Insecure

FOR a country that calls itself a democracy, it is certainly troubling that government is now waging a thorough crack down against media on all fronts.

The country’s major newspaper of national circulation has seen itself placed under extreme pressure by the Duterte administration because of supposed unpaid taxes. The former owners were identified with the previous administration and in order to cut further economic losses, they had to let go of their prized political jewel by selling off the paper to old players in the media circles perceived to be supporters of the administration.

As this is being written, I heard whoever uttered the uncalled-for did ring up Peter and offered apology. That act of humility eased the load on the city administrator After all, he had better things to do, like apologizing to the owners of five boats at the Burnham Park lake. Without the owners’ knowledge and consent, he had his boys take them during the flooding emergencies.

The simple misunderstanding was apparently triggered by the fact that dyed-in-thewool rescuers never flaunt what they did and do for others. It’s not part of the culture up here to announce what good one does

Perhaps a prayer former Baguio journalist and now full-time mother, Anabelle CodiaseBangsoy, shared me years back would fit: “From the ignorance that knows no truth, from the cowardice that shirks from new truths, and from the arrogance that thinks it from a simple boiled rice to yummy delicious fried rice or from a hard-boiled egg to a fried sunny-side up.

As to where the calories come from is also important. Traditionally, 50% of the total calorie should be from the carbohydrates, protein needs would be computed as 1 gram per kilogram weight thus for the 70 kilogram adult male, 70 grams which if computed for

Since then, there has been a palpable shift in the once critical tone of the paper towards a more amiable regard for the current administration. Traditional media such as radio and not just print is also under attack.

The application for the renewal of the franchise of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines or CBCP to operate radio and TV stations before Congress has been gathering dust at the Lower House since early last year. Remember that Catholic priests have

and continues to serve until today.

It was through him when Baguio opened its doors for passport processing. It was during my time when I had asked for a DFA of our own here and an Immigration Bureau be here. It was also through another good friend Mayor Al Fernandez of Dagupan. He was then the Immigration Commissioner. Now we enjoy the services of both here. My appeal realized.

I had just arrived from Singapore just this week and was fortunate to have landed in Terminal 4 of CHANGI Airport. It is the newest. There are less people manning the airport. Almost none. Juan is asked to press his passport, when passed, Juan will pass through another gate to verify

knows all truth, O God of truth please deliver us.”

Gratitude and sense of community are inherent in the culture up here. That’s why then city mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr., who heads the CDCC, got calls of gratitude from officials of Benguet and its towns after he dispatched the city’s heavy equipment operators to help clear the road slides not only along the major arteries but to the side accesses like Asin Road. and Yagyagan. That sense of community also made administrator Fianza redirect embalmers who arrived to La Trinidad, Benguet. The body count was greater there.

The culture, too, I guess, somehow lightened the load of then Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan , then Mt. Province Gov. Maximo Dalog, then mayor Bautista and the other leaders of our affected provinces. Relatives of some of those who perished asked for body bags, instead of coffins which they themselves later fashioned out, in keeping with the timehonored traditions of our villages. calories would be 70 times 4 calories equals 270 calories. Thus whatever remains, after apportioning calories sourced from carbohydrates and proteins, whatever remains is from fat.

At this juncture, please allow your columnist to cite a common mistake of folks wanting to reduce and achieve healthy weight. They know that fruits and veggies are good for health and so they fill up their plate with salads plus the dressing would amount to their computed daily caloric requirement. From the

say, “We look so “totoy” and full of innocence.

We will laugh at how we behaved, at the things we have done, and the things we may have missed out.

But most specially, we can look back and say God brought us together more than 50 years ago, and by His grace, have given us

been the most vocal critics of government’s disastrous war on drugs.

There are also scores of radio stations in Davao threatened with closure by the National Telecommunications Commission or NTC over a host of technicalities according to recent news reports.

Book ending this comprehensive clamp down on traditional media is the Securities and Exchange Commission order effectively revoking new media giant Rappler’s operations on allegations that it has violated constitutional provisions on the prohibition of majority foreign ownership and control over media companies. SSCagayan fingerprint, then pass. That's it. That is the Immigration already. I am jealous.

I don't pass however. I am detained for the 4th time. I am not given any reason why. Only in Singapore. I think I don't pass for having the same name with that of my Dad. I don't pass for having a pass to South Africa. I can't pass for having to pass by China many times. Why do I pass from port to port so many times? I don't know, I just love to pass. Every time they make me pass but with no apologies.

I just love the CHANGI Airport. But I never pass and get past their Immigration. Only after I present my past designation and all the ports I have been, I pass and get past this port.

Even while they don’t say it, what’s heavy for some of the miners and other rescuers comes when they’re back home, after extricating survivors retrieving bodies and finding the missing. As tradition dictates, the cleansing ritual would have to be performed.

So when Gov. Fongwan received word that Ifugao Gov. Teddy Baguilat called to assure support was coming, my Ifugao mind stumbled on an unsolicited advice I didn’t let pass.

Perhaps Gov. Nestor could ask Gov. Teddy to send some “mumbaki” (native priests) to work hand in hand with their counterpart “mambunong” (Benguet native priests) in performing the cleansing rituals.

“Tila ibagbagam; ingkan man, agsubli ka ketdin idiay Baguio (Whatever you’re saying; go, return to Baguio),” he barked with a grin. With dispatch, I heeded His Honor’s advice. In the midst of great loss and grieving, humor helps keep us afloat who mourn. Unfounded, criticism just can’t. example, the person has achieved the correct calorie restriction but not from the correct different sources of the total calories. The advocacy slogan of Go, Grow and Glow taken in its simplest practical form means Go from energy- carbohydrates and fats, Grow is from proteins, Glow is from fruits and vegetables which provide the vitamins, minerals, trace elements which when all present would lead to a sound nutrition and optimum well being of a healthy individual. By the way, don’t forget the water. Bon apetit!

another chance to meet again.

Let us make the most out of it, as we never know if it will be the last time ever. See you on Friday… God willing! Proverbs 12:26 says” The righteous choose their friends carefully; but the way of the wicked leads them astray.”