Starting 2018 on a bright note

It’s the first day of the new year, or the first 24 hours of the year 2018. From all reports coming in from various parts of the country, the Filipino nation celebrated New Year generally peaceful. There were still firecracker bangs that crackled here and there sporadically amid the nationwide ban against the use of deadly explosive devices for the traditional New Year noise-making revelry.

Executive Order 28 that regulated the use of firecrackers apparently proved to be an effective deterrent to many “pasaway,” or stubborn people who dared to use high-powered firecrackers that caused many limbs and lives lost in every New Year’s eves past. 

In fact, our local firecrackers industry, mostly operating in Bulacan, bewailed their sales this year as it went down to an average of 50 to 70 percent. This huge dip in sales could be inferred to the deterrent effect of EO 28 which imposes stiff fines and penalties to violators. While fireworks enthusiasts might be able to buy and procure prohibited fireworks products, many became apprehensive they might get into trouble and held legally liable for it.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) authorities have noted with satisfaction the official report of the Department of Health (DOH) in the significant decline of firecracker-related injuries treated in hospitals and clinics all over the country.

Among the regulated firecrackers – kwitis, sawa and five-star, of course, became the most bought items. However, these are only allowed to be used in community fireworks display areas under EO 28. On the eve of New Year, there were still many assorted illegal firecrackers sold clandestinely.

Typical Pinoy humor, the firecrackers vendors even sold the illegal firecrackers named after unpopular characters  “Goodbye Isis,” or the dreaded international terrorist group Iraq-Syria Islamic States. Then, some of the deadly firecrackers were named “Goodbye Maute,” or the local Muslim terrorist group that have sworn allegiance to the ISIS when they laid siege in Marawi City and led to the declaration of the Mindanao-wide martial law last year and extended until end of 2018.

The rest of the story, as we say is history. And the just ended year 2017 now belongs to history.

The funny thing, however, is the claim of PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on the supposed “zero” incident of “stray” bullet cases due to indiscriminate firing during the Christmas and New Year holidays this year. Is the outgoing PNP chief spreading fake news?

It’s an empty claim when the PNP chief himself imposed a “one-strike” rule earlier to all his PNP commanders, not tolerating any “stray” bullet incident unsolved within 24 hours. How can anyone of his PNP commanders report a “stray” bullet incident if it will cause them trouble?

Take the case of Fely Joy Paras, a 38-year old turon vendor in Bantay, Ilocos Sur whose case was reported as a “shooting” incident. Interviewed by GMA-7, Fely narrated she was cooking at her house last Dec. 24 when she heard a loud bang and then she felt something hard hit her face just above her mouth. Then, blood gushed out and she lost five of her upper teeth.

Fely swears she does not know anyone or any enemy who would wish her dead. A slug of a .45 caliber gun was recovered by doctors who treated her at the hospital. Fortunately for her, it did not hit any major veins or muscles and she lived to tell her story. The police found the entry point of the bullet in her house but ruled it was not a “stray” bullet case.

Ilocos region police director Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula disclosed they were tracking down a person of interest as a possible gunman whom they did not identify. But they could not say what could be the motive for the shooting.

It would be good if indeed there is “zero” stray bullet incident. But it should not be at the expense of distorting the truth just so somebody would look good before the bars of public opinion.

Dela Rosa, who is being groomed by administration allies as a possible senatorial candidate in the coming May 2019 elections, is obviously trying to win “pogi” points anew for himself. Or, he prefers, perhaps, to classify Fely’s bullet incident be added in the record of PNP’s unsolved cases of EJKs in the Philippines.

We ended the year 2017 in yet another tropical storm threatening to batter our country. Mother Nature even sort of tried to play a prank as the brewing storm developing during the last two days of the year placed our state weather forecasting agency in a bind.

Each year, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has a list of prepared names for each typhoon that may develop and they are arranged alphabetically. They used to name typhoons using women’s name, citing the character of unpredictability of typhoons is similar to general women’s trait of being unpredictable.

To end the stereotype and gender issues, the international meteorologists organization have given men’s names to typhoons.

PAGASA earlier said the weather disturbance will be called “Wilma,” if it enters the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on or before Sunday, Dec. 31. The low-pressure area (LPA) was spotted east of Mindanao and was estimated to enter the PAR last Saturday night or Sunday morning.

The LPA was forecast to develop into a tropical depression by today, Jan. 1, or tomorrow, Jan. 2. Hence, PAGASA will have to name it under this year’s new list of typhoon names. Then, as the first typhoon of the year, it will be called “Agaton.”

We can only thank the Good Lord the last weather disturbance did not cause much damage and thus failed to dampen our holiday celebration spirit.

According to the latest opinion survey by the Social Weather Station (SWS), nearly all Filipinos will enter 2018 “with hope rather than fear,” with a record high in optimism over the start of a new year. The results of the survey conducted from December 8 to 16 were released Saturday with “a new all-time high” 96 percent of adult Filipinos saying they are very hopeful what lies ahead for them in 2018. 

Happy New Year to one and all as we start 2018 in a bright note.