'Cheat Talks' in a Birthday Party

Last Saturday (April 25) was the birthday of my sister-in-law's apo (grand-daughter). Her name is Sittie Althea Lorraine Montera nicknamed 'kangkang' who met my apo Fatima Alyssa Marie Mosaid nicknamed Famfam. Ooh what did you notice? Well, aside from threesome names, or three names in one, repetitive nicknames are also a fad nowadays. See?

The ocassion was also an opportunity to meet some relatives and friends as it was also a reunion of some sort. Among others, I chanced upon a couple (husband and wife), one of them is my wife's first cousin. Both of them are Doctors of Medicine. The reason why I was most interested in them was obvious. I can talk to them about a lot of things, one of them is a consultation for free - hehehe!

Other relatives were curious at the fact that the couple had no 'ride' of their own which was quite amazing considering that the medical profession has been considered a lucrative profession. "Yeah, why indeed you still did not buy a car; any particular model from among the popular brands that you're waiting to come out?" I asked. "Not really", the husband replied. "We're just waiting for the right time, and that time is when we shall be able to buy a brand new one on cash basis." Good idea. You'll save more if you buy in cash.

Then I touched on the issue that most Doctors, if not all, do not declare their true income with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). "Like for example, I know one," I said. When I was admitted in a private hospital, I got curious with my attending physician - who was always on the run whenever he made the rounds to check on his patients. So, he has only two minutes at most to talk to me or interview me. Sometimes, less than a minute. "Doc, I wonder how many patients, on the average, do you attend to everyday?" I asked. "Not less than 30 in three hospitals", he answered. The time he saves for the day is spent in his clinic. So, if this doctor's fee each patient is P1,000 per day, he earns P30,000 per day or more than P1M a month including the earnings from his clinic.

After relating the story to the couple, I told them that they can also do the same. "But make sure you'll be honest enough in declaring your real income," I jokingly warned. "That is someting that we have to think about." the husband retorted. "Why do you say that Doc?" "Doesn't it sound more practical if we are the one pocketing our extra income rather than some crooks in the BIR?!!" the male doctor in the couple answered. He went further, "This is the reason why most of us in the medical profession are hesitant to declare our true income. We are sure that if things don't improve in the present situation we are just contributing to satisfy the greed of some crook officials in this government.."

"Sounds like there is some sense in it", I sighed to myself. On the other hand, my favorite by-line quikly came to my mind. "A wrong cannot be corrected by another wrong." A crook official in the government, or anybody for that matter, cannot be straightened by another crook act. As a law-abiding citizen, we just have to do our sovereign responsibility dutifully and honestly and God takes care of the rest. Of course, we don't do this praying only but acting or doing something after we had asked the Lord to intervene for the good of this country. Amen!

And as always, we start cleansing this country away of the crooks with ourselves. If charity begins at home, forming a mindset for some sort of a national socio-cultural values must start with the self. The more drastic one is the recommendation of one 'fool' who said that we can only make this country great again if we kill all the older generations of Filipinos and allow only the toddlers and the innocents to survive so they start forming a whole new generation free from the impurities of society and sins of antiquities!

Sounds like I've gone too far. Well, back to that birthday party. My bilas (the husband of my sister-in-law) asked me why are apos so distinctly special from our own children. I told him it's because in the apo, we see that we are given the second chance to correct our shortcomings for our own children, or do the things we should have done for them and avoid those that we should not have done for them. That's why we are so intimately attached, delicately caring and protective for our apos because we cannot afford another mistake this time around. This is also one of the reasons why we grandparents are dubbed as "spoilers" by the apos' parents. My bilas quickly seconded everything I said with affirmation.

Before I forget, I have to mention that the party was to be attended in 'costume' by the children who were invited to come. So, there were those who came in Batman costume, some in Wonder Woman, others in Angel, Spiderman, Catwoman, Superman, etc. My apo came in a ballerina costume which was the choice of my wife. My daughter, the favorite tita of my apo protested, "Maaaahh.. Famfam would look great in Tomb Raider costume because of her tomboyish look!" "Besides," I seconded, "Famfam doesn't look becoming as a ballerina because of her big tummy", hehehe! This has been the result of pampering the apo in the kitchen. "Yooow are not authorized to object!" my wife grinned. Everybody was silent.

