Tatad's unnamed country

I got this joke from texts last Black Saturday, also called Sabado de Gloria. If Fidel has his Domingo de Ramos, Arroyo has her Sabado de Gloria.

Now, the joke. It is a poem, nominated for honors in 2005, written by an African kid whose name was not given.

"When I born I black, When I grew up I black,/ When I go in sun I black,/ When I scared I black,/ When I sick I black,/ And when I die I still black.

"But you white fella,/ When you born you pink,/ When you grow up you white,/ When you in the sun you red,/ When you cold you blue,/ When you scared you yellow,/ When you sick you green,/ And when you die, you grey.

"And you call me colored?"

* * *

Another text joke I got on Easter Sunday. A rich Pinoy brought his family, including his elderly mother-in-law during the Holy Week to Jerusalem. His mother-in-law died on Good Friday.

The Pinoy sought out help from the Philippine Embassy who told him he needed help to ship his mother-in-law back to the Philippines.

The Embassy man told him it's quite costly at $5,000 shipping a dead body and it would be more practical burying her there at $150. The Pinoy said he didn't mind the cost.

When the Embassy man commended him for being a loving son-in-law, he said, that's not the case. He's just afraid that on Easter Sunday she might also rise from the dead.

Moral of the story. To all mothers-in-law, be nice to your son-in-laws.

* * *

Now to a more serious topic.

Former Senator Francisco Tatad spoke in New York at the International Solidarity Forum recently to an international audience.

Tatad spoke of a country that he did not name where, he said, the cancer of corruption has metastasized for the whole political body.

He said the cancer has corrupted Congress with a distorted pork barrel system, the Judiciary with an appointment system without any concession to meritocracy or the fear of the consequences of cronyism or favoritism.

He also said corruption leaves little or nothing for development or response to threats of terrorism. Should the threat to the country become real, Tatad said, the people will be at the mercy of the enemy when it has an air force that cannot fly, a navy that cannot float, an army that cannot move, communicate or shoot, and a police that cannot chase motorized criminals because they have no gasoline.

Reading that speech of Tatad, full of sarcasm, was very interesting.

I recall Francisco "Kit Tatad," a reporter of The Manila Bulletin, taken by President Marcos in 1969 as press secretary. At that time Tatad was a young man.

I was president of the Negros Press Club and Alex Espino asked me to sign a petition asking Marcos to appoint him press secretary. Before him, press secretaries were elder, experienced writers. And they always tangled with Malacañang reporters. With Tatad, they could make an errand boy out of him.

He was a good press secretary. I recall when Marcos declared Martial Law, it was Tatad's job to read the declaration. I could see the pain in his face declaring it. For Kit Tatad has been a freedom fighter through and through.

* * *

Gov. Joseph Marañon is inviting friends to come to the Panaad. We must join the Governor in this invitation. Let us invite all our friends to see what we have.

Because we are from here we cannot see what Negros Occidental has. Go to Pana-ad and you will see the many things Negros Occidental can offer.

The Governor is right. This is an agricultural province. So, our strength is in agriculture.

We are among the big producers of organic fertilizer and with Oriental Negros joining us, we can work out to be able to provide other provinces the organic fertilizer they may need.

* * *

I haven't gone to Pana-ad yet. It is difficult going there because one has to park at a distance. The place is full of vehicles. My driver went with my children to Roxas City for three days.

It is a more practical idea if one cannot walk a distance to take a taxi going there. Coming home it is easy getting a jeep.

But whatever transportation you use, go to Pana-ad. You will enjoy just going around and looking at the different displays of the different cities and towns of Negros.*

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