Unbelievable Rollie

Today is the day. The President will recite her State of the Nation Address and her political opponents will also declare what is wrong with the state of the nation under her. Let's just brace ourselves for the outpouring of praise and congratulations from one side, and for the brickbats from the other. That is without mentioning the human rights and militant groups who will again goad the police to commit something that they can charge them for. The police have said they will not use water cannons or tear gas. But they did not say they will not have them ready.

***

Anyway, the SONA affair will be aired live on TV and all interested Filipinos will be able to judge for themselves whether the President is telling them the truth about the state of the country, or the condition in which she hopes or imagines it to be. That way, they won't have to let themselves be influenced by the comments and criticism of those who may try to lead them to conclusions laced with their own biases. For this we again give thanks for the advances in technology that enable us to virtually be where the action is.

***

Meanwhile, the guessing is on whether or not there will be a speaker of the House of Representatives to sit behind the president when she gives her longest speech of the year. This is because up to press time yesterday, there was no definite report yet on who had gotten the approval of all the other House members to be their "speaker." But why should it be so important for a speaker to be there when the SONA is being delivered? Even if he is called the "speaker" he will not be speaking at all, well, except to bang the gavel and say that the session is open together with the Senate president - if there is already one, that is.

***

If I miss being at the Session Hall this afternoon, it is only because I will not be able to see first-hand the behavior of the members of both Houses, note their outfits, and comment or speculate on their body language. I know from experience that the female members usually outdo themselves with their ternos in dazzling colors, while the gentlemen all look snazzy in their crisp barongs. As for Madame President, maybe she will again display some of those heirloom jewelry her mother was known for. Those are the things I'd like to see, but of course I would also be listening to what she says.

***

People like us journalists who like to read between the lines were very fascinated by some headlines in the national dailies the day the release of kidnap Italian Missionary Fr. Giancarlo Bossi was announced. The headlines exulted that Fr. Bossi had been freed, but another item said that 16 jail imates, including four Abu Sayyaf members, had bolted jail. If one were malicious, one would suspect that it had been an arrangement that we in the newspaper advertising business call an "ex-deal".

***

I was disturbed to hear late yesterday that my friend and DAILY STAR's most constant supporter and inspirer, Msgr. John Liu had been hospitalized. On Saturday we had been kidding him during the birthday party of Rolly Espina about what a socialite he had become. They day before, he was also at the grand induction affair of the Bacolod Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the L'Fisher Hotel. It was a relief to learn later that Monsignor had not had an attack or something serious, but had slipped in the bathroom, and, thank God, was found to have suffered no very grave injury. We at the STAR are praying for his quick recovery.

***

Speaking of Rolly's birthday, my! The celebrator, who insisted that he had no inkling about the grand celebration until a day or so before, was like an excited debutante all throughout the evening. Well, he had reason to beam all the while, with his talented offspring presenting very touching and enjoyable musical numbers that underscored their various talents. The dances were all spirited and colorful, and all the participants, who included two generations, poured their hearts into their parts.

***

Naturally, everybody awaited the numbers from his two highly-gifted daughters, Mary Anne and Nenen who regaled the guests with their renditions of classic pieces. Looking at all the lively children and grandchildren who either looked like Rolly or their mom, Nene, or both, Perla and I could only wonder: Had they all really been produced by the Rolando, or "Lan," whom we first knew as a pious-looking and so harmless-looking seminarian studying at the former "convento" that was just next door to our own school, LCC?*

back to top