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A ‘Charity Boom’ indeed

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Twinkling with Ninfa R. Leonardia

Maybe we were all distracted by the developments involving COVID that we almost forgot one important day in Philippine history. Yesterday was April 27, the day when Lapulapu made his historic defense of our country by tangling with the Spanish colonizers who claimed to have discovered the Philippines. It was rather sad to think that we failed to give due honors to one who should have been proclaimed our first hero, but, perhaps future historians will remember to give him the honors he deserves.

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Once again, I am quoting the old saying that it is an ill wind that blows no good. Have you noticed how much kinder and concerned people are nowadays towards their fellowmen? Somebody got the right phrase for it by calling what is happening a “Charity Boom”, and we can attribute it also to the appearance of the COVID. Now more and more people are showing concern for their neighbors, and charity no longer begins in homes, but is making itself felt all over towns, cities and countries.

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Have we ever gone through  a time when people generously supplied foodstuff and other necessities for free to anyone who needs them? The tag of “Community Pantry” is indeed, an appropriate name for what is happening. This is where those who have plenty display them in public places for anyone who is poor and in great need to get without having to pay or offer services in return. And it seems this very thoughtful and admirable type of generosity is a first of its kind, and what a laudable one it is!

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The most admirable thing about  it is that it seems nobody is taking undue advantage of the generous offers. It had to take a pandemic to open the hearts of people to share wholeheartedly what they have with their neighbors. I even heard that shoemakers in the famous Marikina factories are giving away shoes to those who need or want them, not only because they may not be having as much sales as they used to, but because they also want to share! So don’t be surprised if you meet people in the slums of Manila, traipsing around in classic Marikina footwear! I would have gone there, too, if I were living in Manila.

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“Who had seen the moon?” So far, I have not met or talked with anybody who had seen the moon the other night bigger than it usually is. Was that a good sign? It was so disappointing that no news had come out before its appearance informing us about it. It must have been a full moon, but “fuller” than it usually is. I am sure some fortune tellers will have something to say about its significance. The report said it was not the usual full moon, but much bigger than it usually is.

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Back to the subject of Lapulapu and Cebu. I heard the Cebu marked what is called the “quincentennial anniversary” of the new city named after the heroic character who stood up against the Spanish invaders to protect his territory. Of course students of Philippine history know Lapulapu, the hero of Mactan, and I hope they will not associate it only with the fish with the same name. I wonder how that fish, popular as it may be, had gotten to be named after a hero? Is it too late now to give it another name?

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What is happening in India? International reports say it is breaking global records in the number of COVID cases so far. How has the virus gotten to spread so fast and so dangerously in that country? Haven’t they been observing  the simple precautions of wearing masks and social, rather, physical distancing? World reports  have called what is happening there a “viral explosion” because it has been  breaking global records on the COVID pandemic. Worse is that their hospitals are reportedly running out of oxygen, and their crematoriums are “overwhelmed”. Let us pray for the people of India and ask the Lord to show and give them the means to combat the surging  pandemic there.

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Meanwhile, a solon has reportedly filed a bill to make vaccination obligatory. Sounds superfluous, doesn’t it? But somehow, I think he has a reason. There are still people who do not believe in, or are afraid of vaccination and just one carrier among a crowd can cause havoc to dozens or more. So let us encourage  our people to have themselves undergo the shots while our government  officials are trying their best to acquire the vaccines to be administered to their communities. From the reports we get, COVID  need not be a death sentence while we have the means to prevent and counter it.*

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