Politics still sizzling

What does 2007 hold for sugar prices? I was asked.

I said, there are many influencing factors and they can be very well addressed. But smuggling actual and technical, is the worst. It has the blessings from the powers-that-be.

We cannot solve the ills of this country as long as our country is riddled with graft and corruption.

The Church is the biggest factor to stop this. Not the politicians who also benefit from graft. But the Church must change its approach now. It must be aggressive.

They should form a Graftwatch like in Iloilo, get the help of all civic groups and the lawyers and file cases with the Ombudsman. Politicians do not usually file graft charges against their fellow politicians because they are just as guilty.

***

The other night, planter Petloy Mirasol called up. He said we must mount a campaign to stop and abolish the pork barrel. I agree with Petloy. But, who will abolish it? Not the lawmakers. That is their source of funds.

Neither can the election. The problem is this Congressional allocation which earned a derisive name in U.S. politics as "pork barrel" can not be abolished except by the lawmakers themselves.

There are Senators who do not get pork barrel. One of them is Sen. Ping Lacson. And he will surely win in this election.

But, don't get discouraged by my doubting the effectiveness of your idea, Petloy. Just keep on fighting. Many have called you unreasonable.

Remember, progress has been made by people who were called unreasonable.

***

My heart goes to public school teachers, 30 of them still facing court cases filed by former Mayor Joy Valdez after the last election. Theirs is really a thankless job. But, let us make them feel all of us are behind them. Anybody in their place would have the same feeling.

***

This is election season. Planting rumors is one of the techniques used by candidates. The purpose may be sowing intrigues, disinformation, or creating a bandwagon effect.

Don't just easily believe them. Most of them are not true.

After President Arroyo's visit the scuttlebutt was that Mayor Bing Leonardia was ignored and snubbed by the President. I could not believe that. The President needs the help of everybody.

Then I learned later, the President had a close door conference with Gretchen Cojuangco, Kitchie Benedicto, Iggy Arroyo, Joseph Marañon, and Bing Leonardia at the office of PAL Manager Job Lamela.

Then another rumor said Congressman Monico Puentevella was not in the manifest of a private plane that took the President to Bacolod but just wiggled his way in.

I also cannot believe that. The President whenever she goes she requires that the Congressman and the Mayor are there.

But, that's how politics goes. You must survive rumors, intrigues, and all kinds of talks.

***

This can later on probably be included in the Guinness Book of Record.

I got this text from Albert Lim: "Only in the Philippine Senate: siblings Pia and Allan Peter Cayetano, family Loi and Jinggoy Estrada and J.V. Ejercito, Koko and Nene Pimentel, Noynoy and Tessie Aquino, Edu Manzano and Ralph Recto …"

Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos has a son each with Edu Manzano and Ralph Recto that if both win a Senate seat, Vilma will be the first, in the world probably, to have two children, each fathered by a sitting Senator.

"If there's Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, Cesar Montano, Richard Gomez, and Tito Sotto, that's 15 out of 24 of the "brightest and the best in Philippines movies and families."

I don't know how other people will look at us.

I thought we are going to elect people who will craft our laws. We must educate our people, our voters.

***

A news item yesterday said, "I'm running with Bing: Novero."

Vice-Mayor Renecito Novero has been silent these many days. The news pages and the airlanes are full of news about Bing and Newks. Their quarrel is registering effective media mileage.

Could this be a strategy shared by both Newks and Bing. Monico attacking Bing and ignoring Novero. Bing attacks Monico and ignores Valdez. Both Novero and Valdez are ignored by media as the exchange of charges and counter charges sizzle and get more heated between the incumbent Congressman and the incumbent Mayor.

***

Novero has not attacked Monico yet. And Valdez has neither attacked Leonardia. I would like to believe, both Renecito and Joy are prepared for whatever charges of their opponents.

The beautiful part of this election is most of these allies were former political enemies and most of their political enemies now were former allies. This means they know plenty of each other.

Having been running mates, both Valdez and Novero know very well of each other. And so with Newks and Bing. What they cannot expose are in the "deals" where they were together. If there were which is impossible that there were none, let the public know.*

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