No need to say sorry

By Alex P. Vidal 

“I’m sorry, if you were right, I’d agree with you.”  — Robin Williams

I THINK there was no need for the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) to apologize to 2024 Paris Olympics two-gold collector Carlos Yulo and his family when IPHO used the 24-year-old sports hero as poster boy in the campaign to promote free vasectomy in Iloilo over the week.

If the IPHO did not violate any law or capitol and Department of Health (DoH) policy in the campaign to promote free vasectomy, nothing should prevent them from riding on the euphoria ignited by Yulo’s greatness in the World Olympic Games just like what many others in the Philippines did—and are still doing.

Everyone in the Philippines was excited and overjoyed; private companies, food establishments, learning institutions, rehab centers, religious centers, military camps and police stations, government offices and ordinary workers and students touched and mesmerized by Yulo’s gold-winning moments had mixed feelings.

They all wanted to celebrate the historic moment and, in one way or the other, connect with Yulo and the World Olympic Games. That’s human nature and human pride. Yulo’s glory is the glory of the entire Filipino nation.

What’s wrong if they included Yulo’s photo as they congratulated him and at the same time promoted vasectomy as one of their centerpiece health programs?

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In a Facebook post, the IPHO announced:

We, at the Iloilo Provincial Health Office, extend our sincerest apologies for the recent social media ad campaign that featured two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo as the poster boy for promoting vasectomy. 

It was never our intention to misrepresent Mr. Yulo or imply any personal endorsement from him. We recognize that our choice of imagery was inappropriate and may have caused confusion and offense. We deeply respect Mr. Yulo’s achievements and his contributions to sports and did not seek to undermine his personal or professional image in any way.

We are committed to promoting public health initiatives with sensitivity and respect for all individuals. As we strive to improve our communication strategies, we will ensure that our future campaigns are conducted with the utmost care and consideration.

We sincerely apologize to Mr. Yulo, his family, and all those who were affected by our actions. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Frankly, Yulo and his family, as well as majority of the Ilonggos, wouldn’t complain.

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I hope violence, whipped up by anti-racism protest, would be over when I arrived in the United Kingdom (UK) next month.

As we have seen in the news this past days, protesters took to the streets across the UK to counter a spate of far-right rallies planned to target immigration centers.

After days of violence spurred by disinformation around a deadly stabbing attack, police had braced for another night of unrest on August 7. But by the early evening, thousands of counter-protesters had gathered at more than a dozen cities to guard the immigration centers and prevent them from being targeted by the far right.

“There are many, many more of us than you,” CNN reported the crowds chanting, with virtually no far-right supporters in sight. The fizzling out of the planned protests came as a major relief to the new Labour government, and for communities that had prepared for the worst.

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The email I received from New York Governor Kathy Hochul, which she also sent to other New Yorkers, stated:

Alex, We’re putting money back in the pockets of more New Yorkers. This week, I announced we’re delivering $350 million in supplemental payments to low- and moderate-income families statewide through the Empire State Child Credit program:

Over 1 million families will receive this financial assistance without any need to apply. Each eligible family will receive up to $330 per child. That means a family of 5 could see $1,000 dollars this month for groceries, baby formula, and so much more. Take a minute to hear what this will mean for families across our state from Lisa Chin of Mount Vernon, New York:

Our work is far from over. I’m New York’s first mom governor and from expanding tax credits to increasing access to childcare assistance, I’ll never stop fighting to address the cost of living for working parents and help them create a brighter future for their kids. Ever Upward, Gov. Kathy Hochul

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