Culture shock for the Laquians

It is truly incredible, the naivete of ousted Presidential Chief of Staff Aprodicio Laquian. Didn't he know that it is a no-no to play around with his Big Boss, the President himself? And to do it so publicly, in a newsman's forum, is definitely a mortal sin. Apparently, it was intellectual arrogance that did Laquian in.

In less than an hour, Laquian did what President Estrada's critics have been trying to do from Day 1 of the Erap presidency. Laquian confirmed that President Erap is just like any ordinary mortal, with the frailties and foibles of any ordinary human being. And to think that Malacañang propagandists have been trying so hard, for over a year now, to show that Erap is several notches higher than the ordinary mortal. That he is a President at par, or even better, than his predecessors.

When Laquian and his wife Eleanor surfaced in the political horizon, some perceptive analysts suspected that the couple are not going to last. Somehow, their utterances and actuations showed that they belonged to a different political culture. That they stayed in a place several thousands away from the Philippines heightened the suspicion that they would be devoured by their present and potential foes.

It is both sad and amusing to find the predicament faced by the Laquians. Now, they would have to pack up their bags and take leave from the Arlegui Guest House, where they stayed for just a few days. Now, they might try to regain their Canadian citizenship, and take the first possible flight out of their place of birth. Now, they would have to work mighty hard to explain away that embarrassing episode where their balloons suddenly burst.

L'affaire Laquian demonstrates anew the flaws and loopholes in the appointment process. In the case of Prod Laquian, were efforts exerted to determine his behavioral mindset? Was there an attempt to find out if his working style jibes with that of President Erap? On top of all this, did Malacañang's talent searchers try to determine if Laquian really, truly and fully knows -- repeat, knows -- the current political landscape in the Philippines?

I have bad news about Rudy Geronimo, the 18-year-old boy from Olongapo City, who contracted leukemia because of the toxic wastes left behind by the Americans at the old Subic Naval Base. After he finished six chemotherapy sessions, Rudy's situation has not improved at all; in fact, it has deteriorated. He is now suffering great pain, with tumors on his head, face and other parts of the body. The boy is going through severe pain, and there are strong indications he is homeward-bound.

As pictured to me by his doctor, Rudy's situation is similar to what I saw of another cancer victim, 21-year-old Isagani Juviar of Cebu City, to whom help was extended by the Good Samaritan Foundation for his chemo sessions. When I saw Isagani in his hospital bed at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City, I knew he was going. He had a large tumor on the left side of his face, tumors on his leg, and he could hardly breathe.

To comply with Isagani's urgent request, I transferred him to a private hospital. Conferring with his doctor, who confided to me that Isagani was a few days away from death, I decided that no more life-support system be applied on the youngster. His doctor and I agreed that no more aggressive medical treatment be undertaken, and that Isagani be allowed to go to his Maker in peace. Just as his doctor said, Isagani passed away five days after I left him in the hospital where he was transferred.

In Rudy Geronimo's case, the decision has been made to take him from the UST Hospital and bring him back to Olongapo, his place of birth. It appears that only a miracle can save Rudy's life. Probably, this is God's will. Yesterday, my staff in the Good Samaritan Foundation were preparing to withdraw the amount needed to enable Rudy to go back home.

It is sad that just a few days ago, the Good Samaritan Foundation gave an additional amount of P5,000 for Rudy's last chemo session. Apparently, his series of chemo sessions failed to arrest the spread of Rudy's cancer cells, Well, we tried our best to enable him to win his battle against the Big C. As of today, the Good Samaritan Foundation had appropriated some P140,000 for Rudy's treatment, in addition to the donations given directly to the Geronimo family.

Thanks a million, and God bless the following kindhearted individuals who, despite hard times, have shown again their desire to lend a helping hand to their less fortunate fellowmen, through the Good Samaritan Foundation.

* An anonymous lady who donated P1,000

* Chua Family of New Manila, Quezon City, P2,000 (Asiatrust 019286)

* Ms. R.A. of New Jersey, USA, P5,000

* Belen R. Cacnio of Los Angeles, California, USA, P2,000 (thru BPI Check No. 1236735)

* Wilma Agra Diaz, P1,000 (Metrobank 0152528)

* Gay Basilio, P4,000 (Bank of Commerce 0065805)

* A.T. of Quezon City, who sent his wife to personally hand over P2,000 (Metrobank 0110039), and who wants to assure fellowmen in need that they have brothers and sisters who are willing to lend a helping hand.

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It is a pity that there is no strong and effective consumers' group that can protect millions of local consumers who are often victimized by the producers and sellers of consumer products. Had there been one, housewife Marcelina Santos would not have gone through such hassle, just to get what is due her from Health Plan Philippines Inc. (HPPI), of which she is a bonafide paying member.

When she fell ill during the first week of January 2000, Santos was confined at the UST Hospital, hoping that she could avail of her HPPI. The company confirmed that the lady was, indeed, a member of HPPI. Thereupon, her medical tests and treatment began.

After the surgery, HPPI told Santos that it would not cover any expense at all of the sick lady. HPPI claimed that Santos had signed a waiver, freeing HPPI of any obligation. Troubled and distressed by that call, Santos became more sick. Just to get her out of the hospital, the lady's relatives borrowed money from many people, just to settle the P80,000 bill.

The Santos family feels that Marcelina was "tricked and robbed" by HPPI. The lady could not even be brought back to the hospital, for the stitching of her wounds, because her family has no money to pay for the process. "We hope that we can find justice for what happened to us, and we hope that others will know what HPPI did to us, so that they will not fall prey to deceptive practices of unworthy companies," Gilbert Santos, the lady's son, told Cora Alma de Leon, in his letter-complaint, appealing to the CSC chairman to intercede for them with the Insurance Commission.

Art A. Borjal's e-mail address: <[email protected]>