Happy holidays!

Now it's birthday leave. A congressman who obviously can no longer think of anything to keep his name in the news has proposed that the government also grant a birthday leave to workers. What he means is that all employed people will be entitled by law to enjoy the day off when it is the anniversary of his birth. I guess this solon is one of those people who love to hold celebrations for their natal day, and would like to have a whole-day affair to mark it.

***

We don't know yet what the other members of Congress think about this birthday plan. So far, some have protested that the Philippines is already known world-wide as the country with the most number of holidays. Workers are already entitled to 30 days off every year - 15 for sick leave, and 15 for vacation. Then, too, our lawmakers have given them the "paternity leave", in addition to the "maternity leave" for wives who, if you ask me, fully deserve the two free months allowed them. They're the ones who undergo the hard labor.

***

In the Philippines, we also have several days off for the Christmas season, and about the same number for Lent. Our lawmakers, the ones of similar bent as the one proposing the birthday thing, have already granted the battered wives leave. I don't know much about the latter, or how one can avail of it. Does one present a blackeye to be eligible? Then, of course, we have the legal holidays, non-working ones, and other types called working ones.

***

In the present administration, anything can turn out to be a holiday, or merit additional days off. We even move the days set for honoring heroes so everybody can have additional days without work. They justify that by saying the free days will promote tourism. As far as I know, parents dread the long weekends because their children then demand to be taken on outings or shopping trips, that can be far more expensive than having them safe and snug in their classrooms. Have you noticed that holidays are also used to prevent unrest? When protestors are grouping, a holiday may be declared to defuse their enthusiasm. What will you bet that our solons will also pass the birthday bill?

***

I heard last night that former President Fidel Ramos and President Arroyo have kissed and made up. Well, maybe not really made up, but the atmosphere between them has ceased to crackle. I don't know who defanged who, but later I again heard FVR repeating his stand that GMA should make the supreme sacrifice of shortening her term. That is sure to get the gander of the tenacious occupant of the palace up.

***

What's with Congresswoman Imee Marcos? She must still be smarting from the implied rebuke of her fellow oppositionists when they took away from her the powerful membership in the Commission on Appointments. Seems they cannot forgive her for scooting off to Hongkong when the moment of truth in their impeachment case against the president came. Her excuse then that she could not go against the wishes of her mother was very lame, to say the least. Everybody knows that her mother cannot control her, not even when they were still ruling from the palace.

***

Rep. Imee has recently been hitting out at FVR, calling him all sorts of names, like "senile" or "in his second childhood". Since she is obviously criticizing FVR for his insistence that GMA step down, can we say that Imee is now on the side of GMA? In turn, FVR dared those twitting him for his age to compete with him in any sport, or to debates on various topics. Well, Steady Eddie should not let that irk him. Imee is probably still sore at him for leading the EDSA revolt that ended with her family's flight out of Malacañang.

***

Meanwhile, the sound of drums can now be heard in several places in the Visayas, as some cities go into their yearly festivals. Kabankalan and Cebu have their Sinulog, crowd-drawers that are gaining popularity. Iloilo is also going into its Dinagyang, its tourist attraction. I have not yet attended the festival since it was renamed "Dinagyang", it used to be called "Ati-atihan also". On our way to and from Boracay last week, we passed through Kalibo and saw how earnestly the people are preparing for their big event. Welcome streamers can be seen everywhere and the Santo Niño image is very prominent. This weekend, the whole place will be reverberating with drumbeats, and shouts of Viva Señor Santo Niño! And Hala bira! its rallying cry.*

back to top