Differentiate "Aratay"
from avian flu

Provincial veterinarian Dr. Renante Decena should explain clearly to the public the difference between the Newcastle disease virus and "avian flu" to help defuse confusion and panic.

Unless that is clarified, there will always be pranksters or the malicious who will use the issue to undercut the Negros poultry industry.

That happened two years ago when text messages about an Escalante-based poultry having succumbed to avian flu triggered a major panic among chicken eaters in Metro Manila and elsewhere in the country, including right here in Bacolod.

The result was disastrous to local poultry raisers.

That is why it is important that Decena and Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon alert the public to distinguish between the Newcastle disease and the avian flu.

I had known about "aratay" since I was a young boy in Fabrica, Sagay. Of course, it inflicted a heavy toll among local chicken. But that was considered even during the war years, as one of those things - manageable even if exacting a heavy toll among the local poultry.

With the present specter of avian flu, there is no alternative but for Dr. Decena to once and for all clarify the issue. That's the only way the confusion can be averted.

***

It seems nobody has raised the question whether the work on the government center has gotten the exemption from the Commission on Elections. Based on the flurry of activities by both Hilmarc's and the city government's SP, it seems they are pretty sure that the Comelec had given the go-signal for them to proceed with the project despite the election ban.

And, if the Philippine National Bank is hesitant about paying the 15 percent mobilization fee to Hilmarc's (as Land Bank apparently is just as reluctant), then the city government will be the one to pay the amount. The question - does the loan agreement contain the provision that the bank would reimburse the city government for the amount when the institution fails to comply with its commitment as embodied in the contract?

The past few days, the television stations of the city had been rocked by charges and counter-charges by spokesmen of both City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Rep. Monico Puentevella (Bacolod City).

Just asking.

***

No father had displayed such beastly act as what the 51-year-old farm workers from Barangay Villacin, Cadiz City, had done to his own daughters. Three of them exactly.

For three years, according to the report by the three to the Cadiz police, his daughters had been kept as sex slaves by their father. One of them in Barangay Bato, Sagay City, the two others in their home-barangay.

What compounds the problem is that their mother apparently did not lift a finger to defend them from their animalistic father. Although, in fairness to her, she claimed that she did not know what had happened to their daughters.

That's a taller tale than the story of the three raped children.

***

Kudos to Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco for turning down the offer by the Bacolod City government to be declared as adopted son and also honorary mayor. Instead, he accepted the adoption by the Negros Tsinoy community.

I think that Danding did not really intend to brush off the Bacolod offer. It's just that he did not want a double tribute. Especially one that could be misinterpreted as a political endorsement of one party or the other.

The adoption resolution is ill-timed, I must admit. Danding is reportedly batting for Vice Mayor Renecito Novero as congressman. And accepting an adoption resolution from the SP could immediately be misinterpreted as his endorsement of Novero's bid.

He is reportedly also backing Bing Leonardia. Thus, Bing does not need to lay it thick on Danding.

I doff my hat off to a person who towers over his lesser light allies. By confining his acceptance of the honor paid him by the Negros Tsinoy, Cojuangco truly displays what I could call a Confucian sage's wisdom.

***

Imagine my shock this morning, when I spotted a motorcycle cop along Hilado Street, Capitol Shopping Center, cruising along without his helmet. This was just shortly after I had monitored on TV last night cops issuing tickets to motorcyclists for driving their vehicles sans the protective cover for their heads.

I was so startled by that sight this morning, I was unable to immediately focus my camera on the erring motorcycle cop. No, he was not the regular motorcycle cop. I think he was driving his own motorcycle. Still that does not exempt him from the law enforcing the use of crash helmets by motorcyclists.*

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