The past two weeks have been devastating to the Rama family because last week, we buried a relative, a first cousin, in particular Concepcion “Connie” Rama Revilles, whom we lost due to complications caused by diabetes.
Connie was into hemodialysis already as a matter of fact and had six sessions when she died in her sleep at home at the Rama Compound.
Connie was one of the children of the late Pantaleon Revilles, a former provincial commander here in Cebu of the Philippine Constabulary, and the late Ressurecion Rama Revilles, my mother’s sister.
As we just buried Connie Revilles last week, I was informed by my younger sister Chingbee that another cousin, Pura, died last Saturday evening. Pura was the eldest sister of Annabelle Rama and the late George Rama.
The late Pura Rama Donal was a resident in Australia and died in Australia. She recently came to Cebu and had her dialysis but eventually went home to Australia to have her illness attended to because the dialysis there is free.
But Pura’s daughter informed us that her mother had already refused hemodialysis because I know she had gotten tired of it already and had been suffering so much pain from the dialysis.
So the last few days, the end was already expected because Pura had decided not to continue with the dialysis. So to the respective bereaved families of Connie Rama Revilles and Pura Rama Donal, our condolences and may Connie and Pura rest in peace.
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I don’t know if many of us Filipinos are aware of the condition of Aleppo, Syria because if one has been watching CNN, there are reports about the tremendous devastation of the place brought about by the war between Syria’s forces and the rebel forces plus the fight against Isis.
Aleppo is so devastated, its buildings and homes are mostly destroyed by the bombings of Russia on the pretext that it is bombing enemy forces, especially Isis.
My heart goes to the people of Aleppo especially the women and children who are victims of the war in Aleppo. As a CNN reporter said, there is no winner in the war of Aleppo.
What is unfortunate is that there is no humanitarian aid that entered Aleppo because of the war while a US-Russia sponsored ceasefire that took effect did not last because Russia reportedly violated what has been agreed on.
Most of the aid intended for Aleppo failed to reach the intended beneficiaries because the trucks were bombed. It is doubly difficult to bring humanitarian aid to Aleppo because of the ongoing war in the area.
Today there are hundred of thousands of Syrian refugees who have sought refuge in the nations in Europe and many have died by drowning in trying to seek refuge in other nations especially in Europe.
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I am happy that Councilor Joel Garganera filed a Writ of Kalikasan against the city government for their violation of environmental laws when they opened the Inayawan dumpsite.
I think this is the best option taken by those concerned environmentalists against the city government in order to test the resolve of the authorities to protect the environment and the people affected by the dumpsite.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña has repeatedly defied the recommendations of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Health (DOH) and City Council.
It is hoped that the Court of Appeals would settle the issue on the reopening of the Inayawan dumpsite.