There will be two stories to watch out for on November 4 and 5.
Headline story, of course, would be the outcome of the US elections. The whole world anticipates in suspense. Will we see history in the making, if Barack Obama wins? Or will we see a status quo if John McCain wins? Let’s see. Certainly, I cannot wait!
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The other story is here at home. A small ferry boat had capsized off Masbate this afternoon, killing at least 40, according to reports. I trust that the authorities will do the appropriate action and investigations. The ferry appeared to have sailed in relatively good weather, so there seems to be no violation of maritime laws — unlike the case of the ill-fated Princess of the Stars of Sulpcio Lines.
Still, the perpetual question would be: was the ferry overloaded? Were other procedures not followed?
While the local broadcast media have yet to report and provide a clear explanation from the experts, CNN’s resident meteorologist and weather anchor Mari Ramos (who is Nicaraguan-American, and not Filipina as many would mistake her for), provided a sensible initial explanation to what may have happened.
She says that given the location of the Philippines and its geography, strong winds may have gotten much stronger after being funneled through narrow channels between different islands. Mari Ramos showed the strait between Masbate and Sorsogon, which indeed could be a funnel.
Let’s see what our very own PAGASA would say about this — and let’s hear their (similar?) explanation later tonight or tomorrow.