Then, I realize that the best time to start off with a good looking body figure for your girl is while she is a little baby. I overheard some doctors say (or was it nutritionists) that fats that have accumulated over the years are harder to slim down in the child's late adolescense - one lesson that must be learned in pampering apos. Grandparents, more often than not, commit the mistake of showing love for the apo by tolerating everything that the child wants to eat, or more appropriately - can swallow, like there is no tomorrow! Second lesson: don't oblige children to attend in costume when the price of rice is rising. Parents who cannot afford to buy costume for their children won't come. This was what happened to some of those invited to this birthday party. And third, don't attempt to correct cheating by some crooks in government by another cheating.

Sometimes, cheap talks can touch on 'cheat talks'!

Hillary: My Personal Choice for Pres. of the U.S.A.

PHILADELPHIA - Hillary Rodham Clinton ground out a gritty victory in the Pennsylvania primary Tuesday night, defeating Barack Obama and staving off elimination in their historic race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
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My choice of Hillary Clinton may not matter at all because I cannot vote for her anyway, and though this small and maybe unheard of blogsite is too remote to reach the attention of American voters, the topic itself is more than enough as a material for a cheap talk. Yes, remember, this is 'Cheap Talks'.

The United States of America is no doubt the strongest country in the world in terms of military arsenal. In fact, I would think that America won the 'cold war' primarily because Russia was greatly intimidated by the 'Star Wars' project of then President Ronald Reagan. Of course, the economic recession that hit Russia in the last two deacdes was another thing but that was secondary. Remember that Russia already attained the zenith of its military might before its economy went down. Most of the communist countries, who believed that a balance in military power is one of the ways to survive, would rather keep their millitary arsenal enhanced at the expense of the economy. But sensing that no matter what it does, Russia will not be able to catch up with America, it gave up the contest for military supremacy between the two countries.

And why would I advocate for a woman President of the USA? Simple. A male president, as has been the case hence, is too much for a country whose male leaders think that they can rule the world with iron hands. Countries, which are also relatively strong but once led by women leaders such as Canada, Great Britain, Australia and India, have moderated their ambitions to expand their military and political clout. This is why I advocate for a woman President for the United States and the best choice is Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the right time is now. If asked on the same issue, I would advocate the same for North Korea, China, Libya, Pakistan, Cuba and other countries which have not yet given up their expansionist tendencies.

I have seven more good reasons below for my choice of Hillary Clinton, not only for her being a woman, but also for what she is as a person and the politician that she has been and will be.

Here are some of those that they say about Hillary Clinton:

1. Rep. Jack Murtha:

“Senator Clinton is the candidate that will forge a consensus on health care, education, the economy, and the war in Iraq.”

2. Whoopi Goldberg:

"I want a substantive candidate for President and that is why I am switching from Obama to Hillary Clinton!"

3. The Democratic Daily:

"Hillary Clinton has, as she has said, taken this incoming fire for 15 years or more. She’s had her patriotism questioned, her sexuality questioned, been accused of being a murderer, been accused of much more and yet she’s still the leading candidate for the Democratic nomination. She’s tougher than boot leather while having a human side. Those are assets that our candidate needs. Hillary Clinton has developed thick skin and the ability to remain calm in campaign combat. Yet, she also knows how to listen to the American people."

4. DailyKos:

"Nope, nothing "BREAKING". And it can't be said to be a "surge" or "collapse" on either side. However, looking at today's national tracking polls from Rasmussen and Gallup, we might be seeing the beginning of a new trend to keep an eye on. "

5. My DD: 2.9 Million Nurses Endorse Hillary Clinton:

"One of the themes of the presidential race is the choice between flashy rhetoric we often hear from politicians and real work to make the lives of real Americans better. Today, Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of 2.9 million nurses who work everyday to improve the lives of real Americans, the American Nurses Association. "


6. Huffington Post:

"Why Hillary Clinton Will Restore America's Standing in the World? During the years that Hillary Clinton served as first lady, she became a symbol of America's human face and the values we cherish as a people. In an unprecedented role, she traveled to more than eighty countries to highlight the importance of investing in people. She gave voice to those living on the margins of society, particularly women and children, but also the poor. She put a spotlight on US development programs that offered solutions to pressing problems like infectious diseases, illiteracy, and economic marginalization. She advanced important causes -- from microcredit to global health initiatives -- with an array of foreign leaders, international organizations, and grass roots activists."

