LOWERING OF THE GUARD

I myself had my second dose of my vaccine, just a week ago. Then IATF announced the lowering of quarantine status to alert level 2. I can't particularly remember what the status was before. But after that announcement, a lot of restriction was downgraded.

Examples are, removing of barriers from public vehicles. Allowing of minors to go with their parents in malls. Face shields are now optional, In my city, liquor ban was lifted. But as a considered fully vaccinated, because of my two doses, and a homebody, I'm still scared of what is going on.

As of my writing this, Philippines is still on the 50-60% vaccination rate, with only 30+ percent being fully vaccinated, meaning those who have the second dose already. Which only means, there is still 70% who doesn't have the full vaccine protection, which is not a 100% immunity against COVID. 95% at best, 60+percent the least in efficacy rates. Which means it prevents you getting severe symptoms, hospitalizations and worst case scenario, death.

And children are out now, most of them are not vaccinated yet, and we are freeing them. Letting them go to malls etc.

Don't get me wrong, I am in favor in some of relaxation of restrictions for the economy, but it should be gradual and not drastic. And I'm thinking it is being done, because of the elephant in the room. The coming elections.

The news is like conditioning the masses, that it okay to go out now. Health officials and personnels are skeptic. And knowing Filipino's as the saying goes, kung makalulusot, lulusot. And it's not even lusot. They are giving a lot of allowance and leeway.

Elections are important, but not as important as health. How can you vote when you're in the hospital, or someone you know is. Remember that vaccines are not 100 immunity, and we are not all vaccinated. As a saying that I saw in memes said. The probability are low, but not zero. I hoped that the lowering of the guard, doesn't result in something bad, and I'm wrong. But most of the time, they do. Again, I'm hoping I'm wrong.

Source: 

Covid Vaccination Tracker

ELECTIONS ARE COMING, AND NO ONE IS TALKING

Remember the Stark words, I am Iron Man. Just kidding. Winter is Coming is the word. Winter is really coming, come winter season. May vary from different parts of the world, but it's somehow always fall Novemberish to Decemberish, along those lines. After that, Spring, which will be in 2022.

Here in the Philippines, another thing is coming this 2022. It's the Presidential Election, and no one is talking how we Pinoy's will do it.

I am particularly worried about this, because of the elephant in the room. COVID-19 and its mutating variants.

I mean, how we will gonna do it with these setting? No one is talking plans about it. If we will gonna do it, the old way, it will be the one big single superspreader event that will happen in our country, within the COVID era.

I heard some rumours though, but it will bring more harm than good. No Elections. 

We should be talking now, the earliest on how we will do it. Or else deadlines will catch up on us, were we can't talk about, and do anything about it anymore. Especially lawmakers.

At least plan, whether we will have or we will have not. If there will be no elections, I'm very skeptical about it. Of course it will extend the terms of elected officials, especially the President. Some may like it and me in some sense, but also I don't.

Let me explain. Leni Robredo, can't win if she runs for President. Sara may not win the Presidency, but  Leni can't win surely. If we will postpone the elections, the terms might be extended, that will also include the term of the Vice President. And judging the form of the President, he can't take the toll of the Presidency for any longer. He's greatly weaken by it. And I hate the idea of him, God forbid, dying at the office. And the Vice President assuming power. The VP is dimwitted in many ways, and might take the country to war with China, if she will assume power. A thing that the Philippines, with all it's problems, can do without. That's why I am against no elections.

If there will be elections, Sara will win. But how we will do it? Should we try like the US did? Mail in ballots. If we will do it, then let's talk about it now. Of course there will also be personal voting, in the precincts. But we can't do it like before. I have voted before, and there will be too many people. And too many people gathering is a superspreader in this era. People might not vote, because of the risk. I suggest that the election day be extended to three days to a week. to prevent superspreader events. But let's talk about it now. Or should we also do a hybrid, hybrid in the sense that there is mail in ballots, and precinct voting. But we should be talking about it now.

Whatever we will do about these elections, talk about it now! So we can implement early, and before everything is too late.

