ORMOC CITY-A twelve-year-old boy died on the way to Eastern Visayas Medical Center in Tacloban City after he was bitten by a venomous snake at 9 am Saturday(Aug. 5).
The victim was identified as Johnson Aguillon, 12, a Grade 5 pupil a resident of sitio Hubasan, Barangay San Juan, Sogod in Southern Leyte.
Accordingly, the victim was with his 16-year-old sibling to pick up guavas several meters away from their house when he was bitten by a venomous snake known to the locals as “agwason” or Philippine Cobra.
The victim, according to the report, was only wearing short pants while picking up guavas and just returned to their home.
However, the victim experienced difficulty in breathing reason he was brought to the Sogod District Hospital and later to the Southern Leyte Provincial Hospital. Both facilities have run out of anti-venom medicine.
However, the boy died while being transported to the Eastern Visayas Medical Center in Tacloban City. (ROBERT DEJON)
Corruption and the excessive influence of politics are two interconnected phenomena that pose significant challenges to the functioning and development of societies worldwide. While politics plays a vital role in advancing the interests of citizens, it becomes problematic when it devolves into corruption, jeopardizing the very principles that underpin democratic governance.
Politicians are entrusted with the responsibility of representing the interests of their constituents and shaping public policies for the betterment of society. However, the concentration of power often provides opportunities for corruption to take root. Corruption, broadly defined as the abuse of entrusted power for personal gain, encompasses various forms, including bribery, embezzlement, favoritism, and nepotism. The allure of financial gain or higher social status can tempt politicians to engage in corrupt practices, undermining the spirit of fair and just governance. Furthermore, political actors, driven by the desire for re-election or party loyalty, might prioritize personal or partisan interests over the welfare of citizens, perpetuating corruption and negating the principles of democratic representation.
The excessive influence of politics, particularly when accompanied by corruption, hampers socioeconomic progress and erodes public trust. Diverting resources from critical sectors such as healthcare, education, or infrastructure to line the pockets of corrupt officials, weakens social systems and perpetuates societal imbalances. Moreover, when politicians prioritize their self-interest over socio-economic development, effective policies might be compromised or undermined altogether. As corruption scandals continue to emerge, the public’s trust in political institutions is severely eroded, leading to disillusionment, voter apathy, and a decline in political participation. Ultimately, this vicious cycle perpetuates the dominance of corrupt politicians, impeding social progress, and exacerbating inequality.
Addressing corruption and reducing the excessive influence of politics necessitates comprehensive solutions that encompass legal, institutional, and societal dimensions. Strengthening legal frameworks, promoting transparency, and enforcing accountability are crucial steps towards combating corruption. Additionally, bolstering independent oversight institutions, such as anti-corruption agencies and auditing bodies, aids in exposing and preventing corrupt practices. Promoting public awareness, education, and a culture of integrity can also foster a more ethical political environment. Furthermore, building robust political parties and campaigns solely based on merit, ideas, and policies can help reduce the influence of money and patronage in politics, improving the quality of governance and limiting the potential for corruption.
Societal degradation refers to the decline or deterioration of social values, norms, and overall well-being within a community. While societies rely on the collective efforts of responsible citizens to maintain and improve their communities, instances occur where individuals choose to remain passive in the face of societal degradation.
When good citizens fail to act against societal degradation, moral decline becomes inevitable. A society’s ethical foundation depends on individuals upholding and promoting morality. When members of the community abstain from taking a stand against immoral behavior, societal norms begin to erode. Corruption, dishonesty, and unethical practices infiltrate the social fabric, eroding trust and perpetuating a culture of deceit. Without the vigilance and actions of good citizens, moral degradation can spiral out of control, further exacerbating societal issues.
This inaction against societal degradation can perpetuate existing inequalities, leading to a worsening social divide. Good citizens have a responsibility to challenge unfair practices, discrimination, and disparities that hinder progress. When individuals fail to address or combat systemic issues such as poverty, racism, or gender inequality, they inadvertently contribute to the perpetuation of these injustices. By remaining silent or indifferent, good citizens indirectly endorse the status quo, deepening divisions along socioeconomic, racial, or gender lines.
Another consequence of good citizens not taking actions against societal degradation is the erosion of democratic values and institutions. Democracies flourish when citizens actively participate in shaping their communities and holding the government accountable. When indifference prevails, the very essence of democracy becomes vulnerable, and an environment conducive to authoritarianism and corruption may emerge. Good citizens must exercise their rights to vote, voice concerns, and engage in constructive dialogue to keep democratic values alive and prevent the erosion of democratic institutions.
Moreover, when citizens choose to do nothing against societal degradation, they inadvertently contribute to a loss of social capital. Social capital refers to the networks, relationships, and trust that exist within a community, enabling individuals to work together for common goals. By refusing to address societal problems, good citizens inadvertently weaken the bonds that hold society together. This erosion of social capital can hinder collective action, cooperation, and the ability of communities to address pressing issues and find innovative solutions.
The lack of action by good citizens against societal degradation might result in a loss of personal and collective well-being. Neglecting societal problems can lead to deteriorating living conditions, increased crime rates, and diminished access to essential resources such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure. When citizens fail to rally against these issues, they compromise their own quality of life and contribute to the decline of collective well-being. Inaction may lead to a sense of apathy and hopelessness, undermining the general spirit of unity and resilience required to rebuild and strengthen communities.
