#Walangpasok

 

A medical student at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and a hotel employee died one after the other after being electrocuted in the flooded España Blvd. during a typhoon late last year in the Philippines. A third victim, a student of Far Eastern U, was critically injured.

News reports blamed a dangling live wire of a city lamp post for the tragic incidents. While we cannot undo what had happened, what if classes on that fateful day had been suspended a day or the night before? The UST med student may well still be with us today, while the one from FEU may have escaped his life-threatening injury.

Thus, the early declarations made by several local government units (LGUs) suspending classes on Thursdayand Friday on account of the expected heavy rainfall due to two typhoons and the habagat (monsoon) were most welcome.

But we give our thumbs down to some LGUS like the Las Piñas City government of Mayor Nene Aguilar that, on Monday and Wednesday, suspended classes a little late when many students had already braved the early morning rains to go to their respective schools.

Our government leaders, especially those whose decisions may spell the difference between life and death among the people, especially our kids, must be more responsible with the authority vested on them.

And when it comes to suspending classes on account of typhoons and flooded streets, they should err on the side of caution. A school day or two lost is nothing compared to potential tragic losses that may be averted by officials by not sleeping on the job.    -end-      

Image by Manila Coconuts