Cheers

The week long obsession on the US presidential race was a welcome reprieve from the morbid figures we’ve tuned in to since March. Now, it’s back to our reality and we’re blessed to be seeing better numbers.

For many, their muscle memory each morning checks the latest statistic of total positives recorded. For me, I look at positivity. From the DOH official COVID-19 Tracker, we’re inspired by the continued decline of our national rate. From 5.9 percent last Nov. 9 then 5.8 percent, 5.8 percent and 6.3 percent this Nov. 12.

The numbers for Metro Manila are even better. The OCTA research group has us at a “milestone” 5 percent. This is down from a peak of 17 percent in April, our worst time. The World Health Organization’s suggested positivity rate (for at least 14 days) before relaxing strict health protocols remains at 5 percent for now. This means that, in Metro Manila, we’re already there.

The grain of salt here is in reconciling the positivity rate with indicators like statistics on contacts traced, how pervasive the tests are and if done on symptomatic patients only. The WHO’s ideal metric is at least 1 per 1,000 population weekly for a comprehensive surveillance. This computes to around 110,000 a week or above 15,000 daily. For the past week, we’ve been testing an average of 29,000 each day.

This is positive news and it reflects in that “notorious” Top 20 list we had the misfortune to crash for a brief moment. As of yesterday, in countries with COVID-19 infections, we have dropped down to 26th. If our numbers continue to improve, we may be looking at a happier Christmas season.

Ignominious. The refusal on the part of US President Donald Trump to concede to incoming president Joe Biden has surely cemented his place in the Ugly American hall of fame. The peaceful and smooth transition from one administration to the next, specially when from one party to another, has been a hallmark of American style democracy. When the smoke clears and the verdict is announced, you shake on it. However bruising, divisive, vitriolic the campaign, people accept outcomes. This acceptance shores up the legitimacy of results.

Even in the Philippines, where no one candidate has secured a majority mandate in the era of the 1987 Constitution, approval ratings of elected presidents surge. President Duterte won with 39 percent of the vote but as he entered office in July 2016, his trust rating was at 91 percent. There is no clearer index of how voters concede that whoever wins serves. Even if it’s not the candidate you chose.

A gracious concession, a simple courtesy when first done by William Jennings Bryan to President William Mckinley, has become the norm in the US. While not a legal requirement for transition, no presidential election in modern history has been decided without the losing candidate ultimately accepting defeat soon after results become evident.

President Trump knows this. He himself was a beneficiary when secretary Hillary Clinton phoned him 10 minutes after the Associated Press called the election in 2016. President Barack Obama followed with his own call about an hour after to give his assurances of cooperation.

Donald Trump’s actions would tarnish instead of burnish the American Brand.

Insidious. California law has now banned the retail sale of flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarette flavors. Like major US states before it – New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island – California, which is America’s largest state economy, has taken a stand as an island of science and sense. Even menthol flavored cigarettes are now banned in California.

New York’s Governor Cuomo and California’s Governor Newsom are taking no chances that the younger demographic would continue to be lured by targeted marketing strategies of these toxic products. Their states have hiked the minimum age for purchasing e-cigarettes from 18 up to 21. The US is making it more difficult for the younger generation to get hooked on this harmful addiction.

In contrast, the Philippines is making it so easy. (1) Congressmen would inexplicably lower the threshold age of access to 18. Why? Present law, under R.A. 11467, mandates a minimum age of 21. (2) The Philippines already prohibits the sale of flavored vaping products, other than plain tobacco or plain menthol. We’ve beaten the US to the draw. But our congressmen would delete that statutory protection already in place. Instead, they propose to transfer to the DTI the prerogative over flavors and additives, thereby reopening the door to these flavored offers.

At a time when respiratory health is of heightened importance, and with PRRD on record as being soundly in favor of the strictest regulation of e-cigarettes, congressional initiatives like these truly defy understanding.

Who is Alex Trebek? All who enjoy the iconic trivia TV gameshow Jeopardy will guess this as the Final Jeopardy question. The answer? “The outstanding host of the general knowledge quiz show created by Merv Griffin that has won a record 39 Emmys and a Peabody Award.”

Nothing made you feel smarter (or less smart, if you fail) than being first to get the question to the answer of this “Q&A” or, rather, “A&Q” institution. Jeopardy is consistently 1st or 2nd in listings of the greatest game shows of all time. Since 1984 until he passed this year, the charismatic Alex Trebek and his cordial way was the heart of this treasured habit.

Passages. The legal profession, the judiciary and the legal academe, are diminished by the passing of Hilarion Lolarga Aquino. This serene but formidable man, through his scholarship and in his character and conscience, secured his slot in the pantheon of our admiration.

To the public, he was Justice Larry of the Court of Appeals and the Legal Education Board chairman. He breathed courtesy, honor, fidelity and breeding. His life embodied Cardozo’s dare – “To uplift what is low, to erase what is false, to redeem what has been lost.” To me, Justice Larry was the spirit of the Bar.