Memorial day in the USA

Tomorrow, May 31, is Memorial Day, a federal holiday in the USA for honoring the members of the United States Armed Forces who died in the performance of their duties. It is always observed on the last Monday of May and all throughout the United States, various ceremonies are held - from parades, flags flying at half-staff, decorating military graves with flowers and flags - all designed to pay tribute to the sacrifices made by these fallen heroes.

As it is a long weekend in late spring, Memorial Day is also considered to be the unofficial start of summer. Thus, Americans take this time to go outdoors and enjoy a family get-together, barbecue parties, going to the beach or just simply hanging out with family and enjoy the three days off. This year's Memorial Day will be very much different than last year. As millions of Americans have already been vaccinated and with states easing the rules on masking and other COVID-19 related restrictions, this day may also very well be the first holiday that Americans could celebrate with more sense of normalcy. Regardless of how one chooses to spend this day, let us not forget the very essence of Memorial Day and even for a brief moment pause to say a prayer of appreciation to the sacrifices of our military service members and thoughts of gratitude to their families as well.

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President Biden has sent to Congress his budget proposal for 2022 to the tune of $6 trillion that increases spending on projects such as climate change, education, infrastructure, economy and other fiscal priorities. In immigration, $52 billion is sought for that, according to the DHS secretary, would pay for spending on the preventing terrorism, securing the borders, repairing the immigration system, improving cybersecurity, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and strengthening national preparedness and resilience. Not all immigration advocates are happy. Despite the lax implementation of policies on deportation and arrests, many are concerned about the allotment for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which for years now, pro-immigration progressive groups have sought to clip its powers.

It is still a guessing game if the $6 trillion proposal would even be considered by a highly-divided Congress. Republicans have already declared the proposal dead on arrival as the envisioned budget would increase the deficit, total national debt, and projected tax increases. Democrats, on the other hand, praised the proposal describing it, in the words of Sen. Bernie Sanders, as the "most significant agenda for working families in the modern history of our country."

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We are now into more than a year in this pandemic. We assume that everyone must have already learned by now how to handle this global tragedy in ways within our control. It comes as an embarrassment for our national and local government leaders to bicker on policies that, quite simply, should have been smoothed out long time ago, in principle and in practice.

What is happening in the latest tussle between the national IATF and the local Cebuano leaders is a prime illustration of how uncoordinated the COVID-19 response is. There is too much assertion of political control by one over the other that results in not just mere inconvenience but also severe economic hardship not only on the passengers but also in the business community as a whole. I hope that this issue on international flight diversion will be resolved after the meeting between Governor Garcia and president. This problem cannot wait a day more without being fixed because of the gross negative impact it has on the overall economy of not just Cebu but also the neighboring regions.