Modest and non-political Manny
By Gerry Garcia

THIS writer had a revealing face-to-face encounter for the first time with former Jaycee president Jigs Seen last Thursday afternoon. At the Petron gas station in the Lucao area where stands the now popular CSI mall. Jigs is the filling station’s boss.
Jigs, I found out, was no ordinary combo drummer as was incorrectly told me by a fellow-media-man. He’s a musically literate young man who plays the flute and the sax. And he showed me sheet music copies of the solos he plays on both the flute and the sax.
He also owns  the Marissa music store (and school?) inside the Lucao CSI mall which has in stock for sale varied musical instruments, like violins (miniature and regular in size), electric guitar, brass instruments, etc. I also found in our brief chat (correctly, I hope) that he, jointly with Philippine Philharmonic conductor Adolfo Mendoza with the backing of the Center of Performing Arts Dagupan and the Metro Dagupan Cultural Arts Center, is involved in a project to  teach and train young musicians here in a manner  patterned after US-based violinist Bolipata’s venture in Zambales. A rather bold and ambitious undertaking I would say. Just the same I wish them luck and success… and also I assure them of this writer’s help and that of the Punch in their effort to revive classical music awareness in this ever growing commercial center in Luzon.

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In the meantime, our Pinoy Idol Manny Pacquiao, just back from his devastating triumph over Mexican Erik Morales, has remained modest and was vocal in his desire to keep his monumental boxing triumph from being tainted with politics.
This Gensan native, who has virtually pacquiaoed public acclaim, even from Malacañang and its unwitting “destabilizers”, is doubly sure FG Mikee   Arroyo, Gov. Chavit Singson, and other hangers-on from the Palace, were there at ringside to boost his morale, not to exploit his victory for political gains.
After all, what political gains are there to speak of, for instance, if Manny had been clobbered down in defeat?
Manny, who credited God more for his success, was at least neutral and impressive when he exhorted unity and cooperation during these trying times to free this nation from the rut of Third Worldism.

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