Anti-dry faucet ordinance

Netnet Camomot

IT must be the bangus that inspires Pangasinan to have interesting laws.

First, some villages in the town of Binangonan implemented the anti-tsismis ordinance last January.

Now, there’s the “anti-distracted walking ordinance” against people who text while crossing the street in Dagupan City.

There are videos of texters falling into manholes and basements, or bumping into walls and light posts, and the Pangasinense don’t want to have a part in any of that.

How about a law to ensure water is available 24/7 for water district customers? Oh, that’s for Cagayan de Oro. That is, if only there’s such a law. But there’s none. So, while Marawi’s displaced residents are waiting for the siege to be over, Cagayanons living in the western side of the city are waiting for water to return to their faucets.

Western customers are now saying blackouts are easier to deal with than no water. But Cepalco should not take that as a thumbs-up sign. A blackout in this age of climate change deserves a protest like the ones that both the yellows and the president’s fans have been staging. People Power is so ’80s—been there, done that, ho-hum—but street protests are still the norm in expressing angst since they have impact unlike morphing into an emotional eater, drowning angst with burgers, fries, and regular soda.

A leaked pipe is the story behind the headlines for the dry faucets and there’s chika that since a new water supplier is about to take over, the old one is not as keen anymore with its repairs and maintenance.

Recent protests in the US, however, have not been anti-blackouts, but considered as racist since they’re staged by white supremacists that are presumably anti-blacks.

It’s the 21st century, it’s time for the world to focus on climate change and having a wonderful world, but people keep returning to tsismis and racism while convincing potential believers to choose their side. Pathetic, eh?

These tsismosas and racists should have learned by now that moving forward is the key to progress.

The Marawi siege is one depressing example of the inability to move forward. Its main battle area is mostly reduced to rubble. Why would anyone, even an extremist, want to have a room with that rubble as the view—that’s the question.

There are people who reassess their life on their birthday, or during the Christmas season which is from September to January in Pinas, with New Year’s Eve as the one laden with resolutions. And there are people who reassess their life every ten years, right before their 30th, 40th, 50th, and other end-of-the-decade birthdays.

We’re guessing extremists reassess their life, too, but that’s after each war and siege, with the aim to improve their system of annihilating everyone except themselves. While white supremacists reassess their life after each protest, with the aim to bring bigger tiki torches next time. This misuse of tiki torches prompted at least one manufacturer to say, “We do not support their message or the use of our products in this way.”

US President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy must have inspired these white-supremacist rallies which are not setting a good example for a world that’s now dealing with extremism.

But exclusivity is difficult to implement especially with Elon Musk sending an unmanned spaceship to Mars next year and Nasa planning to send humans also to Mars sometime in 2030. Other planets don’t require visas from earthlings, so, it’s understandable for human beings to prefer discovering life outside of Earth than to gather requirements for visas to the US, Japan, and Europe.

Venus is the nearest planet to Earth but it’s as habitable as hell, thus, the earthlings’ preference for Mars despite the nine-month travel. If you’re pregnant by 2030, join Nasa’s phenomenal vacation and give birth nine months later to a baby with a truly alien visa.

This “America First” policy has somehow left Puerto Rico, a US Territory, to fix its own post-hurricane problems. If only Musk will instead focus on Earth’s climate change first before shifting his focus to Mars’ climate. But he has his priorities.

Mayor Oscar Moreno also has his priorities and that include seeking temporary restraining orders against the many cases filed against him. If only his detractors will realize it’s now his turn to shine, then, there will be peace in the city.

How about an anti-detractor ordinance in Pinas? Much like anti-tsismis, but with more angst.