Think about it
What if no KO in Pacquiao, Marquez brawl?
By Jun Velasco
“Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth,” Aesop
TODAY, December 9 (birthday of brod Dante) or 12 days before the Mayan prophecy of the Solar System completing its straight-line formation after 26,000 years, our “churches will suffer in attendance.”
Our streets will be desolate because as there will be a few passengers waving at a few tricycles, jeeps and other vehicles.
Our churches at midmorning regardless of denomination will have few people.
Why?
Because Manny Pacquaio and Juan Manuel Marquez are going to rumble again for the 4th time.
Most of our boxing-crazy countrymen will be on their TV sets. Don’t shake your head because even many of our so-called “honorable” congressmen already flew to Las Vegas to watch the fight.
What does this mean? It means, for the most part, we are hungry of sheer entertainment even for a fraction of our lifetime to drown our sorrows, our dismays, our frustrations and our unfulfilled dreams and wishes.
It may be apropos to call for a halt of these ephemeral matters, but nobody would listen. Many will condemn or call us killjoy.
Supposed by dint of another fate, there would be no knockout, no convincing win, the brawl screeching again in a draw, a stalemate, or a split decision?
Will there be a fifth?
Many if not most will gnash their teeth. “No more!” you’d holler.
But we say, come on, because, mark this, soon after, you’d forget and clamor again for a fifth.
Man, by nature, or better yet, by his low nature, always yearns for an outlet, a release for whatever is holding him, to get away from a deep sense of loneliness and emptiness.
The clear winner/winners – earthly winners, that is — in the Pacquiao-Marquez brawl are the protagonists, pocketing millions of dollars each, and the promoters led by Bob Arum, by Governor Chavit Singson, and the lucky bettors. But the lowly majority? They who would not mind missing their meals, or losing their measly cash to buy the family’s next meal, or whatever, they will keep on doing what is unthinkable incomprehensible, unchristian even inhuman.
It strikes us like a bolt of lightning why in spite of our foreknowledge of the doom that results from our penchant for temporary pleasures, we still insist on it.
Tragic.
* * * *
Gonzalo Duque and this columnist were recalling early last week how former Gov. Tito Primicias outmaneuvered his then re-electionist Papang Gov. Paco Duque by “detaining” volumes of heavy equipment and service vehicles given by then President Macapagal that which should have ensured his (Paco’s) re-election.
Sunday night, we heard that Manong Tito was rushed to the Villaflor Hospital by family members. It was too late. His earthly life has expired.
Manong Tito and this writer had served sessions including our visit at his home in Ontario, Canada. He was a very gracious host, intelligent, and caring. He’d not fail to bring his camera and make several shots and would mail the pictures with captions. Whenever he was in town, he’d call up and meet us on the beach or at the hut of mutual friend Esting Llanillo. He, too, was our regular guest on our birthday and sang beautiful kundiman ditties.
Not given to destructive politics, Manong Tito would rather see the province grow and prosper in an atmosphere of peace and collective work. He had cause the publication of a dispatch for Pangasinenses to support the programs to put an end to the label that our province is a “sleeping giant.” That label, he told us, should be forever scratched from our lexicon.
His daughter Bing Van Tooren, president of the Rotary Club of Metro Dagupan, said “neurological services will be held at the Provincial Capitol tomorrow, December 10, after eulogies at 3:30 p.m. His remains will lie in state there (Capitol) till tomorrow, and then brought to Sta. Barbara church till burial on Wednesday after the 8 A.M. mass.
Rest in peace, Manong Tito.
* * * *
NOTES: We have an idea of former Philippine Historical Com. Ambeth Ocampo’s description of the US Library as “the largest in the world.” In his PDI column last Thursday (PDI Dec.6), he said if we put together the length of the US Library it could cover the length from Manila to Jolo.
The nucleus of that Library, he said, was Thomas Jefferson’s personal library. Incidentally, in 1980, we had to the privilege of visiting Jefferson’s books-called house in Monticello, Virgina. Our host, former New York Times managing editor John Herbers, even gave us a book on Jefferson, main author of the US Declaration of Independence. He, too, is considered the father of Press Freedom, with his famous quote, “Were I to choose between a government without press, and a press without a government, I would not hesitate to choose the latter”……
Prayers and more prayers for the demise of our cousin the former Cecil Martinez-Dy, who died at age 49. She was the wife of Bobby Llamas and daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Jose Dy (nee Alodes Martinez). Bobby and Cecil have 2 children Ralph Anthony and Cheska Angeli…. Let’s congratulate DCNHS Alumni Ass’n led by Ope Reyna and Manny, Roy which did the seemingly impossible: completion of the Abong na Alumni in less than a year. The team shattered the myth that it can’t be done….
Manny further reports that Dagupan’s Jojo Guadiz is now the helmsman of LTO San Fernando, La Union, not longer in suffocating Metro Manila. He feels fulfilled being near where his heart is. “There’s money at NCR, but there’s honey in NL,” Manny quotes Jojo.
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