PANANAW MULA SA PALASYO

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has earlier suspended the processing of work contracts for Nigeria. This is well-justified considering that Bacani's case is the tenth in accumulated kidnapping cases involving OFWs since last year. At least forty-three Filipinos have been victimized as tensions, particularly in the Niger Delta, continue to prevail.

Petrochemical industries manned by foreign engineers and skilled workers are concentrated in oil-rich areas near the delta. The great inequity in wealth and power has resulted in the formation of armed groups allied with an emancipation movement. Unfortunately, these rebels supposedly with a cause, have also given birth to lawless groups out to sow havoc for commercial gain. Thankfully, the Philippine government was able to recover our workers such as Bacani without having to deal directly with these rebels. Again, we convey our people's thanks to the Nigerian government for helping Albert Bacani regain his freedom.

Kudos also to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Undersecretary Esteban Conejos of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs and to our ambassador and embassy personnel in Nigeria for another job well done!

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My family wishes to thank the team of doctors who cared for my sister-in-law Leila when she underwent quadruple bypass ‘beating heart surgery’ which, unlike traditional heart surgery, no longer requires the heart to be stopped during the procedure. It is also referred to as “off-pump” bypass surgery since the heart is not placed on a heart-lung machine. The procedure is less invasive and is recommended for patients who have medical conditions such as diabetes, history of stroke, or poor physical health. With this procedure, the patient is expected to recover more quickly, suffer less trauma and avoid cognitive and neurological consequences, such as stroke.

We are truly grateful to Drs. Ramon Diaz (cardiovascular surgeon), Antonio Cayco (nephrologist), Adoracion Nambayan-Abad (cardiologist) and Thelma Crisostomo (endocrinologist).

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Veteran broadcaster Bong Lapira and his wife Millie invited us to try Mickey’s Delicatessen, a new and increasingly popular restaurant along Jupiter Street, Makati, owned by their daughter Nadja and son-in-law Michael Beck who is the chef. The attractive restaurant was teeming with people on the evening we visited it. Michael graciously asked us to sample some of their specialties: Nürnberger sausages, which are among the best selling items on the menu, locally farmed ham, which tasted very much like prosciutto, and corned beef, which was, in our estimation, just perfect.

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