By Manuel L. Morato
Today, April 1, 2020, as I am writing this column, it’s the 2nd year anniversary of the demolition of our ancestral home by a group who land-grabbed the property which was in the name of my mother. It was in April 1, 2018 that the property was surreptitiously taken over by said group. It fell on Sunday, April 1, 2018, Easter Sunday. What an insult to the Risen Christ. No respect to the most important day of Christianity.
The manner that it was done – midnight of March 31 speaks for itself. As I said, like a thief in the night. We, my three sisters and I, were taken aback because of that “surprise attack.” We are six heirs of our parents’ ancestral home and documents were falsified to transfer the properties to other people – and were able to do it here in the Registry of Deeds in Quezon City.
It’s a sad day for us today; and the fact that we are quarantined added to the sadness of what happened exactly two years ago. Na-dribble na ang aming kaso sa tatlong sala ng tatlong Judges, palipat-lipat.
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My conversation with my friends abroad brought some incites to the dangers of Coronavirus or Covid 19; and how they are able to cope up with it. We are definitely in a worst situation for we are up against an “invisible enemy.”
Those were times of terrible atrocities. This Coronavirus aka Covid 19 is not far behind the 2nd World War we went through. And maybe worst than anything we have ever experienced before. It’s like the end of the world for all 181 countries in this planet we live in that were affected by a virus that was not controlled from the start and spread worldwide.
People are sadly dying by the hundreds and thousands na walang kalaban-laban. Could it be some sort of a message from God that after all, compassion towards our fellowmen and loved ones must be a priority in our lives here on earth; that wealth and richness are nothing but vehicles to help others in need of help, not for self alone.
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Honestly, in my conversations with friends abroad to sort of get their sentiments on what is happening to all of us, opinions varied. Each country has its own way of meeting the crisis in many different ways. There are pros and cons. There are those that appreciate some form of leniency to spare them from depression and anxiety such as being able to avail of transportation, bus, taxis…etc. to visit relatives, married children or buy take out foods. At least, nakakalibang nga naman imbes na iutos at iutos na lang. ‘Yong kaunting paglabas at magpaaraw and to breathe some fresh air is already a great tonic to the nerves.
There are places in the world that the lockdown is not total. There are some time allowed for some breather – and that helps a lot to break the monotony and sadness.
Honestly, I am seriously thinking about it because my friends abroad have also some concerns about total lockdown. There are many more casualties with those on total lockdown with their other relatives staying in the same house. One is allowed to go out and go to a grocery to buy food; but if that one casualty gets the virus, he or she kills all those living in the same house. Cornered silang lahat. Ni hindi makatakbo sa ospital at sita ng sita ang mga enforcers who are not so understanding.
I just hope the DOH give our President an honest to goodness and correct count of Coronavirus victims. Many doubt that the count is not reliable that all those so-called Covid 19 victims are truly victims of Coronavirus. One thing they say, according to the DOH count, before daw the lockdown, there were only 54 “Coronavirus positive.” Bakit daw nong mag-declare ng lockdown, biglang umakyat sa over one hundred forty in only two days?
Sabi ko nga, baka may nagkakamali sa bilang. Pati siguro na may simple cold o naoperahan sa appendicitis sa ospital ay biktima na ng Covid 19 para lang matakot ang tao. Para huwag mapahiya at mabisto na mali ang bilang, sumisigaw ng “suspected” Covid 19 and “are now on self-quarantine.” How convenient. Dami namang pulitiko na nagbabakasyon sa kanilang mga mansion.
Pag-isipan at pag-aralan lang kung ilan ang biktima sa Canada; at sa Sweden that both have a little freer “lockdown.”
Kasi ina-announce noon sa TV, radio at peryodiko na rin ng ideklara ang lockdown na makakapasok naman ang mga tao sa trabaho basta may proper identification from where they are working. On my part, I have all given my employees – drivers, cooks, household helps, security guards and staff in my personal office a personal ID from me so that they can continue my lenient treatment with them of being with their children and family. Now, as things have changed, the Barangays have closed certain streets; all the restaurants along Tomas Morato Avenue – a restaurant row are closed like ghost town at day-time and night. Only the rats are allowed to roam from one closed restaurant to another. I hope these rats are not carriers of Covid!
Thank God for some, they are imitating what are done in some cities abroad. Some restaurants are open at daytime, only on take-home orders. No sit-in inside the restaurants.
Before I end, I wish to call the attention of our thinking and planning panels of the government that there are many cases that the numbers of deaths went on leaps and bounds, wiping out entire families. They all died together, kasi nakalagay sila sa isang hawla, ika nga. Nangyari sa Italy.
Why limit to one person only per family to go out and buy the food and other necessities? The drawback is if that only one comes back contaminated, tapos at ubos silang lahat sa isang maliit na tahanan without an extra room for isolation. This is the case of those in the squatters area, or informal settlers; and those na nagsisiksikan sa isang maliit na apartment packed like sardines. Sa awa ng Diyos, mas matitibay sila kaysa sa iba.
Pasalamat na lang si Noah na walang Coronavirus o Covid nong panahon ng Ark niya. Patay silang lahat pati mga animals in that Ark.
For comments and suggestions email at mlmorato@yahoo.com
