Insatiable and a spoiled brat

By: Alex P. Vidal

“Man is insatiable for power; he is infantile in his desires and, always discontented with what he has, loves only what he has not. People complain of the despotism of princes; they ought to complain of the despotism of man.” – Joseph de Maistre

ARE the ongoing woes being experienced by at least 12 government hospitals in Iloilo a result of the late reaction to seriously address the dengue cases?

Was the May midterm elections the culprit?

If the elections weren’t held two months ago, health and local government officials probably would have given full attention to the deadly virus and ample preparations would have been sufficiently made earlier.

The reported pill over of dengue patients in these hospitals that resulted in shortages of beds means the government was caught unprepared when dengue was wreaking havoc.

As early as in September 2018, the Bacolod City Health Office already reported seven deaths mostly children aged 3 to 11; one was 23 years old.

 

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Also in February 2019, the Department of Health in Central Visayas reported that 28 have died of complications arising from the dengue fever virus since January 1, 2019.

The regional epidemiology and surveillance unit of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) reported that from January 1 to February 16, 2019, they have recorded 3,681 dengue cases, which represents a 233 percent increase when compared to the 1,105 cases recorded over the same period in 2018.

Meanwhile, all the 12 Iloilo government district hospitals are facing a crisis after 1,984 dengue-related patients have been admitted as of July 9, 2019.

The number swelled only about three days after Gov. Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. signed an executive order on July 5, 2019 declaring a dengue outbreak.

 

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The last time I interviewed Alan Peter Cayetano was in June 2015 at the Philippine Consulate in New York City.

He was then a senator and trying to coax would-be presidential candidate Rodrigo R. Duterte to be the former Davao City mayor’s running-mate.

He got what he wanted from “Tatay Digong.”

Cayetano wanted to become vice president but was badly clobbered by now Vice President Leni Robredo and second placer Bongbong Marcos.

The son of the late Sen. Rene Cayetano had also wanted to become a senate president but fellow senator Koko Pimentel dashed his dreams to pieces.

But when he wished to become the foreign affairs secretary, this time Alan Peter Cayetano got what he wanted from “Tatay Digong.”

 

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When Alan Peter Cayetano left the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)-with a not-so-impressive performance–he ran and won as the representative in Taguig-Pateros in the recent elections.

Now an elected congressman, insatiable Alan Peter Cayetano wanted to become the House speaker.

After so much jostling and cajoling, the spoiled brat of Philippine politics again got what he wanted from “Tatay Digong”–albeit a term-sharing deal with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.

Alan Peter Cayetano is perhaps the only Filipino politician who thinks a public office is a Ferris wheel or a tour bus.

He is both insatiable and a spoiled brat under the Duterte administration, and this made so many people suspect that he is not really sincere in public service and only wanted to establish a record in government service for himself.

We won’t be surprised if, after they have mangled the constitution and change the system of government on the behest of President Duterte, Alan Peter Cayetano will next aim to become a prime minister.

 

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)