Of fighter jets, condoms and drunk driving

Here is another good news to the Philippine Air Force and to Filipinos’security. Another two South Korean-made fighter jets arrived in the country last Wednesday, making our modern air warriors to four.

The second batch of the light combat aircraft are part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program intended for aerial defense as these birds will watch our skies while defending the country’s sovereignty.

Although little by little, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) is now being modernized with the equipping of its flying machines. It can be recalled that the PAF was once the ruler of the Asian skies until we were left behind by our neighbor countries in terms of armed forces modernization.

We even had then the Blue Diamond Aerial Acrobatics Team which showcased our air defense capability, to the envy of other countries in the Asian region. To date, our forces in the sky remains to be further equipped with modern jets, other planes and choppers.

The new fighter jets are not only improving our air defense capability but also the moral and the motivation of the officers and men of the PAF.

The Department of Health (DOH) will be distributing condoms in schools nationwide starting next year. The distribution aims to help the efforts of stopping the spread of HIV/ AIDS among the younger generation.

As per government statistics, the age of those getting the disease is getting younger and that includes those into schools. The government blames the lack of information on the virus and its infection and the engagement of younger ages in premarital sex.

Even then Catholic Church has expressed alarm over the rising number of people infected with HIV/ AIDS and the young age of those getting it.

The efforts and the intention of the government is laudable and in fact worthy because it is simply intended to abate if not stop the transmission of the virus. However, the distribution of condoms in schools might also promote promiscuity.

The distribution of condoms, instead of helping the fight against HIV/ AIDS, might only arouse the curiosity of the younger generation on sex and that it might further motivate them to engage in such.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) seems to be getting more serious lately in the implementation of Republic Act 10586 otherwise known as the AntiDrunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013.

This development has paved way for a Memorandum of Agreement between the two government agencies on the cracking down of drunk and drugged drivers plying our streets.

According to a study conducted, drunk driving often results into different road mishaps that either claim lives or destroy property. A drunk driver is dangerous said an LTO official who seriously advocates for safer roads and safer road users.