Your Daily Dose of Useful Stuff

Some hospitals in Lapu-Lapu City should be closed for violating environmental laws! who would think that hospitals can be very irresponsible in disposing off their medical waste?  Just yesterday, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) revealed that about 50 kilograms of medical waste were collected since January 5th of this year believed to be from three private hospitals in the Lapu-Lapu area, these are:    Chong Hua Hospital Mandaue Cancer Center, Dr. Ignacio Cortes General Hospital, and UCMed.  Imagine that! The waste products were estimated to be two to three weeks old because of the unbearable stench.  It's unbelievable that these institutions who are supposed to be helping in the reduction of diseases among people by promoting healthy practices are the ones endangering public health.     Because of this, Dr. Realiza of the city health office informed the public of a possible contamination of the sea water because ...

Were we really surprised about the result of the CA on the confirmation of Gina Lopez as Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources?  Frankly, I have half expected it already, though at the back of my mind, my fingers were crossed that eventually, she can convince the CA of her passion about the restoration of the  cleanliness of our environment.  One of the famous lines she delivered was, "The Philippines does not need mining."  Unfortunately, these famous words became the pivotal point and cost her her confirmation. The entire country watched as the events unfolded and climaxed into a disappointing result.  She is the second appointee of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte who was rejected by the CA.  The first one was Sec. Perfecto Yasay, who had a totally different issue that's why he was rejected.  Will any Duterte appointee ever be confirmed secretary in the end?  Sounds like it is a very steep and challenging mountain slope for them. ...

What do we know, barely a week when Pres. Duterte announced that he will not be increasing the SSS pension of retirees, he has now succumbed to pressure (to fulfill his campaign promise) to give the 2,000 pension hike.   That's the reason why I give our president a half-ear whenever he announces anything.  There is just no telling when he will revise what he will say.  I don't know if that is deliberate or not.  And if it is deliberate, why do it and what he gets from it.   It's common to hear him curse and threaten government and public officials especially when he talks to the elected officials that are in the narco-list (list of officials and politicians who are allegedly involved in drug-selling/dealing), so why should changing his mind be a big deal?   So this increase will not be given in one big bulk (otherwise that will be the death of SSS), but in two staggered gives.  In February this year, retirees with low pension (below 2,000...

The Philippine Islands is known for the many feasts and fiestas they celebrate every year.  Many believe that fiestas or feasts are pagan practices of venerating and worshiping nature and their traditional gods and goddesses which got interspersed with the Roman Catholic religion's religious rites and rituals.  Because of the combination of both beliefs, what we can see now are the big feasts that are celebrated in honor of religious figures like the Senor Sto. Nino.    The feast of the Sto.  Nino are celebrated in the islands in the Visayas like Cebu and Panay.  The celebration in honor of the Sto. Nino is held in the month of January.  In the Luzon island, the most famous yearly religious observation of a religious figure is held in the month of January as well.  This is the Feast of the Nazarene.  Hundreds of thousands, some speculate that a million would join in the Traslacion.  The passage of the andas ,  the carriage...

President Duterte finally admitted that increasing the pension of retirees by P2,000 is an impossible promise to keep.  He finally saw the wisdom that giving an additional P2,000 to the millions of retirees means signing the death of SSS.  I hate to say this, but, guys, those who voted for the president thinking that he can actually enforce this law, you were all taken for a ride.  It is simply not realistic and unfair to the other SSS members.   In fairness to the president, he came to his senses and become practical.  It is not easy admitting one's fault and to admit that it is simply not possible because the money is not only his to decide on, makes him a bigger man to me.   And for that I admire him.  Let's consider the reason why increasing the pension to 2,000 is not a wise decision. By simple math computation, we can deduce that the scenario is going to be like this:  if we give millions of pensioners 2,000, there should be a...

So you have not decided yet who to vote for on May 9? If not, why don’t you do some soul-searching to help you decide on who to vote for in order to get the leaders that you really want and need?  If you ask me, I only have one choice and selection to make.  My vote goes to the winning team of Mar and Leni, or Ro-Ro, for Roxas-Robredo.  My vote goes to the team whose integrity I believe in.  When I think of the future of the Philippines, I think of it not only in terms of industrial, economic and financial growth.  Most importantly, I would like to aim for quality thinking and shift in mentality.  Thinking that we need a strongman to help us rise or make our lives better is the thinking of people who don’t have confidence in themselves and in their capacity to work and think for their own upliftment.   In order to do this, a leader must also have this kind of mentality and not feed on the people’s desperation.  This leader must ins...

Daniel Cabrera has been living a life of a child from a family who can barely get through the day with his mother earning less than $2 a day by working at a retail store.  It's no wonder that the child has great dreams.  He dreams of becoming rich someday and smart enough to know that education is the key to attaining his dreams.  "I don't want to be poor for the rest of my life," He told his mother.   Because of extreme hardship in life and their home having very little comfort, not even any electricity, he has to study his lessons at night at a nearby sidewalk in order to be lighted upon by the escaping gleams from the nearby establishment.   It was during one of those times he would be using the lights from the establishment that one passer-by was struck by the power of the image of the boy making do with what is around him to survive.  Ms. Torrefranca, a medical student, did not feel pity, but instead felt inspired upon seeing the boy in that s...

Is Ben Affleck out of his eff-ing mind? Men are just unbelievably obtuse and unappreciative at times.  What is it with them? I thought my favorite Hollywood couple is for keeps, so imagine my shock and disappointment when Jennifer and Ben called it quits.  It seems that having three kids together just could not stop their disunity.   I remember being wildly thrilled when I heard these two were going to be tying the knot.  They are perfect for each other as far as I am concerned.  They are both young, single and have a Hollywood career that is working steadily.  Their movies are making money, and they have a fan-base that could help their social media presence felt and active.   Their union couldn't have happen at the right time. Ben was never great for Jennifer Lo, knowing Jennifer Lopez is almost a MILF.  She was married twice already.  For me, Ben was made for Jennifer Garner, young, smart, sexy, and pretty.  They were Holl...