“Dali-a ninyo ang kumpay...”

PNoy says the 10,000 estimated death toll in Tacloban is overstated. Is it? But if the relief goods continue to be undelivered, the death toll might exceed that.

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Press Sec. Sonny Coloma, answering critics on faulty relief operations, was quoted as saying: “Next time response will be perfect.” Let's pray to God there will be no next time.

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It says here that a fashion model has been beaten to death. Not by the super typhoon but by her husband. Not in Tacloban but in Makati.

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The UN humanitarian chief says there are still many areas not reached by relief goods and people are getting desperate. Among these places are the towns in north Cebu which like many towns in Leyte were badly battered by Yolanda.

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A friend of mine in Bantayan texted me: “Pre, palihug ingna sila ipadali ang kumpay samtang buhi pa ang kabayo.”

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Let's change the topic. Did you know that Brown Rice Day was celebrated in the country recently? It was the first celebration of its kind in the world in observance of the National Year of the Rice by the Philippine Rice Research Institute.

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The Brown Rice Day was observed to encourage the food service industry to serve unpolished rice. According to Hazel Antonio, NYR campaign director, eating brown rice or unpolished rice could reduce cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension (Hayblad, Noy Temiong) and stroke.

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I received an e-mail from a relative in of the cities in Western Visayas (never mind his name and the city) informing me about the relief campaign initiated by a media group there. “Sus,” he said, “ang mga donated used clothing nagtipun-og mura'g bukid. I saw no volunteers handling them. Not like in Cebu.”

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OVERHEARD. As you know, there are thousands of evacuees here from Tacloban. Their future is uncertain. The wife of a corporate official said her family has agreed to temporarily adopt a family of three. Hearing this, a fellow civic club member said to another member of the club: “Nagpabilib si Ann (not her real name). Moreklamo man gani sa ikaduha nga koleksyon sa among simbahan.” Reply: “Sshhh...”