Random Thoughts

BINCE BROTHERS, NOT SO ALIKE. As expected, the provincial board of Pangasinan is never the same again without Sixth District Board Member Alfonso Bince Jr.

This, I frankly told Sir Alfie, in a phone call immediately after the board’s session on July 18. It was like eating bland food, I told the very intelligent and articulate bokal. Matabang!

He laughed and begged me to please erase that impression. But it’s the truth, I insisted.

I also wanted to tell about my first impression of his successor-younger brother, Board Member Noel Bince. But before I could start, Bokal Alfie interrupted me immediately, saying he (Alfie) is a legislator while his brod is a prosecutor.

The two Bince brothers are lawyers.

But he (Noel) was also participating in the discussions, I said. Then I told him about Bokal Noel’s question to Vice Gov. Ferdie Calimlim’s ordinance establishing the Center for Pangasinan Studies.

Bokal Noel’s question focused on the budget for the Center. He wanted it fixed, say a minimum of P3-million to a maximum of P10-million so that it would not be abused (by some magicians in the Capitol perhaps).

Bokal Alfie laughed. I said it was a sensible question. Bokal Noel was just being realistic.

Then Bokal Alfie said he hopes his media friends would also be kind to his brother.

“That remains to be seen, Sir,” I told him curtly. “You have to teach him many things, Sir,” I said, “especially how to become a favorite media topic.”

Bokal Alfie is a natural media charmer because of his wit and intelligence. I’m not aware of his generosity though (on money matters) but I’m 100 % sure he has vast knowledge on many things and was always the one who asked the most relevant questions during their sessions, especially Question Hour.

One thing I noticed about Bokal Noel last Monday was, he doesn’t act like most veteran politicians do, his kuya included: His face is not gracious.

Oo, magkapatid sila Bokal Alfie at Bokal Noel, pero syempre hindi sila pareho sa maraming bagay. In the meantime, manood na lang muna tayo.— Tita Roces

SCARY REALITIES.  The surrender en masse of drug personalities (pushers and users) not only in Pangasinan but in the whole nation, is as clear as day that we are facing a big serious problem in this country.

From where I am vacationing down under, I’ve read police reports that some 2,000 drug personalities or more who have surrendered so far, and the number is still growing.

This is really an indication that illegal drugs have infiltrated even the remotest barangays in towns and cities with drug dealers and their cohorts having their field day unmolested by the police.

Were it not for this administration that vowed to clear the country of illegal drugs, we would find ourselves waking up one day to our shock that we have an uncontrollable situation similar to that of Mexico and Columbia which, we all know, are now ruled by dreaded drug cartels and whose big sections of population are now enslaved by illegal drugs.

So, this drug war waged by the current administration since day 1 may be right after all, given the fact that too many of our people are already hooked on drugs and others even made the illegal drug as their regular source of livelihood.

From where we are now, on the verge of turning into a narco nation, a mailed-fist policy is what we really need, not the kid glove policy that previous administrations had applied, which drug syndicates exploited to the hilt.

Thanks to President Digong. He’s saving the whole nation from total ruin because of drugs.

But surrendering is only a ceremonial act. Those who surrendered are being sent home, not taken into custody by the police.

The government should process them medically as well and determine who should be sent for rehab immediately if only to help ensure that the self-confessed drug users can return to normal life as productive citizens.

It is, indeed, easier said than done because drug rehabilitation has its costs. But it has to be done. – Leonardo Micua

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