Punchline
Let the games begin!
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
SAN CARLOS City Mayor Julier Resuello has shown the way how politicians and the clergy can agree to disagree civilly, and keep the community united for a common purpose – a God-fearing community that values integrity in governance.
I wasn’t there to witness the event of the decade but I can imagine the impact of the game on the community.
It is no secret that the city had always been the cradle of jueteng in central Pangasinan while the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese is at the helm of the anti-jueteng crusade, courtesy of Archbishop Oscar Cruz.
Could this mean that jueteng will now be a thing of the past in the city with the idealistic young mayor at the helm? I join the San Carlenians and the archdiocese in this prayer.
I doff my hat to Mayor Julier! May your tribe increase.
***
Imagine the possibilities and how it could be if the effort is replicated in the national level and in the regions. Arranging it should not be difficult since the Philippines is the “basketball-craziest” in the world, where nothing matters but winning.
Yes, imagine how the games will be played.
To get the ball rolling, I invite readers to help out and give readers an idea on how the teams of the opposing teams should be manned, namely: the GMA Diehards, the HOUSE Pork-eaters, the SENATE Whistle-blowers, the CBCP Miracle Workers, the COURT Jesters, the AFP Armchair Gents, the PNP Fumblers, the COMELEC Magicians, the MORO Liberators, the NPA Liquidators, the JUETENG Lords, the DRUG Addicts and the MEDIA Libelous. Oh yes, name their muses, managers, and waterboys, too!
Imagine the possibilities of such a tournament with two seasons to play. Off-hand, I can predict with full equanimity and confidence that there will be an immediate cessation of hostilities in Mindanao. There will be no time to quarrel over the pork barrel, or to plot cheating in the polls. There will be no more missing persons, no journalists being killed, no political persecution, no kotong in the streets, etc. at least while the games are being held!
If a happy ending was won in the San Carlos skirmish, one can surmise that it will be shangri-la in the Philippines! Christmas all year round!! Peace talks will be passe! GMA will have a chance at being a good president finally! The name De Venecia will sound more illustrious than Paquiao. Garci will have more sex appeal than James Yap. Miriam Santiago will be FHM’s November cover girl. Esperon will be named “Darling of the Year” while Ping will be Mr. Congeniality, the Abus will earn international fame as the most colorful bandits, etc. etc.
(Will it be too much to ask that to qualify in the games, the team members must agree to resign their posts in their organizations graciously if they lose? But then again, I’m afraid that issue will spark a civil war even before the games can get started. Ok, bad idea!)
***
WHO NEEDS BLOOD? The Philippine National Red Cross and the Philippine Tuberculosis Society are two institutions that most people today take for granted. The demand for their services is very high yet people hardly give any thought to how the services are provided. People simply expect these to be provided when they need them, and easily complain when these are not available on demand.
What most don’t realize is that the two group’s respective capabilities to provide the services are directly linked to the support that they get from all of us.
If we don’t donate blood or money to Red Cross, chances are we won’t have easy access to blood when we need it. The same is true for the fight against TB. We can’t expect to be free from lung infection if others around us who are infected are not easily cured because of lack of funds.
***
The lament of the Pangasinan chapter of the PNRC is truly disturbing, to say the least.
The province is one the most highly populated areas. Translation: more people are likely to need blood for transfusion in emergency cases. But 90% of the populace evidently don’t understand that the capability of the chapter is directly proportional to the number of people who donate blood to the Red Cross.
If you are one of those who has not donated blood at any time in the past, then you are likely to experience panic when you are told that there is not going to be any blood for you, your relative or friend who needs blood desperately at the time you need it.
Again, what many don’t realize is that by being a blood donor, you have priority access to the blood bank. Yes, it pays to be a blood donor!
But that’s not all. There’s another plus for being a regular blood donor. Doctors attest that donating blood regularly enables one’s system to reproduce new blood cells that help stabilize one’s blood pressure.
***
MONEY POLITICS OF THE YOUNG. After the massive vote-buying by candidates witnessed in the last local elections, prospective candidates for the barangay elections are visibly frantic raising funds for their own respective campaigns.
From what we are beginning to hear, it appears many who are gunning for the top posts are mostly the moneyed and the affluent in the barangays. Not easily intimidated are the barangay chairmen who have made their pile “managing” the barangay’s affairs and aim to get reelected.
Yet, the law states that barangay elections prohibit the use of traditional campaign gimmicks. So one wonders what all the fund-raising is for.
Former Dagupan City Councilor Alex de Venecia, he who tried but failed in his bid to get reelected by conducting a campaign that shunned “money politics”, expressed disgust over the evident intent of many candidates in the next barangay elections to resort to vote-buying!
“How can we expect change when our own barangay leaders have no qualms about vote-buying?” he asked.
Well he hasn’t seen everything yet.
The election for the Sangguniang Kabataan leadership is the other election worth watching. See how the pork barrel syndrome has effectively corrupted even our young.
After widespread talks of how elected SK chairmen and council members have learned the trick of dispensing their own pork barrel, earning their own 10-20% kickback in the process, we expect a highly emotional and money-driven campaign among the “hope of the fatherland”.
Sickening!
(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/punchline/)
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