By Leonardo Micua

 

THE world is in turmoil not because of growing tensions on the geopolitical front but because of Donald Trump.

The president of the United States put the whole world on edge by imposing sweeping tariffs on all goods entering his country from 118 nations, including the Philippines, inevitably sending shock waves in the global community.

Imagine that in just one day, after Mr. Trump ordered a sweeping tariff bracket,  stock markets crashed, leading to trillions of dollars in losses worldwide.

Most affected was China which got a 104% tariff on all its goods entering the US. Even the Philippines was not spared, though with a relatively modest 17%, which our economists say will have minimal impact, compared to other countries that got higher levies on exports to the US.

With apologies to my good friend Leonie Galvez, a dyed-in-the-wool Trump fan, the move of Mr. Trump tended to picture his country as if it is now running low on cash and worst, blames its current financial woes on the four-year administration of the Joe Biden presidency. Of course not.

Trump’s message is that the only way to Make America Great Again  (MAGA) is to raise the taxes  on all foreign goods entering the  USA, and to cut down expenses locally and overseas.

We have no business poking our noses on his antagonistic, protectionist policies, but his actions do not sit well with many citizens of the world and I am sure, majority of the Americans.

China, Canada, Mexico, UK, France and the rest of the European Union countries are, of course, not taking this matter sitting down, with some already hitting back with counter-tariffs and others are expected to do so soon.

Trump has launched a global trade war. This could very likely spark a world recession of epic proportions that will impact both rich and poor nations.

Mr. Trump has also been harping about annexing Canada as well as Greenland, which is insanely not possible.

May God bless us all!

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With her opponent yet to show his face to the public, Manay Gina de Venecia continues to woo voters  in the Fourth District with not a single day of rest since day 1 of the campaign period. 

Although  a sure winner, Manay Gina’s motorcades, house-to-house campaigns, and public engagements are proceeding non-stop.

She’s  leaving no stone unturned because it is her own way of reaching out and feeling the pulse of the people of Dagupan, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto and Manaoag. 

Throngs of people from all walks of life line up the streets, cheering and wanting to reach her hands whenever she’s having a motorcade, a sign that the De Venecia charisma planted by no less than the patriarch, former Speaker Joe dV, remains in the people’s hearts.

Manay Gina is running to take over from her son, Christopher, who served the district faithfully and well for nine years, an era that brought a plethora of national programs and projects to the district that contributed to its progress and prosperity. 

She used to tell people that if they vote for her, they are practically voting three De Venecias to serve them, she, former Speaker De Venecia and Toff.

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The COMELEC should level the playing field in this election by going after the vote buyers and sellers, even if the buyers are high-ranking public officials.

But what’s this I heard that the GuiConsulta continues to dole out P300 each to people who register to  avail of health services in hospitals run by the province, with such funds coming from the coffers of the province during the election period.

GuiConsulta is a plain vote-buying spree of the Guico administration. The face of the governor is all over the places where the mass registration is going on.

And doctors of government hospitals of the province and personnel from the municipal health offices, are a party to this uncalled-for vote-buying spree.

In Manaoag, people were practically rioting in all of the town’s barangays up to the wee hours in the morning for a chance to receive a measly P300, according to my source.

This is happening also in other towns and cities of Pangasinan.

Your move, Chairman George Garcia of the COMELEC.

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