Swine flu fatality: A warning to Congress!

Call it a coincidence or an act of God that the first ever recorded fatality from the AH1N1 virus in this country was a 49-year-old woman who worked at the Batasan Pambansa Complex. This has now caused a minor panic among Congressmen who now want to sanitize the Ramon Mitra Building which houses the various committees in the House of Representatives. Of course, you already know the pun that since Congress is considered the “House of Pork Barrel” it had to happen that the Swine Flu’s first victim came from the Batasan.

Kidding aside, this should be a wake up call to Congress now that the Swine Flu has struck their working place. The should be told that this pestilence originated in Mexico City, a very Catholic City whose legislators allowed for divorce and eventually passed a law making abortion legal. If they learn their lessons well, Congress should be forewarned that passing the so-called Reproductive Health (RH) Bill will certainly bring the wrath of God and the AH1N1virus is just for starters.

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I have an email response to my article about the opening of the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) in Balamban by Dr. Mario Amores.

“Hi Mr. Avila. This is Doc Mario Amores. I enjoyed reading your column this morning, like a breath of fresh air amid the incoming depression and recession. We share a few common personalities. Mr. Tony Esmero, a tennis buddy of mine, erstwhile (last time we met was during this year’s CIM graduation, my daughter and his, new doctors). Mayor and Mrs. Binghay, parents of Vice Ace, good people. Balamban is blessed with the family looking after the town. They hosted one of our vice-mayor’s league meeting months ago.

Chairman Makoto Kambara of Tsuneishi, very Asian, makes everyone feel welcome. And of course, Fr. Enrico Silab, the new President of USJ-R. My mental picture was a skinny, happy, excitable and intelligent young kid, back in the Recoletos Seminary in Baguio where we were schoolmates. I saw his pictures all over your newspaper. I’m looking at a totally different individual. That’s what 40 years can do.

You are particularly perceptive, and rightfully sensitive, to mention how USJ-R maintains the Magisterium. I’m sure with Fr. Silab at the helm, the status could only move forward. Like a breath of fresh air FDIs partaking in local development. We should have more stories like this in our dailies. Your vision on how academics will flourish in Balamban will come true. The Recoletos philosophy will transform the educational terrain, not only of Balamban, but likewise the neighboring LGUs. The Recollects have a nasty habit of sticking it out in any situation they have set their minds on. I should know. I was once a part of the family, but only past philosophy though.”

Thanks for your email Doc Amores. If there is any compelling reason why we rarely miss media invitations to Balamban it is exactly because we know that we get good stories there. I devoted my entire Monday column for the USJ-R Balamban story because it is a very unique partnership between a Foreign Direct Investor represented by Tsuneishi, the Private Sector represented by the Cebu Industrial Park Developers, Inc. (CIPDI) and the Academe represented by USJ-R.

Indeed, USJ-R setting their foot in Balamban would contribute to its growth and development because schools are a major contribution to the growth of a community. A case in point is Silliman in Dumaguete and of course the schools in Cebu City, though now, they have contributed to the humongous traffic problem. Now all that Balamban has to do is come up with a new “Main Road” parallel to the national road because it’s just too narrow. When the Town of Balamban makes that road, it would someday become its commercial center. So adelante Balamban!

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Today and tomorrow, there will be a Visayas-Wide Consultation on Decent Work for Domestic Workers at the Golden Valley Hotel along Pelaez Ext. Cebu City from 9:30 am to 11:30 am sponsored by the Visayas Forum Foundation, Inc. This forum would serve as a major input for the coming National Domestic Worker’s Summit in August 2009. It’s about time that the plight of our Domestic Workers be given importance. They are the backbone of our underground economy; after all, they do not pay taxes. But that all of us can work or go to school is due to the reality that we have domestic helpers who do our laundry, our dishes and our cooking. It is time for us to uplift their plight. They, too, are part and parcel of our family home.

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