Naia 1 is a pigpen

Fifty-year-old Christine Dee is in a bind. She is being driven out of the condominium unit she is staying in through no fault of her own.

Her mother Regina signed the lease contract for the condo unit in Urdaneta Apartment Condominium at 6735 Ayala Ave., Makati City, but she passed away on Nov. 3, 2013.

Since Christine was not a signatory of the contract, the unit’s landlady Dr. Carolyn Butler said the lease could no longer be renewed with Regina’s death.

You see, Christine cannot sign for herself because she is a person with disability (PWD). Although her brother, Derek Dee, a former movie actor, has offered to replace their mother as the signatory, Dr. Butler insists that Christine leave the condo unit which she has been occupying for over two years.

Derek has asked the good doctor, a pediatrician, to reconsider her decision to no avail.

Christine has come to love the place where she tends a small garden on the veranda as part of her therapy. Displacing her might worsen her condition.

As a doctor, Butler should treat Christine with compassion.

The Dees have not been remiss in paying the rent so why is Christine, who has a caregiver and does not bother anyone, being driven out?

Please, Dr. Butler, have a heart!

* * *

The measure of society is in the way it treats its helpless members.

The measure of a person’s character is in the way he or she treats the less fortunate.

Aren’t doctors supposed to be compassionate toward PWDs?

If doctors like Butler can’t treat them with compassion, what can you expect from others not in the medical profession?

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Former police director Lina Sarmiento, the first woman to hold a two-star rank in the Philippine National Police (PNP), has been appointed head of the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board.

The board oversees the distribution of P10 billion in compensation to victims of military abuse during President Marcos’ martial law regime.

Sarmiento who?

Sarmiento’s resumé says she was former director of the PNP Human Rights Affairs Office.

As someone often approached by people victimized by abusive policemen, I should have been aware of such an office.

I knew Sarmiento headed the Police Security and Protection Group which assigns bodyguards to very important persons or VIPs.

I never heard her defending the human rights of civilians, much more heading an office within the PNP that protects the rights of civilians.

No kidding, is there really such an office?

* * *

Either Sarmiento is a relative of the President or she was recommended by persons whom he could not refuse.

I heard she was recommended for the sensitive job by P-Noy’s sisters.

The President doesn’t care about public criticism of his appointment of relatives or friends to sensitive positions even if these appointees are incompetent.

An example is retired Air Force Gen. Jose Angel Honrado who was named general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority that runs the three Manila airport terminals.

Criticisms about Honrado being grossly incompetent for the job have not caused the President to budge.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) has been adjudged one of the worst airports in the world.

If you have been to Naia Terminal 1, you will say it is like a pigpen.

If it is a pigpen, what does that make of Honrado?