It takes one to go through a very serious problem in order to know who his or her true relatives and friends are. And it happened to us during these past fifteen days.
Yes, towards the end of the last week of October we have to bring our wife to the hospital for medical interventions. Our wife was suffering from hard of breathing. And early before that week she was complaining that she easily gets tired. Thus, the family decided to take her to our family doctor for consultation. The recommendation was emergency confinement.
So, despite a very minimal financial resources at our disposal that time we have to admit her to the hospital. Two procedures were slated after a thorough physical check and laboratory tests. Both procedures were expensive not only in terms of medicine needed but more for the doctors’ professional fee. And there were five who were involved. They were the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the attending internal medical physician, the pulmonologist, and lastly the oncologist.
Add the board and lodging, as well as the medicine supplied by the hospital for the entire duration of the confinement, the sojourn was one drain of the family’s pocket and thickening of our faces to find acquaintances and relatives to seek financial support from. What with a bill of more than P400 thousand.
It was in that “adventure” of begging for Assistance that we learned who were our true relatives and friends – meaning those who empathized with us and willingly helped us with whatever amount they can afford and with simply their moral support and heartfelt prayers.
Some supposed closed relatives obliged but the support was collateralized with some properties of value. And there were those whose commitment did not materialize up to the time our better half has to get out of the hospital.
But what we got without even a question asked when we just presented our problem was the financial support from someone who we have befriended without even meeting the person face-to-face. And to this person our family’s thank you cannot be enough.
Today we have no way of figuring out how we can possibly repay him of our debt of gratitude.
**********************************
It is our take that the most exciting and possibly even heated electoral battles in Davao City will be the Congressional contests in the first and second districts, respectively. What with incumbent Rep. Paolo “Polong” Duterte facing challenger lawyer Migz Nograles in the first; and new comer first termer councilor Javi Garcia Campos of the long ruling Garcia political clan in the second district challenged by neophyte Omar Duterte, incumbent Buhangin Barangay Captain and grandson of former President and ex-Davao City mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte.
In the first district incumbent Polong is still perceived to have the bigger advantage. His having been in the position for two terms already plus his being a son of the former President give him the name. And possibly too, the resources needed to run an effective campaign. And certainly he has the “guts” that may be needed when “crunch” time has to be addressed decisively.
Of course his lady challenger is one who cannot be taken for granted. First she is a scion of the late Speaker Prospero Nograles and sister of young lawyer, former first district congressman Karlo Nograles, now eyeing the city mayor’s position. Both the late father and son Karlo were able to keep their political light shinining in the first district despite the pincher type control of the Dutertes of the entire city since 1988.
And as to the resources for a grueling campaign, well, Migz is known the Marcos administration candidate. Therefore, she is likely to be beneficiary of the administration’s financial and material – even manpower – support from Malacanang.
As to the needed “guts” Migz, or even Karlo, may not have the kind that the Dutertes have. But there may be others from the administration or from among the locals who are not supportive of the incumbent congressman, who may just be too wuilling to lend it to the challenger.
Meanwhile, in the second district Omar, as expected, will be banking on his surname and of course the resources from his elders. And he’d surely be carried in the campaign by his grandfather who is running again as Mayor of Davao City. That he has the necessary resources is of course a foregone conclusion. His father and grandfather will certainly be providing him what he needs to win the congressional battle.
Of course Omar’s nemesis is no green horn in the second district politics. He has the lineage of the Garcias to lean on. His uncle and cousins were long dominant figures in the second district politics.
As to resources – financial or otherwise – well, there is no doubt the Garcias have it. And Javi Campos, too, is running under the national administration banner. And if the latter has the intention to obliterate the Duterte dominance in Davao City then it has to be lavish in its financial and material, even the “guts” support to the Garcia political clan in the second district of Davao City.
