Here and There
Choir Olympics in Austria, Germany
By Gerry Garcia
IT was through Eva Visperas’ story on page one of last Wednesday’s Phil. Star issue that we learned of the sudden turn-around of some former JDV followers who voted for the Speaker’s ouster: two law-makers each representing the 1st and 3rd districts, respectively one ABONO party-list representative and his brother, both sons of a former Pangasinan governor.
Whatever these instant turn-coats offered as excuse for opting for Davao Rep. Prospero Nograles as the new House Speaker do not hold water, at least for us long used to politics’ wheeling -dealing tactics. These congress neophytes could not probably resist the persuasive hugeness of the financial carrots being dangled above their noses.
Speaker JDV, who suspected the First Gentleman JM Arroyo and a businessman close to the First Family of handing out monetary baits to insure the Speaker’s ouster, is most probably right. He’s no stranger to politics’ dirtiest tricks.
And he knows that, despite his being laid inutile by his expulsion from the House leadership, further impeachment attempts against PGMA can effectively be thwarted through cash dole-outs, including prompt release of Pork Barrel cash.
With the Arroyo sons and kin on board, Congress’ sailing as Malacañang favorite sounding board, should be gratifyingly smooth.
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For many years now the strong presence of Filipino choirs in international competitions remains to be a feat that makes any Asian proud. The year 2003 was no different from the past as it has been marked by another string of victories scored by some of the best choral groups in the country: the UP Concert Chorus, the Loboc Children’s Choir, and the Madrigal Singers.
This year, there’s a call from Graz, Austria for choirs all over the world, including the Philippines to participate in the world’s biggest amateur choir competition — the Olympics for Choirs in Graz, Austria on July 9 to 19.
This would be the 5th World Choir Games, president of which is Gunter Titsch who has sent a press release to the Sunday Punch announcing the launching of the Olympics for Choirs in Austria this coming July.
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We felicitate Bonuan Gueset Chairman Angel Gumarang for successfully weathering radio brickbats lately by facing the issues brought against him directly but tactfully. The beauty of democracy is that grievances are easily resolved when brought out into open.
We are a first hand witness to the dramatic solution of an impasse between two groups claiming leadership of the Tondaligan Blue Beach Subdivision Homeowners Assn., led on the one hand by Ms. Digna Buhain, and on the other by Dr. Reynaldo Bulosan.
To settle the impasse, the issues were brought to the attention of HLRUB in San Fernando City, La Union, which sent a Ms. Eufemia Santos to supervise a general assembly to settle the issue. The proceedings were actively supervised by Bonuan Gueset Barangay Chairman Angel Gumarang, HLURB supervisor Santos, and University of Pangasinan Dean Ofelia Rayos who jointly attested to the fairness of the referendum won by Digna Buhain’s group, which took over after our friend, Velasco whose term started in 2003. We doff our hat to the HLURB, Bonuan Gueset council and UPANG’s Dean Rayos for ensuring a successful village exercise.
(Readers may reach columnist at sundaypunch2@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/here-and-there/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)
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