Triple whammy

By +Oscar V. Cruz D. D.

First was the lead content in toy paints. Children love to lick their toys, put these in their mouth while playing and feeling good. Unknown to their dotting parents, their children were being slowly poisoned by such a deleterious element. How many kids worldwide have actually suffered from ill for such gross negligence and odious greed for money by the toy manufacturers involved in the fatal misdeed, nobody really knows to this date. One thing however is certain. The presence of lead in the human body, especially the young and tender bodies of children, is something that is neither readily nor easily neutralized.

Second was the notorious formalin ingredient in foods for the latter’s long preservation but for their consumers’ gradual embalming even long prior to their death. This detestable phenomenon of manufacturing food products at the expense of the consumers’ health is, to say the least, unconscionable. One thing is certain, viz., the manufacturers do not eat the food they produce. For them, all was well as long as profits came in much and fast. How true is the saying that avarice respects nobody and vows to nothing—except money.

Third is now raging the infamous melamine—an ingredient that is not only found in milk product but also in plastic chairs and tables! Again, the children are the victims while parents agonize with them. Meantime, the milk producers deliriously made their way to the banks—as milk drinking kids are either found sick at hospitals or at home, so much so that some are already dying or even dead. Such a betrayal or public trust by supposedly credited milk manufacturers in exchange of flowing profits, is not only censurable and disgusting but also cries to heaven for vengeance. To hold money and profits above human life and health is downright in humanity to man.

The above triple whammy has some things in common.

First, their primary motivation and fundamental objective is profit—more profit at that.

Second, their instant victim and long range prey is humanity as a whole.

Third, their origin is one and the same Country.

Fourth, the governments of all other Countries have an infallibly delayed mode of reaction.

Finally, give those victimized Countries some time, their people easily forget—until other poisonous products probably from exactly the same Country, again invades local markets, especially so during the Christmas Season.

Just in case the Filipinos forget, only last Christmas, cheap but very defective Christmas lights invaded the Philippine market from exact the same Country. These products have caused numerous home fires, body burns and deaths even.

One thing quite discomforting about this whole of issue of poisonous products in the local markets: they all come from one and the same Country the ruling administration is courting to high heavens – with unlimited graft and corruption. It is a moral impossibility that the present government would do anything much more to the said Country than speak softly, move gently and act carefully against it for exporting to the Philippines deadly products.

(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com.For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/viewpoints/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

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