184 Forest Fire (1/2)
The typhoon was forecasted to have maximum winds of 205 km/h and gustiness of up to 255 km/h. Even if PAGASA did not yet classify it yet as a super typhoon, it remained to be a powerful tropical cyclone with a huge diameter of 900 kilometers.
Dr. Aijohn looked out far beyondthe window worriedly after he watched the news. Though typhoon occurences in Palawan, specifically inplaces closer to their plantation, was rarely heard of,but during the last onset,this cost the life of Hailey. He couldn't understand what he felt. All of a sudden,a mixed feeling of fear and loneliness crept into his heart.
Dr. Grace saw him and she walked towards him right away. With an arm wrapping around his waist, she looked up to him.
”Dear,is it about Hailey or the plants? ”
Dr. Aijohn looked down on her. Having stopped from her work to personally take care of her twins,she gained some weight but still herattractiveness remained.
”I'm sorry,Gracie. I just remember it suddenly. I'm also worried for the farm and the possibility of a great damage. As of now,we are again running out of stock due to the high demand. Those plants have unique characteristics. They never grow outside the forest soil. ” Dr. Aijohn honestly explained.
”If this typhoon would cause damage to the plants,how long can we restock and how long can we still provide?” Dr. Grace asked.
”All our available stocks right now are already allocated to those who are currently enrolled. We can no longer accept new patients. We cannot dare to let them start and not complete it. It would be too risky. The people would surely put the blame on us. ”
”How about our farms abroad other countries? ”She asked further.
”We have already signed an agreement with the government agencies about product allocations amongthose countries we have penetrated. Each farm is allocated to group of countries as agreed. For example,Phillipines and other designated Asian countriescan only get fromPalawan production. ”
”I see. What shall we do now? ”She asked while pushing her head into his chest.
”After this current batch, we cannot accept another set should anything bad will happen to the farm.” Dr. Aijohn patiently answered.
Dr. Aijohn never allowed Dr. Grace to involve herself in the business. His own bitter experience of a broken home wouldn't allow his own conscience to put his family into a similar risk. He didn't like the idea of having his kids grow up with a nanny alone. He believed that parents should be there in their most critical period of growth and development especially during the formative years. To spare her from boredom,he allowed her instead towork in a hospital as a reliever.
While they were still discussing about the coming typhoon,another horrible news struck them.
”A huge forest firejust broke out thirty minutes ago in Oriental Mindoro, consuming an estimated 15 hectares of land as of this moment. It is thought to be caused by a lightning but speculations have it that it could be caused by some angered individuals who were being refused with the treatment course of Hailey's Pill.”
Dr.Aijohn sanked in his seat. Another bigger problem had set in even before the onset of another threat. That particular place held one of the biggest areas of their plantation. It would only mean another closure of Hailey's Pill treatment course for a longer time.
Though Palawan contains one of the largest, longest and the most diversed rainforest throughout Southeast Asia,there are still many areas which are not penetrable due to danger threats.
Soon,Dr. Aijohn's calls had been non - stop and for the next hour,he had beenengrossed into answering and making lots of calls.
An emergency meeting was held and the final decision was made. The current enrollees would be entitled to the remaining products on hand but they must announce a temporary closure of accepting another batch for the treatment course. A quick inventory was done and indeed,the remaining bottles available could not even complete one course of treatment. The harvest time was still six months after and thus,there was no way to have it continued.
After the meeting,Dr. Aijohn was left alone in the conference room. He was really saddened by this natural calamity that would crush down the hopes of those who were quieing up for the treatment. Those plants weren't just wild grass to be easily grown.It needs to be cultivated. It required specific care and attention to make it thrive. And most of all,it required a specific time before it could be harvested and processed.