ILLINOIS, USA – The TIMES editorial on Aug. 1 issue and captioned: “Rain or shine, bring umbrellas” was a wakeup call to our local officials to do something to alleviate the plight of our stranded commuters, especially those who go home late at night when strong rains that started “Tuesday afternoon and continued well into the night is what nightmares are made of for ordinary commuters.”
The local government should always be prepared for any eventuality that may cause inconvenience to its constituents – may it be rains, floods, typhoons, or whatever. Do not be ningas cogon when after winning position in the government, forget the things you’ve promise to the people.
Since the country’s weather bureau, under the Duterte administration, is now equipped with modern technology that can track weather conditions threatening the country days ahead, there is no reason for government officials to be caught flatfooted and only move when problems are already there.
“Although it is still rainy season in the country, we are oftentimes lulled by the thought that a sun shiny day will lead to cool moonlit nights. We are often wrong. A bright day almost always ends with a shower or heavy rain in the late afternoon or evening. There is no way for us but to adjust and adapt to the inclement weather by bringing jackets to ward off the cold and umbrellas to protect us from being drenched all the time……,” the editorial’s reminder to the public.
And also as a reminder to the local officials, “We hope that the city was able to deploy buses that would bring stranded commuters home last Tuesday night. The rescue buses come quite as a relief for all of us who just want to go home to rest our tired bodies and weary souls at the end of the day,” the editorial continued.
Here, summer is with us. Soon, it’s autumn when leaves, as the song goes, start to fall. The weather condition is mostly sunny during the day with temperatures closer mostly to 80 degrees. If ever there is rain, it doesn’t stay for long and the sun appears again. It seldom rains at night. Climate change around the world might cause it all.
The Philippines is not spared from the nature’s wrath because we too are careless of the environment.
Since I arrived here on April 20, I haven’t experienced yet meter-thick icy surroundings as it was spring then and not even today. The inch-thick ice I experienced a week upon arrival when houses were practically covered with ice was abnormal happenings according to my daughter. Climate change may cause it, too and again, blame this on us.
But wait when winter comes when temperatures are mostly below zero the whole season when you really feel being likened to a freezing tuna, my 12-year-old granddaughter from Canada Tatianna jokingly told me on Facebook.
She invited me skiing with her and Ishiko and to experience living in their icy country.
That day will not be experienced by me for sure as I am now ready to fly back home and see you there with Ishiko (her younger sister) to celebrate Kadayawan with the Davaoenos, my assurance to my two apos.
-o0o-
Last Wednesday, Tala and I were at Lake Geneva, a popular city in Wisconsin, another state of America where the super rich families and famous live. The one known name to the Filipinos is Wrigley, the founder of the known gum company.
Tala and I had our sumptuous breakfast-lunch of lobster and seafood blend, cream cheese, and green onion, topped with hollandaise and served with Harbor potatoes, and diet Pepsi at Egg Harbor Café where we were scheduled to a cruise of the famous lake in an hour.
Nestled on the eastern shores of Geneva Lake, I easily fell in love with this place, maybe because it’s the way the light simmers off the lakes or the way the sunset hits the trees as we were on a cruise above a glistening array of water and beautiful resort community of landscaped mansions around the lakes, some built after the Civil War.
Sayang, I should have visited more of these Lake Geneva’s top attractions if not of limited time since we will be an hour driving again back home to Illinois that late afternoon.
The finale of my successful and meaningful US trip will be my reunion with my first cousin Elisa Dumasal Tolentino in Los Angeles where I will stay for two nights in her house in Glendora, California. Ely and I haven’t seen each other for the last 50 years. She is a Phil-Am citizen of 40 years and an officer of a US bank here.
