Think about it

By August 13, 2012Archives, Opinion

City in these unusual times

By Jun Velasco

Those things that hurt, instruct.” – Benjamin Franklin

WE bumped into former mayor Al Fernandez and his favourite candidate for 2013 mayor, Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez at Pedrito’s Friday morning.

When Al was asked who of them is running against re-electionist Mayor Benjie Lim, he snappily said, “of course, Belen.”  To which those present including UL president Macky Samson, PPC Acting president Ashok Vasandani and others nodded approvingly.

From nowhere, Davao import Mortz Ortigoza joined, showing a group picture of JdV and other luminaries with M.O. himself who claimed that Councilor Brian Lim “will face JdV, who is considered a shoo-in in the congressional race. “

The political tidbits would show that even amidst the gloom, non-stop rain and floods, politics brews like hot coffee. It’s always a head-turner and works like cocaine, we forget our immediate concerns like the bum weather.

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While listening to Vice Mayor Belen (she speaks good English), a Mc Cann Ericson exec who was holed up at Luchi de Vera-Arcinue and Mabel de Vera-Mendoza’s office, called up for an urgent conference. Sorry, Belen we missed the fireworks – or were there?

Those who say that Belen couldn’t hold a handle to Benjie in a mayoral race should think again, she is fit as a Manny Pacquiao in a rematch with T Bradley. It may be a brawl, and if so, she seems prepared for it.

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Old pal Leo Angeles called up last Wednesday to express his desire to meet the media; instantaneously, we referred him to PPC’s execs Ashok Vasandani and Ging Cardinoza who scheduled him to Media in Action next Wednesday.

Who says journalism is sleeping in Pangasinan?

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With the wholesale damage – deaths and multi billion peso worth of crop and infra damage due to flooding, etc – the 2-week Habagat, we urge our national and local officials to initiate a comprehensive overhaul of our infrastructure system, alongside massive reforestation and river dredging and desiltation.

President Noynoy sounded apologetic for the government’s inability to prevent so much damage – but it’s so far what could only be done in the premises. We can’t blame him since the problems were inherited from ages of neglect and abuse and myopia.

The proposed massive re-do of the nation’s anti-flood infra program should not stop then. It should factor in the possible effects of the much-feared planetary realignment, which, for lack of a better term, is being blamed on climate change.

Why so? Well, aside from the built-in destruction of man’s environmental abuse, the much talked about alignment of the planets, as the Mayans have predicted, should be studied very seriously just as well.

Bob Dylan says “The Times They Are a-Changin,” and others say “ These Are the Times that Try Men’s Souls.” We say, “These Are Precarious and Unusual Times,” for we must try to understand and deal with as best as we can. God will do the rest.

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