The Catanduanes Tribune


Vol. XX No. 48	February 07, 2001	Virac, Catanduanes

Headlines

Major Developments

The Catanduanes Tribune

Rawis, Virac

Catanduanes,

Philippines - 5001

Tel. No.:

   (052) 811-1267

   or 811-2640

Fax No.:

   (052) 811-1267

E-mail:

Cattribune@cs.com



Publisher-Editor

Edwin A. Gianan

Advertising-

Circulation

Manager

Simeon G. Cueno

Web Master:

Richard T. Revelar

Calgary, Canada

INSIDE PAGE

by Fernan A. Gianan

Our loony senators

A perusal of the Philippine National Policed provincial command's accomplishment report for the past year reveals that only over P1.2-million was made available by the regional command to the Catanduanes police to support its administrative and operational activities.

Considering that only 15 percent or a measly P230,000 of the fund is left with Camp Camacho, and the balance of slightly over P1-million is divided by 11 municipal stations, taxpayers should not wonder if our law enforcers are not too happy to go after every malefactor in the island. Why, it would be embarrassing to compare the operational budget of Camp Camacho with the MOOE of a single department in Mayor Cito Alberto's administration!

Somehow, our local leaders should endeavor to find ways to augment the operational requirements of local police forces, instead of using their expertise and time in useless, politically-flavored exercises.

While publishers of newspapers and broadcast magnates are salivating at the prospect of millions in income from political advertising this coming campaign period, they and the people should worry about an innocent-looking provision of the proposed law lifting the political ad ban.

Aside from the provision banning the publication of election polls and exit surveys, our learned senators have inserted a controversial provision which allows members of Congress to stay at their posts even when they are running for other positions in the May 14 election. This insertion should be removed outright for being unfair and for granting undue advantage to sitting congressmen and senators to the detriment of their electoral opponents.

It allows them to use the power and perks of their position in gaining an edge over their foes. Nobody in the Armed Forces can deny a request from a sitting senator or congressman for the assignment of a Special Action Force unit in his province ostensibly to prevent campaign violence.

Sometimes we wonder if the framers of our laws are in their right minds when they insert a provision which is totally alien to and estranged from the purpose of the proposed law. If they are indeed loony, blame ourselves. We voted them into office, they're just doing what they think are good for themselves, not for the people.

Considering what happened to Fr. Joseph Saratan, now recovering from injuries suffered during the recent explosion of a leaking gas tank at the convento, households are advised to check their own gas stoves to prevent similar incidents.

The two-burner gas stove we buy from local stores usually come with a factory-supplied rubber tube that is connected to the gasul tank via the regulator. Part of this rubber tube near the stove wears out within two years of regular use. The rubber tube actually softens due to heat and oil exposure that pinching it with your fingernails would actually make rubber come off the tube. The consequences could be fatal.

The only solution would be to replace it with a new one. But there's a better replacement being sold by Pedro Tan of Tanstep - hard rubber tubing encased in plastic-coated steel spirals. The only kink is you have to remove the two thin iron clamps and replace it with four pieces of sturdy hose clamps similar to those used in auto engine tubings to make sure that no whiff of gas leaks out.

One other source of potential fire or explosion is the LPG regulator itself. The frequency with which one uses up and replaces gasul tanks would determine whether the regulator would still be safe to use. In an average household using at least one tank per month, the regulator should be checked for leak after two or three years, whether you use the pressed or screwed types.

The rubber cap of the end which is stuck into the gasul tank is usually compressed after two or three years and therefore may not actually prevent gas from escaping while the tank is in use. Indeed, a gram of prevention is worth a kilo of cure.