A recent visitor to the island had a negative comment about the civilian security at Virac airport.
The balikbayan from Virac who now lives in the metropolis took a brief vacation in the island and went back three days later.
As expected, her luggage contained local delicacies but lacked one more goodie that arrived late.
By the time the package arrived at then house where she was staying, the visitor had already checked in and was already at the departure lounge.
The package was brought to the airport where the visitor’s relative was prevented from entering the terminal compound as part of the security protocol.
The flight left on time, with the unhappy visitor ruing the delicacy left behind.
As told by one of the relatives to this writer, the airport security could have done better if only to maintain the province’s image as a Happy Island.
The guard at the gate could have asked the one who carried the package the name of the passenger and had the latter paged via the public address system and asked her to come to the gate to get the package.
Perhaps the airport manager could discuss this small matter with the civilian security so that this incident would not be repeated and visitors would depart with fond memories of the island.
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Until now, the Vatican has yet to select the member of the clergy who will replace Bishop Manolo Alarcon delos Santos, who has reached retirement age but has been kept in his post as caretaker.
In a recent conversation, the island’s top religious leader said that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has already forwarded to the office of Pope Francis a list of three recommended successors.
The delay in the selection of a new bishop in a diocese is normal, Bishop delos Santos said, as even Archbishop Rolando Tria Tirona of the Archdiocese of Caceres, who turned 75 in July 2021, is also waiting for his replacement before he goes into retirement.
The bishop of Virac said that once his successor is installed, he will go back to his native town of Caramoan in Camarines Sur to spend the rest of his years.
Incidentally, the upgrading of the national road from Guijalo, the town where motorized bancas from Cabcab port in San Andres dock, to Naga City is almost complete.
Bishop Manolo said that only a stretch of about 200 meters remains unpaved, the completion of which would finally realize the promise of a shorter travel to the CamSur capital.
Two more projects connecting Catanduanes to the mainland remain unimplemented.
One is the submarine power cable project proposed by former Cong. Hector Sanchez which was pushed by Transco during the past administration. Nothing has been heard about the project since it was publicly opposed by Rep. Eulogio Rodriguez, who claimed it is not yet the right time to implement it.
The other is the 10.7-kilometer Friendship Bridge that would link the island to the mainland. The DPWH has already completed the feasibility study and has presumably submitted the same to NEDA for consideration.
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THE CRYSTAL BALL. During a recent outing in New Orleans, a woman sneaked off to visit a fortune teller of some local repute.
In a dark and hazy room, peering into a crystal ball, the mystic delivered grave news. “There’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll just be blunt: Prepare yourself to be a widow. Your husband will die a violent and horrible death this year.”
Visibly shaken, the woman stared at the fortune teller’s lined face, then at the single flickering candle, then down at her hands.
She took a few deep breaths to compose herself. She simply had to know.
She met the fortune teller’s gaze, steadied her voice, and asked, “Will I be acquitted?”