THE VIEW FROM RIZAL We would like to thank our readers for the steady stream of emails we get from you every week in response to our Sunday column. We will make sure that your comments are duly acknowledged and – when possible – reprinted in our weekly piece. Last week we received an email from one of our readers which we feel is worth sharing with everyone. Raymond Crane wrote: Many thanks for your informative and balanced article in today's Bulletin. It is indeed comforting to know that vaccines are here at long last.   I am an engineer by training and hence look to science and math for answers to issues.   Please indulge me with the following observation.  Front page news states that 12,465 deaths in the Philippines have been ascribed to Covid19.  The Philippines has a population of over 110 million.  So, roughly 1 in 10,000 have died from COVID-19. Let that sink in. 1 in 10,000!.    I live in barangay Guadalupe Nuevo.  The population is roughly 20,000.  So, for perspective that means statistically only two people have succumbed to COVID-19 in the entire barangay!  How many more have died from the effects of the draconian lockdown or been made destitute?  The media bears a responsibility for this.  Instead of the headline 12,465 have died how about 109,987,535 have survived! Thank you, Engineer Raymond, for sharing with us a rational and conscientious perspective on this issue hounding us all today. Our readers would recall that the national government has sounded the alarm over this situation and has issued a call for stricter adherence to This past week, media reported a major increase in the number of our countrymen who are being rushed to hospitals after testing positive. The National Task Force is worried that the level of infection may have replicated previous peaks already and that our national healthcare system may be approaching critical levels once more. Let us heed the national government’s call for the exercise greater care and prudence. After all, the proverbial “finish line” is almost in sight. As we have said in previous columns, there is a vaccine. More than that, the vaccine has landed in our country and we have administered doses to a good number of our countrymen, particularly frontline health workers. The rest of our countrymen are in line to receive the vaccine. That would be in the not-too-distant future. It is now just a matter of waiting with lots of patience and prudence. We understand the national government’s concern over the sudden rise of new cases of COVID-19 infection. This must have been the reason why the government decided that it would ban the so-called “Public Display of Affection,” or PDA as our countrymen refer to this unhindered expression of love and care made right before the prying eyes of strangers. This ban on PDA has been met with some resentment and resistance. Some of our readers and many of our fellow Antipoleños and Rizaleños have pleaded to us to convey to authorities their objection to this rule. This may have gone too far, they said. In almost one year of our battle with the pandemic, many of us have seen how it has shaped our lives even causing drastic and sometimes unpopular and unacceptable changes. As we face more challenges, let us continue to trust and support the national task force whom we believe seek and promote general welfare. Be safe, everyone! *For feedback, please email it to [email protected] or send it to Block 6 Lot 10 Sta. Barbara 1 cor. Bradley St., Mission Hills Subd., Brgy. San Roque, Antipolo City, Rizal.