Playing with Fire
Disaster preparedness
By Gonzalo Duque
WE join friends, relatives and admirers of Dr. Luciano Fernandez who passed away last week. He was 79.
He had just returned from People’s Republic of China and Cambodia after a week-long trip when he died. He rejoins his wife, Richa, who had earlier died. His son, a good friend from way, way back, shares his clinic at the Pangasinan Medical Center, but according to a mutual friend, Winnie was planning to give up the place for a physician friend probably so as not to feel the pangs of loneliness.
Kuya Lu was such a good man, he would have easily won a councilor’s seat in Dagupan had he opted to enter politics. He was a distinguished Rotarian and civic leader, a much admired Dagupeno and whose mere sight by patients easily restored their health.
Rest in peace, Dr. Lu. We shall miss you.
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The wind was creating a lot of noise outside our home while we wrote this column. It was raining. For two weeks now we have been anticipating, nay, preparing for, the arrival of Typhoon Emong, which was to come from China.
In school, we had issued words of caution about the typhoon, anxious about the deadly effects of Cyclone Cosme last year, which left close to billion worth of damages in properties, infrastructure and crops including our much celebrated bangus.
What consoled us though is the report that Typhoon was traveling l50 kilometers per hour, while Cosme packed something like l80 kms. But typhoons, you know, could change their hitting power ala Manny Pacquiao.
We restate here again our advice to our citymates as well as provincemates who were in super celebration last week in praise of the sea and the bangus and, of yes, beauties. Let’s be sober and careful all the time. The times are hard. You know it. You read it in the papers everyday. See it on TV every night. The most powerful nation on earth has collapsed financially. Europe, too. Global. And here we are behaving as if everyday is a day of abundance! Mag-isip naman tayo, mga agagui.
It’s true we have been blest by our Loving God, but let’s not abuse His love and kindness. Pag nagalit yan, ewan kolang kung saang kankongan kayo pupulutin. What we mean is relax lang tayo vis-à-vis these so-called celebrations. Tignan nyo ang nangyari sa Kalutan, ang daming nasaktan, nagcollapse, sa sobrang dami ng tao, e walang exit points, unlike when the venue was the old A.B. Fernandez which has many restaurants and esquinitas where one can avoid or escape the suffocation. Marami rin ang nanakawan. Ay lasi, agaylay karakel na akisan because the organizers failed to provide some ‘comfort zones.’ Papaano first experience. But on the whole, very successful in terms of people support ang kalutan. Maybe next year, these things will have been addressed. In a sense, that kind of preparation is also disaster preparedness, awa, Mayor Al. But in fairness, he and Vice Mayor Belen and the whole caboodle of opisyales ng Dagupan did a great job.
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Thanks to the Department of Health for issuing a hold order to Manny Pacquiao and his handlers and fans from coming home after they have been quarantined for five days.
Everyone wants to have a piece of Manny after his phenomenal triumph against Briton Hitman Hatton. But it was he who got hit by the Pacman. Kayo ha, matindi yong swine virus na yan, it’s best to take cover muna. Yon ngang pagkamatay ni Dr. Lu, marami ang nagiispeculate baka swine virus ang dumali. But doctor son Winnie says it’s Hepa A ang culprit. O, napakagaling na doctor ang nadali, mga igan. Careful kayo as health nyo if you still want to live for l,000 years.
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