7. NYT: The Caucus

"In an indication of where Democratic Party leaders are leaning, the telephone survey of the party’s superdelegates found about one-third of them undecided, 25 percent favoring Mrs. Clinton and about 10 percent supporting Mr. Obama. In an earlier survey completed by The Times and CBS News in November, more of the party leaders were undecided, though they supported Mrs. Clinton over Mr. Obama then as well. "

And what more.. Barrack Obama will find it hard to put away Hillary Clinton due to the following:

1. RACE: The jury is still out on whether a black man can overcome America's original sin and be elected president.

About one in five Pennsylvania voters said the race of the candidates was among the top factors in deciding how to vote, according to exit polls, and white voters who cited race supported Clinton over Obama by a 3-to-1 margin.

Results from all the primaries suggest that whites who said race was important in picking their candidate have been about twice as likely to back Clinton as Obama.

An AP-Yahoo News poll found that about 8 percent of whites would be uncomfortable voting for a black president. The actual percentage is probably higher because voters are shy about admitting a racial prejudice to pollsters.

Both campaigns exploited the race issue. The Clinton camp maneuvered to cast Obama as a candidate whose appeal was limited to blacks. The Obama campaign seized every opportunity — at times overreaching — to accuse the Clinton campaign of playing the race card.

The issue was renewed when former President Clinton, asked in an interview broadcast Tuesday with Philadelphia radio station WHYY about comments he made before the South Carolina primary, said the Obama campaign "played the race card on me."

"And we now know, from memos from the campaign and everything, that they planned to do it all along," Bill Clinton said.

2. WORKING-CLASS VOTERS: Obama can't win the presidency unless he starts connecting better with blue-collar voters.

The New York senator easily won among Pennsylvania voters without college degrees and those from families earning less than $50,000 a year. Gun owners, rural voters and churchgoing Democrats also backed Clinton.

These are the folks who Obama said "cling to" guns and God, an inelegant attempt to explain to San Francisco liberals how GOP operatives exploit Democratic voters in anxious economic times. He bowled (poorly) and drank beer in a feeble attempt to show a blue-collar touch.

If Obama wins the nomination, he risks losing those voters to Republican John McCain. While 68 percent of Obama voters in Pennsylvania said they would vote for Clinton should she run against McCain, just 53 percent of Clinton voters said they would vote for Obama.

Race may be an issue here, too. For years, Republicans aimed affirmative action, school busing, welfare and other racially tinged wedge issues at white working-class voters.

3. FRIENDS IN TROUBLE: The longer the campaign goes, the more questions Obama faces about his friends and associates.

He was forced onto the defensive by incendiary comments by his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Friend and fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko faces corruption charges. And McCain is raising questions about Obama's relationship with former 1960s radical William Ayers, who has been quoted in an interview as saying, "I don't regret setting bombs" decades ago.

4. INEXPERIENCE: It's true that Clinton has never run a government or a business, but many voters give her credit for proximity. They consider her experience as first lady preparation for the presidency.

By any measure, Obama is relatively inexperienced, having left the Illinois Legislature less than four years ago.

5. METTLE: Clinton's backers love the fact that she fought Republicans — not to mention the "right-wing conspiracy" — during her husband's presidency. Many Democrats wonder whether Obama is tough enough, a charge that he should be putting to rest in this brass-knuckle nominating contest. But he hasn't.

Headed into Pennsylvania, the cash-strapped Clinton had to defeat Obama by a wide enough margin to stay in the race, raise money and eventually persuade a majority of party regulars — the so-called superdelegates — to side against Obama.

