Playing with Fire
Why we did not attend Benjie’s SOCA?
By Gonzalo Duque
MANY of our friends are asking why we did not attend Mayor Benjie Lim’s state of the city address on February l4. Kailangan pa bang sagutin yan?
Okay, because we are game, we’ll tell you.
But please don’t jump to conclusions, no, we are on the side of Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez who was against the mayor making his SOCA at the Fernandez Astrodome. She wanted it at the SP, period! Hmmm, ja la may problema. Read on.
Teka, before anything else, supposed, for the sake of argument, we did have Benjie’s SOCA (nakakasuka na talaga intong paksa, ano Orly? at the Sanggunian, anong naging itsura natin? Di singa tayo nanpipit[itan ya tinapa!
Talagang walang sense of humor yay Belen amo?
You know, we are calling your attention to a tradition in all governments all over the world. It’s the head of state or any government who has the protocol to choose where he wants to deliver his state of his government. We say “his” because as head, he personifies that government. Don’t “technical” us on this because we are a lawyer and we know whereof we speak.
We saw on local TV that the Astrodome was filled to the rafters when BSL spoke! Naku ha, Belen, ekal yo pala tay pultikad escuelaan. Mamasiken tan akokolaw tila, ag tini makapanpasinsiyaan!
Okay, now, we’ll tell you why we deliberately avoided Benjie’s SOCA. It’s precisely because it was scheduled on Valentine’s Day… a day for lovers… that was the day lovers stay at their abong na panangaro,” aga ontan, Boy Rayos?
Why should we spoil that day for a SOCA when it’s earmarked for love, for lovers and for these warm and valiant souls who make the world go round and round. You know, when there’s no love, when there’s no aroan, like what’s happening to our beleaguered and confused city, which has been for weeks if not months now bereft of love, there’d be no joy, there’d be no life, no nothing. There’d be no growth, no progress, nothing!
We must warn you, city officials of Dagupan. If you continue with your self-imposed mutual hate, the city would stagnate, many will abandon it, because it’s love that will draw people to itself. Don’t you know this, love-made people of Dagupan? “Love-made.” we say? Talaga naman e, without love, wala kayo sa mundong ito! That’s basic, elementary.
So please gentlemen and ladies of Dagupan, please change your ways. These fruitless debates should now give way to reconciliation, unity and fruitful work.
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We wish our auntie, Perla Duque-Novales, builder of the famous of Marigold news and educational center on A. B. Fernandez Ave, eternal peace in God’s kingdom, She was 86.
She rejoins her beloved Pol in that place where there’s no sadness but eternal joy.
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We wish to restate our conviction that we are not anti state colleges or universities. They can be here and there for all they care so long as they won’t encroach on courses reserved for private education.
It’s CHED chairperson Pat Licuanan who has the most up- to- date advice on this.
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