Think about it

By December 8, 2014Archives, Opinion

‘Defense system’

Jun Velasco

By Jun Velasco

 

“The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”- Psalms 34:17

 

NATURAL disasters are occurring everyday all over Mother Earth. They have become ordinary events.

The frequency makes one wonder if they are an “advance party” of a Bigger One!

The Good Book has repeatedly warned of Bad Times, but most of us, mortals, don’t put up any defense system. We shrug them all. After all, Mama Paniong, good old neighbor, is not at all bothered by the blows of outrageous fortune.

Taking things easy, leaving them to bahala na attitude are much easier to do than obeying Nick Melecio’s tsunami primer.

But watch out! The scientists, the Bible and the all-too-clear evidence of what are yet to come like raging Typhoon Ruby in the South are bashing the town. Better be armed with an umbrella (just like the Hong Kong-democracy protesters are doing) before you get wet and leave for good this living business.

Don’t say we did not warn you!

*          *          *          *

We heard Mar Roxas was in Dagupan last Thursday. He was, according to our informant, to have a meeting with Cong. Gina de Venecia, Mayor Belen Fernandez and Bishop Soc Villegas.

We were in Baguio to meet an important person on that day.

If you ask us, Mar should be our next president. He has a great lineage and our databank says he is not corrupt unlike many politicians, you know. Oh yes, the elections are still a safe one-and-a half years away and it’s too early to indulge politics, to paraphrase the common line of politicians.

*          *          *          *

We missed that dinner invitation at Ciudad Elmina by our college chum Arsenia Maramba-Valdez, our sister at “The Crackerjacks.”

Arsie was a salutatorian grad of DCNHS 1960 and a University of the East Accountancy graduate, magna cum laude, just like another, Crackerjacks member, the late Conchita Carvajal-Deloso.

Oh, yes, another Crackerjack, Arlene Paras-Macaraeg, also of U.E., graduated cum laude.

Over a cup of brewed coffee at Pedritos former Mayor Al Fernandez confirmed Arsie was his high school classmate, but only in the freshman year.

Al moved to Don Bosco in Manila the following year.

How did Arsie and us get in the Crackerjacks?

To quote member Nelson Tandoc, former DBP-Dagupan manager, “birds of a feather flock together.’

Other members of Crackerjacks were Dr. Doc Coquia, Dr. Cesar Llamas, former Consul Jose Rueca, businessman Norberto Untalan (uncle of Mark John V. Mapanao), Col. Helen Aquino-Sabado, Ms. Zeny Cuison-Almendares, and ….please bear with our aging memory.)

Welcome home, Bernard and Arsie!

With Al around, your Dagupan vacation would be perfect.

*          *          *          *

Our meeting with a John Maxwell student, John Paul Peralta, 35, turned out to be a brief exchange on leadership and management principles that the world renown guru has been ardently teaching to managers and leaders.

Today, you will hardly find a business manager’s office without a hardbound John Maxwell book. And to think that J.P. had been Maxwell’s student in the flesh in his school in the U.S. and a lecture in the Philippines.

JP credits his John Maxwell immersion and his own mantra “to be the best that you can be” for his fruitful management of Café de Manila.

Over breakfast at Dagupeña, JP said, to the delight of his north-central staff, that he intends to create millionaire among each and every member of his official household.

More than just marketing the café, which is a grouping of the world’s A-1 herbs, JP uses tried and tested leadership and management principles that his staff has so lavishly enjoyed and absorbed.

Back to Homepage

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments