Playing with Fire
Assessing their chances
By Gonzalo T. Duque
VICE President Jojo Binay was in Binmaley town last Monday.
Dumami na naman ang ugong-ugon . Is he the most popular presidential wannabe in the province?
But Mar Roxas beat him by 70,000 votes in the vice presidential race hereabouts! Ok, you might describe it as “spill over” of P-noy’s massive votes because, in point of fact, talaga namang tinambakan ni P-noy si Manny Villar sa Asinan Country!
Today, during Binay’s last visit here, gumalaw na naman ang mga kibitzers o mga asungot sa pulitika! Sabi ng marami “in the bag na raw ang Pangasinan kay Binay.”
Hindi naman siguro. Binay is still not off the hook in the senate.
Besides, marami na ang turned-off sa pagka-epal nya these days. He’s been barnstorming across the country and you wonder, is he spending our taxes for his political campaign this early? Hay naku, I can already imagine Senator Miriam shouting from her hospital bed –“Hoy epal…tama na yan!”
Also, the Roxas-Binay voting behaviour in the last elections for vice president is still a factor.
But don’t look now, there is a new phenomenal factor that’s catching the imagination of the public!
We are referring to the vaunted presidential bid of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
In all our years as watcher of politics, it seems to us none can match the zooming popularity of Duterte.
Ok, nandyan din si Grace Poe! So, there should be four, not two, to factor in our crystal ball reading of the presidential race.
Roxas seems bland. Binay is fast plummeting down. Duterte and Poe are skyrocketing to the sky.
The students, the youth and the majority who want peace, truth-in-service in the land, are going for Duterte!
No less than Senator Miriam Santiago – who is so popular – doesn’t hide her choice for Duterte in case she runs for president.
But she may not due to a health problem. And Duterte is her choice!
In Pangasinan, we heard that NPC’s gubernatorial bet Mark Cojuangco has announced his choice for Binay as his presidential bet, but this corner hopes it’s not final.
On that historic day Rody Duterte came to Pangasinan last week to speak before students and a civic club forum, he too was warmly received at the Urduja by Governor Spines.
This we got from General Jun Esperon who accompanied him.
Nothing official was released about what transpired in their meeting, but the smiles that ensued were full of implications. That to us, the meeting could lead to a mutually satisfying entente cordiale, as the Russians would say.
We remain faithful to the truism that in these times of unrest and rapid change, we need leaders who can make a difference. If we don’t do this due to a myriad of reasons like apathy, cynicism, corruption, bigotry and surrendering to the future of our children and the next generation, we shall be in default which will haunt our waking days forever.
* * * *
Back to our beloved (sic) President P-noy.
Totoo naman. Beloved President, yes. Under her mother, President Cory, we were vice governor of the province.
We saw P-noy’s erpat, then Senator Ninoy as then one great hope of the nation.
Sa totoo lang, on that fateful day na binomba ang Plaza Miranda, Ninoy was at our residence at Loyola Heights conferring with erpat then LP Chairman Paco and to administer the Oath of then Vice Governor Vicente Millora as Acting Governor of Pangasinan in view of Governor Tito Primicias becoming a candidate for senator under the KBL.
Their conversation had gone longer which delayed his going to the Plaza Miranda where he was expected to deliver the pang-wakas na speech, being known to be the most bombastic speaker in every LP rally. It may be said that their over-extended talk might have saved wittingly or unwittingly Ninoy from the carnage!
Mahal natin si P-noy. We campaigned for him. And we have remained committed to his “Daang Matuwid” mantra.
But this does not mean that we shall follow his mantra blindly.
Pag lumihis, oppose or disagree. Our first and foremost commitment is to the truth. We will always remain in league with those who consecrate their lives for the betterment – not of their own selfish selves, for that would be treasonous and satanic – but of the impoverished, the weak, the afflicted who comprise the majority.
This, after all, is our destiny as writers – to see to it that our nation prospers.
* * * *
Amid the debate on Manny Pacquiao’s tax obligations to the government in the amount of about P3 Billion, we earnestly propose that a Pacquiao Boxing Welfare Fund be set up instead of his money going to the BIR.
This is not in any way meant to cast doubt on the integrity or ability of the BIR to handle Pacquiao’s huge fund. We have in mind our boxers who may be in need later in their old age. Remember that they, like Pacquiao, have brought honors and fame to the nation.
It’s but fitting and proper, therefore to accord them appropriate appreciation in this noble manner.
In such a set-up, we are sure Manny will feel very good parting away with his P3 Billion knowing the benefit it will do to his fellow boxers.
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