Death really could come in the most unexpected places.

My neighbor and dear friend, Ernie Cericos, battled against a lingering illness for a couple of years after retiring from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). He survived that battle and life in retirement was then so beautiful for Nong Ernie.

During the last political exercise, Nong Ernie cris-crossed the province in support of the gubernatorial bid of his brother, Bobby.

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Nong Ernie is not only a dear brother in the Couples for Christ, he stood as one of our staunchest political supporter. In several times, he and wife, Nang Nita, did not only lend a helping hand but also acted as second parents to us.

Then we left last Thursday morning still seeing at a glance Nong Ernie doing his early morning chores as we drove past to the city pier en route to Bais City.

We were just so shocked to learn while in Dumaguete City on our way back here yesterday morning that Nong Ernie, 69, succumbed to a very untimely demise after a very bad fall while cleaning the roof of their house late last Friday afternoon.

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We could not understand why Nong Ernie has to do the cleaning himself. We were told that his attention had been called for four times by Nang Nita to come down and stop the cleaning.

But as they say, when it's your time, it's really your time.

The remains of Nong Ernie, whom we will surely miss a lot, now lie in state at the Coop Funeral Homes this city. We grieve with Nang Nita and their children for Nong Ernie's demise. He may be gone, but Nong Ernie will always remain as a dear and true friend deep in our heart.

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The ramifications to public health following the passage of Republic Act 9349, otherwise known as the Anti-Hospital Detention Law could be felt by the public earlier than expected if no compromise could be reached between hospital owners and the government sector.

The potential source of conflict is just so awesome that each side could not compromise its interest - the survival of private hospital operations on one hand and the protection of public health on the other hand.

We hope that in drawing up the implementing rules and regulation of RA 9349, the Department of Health should involved the private hospital owners in order to strike a balance of interest. Otherwise, the new law will defeat its own purpose.

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With his position at No. 11 already fortified, renegade soldier Antonio Trillanes will be proclaimed as the newest senator-elect in this republic which is definitely going bananas.

The election of Trillanes, detained for leading the failed Oakwood Mutiny and facing a criminal charges for the crime of coup d' etat, is a message so loud and clear to Malacañang that millions of Filipino voters do believe Trillanes in his advocacy against the Arroyo administration.

For how can Trillanes do his task as a senator of the republic, attend Senate sessions by remote control?

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