Aside From Bolstering Partnerships.docx

DepEd reiterates need for school’s disaster, emergency preparedness

“Aside from bolstering partnerships, we are strengthening the capacity of our schools, therefore our communities, to help minimize and efficiently respond to the impact of disasters,” said Education Secretary Leonor Briones. (continue reading at page 2) TWO-TIME OLYMPIC CHAMPION YUZURU HANYU READY FOR WORLDS.

In this Feb. 17, 2018, file photo, Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan performs during the men’s free figure skating final in the Gangneung Ice Arena at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea. Hanyu is recovering from a right ankle injury that forced him to skip the Dec. 2124 Japan nationals. (continue reading at page 5)

ANOTHER WIN FOR PH.

Maria Francesca taruc poses after being winning the Miss Tourism World 2019 title in Nanjing, China. Her victory comes three weeks after Catriona Gray was crowned as Miss Universe.

in Russia. Set to hit the stores in the country “soon,” the Honor 10i is a mid-range smartphone and comes with features like triple rear camera setup, Android 9 Pie, and octacore Kirin 710 SoC. It joins the company's other smartphones like Honor 10, Honor 10 Lite in Honor's portfolio. The company is yet to reveal the pricing of the smartphone or when it will reach other markets. (continue page 8)

at

MORE FILIPINOS WORRIED OF DUTERTE’S HEALTH

HONOR 10I WITH KIRIN 710 SOC, TRIPLE REAR CAMERAS GOES OFFICIAL: SPECIFICATIONS

Honor 10i is here. Honor, the sub-brand of Huawei, has quietly introduced the new Honor 10i smartphone

reading

(page 3)

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INEWS

Recently, DepEd, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) forged a partnership for the promotion of volunteerism, humanitarian values, and culture of safety and health through the establishment of Red Cross Youth Councils (RCYCs) in schools nationwide. In the agreement, the PRC has committed to provide technical assistance for activities and programs in schools involving RCYC; Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM); Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; Basic Life Support and Basic First Aid, among others. An RCYC, particularly in high schools, will be guided by a coordinator or adviser. It is desired to have at least two trained life savers and first aiders in every section. Learners will also be equipped with the necessary skills so they will be able to assess and urgently help the most vulnerable. The tripartite partnership provides trainings that will equip teachers, learners, and facilitators with the necessary knowledge and skills on basic life

support and first aid in every school across the country. These will better prepare them to respond in the event of disasters and emergencies to save more lives and ensure resilience. PRC chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Senator Richard Gordon thanked Briones for signing the landmark agreement between the three agencies. “In response to your challenge to DepEd, Senator Gordon, that you advised us to have at least a focal entity responsible for coordinating with the Red Cross, with CHED and coordinating all our rescue activities, we have identified DRRM and the Youth Formation coordinators,” Briones said. Equally important features of this tie-up include the creation of a certification through accreditation procedure for all RCYC, which will allow the certificate holders to cascade the training on Basic Life Support and Basic First Aid to other schools. A recognition system shall also be crafted for schools with exemplary performance in the promotion and delivery

of the Red Cross humanitarian principles and services, such as advocacy on blood donation, disaster risk reduction and management, health and welfare, safety, child protection as well as participation in international humanitarian law. This initiative is pursuant to Republic Act 10871 (An Act Requiring Basic Education Students to Undergo AgeAppropriate Basic Life Support Training); Republic Act 10821 (An Act Mandating the Provision of Emergency Relief and Protection for Children Before, During, and After Disasters and other Emergency Situation); and Republic Act 101 (An Act Strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System, Providing for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework and Institutionalizing the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes). Among other signatories of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) are DepEd Undersecretary

for Administration Alain Del Pascua; DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service Director Ronilda Co; CHED Officer-inCharge and spokesperson Prospero de Vera III; CHED OIC Director IV Ronaldo Liveta; and PRC Secretary General and Chief Operating Officer Oscar Palabyab. “The business of education includes having young people in our country involved, which is enshrined in our Constitution; to promote not only welleducated but a robust youth that is able to perform their civic duties for efficiency and development,” Gordon ended. More Filipinos were worried of the health status of President Rodrigo Duterte, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found. According to the pollster, 66 percent of Filipinos aged 18 and above were worried, while 34 percent were not. In September, only 55 percent of those surveyed said they were worried of Duterte’s health, while 44 percent said otherwise.

