Think about it
Enrile self-destructs
By Jun Velasco
“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”– 2 Corinthians 5:17
MANY of you must be sporting long faces as you ogled at your TV news detailing fishwives’ exchanges between Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano.
You must’ve been turned off by the dramatic fall from grace of a sedate, almost “infallible statesman” amid a gutter word war with his pet peeves in the Senate.
Strange because as their most senior leader, Johnny Enrile should be the last man to indulge in cheap talk.
Until recently acknowledged as a hero for his masterful handling of former Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment, Enrile has become a pathetic whiner in the face of stress.
The ego-bruising was started by our feisty Senadora Miriam “Defensive” Santiago for receiving—like her colleagues — the Cayetanos and Senator Antonio Trillanes P250,000 each as “Christmas gift” from Enrile.
Lambasted by Miriam as Bung Ferdinand’s co-implementor of Martial Law, Enrile shot back at his detractors calling them “hypocrites.”
It’s unfortunate that we have just ushered in the New Year with an institution of great prestige gravely tarnished.
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We were a part of a recent wedding of Gix Melgar and Lesley de Guzman at the San Jose Sanctuary (the old Dagupan Catholic Church) last Saturday.
As one of the sponsors, together with Ope Reyna, Min Gomez, Doming Liwag, Ali Soriano, Ric Olalia, Lilian Manliclic, Luz Soriano, Tess Lomibao, Rose Ramos, Salome Quinto and Rose Olalia, we realized how Father Time has caught up with us while we were not looking.
Lesley’s father, combo leader and our drums mentor Tito de Guzman, formerly of DOTC, and his childhood sweetheart, Lilia Lomibao, were our high school chums.
Incidentally, the groom is the son of Eulogio Melgar Jr., and the late Norma Cuison, a relative.
We thought Bishop Socrates Villegas’ advice to the couple should be addressed to all couples who want their marriage to be forever new and enduring: put Jesus Christ at the center of our lives “to preserve the newness of the marital bond.”
We remember one afternoon at the Urduja when then Gov. Aguedo F. Agbayani, our marital ninong, told us, “Your ninang Tessie is already 60, but I still see her as a 21-year young.” What the father of former Gov. Victor said actually was that when love rules, life and the world around retain their sparkle, youthfulness, their newness.
Try and cultivate this garden of love with Jesus at the center, and you have a forever young marriage.
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At a dinner tendered by former Speaker Joe de Venecia at his idyllic residence in Bonuan Binloc, we came to know that R1Medical Center is slated to become a world-class 11-story medical center. Construction of the most modern hospital will begin soon.
This, under Director Roland Mejia, was made possible by Rep. Gina de Venecia and DoH under Secretary Enrique Ona.
Roland said R1MC is going to be a modern corporation similar to the best medical centers worldwide.
Now we understand why Roland’s allies do not favor a new government hospital in the city, as it would be superfluous. Present at the dinner were Nelson Sotto and JDV’s Japanese friend, Bill Kubo.
* * * *
NOTES: Users of the Calasiao Bridge near the market and the well known puto center have become restless due to its snail-pace reconstruction work. Even the detour streets are prematurely showing damage due to overuse. Good thing civic leader Wilson de Vera called the attention of DPWH Sec. Roger Singson to take a direct hand in the completion of the project.
Condolence to the family of the late Assn of Barangay Councils president Pascual
“Jun” Baniqued-Pinlac of Barangay Bogtong, Malasiqui town, who died January 7 in Michigan, U.S.A.
May he rest in peace.
* * * *
Our friend Dave Diwa of Opinyon wrote a code authored by the late model journalist, Norman Cousins, thus:
“Fundamentally, to write in a newspaper that people will read and respect;
To believe that a newspaper is by natural right the property of its readers;
That, because of these, editors are but temporary custodians, their tenure related to and dependent upon their confidence in the judgment and intelligence of the reader;
That such confidence is best established by avoiding both the condescension of taking down and the presumption of talking up;
That a newspaper, like a person, requires, in order to be effective, certain qualities-readily identifiable and beyond obliteration;
That high among these qualities is a response to values, the capacity to created values and the passion to defend values;
That other essential qualities include clarity, curiosity, insight, incisiveness, integrity, good taste, good will, conviction, responsibility;
That what is written is believed by the writer and written to be believed by the reader;
That the newspaper should reflect a sense of adventure and excitement about life in general and about books and ideas in particular;
That honest sentiments, honest passions and honest indignations are among the highest expressions of conscience, that there is no need to feel shy or awkward or embarrassed in their presence, and that they are not to be waved aside;
That cynicism at best is a waste of time; at worst, a dangerous and potentially fatal disease for individuals and civilizations both;
That ideals are the main business of writers, and that people will respond to ideals far beyond the anticipations of their nominal leaders;
That believing all this need neither limit nor inhibit a sense of fun and enjoyment of laughter;
That editing, finally, is not paring but creating.”
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