Last Friday a dream finally become a reality.
I’m referring to the inauguration of the new P30 million pediatric pavilion at the compound of the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. The dream was conceived about six years ago with members of the Rotary Club of Cebu Port Center, the Rotary Club of Hawaii Poipo Beach Kawai and Dr. Bill Evslin of the Evslin Foundation.
In a conference of Rotary District 3860, I also approached Sen. Migz Zubiri, who was one of the speakers of the event, and broached the idea of tapping his pork barrel fund for a good cause.
Zubiri agreed on the condition that he would first like to see the old pediatric ward of the Vicente Sotto hospital.
When he saw the condition of the old pediatric ward at the basement of the hospital, he committed to finance the construction of a new pediatric pavilion. The rest is history.
I would like to thank VSMMC Medical Director Gerard Aquino, the medical staff of the hospital, and Dr. Moncho Najarro, chairman of the hospital’s Pediatric Department. Our sincerest gratitude to Zubiri for his generosity and for attending to the interests and welfare of our children. With his generosity, I firmly believe that he deserves to be elected as senator as he is one of the most active persons running for the Senate.
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Last week, a friend of mine went to Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur. He later told me about his harrowing experience of five- to six-hour brownouts there. The same brownouts were experienced in Aurora town and Tukoran town.
Why is this happening in Zamboanga del Sur? What is the government doing about this? The daily brownouts are hurting the economy of many localities of the province.
I hope the President gives his attention to this problem. Mindanao has long been neglected by the national government because it is far from the capital.
I also think of the political complexion of that province. Political leaders of Zamboanga del Sur like Cerilles should bring his lamentable condition to the President’s attention. The residents don’t deserve to sufer daily brownouts.
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The cardinals are now complete in the Vatican. All the cardinals have arrived in Rome and are ready to hold a conclave to select the new Pope for the Catholic Church.
Everybody is excited about the selection of the new shepherd of the Church. Many are praying for the cardinals to choose a new pope who is willing to face the many bold challenges within and outside the Catholic Church.
Let us continue to pray for the cardinals to choose the right one.