Accents
By Julia Carreon-Lagoc

Irritants, Incorporated (2)

The  nitty-gritty of living—many will downgrade that to merely existing—has made us all the more sensitive to irritants that have depleted our reserve for patience.  Nevertheless, patience we will continue to shore up because this country is our very own place under the sun, our own to cherish, serve, strengthen, sacrifice for.  Never lose out hope for your country, my long departed father used to say.  There now, I have started with the conclusion to this column.

This is Part II of last week’s column about na-iipon napagkaka-inis.  Yes, irritants gathered for ordinary people such as you and me to do something about, granting that we can. Irritants that call for attention, nay demand action from individuals/authorities concerned.  In the previous article, I pointed out elementary errors in spelling and grammar that shouldn’t be made to linger lest our students will get wrong ideas.  Let me begin with the Divine.  A hauling truck making the rounds in the supermarket is boldly named Devine Mercy.  God may not protest, but please correct the spelling.

More on things godly.  A feedback from Jane C. wants this erased from all the benches in the Molo church:  PALIHOG INDI MAGTAPAK SA LULUDHAN.  She suggests this should be written big at the entrance or flashed on the TV of which several are installed in the church, but should not be repeated in every bench, an incessant reminder that will stick for as long as the paint stays.  In our Oton church, the benches were repaired and re-varnished with all the names of the donors erased, courtesy of Dr. Gil Mediodia.  Thank  you, friend.  Do we really need to advertise our donations, whenever and wherever?   Isn’t the feeling of self-gratification enough?  Novelist Lloyd Douglas says acts of charity and goodwill are more empowering when kept to oneself, not advertised and taken advantaged of.  Goodness shines by itself.

I’d like to toast the smell of food and the inviting display of dishes in the Marymart Mall food court.  One comes out nicely fed before a stop at the Restroom (indeed, a misnomer), to wait in a long line (this building has only three toilet rooms) while trying to ward off the awful smell.  Keep your tissue paper and hand soap; please, just let your toilets flush.|

Following is from  one Analine Bargain, a long feedback printed here unedited.  Her  gripes are justified in all aspects, and understandable.  Some comments are funny and ironic, but how true, how true, I must say.

I read your topic “Irritants, Incorporated” (Panay news Oct. 10). I agree with you about the traffic and the no discipline of drivers, the pedestrians, the children etc.. Because of no police in the streets (better to stay in the police station or talking under the shade) drivers and jaywalking are free. The policemen are the most violator. How many of then driving a car without seat belt or plate number, driving the motorbike without helmet, and the children sitting in from of the driver. We can talk about that long long time…..
I am European (that why my English is not perfect, sorry) and am here from 1996, from this time I notice that the discipline don’t excite anymore in ILOILO.
That is a very freedom country; we can have a car without plate number or hiding it. Sure you can get a driving license only with lagay. You can drive a motor with 4 persons on it (very secure). You can travel outside of the body of the Jeepney even on the roof (very secure). You can pass even if the traffic light is red the traffic enforcer will let you to do it (crossing M H Del Pilar/ Diversion raod).
I will suggest you another topic. The ILOILO City (holes) streets. Have a look of the streets (all of them). Very good to test your car. Have a look on the side walk specially Quezon , Valeria. Very clean and secure to walk. The only problem is you have to see where to put you foot coz plenty holes. The perfume is nice too especially in front of Brgy Sampagita (nice name) Quezon Street.
You can see plenty people splitting and urinating in the streets.
I used to exercise every morning and very surprise that nobody complains about.          What is the duty of Brgy Captain, Councilor, Mayor etc…
Hope you will continue to report about all the problems here.
The politesse of the children (students..…
The high level of study in school
The traffic jam (why don’t make odd/even for the passenger jeepneys).
The parking place on the side walk
The cleanness of the side walk and streets
The daily brownout
The noise inside the mall
The use of overpass
Etc…Etc
Have a nice day

Okay, I end with what I stated in the first paragraph.  Irritants have depleted our reserve for patience.  Nevertheless, patience we will continue to shore up because this country is our very own place under the sun, our own to cherish, serve, strengthen, sacrifice for.  Never lose out hope for your country, my long departed father used to say.  That said, I just hope pointing out these irritants would make a difference, no matter how little.  (Comments to lagoc@hargray.com)