Eduardo Pontaoe
20 Mar 2007

 

This not-so heartbreaking story of the doctors Calimlim is not new. Been going on among Filipino doctors who flaunt their profession on money they make… the houses they own, the cars they drive… with complete disregard to common decency. Because of greed which they assumed they are untouchable they crossed the line of impropriety.

The cultural belief the Filipino brought to America that you can get away with anything got them entangled with the system. They forgot this is America…..everybody gets a place in the sun. Get caught you pay and the force of justice will knock your head off unforgiving. The Calimlims are not the only one who got caught in the spider web of American justice. There were doctors who did time and their assets confiscated. But, most of them are in the ghetto doing business among the poor, the unemployed who get their medical coverage thru MEDICAID.

Also, the fad right now is insurance fraud and the insurance industry is up to their noses to keep up. Accidents were set-up and the occupants file claims with a doctor in the scheme. This is how it works. Filipino doctors form a medical practice deep in the bowels of a city’s blighted neighborhoods where even the police have second thoughts to get in, establish a clinic with the pharmacy thrown in. This is absolutely legal but how they bill the state of services rendered and drugs prescribed was the problem. It came to the open the speed of which these doctors examined a patient is way out of standards. With the amount of patients seen in any given day the government found out a doctor only allocates 30 seconds to look at a patient and diagnose his/her sickness.

Likewise, these clinics recruit the winos, the bums off the streets to be prescribed with drugs and it came to the point that these practices became so blatant that drugs are given away everyday…yes, everyday… to the same patient. It created an atmosphere where drug abuse became a problem. Because of the indictments and convictions these practices came to abrupt halt. It takes a beating for them to learn.

On second thought, Filipino women living in bondage to these exploiters of what is right are still aplenty out there. The worse place you can find them is in the care giving industry…dominated by Filipinos…where people in America with expired papers are in abundance. It’s a pity how Filipinos can do to their own kind.

Jess Delfin
20 Mar 2007

 

There’s no excuse for the Calimlim couple who took advantage and enslaved the poor, largely uneducated Filipina for 19 years. They are greedy SOB’s. It would have been just a drop in the bucket for them to pay the poor Pinay the proper wages and help her become a legal resident. Both of them being highly educated people, doctors at that, should have known better. The fellow Pinoys in Wisconsin who defended them make me sick. These two criminals should have been given longer sentences, or better yet, should be made to serve their 4 year sentence as servants in prison. And they should be deported after they complete their sentence.

Jose Ceralde
20 Mar 2007

 

We can not have it all. The Philippines has nice weather with warm beautiful beaches, rolling fields, and lush trees that bear sweet varieties of fruits. Above all, most of our kabaleyan are warm and ready to welcome us. While here in the USA, especially in New Jersey because of the fast pace of life, the cashier is always ready to say next! As for the cold climate, it comes with real hard knocks, we have to shovel snow just to drive out of our driveways. Oh, my back is still aching from the 24 inches I cleared off my sidewalk. For those who have not experienced this task consider yourself lucky. In some winter days we have people dying in the streets or in their homes because of the cold.

Yes, we have lots of things positive in the USA but our motherland is still #1 to me. Even with the dire political situations most of our forum writers have accurately depicted. If you do not believe me, try going to Grand Forks North Dakota when it is blowing snow and it is -32 degrees below zero. Just put on three layers of heavy clothing.

So let’s keep cool during the show of the stars, boxers, and taipans for the comet will quickly pass before our eyes.

Jess Delfin
20 Mar 2007

Mr. Jun Velasco,

If I have to believe the last paragraph of your column, then it confirms that some Pinoy voters are totally ignorant that “they follow what their family elders or barangay ward leaders dictate”. Your tip for the over-optimistic candidates to watch their backs SHOULD HAVE been an advice to them to perform their jobs with integrity and transparency if they get elected.

Why you have to appear a ‘kiss up’ to Imelda Marcos is beyond me. May I remind you that she and her husband is a dark chapter in the Philippine history? There’s hardly anything to “Think About It” in your column. May I suggest changing it to “Rumor Central” instead?

Jess Delfin
20 Mar 2007

 

How could anyone be so blatantly arrogant to start a multi-million peso construction without the prerequisite permits? Couldn’t the city engineer’s office levy penalty to that company? One can only suspect that the city council members are a bunch of incompetents who are being played for fools by the mayor, and much to the mayor’s delight, they are taking the screwing without much of a protest.

Whoever disburses (the city treasurer?) the funds to pay for this building must be in the mayor’s pocket (or payroll). Money (read BRIBES) must have changed hands that these parties are hell-bent to start this project without the required documents and permit. The mayor must have thought that the Dagupan city folks are a bunch of fools as well that they won’t demand any explanation and transparency on the city’s expenditures.

We must be thankful that the Sunday Punch is making this anomaly known. The question now is: Are the city council members just making the requisite complaints but really are in conspiracy with the mayor? Or will they wake up from their drunken stupor and ignorance and stop this anomaly? Will Dagupan city folks demand an explanation?

Let’s see if there’s some semblance of responsibility that would come from the city council members. The Dagupan city folks deserve better representation from these people.

“Abangan ang susonod na kabanata”.

Alex De Guzman
20 Mar 2007

To begin with, I’m from Dagupan’s little Island of Salapingao. I found out that the Director of Dept. of Interior and Local Gov’t is Expedita Callanta. Please find out what is her maiden name because I know someone way back in the sixties in Orient College… her name is Expedita Ganaden and I’m one of her sister La Paz’s classmates. Thanks so much for your help.

Elpidio Viray
20 Mar 2007

 

We are going to celebrate Pistay Dayat again. Still, those financial reports from previous fiesta are still nowhere to see. Calling Councilor Aquino, Councilor Reyna.