OPINION and OPTION
By ELINANDO B. CINCO
Elinando B. Cinco
This ancient Chinese Taoist dictum appears to concur with the Hindi’s “karma.”
Both inclinations appear simplistic, but they are not. In both teachings, there are in-depth factors that can even break or forestall the symbols from happening, it is said.
Let us take a look at some of the intriguing events that unfolded in our midst lately. They are typical of a good event can be spoiled or offset by a bad one, or vice versa.
High hopes were pinned on the new PNP NCRPO chief – Gen. Debold Sivas – to give new directions to the men and women of the premier region. The ceremonies of his installation at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City, last October 16 were about to wrap up when the earth-shaking news came.
North Cotabato in Mindanao had just been hit by a powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter Scale. Major cities surrounding it were feared to be in ruins. A huge mall in General Santos City was burning as a result of the tremor
Many were perplexed. Why would a welcome news in Metro Manila trigger a destructive calamity down in Mindanao? Was the symbolic work of nature as enunciated by the ‘Yin and Yang’ phenomenon at work here?
Brace for more: On October 1, police organizations in the free world waited in silence when the Philippine Senate announced that its series of investigation on illegal drug activities by police officers and men hinted of a possible involvement of its top general.
Then on October 13, General Oscar Albayalde, PNP chief of the 190,000-man civilian organization, took a leave of absence, upon advice of President Duterte.
It was bad enough for the top cop, sad for the Chief Executive who at the last minute even expressed full trust and confidence in his appointee.
In an entirely different field of events – occurring on the same day of October 13 — 100 million sports-crazy Filipinos rejoiced over the grabbing of the gold medals by two young Pinoys in floor exercise gymnastics, and in featherweight division in women’s boxing.
Carlos Yulo, a 19-year-old amateur, flawlessly performed his category in Stuttgart, Germany, to the rousing applause of international spectators. While Nesthy Petecio, defied fear of many in the audience of a hometown decision in Ulan-Ude, Russia, in outboxing her opponent to win the gold in her division.
Last October 5, the Philippine Tourism industry received a big boost it fairly deserves: It won the World’s Travel Award “for recording a significant increase in tourists arrivals of 7.11 million in 2018” besting 11 other countries. The ceremonies were held in Phu Quoc, Vietnam.
Yet, barely five days after the worldwide commendation and the resultant favorable publicity, the Philippines became a bearer of a front-page story item: Tons of fish, mussels, and shell-fish products floated on the beaches of Paranaque and Las Pinas.
The culprit: Low-salinity level in the sea of affected areas, fisheries authorities said.