The pros and cons on GMA

We were in Iloilo last Saturday on the 55th alumni homecoming of our Class '51 in Iloilo City high school.

The beauty of class reunions is that they bring back old memories and make one feel young once again with one's old classmates. Ours was a whole day affair. Only three of us are from Bacolod, the Deocampo sisters, Dolores D. Gudalupe and Angeles D. Irwin. They are American citizens who spend half of the year in Bacolod and the other half in the U.S.

Two other classmates, Mrs. Leonila Cainglet and Raul Alavanzas did not go with us.

A whole day affair was capped by singing and dancing at Hotel del Rio.

Oh, if only we're young again!

We tried to delude ourselves into thinking that we can still all attend our 60th alumni homecoming in 2011. And everybody pledged to make it.

When we met five years ago there were 87 of us. Last Saturday there were only 38. That was just poor attendance. But we still enjoyed.

* * *

I am happy because I expected it that incumbent Ceneco president Ed Guillem would be reelected Ceneco director and, if the other board members support him, he will still be president. I don't see reasons why he should not be re-elected president. He has shown achievements.

I am happy, too, Bobby Montelibano was elected unopposed director from Murcia. A Ceneco director can serve only three terms. After Ed's term, Bobby will make a good president.

Bobby is forward-looking and enterprising. Meanwhile, he can observe and study Ceneco to prepare him for the future. Bobby is still young.

* * *

My two columns last Friday on whom does God supports and the critics lambasting the critics last Saturday got a lot of reactions.

Whom does God support, the President or the Bishops? The reaction gave all kinds of jokes. But the most common is God helps those who help themselves.

On the critics lambasting the critics, it became more interesting. We are referring to a 5-page, single spaced small letters lambasting the critics of President Arroyo, from former President Corazon Aquino, to the Senators, Congressmen, Bishops and even Media and all the bleeding hearts.

One reaction was from Anna Balcells who believes people should support Arroyo so that the communists cannot take over. The danger is the communists, she said.

Anna's reaction was texted to me.

* * *

But another reaction was from Jonathan Uygongco who e-mailed his reaction.

Uygongco said he was also a recipient of the same letter that was e-mailed to me. He said what the letter said was "my exact sentiments as well as the sentiments of a lot of other people who do not have the same power in mass media as most of you have."

He said "it was not written by Ignacio Bunyet, I assure you." How does Uygongco know? Did he write it himself?

And I did not say Bunye wrote it. I said it could be believable "if it was signed by Ignacio Bunye."

I believe there are valid and salient points in that letter, reason why I published it. But, I still believe it was done by the supporters of the President. It was a PR job.

I do not want to jump to conclusions at the moment. I agree the communists and military adventurists can not be a good substitute to Arroyo. I would still prefer Arroyo.

* * *

But I am disappointed. For all her posturing, the President has not acted decisively on the issues she has been accused of.

Why not an independent commission to independently look into the alleged cheating in the 2004 election.

The deputy agriculture secretary Jocelyn Bolante has been accused of a very serious crime. And he can be made to go home if the President says so. But he is kept in the U.S.

What is the truth with the fertilizer scam?

Where did the P726 million fertilizer funds go? Why are investigations not ordered? I am referring to a no-holds-barred investigation.

And those other graft charges. Why can she not suspend the officials concerned?

* * *

If the President does not address this problem to the satisfaction of the public, she'll never get out of the tight fix she is in. And the fact that she does not want her subordinates to face the investigation, only leaves a suspicion on her being a principal culprit.

Corruption is a very serious charge.

But I believe the President can still extricate herself if all these problems are addressed by her.

* * *

I met Murcia Mayor Sonny Coscolluela yesterday while he was preparing to tape his interview with former Miss International Aurora Pijuan. I saw Sonny's interview with SRA boss James Ledesma and was impressed by how he handled the interview.

I told Sonny I have never been a selfish teacher. If my former student can beat me in interviewing people, I believe when he's through with politics, he goes into media. We will be happy to welcome him.

Or he can be like Noli de Castro. He is much better than Noli.*

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