Think about it
Pingkoy makes things happen at DoH
By Jun Velasco
THE nation is jubilant over reports that there were less casualties — deaths and injuries — during the New Year revelry.
Statistics shows that the number of injuries declined by 46 percent, reputedly the lowest since l999.
Surely, this was not due to the Philippine National Police’s enforcement of the firecracker ban, although it should be credited partly.
The distinct honor, in our view, goes straight to the Department of Health, its serious and unrelenting campaign cooked up by its workaholic secretary Pingkoy Duque III who, from the very start, has shown discomfort with firecrackers.
The youthful Dagupeño has always been openly against exploding firecrackers during New Year’s eve and in any other form of celebration because year in and year out, senseless deaths and countless injuries are reported like nobody’s business.
Tough job, no doubt that Philippine tradition becoming what it is – unlickable like jueteng and prostitution.
Irresponsible wags say greeting the arrival of a new year with a bang, the louder the better, is a sign for good fortune in life.
Duque’s achievement in the substantial reduction of firecracker users should only mean that a good job can be done with great success if pursued seriously, sincerely and zeaously.
You can imagine the pressure from the fireworks makers on the DOH and its “activist” czar with millions of losses in sales. But a golden mean has to be reached in terms of people’s lives and health and profiteering by a few.
Pingkoy, by the way has figured in other tough national campaigns such as the rankling fight against formula milk manufacturers in favor of breastfeeding. Ditto with his fight for cheaper medicines and against smoking.
All these campaigns which are all succeeding have shown the government’s moral ascendancy in giving what’s best for the people. It’s abundantly clear that Pingkoy is PGMA’s pambato when it comes to performance and accountabi-lity in government service. Pangasinenses are lucky and proud about this.
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NOTES: In last week’s news item about the Velascos as Ulirang Pamilya – an award from the Department of Education — obviously submitted by youngest brother Butch, allow us to correct the title attached to Dr. Cathy Velasco as “chairman of the University of Pangasinan’s HRM department”. The fact of the matter is she was offered the post but had to decline because she says she is happy just being a professor and chairperson of the university’s international program for HRM students. She used to be the dean of the Lyceum Northwestern’s College of Tourism. We’ve been receiving phone calls and text messages every day due to that short uliran item. The Punch undoubtedly has thousands of readers.
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Uncle Erming Martinez has just emailed the following: “Please enjoin all members of the Martinez Clan to attend our second grand reunion on January l2 at the Magic Club Warehouse in Barangay Malued. Handsome and surprise prizes are at stake.” Chairman of the executive committee is his banker son, Jethro. Uncle Erming, by the way, was our speech writer in high school. He writes sensible column articles for some local publications and is editor of the reunion souvenir program. We thank nanay’s youngest sister Ester for the gift package she had hand carried all the way from San Francisco.
(Readers may reach columnist at junmv@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/think-about-it/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)
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