Catanduanes

 
Friday morning, Aling Evelyn rushed her child Nancy, a 16 year old girl with Down’s Syndrome, to the Eastern Bicol Medical Center in Virac, Catanduanes. Nancy is just one of the victims of possible e. coli contamination of Virac’s water system. She suffered from severe stomach pain and diarrhea.

It was a very touching scene - a mother taking care of her child at the hospital. For sure, almost all of us were able to experience that tender loving care only a mother can give when we are sick. The scene may be familiar for all of us – our mothers taking our temperature, putting warm, wet bimpo on our forehead, feeding us with soup, and sleeping by our side.

Almost fifty people, children and adults alike, and mostly residents of Virac experienced diarrhea. Three persons also died of dehydration. Provincial health officials said some of the victims had amoebiasis while it is also possible that the water system was contaminated with fecal e.coli bacteria. Heavy rains that persisted for days could have contaminated the town’s water system.

Residents were told to boil their drinking water coming out from their faucets. Or, they could buy safer purified water. Unfortunately, not too many people in Catanduanes can afford bottled water so they would rather drink boiled tap water. But the problem is, tap water can sometimes be a little murky.

But the Virac Water District claims their water is still potable, if boiled, and they had even increased its chlorine content. But the thing is, during the rainy season which could last up to a few months, there is always a high probability that the water system could be contaminated especially with the defective pipes exposed to flood waters that we saw at Bgy. Constantino.

Now I wonder, whatever happened to the “Patubig ni GMA” project? Isn’t it about providing clean drinking water for everyone, including the people of Virac? 

Camp Bagong Diwa

 


Former Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano voluntarily locked himself up inside a facility at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig since he arrived there Sunday. The Philippine National Police’s Police Security and Protection Office made it clear that they are not giving the man any “special treatment.”

But wait, even if they do treat him like a VIP, what’s wrong with that? I’m no fan of Garcillano nor does he have my sympathies. But we have to keep an open mind and remember that Garcillano is not a suspect in any criminal case, nor is he a convicted criminal.

Yes the government may be spending thousands of pesos for Garcillano’s security. But as long as the PNP does not overshoot its budget, I think it’s alright for them to spend some money on Garcillano. After all, minority congressmen were the ones who invited Garcillano to Congress.

My point is - Garcillano is not Erap. Erap does not deserve the VIP treatment he is getting, resthouse arrest and all. Erap has pending cases at the Sandiganbayan while Garci is only a resource person on Wednesday’s congressional inquiry on the Hello Garci controversy.

But that is for now. Who knows, Garcillano may end up just like Erap – behind bars. But as of the moment, let the man get VIP treatment if the PNP is willing to give him just that. I think, simple as it may appear, we can still show Garci that justice still works in this country.