The Unsung Heroes of This Pandemic

We write this column tonight in the face of the call of some nurses, doctors and other frontliners, who are in the thick of the fight against the Delta virus at the risk of their own lives, being infected in the course of their duties. These frontliners feel that what is due them as compensation and other emoluments are being withheld from them by the Duterte administration, despite the availability of funds with which to compensate them. In the face of the Commission on Audit (COA) reports that the Department of Health under Secretary Francisco Duque III has millions of unused funds which could have been made available to the health workers, the situation has been exacerbated especially in the midst of reported allegations that the money was used to purchase personal items for the use of DOH employees and personnel, and other favorites of Secretary Duque. Thus Congress, through its Blue Ribbon Committee has initiated an inquiry into the matter, where Secretary Duque was invited as resource person, and who as of latest report, has committed to produce necessary documents to support the expenditures. Indeed, as the time-honored principle goes that public office is a public trust, Secretary Duque has the Constitutionally mandated obligation to abide by the Congress inquiry. President Duterte in his unreasonable defense of his fellow Davaoeno cabinet member has castigated the Commission on Audit by reportedly saying that it has no authority to meddle on how and when to disburse the administration’s funds. Be that as it may, we give kudos to the Commission on Audit in its unrelenting expose of the malodorous, unwise and wastage of funds by the administration, funds which otherwise could have been used to support the pantry efforts for the poorest of the poor of our country affected by this pandemic.

In the local scenario, the reported desire of former Mayor John Bongat of this city to once again try his luck in the coming mayoral race this May elections has put aside the equity of the incumbent rule, which for many elections has been observed by the team Naga. Reportedly, VP Leni Robredo who is the Chairperson of the Liberal Party is ominously keeping her silence and non-commitment on how it would affect the unity of the team in the face of the entry of former Mayor Bongat.

TRIVIA:

Belated greetings to Bishop Jose Rojas whose birthday anniversary falls today August 18. Bishop Rojas was the Parish Priest of our parish, the Immaculate Conception Parish, prior to his assignment as Bishop of the Diocese of Libmanan.

Through this column, I wish to express my most sincere condolence on my own behalf and that of my spouse Minda to the family of our Kuya Tony Domingo who recently passed away. Kuya Tony who is a resident of Paranaque, Metro Manila is a cousin of my spouse Minda.

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

“RIGHT IS RIGHT EVEN IF EVERYONE IS AGAINST IT; WRONG IS WRONG EVEN IF EVERYONE IS FOR IT” -WILLIAM PENN

FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE:

“LEARN TO DO GOOD, SEEK JUSTICE, CORRECT OPPRESSION” -ISAIAH 1:17