Parachute Wearing Govt. Officials? Why not! By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-For several decades now the Philippines is one of the countries in Asia where many of its government officials have met their untimely deaths during official travels on accidental crashes because of some unexpected occurrences of mechanical problems on either helicopters or private planes up in the air; plus the equally untimely death of pilots. Because of undue plane crashes we have loss some good men in the government service. To mention a few President Ramon Magsaysay,Sr. died on a plane crash at Mt. Manunggal in Cebu Province;PHILVOCS(Philippines Volcanology and Seismology) head Raymundo Punongbayan,a Filipino Scientist, died of a helicopter crash while inspecting his office project. And just recently, a newlyappointed DILG Secretary Jesse Manalastas Robredo also died on a plane crash in the sea off Masbate on his way from Cebu City to his home in Naga City, Camarines Sur. All I heard about our planes-helicopters, private planes, cargo planes, passenger planes, jet planes and military planes-is that most of them are second hand possessions. And everytime theres a plane crash that killed passengers including public officials, newspapers reports would always mentioned the illfated plane as flying coffin. Why? If its a flying coffin, why allow it to fly? Let us stop blaming others; let us do something to solve this perennial problem. The abovementioned high government officials were greatly needed by the Government as they have possessed strong characters whose performances in executing their respective duties and responsibilities were coupled with integrity and sincerity. Yet we have loss them unexpectedly. Looking for replacements that would equally meet the yardsticks of the formers characters, knowledge and execution is not that easy. However, some people considered their sudden demise as the consummation of fate, as if fate has a unique way of delivering emotional devastation and deep sorrow to the victims families. No! Let us not make fate the scapegoat of those high government officials who died in plane crashes during official travels to different provinces of the country. Our Government, whoever is in the reign of leadership, at present of which is President Benigno Simeon Aquino 111,should now think of an effective solution to stop or to control the meaningless death of those big people serving on various functions in different government offices and agencies. I have an idea which I considered a novel. I feel and think that this is adoptably workable and doableworthy of putting into realization for the sake of protection and safety to our travelling government officials. What is that? To provide 6 months intensive training on the skillful handling of parachutes to all elected and appointed high government officials by hiring expert instructors in parachuting. The aforesaid intensive parachute training should cover the incumbent President and his Vice, Cabinet members/Secretaries, Assistants and their respective aides, Regional Directors and their Assistants, aides; heads of other agencies, Governors and their Vices who are always be boarding planes (helicopters or airplanes) during official business or travels.

The current administration should not dilly-dally in providing this very important measure in saving the lives of our high government officials. Budget for this program must be deliberated right away in Congress. If legislation is still needed to make this saving measure legal, then our Congressmen should do it now. The wearing of individual parachutes including light lifesavers (in case a troubled plane or helicopter would crash on the sea) would then be strictly required to all government officials who would be traveling on official business within the country. No-one should be given exemption not to wear his/her parachute and lifesavers while on the flying plane. This step should now be included in all the government officials protocol. An official who is not feeling well or has some body injuries that would hurt if wearing the parachute and lifesaver, should not be allowed to travel, even if he/she would insist. Exemptions to this rule are injured persons during emergency who need to be airlifted for hospital treatment. Hitching a ride from any other government official is only allowed if he/she has undergone the 6 months intensive parachute training. The parachute training should start right after the newly-elected and appointed officials have undergone orientations of their works in accordance with their new positions. This suggested 6 months intensive parachute training to all high government officials should be institutionalized and sustainably conducted by every new setting President of the Republic of the Philippines to all newly-elected and newlyappointed high government officials for their protection as saving means of their lives while on official travels In other places of the country.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)