Punchline
Political waltzing in Dagupan
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
IS VM Brian Lim ready to reconcile with Mayor Belen Fernandez?
Say that again? The prospect came up all because Mayor Belen and Veem Brian were reportedly suddenly seen side by side during the flag ceremony and program at the city plaza last Aug 3. That was not a common sight in the city after all, and that’s for sure!
In fact, Veem Brian reportedly never fails to leave the city pronto soon as he bangs the gavel to adjourn each weekly regular session. He must find it healthy to be out of sight, out of mind of Mayor Belen.
What made tongues salivating for gossip was the fact that it was the first time for Veem Brian to attend a flag raising ceremony at the city plaza which Mayor Fernandez religiously attends whenever her schedule allows it. And if that fact was not enough to titillate some minds, Veem Brian stayed on for as long as he could beside Mayor Belen during the Holy Mass that until the flag ceremony and the program.
The body language of the two appeared cordial to the discomfort of rabid supporters of both who are more comfortable seeing their respective bosses spewing fire and venom at each other.
So what broke the camel’s back in a different way, that made them appear in public like long lost friends?
Veem Brian: “I thank our good mayor for giving her commitment to support the coming national convention of the Philippine Jaycees in Dagupan in which more than 2,000 delegates from all over the country are coming,” said Lim, incumbent national president of the Philippine Jaycees, speaking before the city hall employees.
How sweet!
Then he regaled his audience with this thought: He and Mayor Belen have discussed what priority bills need to be passed to further hasten the growth of the city! Say nyo?
Watch out for this intriguing telenovela “Walang kahapon sa Kinabukasan!” to play out until before the October filing of candidacy!
Perhaps, our Fire Player Gonz will have more juicy details in the weeks ahead. He’s definitely the better storyteller when politicians begin to start acting strangely.
* * * * *
FIRST AID RESPONDERS. Taking off from our suggestion last week about the need for trained teams of “First Aid Responders,” in the event of a “Big One,” it occurred to me that Pangasinan is blessed with hundreds of nursing, physical therapy and medical students!
Right there lies the goldmine of “First Aid Responders”!
Who else would be more receptive to first aid training for treatment and handling of wounds, broken bones and limbs, heart attacks and drowning than these students themselves?
But how will they be motivated to spend hours of training that are not exactly related to their present studies and curricula? Surely, the prospect of earning medals of valor will not be enough to motivate most of them to give their all for humanitarian purposes since they still need to pass their major subjects and earn the credits.
For this purpose, it’s only right that the students’ personal needs are served as well by making their training a part of their curriculum and thereby earn deserved credits. But the students cannot hope to arrange these for themselves, but the local governments can.
Initially, the Dagupan City government can initiate a discussion with the heads of universities and colleges in the city to agree and to establish the premise for the organization of First Aid Responders, and how to go about the process of crediting the students for their training.
After accomplishing that, a training module to be handled by medical specialists i.e., orthopedic issues by Dr. Raul Sabado, cardio issues by Dr. Art Pitargue, etc. should be developed with the experienced disaster response teams.
The formation of First Aid Responders among the medical, nursing and physical therapy students will provide disaster management programs the critical manpower to minimize casualties and damage to persons.
* * * * *
ADDICTS IN UNIFORM. The news about the arrest of a policeman sniffing shabu brings into sharper focus the need to shift the campaign vs. illegal drugs to high gear!
The zero-tolerance policy of P/Sr. Supt. Rollie Saltat towards drug users in uniform is commendable and I hope he will soon form a team that will seek out the police scalawags because they are the most logical protectors of the drug syndicates in the war vs. drug syndicates.
It doesn’t take a rocket science to determine the extent of damage that policeman-user can do not only to the organization of dedicated men and women sworn to protect communities but to the campaign against illegal drugs.
It’s the addicts in uniform who tip off raids and buy-bust operations. They find ways to smuggle out confiscated drugs for their own use or to sell to finance their habits. They destroy evidence that could put allies of drug lords behind bars. They raise funds for their addiction by identifying and blackmailing users and their families. They tempt and lure their fellow officers to the side of the syndicates with promises of huge regular pay-offs. The list goes on and on.
* * * * *
AN UPDATE PLEASE! Meanwhile, it’d be interesting to get an update from the Pangasinan Provincial Police Office (PPPO) on Mr. Saltat’s campaign. Residents across the province have started to wonder whether the notorious drug pushers in their communities have been arrested or not since the hype over the war vs. illegal drugs was started.
Residents of Asingan are particularly dismayed knowing that their notorious drug ring leaders still go about their business like nobody’s business. Pray tell, Mr. Saltat, how many have been neutralized in that town?
Let’s hope PPPO will have something to report to the people next week if only to assure Pangasinenses that our law enforcers are winning the war. Or are they?
(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
