Pacquiao haunts
national psyche

Manny Pacquiao, many pointed out, had stymied the planned coup against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Now that the national hero is scheduled to return, everyone who counts seems to feel that the crisis is over.

Not true, as pointed out by former Senator Gringo Honasan, Manny is also a member of the Guardian. As if hinting that the Guardians can count on Manny to support their attempts to ease her out of the Palace, presuming that is the intent of the Guardians.

In short, from the Honasan view point, Manny Pacquiao can also be the Achilles heel of the administration. Because precisely of his accomplishments, he may not be the rallying point of efforts to topple the President, but he could prove a vital component in any ouster move.

That's the problem with some of our military men (current and former). They consider themselves as messiahs. Sent by heaven to save the nation.

Unfortunately for most Filipinos, we seem to have escaped the lessons of history. The worst case scenario were those years when the military wielded almost absolute power under then President Marcos to do their own thing even if they contravened the law of the land. All other military dictatorships, including those of Hitler's Nazi Germany, proved disastrous to the population. Albeit most initially thought that they could ultimately be controlled. But the power of the gun only proved successful temporarily. But the carnage proved horrible.

Thus, it is time that we, Filipinos, join the Prayer Explosion. That, I think is more powerful than the combined military forces. Not that they can quell whatever the armed groups intend to do. But who knows how God can transform a seemingly impossible situation into a miracle.

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Bacolodnons seem oblivious to the plight of the 150 nursing graduates of the West Negros College whose test results in their board exams remained unreleased until yesterday.

Although the protesting nurses had hurled vitriolic language against Professional Regulation Regional Director Lily Ann Baldago, the lady official only reacted that she felt flattered having been called "poderosa" (powerful).

Baldago told the television program, Serbisyo Publiko, that the withholding of the test results is justified, contending that the students had failed to satisfy the number of required units and subjects.

The examinees, however, contended that it is the Commission on Higher Education that could determine what constitutes academic overloading. The WNC graduates filed a petition for mandamus before Regional Trial Court Judge Guiljie Delfin-Lim of the Iloilo RTC Branch 22. Named respondents were Dr. Leonor Tripon, chair of the PRC, and Dr. Eufemia Octaviano, head of the Board of Nursing.

The petitioners also contended that they had been issued their official transcript of records by the WNC and given a Special Order by the Region VI CHED. And also secured the Related Learning Experience for the entire BSN program.

Thus, because they had paid their examination fee of P900 and allowed to take the test by the PRC, the latter no longer should have the right to withhold the results of the exams on the basis of questions about their academic overloading.

Well, this is something that will drag on for sometime. But one thing is sure, though, many of the graduates may no longer be able to push through with their plans to land foreign jobs. That's a scary impasse.

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Thailand may finally decided to allow sugar prices (domestic) to float to reflect production cost and development in the industry.

The Bangkok Post yesterday said unless the Thai government which controls sugar prices allow market forces to determine prices, the Sugar Industry Ministry said, this could result in a significant production decline as much as 17 percent. In effect, that means dropping down to only 35 million tons from the 42 million metric tons at present.

Chakramon Phasukvaich, the permanent secretary of the Industry ministry and chairman of the committee, said only when local prices were allowed to float can sugarcane areas be maintained because growing the crop would be worthwhile.

"Should we do nothing, sugarcane plantation areas and supply will decline significantly next year. And if local prices are still capped, the production of sugarcane will drop by 17 percent to 35 million tons in the next crop season from 42 million at present," he added.*

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