Victory in hand, she must keep winning — Indiana, North Carolina, Oregon, Kentucky, West Virginia, Puerto Rico and beyond, all tall orders, and catch every break along the way.
"He broke every spending record in this state, trying to knock us out of the race," Clinton crowed in victory Tuesday night. "Well, the people of Pennsylvania had other ideas."

The question is whether superdelegates will get other ideas. Will they start wondering why can't Obama put her away?

Much Ado Over Jatropha Curcas!

In the other blogsite (Padayon Pikiteno) that we have, where I am one of the co-authors, I posted a topic re-emphasizing the great many uses of the moringa plant (malungay or kalamungay to others). From an ordinary add-on vegetable, that we had been so used to about it, (and I say add-on because it cannot stand alone from our traditional use of the plant, so, it's only good for all kinds of 'tinolas'), to an all-purpose herbal plant, to something more sophisticated like cosmetics, we tried to bring the plant back to life, so-to-speak. Yes, it might be so, because we had already long taken for granted the many uses of the moringa plant and I was a little bit afraid that this favorite 'utan' of the Cebuanos might be relegated back to oblivion if not a candidate for extinction. Thanks to the Cebuanos dire love for the plant, it can never be an endangered specie.

But wonder of all wonders! I thought that I should have elicited an exciting and long discussion about the 'malungay' plant, especially so that I would be discussing the matter with great people most of them are Cebuanos, or if not, some speak and act like Cebuanos for having had so intimate acquaintances with the Cebuanos of Pikit. I was one of them (a non-Cebuano) who acts and speaks almost like one real Cebuano all for love of the tribe. Anyway, what exactly happened was, instead of the 'malungay', what was discussed quite lengthily was the jatropha carcus! And mind you, not for what exciting details one can be so curious to know about jatropha carcus (tuba-tuba) but for the debate on whether or not there was such a processing plant that processes 'tuba-tuba' into bio-diesel fuel. Whoaaah..!

The usual thing that happens in that blogsite is, once a new topic has been posted, the discussions shift fast to the new topic and the old topic was left behind. Not in this case. Two topics were posted past the 'malungay' hulabaloo, yet, the tuba-tuba thing is still very much alive. I am amused at how the comments keep pouring in despite the two topics that superseded it.

I thought that when I promised to research on jatropha (excuse me not jetropha, a typho error!), things will start to cool off. But the heat refuses to cool off. Especially, that some anonies keep throwing fuel into the fire instead of dowsing it off with cold water.

Anyway, I promised to enhance my knowledge about the jatropha thing, and I said, I'm gonna post it on the same site but I decided not to for fear that I might be adding fuel to the fire. And so let's take a look at the jatropha and educate ourselves about it.

What is Jatropha curcas?

IT is an oil bearing plant indigenous to the Philippines.
An alternative source of fuel for lighting and cooking.
An alternative source of fuel for low RPM diesel combustion engines. A potential source of Bio-diesel for trucks and cars.

In the Philippines, Jatropha is known as
“Tubang-bakod” in Tagalog;
“Tawa-tawa” in Ilonggo;
“Kasla” or “Tuba-tuba” in Visayan; and
“Kabalitiayay” in Maguindanaon

Jatropha can grow almost anywhere in the Philippines. Jatropha curcas is a drought resistant perennial shrub or small tree that grows well even in marginal or poor soil. It is easy to establish, grows relatively quickly and lives for 40-50 years. Its productive life is from 30 to 40 years. 2,200 trees can be planted per hectare.

In India, Jatropha starts bearing fruits in two years after planting but initial planting in Samal Island in Davao started yielding fruits in only 6 months after planting the cuttings. The hardy jatropha is resistant to drought and pests, and produces seeds containing up to 40% oil. When the seeds are crushed and processed, the resulting oil can be used in a standard diesel engine, while the residue can also be processed into biomass to power electricity plants.[2]
Goldman Sachs recently cited Jatropha curcas as one of the best candidates for future biodiesel production.[3] However, despite its abundance and use as an oil and reclamation plant, none of the Jatropha species have been properly domesticated and, as a result, its productivity is variable, and the long-term impact of its large-scale use on soil quality and the environment is unknown. [1]

What are the possible business opportunities with Jatropha curcas?

