Energy Sec. Jericho Petilla tendered his resignation after failing in his promise to light up all Yolanda devastated areas on or before Dec. 24. That's what we in the old days called "palabra de honor."
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It's good to know that PNoy knows and respects the old Pinoy virtue of "Palabra de honor." Today there is so much "palabra" no "de honor."
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We were not prepared for Yolanda. "It's now too late to talk about preparedness," said one radio commentator (not Bobby N. nor Leo L.) But a fourth grader said: "It's never too late to be prepared, you never can tell..." Bright Boy, this kid. And he's not even a Boy Scout.
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Yolanda has taught us a lesson. A Spanish friend, a journalist, said the Spaniards have a saying that goes: "Forewarned, forearmed, to be prepared is half the victory."
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When Phuket in Thailand was hit by a tsunami some five years ago, among the victims was a Cebuano-Boholano couple who operated a commissary store for tourists (for Phuket is a tourist town). Their store was among those wiped out by tsunami.
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The couple, George and Linda, e-mailed relatives in Cebu and Bohol that they envied the typhoon victims in Leyte: "Tibuok kalibutan man mitabang sa mga biktima sa bagyo diha sa Pilipinas kami diri wa gyud tawon."
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A male nurse of my acquaintance told me about one observation he has in the hospital he has been working in for five years. He said every after the New Year's eve festivities there was a rise in admission of patients most of whom were complaining about heightened BP or blood pressure, raised blood sugar count, etc.
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OVERHEARD. After reading in the papers that houses -- bunkhouses -- have been built for the typhoon victims who lost their homes, two wives of taxi drivers who are both Warays said they would try to pose as typhoon victims and try to get bunkhouses for their use. The husband of one of the women was angry: "Gusto gyud mo gabaan unya ig-on og laing Yolanda?" Replied the wife: "Ay simbako-simbako, tiaw-tiaw ra kadto."