Playing with Fire
Benjie Lim on the comeback trail
By Gonzalo Duque
SORRY we missed the deadline last week.
This Sunday Punch column writing business (thank you, Ermin!) has become a life routine so that when deadline comes, we couldn’t be at ease without doing our column writing bit wherever we are and whatever we are doing.
That exactly what happened last Friday, November l3, when it was time for us to go to a corner to gather our thoughts to send or email home. But that was the day we were with sisters Grace and Luz at the Carnegie Hall in New York and yes, the great Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga fame (he was there indeed) to watch a German version of Miss Saigon that starred a multi-talented Stephanie Reese who enthralled and mesmerized the audience.
No, it’s not only in boxing that the Filipino is super. In the theatre, too! One tends to exaggerate Pinoy’s boxing skills due to the Pacquiao phenomenon, but we are equally excellent in many other areas.
Anyway, Tony was profuse with gratitude to Ate Luz for donating 30 housing units at his GK Project in Bonuan Gueset, a housing program showcase for Mayor Al Fernandez’ administration.
Thru this column we wish to thank again the family of Mac Macaraeg at the other side of the US in San Francisco for donating generously to the Regional Medical Center and other philanthropic causes in Pangasinan, making us their conduit, and we thank them for their trust.
By the time this issue was out we should have been on our way to the Philippines. In spite of its warts and woofs, the Philippines is still our home sweet home. Its politics, its politicians who couldn’t hide their greed and self destructive ways, and the many Pinoys and Pinays who didn’t mind risks to life and limb to save their fellowmen at the height of killer typhoons and floods, the beerkada over Chito Samson’s favorite Atanor, the sight of pretty coeds and guys with disheveled hair boning up with their class assignments on the LNU campus, why, we feel like we were already home. See you all fellas!
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Dagupeños in the US are focused on who will face Al Fernandez in the May 20l0 elections. There are many chismis to chew such as Benjie Lim’s imminent comeback try which, it is claimed, is fueled by reports he was last seen shopping around for candidates in his political party, now, according to the grapevine, being the Liberal Party. And so will it be Al Fernandez-Belen Fernandez team vs. Benjie Lim-Ope Reyna team? Matindi ya, agagui!
The 4th district congressional race is also a top topic with the rumored entry of Solo de Venecia in light of Art Lomibao’s jele jele bago quierre attitude in the race that is still dominated at this stage by Gina de Venecia. In the provincial level, the reported dismay of the Colet-Orbos group, a Cory Aquino loyalist, in the selection of Victor Agbayani and Oscar Lambino as LP’s candidates for governor and vice governor might signal a realignment that would favor the Amado Espino-Marlene Agabas or Ferdie Calimlim team-up! Ranjit, our grapevine says, has lost interest, while Alfie Bince has decided to cruise back to power via reelection, which, he says, is easier to achieve.
In the presidential race, it’s Noynoy still by a mile. We shall tackle this in detail when we get back including the senatorial bid of brod Pingkoy.
See you.
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