Just Like You and Me, Mabilog Also Needs A Job

By Alex P. Vidal 

“Whatever your life’s work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.”  —Martin Luther King, Jr.

ALTHOUGH House Speaker Martin Romualdez remains to be arguably one of the most disliked if not hated faces in the Philippine politics nowadays, we have no problem with former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog becoming his “special” adviser.

Some Ilonggos may not like Romualdez, but they like Mabilog. If he was not forbidden by law, Mabilog would have actually run and won again as city mayor in Iloilo City.

Since his return to the Philippines after a harrowing eight-year hiatus abroad to protect his dignity and save his life from former President Rodrigo Duterte’s murderous rampage, Mabilog hasn’t landed a job that would make him a productive member of society.

Even if he has wealth, the former city mayor, just like anybody else, definitely doesn’t want to be a burden to his family, particularly to his ever supportive and moneyed wife, Marivic.

We all need a job; we need to work in a civilized society. Rich or poor, we need to eke out a living to pay our basic bills and as a necessity for our survival, as it provides the means to obtain basic necessities like food, shelter, and clothing.

We are obligated to contribute to society because individuals benefit from the contributions of others and Mabilog, even if he is reportedly “rich’, isn’t exempted to the rule, so to speak.

Work facilitates our learning and development, helping us realize our potential.

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Humans are a working species, as are most animals. Living is about being busy, be it foraging for food and building shelters, or designing marketing campaigns or rocket ships.

A lesson from Big Think tells us that “technology and automation will continue to free us from some of our tasks, but it will also create new ways to keep us busy.”

Computers may optimize many of our everyday activities, adds the Big Think, but we still sit in front of them for most of the day. Avoiding our phones for more than an hour seems unthinkable to most.

To be free is, in a sense, to be able to choose how to commit our time. Whatever our individual choices (and social privileges) are, we make sure we keep busy one way or another.

Technology and automation may change our choices, but not our needs. Work is a way of exercising our freedom.

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I received another email from New York Governor Kathy Hochul which she also sent to other New Yorkers: Alex, Your family is my fight, and I’ve been working hard to put money back in your pockets, make it easier for you and your loved ones to get ahead, and protect your communities. From Albany to Washington, D.C., that’s exactly what we’ve been doing.

I’ve told President Trump himself: I’ll work with him when it means getting big things done for New York. But if he comes after New Yorkers, their livelihoods, and their rights and freedoms, I’m going to fight for what’s best for New Yorkers.

From protecting abortion rights, to stopping federal overreach on congestion pricing, to standing up to the tariffs, we haven’t just been fighting for New Yorkers. We’ve been winning those fights.

As the kids finish up school, the weather gets warmer, and the days get longer, I hope you’re able to focus on the things that matter most in life: Spending time with loved ones and making great memories in our state. I’m going to keep fighting for you every day. Ever Upward, Gov. Kathy Hochul

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FROM CityMD: If you’ve noticed your asthma acting up, a lingering cough, or your breathing feels off, you’re not alone. New York and New Jersey are currently under an air quality alert, and these poor conditions can cause symptoms—especially in people with asthma, allergies or other respiratory issues.

CHECK-IN DEADLINE. United Airlines customers who like to cut things close may be in for a rude awakening. Starting June, the carrier changed its check-in deadline for domestic flights to 45 minutes before departure. That includes passengers with only carry-on bags, who previously had to check in a scant 30 minutes before the gate closed. Customers traveling internationally were required to check in at least 60 minutes before departure. It’s also the 100th anniversary of the first flight of the Goodyear blimp. On June 3, 1925, an airship built by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company named “Pilgrim” took to the skies over Akron, Ohio.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)