Playing with Fire
Chinese supremacy is evident worldwide
By Gonzalo Duque
NEW YORK CITY—Philippine and Pangasinan news bits reaching us here are still hot, very hot, in fact, on the Janet Lim-Napoles—legislator’s corruption saga.
Our countrymen — most of who miss home — can only shake their heads although several are holding protest actions against the abusers and wrong doers.
We’re happy to learn that our program at Kabaleyan Channel with Joel Balolong pitching in for our absence is ably doing his part, with our partner Freddie Fajardo.
Maganda ang feed back mga abay.
To a few who are envious of our consistent support for Mayor Belen Fernandez, we have this to say, as always: “Ang pikon talo.”
By the way, on our visit to the Twin Towers here, we felt the horror and the total blow on man’s inhumanity to man. We never felt like this when we visited Pearl Harbor, which was also a scene of great destruction.
Iba itong Twin Towers, kasi it was peacetime, and terrorists did their worst against their fellow humans.
We said a prayer while thoughts of sadness engulfed us completely.
* * * *
Many compatriots noticed the emergent political edge of persons with Chinese blood in their veins. They point to our Mayor Belen who succeeded Benjie Lim, both of Chinese descent.
Well, nakasulat sa bituin ang ating kapalaran.
In the global scene, do not be surprised that China is now building a $200-million road in Nairobi, Kenya. Aside from that, they are also expanding Beijing-funded international airport to the tune of $208 million, with a housing complex named Great Wall apartments.
To make things work more smoothly, newspapers in Africa are full of articles gleaned from the Chinese state news agency, Xinhua. Television viewers also get their news from CCTV, the Chinese broadcasting giant, or CNC World, Xinhua’s English-language start-up.
China’s expansionist activity is unusual, juxtaposed with the retrenching policies of Western broadcasting and newspaper companies. China’s aggressive advance, we are told, must have been motivated by their irritation against biased Western news media on China.
President Hu Jintao was quoted recently when he noted “hostile international powers are strengthening their efforts to Westernize and divide us.”
Well, with that setting, what can a puny nation like us do? Just observe and watch nervously? We don’t think so.
Our President is making us proud for standing up against the bully.
China’s supremacy globally should not therefore surprise us.
Diyan lang sa atin, sila na ang lider. Let’s just hope and pray that leaders of Chinese descent are not haughty and blind to the interests of the poor. We believe our Mayor Belen is made of the right stuff.
* * * *
We heard at press time (Thursday here, but Friday there), Mayor Belen poured her heart out on the city’s fishery concerns. Kitang kita raw ang anxiety niya over the stark fact that our bangus growers just could not produce enough for even the consumption of the city’s habitués. And to think that she earlier imposed a deadline to dismantle all fishpens for being notorious in causing fish kill and for the simple fact that their operations are illegal.
We believe the right approach is to regulate their existence. We understand that by the final date set for their dismantling, the City Agriculture head’s office could not just lift a finger on fishpen operators with titles to their names.
Pag-usapang mabuti ito, mga igan. Ni, nakakabahala na, kulang na kulang pala ang ating bangus produce even just for Dagupeños’ consumption.
We were informed that two fishpond operators (how about fishpen?) Barangay Pantal Kapitana Lilia Yasar and paganiganin Kapitana Julie Ann Fernandez Perez were active participants in the meeting presided by the mayora herself and City Agriculturist Emma Molina. That’s the spirit.
Mayora who herself is a fishpond operator used simple, heart-to-heart language with our bangus growers in a manner that no one, absolutely no one, would even doubt her sincerity in fixing the problems and restoring the city’s supremacy as the bangus capital of the…hmm…sana magkatotoo ito, ha, Don Alfredo Dawana?
* * * *
We saw the Pacebook August-September issue with Mayor Belen on the cover and center spread. It’s a collector’s item edition. Dagupenos should take pride in the fact that their woman mayor has what it takes to lead a people who were disillusioned by the past administration.
Even in this place, we hear about the sizzling barangay elections campaign in the homeland.
As usual, marami ng namatay because of it.
How long shall we learn from our bad habits? Ganito lang ba tayo lagi?
Our kababayan here are impressed with former DENR secretary Eleazar P. Quinto running for Barangay Lucao chairman. The guy is brilliant and a good organizer, a sure asset of Dagupan and the republic.
See you soon.
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