Playing with Fire
Reconciliation thru Jayceeism
By Gonzalo Duque
THANKS to the Chinese New Year, we, Dagupenos, had a grand time discovering what a wondrous thing the Children Park has become! Parang Disneyland!
We should thank Mayor Belen Fernandez for it.
Kung Hei Fat Choi!
There’s Chinese lineage in almost all of us. And we should be proud of that fact.
Do not forget that unlike the other foreign invaders – the Americans, Japanese and Spaniards – the Chinese came here to trade, to engage in commerce, to buy and sell. Not to subdue. We all know this by the artifacts we unearth here and there.
The Spaniards, well, they planted the seed of Christianity on our soil. Beyond that, no more. They even destroyed our identity, killed our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, and taught us how to be “mangiras” (lazy). Their philosophy is “how sweet it is to do nothing and then to rest afterwards.”
Before the Spaniards came, we had a thriving trade and commerce with China. We had our own government in tribal communities. What we got from the Chinese is mutual respect. They respected our local independence.
Ang mga Amerikano? Hmm… even after they “gave” our independence, they saw to it that we have Parity Rights. So, what independence are we talking about?
It’s in this sense that we enjoyed the sight of Chinese and Filipinos enjoying themselves at the Children’s Park on the Chinese New Year’s Eve.
It’s still fresh in our memory, way back in the 50’s when Jun Velasco, our neighbor columnist, and us used to play at the plaza, it’s there where we learned to bike. Simple pa ang Dagupan Plaza, pero maganda.
Some people suggested that we light up the Seniors’ Park too. We jokingly said, tama lang na maaliwalas ang Chuildren’s Park kasi they symbolize sunrise, while yong Seniors, sunset.
Biro lang ha!
* * * *
Ok, this one’s for you.
Vice Mayor Brian Lim and all the councilors paid Mayor Belen a visit recently. Their agenda: to secure her cooperation to make the Jaycee National Convention in 2015 a grand success. Nice move. Mukhang gumaganda ang scenery and scenario, ha?
If you look at the New Year’s tarpaulin, magkasama na ang mukha nina Mayora at VM Brian. Ok, maganda.
Sana… sana… kasi baka nag gagamitan kila labat?
Take it from one who has been a victim too many times ng mga masisilib. If you show sincerity, better be sincere. Mahahalata ka rin.
While we wrote this, we were told that Brian did not show up at the New Year event at the Children’s Park because he was in Tacloban kuno.
Ano bay an, Brian! Once a year lang and Chinese New Year!
* * * *
Do we see some fiends, err…, friends visiting Belen in sheep’s clothing?
Ows, if we knew the Indira Gandhi of Dagupan, she is several steps ahead.
Kaya kayo, nanlapu tilad tan ed Jaycees, Jaysiken tila, if you offer a hand of friendship, better mean it for your own sake.
It’s our hope though that this Jayceeism revival in Dagupan will signal the restoration of the JC monument, which was incidentally ordered removed by then Mayor Benjie Lim for traffic reasons. Very ironic because he was former Philippine Jaycees president. So what was taken away by erpat, the son will restore.
Ok naman! Providential!
Another thing, we hope, you, Brian, being Bangus Jaycees president, should take the first step to really promote unity in the JC’s, by, first, making the JC’s Inc., the orig chapter in Dagupan, co-host of the 2015 national convention. After all, and this, no one should NEVER forget, the Bangus Dagupan chapter won the hosting bid from the national board under the presidency of a local boy, Ryan Ravanzo of Dagupan JC Inc. He is JCP national president.
Singa ginawan kanen awa?
Ok, mga igan, agkayo mansisinti, ta payong kapatid lang ang sa atin.
Anta tayon amin met no anto so sengegan o lamot (root cause) na agpantatalusan na JC’s, ya singa agawad Varsitarians. Atay saolan, siliban, backbiting.
Some people don’t know how to play the game fair and square. But, mark our word, sooner or later, they will pay for their crime.
Oh, yes, past is past. We must move on.
Just a word of caution: ag yo met bababoyen so maong tan masimoon ya piaarap nen mayora ed sicayo. No sarag yoy manoperate, mas sarag to ya!
Ontan labat.
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