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INEWS

The figure significantly rose in the Visayas at 66 percent, up by 15 points from September’s 51 percent. It also went up in Midanao at 73 percentm 12 points higher than September’s 61 percent. It also rose by 10 points in Balance Luzon at 63 percent from the previous quarter’s 53 percent, and 7 point in Metro Manila at 66 percent from the previous quarter’s 59 percent. The san survey also found that more Filipinos believed that Duterte had health problems. The survey found that 49 percent of the respondents believe the president was sick while 24 percent did not. In September, only 45 Filipinos believed that Duterte had health problems. Net belief was highest in Metro Manila, which stayed at +31. It was followed by Balance Luzon at +28, form +21 in September, the Visayas at +26 from _14 in September and Midanao at +14, from +12 in September.

MANILA, Philippines – Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray may be busy traveling, but she has not forgotten the causes she has been supporting in the Philippines. On Sunday, March 17, Catriona posted a call for donations on Instagram to buy 200 computers for Young Focus Philippines, one of the charities she's been supporting for children's education. Around $5,000 is needed to buy the computers. "Young Focus wants to tackle computer illiteracy among school

dropouts. Young Focus already has a special 'Catch-UP' center for school dropouts at the edge of a large squatter area in Tondo, Manila, but what we are still missing are the computers... We now want to set up a computer room with 10 computers to give 200 children and teenagers the opportunity to develop their talents through educational computer programs. "We do that with the help of Global Giving to see more information, including our goals. You can also monitor our progress on the Globe "We need in total $ 5,000 for 10 computers.

That is $500 per computer, and includes all the necessary network items and tables! Please consider getting involved! THANKS!" MALACAÑANG DOUBTS BONG GO WILL BE CHARGED FOR VOTEBUYING MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang doubts former presidential aide Bong Go will face any charges for vote-buying, saying the distribution of cash donations to fire victims should not fall under the definition of the election offense. "Baka mahirapan eh kasi what it says there is that 'will induce the voter to

Rappler found that the cash assistance was given by Go's camp,

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be influenced.' Mukhang iba ang situation dito kay Bong Go sapagkat these are donations and they are fire victims," Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said on Tuesday, March 19. (They will probably have a hard time because what it says there is that 'will induce the voter to be influenced.' This looks like a different situation because these are donations and they are fire victims.) In Rappler's Exclusive Report, Comission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez said Go's donations of cash to fire victims in separate visits to Makati and Manila fire survivors count as vote-buying even if the senatorial candidate did not explicitly solicit votes at the time. The Omnibus Election Code defines votebuying as giving, offering, or promising "money or anything of value...in order to induce anyone or the public in general to vote for or against any candidate." “Just like with campaign propaganda, no need for the explicit solicitation

of votes,” Jimenez had said. Panelo dismissed Jimenez's remarks, saying that in the end, it will be Comelec commissioners, not its spokesman, who will decide on any complaint to be filed against Go on the incidents. "'Yun lang ang opinion ng spokesman. Hindi naman siya magdedecide; it's the Commission (That's only the opinion of the spokesman. He won't decide; it's the Commission)," said Panelo. The Comelec is currently dominated by Duterte appointees. Including Comelec chairman Sheriff Abas, 4 out of the 7 Comelec members are Duterte appointees. Panelo said there's no way Go's cash assistance can be construed as inducing voters to vote for him, since they were meant for fire victims needing assistance. "The operative word is inducement. If the intention is to induce then you will be violating the provision but the problem is how will you prove inducement

especially in this particular case where they are fire victims? It would be different if you give nawala nang dahilan (for no reason)," said Panelo. However, election lawyer Emil Marañon III had described votebuying as an act that is malum prohibitum, meaning intent behind the act is immaterial and mere commission of the act is enough. "Vote-buying, which is punished under the Omnibus Election Code, a special law, is a malum prohibitum. An act which is declared malum prohibitum, malice or criminal intent is completely immaterial,” Marañon had said.