The consequences of good citizens choosing to do nothing against societal degradation are far-reaching and detrimental to the well-being of societies. We have a responsibility to recognize and address societal problems head-on, championing positive change and actively participating in shaping a more equitable and just society. Only through collective action can we reverse the course of societal degradation and build a brighter future for all.
The proposed Cancer Center is the first project of is kind under President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. new administration. He has lured both local and foreign investors to bid in order to raise P6 Billion for the Cancer Center project designed to be built under the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) program.
To be built inside the University of the Philippines Philippine General compound, the building will have 300 beds: 150 dedicated for sponsored public patients and the other 150 for self-paying private patients.
The Center houses a dedicated cancer hospital that provides international quality medical treatment. While the following are some terms on this PPP project as announced. Thus:
– Private partner will design, finance, construct and commission the new hospital building;
– UP-PGH will provide the clinical services for free to public patients, while the self-paying ones will be provided by the private partner;
– Private partner will provide all major equipment, undertake facilities maintenance, as well as provide non-clinical services including cleaning, catering, laundry, portering and security to entire hospital over 30-year PPP commission.
Incidentally, in March 2023 more than 60 firms attended the investor’s conference called by UP-PGH – the firms signified their interest on the PPP project, a heart-warming barometer for the Center’s realization.
MY COMMENT:
The proposed Cancer Center, like most science and medical facilities, have had rough sailing, some languishing into oblivion due to snail-paced, actions or sky-high disinterest among the honorables with the Legislative and Executive branches of government. Otherwise, if the Center project pushes through, it will be a living legacy of the PBBM administration.
ooo000ooo
NEXT TOPIC : “Farmers and agri producers join BSP Q R program”
SHARE S & T THOUGHTS through E-mail: drpacjr@yahoo.com.
Upbeat of being in with trends of the times, we are caught unwittingly in the things that keep us unproductive. The advent of technological tools and gadgets had pushed us away from the basic things we ought to be busy of in order to live. Our desire to be at par with advance countries is silently putting us in a quagmire of dire impoverishment. Looking around would make us see the many irrelevant things that consume most of our precious time that ought to have been utilized in productive matters.
We have for instance even the low-income workers sacrificing so much to own a cellphone mainly because it is the fashion gadget of this generation. So much is consumed for the use of the gadget on not so important matters. The cost goes beyond the earning capacities but is not considered a burden all for the satisfaction of being in.
The trend is so pervasive across economic levels that even the non-earning students are likewise into the craze. While the gadget is important in some aspects as when communication is really too important, much of its use is for the sake of fashion and being updated with less essential things. For the non-earners, it entails so much sacrifice as the fashion would require cutting so much of meager allowances that should have been spent of food and other basic needs.
People in homes who are usually graced with abundant time to do many household chores and what used to be small cottage industries could not anymore find enough time as so much of the waking hours are spent watching television and using gadgets. The gadget is useful in many aspects but it eats up so much productive time that home buddies used to have in the past.
Past generations saw productive housewives doing home industries that add up to family income. That may no longer be true today as most of those left in the house are busy dreaming of instant jackpots that they see in variety shows but they could never have a chance all their lives. Worse, housewives had been tagged lately as fast spreaders of rumors and fake news. comments to alellema@yahoo.com
THAT gospel episode of Christ walking on the water should remind us that God can intervene in our life in some mysterious and extraordinary way. (cfr. Mt 14,22-33) In other words, he can surprise us, he can come to us when we are not expecting him.
We somehow should be ready for this eventuality, although we should rather prefer that God comes to us in the usual ordinary ways—through the sacraments, doctrine of our faith, the usual events in our life, etc.
I say that we should prefer the ordinary ways because the extraordinary ways can also be pulled by evil spirits who can also appear to us, as St. Paul warned us, as angels of light. (cfr. 2 Cor 11,14) Thus, we have to be very discerning.
In any case, if it is truly God who pulls a surprise on us, he would normally tell us to remain calm and to reassure us that it is him who is doing so. This happened in that gospel episode of Christ walking on the water. Christ told his disciples, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Otherwise, if it is not God or any saint who is doing these extraordinary interventions, we would usually be led to some tense reaction, kind of disabling us to think and behave properly.
Also, we have to remember that the evil spirits can do nothing on us without the permission of God. And if God permits them, it is because a greater good can come out of them. The important thing to do is not to lose our faith in God. If we ever err in our judgments and discernment, but done in good faith, we can be sure that God will do everything to correct things for us.
The Book of Ezekiel mentions these reassuring words of God: “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.” (33,11)
We should learn the skill of determining the kind of spirit that is involved in these extraordinary events in our life. St. John was explicit as to which spirit is proper to us. “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already.” (1 Jn 4,2-3)
St. Paul distinguished between the fruits of the Spirit of God and the works of the flesh dominated by the evil spirit. The former include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (cfr Gal 5,22-23)
The latter include fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing. (cfr Gal 5,19-21)
We would somehow know the kind of spirit we have by the kind of thoughts, desires and loves we have. If we look more closely at how our consciousness works, what its usual contents are, what we are most aware of, we would have an idea of the kind of spirit we have. All we have to do is to see if our thoughts, desires and loves are those of the fruits of the spirit or the fruits of the flesh.