REMATCH 2024

 

The Biden administration should not really f*** themselves up, or else they have a problem coming to them. With the vote 57-43, only 7 Republicans turning on the former President. Trump was acquitted twice, after being impeached twice.

I mean, its basic. Impeachment is a political process. Democrats should have thought it through before doing this. Even President Biden, is not that optimistic about this. That it should not be a priority of the Senate. And then this happen, most Republicans still back Trump, and no matter how strong the argument is, with Democrats not having enough numbers. Trump prevailed.

And what is the implications of him winning? This story is still developing, by the time this was written, so what I am saying maybe superseded by things that will and might happen still that we dont know for the moment. The implication is that he might run again for President. Bad thing if he win, bad thing if he lose. If he win, he might f*** up America again, if he lose, he might repeat the events of January 6, 2021.

And with that stripping of memberships that happened in some clubs, that the former President have joined and everything. I think if he run, he will remember those guys. For he is a vindictive guy.

I mean, if he somewhat run, and wins. I hope the pandemic is over. He is really not good in handling the pandemic. And that withdrawals, with the Paris accords, WHO. Foreign policy he has some little points, Korean War ends in his administration. The I can bomb you reminder, policy. And somehow, he got the Arab states, and Israel, to work with each other. Because those two sides hate each other.

The wrong with Obama though, is that he is trying to ease sanctions with Iran, for them not to pursue, nuclear weapons, talking to them and European allies, even China and Russia, but not talking to important side in the region. Israel. Now with Biden elected, they are trying to resume talks with Iran. But this time, they should talk with Israel, cause it’s a ticking time bomb, in that region, with Israel being paranoid and nervous. It may even go nuclear, God forbid.

And locally speaking, the policy of America with Biden for the Philippines, and China is still blurry at the moment. Obama has this don’t care policy. Trump is tough on China. Biden I don’t really know, which is why it’s scary. And to the fate of Duterte, I hope they don’t intervene in our affairs. And also don’t provoke confrontations within this region, in which the Philippines, might be put in the middle of.

Biden still has to prove himself. He has to address the CoVid problem correctly, and I hope he doesn’t go wrong in foreign policy. I hope for the success of these administration. A second Trump, and a possible renewed two terms, I don’t like. Reversal of policies again, that are bad for the world. And because of that, allies might lose trust completely. And with that, China will fill the void, and I don’t want China being in the leadership position of the world. It will not be good. I mean, if I am an American, I might vote Republican, but not Trump. If Trump runs again, please re-elect Biden. That’s all I can say for now.

WHY NEW YEARS CELEBRATION IS A WASTE, ECONOMICALLY

 

I am not really a fan of firecracking, even of loud noises during the celebrations of the ending of the year. And I have a previous post in this blog, that up to this day is the top post in this blogsite. But because I am working now, and earning a little money, I have a new perspective, on how it is such a waste, celebrating the New Year. Especially that we are now in a pandemic, and especially what happened in this year, not knowing what the next year, has to give us. Why celebrate it? Let us see my reasons.

HOSPITALIZATION

If you somehow, get injured while lighting, throwing, or handling a firecracker. You will eventually go to the hospital. And hospitals, especially now, is not a place you want to spend your new year. First, if there are many stupid people who are injured too, it’s not a good sight to see. Very bloody and a lot of amputations. But most importantly, especially now, if you go to the hospital, there are a lot of people who are infected with COVID-19. You don’t want yourself and the one that will brought you to the hospitals be infected, and cause more spread of the virus. Even if you go in a public hospital, to have treatment of your injuries, it will still cost you money. If you infect yourself with COVID-19, cost you more money. With the testing alone, costing P 6,000.00 at a mininum. Its a half month’s wage of mininum wage earner. And that is with’s overtime. Without overtime, it’s much less. So we should think before doing it.

