Good News from Balugo – High School will begin here starting this school year.  The first year has begun with a plan to add 2nd year, etc., next year until we have a four year High School.

The problem is that only two teachers will teach all subjects for First Year students.  Guess funds are lacking to get more teachers.  At least there will be adequate CR’s.

I was so saddened when I watched the relatives of the victims of the sunken Sulpicio Lines ship trying to find out about their loved ones who were passengers on that floating death trap.  I got the impression that the ship owners were more concerned about the money they would lose than the fate of the passengers.  What a pity!  They should lose their license to operate passenger ships.  They even had toxic chemicals on board.  Life sure is cheap here in the Philippines (P200,000 worth).

On a brighter side of life, Balugo is being dressed up with another portion of a cement road being poured this month.  Next on the agenda is a bridge over a river that always floods when heavy rains come.

Had a good birthday party here for May 26th birthday.  How’s that for baloney?  Lots of my favorite beverage to drink – milk?

Health News 

Typhoid Fever is running rampant here these days.  People don’t wash their hands and they drink contaminated, unboiled water.  Been trying for 21 years to educate the folks here to wash their hands but have been unsuccessful in promoting their hand-washing habits.

Well, finally the cheap medicine bill was signed into law by the President.  They say it will be at least four months before we see any effect of the bill when we buy medicine.  So far, the price of medicines remains high.

Why not stop collecting E-vat on medicines?  Of course such action may mean less money in the pockets.  You figure it out.

Until next month, Fr. Tom Welu, MI.