Amid our suffering, the earth is healing

Before I write on events happening around us, allow me to reprint an article that I read in my Facebook, which is quite relevant in the times that the entire world is experiencing. I really don’t know who wrote this piece but a lot of friends forwarded this to me, and I’m sharing this in today’s column for our readers in The FREEMAN who have no computers.

World Quarantine

“The flood lasted 40 days. The Exodus lasted 40 years. It took 40 days of fasting in the desert when Jesus was tempted. The apparitions of Jesus lasted 40 days. Now we are on 40 days in this isolation called ‘quarantine’. The number 40 in the Bible attracts a lot of attention. 40 days of rest is advised to the woman after childbirth. 40 weeks of gestation. Some theologians think that the number 40 represents ‘change’; it is the global preparation for a fundamental change.

Something will happen after these 40 days. The rivers are clearer, the air is cleaner, pollution is decreasing, the starry sky in the evening is visible, less (sic) thefts, less murders, less drugs, less outings, less waste and less money but Mother Earth breathes and rests after many years. In the Bible, every time the number 40 appears, there is a ‘change’; so if we are in forced quarantine, let’s

enjoy it with our family; it will be a blessing and we will witness the changes that God will make in our lives. If we add that 2020 is 20 + 20 = 40. Is it what God wants? That His desire, for a change of mankind, shall be done?”

Indeed, I have always believed in the Divine Message that God is sending to all humanity in these perilous times. We are in a situation better than World War III when the whole world would be dying either from the effects of a direct nuclear blast and the effects of a nuclear fallout where millions of people would have already perished. But instead, we are quarantined at home with our families and I dare say that it is time for us to reflect our situation, especially in the coming Holy Week next week. I will write on this issue in the next columns to come.

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I got this letter from a good friend who said, “While we got most of our truck transport passes, BFAR refused to release the transport pass of our prime mover that are registered under COHCI, even though we said we are sister-companies. They said there is no way the checkpoints can verify if the vans contain feeds or not. Isn’t it they said cargoes should be unhampered? They want to stop the spread of the disease. What does any form of cargo have to do with spreading COVID?”

He went on, “We had a 2nd prime mover under oversea feeds registration that had some clerical errors.  When we submitted it again with the corrections, BFAR said NO, we will not process anymore because again there is no way we can verify if the vans contain feeds or not.  Usually vans have a seal on the door so it cannot be opened along the way. Since the different government agencies are not coordinated, I instructed Carlos’ secretary to apply the prime mover for a transport pass for hardware.”

Meanwhile, not without much ado, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia already announced that she would release a memorandum in line with her Executive Order No. 5-O which lays down the guidelines and protocols in the implementation of the ECQ. This memorandum, Garcia said, will direct all the mayors to issue a general cargo pass for trucks ferrying essential goods and supplies between Cebu City and the rest of the province.

This means that cargo trucks in Cebu will be issued a general pass by their respective local governments of origin so as to avoid delays in the delivery of goods and other important shipments amid the enhanced community quarantine. I’m glad that the Cebu governor has recognized the need of the day where people despite the fact that only one in a household can go out (they still need to shop for groceries and needs).

As she pointed out, “Supposed to be unta DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) ang mo-issue ana according to IATF resolution pero for certain goods and supplies ra pud. Other supplies pud, pareha sa mga vegetables and all, DA (Department of Agriculture) pud. Dugay na kaayo kay mo-apply pa diri, mo-apply pa didto.”

So let’s not put the bureaucracy on this so we can ease the suffering of our people.

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For email responses to this article, write to [email protected] . His columns can be accessed through www.philstar.com .