Stop fooling Pacquiao

We have done enough breast beating over Manny Pacquiao's victory in Las Vegas. I understand our people's hunger for real heroes. But, I think all the praises for Pacquiao are more than enough. Let's get down from our high horses and work to produce enough food and stop importing from other countries resulting in our drain of the much needed foreign exchange and, in effect, also subsidizing foreign farmers.

Let us stop kidding Pacquiao to become Senator or yes, even President. I know those who suggested it were doing it tongue in cheek. What I am afraid of is Pacquiao might bite.

He must be told, those people who want him to be a politician are interested only in a share of the $2 million he earned plus the big amount from his endorsement of some products.

Look at those basketball stars and other movie celebrities who were elected to national positions. They were not only failures, they were very big disappointments.

Let us stop fooling Pacquiao!

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Pacquiao, like the great Julius Caesar "came, saw, and conquered." In Latin, Caesar said, "Vini, vidi, vici" was spoken by him to summarize his conquest of Spain, Gaul, and Asia Minor. It was just a plain boast.

He invaded but failed to conquer Britain.

He organized the First Triumvirate with Marcus Crassus and Pompey in 65 B.C. but like all political alliances they ended up eliminating and killing each other.

Crassus was killed and while fighting Pompey, he chased him up to Egypt where he met Cleopatra and bore her a son Caesarion. Caesar had an excessive libido that it is believed his murderer Brutus was his illegitimate son.

It's no surprise. Many sons kill their fathers, especially if they cannot get along with a wife other than their mother. I have gone too far. What I was driving at is not to let this euphoria over Manny Pacquiao go into his head by titillating him to be President.

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And we must plant our feet on the ground too. Let Manny Pacquiao provide seriousness in the country's affairs.

Let us tell our leaders, especially the New Triumvirate of FVR, GMA, and JDV. All the news that come out I cannot believe any more. FVR says we'll go on with the election. GMA says, no, that election in 2007 is still being studied. And JDV with his big ears and droopy eyes keeps on smiling. Which is which? They are all making us dance in the palm of their hands. That's entertainment.

Another sarsuela is with the military. There are "escapes" after "escapes." And no one has been charged whose guarding was lax. It's all drama.

The military said and joined by the Justice Secretary that there are those plotting a coup d 'etat. And this was the news day after day.

But who were the coup plotters? No name was revealed that forced Sen. Nene Pimentel to challenge the Armed Forces to arrest the coup plotters.

How can they? Whom will they arrest? Again this is all a drama. And we are all foolish to believe those capers.

Expect these talks of coup plots to stop. But, they will not run out of ideas. They will come up with something new. And we will be naive again to believe them.

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That's why I go back to Julius Caesar. It was during his reign that the Romans were given all the entertainment. When another Roman emperor Nero was once asked what was he doing that the people were hungry.

He answered, bring them to the arena for entertainment seeing gladiators fight. It was a belief that when people were entertained they forgot their hunger.

The Romans were given by Julius Caesar lavish entertainment with gladiators killing one another in a bloody fight. We are just content with cock fighting.

The decline of Rome, historians have pointed out, started with Octavian, then Augustus Caesar despite his achievements, then with Julius Caesar.

True Julius Caesar made many improvements like his winning many wars but which sapped the empire's finances and his pampering the military.

Our government is committing the same mistake like Julius Caesar pampered the army by giving them higher salaries than the teachers. Look at ours, soldiers receive a much bigger salary than our teachers.

Historians have also pointed out the decline of the French monarchy started with the many wars waged by Louis XIV that left the treasury dry. Then when Louis XVI took over, his wife Marie Antoniette was more interested in the opera and the stage than the food of the people.

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Julius Caesar neglected food production that historians attributed the defeat of the Roman Army to the invading barbarians from the north led by Attila the Hun on their lack of food.

No soldier can fight well on empty stomach.

My mind cannot get out on the idea of our importing rice heavily to the detriment of our own production.

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I got only yesterday a letter from La Salle of an important lecture today at 9 a.m. on investigative journalism.

There was no more time to inform them. I hope those who have the time can come to La Salle to listen to internationally recognized speakers on the subject.

We had a celebrity affair Wednesday night and this could have been announced. It was very well attended.*

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