That inauguration
of Sunshine TV

Sunshine TV station was inaugurated Saturday, just shortly after the city's mediamen had laid to rest Mike Asignacion, the revered Progress Channel head. It was almost prophetic.

That sort of served as a challenge that Mike's "Abante, Negros" slogan was not going to die but regain new strength with the birth of the new Skycable channel. The Sunshine Boys, led by Ric Yanson, were in full force at the inaugural with Sunshine president Primo Esleyer proclaiming that a grand-daughter had also been named Sunshine.

I was too exhausted by the wake and cremation on that morning of my brother-in-law, Ernesto Llavore, to join the affair. Besides, I was nursing a severe ear-ache. The wages of a fetish for clean ears, which Dr. Amarra had warned me against the previous week when she had flushed my right eardrum.

As previously mentioned, the one that caught attention was Todo Español, the Spanish language program of Ms. Gilda Puey-Locsin. Anyway, we look forward to helping the Sunshine station. It is worth the support of every well-meaning Negrense. Those who hope for the province to develop a civilized and economically-robust society.

***

The surprise development. The Lakas-NUCD voted down ex-President Fidel V. Ramos in his bid to force President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to go along with his idea of resigning the Presidency by 2007. That amounts to cutting short her term. Purportedly to pave the way for the transition government to the Parliamentary System. The party members also upheld the stance by Speaker Jose De Venecia. The latter, a close Ramos ally, had stuck to the position that GMA should remain in office and help nurse the government through its successful revolutionary change.

Actually, that was a very unnecessary thing to do. After all, the term-limit to the Presidency was just a proposal by the Constitutional consultative body. It was not the final thing. It was Congress that would have voted on that recommendation. Instead, I think what happened was that both GMA and Joe DEV must have maneuvered for Lakas positions on the issue before it could even be discussed in Congress.

And Ramos, himself, may have spurred that denouncement. He could have avoided a showdown did he not insist on his original idea of the President resigning before the end of her term. Well, that's already water under the bridge. FVR seems to have lost his clout. Now what is going to follow is the question on everybody's mind.

Watch for future developments.

***

Filipino Catholics yesterday celebrated Santo Niño, the feast of the Infant Jesus. All roads of Negros Occidental and Oriental led to Kabankalan City for the impressive Sinulog Festival that highlights the local commemoration of Sto. Niño.

But there is no denying that Kabankalan has emerged as a major tourism center of the province precisely because of Sinulog.

I suggest, however, that in the future the fluvial parade be put in its rightful place. It used to be a celebration of Ilog's escape from the pirate band that had tried to raid the first capital of Negros Island. There's nothing wrong with accenting this facet of the Sinulog festival. It can only add to the historical perspective.

At any rate, no one can doubt the Kabankalan Sinulog and its development into a stellar attraction during the span of 30 years since its inauguration.*

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