The evacuation season

A blind American won a silver medal in judo in the ongoing Paralympics in London. Alas, our own athletes with 20-20 vision could not manage even a bronze in the recent Olympics. By the way, it is really inspiring to watch the handicapped and disabled contenders struggling to outdo their opponents in the Paralympic events. I hope videos of the games will be shown to other similarly afflicted people, especially children, all over the world, to inspire them.

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Are matters going from bad to worse in the provincial political arena? Now Governor Freddie Marañon has declared that he is fielding a complete slate when he files his certificate of candidacy for his reelection. That indicates that he has given up chances of the so-called “win-win” solution, being in his favor. It all seems a pity because we had all believed that the crew at the capitol was a very cohesive and solid group, with the same aims for the province. It is true, indeed, that politics is always unpredictable.

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Meanwhile, Senator Koko Pimentel has been reported to be launching an anti-cheating campaign for the coming elections. Well, let's wish him success, as nobody knows better about what the effects of a marred election could be. But who are the other politicians who are with him in this mission? Will he not be another Don Quixote, tilting at windmills in this advocacy? Maybe he is trying to accomplish as much as possible during the two years left to him of the term that was supposed to be six years?

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Again the evacuation season is on. Right here in our country, evacuations are going on for victims of floods, earthquakes, landslides, even from sites of rebel and army encounters. Abroad, Filipinos are also being evacuated, or are poised to evacuate, from such countries as Iran and Syria, after the experience of others before from Iraq, and Haiti. I guess, this is a syndrome of humanity, because we also had our first record of evacuations when Moses led his people away from Egypt to the Promise Land.

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I hope many parents have read that news report about the teenager from New York City who stuck his head out of a moving bus and it hit a rail of the overpass they were passing. The report from the Associated Press said this happened while the bus was crossing the George Washington Bridge at Fletcher Avenue. I really hope parents hear about this because, so many times, right here in Bacolod City, I get alarmed when I see little children sticking their heads, and even just their hands, out of the windows of vehicles, and the adults with them do not seem to mind.

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Several years ago, I heard about a similar accident in Silay City where a jeepney driver stuck his head out, I think, to see who was following him, without realizing that another jeep was already too close, and hit his head. It didn't get swept off, but he was killed. It was a real shock to us because the driver's wife was a household helper of a relative. Since then, I always nag my own relatives to be very careful about their kids while in transit. I know this risk has been minimized with the popularity of airconditioned cars and vans, but kids often know how to open windows, you know.

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As usual, the children of Tia Lourdes Ciocon, Roseller, Pisto and Delia, commemorated her birthday last night with a party at their residence. This time, the “honorees” were the staff of their enterprises, like L'Fisher, Kaisei, Chicken Deli, L'Sea, and the Three C's, a decision that would have made their mother very happy. There was the exceptional buffet for which L'Fisher is famed and a band to provide danceable music. And surprise! I didn't realize that the usually formal and conservative Roseller could swing a mean boogie and cha-cha!

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The entire family, including the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Tia Lourdes were there to attend to the close relatives and friends always seen at their mom's birthday celebration when she was still around, and until now. “She always loved parties”, Roseller recalled. And where better to hold one than in the home that seems especially designed for it? They feel lucky to have her for their mother, but I know she also believed she was blessed to have such thoughtful and loving children.*

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