Opinion-Editorial NEWS

Like other government agencies that have recurring activities to implement as mandated by law, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) did not foresee the pandemic coming.

In a move that caught many by surprise, the government has extended the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila by another week.

Generally optimistic, most Filipinos see hope and readily shift to a lighter disposition whenever September 1 appears on the calendar. The day opens the four-month season of festivities amidst a cooler temperature for this tropical country, albeit also a season of typhoons and floods.

The country’s agricultural sector, already hard-hit by the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak when the COVID-19 pandemic struck last year, continued its decline in the second quarter of the year as reported by the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) earlier this month.

The distinctive achievements made by Filipino athletes led by gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz in the recent Tokyo 2020 Olympics have prompted the government to institutionalize the grant of incentives and accolades to Filipino achievers in various fields.

The culprits are in the air and we use a mask to fight a two-way invisible battle: a microscopic virus and tiny particles from the vog. The virus here is COVID, which continues to break record number of infections, while the vog is from the volcanic smog of Taal Volcano, swept by the wind northward, making the air of Metro Manila less breathable. Never has there been a time in our modern history when breathing becomes a worrisome “chore.”

“Still the People’s Champ” is how most Filipinos regard Manny Pacquiao despite his loss to Yordenis Ugas in Las Vegas last Saturday (Sunday, Manila time), August 21.  He said he will make an announcement next month, but this will likely be regarding his political plans.  His current term as senator ends next year, so he would have to decide whether he wants to seek reelection or aspire for higher office.

On the 38th death anniversary of the late Senator Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., it is well to recall the circumstances of his death that led to national recognition of his heroism.  When he was assassinated on August 21, 1983, there were only 51.4 million Filipinos; presently, our population is estimated at more than 111 million.  Hence, around 60 million Filipinos could rely only on historical accounts as they seek to know more about him today.

The Commission on Audit’s role as “watchdog” on the proper use of government resources has come into sharp focus.  In his recent regular weekly televised address, President Duterte criticized its audit report calling attention to certain “deficiencies” in the way the Department of Health (DOH) was managing the pandemic.

Today, August 19, the nation celebrates the 143rd birth anniversary of President Manuel L. Quezon, the president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines who served from 1935 to 1944.  We remember him as the first chief executive who ruled over the entire Philippine islands, whereas those before him governed only in parts of the territory.

The Hong Kong government’s initial hesitancy on honoring vaccine cards issued in the Philippines – thereby delaying the entry of thousands of Filipino domestic workers – underscores the urgency of coming up with a globally-accepted certificate that Filipinos could carry with them while traveling abroad – and be assured of safe, hassle-free passage.

This week is not for good news. Aside from the rising number of COVID cases, with more being affected by the Delta variant, the world was jolted last Monday when the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UN-IPCC) released  a wake up call via a report called “Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis.”

After five consecutive quarters of contraction that began in the first quarter of 2020, the Philippine economy posted a hefty positive growth of 11.8 percent on-year – signaling the onset of a recovery from the debilitating effects of a global pandemic.

Government’s social safety nets will be cast in Metro Manila starting today, August 11,  to cushion the impact of the most restrictive Enhanced Community Quarantine that is in force from August 6 to 20.  Individuals will receive cash assistance of P1,000 each while families are entitled to a maximum of P4,000. 

The Olympic Flame has been extinguished but the fire it brought to Filipinos continues to touch our senses. But this isn’t about the conclusion of a multi-billion spectacle, the last page of a happy-ending story. As the Japanese people say sayonara to the thousands who braved the pandemic-delayed showpiece in Tokyo, the officials back in Manila should start writing the opening chapter of a new age in sports, the preservation of what Hidilyn Diaz, Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial had gifted us in this momentous part of history.

August is Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa (National Language Month) and many Filipinos, especially the younger generation, do not know why the nation’s leaders chose this scary “month of ghosts” for the observance.

The government’s wish is that the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) from August 6 to 20 will be the “last ever lockdown.”

One could build Hidilyn Diaz a monument, gift her loads of cash or all the luxuries in life, or to the extent name her a street or perhaps a national holiday to remember her Olympic success. She deserves it. But as the country roars for Hidilyn’s victory on the grandest sporting stage, the slew of gallant Filipino athletes who fought as hard in Tokyo need the same kind of energy, attention, and admiration — win or lose.