Rappler found that the cash assistance was given by Go's camp,either during or right after Go paid fire surivivors a visit. The senatorial candidate's visit included delivering his speech where he mentions his commitment to helping Duterte and his anger at corrupt officials. Panelo described the former Cabinet member as a "responsible person" with his own team of lawyers. Nevertheless, Panelo said any person is free to file a votebuying complaint against Go before the Comelec."If they feel he has violated eh di magfile para magkaalaman (then let them file a complaint so we can find out). We'll let the Comelec decide," he said.

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SAITAMA, Japan — Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu says he has recovered sufficiently from an ankle injury and is ready to compete for the title at the world figure skating championships. “I may not be 100 percent recovered but I’m ready for this competition’ Hanyu told a news conference Tuesday, on the eve of the championships. “The goal is always to win and not just beat your opponent but to overcome yourself. I’m looking forward to competing. “I’ve been in this position before where I came back from injury before the Olympics and that was valuable experience that will help.” Hanyu arrived in Japan on a flight from Toronto late Monday accompanied by coach Brian Orser. On Tuesday, he practiced for about 30 minutes at the arena in front a large crowd of fans who applauded every jump he made. The 24-year-old missed last year’s worlds because of injury.

HeHelsinki. His first win was in 2014 at Saitama Super Arena, the same venue as this year’s worlds.

straight national title, Chen said his plan is pretty much to stick with that program at the worlds.

After twisting his right ankle in a fall in practice at the Rostelecom Cup on Nov. 17, Hanyu was told he needed three weeks of rest and one month of rehabilitation to recover from a ligament injury sustained in the fall.

During the nationals, Chen landed four quad jumps in his free skate routine, one of which was in combination.

He claimed his second straight Grand Prix series title of the season despite the injury, but was forced to withdraw from the Grand Prix Final and the Japan nationals in December. Hanyu sustained a similar injury at the 2017 NHK Trophy before making a comeback at last year’s Pyeongchang Olympics, where he became the first male figure skater to win consecutive Olympic golds since American Dick Button in 1948 and 1952. Defending champion Nathan Chen practiced at Saitama Super Arena on Monday and said he had fully recovered from a cold. Coming off a long break from the U.S. Nationals in January, when he captured his third

Olympic silver medalist Shoma Uno, the 2018 world championship silver medalist, will also be a medal contender on home ice. Uno heads into the worlds on a high having won the Four Continents last month. In that competition, Uno showed his resolve when he finished fourth in the short program and then won the free skate to claim the overall title. It marked the first time he won a major international competition. Uno also had an impressive 2018, winning Skate Canada, the NHK Trophy and the Japanese nationals. The world championships begin with the women’s short program on Wednesday. The men’s short program is on Thursday.

BULLPUPS-BLUE EAGLETS CLASH TO OPEN 2ND ROUND ACTION.