Produce seedlings
Produce cuttings
Produce ready-to-plant seedlings
Establish a plantation
Produce Oil
Crude oil
Ready-to-use Jatropha Biodiesel

Other uses of jatropha curcas:

31 to 37 % of oil is extracted from a Jatropha seed. Jatropha Curcas seed can be used as Bio diesel for any diesel engine without modification; Selling treated Jatropha seeds, and quality sapling;

Dark blue dye and wax can be produced from the bark of the Jatropha curcas plants; Jatropha plant Stem is used as a poor quality wood; Jatropha curcas leaves helps in dressing the wound; Jatropha roots help in making yellow dye; Juice of the flowers of Jatropha curcas and the Jatropha stem has very good medicinal properties; Pounded seeds are used in tanning; Press Cake : Jatropha becomes Organic fertilizer and soil improver; Jatropha curcas extracted oil are used as Bio-Diesel, Varnishes, Illuminants, Soap, Pest control and Medicinal for skin diseases, as purgative.

Email info@jatrophacurcas-biodiesel.com for more info..

Meeting My Grand-Daughter for the First Time!

It was one of the longest waiting in my life!

Several thoughts had been playing in my mind as I eagerly (and patiently) wait for our eldest son's coming home from far away Cagayan Valley, Region 2, Northern Luzon.

First, when will I see him after being away for four years? Second, what does he have for us when he arrives home from far away Tuguegarao City? Is there anything that had changed in him after all these years?

My wife, Jasmine, was all set to attend the graduation of our eldest son in Cagayan Colleges Tuguegarao (CCT). She was determined to go come what may, for she could no longer bear not see his favorite son. And so, she left Cotabato City for Manila on March 29, 2008.

The trip to Tuguegarao from Manila was not easy. First, you have to traverse long, winding mountainous road whether you go via (1) Bulacan-Pampanga-Cavite-Pangasinan-Nueva Ecija-Isabela route or (2) Bulacan-Pampanga-Cavite-Pangasinan-Benguet-Mt. Province route or (3) Bulacan-Pampanga-Cavite-Pangasinan-La Union-Ilocos Sur-Ilocos Norte route. Second, it was more difficult for all of them were first-timers on any of the three routes. For a non-tourist like my wife and the rest of the group, taking a map with them was not among the preparations. And so, they had to rely on my guidance straight from my room in Cotabato City as I guided them through the map of Northern Luzon.

At last they reached Tuguegarao City after that long exasperating trip! My wife was teary-eyed upon seeing our eldest son after four years of being away. I can imagine the feeling of relief that she had. Then the biggest surprise of her life came when she was presented with her 'apo' - a beautiful granddaughter, who is almost two years old. She was not only teary-eyed this time but she begun to sob for reasons probably known only to her. And I refuse to guess them or make any conjectures though I have my own feelings about it but they are best kept to myself only. What else could she do but accept everything as it is, as it has been, and as it will be.

They took the 1st route to Tuguegarao which took them 11 hours on the road, and went back to Manila via the 3rd route which lasted for 15 hours.

My wife's group reached back Manila on the 3rd of April 2008 at past 8:00 in the morning. I was expecting that they go by plane to Cotabato City on the 5th so we could celebrate the 2nd birthday of our 'apo' on the exact date that she was born. But things just didn't turn out as planned. All planes were fully-booked to Cotabato City till the 6th, and so they had no choice but to go back to Cotabato City by plane via Davao on the 6th which took another more than four hours on the road. Oh, what a trip! And it could had been so boring had it not been for the fact that our 'apo' was with them all the way from Tuguegarao.

And you know what "apo's" mean to grand-parents. I told Milyn, our son's fiancee, that she has nothing to worry about. I assured her that grand-parents are real spoilers of 'apos'. And I think she was comforted a bit. Had she not agreed that my wife take our 'apo' with her back home, I would not really force the issue. I fully understand how mothers feel for their children.

