Time after time

Credit to Author: ROLLY G. REYES| Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2019 18:06:31 +0000

ROLLY G. REYES

Signs that you are getting old:

You’re familiar with the face, but you do not know the name.

You always miss one or more belt loops in your pants.

Searching for your key is a daily ritual.

You look everywhere for your eyeglasses only to realize that you are wearing them.

You always make the mistake of buying CDs and DVDs that you have already.

You are not sure whether the one who kissed your hand is a relative or not.

You give the same amount of Christmas money that you used to give four decades ago.

You are always looking for a chair wherever you go.

They have to speak louder so you can hear them.

You become a walking pharmacist, knowing all medicines for all kinds of illnesses.

Your directory has a longer list of doctor’s names and contact numbers.

You know everybody who passed away.

Most friends heard your stories a thousand times.

You attend wakes and burials more often than you attend other events.

You hate buffets, as you get full after a few bites.

Your senior citizen ID is the most used card in your wallet.

You are extra careful when walking on the sidewalk or when climbing stairs.

You always fall asleep watching a movie.

It becomes harder to remember names, dates and things to do.

You easily forget what you have read now and who wrote it.

You are not sure if what you ate is breakfast, lunch or dinner.

You forget if you have started or done eating meals at all.|

Pampers replaced regular underwear.

***
According to Sen. Richard Gordon, former Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde and his 13 subordinates should face life imprisonment, being involved in the alleged recycling of drugs. It is good that former Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon is not there any more to facilitate their early release if convicted.

***

Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo’s lead over Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. had increased after the manual recount in three pilot provinces. I have a suspicion that a technician from Smartmatic dropped by into the night when the Presidential Electoral Tribunal was resting.

***

The 74-year-old PRRD was caught on camera wearing an air purifier gadget hanging from his neck. He must have worn that during his attendance to the wake of the father of the Barretto clan. He must have been suffocating amid the fumes generated by the toxic exchanges between the family members.

***

Speaking of health issues, it is a welcome development that the Department of Health is implementing another batch of price ceiling on 120 medicines that can help alleviate a number of killer diseases such as lung diseases, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular problems, among others. The multinational pharmaceutical companies are making a killing in our country exploiting our poor compatriots who often just have enough to feed themselves.

The Department of Trade and Industry suggested that we should also import directly from India or let them invest here to lower the costs. It is reported by some quarters that the price of medicine coming from India is just 1/10th of the cost of imported ones. The icing on the cake is that these foreign corporations are also reportedly sourcing their materials from India and China.

***
According to BSA The Software Alliance, most companies here in our country still use unlicensed software. They failed to note that copycat hardware is also being used. That’s what they get missing the fact that our independent foreign policy is leaning toward China, whose record in intellectual property rights is still unmatched.

***

India and the Philippines inked agreements involving tourism cooperation, collaboration in science and technology, and cultural exchange. I just hope the fine prints will not guarantee a 5/6 percent profit if we borrow something from India.

***

Guinness World Records claims that Jennifer Aniston’s Instagram post regarding the latest photo of “Friends” reached 1 million followers in just 5 hours and 16 minutes. The iconic TV series apparently has good following up to now. I just hope they are still “friends.”

***

My unanswered questions on Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters:

How can they survive more than four months of full or partial employment with families to feed?

Who buys their helmets, masks, transportation, food and communication tools, and how are they able to fund and maintain their websites?

Who pays for their monthly rents, monthly amortizations of acquired real estate properties and credit card billings?

Who pays for the education of their children?

Who pays for their health concerns and hospital bills when injured?

Are they getting financial support from Taiwan?  Europe? The United States?

Why are the injuries of the Hong Kong police force not being carried by international media and concentrated only on protesters?

Why are the protesters not being criticized for bringing metal pipes and mauling cops, burning shops and throwing rocks?

***
A friend of mine whispered to my ears that the government is losing billions in the 25-year-contract awarded to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) in 2008. Others said at least P31 billion has been lost. Another serious allegation is that the franchise signed exempted NGCP from all national and local taxes. I hope that an independent agency will tackle this onerous contract once and for all.

***
Good work, good deeds and good faith to all.

http://www.manilatimes.net/feed/