Good Morning Judge: Du30’s 1st year in office

THE administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte celebrated its first year in office the other day and it could well be said that the successful hosting of the Asean Summit in Manila was so far the foremost of his administration’s achievements. The alinement of his administration towards China and other European nations without however totally abandoning the support of the then Obama administration constituted a major change in foreign policy. The U.S. support was felt more than in any other way in the administration’s Marawi war against terrorists where the U.S. surveillance team played a major role in war without the U.S. military engaging in actual combat in the field. Although some foreign policy experts and observers did not see with favor the DU30’s soft policy against China over the use of the Scarborough or Panatag shores which is well within the Philippine jurisdiction yet the free access of Filipino fishermen over the area without being shoved away by Chinese military vessels was good enough momentarily for the administration. On the whole, it may be said that the DU30 administration has so far performed well. On the local level, the city admi9nistration of John G. Bongat has done well too, what with the accolades it has been receiving from foreign and local government units. Its concentration on the city’s cleanliness and efficient collections of garbage and drainage excavation to avoid future flooding is a major achievement by this administration. The relocation of the present site for garbage disposal is still a major concern which the city administration needs to focus on. It may also be said at this point that the Bongat administration has done well in the past year of its administration. TRIVIA: Congratulations and belated greetings to our family friend Emily Kalaw who celebrated her Nth birthday anniversary last Saturday with a dinner-fellowship with friends at the new Fit and Cheats resto-bar along Penafrancia Avenue. Hello also to Ms. Deano of Daet, Camarines Norte, a former batchmate at AdeNU during my pre-law in 1955-56 school year or more than 50 years ago. We chanced upon her at the Scissors Beauty Salon last Monday. She remembered our having been batchmates, otherwise, I would not have recognized her. She was among the first coeds who enrolled at the college department of Ateneo de Naga together with Carmen Villafuerte, Dulcenea and Helen Lucena, Mam Cecilio and about fifteen others. QUOTATION OF THE WEEK “PUT YOUR FEET IN THE RIGHT PLACE. THEN STAND FIRM.” -Abraham Lincoln FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE “LET’S NOT GET TIRED OF DOING GOOD AT THE RIGHT TIME WE WILL REAP A HARVEST OF BLESSING IF WE DON’T GIVE UP” - Galatians 6:9