In lockup cells are those people who are deemed suspects of violating penal laws but before proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt after fair trial. But there are many who violate the law but remain free without worry as they have the power and influence to enjoy freedom and liberty owing to their linkage with those who can keep them so. A special class are those who are free despite conviction for crimes or felonies that are grave or heinous. These people remain out of cell, are called honorable and have good access to the powers that grant freedom and liberty. Some who violate the law are clever to avoid being nabbed. There are less fortunate people who are inside cells even if they are not violators or are merely accused of false charges on planted evidence.
In past days though, people are shivering in fear of a microorganism that reportedly destroys cells and causes death on people. The virus had caused unexplained instantaneous deaths among human beings. A sudden change in disposition had gone viral across several countries across the globe.The disease caused by the virus has been been kept secret in China, mainly from Wuhan and nearby localities. Information came in trickles, mostly emanating from the trolls, unreliable sites and accounts on social media. A lot of information are generated by just anyone and such unverified information had caused public speculations based on baseless inferences. Amidst the confusion, the virus keeps spreading to eventually conquer the whole world in a stealth manner.
It appears that the virus came out as a surprise to an unsuspecting people who woke up to the news about the disease caused by a virus named 2019 novel corona and later renamed 19 covid. The disease caused several deaths that were initially kept in wraps by China. Even the number of infected persons, persons under investigation, persons under monitoring and those who died due covid are not reported. The origin of the virus had long been identified but measures to contain the virus were cautiously implemented for fear of economic repercussions.
Government took too long to enforce preemptive measures to protect its citizens from the dreadful virus. Despite reports about persons entering the country from China that were found carrying the virus, government was tentative in banning flights from China. It was discovered later that flights were not suspended as only persons are banned from travelling into the country.
Only when deaths caused by covid were confirmed did government issued a national policy that imposed community quarantine. The executive order was a haphazard kneejerk reaction to an emergency. The issuance was perceived to cause social chaos as people will be restricted from travelling and working. The consequences upon those who are daily-wage earners who will suffer from loss of earnings. The quarantine was raised from community to an enhanced level that placed the entire Luzon in a huge cell.
comments to alellema@yahoo.com

My almost a decade stint in the Middle East, specifically in the Sultanate of Oman, had exposed me to knowing the potentials of Cut Flowers export to the M.E. countries. First hand info from OFWs working as Florist cum flower arranger in the Sultanate’s Palace, had it that fresh flowers as decorations inside the Palace functional halls, offices, and private rooms are replaced daily with newly arrived ones coming in crates from Holland. While the flowers bought regularly by the Sultanate were mostly from temperate plants, I still believe that our species of tropical flowers are much comparable in terms of variations in colors, shapes, and sizes. And price would be much cheaper if Philippine cut flowers are exported and find markets in the Middle East countries.
On several occasions that I was invited to attend events in the Palace, provided me first hand experience on how natural, fresh cut flowers are used to decorate the Palace and the houses of then Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s members of his official family. All flowers found in these places are imported mostly from Holland. It is very expensive to grow flowering plants in the M. E. but in green houses whose temperature needs to be maintained and watered using timed drip-method.
The discarded cut flowers are normally thrown to waste bins, but during my incumbency as Chair, Board of Directors, Philippine Community School (PCS) and the virtual ‘Head’ of the OFWs in the Sultanate, I would request the Filipino palace florist/arranger to keep the discarded flowers and donated to the PCS or save the same to decorate whenever there are activities at the Philippine Embassy or at least, as decors at times that the Filipino Community in Oman would have our own affairs.
Still a relatively small-time industry, but for cut flowers coming from the Mountain Provinces and dumped/retailed at the famed Dangwa’s Dapitan, Manila terminal, are nowhere to be found in bulk. Statistics coming from the small-scale Philippine Flower Industry show that from 1991 to 2000export sales “. . . of more than $170,000 or barely P18..87 million.”
Indeed, production falls short of the growing domestic demand on special occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas and New Year, All saint’s Day, Birthdays, and on school graduation exercises. This situation gives no choice to flower entrepreneurs, but import flowers like gladioli, chrysanthemums, orchids – more often than not from Thailand.
To remedy the anemic flower production, Filipino farmers and horticulturists need to acquire pre- and post-harvest technologies, build more greenhouses to augment the low flower production in Batangas, Tagaytay and Bukidnon. Also, there are ‘cooler areas’ in the country, e.g. upland and/or mountain-located barangays which could be converted to flower farms. In Region 8, the mountains of Leyte (Burauen, Ormoc, Dagami, Jaro) plus the mountains bordering the three Provinces of Samar! In Burauen, cold-temperature veggies are grown luxuriantly and flowers are likely to thrive well, too!
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