Easter’s hope

BACK to reality. This is what many must be thinking with a mental sigh as the Holy Week observance, with its long weekend break, closes. The reality, for majority of Filipinos, remains tough. The daily grind for the urban masses continues to mean struggling with an inefficient public transport system, working long hours for meagre compensation, insecurity over illnesses because health services are either deficient from public facilities or expensive in private, and anxiety over peace and order with drug-related and other crimes still rampant. For the rural poor, there are even more basic concerns such as the need for access roads, lack of economic opportunities, and continued taxing manual labor in the farms.

Easter Sunday, with its pagan roots and even in contempary context outside the Catholic sphere, signifies new life, a fresh beginning. The end of Holy Week should be an anticipated event because it is, after all, about hope.

The reality that people go back to can only become better if corruption is addressed and relevant, inclusive reforms are introduced by the government, which means providing an economic and social environment where people can enjoy quality life. And this can be done at the local level.

Quality life does not mean everyone will be cruising around in expensive cars, no longer needing to labor seriously, being able to nonchalantly waste food, and splurging on luxury goods. What it means is not having to worry about basic comforts and having the opportunity to pursue some of life’s treats. It’s only possible with good governance.

A meaningful Easter to Pangasinenses at home and elsewhere.

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Pacquiao transformation

AGAIN, we didn’t see a knockout.  And we seem to be disappointed.  But that’s the problem with us.  We always want Manny Pacquiao to knock out every opponent who comes his way.  And when it does not happen, we grumble.  Pout.  And, like spoiled brats, we bawl, we even do a primal scream to express our frustration.

Well, there was no knockout because Timothy Bradley has reinvented himself.  He was in superb shape and moved faster than usual this time.  He got hit, yes, but his chin appeared to be made of granite.  When Pacquiao looked ready to unleash the coup d grace in almost every round, Bradley would either run or clinch.  The boring Bradley in June 2012 that stole a split decision was gone.  On Sunday, Bradley became a ball of fire.

Good thing Pacquiao has also learned to adjust and didn’t force the issue when he sensed he couldn’t drop Bradley.  Surely, the bitter lesson of that knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in December 2012 with a tick left in the 6th had put Pacquiao in good stead.  If there’s one thing we need to heap on Pacquiao after his unanimous decision win, it is our appreciation of his transformation.  For, at age 35, Pacquiao has not stopped going to school.

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