7 -11

Every night at half past 7, my husband and I would gather our kids, who are all studying in 3 different schools in Manila, before we drive back to Paranaque. While the distance is just less than 20 kilometers, it would take us about an hour and a half to travel home. 

Anticipating the long travel, it is not unusual that we would find ourselves eating dinner or sampling treat of different cuisine restaurants, carinderia, fast foods and even street food vendors.

Last Friday was no exception; we initially wanted to grab some treats since hunger pang set in. I wanted tuna pandesal while the girls wanted instant noodles, snacks that would last us until we get home. I saw the instant rice meal and decided to order tapsi, got one tocino for my son and beef for my girl and another rice meal for the little one.

Although the meal was cheap and instant, it didn’t bother us at all that we had to fight for a small table, eat in front of a busy group of college kids. What mattered then was that we were complete, we had our usual exchange of  each other day’s stories and most of all that we were complete and safe in each other’s company. Like I said, that kind of happiness is something money cannot buy. Thank you 7-11 for offering such a safe haven for us.

Ultimate Decision Makers

Over lunch, my colleagues and I swapped opinions on many issues.  One of which was the contention on which office is best to issue suspension of classes when there is no storm signal but there is continuous rain resulting to flooding. 

Micro blogging site, Twitter articulated the convenient conduct for it.  It eloquently tracked tweets:           ‏@Abi_Valte Text of EO 66, Section 2: Localized Cancellation or Suspension of Classes and Work in Government Offices, here: http://bit.ly/A0J45C, and @gmanews: #Banner Palace: LGUs should cancel classes by 4:30am http://bit.ly/MrjCsz".  LGUs received lashing for taking time easing in to the new protocol,  "@TV5manila: Palace scolds mayors for late advisories on class suspensions. ".

As parents and/or guardians, who are also working in an Academic Institution, we found it hilarious bordering on dullness of mind, the strong declarations from one mayor when he said, " @cesdrilon Mayor Lim to parents: Use your common sense in making judgment whether your kids should go to school or not.", and ‏@ANCALERTS Robredo: Suspension of classes has been localized. Maraming lugar na nababaha kahit walang storm signal.". 

We agree with Secretary Robredo that it must be the city mayor to declare suspension, assuming a mayor woke up early and surveyed his territory, at the very least main thoroughfares leading to Intramuros and Ubelt, both locales of big colleges and universities, he could already assume the responsibility of calling off classes because thousands of students, not necessarily residing in Manila, will traverse flooded streets. His accountability is not centered only on students of both public and private schools but employees of government and private entities. 

However, we found it outrageous that both Mayor Lim and Secretary Robredo said, “ultimately,     parents are to decide whether their children should go to school or not”.  

Don’t they know anything? We could not help but enumerate the reasons why it  is purely absurd to conclude this:  @jjunbana claims, “ Kids  do  not  trust  their parents.”.  While @obgines shared, “my  kids believe our neighbors  more than us.”.  He added his kids  would even shout out a neighbor’s  news flash!

What is even funnier, this mom of three, dean of the  biggest  academic department and multi-degree holder, does not  have the command  compared to  her children’s teachers. Who could  win  with, ‘Ma, my teacher will be angry if we are absent, or she will give a quiz.”.  Worst, you get the “ Ma, I can’t be  absent, we are not excused.".