Clearing the air in USA

By Gonzalo Duque

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA–I am here in this beautiful city of San Francisco in California on a visit that was arranged and coordinated by our kababayan, former Milpitas City Mayor Jose Esteves.

Manong Joe, whose roots are from Dagupan and very much a Dagupeño like most of us, arranged a press conference where I will be given a chance to tell our compatriots now living in this part of America the true situation that is obtaining in our dear country.

You see, despite the inroads of social media, where in an instant one can read about our country, our kababayans in America are thirsting for the real news that truly comes from the horse’s mouth.

The Philippines is not messy and disorderly as it is being pictured from time to time by some sectors of the American press highly critical of the Philippines and President Rodrigo Duterte.

I was glad to tell them that the bashing by the American press on President Duterte, picturing him as a tyrant, a dictator and by any other bad names is not all true.

Peace and order reigns all over the land, except in a few villages in Mindanao, where few rebels are still resisting efforts to bring them to the fold of the law.

And what about President Duterte?  To me, despite his foul language sometimes, which we admit were mostly intended as a pun to enliven a serious audience, he is a kind, considerate and untiring working President.

His achievements so far in just three years, especially on infrastructure are already monumental.

His recent move to decongest the crowded Ninoy Aquino International Airport by reviving the former American base at Sangley, Cavite for domestic flights earned him much kudos here and abroad.

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Now let’s talk about the case filed by allegedly disgruntled parents of children who allegedly died after getting shot of Dengvaxia against my brother Pingcoy and myself. Methinks, this is foolish and was done without basis.

This we believed was instigated by Public Attorney’s Office Persida Acosta who in the past year already made an issue about Dengvaxia, a move which for sometime instilled fears in the minds of parents that vaccination is bad.  

 This case is foolish because how come that my name was dragged into that case when I have no part on the issue whatsoever from the beginning. Could it be because Persida has a crush on us? Just jesting.

As to the words I said about Senator Ping Lacson, I am sorry, I reacted hastily for ourselves–my brother Pincoy, our family corporation and myself. I was besieged with interviews while rushing to the airport to catch my flight.  And I was rushing my thoughts as well.

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