TODAY, with the raging pandemic brought about by the Corona Virus Disease (CoViD 19), more focus is given on the elderly population of the world. By elderly we mean those whose ages range from 60 or higher.
In fact today there are debates whether the elderlies are still fit to be vaccinated with the vaccine that has been discovered to prevent further infection of the dreaded virus.
And there are those who opined that their advanced years could put them at risk if given the dose of the vaccine.
That they are vulnerable to the disease, yes. But whether or not they should be taken out from the list of those to be vaccinated for reasons of physical weakness, here is something that could help arrived at a better judgment.
Is it not a fact that they have reached that age level because most, if not all, of them had been living a healthy lifestyle and had kept a disciplined outlook in taking care of their bodies?
Now take a lesson from this post on Facebook shared to us by our good friend Wennie Gorres. Whether he is himself doing this or not we have no way of knowing. But he seems to look like one, That is, on the levity aspect Bay Wennie.
Here is the post:
“There was this 100 years old man who was envied by many of his ilk because of his apparent healthy physical condition. So he was frequently asked what is his secret which the old man said: ‘I’ve been married for 75 years.
And my promise to my wife was that when we two had a quarrel, the loser has to walk for five kilometers back and forth. I’ve been walking 5 kilometers every day for 75 years!
Everyone asked again: But how come your wife is very healthy as well? The old man answered: I’ll tell you her secret. She’d been following me in my walk to make sure I really finish the 5-kilometer distance’.”
There it is. Ha, ha, ha. Now we know.
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By the way, whatever happened to the plea of the Rodriguez family and the group of environmentalists for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to consider transferring the route of the Davao City-Samal Island bridge to a location where the rich marine sanctuary and the pioneering tourism enterprise in Samal be spared the total destruction?
It looks like the DPWH is now bent on starting the project this first quarter and there is no clear action yet.
What we fear is that if no win-win arrangement can be arrived at on this dispute, it may eventually reach the court.
And knowing the judicial system in our country it could entail delay on the project not in terms of weeks or months but even years.
So we believe that for the benefit of the general public the affected stakeholders and the DPWH should sit down and talk. And where they can arrive at an acceptable arrangement they should come to terms.
We believe however, that the issues at bar here are both critical. Thus, in their talks these should properly be treated and all means must be exhausted to ensure that these will be fully addressed to the satisfaction of the concerned stakeholders.
On the Rodriguez family, it is indisputable that they own the affected property and the business on it. And when this will be erased in the name of development, the long term effect will not only be on the business but on the people who are dependent on the operation.
They will stand to suffer greatly for a much longer period of time, even eternally. The Rodriguezes may be able to recover their losses through acceptable compensation and even have the money earn more by investing it on another business or businesses.
But their displaced workers and those having deals with the resort on small-time enterprises may lose them forever. And that would mean the bleak future of their children.
On the other hand, a destruction of the marine habitat under the waters of the Pakiputan channel will definitely be irreparable. It cannot be transferred elsewhere because that is a creation of nature. So what more can the City of Samal be proud of if that particular marine habitat and the existing resources thereat are lost forever?
o, it is our take that the concerned stakeholders must sit down as soon as possible—if they are not doing it yet–before that important project would come to a head. And please advise the public of the talks’ outcome.
