Edener Benitez Fabella
22 Aug 2007

 

 

Unfolding events in the country is breathtaking. It embodies everything associated with a failed leadership at the expense of citizens reeling from poverty, hunger, corrupt government etc.

Filipinos are paying a heavy price for that extra curricular activity in EDSA 6 years ago. Citizens today can protest until they are blue in the face. Yet, at the end of each day, they are kept hostages by a leadership expert in repressive methods.

It was reported a trillion pesos plus budget is making it’s way through congress and likely to pass. Guess what? How much of that do you think will go to repair planet pot holes Philippines and how much will go to bank accounts abroad owned by politicians we call honorable?

Gloria Pidal Inc. conveniently talks of leaving a lasting legacy or a desire leaving one in the remaining 3 years in office. Do you remember when she first took oath saying; “I only want to be a good president and God will do the rest’. Really? Is this shameless woman telling us God helped her engineer all that stealing, lying and cheating ways? I think not even when she boasted having a direct line to God didn’t help improve people’s lives. She need not worry about legacy… I bet you, the only thing people want to remember her for is she’s gone for good.

On a lighter side, years ago during a visit to my favorite home (Lingayen where else is best?), I asked a helper to go with me to the market. The market then was like a huge tent in the desert with throng of people gingerly going about their business.

I was no longer certain which scent was overpowering… the jars of bagoong Lingayen, or the fellow sweating guarding these?

Anyway, it was mid-morning and salivating at the thought, finally, I will have a ‘palangana‘ full of ‘talangkas and big size sugpos and my day is done. Was I ever so disappointed not finding any at least not in the quantity I had in mind.

Suddenly, I heard a sales pitch from another seafood vendor. She yelled -“Sir, ito na lamang palaka ko masarap ito!”. Naturally, I got startled it was innocent yet a bit naughty I thought. I could have been more circumspect in responding to her.

Perhaps feeling dejected seeing my prospect of enjoying fresh sugpos and talangkas sinking in the murky waters off Bimmaley, the ‘FOM’ (flirty old man) got the better of me and said to her in return; ‘Ineng, alam mo sa edad kong ito, di na ako nasasarapan sa palaka!

Was I glad they still respect senior citizens in the republic of Lingayen. Otherwise they could have thrown me to the ‘gulay‘ section for being tacky!

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