ILLINOIS, USA – I came across a news item on Facebook written by a certain Rachel Manfield calling on senior citizens to be alert while going out for shopping as members of the police have noted recent attacks on the elderly. The police are urging older residents to carry a tiny safety device that can easily be used against attackers.
According to police record, in the month of January alone, police reported a dramatic increase in attacks targeting seniors, with many suffering serious injuries and financial loss.
“This trend of targeting seniors is deeply disturbing, but it’s a harsh reality we have to deal with. It is absolutely imperative that our elderly residents stay on high alert and protect themselves by carrying a personal alarm,” local police said.
A recent victim named Ruth Miller, 63, from Lake Villa, narrated that it was just a normal day at the grocery store when, as she was walking to her car carrying her shopping bags, a man quickly came up behind her and tried to grab her purse.
Luckily for her she remembered a Safe Personal Alarm on her purse. She quickly reached for the alarm and pulled the pin.
“Immediately my Safe Personal Alarm started just screaming. I mean it was really screaming. He didn’t know what to do! He froze for a second, ran away like a bat out of hell. People heard the alarm and started yelling and running over to help. They said it was the Safe Personal Alarm that got their attention,” Miller said.
While it’s some kind of advertising a tiny device that can allegedly save millions of lives and inspired by the military that use it, I believe on the device’s effectiveness as the incident was reported to the police.
But if asked to comment on the story, I would say, being always high alert and not too showy while out of our homes is the best way to avoid being victimized by unscrupulous people.
I suggest this is because this is also my advice to a businesswoman back home who every day goes out of her house wearing expensive dress, shoes, bag, and pieces of jewelry on the way to business transactions. She is sometimes being mistaken as a walking jewelry pawnshop.
Although the family has personal car with her husband as driver, she rather prefers to commute as she explained that it’s cheaper than driving a car.
In that case I told her not to wear jewelry while riding PUVs or in crowded places and only wear the burloloy when she already reached her destination and was secured. And that she must do the same when going home.
She followed my advice and I never heard her being victimized by robbers.
There is nothing wrong if one carries devices or bladed weapons for protection. But this might also cause you trouble in explaining to law enforcers why you’re carrying these items when there are existing laws prohibiting bladed weapons in public place. And besides, the man might grab this from you and use the same and hurt you.
So, I think being always alert is the best protection from getting harm.
The report as published in a local paper here, and as reported by a would-be-victim might be true, fake news, or just a promotional gimmick to promote a certain product. But I still insist that being always on high alert is your best weapon to protect yourself.
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This is now my second week here with the goal of being with my other who had been longing for her father after we separated for years.
In just 13 days here, I already renewed my passport at the Philippine Consular for another 10 years. I hope I am still around by then.
I also received my Social Security Card (SSC) allowing my stay in the US for one year and enjoy some benefits Americans are enjoying following the renewal.
But the most surprising good news is when I received my Green Card in just more than a week of my stay here.
The Green Card will now consider me a US permanent resident and eventually make me American citizen for life if Uncle Sam will continue to be generous of me. My mission here is almost accomplished. Thank you again, President Trump!
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My condolences to the Nograles family on the death of the patriarch and former House Speaker!
Rep. Prospero “Boy” Nograles may not have considered me a friend as I was with those who didn’t join the herd of mediamen that became his rah-rah boys while he was active in local and national politics. I belonged to the group supporting his nemesis then, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Pare Jess, the latter being Boy’s political opponent in his bid for a congressional seat in the First District.
Now that Boy is gone, I pray for the repose of his soul as I always believe that politics has nothing to do with God’s teaching to always love thy neighbor. Again, my condolences to his family!