National University (NU) Plays defending champion Ateneo De Manila University to cap a four -game bill to open second round action of the UAAP 81 juniors basketball tournament on Sunday at the Filoil Flying V Center. The 6-1 Bullpups hope to score a repeat of their 78-62 win a rematch of last year’s Finals to become the No. 1 team in the first round in their 3 p.m. duel with the blue eagles. Far Eastern UniversityDiliman and Adamson University, bunched in a three-way with Ateneo in second place at 5-2 clash at 11 a.m. The showdown will also feature giants Kai Sotto, the 7-foot-1 Ateneo center who is leading the

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season most valuable Player race, and NU’s Carl Tamayo. In their first UAAP matchup with Sotto last December 15, Tamayo tallied a double-double effort of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Sotto paced the Eaglets with 23 points, 13 boards and three assists. Looking sharp as ever, the Bullpups are coming off a PSSBS championship during the Christmas break. In other matches, University of Santo Tomas (3-4) and University of the East 916) collide at 9 a.m., while De La Salle-Zobel (3-4) an UP Integrated School (07) take the floor at 1 p.m.

Tomas. MANILA, Philippines - (UPDATED) Far Eastern University (FEU) survived injuries to two key players, and did enough in the end game to battle past Adamson University in a five-set war on Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. The Lady Tamaraws lost Jeanette Villareal in the first set and Lycha Ebon in the fifth, but still pulled out a 30-32, 2520, 23-25, 25-20, 15-13 triumph over the Lady Falcons. It was their fifth victory of the UAAP Season 81 women's volleyball tournament, against three defeats. The Lady Tamaraws earned a share of fourth place, along with idle University of Santo

Meanwhile, the Lady Falcons lost their fourth straight match despite a truly brave effort, and dropped to 1-7 in the tournament. "'Yung Adamson kasi matibay din naman. Lahat naman ng teams eh. Sabi ko nga sa mga players ko kanina, ang labanan ngayong second round, patibayan na lang 'yan," said FEU coach George Pascua, after his team rebounded from a loss to De La Salle University to end the first round.

The first set provided a glimpse of how intense the match would be, as the Lady Falcons clawed their way out of a 9-15 hole and dragged the Lady Tamaraws to an extended affair. FEU was at set point, 24-23, UAAP: FEU bucks injuries to outlast Adamson in 5-set war when Jerrili Malabanan

committed an error, and the two teams traded blows from there. FEU lost Villareal to an ankle injury with the set tied at 26, but they still reached set point twice, at 28-27 and 29-28, only for the Lady Falcons to force deuce each time. Adamson reached set point at 30-29, after the Lady Tamaraws were called for four touches, but Ebon's crosscourt kill knotted the count at 30. Unfortunately, the rookie commited backto-back attack errors, giving Adamson the hard-earned win in Set 1 after 30 long minutes. The two squads alternated victories in Sets 2 and 3, with the Lady Falcons holding off the Lady Tamaraws in a thrilling third frame to move on the cusp of an upset win. But FEU stayed alive in the fourth

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frame as they thoroughly flustered Adamson's offense, holding the Lady Falcons to just four kills in the entire set. Only the 11 unforced errors by FEU kept Adamson afloat. Ironically, it was an error by Adamson -- a mishit by Bern Flora -- that sent the match to a decider. Disaster struck once more for FEU in the fifth set, as Ebon suffered an awkward fall after scoring past Adamson's Flora. The rookie was clearly in pain, and had to be stretchered out of the court. Despite losing their top scorer, FEU still zoomed to an 11-6 advantage in Set 5, thanks in part to the contributions of reserve Ivan Agudo who was subbed in for Ebon. The Lady Falcons showed no quit, however, and managed to force an 11-all deadlock, thanks to a blistering 5-0 blast that was capped by a clever swipe by setter MJ Igao against Malabanan. Unfortunately, the Lady Falcons sapped their own momentum when Hannah Infante committed a service error, and they then gave up an ace to Carly Hernandez. A net violation by Kyle Negrito

