was not at all unexpected because both Benjie and Al are outstanding Jaycees, coming from the same political mode and who rose to political heights under the auspices of the Ramos-JDV umbrella and the late FPJ. What’s noteworthy is their flair for public service which germinated in their Jaycee training.
No one looked like a loser in that meeting Thursday.
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Mario Rioflorido, youngest son of the late Eleno Rioflorido, former barangay captain of Malued, Dagupan City took a bride, the beauteous nurse, Juliet Ballesteros, of Barangay Lokeb, Malasiqui, Pangasinan. At age 44, Mario still retains youthful looks and a romantic outlook, which should explain why he got hutched this late.
As one of the ninongs, we were just too glad to reunite with relatives including lawyer Felipe “Eping” T. Cuison and former Development Bank of the Philippines official Fred Caguioa, our neighbor in Malued during our youthful years, lawyers Amor Tolete and Boy Bulatao, Mario Lim and many others.
We wish the new couple lasting marital bliss.
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With the season of rains and floods back in town, we wish to remind the city engineering office in Dagupan City about the obsolete culverts and flood control and drainage system along M. H. del Pilar which have proved to be inutile time and again.
Manny Roy, a former construction manager, alerted this corner to the facility’s dilapidated status to remind our government engineers of their job.
We think the whole range of Dagupan’s flood control system and preparedness should top the list of come backing Mayor Al Fernandez’ first concerns this June month.
(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/think-about-it/)
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