By Manuel L. Morato
The years 2018 and 2019 were not good years for us; and for many others as well, based on the feedbacks I’ve been getting from all over the country regarding landgrabbers. So many unexpected things have happened beyond our knowledge and expectation. But this year 2020 maybe a less “cloudy” year for speaking of 2020 vision, many things may clear-up unlike the past two very difficult years.
All we wish for is for our legal system not to bend to pressure from so-called “powerful politicians” of the past that did us so much wrong since 2014 without our knowing what they did to us. The recovery takes time to resolve and to solve the wrong that was done to us.
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We have to empathize with the people of Australia suffering from the bushfire that have made many of them suffer for months, losing their homes and earthly belongings. Many, many homes were burnt down and so many families suffered irreplaceable losses earned in a lifetime of hardwork. It is very sad; and it’s the worst Christmas hundreds of thousands of Australians have experienced. They lost everything. To those who are suffering, I say: You are not alone.
I can understand the request from some sector not to proceed with the firework show held every year on the bay bridge in Sydney. The Sydney Mayor should have stopped that yearly event in deference to the thousands of their compatriots suffering from the great tragedy of the ongoing bushfire. It polluted the air on the great part of Australia, so harmful to the young and the elderly, healthwise; aside from the sufferings they endured.
The fireworks on the bridge of Sydney might be a tradition, but there is something more serious and tragic happening in the country that called for the nation to empathize with their suffering compatriots. I know that firework event was known all over the world as featured on international televisions. But there are times that call for humanity, camaraderie, oneness and compassion. That firework display should have taken a backseat. That was only a show which could have easily been sacrificed for the thousands of Australians suffering from the great tragedy. I wonder how those affected feel about the firework exhibition that contributed more smoke and further polluted the air. That did not help them at all. Pride should have played a second fiddle.
Personally, these “bushfires” and forest fires as they often happen in some places in the United States, most often in California, makes me think that they are “intentional,” done by undesirable elements; or a form of sabotage. Why do I say this? Because when I was in college at the Loyola University of Los Angeles (now Loyola Marymount University) in the 1950s and 60s, I did not hear of forest fires raging in the State of California for months. Those were the days of not too many immigrants entering the U.S. from other countries, unlike in the past decade or two when so many “invaded” the U.S., illegally but managed to succeed in staying; and some undesirables as well. It takes decades for people of different cultures to merge; at makiisa.
I wish Greta Thunberg does not blame “Climate Change” – again. I just don’t see the connection. Look what’s happening in many places around the world. Typhoons, floods, earthquakes, forestfires, bushfires, cyclones, tornadoes, etc… There is no reason for Greta Thunberg to panic and be hysterical about. It yet has to be proven that “Climate Change” is man-made. Since time immemorial, as I once said, since the time of Noah, climate changes were already happening on our planet called earth. It’s just the way our planet was created from the very beginning. Call it a change of weather happening to all the other planets as well. And think about it, this planet earth has been created since time immemorial, millions of years from its creation. It’s an aging planet; partly abused by man; and as other planets are being invaded I tend to believe that “modernization” and that so-called “progress” are turning many parts of planet earth into asphalt jungles with highrise buildings reaching up to the sky, pataasan ng mga buildings, consuming our water reserve for each building’s tenants is equivalent to the water consumption of a big residential village or more. The water dam can only supply so much.
These highrise buildings must be compelled to dig their own deep wells for its water consumption. Our water dams are drying up, caused by the mushrooming of skyscrapers. The water situation is getting worst each day and these tall buildings are partly to blame – commercial or residential.
Why didn’t these hungry for money develop their skyscrapers in the “Boom City” in Clark City extending so many incentives to developers instead of destroying the peace and quiet of existing residential areas as what is happening in Quezon City? Is it because Quezon City is more conducive to abuses? In our particular neighborhood, the residents are worried about the two highrise buildings (first of its kind) in a residential area. 21 and 22 storey buildings were given “Special Permits” by the Quezon City Council in a residential area, not respecting the stipulated Encumbrances and Restrictions on each title in our residential community.
Let us all join in the effort of making this year 2020 a more sensible year! Stop abuses.
Let us all be decent human beings, respecting other people’s rights; and respecting existing laws.
For comments and suggestions email at mlmorato@yahoo.com