and a kill by Flora allowed Adamson to force a tie for the last time, 13-all. Malabanan came up clutch, firing a hit to zone 6, before Celine Domingo pounced on an over-received ball to finish off the match in two hours and 31 minutes. "Good na nanalo, pero bad na (na-injure) 'yung mga players ko," said Pascua. "Hopefully hindi ganoon ka-severe 'yung mga injury nila. Sana makabalik sila sa next game namin."Pascua was glad to see his players step up in place of the injured starters, with Czarina Carandang holding down the fort for Villareal while both Agudo and Malabanan came through with clutch hits in place of Ebon. "Sabi ko nga sa mga players, kailangan kung wala 'yung isa, kailangan andoon pa rin sila. Kumbaga maglalaro sila dahil gusto nila na tulungan 'yung kasama nila, hindi 'yung nawala na, tapos mawawala pa," he said. "Buti na lang kahit papaano, na-handle namin 'yung situation," he added.Ebon still topscored for FEU with 19

points on 16 kills and 2 blocks, while Heather Guino-o added 14 markers. Malabanan bounced back from a benching in the third set to finish with 8 points. The Lady Tamaraws had 60 attacks and 10 aces, with Negrito alone accounting for six points from the service line. Meanwhile, it was a sorry loss for the Lady Falcons, who were unable to ride the momentum of their wins in the first and third frames.

Eli Soyud led the team with 17 points, while Chiara Permentilla and JOy Dacoron tallied 15 points each. Flora contributed 11 markers for the Lady Falcons, who gave away 42 free points off their errors. In a battle of liberos, FEU's Buding Duremdes was credited with 13 receptions and 37 digs, while Adamson's Thang Ponce had 17 receptions and 21 digs.

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Honor has also included

Honor 10i price As

we

mentioned

earlier, there is no word on the pricing of the Honor 10i, but we are hoping

to

NFC,

Face

Unlock

support, and Android 9 Pie with EMUI 9.0.1 in the smartphone.

hear

For the imaging needs,

something official from

the Honor 10i comes

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with a triple rear camera

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availability,

the

company's official listing

24-megapixel

suggests that the phone

sensor with an f/1.8

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lens,

Honor 10i specifications Currently

listed

on

Huawei store in Russia, Honor 10i sports a 6.21inch

full-HD+

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with

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finish

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on

the

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whereas the Black will have a 3D finish without any gradient. The phone is powered by octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 710 SoC and packs 4GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

Toyota sees rebound after sales hit in 2018

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MANILA -- Toyota Motor Philippines said Friday sales would rebound in 2019, as consumers absorb the impact of higher taxes and fuel prices that resulted in a sales hit in the previous year. The maker of Vios sedans and Hi-Ace vans expects 5 to 10 percent growth in 2019 as the "fundamental demand of the Filipino customers is still very strong," Toyota Philippines president Satoru Suzuki said. The previous year was "really bad" with sales down 17 percent compared to 2017, Suzuki told ANC's Market Edge. Higher taxes on fuel and cars took effect in 2018 under the first tranche of tax reforms. "We are now concerned on how to recover our market share this year," Suzuki said.

Where To Buy The adidas Yeezy Boost 700 V2 “Geode”

March will be a busy month for fans of Kanye West’s Addidas Yeezy footwear. With several new styles dropping, there’s something that’s sure to please even the most finicky lovers of the long-running partnership — and one of the most highly anticipated pairs is the adidas Yeezy Boost 700 v2 eode.” Continuing West’s recent landslide of natural earth-toned releases, the “Geode” combines a dark mesh base with brown leather and grey suede overlays. The abstract Three Stripes graphic on the midfoot — the shoe’s most noticeable difference from the first Yeezy 700 model — features high-vis reflective material, while the midsole is dressed in a dark stone grey for contrast. A thick Boost footbed provides the line’s hallmark comfort, and a classic gum outsole rounds the stylings off with a touch of timeless flair. These new Kanye kicks are set to release on March 23rd for $300 USD, so check a retailer list — that’ll be constantly updated as the release date draws closer — below to see where you can secure your pair.

