Playing with Fire
A humiliating report
By Gonzalo Duque
TO US in the education sector, the Speakership should go to our Congressman Joe de Venecia.
It is for selfish reason that we do so. Because his focus as well as that of President Gloria’s is on education, how to elevate if from where it is so that it can propel the nation forward.
The Speaker in a series of meetings with leaders of education — basic as well as tertiary, has repeatedly committed his speakership to the cause of education.
How inspired we all were when he vowed to us that he will pursue education goals to make the country globally competitive.
Everyone who heard him believed every word he said. It was not politician Joe who spoke; it was the visionary and statesman Joe.
Our own PGMA will zero in on education too, when she addresses the House and the Senate — on Monday, tomorrow, for her SONA.
My young friend, Youssef Velasco, ChipChip, for short, a product of the Lyceum Northwestern Francisco Q. Duque Special Science High School, and youngest son of Jun and Cathy Velasco, gave me an inkling of GMA’s SONA.
How did Chip know it? Because he was one of the President’s writers. So there.
Back to education. Let me quote our national hero Jose Rizal, who said that it is only thru education that our country can move forward and become great.
He also said the youth are the hope of the fatherland. Education is the future as is also the youth of the land.
How often have I teased Manong Joe about our national hero being his namesake. So must he too be a hero, I said. He just smiled. But I meant what I said. Joe de V can move the nation to the greatest of heights with his bold ideas translated thru his speakership.
I over-heard recently a heart wrenching fact of life, thus, our premier province of Pangasinan is lagging behind most provinces in English proficiency.
Let me call on Dr. Macky Samson, president of the Association of private schools, colleges and universities, to convene an education summit in collaboration with the LGUs led by Governor Spines and the mayors led by Mayor Al to tackle this humiliating report.
How come we had come to this? Macky, Spines, Al, let’s move now!
* * * *
It’s PRISAA season, and on July 26, it will be basketball’s red letter day in Pangasinan. The People’s Astrodome will again be the center of action. Mayor Al Fernandez is guest of honor.
We shall have games for secondary students at the famous Jimmy Fernandez Convention Center, at the back of Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez’s CSI complex in Barangay Lucao.
Let me thank the sports buffs in the north the likes of former Tour of Luzon champ Jess Garcia who were grooming me to be the regional chairman of the Samahan ng mga Basketbolista ng Pilipinas, a newly formed association that aims to promote the sport. The national chair is PLDT’s mogul, Manny Pangilinan.
I really love to make a dent in sport because it is our young people’s vehicle for leadership development.
Thanks for the endorsement. Thanks for the trust. You have our vow: we shall not fail your expectations, with God’s help.
(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/playing-with-fire/)
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