I, too, am getting frustrated by the continuing delays in the arrival, much less distribution, of the vaccines against COVID-19.
Netizens have taken umbrage that smaller and poorer countries like Bangladesh and Ghana have already received their delivery of vaccines, while we are still on “waiting mode.”
As for some officials of the National Task Force trying to pin the blame on red tape and “rich countries” hoarding vaccine supplies, may I say,
“Kapag gusto, may paraan – kapag ayaw, may dahilan!”
-o0o-
Speaking of which, there’s one city in this province which have yet to release specific details on how vaccines will be rolled out, much less how much the local government has allotted for them.
When one of OpinYon Laguna’s staff contacted the councilor who is the head of the city council’s health committee, all she got for a reply was,
“Meron po kaming plano!”
To tell the truth, I’m not surprised given that the mayor of this city was also known for her vagueness in answering questions from the media.
-o0o-
I may sound like a broken record, but I have to say it again and again: there is still no room for complacency, even when the numbers are slowly going down.
Why? There are now signs that COVID-19 cases are on the rise again in Laguna province.
What we don’t know yet is that if the more transmissible COVID-19 strain that was reported on a patient in Calamba City has already begun to spread.
And yet, in my ventures outside, I see more and more people blatantly disregarding health protocols – not wearing face shields and face masks and crowding too close to each other.
President Duterte, for once, made the right decision by rejecting calls to downgrade the country’s quarantine status to the most relaxed modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
-o0o-
To end this week’s column on a lighter note, here’s an old joke probably only long-time San Pedronians will understand:
Sa isang bus papuntang San Pedro, Laguna…
Kunduktor: Kayo po, Kuya?
Pasahero 1: Dalawa po, sa McDonald’s.
Kunduktor: At kayo po, Lolo?
Pasahero 2: Isa lang, Pepsi.
Kunduktor: Kayo po, sir?
Pasahero 3: Isa, sa Cosmos [present-day site of Robinson’s Galleria South]
Kunduktor: At kayo po, Miss?
Pasahero 4: Lima kami. Tatlong hamburger, dalawang hotdog at limang Pepsi.
Kunduktor: Miss, hindi po ito restoran, bus po ito! Saan po kayo bababa?