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IT’S TIME TO END TB IN THE PHILIPPINES Dr. Gundo Aurel Weiler WHO Representative in the Philippines

This year’s World Tuberculosis (TB) Day theme is: “It’s time.” It is an urgent call for action to urge world leaders to keep the promises they made at the firstever UN high-level meeting on TB in New York last September. At that meeting, Secretary of Health Dr Francisco Duque III committed to the bold target of finding and treating 2.5 million people with TB in 2017-2022. Tuberculosis is an airborne disease. About 1 million Filipinos have active TB disease. This is the third highest prevalence rate in the world, after South Africa and Lesotho. It is a highly curable disease. Yet, it is the number one killer among all infectious diseases. Every day more than 70 people lose their lives to TB in the Philippines needlessly. Many of these patients develop drug-resistant tuberculosis, which are more expensive and difficult to treat.

We need to end TB from this planet by 2030. Yet, the Philippines is among the few countries where the number of people with TB continues to increase every year. The Philippines must rise to this challenge and deliver on the commitments that Secretary Duque made in New York. For that, the country needs to run an aggressive and sustained campaign against TB. That is the only way to bend the epidemic curve of TB towards its elimination. It’s time to ask ourselves some hard questions Fighting TB requires us to go beyond the health sector. Are we engaging other departments enough to act and be accountable for their roles in ending TB? For instance, about 100,000 to 150,000 people with TB suffer from catastrophic costs while seeking treatment in the public sector every year. The main reasons for that are loss of income, transport costs, and nutritional supplements. Can the Department of Social

Welfare and Development support patients, using Conditional Cash Transfers, for screening, testing, and treatment against TB? Fighting TB requires the private and public sectors to work together. Are both sectors collaborating with each other enough? About 150,000 people with TB seek care in the private sector every year although most of them are poor. They may do that because of time, distance, and confidentiality issues in public health facilities. They have the right to choose their providers. But unless we support those patients too, we can never achieve the national targets to end TB. Besides, these

patients are more likely to suffer from catastrophic costs due to TB care than those who seek care in the public sector. Can the Department of Health provide advanced diagnostics and drugs for free to these patients within the private sector networks without compelling them to change their providers? Fighting TB requires systematic screening for TB among all highrisk groups, especially in vulnerable communities. Are we doing that enough already? According to the bold and ambitious national strategic plan of the Department of Health, about 6-9% of the general population needs to undergo chest X-ray screening annually. Similarly, 2-

The public – particular the people who live in

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3% of the general population needs to undergo testing with rapid molecular diagnostics annually. Has the Department of Health been able to mobilize adequate quantities of the required diagnostics and drugs to ensure their uninterrupted supply? Fighting TB using an aggressive and sustained campaign requires adequate boots on the ground. Do we have enough of them already? Ideally, the cities and municipalities that have the highest number of missing patients should have dedicated frontline supervisors to coordinate and run the TB campaign. Additionally, all big hospitals should have dedicated officers to coordinate and implement a screen-all policy against TB within those hospitals. This will help to find people with TB early and treat them promptly, thereby cutting the chain of transmission rapidly. Can the local governments deploy such frontline

supervisors and workers quickly? As a nation, it’s time to answer these questions and act Ending TB requires concerted action by all sectors and all care providers. Everyone has a role to play in ending TB – individuals, communities, businesses, governments, societies. Everyone must join the race to end TB by 2030. Can all readers of this article post their ideas on social media using the hashtag of #RaceToEndTB?Can all readers also reach out to their local governments to advocate for adequate financial and human resources to screen all high risk groups with chest X-ray annually and for TB symptoms regularly? In New York, Secretary Duque declared that he will focus on three game-changers: high level commitment, massive screening, testing, and treatment, and mandatory notifications by the private sector. He has appealed to all of us to lend our full support to the Department of

Health. Are we ready to join him in this now-ornever fight to end TB once and for all? The World Health Organization is committed to working side-by-side with the communities, the governments and other partner agencies to wipe out this top killer. The clock is ticking. We cannot lose another day. It’s time to ensure that no one dies of TB anymore. It’s time to find and treat the 2.5 million Filipinos with TB by 2022. It’s time to #EndTB!

