Playing with Fire

By November 7, 2010Archives, Opinion

Learning from the American experience

By Gonzalo Duque

PHILADELPHIA, USA –Sorry, folks, for missing two issues.

We were on a nonstop swirl of activities here, visiting family members, friends, learning centers and hobnobbing with educators and diverse personalities from the West to the East Coast.

We just had a party at the residence of former Mayor Al Fernandez’s daughter Nikki, now Mrs. Dayrit here. Al doesn’t show any sign he was defeated in the last polls at all. Very healthy with wife Mina and son Councilor Alfie, Al as usual was the life of the party, which is full of reminiscences about goings on in the Philippines especially Dagupan.

News about the deaths of Tony Manas and Boy Balingit reached us sad. They were our personal buddies, especially Boy, a close friend of our elder brod Dr. Ado. Seguro nag kakape sila ngayon or noong All Saints Day sa taas.

Life is really a mystery. We should be prepared always to face our Maker.

*  *  *

You must have seen on TV and read in the papers what happened to President Barack Obama’s party mates in the House of Representatives elections. It’s now clear the US’ 2-chamber Congress will have a House divided, with the senate still dominated by Obama’s party, while the Lower House in the control of the Republicans.

It is our hope that President Pnoy will not go through the same fate of Obama. We’re confident he won’t because out there – in the Philippines – ours is not a two-party system.

Plural party system, and so being personality-centered, most of our politicians make an exodus to the party of the president.

It is suggested that this early we should now prepare for a unicameral chamber. Let’s have Congress to avoid gridlock, now the bane of American politics.

We understand the recent barangay and SK elections there were marred by extravagance and violence, as expected. The suggestion that we do away with the village elections should be studied. Maraming mga opisyales hindi marunong mag-conduct ng miting, kasi walang alam ng Roberts Rules of Order. They do not even know how to prepare a budget. Oido- oido lan amin, that’s why public funds are squandered left and right.

Dagupenos here are excited about the coming of SM in Dagupan. Sana daw hindi i-blobloc nina Mayor Benjie and Vice Mayor Belen. Magiging kontrabida sila pag nagkataon. Tutal sabi ng mga kailian natin dito, the hotel project that Belen will out up at the De Venecia diversion roads is almost a done deal, they say.

Kumusta ki lad tan ya amin.

*  *  *

The Sunday Punch continues to be the main source of info about what’s happening  in Pangasinan, thanks to our website.  Meantime, our friend Fred Gabo, Former National Press Club president, and Jun Velasco are entering into a partnership to come out with a San Francisco-based Phil-Am weekly that  will publish news and articles about Pinoys  living abroad. We used to have newspapers reporting about whats happening in the islands, now it’s about Pinoys abroad. Ok ya a.

*  *  *

Dagupeños are jubilant at the reelection of Milpitas Mayor Joe Esteves. He has done a good job and so deserving of a new term again. Congrats, Joe!

Back to Homepage

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments