We are really in very troubled times. We ask ourselves why this Coronavirus or Covid 19 had to spread worldwide. I was told by a businessman friend who knows the City of Wuhan well. He told me that it’s a rich industrial city of China. He further explains that most of the spare parts of cars are manufactured in Wuhan and exported, including steel bars for construction and many other products supplied worldwide. He further explained to me that the people of Wuhan are rich; and before the lockdown, about three million of Wuhan’s 10-12 million population left Wuhan to escape the Coronavirus before the lockdown was declared. They all got out of China and went to other Asian countries including the Philippines, Europe, U.S. and elsewhere. That caused the pandemic worldwide. They were the carriers of the Covid 19 virus to other countries. Italy was badly hit by this Covid 19 virus, Italy being what we call a gateway to Europe. From Italy it spread out to other countries in Europe, France including Spain which ranked second after Italy.

No wealth in the world is worth seeking. It has been proven time and again that sometime, somehow a great equalizer comes about and no wealth in the world can fight it. At times it can, after it has killed and done so much harm.

At my age, and even in my younger days, I’ve always made it a practice to make friends with responsible people with wisdom and with decency to know right from wrong.

In 1964, September, I enrolled again in the University where I graduated. This time, I was not a boarder in the university which I was before for four whole years where I acquired my bachelor’s degree in Economics.

Allow me to give my personal opinion on what’s more important to put our attention to: “Climate Change” or “Public Health Challenges?”

The impeachment charges against President Trump has finally ended. It was like an unending witch-hunt. From the day then Mr. Donald John Trump announced his candidacy for president some four years ago, the media started bashing him to the point of being so unkind to Mr. Trump. It continued when he won, continued when he sat in office and it kept on going without let-up till the Senate acquitted him last week.

Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University Medical Center announced that the Coronavirus that originated from Wuhan, China, “can be spread before symptoms appear.” He further stated that “the Wuhan virus has about a 3% Mortality rate. The MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus) killed 30% of infected people; SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), about 10%.” All are respiratory viruses with different origins including ASF (African Swine Fever).

Nais kong ipaabot sa mga nakatira sa residential areas na nabibigyan ng “Special Permits” ng City Council ng Quezon City to invade residential areas at makapag-construct ng 21/22 storey buildings sa mga residential areas. Nag-umpisa ito sa aming neighborhood, and soon (God forbid) more and more tall buildings will be allowed by the City Council until the residential areas are totally invaded by tall commercial buildings – without consultation with the homeowners.

Taal volcano’s active rumblings, with threat of explosion, has caused so much inconveniences and fear on the people in the neighboring towns of Cavite and Batangas. The lahar alone that it spewed has done so much harm to many homes, roads, plants, animals, etc… and the ashfalls reached as far as some parts of Metro Manila. As things are today, the air is polluted and dangerous to health. Use masks, if you can. It’s a must these days.

The years 2018 and 2019 were not good years for us; and for many others as well, based on the feedbacks I’ve been getting from all over the country regarding landgrabbers. So many unexpected things have happened beyond our knowledge and expectation. But this year 2020 maybe a less “cloudy” year for speaking of 2020 vision, many things may clear-up unlike the past two very difficult years.

Before anything, I wish to mention that it was the feastday of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, one of the most important feastdays of the Catholic Church, celebrated worldwide.

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The Southeast Asian Games (SEA) have started last Saturday with its well performed opening ceremony at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. Despite the threat of a strong typhoon, the games must go on.

For those who are curious to know how I spent my birthday last November 17, I will admit that it was a sad day for me and no celebration. I talked to my two sisters for us to eat together for lunch in my place. Three nephews joined in. They too are sad. Many called but they understood that I did not want to have a party, out of respect to what happened to our parents’ ancestral home. The hurt will certainly be felt forever.

A couple of years ago or so, I remember former Senator Nikki Coseteng calling the attention of the public about the “imported steel bars” being used in high-rise buildings in Makati; and she specifically described how those steel bars look like. It seems that it has become “popular” nationwide, imported and cheap but “dangerous,” she said.