Punchline
Time for congressmen to make their families proud
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
As we go to press, a huge rally is being staged in Makati to express the people’s objection to the plan of the House of Representatives to amend the constitution via constituent assembly minus the senate. In other words, ‘Cha-Cha’ by hook or by crook.
The Catholic Church, Christian and Protestant sects have joined the voices of the business, the youth, the farmers, urban poor sects and reform-minded politicians in opposing the sinister plot of Mrs. Gloria Arroyo and her allies to stay on beyond 2010!
But to Pangasinenses’ serious dismay, we are advised that the stinking resolution being passed around by Mrs. Arroyo’s son, Mikey, has been signed by all our congressmen except 4th District’s Joe de V.
To them, I ask: Where and when will your attachment to corruption end? When will you realize that your means — canine loyalty to corrupt leadership — can never justify the ends?
Obviously, the caveat to them for agreeing to amend the constitution the Arroyo way is an extension of their terms, with or without the mandate of their constituents. So no amount of explanation to rationalize their vote for the Arroyo plan will remove the suspicion that their support was not paid for or bought since the considerations are clearly fraught with political self-interests and preservation with the intent to further corrupt Filipino values and culture.
Not even the promise of more pork barrel will deodorize a vote to support the Arroyo way.
To 1st district’s Arthur Celeste, 2nd district’s Victor Agbayani, 3rd district’s Rachel Arenas, 5th district’s Mark Cojuangco, and 6th district’s Conrado Estrella III, it’s time you help break the rule of corruption. As Speaker Boy Nograles arrogantly yet correctly pointed out, it’s you who will vote, who can make the difference for the country…or damn it for good.
Make our people proud this once. At the very least, make your family proud. Reject the Arroyo way!
* * * * *
SOON, DAGUPAN IN TAIWAN. If our Dagupan bangus raisers and growers think they are being unfairly cheated by local traders who pass off their bangus from other sources as Dagupan bangus, they’ve not seen the worst yet.
And while many Dagupan bangus growers continue to be indifferent to the pollution of our rivers that result in massive fishkill, they have another thing coming that would soon promise the demise of the Dagupan bangus industry.
Don’t look now but the Dagupan bangus that everyone craves for will soon become authentic Dagupan bangus – raised and grown in Taiwan!
Yes, the secret of Dagupan bangus has been discovered and now quietly being replicated in fish farms in Taiwan. They have determined the exact quality and temperature of water, the kind and moisture of soil and type of feed, and the type of fingerlings needed to produce an authentic Dagupan bangus.
Their scientists, researchers and fish growers legally came and went, patiently testing and validating their theories and findings in Dagupan over the years. Now they are ready to give our Dagupan bangus growers a run for their money.
In time, with the Taiwanese’s cutting edge technology in production and refrigeration coupled with their existing wide marketing network, Dagupan bangus will no longer be ours exclusively. It will be like Toyota, Made in USA and Filipinos will lap it up.
Unless the Dagupan City government moves decisively today in tandem with the city’s bangus growers, the industry will be lost for good to the Taiwan growers. Moving decisively means to ensure steady and increased supply for both domestic and export market.
What would that take? First, they must seek to preserve and protect the water quality of the city’s rivers through strict regulation. For their part, growers must learn the discipline not to challenge the limits of environment while they explore and develop more areas for raising bangus.
Secondly, new policies must be adopted to control and regulate the conversion of fishponds in the city to commercial lots.
Thirdly, our growers must organize to study and adopt new technology available in other countries.
Finally, the city government must fast-track the establishment of the processing plant in Bonuan.
Failing to do any of the above, Dagupenos can start preparing their minds to buying and eating Dagupan bangus with aqua-colored tags – meaning grown in Taiwan!
(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/punchline/
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