Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on email
Email

Will the show go on?

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on email
Email
Twinkling with Ninfa R. Leonardia

The show must go on. That seems to be the attitude of Olympic organizers, and we salute them for that “Never say die” spirit. If there is anything  that could lull  people, especially sports-inclined ones, from their fears and apprehensions about the ongoing pandemic, I believe it will be their focus on the international competitions where they can top the Olympics for the exhibition of the best and greatest sportsmen and women in the world?

***

And so here we are a full week before the scheduled start of the games, which is July 23, with Tokyo, Japan as the venue. I am sure that the Japanese people are also praying that  there will be no cancellation of the international event as they do not know when it will ever be scheduled in their country again. And let’s give thanks for television, which I hope will allow us to watch all events despite our distance from Tokyo and the ongoing pandemic!

***

But what is this news aired a few minutes ago that Tokyo is under the fourth state of emergency due to the COVID pandemic? Will that not affect the holding of the world’s biggest sports competition? If the supposed state of emergency declaration is not recalled, who will go there to compete, much less to watch? A report even mentioned that a “super fan” of the games has already purchased $40,000 worth of tickets for the Games! He must be a very generous person, indeed. Maybe he means them for his family, his employees and friends, since no matter how he loves the games, he only needs one ticket for himself to get in!

***

On the local scene, a seemingly controversial project is reported to be in the works in our next-door neighbor, Dumaguete City,  where protests are up against a plan to set up a reclamation project. I guess its officials would like to broaden their boundaries, just like Bacolod and other places, but there are protests against it. This is something to watch, because so many other places have succeeded with reclamations, one of them Bacolod, so why not Dumaguete? Haven’t they seen what improvements have been wrought in Bacolod where the late, and much lamented Simplicio “Sammy” Palanca dared to start the reclamation, just beyond the public plaza?

***

I hope the Dumagueteños take a cue from that and re-think their ideas against reclamations. Those who have visited Bacolod and have seen what a big improvement the re-claimed area has done for the city, will surely withdraw their objections to reclamation. And for that we remember again our recently departed visionary Sammy Palanca, who dreamed  the dream that saw fruition in the area now called the “Reclamation”, where the biggest and most modern  stores are located. But I admit I do not know the reasons for the objections of Dumagueteños to it, so I hold my peace.

***

Is there a need for a Noah and his ark in Europe? Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and other areas  are reported to be flooded after a hundred days of continuous rains and people are desperately seeking places where they can be above the waters. This was after Europe went through  what has been described as its heaviest rainfall in 100 years! Indeed history, this time Bible History, is repeating itself. If Noah was able to get by with an ark, maybe those European countries should adopt  ocean liners to get by.

***

One country that has apparently been badly hit by the COVID is Africa, where 43 percent of recent deaths have been attributed to it. It seems only 1.5 percent of its population  has been vaccinated and now the number of fatalities has been rising. At least in our city and province, our officials have struggled to acquire as much of the vaccine stuff as could  be administered, but, even so, I understand that there are still some who, for some reason or another, still refuse to undergo it. Well, it is their problem, and we can only hope they will change their attitudes.

***

I heard a news report  saying that the population of the Philippines is now  109 million. Whew! I thought it was much more than that, with so many big families cropping up. But that is not surprising for a country that has a big population of Catholics who are anti-birth control. Other  countries even encourage their people by providing  birth  control drugs, or giving  advantages  to families  with few children. I guess our country is not ready for that.*

ARCHIVES

Read Article by date

March 2024
MTWTFSS
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031

Get your copy of the Visayan Daily Star everyday!

Avail of the FREE 30-day trial.