BURNING MONEY

Even if you are lucky enough, not to get yourself injured. Its still a waste. You are literally burning your money. After you light the wick, and it’s explodes, your money is gone. It will be more frustrating for the consumer, if it doesnt even burn. So its a waste either way, whether the firecracker function or not. The money could have been used to a much needed things such as food. But food, is not much help either.

FEASTINGS

Among the part of the celebrations, the food is the most we want. Its delicious and it can satisfy us. But if you go over the line with eating, it will have consequences. And from Christmas to New Year, there are a lot of eatings. As the saying goes, anything that is excessive is bad. If you eat too much, with in this one week or more period, you might contract some disease, like diabetes, and hypertension. And if you are a worker, you have to be more careful because of the incoming APE, Annual Physical Exam. If you have a high sugar at the time of the exams, they might have you repeat it, and repeat of test cost money. Disease cost much more.

NOISING

On a much expensive note, noising might cost you your life. Thats what happened with Nuezca-Gregorio debaucle, that had taken two lives, all because of a boga, or a cannon, made of a pipe and an empty can as its shell. It cause such a noise, that it could it startled someone. That startled someone might not be a balanced person.

On a cheaper note, if you use your karaoke on that night, of course electric bills will spike up. If you revo up your motorcycle, it will burn gas, where it could be used somewhere else. You will very unlucky, if the motorcycle burns because of doing that. Good thing if its already paid completely. What if its not? You’ll be paying for a commodity that doesn’t exist.

It’s just a date really, it doesnt have to be this expensive.

JOE AMERICA

 

I’m calling him Joe America, because he sometime in the past, once called his former boss, on a campaign, Barack America. It has been a subject of jokes of some comedians such as Robin Williams etc.

But kidding aside. Come January, whether Trump like it or not, he will have to step down, and swore into power, the new President of the United States of America, the President Elect, Joe R. Biden. Him winning the elections, was one of the better news, along a stream of bad news this 2020.

I may not agree, of some of Democrat’s policy. But with Trump In office, and his handling of things, especially COVID-19, any Democrat will do, that can replace him. And as Joe Biden, rose as the candidate of the Democratic Party, it’s a good thing, that despite differences is principle within the party, they all come together behind Joe Biden, unlike what happen when Hilary Clinton ran for president.

All I am saying is, Joe Biden is the common sense candidate to be voted, against Trump. Especially with the mishandling of COVID 19 in the United States. With it being still the number 1 country with most cases in the whole world. A common sense, in the presidency, must be put in place, and that is Joe Biden, more than Trump. A leader, that should encourage wearing mask, and not discourage them. And a leader that encourage social distancing, rather than encouraging mass gathering. And again, that is Joe more than Trump.

I can only speak of COVID 19 for Joe Biden, because of the failure of Trump Administrations to tackle the crisis. Even if consecutive administrations before him, put a measure in place, to tackle such crisis, yet cases and deaths skyrocketed. Cause lets face it, many countries in the world are have a declined in number of cases, and deaths cause by COVID. Some have already declared the defeat of COVID 19 in their countries, even China has a lower number of cases now, which where the contagion started. But if the US, will not tackle COVID with seriousness right now, these pandemic, will be prolonged than expected. And don’t put all your hopes, on the vaccines, despite news that it has 95% effective. It will take years, to distribute to all the world, doses of it. And not being so negative, it might still failed as a vaccine. All we need to do is to stop the spread, by following  health protocols. And America is spreading it a lot, in their own country. And if they open up, they might spread again to the world, starting an endless cycle. That’s why I am glad, that Joe Biden won the elections. Even though I am not an American.

But what would be the implications, to my home country, the Philippines. Will it affect the stability of the Duterte Administration? Knowing that his former boss, Barack Obama, is the President of the US, that our President’s hates the most. Will it also had an effect, to the candidacy of the now Vice President Leni Robredo, just like him? I hope not.  We may never know. We hope a cooperation, and not so much intervention from the incoming administration. And we hope, that the Philppines start being treated as an equal and sovereign country, and not as a vassal, or a satellite state. Hoping for good transition, and better run as the new President of the United States. Good luck, and God Bless.