At last, our 'apo' arrived home in Cotabato City on the 6th at past 2:00 in the afternoon. As expected nobody could get hold of her, not even my wife who I had presumed had enough confidence-building time with our 'apo' from the time that they were together in Tuguegarao to the time that they had been stranded in Manila up till they arrived in Cotabato City.

A few minutes more and there were already some people gathered in the house as we are prepared to celebrate the second birthday of our'apo'. She seemed not quite exposed to people as she kept holding on to her Dad whereever he goes. The farthest that her Dad could get away from her is not more than one arm-length (our apo's arm).

I had my own strategy of how to win her confidence almost instantly. I found the chance when she was asking for water. I gave her water and made her drink. Then, asked her to make 'mano' which she did without an iota of hesitation. "Now I got you", I said. Minutes later, I was able to lift her in my arms and pose for some picture-taking infront of the house. (The picture that you see right here). Next, we went to the sari-sari store just across to buy some 'chicheria' or 'junk foods'. Till then, I am the next best person that can get hold of her, aside from her Dad.

Now, I believe, first impression is lasting. And the first acquaintance really matters. We love our dear 'apo'. All of us would only want the best for her. Nothing less! Ahlan wa sahlan dear 'apo'.

Wakakuy!!

I hope the Cebuanos will forgive me because I'm going to coin in some Cebuano words for convenience. This is: Wa ka kuyapi!! (literaly means.. "Don't you collapse?"). It is actually an expression referring to something that was unbelievably said or something that should not have been said at all because it was so shameful to make that statement. So, instead of Wa ka kuyapi, I will use Wakakuy, for short.

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Consider this headline from a daily national newspaper:

RP increasingly corruption-free!

Or, is it the other way around?

Wakakuy?

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The President, in a speech in Hongkong to entice foreign investors, said:

“As an economist, I know that first and foremost, a strong economy is transparent and free from corruption. We are freeing ourselves from the shackles of corruption as evidenced by our growing economy – which is increasingly free of corruption and inefficiency.”

Nice to know that Ma'am.. We hope it happens very soon. The alleged violators are just within reach.

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Here is another one..

The President told her audience that the “political noise” in Manila was created by “our very free press.”

So, she blames media for exposing the grossly overpriced ZTE-NBN deal? To her, friends and relatives accused of corruption were just victims of media’s irresponsible reporting?

Thank God that we have a very free press. Otherwise, only those allegedly involved in the scam would enjoy their own story.

April Fool's Day Prankster: "PGMA Resigned"

By Hon. Rene Gutierrez
(Guest Author)

A breaking news from the National Inquirer reads: "Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo resigned after a text message circulated earlier was labeled a hoax.." This has prompted the Supreme Court of the Philippines and Congress to declare the position of President vacant.

The position was first offered to the Pope who declined because he had earlier relinquished his Filipino citizenship due to poor health. (Thank God, the Pope had good reason to turn down the offer! Otherwise, we will have a constitutional crisis.. Why? Can you imagine a President without a First Lady had the Pope accepted it?? Hehehe.. Mau)

Sources from the Holy See earlier announced that the position was later offered to three non-TRAPO residents of Pikit Cotabato (Where the action is!) namely: Mau Only, CAT Only and RG Only. These three personages are not related to each other even if they have the same surnames.

Mau is one of Pikit's tall, dark and handsome special adviser to Sultan Sumulong, one of the country's remaining sultanates. It is rumored that the Sultan is kept advised by Mau to keep the sultan's secret that he has 28 wives all of them with same names! (Is it true that the Sultan is also in a relationship with a pain killer named Ben Gay???).

Cat on the other hand, famous as the rightful princess and heir to the late Sultan Meliton of the Haunted House, is a plain and simple princess, dainty and demure, and traces her roots from the great, great family of feline origin.

Last but not the least, the position might as well be offered to a non-Sultan. RG, a panelist for the rebels which call themselves the MILF (Mindanao Insurgent Leftover Farts)."

More breaking news..... while I was typing this it was learned that Mau, who would have accepted the position, was declared disqualified due to extreme poginess! Because of his disqualification and by the doctrine of "persona non grata and res ipsa loquitor... and caveat emptor", RG considered himself also disqualified for the reason that he, too, is in the sorry state of extreme poginess.!

