Think about it
Hospital war
By Jun Velasco
“I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow,” says the Lord.”
YOU’LL be amused at the many smart and clever strategies candidates use to capture public attention.
On our way home last night, we saw attractive tarpaulin posters of our friend Solo de Venecia, who is eyeing a councilor’s seat in Dagupan City.
We immediately asked a Comelec guy if there’s no rule breached, because we want him to make it in the council.
The Comelec said “none” because the position stated was not councilor but counselor, as in guidance counselor, because the tarpaulin was a Derm Care ad, and Derm Care, as most everybody in Dagupan knows, is a business outfit owned by Zeny Palisoc with Solo as consultant or counselor.
It’s a creative tack to beat the Comelec rule, since the start of the campaign period for local candidates begins on March 29 yet. Arya, Solo!
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As soon as Region 1 Medical Center came out with an announcement that it was erecting an 11-story building in June – a phenomenon worked out by Congresswoman Gina de Venecia — there came out another huge billboard with Mayor Benjie Lim’s picture announcing his pet maternity hospital project’s opening along A. B. Fernandez West.
It’s a refreshing breeze for wellness for our Dagupan folk. But there’s more than meets the eye here.
Both announcements have roused the public about a deep-seated political conflict could affect the public interest.
Hospitals have noble intentions, dedicated to health and medical uplift. We hope therefore that the political contest remains friendly, on who best delivers the best medical care hereabouts.
That being so, this development should show our leaders in earnest on health care and wellness delivery, transcending partisan lines.
Except for its curious timing, the proposed maternity hospital will fill a vital need.
We urge Mayor Lim to clear the air as far as DepED’s clearance on the ballyhooed transfer of the Guadiz school to give way to a hospital.
Without a DepEd clearance, the public will cry “foul!”
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Many of you must have seen the movie “Lincoln” which has won an Oscar for best actor.
We saw it and how we marveled at the greatness of Honest Abe.
Torn by a civil war between north and south of then civic-torn United States, President Lincoln stood his ground on the emancipation of the Negro slaves.
Congress was initially sharply divided, but the anti slavery proponents won. Laud Americans’ greatness.
It didn’t take long, however, when a deranged actor, John Wilkis Booth, who hated Lincoln’s anti slavery guts came from behind at Ford theater and fatally shot him.
Lincoln was known to have lost in a series of electoral contests before he gunned for the Presidency and finally won. It was a lesson in tenacity of purpose and faith.
Now, this one is for Ripley’s Believe it or not:
Our son Youssef texted us an apt message which was forwarded to him his uncle Dante, thus:
“Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946. Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. John F. Kennedy as elected President in 1960. Both were particularly concerned with civil rights. Both wives lost a child while living in the White House.
Both Presidents were shot on a Friday. Both Presidents were shot in the head. Now it gets really weird. Lincoln’s secretary was named Kennedy. Kennedy’s Secretary was named Lincoln.”
Destiny.
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NOTES: Congrats, Atty. Manuel Manuel for your election as IBP Pangasinan Prexy, to succeed Atty. Farah Decano. Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary Bro. Diony Bolor and beloved wife Sis Angie Bolor on March 11.
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