By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
The dogs of war have been unleashed. It is like the genie being let out of the bottle. The consequences cannot be foreseen, much less controlled. We have to be ready the best we can as the effects, in no time, will hit us hard. Already, gas stations have raised their prices. Then the domino effects. The third world war might now be with us.
My heart goes to the victims of war on both sides, as we cry for those who come within the ambit of the phrase “collateral damage.” Innocent third parties who have nothing to do with the war. Their only fault was being at the wrong place, at the wrong time.
The best preparation for any war or any unfortunate event are ourselves and those of our loved ones. If the latter were raised in luxury and uncalled for comfort, they will suffer the most.
Being healthy and able is the best preparation. How can we provide for our dependents if we are incapacitated?
Scarcity will hit everyone, the best situated are the farmers who own their parcels. At the very least they will have something to eat. Then come the self-employed whose livelihood will survive or even thrive during conflict times.
As to employees, a lot will lose their jobs. Those with the government might be the last who will lose theirs.
For those living with health issues, there will be too much trouble and suffering. Looking at patients who are too weak due to old age or other causes they have to be escorted by a relative or somebody else, I always mutter, what a life. Luckily, except for the first two days, I was strong enough to go by myself to the dialysis center and to go home with the woozy feeling afterwards.
The five hours each session I have to spend doing nothing there but to tinker with my cellphone, so many things play in my mind. What if there was an earthquake? Or a fire? Now there is the war. Surely, patients can survive in the short term. But what about the long term including the aftermath?
It will be very difficult due to the unfortunate situation of our country particularly our having to import most of the needed medicines, chemicals and other hospital needs.
In my case, there is an expensive pill I have to take daily imported from Singapore. There are two that come all the way from Germany and the rest are from India. That is the effect of the stupidity of our leaders and politicians.
Such can be shown by our being the supplier of vaccines around Asia long ago. That capability was given up and the factory site now hosts the malls at Ayala Alabang.
Perhaps I can still live in a prolonged war. It would mean, however, living with issues that will worsen and eventually lead to….. death. I am better off than many of my dialysis classmates and there are a lot of them.
In hindsight, the best preparation for dire situations is having good karma. Or being lucky. Being a good person, including as a good Samaritan assures that.
Too late? Better late than never. For life will keep going on and there is such a thing as afterlife or next life.
Sometimes we think that next life is so far away. But it can be just around the bend. So GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE.**