This would have left the position for Cat to grab. Howevver, it was rumored that CAT will accept the position if she finds 3,000 pairs of shoes of the same size as his father which is 14 EEE.

Time however is running out because this offer is good only until midnight tonight. Otherwise the Philippine President will be constrained to hold on to her position as president of this 8,000 islands (during low tide).

She is scheduled to address the UN Assembly tonight. Downey, the executive secretary of the resigning President is already in New York with 24 volumes of first edition of the Encyclopedia Filipiniana. The books will be laid at the base of the rostrum to help the President reach the microphone on the hall where the UN assembly will be in Session.

Mau was prompt to give his stand (though lying down) in not being able to grab the vacant position of President first offered to him. He wrote:

"It was almost a dream come true had I not slept into limbo and woke up at about 7:00 a.m. today. I had real regrets when I learned that the Presidential post was vacant until midnight only last night. If I can turn back the hands of time, I won't entertain second thoughts to acept the position. This could have been, you know, the shortest cut to our dream of becoming President someday."

"Ms. Arroyo should better not commit the mistake of making another offer for I would surely grab it. We can still amass great fortune in more or less two years that we are in power. What are Presidents for (esp. in the Phil.)"

Meantime, CAT, the famous feline princess, cannot be reached for comment. She was stuck in an area where her mobile phone was out of coverage area, and so, she cannot be reached or there is no way for her to become rich. Poor big girl!!

One Unforgettable Experience on the Road!

Kabacan-Cotabato City route without Weena!

I had my first taste of crowding like sardines in a passenger van today. The Weena Bus Company had made good its promise to cut short its Davao-Cotabato route effective today to dramatize its protest over extortion, bomb threats, an appreciable number of passengers who refuse to pay, "kotong", etc. which have been plaguing the Company.

On the other hand, it seemed like fiesta for the passenger vans who took advantage of the situation. Some of these passenger vans operate without approved franchise as alleged by the Bus Company. Frankly, I hate to ride in these vans for these reasons: (1) unlike the bus, these vans do not have spacious leg rooms (2) most of these vans are old models, ergo, there is no guarantee as to their road fitness and safetiness, and (3) most of the drivers of these passenger vans are wreckless ones.

They drive as fast as they could to make more trips. This is exactly what happened to us today. On three instances, we almost met an accident. First, when we were leaving, our driver was forcing his way in the midst of motor tricycles lining up to pick up pasengers. We almost hit one of them. Second, we almost had a head-on collision with a ten-wheeler truck as our driver was competing for road space somewhere after Poblacion Aleosan where the road is under repair. And third, while our driver was reaching out for something from his back, we were getting off the concrete road track. At this instant I managed to grab the steering wheel to keep the van back on track and shouted at the driver afterwards to reprimand him. It was a good thing that I was seated beside the driver.

My co-passengers, I knew, had been struggling to control their nervousness. Matter of fact, upon reaching the town of Midsayap, 3 women passengers pulled out of the van and demanded a refund for certain portion of the amount they paid. An elderly woman retorted, "I don't wanna go on with this trip anymore; give me the remaining fare coz I'm transferring to another vehicle.." I almost did the same, but it seemed the male passengers want to show they got balls and so they can afford to stay.

At about the boundary of the towns of Midsayap and Libungan, our driver agreed to be replaced by a more responsible one, I would say. Immediately I saw some sigh of relief in the faces of the passengers. Me too! Thank God, we arrived safely in Cotabato City. This was one of the unforgettable experiences I had on the road.

Back to the Weena bus snag, I think, seriously, the bus company should reconsider its options. The company management can be sued for this action it has taken. Remember, the Company applied for a franchise to serve the Davao City - Cotabato City route. Serving this route only partially is a blatant violation of its approved franchise. The reasons for this action is really not justified especially that they are things of pure management-related issues and concerns.

The bus company has no right to punish the riding public for some shortcomings of its management. Otherwise, it must leave this route completely to other public conveyances.