Think about it
JdV, Tito Primicias: V Day greeters
By Jun Velasco
“Judge not, that you be not judged.” — Matthew 7: 1
A LOT of people have told us the angry exchange at the impeachment trial has sort of made the country a hate-country.
An ironic twist of our reputation as a world paradise, haven of the friendliest, the happiest, and most hospitable in the world.
We see an entirely different image of the Filipino in the Corona affair. Brother seethes with intent to kill his own brother. It’s not the truth the trial is now after anymore but the most lethal weapon to pin down the adversary.
We dread the outcome of this hate-inspired affair. While we doff our hat to the suave handling of the trial by Senate President Johnny Enrile, who looks tired weary from the weight age (he just turned 88) and impertinent legalisms, it looks like the hate-driven protagonists are getting farther away from their avowed objective: to uncover the truth.
As Senator Koko Pimentel put it, both prosecutors and defense lawyers are making a mockery of their mandate… because of mutual hate.
* * *
On Valentine’s Day, two former political titans were in our chat box.
Former Speaker Joe de Venecia called by long distance while we were en route to a dinner date. It was sheer delight to hear the boss greet us on the Day of Love. There was a downpour of “kumustas,” his gladness for a journalistic piece we did for him and his filial talk with Cathy, his niece.
Here, you’d see a streak of a great man who notices the little things. We remember the late former Governor Aguedo Agbayani. When we saw him at the Agbayanis’ residence at Loyola Heights, he clasped our hand tightly and talked about our distant kin we also lost track of. The old man reminded us.
One muses: you’d think super figures, those with big public titles, do not know you anymore. No, not true.
The other former political figure we had lunch with during Valentine week was former Governor Tito Primicias who, at 81, was still sharp save for a Kidney problem that keeps him to a wheelchair.
While taking a round look at the Primicias’ home in Sta. Barbara, we saw our young self seated in one of the big chairs in the many political caucuses held there while covering the 60’s to the 80’s. Tito and his younger Dick, the former Concon delegate, were always gracious hosts. Ditto with sister, Marietta P. Goco and our fellow Elvis fans’ club member Atty. Johnny Primicias.
Manong Tito would struggle to walk, but daughter Elena “Bing” Van Tooren said Manong Tito — after a session with Dr. Robin Navarro — would surely go back to what he used to do, visiting friends in Manila and Pangasinan, when he is not in Toronto.
Well, we said it. Aside from the eating outside to mark Valentine’s Day, reminiscing the old times with durable friends is most delightful.
* * *
Of course, Valentine’s Day usually belongs to the love-struck. Ancient history commingles with current events when the subject is love. How many slayings, suicides and tragic incidents were committed in the name of love?
The internet has not wiped away poetry and love. On the contrary, ancient and modern love stories still fill air. Stories of Romeo and Juliet, Jose Rizal and Leonor Rivera and other “eternal” lovers are replayed year in and year out. Love makes good advertising business, an ad man friend confesses. Don’t they get passe at all? Nope, the heart is stubborn, no matter what.
They say that when a love-struck couple is visited by bankruptcy, love flies out of the window. We say, not always. Our friend Gonzalo Duque describes love as “antalosable,” out of this world, but it keeps the world go round. He loves to quote a sage’s “Love is foolishness of the wise and the wisdom of the fools.”
We salute those who has kept the fire of love burning through the years. But statistics shows that only those who put Christ at the center of their love have stayed in love, while those who left it to chance meandered to oblivion. Belated Happy Valentines!
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
