Here’s the good news.

I heard in a news report on television that 40,000 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) recipients have voluntarily asked to be taken off the list of beneficiaries because their lives have already improved.

Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo said they asked to be taken off the list so that others who are in dire need may benefit from the government program as they did earlier and expressed deep appreciation for the government’s assistance.

They just cut the 4,091,590 households that are benefiting from the program as of December 31, 2021 to 4,051,590, more or less.

However, there are still those that are applying for the program. And Secretary Tulfo said they will be reviewing the list of beneficiaries as they have received reports that some of the recipients have been using the funding other than its intended purpose.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) was created as part of the Philippine government’s social protection system to curb poverty in the country.

There are indeed some who are still considerate enough of others’ plight when their situation improves.

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A bit of sad news.

Although the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) has broached the Clark Freeport Zone as a biker-friendly zone, some businesses there still have not come around to providing facilities for bikers, such as parking racks or spaces for bikes.

I personally had that experience several times. Once at a bank and another time at a fast food chain that has provided bike racks with seats but have no staff taking the bikers’ orders.

Too bad. My biker-friends and I, as well as throngs from neighboring cities, towns and provinces are regular bikers in Clark.

But at least the bike lanes in Clark are free from vehicular traffic; except for the occasional motorcycle that would park in the middle of the bike lane.

In Angeles City, the bike lanes are a convenience for bikers. And motorists as well. Why? The bike lanes are being used as parking for cars, trucks and tricycles as well as convenient loading and unloading areas for public utility jeepneys.

Motorists also need to be educated a wee bit more about bikers. They seem to be racing with cyclists and cutting the cyclists’ way when making turns. I have encountered this several times as well as my biker-friends. My nephew even suffered a bent handle bar, scratches and bruises after he was cut by a turning jeepney. What did the driver do? Nothing. He merely scratched his head. What did they driver say when he kept pushing me to the side of the road to park? I had to stop to give him way and to avoid being an accident victim.

He stopped as well; then glared at me. We get that a lot.

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Mekeni Food Corp. has got incredible stories to tell.

From a regional meat processing company, it recently went international after its products made it to the US mainland, thanks to the efforts of the Mekeni management led by President Prudencio “Pruds” Garcia.

He narrated during the recent weekly Capampangan in Media Inc. (CAMI) Balitaan at the Bale Balita in Clark how the circumstances for its entry into the US seemed to fall into that it was much easier than they thought.

At the time Mekeni decided to export their products to the US, starting with their marine-based street food products fishballs and kikiam, there was also the Super Bowl. A few days later, their US customer called and asked about their tocino.

Here is another case of “everything falling into place” as at the time the tocino shipment made US shores, the Philippine Consulate General’s Office in New York, led by Consul General Elmer Cato, has having an event for Filipino caregivers and housekeepers. Pruds was given time to speak and gave samples of Mekeni products to the guests. The guests savored the products and immediately felt closer to home as some have not been able to go home due to COVID-19.

Braving the three risks in New York — the pandemic, the rash of hate crimes and monkey pox, Pruds and his managers were able to tell their story and how they managed to coast the series of disruptions, from Pinatubo, the Asian economic crisis, Asian Swine Flu, the pandemic, among others, to come out better and stronger.

Mekeni’s mission is not really all about business but about caring for and helping the community and helping others by inspiring them with their story, including other their fellow meat processing companies whom they see as part of the community and not competitors.