If there's a bridge

"Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build bridges even when there are no rivers."
--Nikita Khrushchev

By Alex P. Vidal

ONLY a bridge can solve the problems of those regularly crossing the Iloilo Strait to Guimaras vice versa.
A bridge won't automatically kill the maritime industry in the area, but people will have a better alternative just in case a bad weather would render the transfer from one island to another vice versa via ferries impossible.
A bridge linking Guimaras and Iloilo will eliminate king-sized hassles and inconveniences just in case the government will not allow pumpboats to operate just like what happened days after the sea tragedy that killed nearly 31 pumpboat passengers.
A bridge will fast-track all the transactions and other urgent matters when travel time is reduced and maritime overloading of passengers and goods is nipped in the bud.
A bridge will be beneficial to the prosperity of both the provinces of Guimaras and Iloilo, including Iloilo City and other provinces and cities in Panay Island with economic and agricultural interests in Guimaras.
The government has promised to bridge the gap by building the bridge even before we heard McArthur promising "I shall return."
Let's hope the bridge will finally be erected before human beings can reach the planet Mars.

-o0o-

Just like the priests and the pastors, policemen also every now and then receive gifts--in kind and in cash--from Good Samaritans, businessmen, and, sometimes, from recipients (e.g. victims of crimes that have been solved) of their services mostly as "tokens of appreciation."
Even the heads of state, the highest church leaders and military and police generals accept gifts; but, sometimes, done incognito to dodge those with malicious minds.
Only a hypocrite cop will proclaim that he has not received offers of a gift (although there are really a few who are determined not to accept the gifts regardless who made the offer).
Nobody is actually taking seriously Republic Act 3019 or the anti-graft law, which clearly states that government workers should not accept gifts in exchange for favors. Since presents of small or insignificant value are reportedly exempted, most of those who accept gifts and want to justify it pretend what they got were only "peanuts."
We can put to big test this interesting hypothesis during the Yuletide Season, which is four months away.

-o0o-

If a grown up teenager or a young citizen wants to be a communist, a voodoo practitioner, or an advocate of exorcism, the parents shouldn't be cursed or blamed for it.
If it's the person's choice, it's his destiny and there is nothing the parents can do about it especially if the person is of legal age.
The parents, however, are responsible for their children's education in the early stage, especially the formation of the children's values and character.
It is assumed that when the children reach the legal age, they know what is wrong and what is right; they know what is legal and what is illegal.
Brian May once said, "The biggest emotion in creation is the bridge of optimism."
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)