Think about it
Yolanda tragedy fast breaks reforms
By Jun Velasco
“Finally, the ordinary Filipino has scored a victory broader than expected, “ Oscar Franklin Tan, PDI columnist, on the Supreme Court’s ruling against pork barrel.
WORD famous healer Alex Orbito’s staff was boning up on what to do on their boss’ birthday celebration scheduled today, Nov.25, at the Pyramid of Asia in Manaoag town.
The reason is traditionally, every year thousands of his well-wishers from parts of the world would usually not miss his big event. We were told a leading Elvis impersonator, an old friend Chito Bertol, is expected at the event and what a show he’d make as he had done in the past.
And so, told of the predicament, we suggested that he keep the event simple but spiritually satisfying. After all, the man from Cuyapo and Asingan attributes his success as a healer to the Lord Almighty. Let the local Elvises sing his well-known Gospel songs like “How Great Thou Art” and others.
Incidentally, mutual friend former Gov. Oscar Orbos who remembered Alex’s birthday just called to remind the famed healer he “won’t miss the event.”
Happy birthday, Brother Alex!
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Bonuan Gueset in Dagupan has recently added another economic booster to its being the largest barangay in the Metropolis– the opening of 7-Eleven convenience store last Saturday.
Its youthful manager, Arturo Matias Jr., says Mayor Belen Fernandez, graced opening.
Located at the frontage of Danny Sison’s Autocraft, is only 200 meters from Pure Gold.
We once told the barangay’s re-elected Kapitan, Rico Mejia, and his predecessor, Angel Gumarang, Gueset may have the credentials to become a new municipality, if that’s allowed by the local Government Code because of its nonstop growth and modernization.
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There seems to be no good news these days outside the Yolanda tragedy.
In journalism, good news could refer literally to the “good” news as well as the bad or negative news.
We in the trade call it “scoop.”
Throughout the world, our devastated country, has become the cynosure of eyes and pity straight from people’s hearts everywhere.
We don’t know if pity on our prostrate country comes from genuine concern, sympathy and compassion. For it could be self-pity. You know people normally dread the day it would be their turn to suffer, too.
Psychiatrists say there’s a very thin line between other-centeredness and selfishness, so there.
In 1980, we scaled the 102nd floor– the highest then–of the Empire State Building in New York City. The Twin Towers was higher, but it was reduced to ashes by terrorists in 2011.
From that 102nd floor, one could see the expanse of the biggest and presumably most modern city in the world, including the Statue of Liberty and other world landmarks.
So, what about the Empire State Building?
You see, we didn’t know what to feel when we saw TV footages, on facebook and in the Internet a giant Philippine flag spread on the highest US building, for all the world to see and possibly to create sympathy and compassion for our country.
“Wow, we are very popular,” chuckled a friend on seeing the Philippine flag on the New York building without knowing the implications of worldwide pity on us, proud Filipinos!
What can we do? It’s grim reality out there which we have to face, swallow what remains of our pride, and hopefully, to launch a grim determination and resolve to rise from the ruble.
Filipinos everywhere are known for their resiliency, patience, perseverance, and never-say-die spirit.
We are proud of this heroic spirit. Filipinos saw it in World War II. We saw it in the 1990 holocaust.
We saw it in the series of devastating typhoons that crushed us many times in the past.
Oh, yes, this is the inspiring story. After the fall, we bounce back.
The Filipino always rises from the ruins.
So much for sentimentalism for these heights of noble feelings, and overwhelming and transcendental love and compassion from all parts of the planet. What matters now is where do we go from here?
Pragmatism and biblical wisdom require that we should have a well thought-out response to the tragedy. As we get up again, the grit, the determination should be able to spark and ignite a collective decision for our leaders and people to revivify a chastened nation and rise again.
Recently, our Supreme Court junked the hated PDAF. Bravo! The DAP would be next, let’s hope.
Last Thursday the House of Representatives, derisively tagged as corrupt, acquitted itself when it approved, finally, a bill banning political dynasties. More reform bills are expected to become laws probably as a form of atonement.
We are seeing some kind of divine justice sent from heaven as possibly God’s way to assuage His fallen people and break the callousness of our officials.
It may in this Christian spirit when we postulated our Psalmist’s quote, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; I shall rejoice and be glad in it.”
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