Hope amid the water crisis Dr. Jun Ynares We can only commiserate with Manila Water and its senior executives. This past week, they have had to face the rage of a public deprived of one of life’s essentials – clean water coming out of their faucets 24/7. Manila Water’s situation gave everyone a clear lesson on public anger – what causes it, what aggravates it, and what one can do to mitigate it.

the portions of Metro Manila and Rizal province served by Manila Water – have never been this angry, at least as far as we can remember. That public anger was showcased in media, both traditional and social. It was also showcased in the House and the Senate as lawmakers grilled and lambasted the executives of the two water concessionaires and officials of the agency which oversees them. The lesson here is clear: the level of public anger is directly proportionate to the magnitude of the expectation. Anger is the result of the equation where you subtract actual experience from public expectation. The greater the gap between expectation and actual experience, the greater the public disappointment. It is that disappointment which triggers and fuels and the anger of a fuming public deprived of the luxury of a long, daily bath. Manila Water’s problem is that it raised the bar of public expectation quite high.

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It will be recalled that prior to the entry of the private sector into the water distribution business, most of Metro Manila had no regular water service. The residents of Antipolo had to rely on their own deep wells or on water dealers who sold the commodity by the drum from their tankers. The ordeal came to an end when the leaders of Rizal province and Antipolo City welcomed the entry of the water concessionaire into the scene. Residents willingly endured the inconvenience caused by massive pipe-laying activities. When clean water started coming out of their faucets, they were happy. Here, at last, was water supply they can rely on. True enough, clean water came out of faucets 24/7. Initially, clean water coming out of faucets 24/7 was seen as a blessing. Later, it became the standard of service. The public would accept no less than that. In fairness to Manila Water, it met that expectation and kept that standard for many years.Until recently.

When the faucets went dry, the public howled like it had never done before. The disappointment was major; the anger, unprecedented. This is one reality that the executives of Manila Water must face. The public is a very difficult boss. It must be pleased and impressed. Anyone who dares serve the public must understand that the standard of satisfaction gets higher every day. One must not risk disappointing the public. Disappointment makes for a collective amnesia – it makes everyone forget the good done to them. Manila Water President Ferdz dela Cruz has apologized to the public. In fairness to the head of the concessionaire, this is one bold and noble move. Dela Cruz admitted that the company he heads has caused massive inconvenience and has failed the expectation of the public it has satisfied over the past many years. He is holding himself accountable for this painful experience, he said. In our book, that is an act which only a true gentleman can do.We do not know if the apology is premature or has been made just in time. What

we know is that De la Cruz’s’ apology has been lauded by many and bashed online by others. That is the other lesson – the public as our boss is not easily appeased. It may take more than an apology to bring the level of public anger down. De la Cruz also said he is ready to resign in the light of what has happened. Again, this is a laudable move. However, we are more interested in what the Manila Water President will do to alleviate the plight of its customers. Resignation may not be a solution. It may simply lead to an aggravation of the present situation. The public is angry. The problem with anger is that the high emotional state prevents us all from thinking soberly. Sober thinking is key to finding a solution to the water supply problem. Our view is that there is too

much of the blame game at the moment. We would rather hear options that can lead to an end to the problem rather than cries for blood. There has been one effective way of appeasing an angry public. This is the tool called the “Road Map”. A map has a starting point (Point A) and a destination (Point B). Point A is our situation today highlighted by our dry faucets. Point B is our aspiration – to be back to the days when clean water came out of our faucets 24/7. Manila Water should give us the Road Map that clearly explains how we can all get to Point B from Point A. The clarity of that Road Map will create hope. And, during times when taking a long, cold shower something one cannot do, hope will go a long way.

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ICLASSIFIED ADS

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