NPC elects its officers today

The Negros Press Club elects its new officers today.

We are confident they will make a good choice so that we continue to strengthen the press in this part of the country.

The press may have been your nemesis. And it was not without reason. But in your critical time, it is your greatest ally because by tradition, while they afflict the comfortable, they also comfort the afflicted.

The Court of Appeals saved Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas from the supposedly high-handedness of the police. But the fearless coverage of media that brought the matter to the public was a big help to the beleaguered Governor.

When things are difficult for politicians they turn to the press. But, at times many of them take media for granted. It's not our worry. It's their worry.

When a friend told me some media people in Talisay were turned off by Talisay City Mayor Eric Saratan, I told him Eric was just misunderstood.

In a city where only the two wealthy and powerful families dominate local politics, the Lizares and the Lacson, a commoner like Saratan has to tiptoe or, walk the tightrope.

His balancing support is the media.

***

Today is also the Diamond Jubilee, the 75th year of the Bacolod Diocese. Actually it's next year but the activities start this year.

Many programs will be launched by Bishop Vicente Navarra and Vicar General Victorino Rivas.

This time the Diocese can look back and evaluate its successes and failures to chart its new course for the next 75 years. It must outline its priorities. And I believe it's the promotion of moral values among our people. It is waging a strong campaign against gambling.

***

Today too, local NBI supervising agent lawyer Philip Pecache turns over the office to a new supervising agent, Mamerto D. Cortez. Philip told me, Cortez is also a CPA and LlB like him.

Welcome!

We have always been supportive of law enforcement agencies, knowing weak law enforcers make abusive people. At the same time they are reined in lest they become abusive.

Back to what we said earlier, comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

Philip Pecache gets reassigned in Manila to be near his family.

We are happy that Pecache has performed well. He is close to the media.

***

Fr. Sean Coyle called my attention to an error saying Redemptorists here are British. They are Irish. I found the error the following day when I read my column.

I know how proud Irish people are. They always say it, they are neither British nor English. They are Irish.

There are many similarities between Irish and Filipinos. Poet G.K. Chesterton wrote, "For the great Gaels of Ireland, / Are the ones that God made mad, / For all their wars are merry / And all their songs are sad." Like us, they were also an oppressed people.

They had a much longer running insurgency the Irish Republican Army (IRA) like our own long running insurgency the New People's Army (NPA).

Their songs are also sad, "Ay, ay kalisud …"

***

Irish has also many outstanding writers in English, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde … and I thought G.K. Chesterton. But my British friend Neil Honeyman told me, Chesterton was English and became Catholic in 1922.

During the early years in America, Irish were discriminated against. In some restaurants in Boston, there were signs, "Not allowed: dogs and Irish." The Kennedys had to work hard and capture the U.S. Presidency to correct the image. And also the first Catholic U.S. President.

Ireland is one of the most prosperous countries in Europe. Its latest population is only 5.8 million, growth of one percent.

Rolly Espina's junior lives there and may become, if he has not yet, an Irish citizen. Knowing how prolific Rolly is (10 children) with his late wife, Dr. Lourdes Llavore Espina the future prime minister of Ireland might be a Rolly descendant.

***

There were many anecdotes about Irish and Ireland. I forgot them already.

Fr. Sean Coyle might come out with a book on his Philippine experience, I hope he puts in the hopes of many Negrenses that in the future Ireland might have a Negrense descendant as prime minister.*

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