IF THIS post on social media is true, that the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, only allows former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s former wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman, to stay and take care of his personal, then this situation is slowly giving truth to the saying that “Gaano man kahaba ang prosesyon sa simbahan pa rin ang balik nito.”
“No matter how long the procession is, it always leads back to the Church.”
A FILIPINO PROVERB
In English, “No matter how long the procession is, it always leads back to the Church.” Somehow, the post validated stories on social media about the former President telling his women to start looking for other men with credit cards.
Yes, FPRRD’s “other women” who went to The Hague reportedly to visit the detained former Chief Executive were refused their request to personally see their man. In other words, if they were denied a personal visit, then they have no way of taking care of the personal needs of FPRRD.
It was also posted on the same platform that the children of FPRRD, with his former wife as well as his grandchildren with them, are extremely happy with the said development.
It’s hardly surprising. After the break-up of their parents and the pain that goes with the estrangement, they could now look forward to becoming a family again. Hopefully back in one house and in Davao City, Philippines.
Of course, it comes with a huge price to pay. That is, the incarceration of the former President in a land so far away that it will take a fortune for members of his family to visit too often.
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This paper’s online edition yesterday had for its banner headline a run executed by some 5,500 runners. The run was dubbed “Run for FPRRD.” No, the participants in the activity were not running away from the former President. Neither did they run to meet him at the Bangoy International Airport, not yet.
They run to show their support for the former President and their solid intention to deliver a strong message to the ICC about how the former President is loved by his fellow Davaoeños. Thus, if only to manifest their strong desire to have the ICC allow the former President’s interim release, they have to run even on the first working day of the week.
Will the run by a mass of 5,500 people persuade the ICC judges to grant the petition of the former President for an interim release through his lawyer? We can only hope. However, such a manifestation is a steep climb. We Filipinos must admit that the judges in that international court are all non-Filipinos. Therefore, they have traits totally different from ours.
It is even possible that they have their own way of interpreting the laws that govern the litigation of crimes referred to the ICC judges for resolution.
We can only wish that they be given the wisdom to interpret the laws they are supposed to refer to as a guide in resolving cases brought into their laps for resolution.
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The Department of Education-Davao City Division, in coordination with the city government, is contemplating constructing more buildings in various campuses to address the lack of classrooms. We are just wondering if the city school authorities have realized that the campuses of public schools, especially those in the city’s downtown areas and its peripheries, are already congested with buildings to the maximum.
Yes, we had been to several schools in the city proper during our time as head of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Department of Davao Light. We noted that buildings were erected because the increase in the number of students was also spiraling. The result? Well, many campuses in the city proper and in the peripheries are getting so crowded that hardly a vacant space is left for the students to have some extra ground to get fresh air or loiter to relax.
Now, the students in public schools, both elementary and high school, converge in these campuses. Though they may already be accommodated by the additional classrooms constructed and the shifting scheme, the school campuses concerned are already too crowded. The huge number of students inside the school campus becomes like sardines packed in every available space.
Why will not the DepEd and the local government explore the possibility of establishing additional school campuses where new edifices can be built? This will definitely address the classroom lack. It will also solve the congestion of students in existing campuses.
Of course, the availability of vacant city government or national lands may be a problem. But as the common saying goes, problems have solutions. And like miracles, solutions are always there. It is only the will to explore it that is needed in order to have it.
