For want of space in this issue, we are giving way to two news items of import to readers.
In Panganiban town, a delivery rider’s failure to observe the basics of motorcycle operation led to his death last Sunday morning, Sept. 15, 2024, along the national highway in barangay Sta. Ana.
The Panganiban police station said that LJC Logistics Services courier Charlie Oliveros Villafuerte, 26, of barangay Mabini, who was not wearing a safety helmet, was driving his Yamaha Sniper 155R motorcycle on his way to deliver parcels to clients when he noticed that he forgot to properly stow the side stand.
As he tried to use his left leg to push the metal stand back to its proper position, he lost control of the motorcycle that then crashed on the concrete pavement.
Villafuerte’s unprotected head hit the low concrete barrier at the road shoulder, causing severe injury. Although the victim was brought to the nearest hospital, attending physician James Victor Molina pronounced Villafuerte dead shortly before 1 PM.
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On a more relevant matter, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced recently that the province’s inflation rate slowed down to 4.0 percent in August 2024, compared to the 5.6 percent recoded in July.
The PSA Catanduanes Provincial Statistical Office attributed the downtrend to the decrease in the price index of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages (5.4 percent), and slower increases in price indices of Transport (1.9 percent) and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels (0.4 percent).
Lower inflation rates were also noted in Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance (4.1 percent); Information and Communication (0.1 percent); Education Services (0.3 percent); Restaurant and Accommodation Services (3.3 percent); and Personal Care and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (6.5 percent).
With Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages as the main contributors to last month’s slower inflation at 63 percent, the PSA said the deceleration in food inflation in August 2024 was mainly due to the year-on-year decrease in the price index of Rice as well as that of Ready-made Food and Other Food Products.
However, a faster annual increase was noted in Meat (up by 2 percentage points); Milk, Other Dairy Products and Eggs (+1.9 points); Fruits and Nuts (+2.7 points); and Flour, Bread and Other Bakery Products (+0.8 points).
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Last Monday, during the moderate to heavy rains, some schools suspended classes on the basis of DepEd Order No. 37 s. 2022, par. 2, that allows suspension of on-going classes during heavy rains, with everybody sent home “if it is safe to do so.”
Was it correct for schools to suspend classes and send pupils home when they are obviously safer inside their rooms during heavy rains that later on ceased by 11:30 AM?
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ADOPTED SON. Fred came home from the university in tears. “Mum, am I adopted?” he asked.
“No, of course not,” replied his mother. “Why would you think such a thing?”
Fred showed her his genealogy DNA test results. No match for any of his relatives, and strong matches for a family who lived on the other side of the city.
Perturbed, his mother called her husband. “Honey, Fred has done a DNA test, and… and… I don’t know how to say this… he may not be our son.”
“Well, obviously!”
She gasped. “What do you mean?”
“It was your idea in the first place! You remember, that first night in hospital when the baby did nothing but scream and cry and scream and cry. On and on. And you asked me to change him. I picked a good one I reckon. Ever so proud of Fred.”