By Manuel L. Morato
The time we are all in calls for avoiding crowded places for obvious reasons. “Social distancing” is a glamorized term to use, which simply means keeping a distance from each other; or from one another.
Let us accept that the Coronavirus/COVID 19 is a very contagious virus. I don’t know if we can appropriately call it a contagious disease. Maybe so. But whatever it is, it is easily transferrable from person to person. It is airborne and can contaminate at a certain distance, anywhere from 4 to 5 feet, I believe.
I would like to help disseminate accurate information to the public.
Lately on television, a big crowd was shown on people registering to acquire a voter’s ID. The crowd shown was very alarming, only two days ago. It reminded me that had the National Identification Card been available to all citizens, there would be no need for our people to keep falling in line for every forthcoming election. Our voters won’t have to go through this process of Voter’s Registration. The film clips shown was very alarming; and no distancing whatsoever.
I do not have the solutions to these obligatory pursuits, one of which is the last-minute enrollees “one week before classes start for the upcoming academic year,” which the Department of Education announced a few days ago; or about several days before the start of classes in public schools. Again, this will go against avoiding the crowds. Not only will the young students create a crowd together with their parents, but this again can cause a danger zone. These two events may have added to the numbers of COVID19 infections that occurred lately, although lower than before.
Many have referred to our country as a “place for crowds.” It might have been part of our identity when the “People Power” in Edsa occurred. Since then, we have been known worldwide. Ang sabi, “madali raw humila ng tao para magtipon-tipon. Baka daw ang karamihan ay hakot.”
Let us find ways to make things easier for our people. Many things could be facilitated and made easier. The National ID cards can make transactions a lot easier. For example, for those who avail of loans from the banks, all the information needed by the bank is already contained in the National ID cards; and many other requirements made easy.
Many countries have National I.D. for its citizens (Spain is one of them) everything is made simple. No need for voter’s registration, all requirements to transact business are made easy as well. It’s for life for every citizen who reaches the age of majority. No need for renewal. It stays permanently. Having a National ID simplifies everything, including requests for quarantine pass, travel pass, etc…
Is it possible to get some information as to when the Voter’s Registration will end? That will help reduce the crowd. It’s the uncertainty that causes people to converge at the same time in order to beat the deadline that is not clear to many.
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May I also request for information from those in the know about the “Malasakit Centers?”
In these times of need, many call how to ask for help from the PCSO. To this day, they still remember the help that the PCSO extended before. But I honestly do not know now; and as much as possible, I do not wish to intrude after my term ended years ago.
I’ve heard of the “Malasakit Centers.” But what kind of help can patients receive is something I cannot answer. I honestly do not know how it works. Many do not even know, nor heard about it.
I wish I could help disseminate the information for the sake of our people who are in need of help for the illnesses they suffer from.
I recently read that there are 84 “Malasakit Centers” nationwide. As to where they are located, wala po akong alam; and most importantly, what help it extends and how to go about it.
Nais ko pong makatulong at ipagbigay alam kung ano daw pong tulong ang ibinibigay ng “Malasakit Centers.”
Sana po, may mag malasakit mag-email po sa akin kung anong tulong po ang ibinibigay ng “Malasakit Centers”; at kung saan po dito sa Metro Manila. Marami pong nagtatanong. At kung puwede po, nationwide.
Please lang po. Ang dami pong nangangailangan ng tulong.
The PCSO is still engraved in our people’s mind as a place the needy can run to.
For comments and suggestions email at mlmorato@yahoo.com