Sing it right, Martin!

The President has ordered the mining industry of the country to be placed under her office so that she can closely monitor and oversee the "efficient and effective implementation of the country's mineral resources." For this the Palace has issued Executive Order No. 636. This is because some of the biggest mining companies in the world have lately invested some $500 million in mining here. Well, that's all right with us, so long as we don't hear some people saying "Mine, mine, mine" to everything later.

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I hear that popular singer Martin Nievera is going to perform in Bacolod today. I don't think I'm going to be there to listen to him, but I hope he listens to me. I have heard that he has been asked to be the one to sing the Philippine National Anthem in the scheduled fight of Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas with Marco Antonio Barrera. My message to Martin is that he will see to it that he delivers his part properly, and sings the anthem with the right tempo. In the last three bouts of Pacquiao, with Erik Morales, Oscar Larios, and Jorge Solis, the Pinay singers all sounded as if they were at a funeral, and that elicited complaints from some columnists and even musicians.

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The only time I ever heard Martin Nievera perform was in San Francisco, California when the Filipino community presented a program for visiting President Fidel Ramos. Naturally the program opened with the singing of our National Anthem, and later President Ramos called the attention of the singers, telling them that it is supposed to be sung briskly, with a martial tempo. I don't know if Martin remembers this, but I do remember that he mistook Mrs. Ming Ramos for somebody else then. I may again attend the Pacquiao fight in November - who knows - and I will write about it again. STAR readers will know if Martin did listen.

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Speaking of the Philippine National Anthem, which was composed by Julian Felipe as commissioned by General Emilio Aguinaldo, some reports even say that the general sent back the first sheets of the piece given to him because he wanted it to have sound like a march. To their respective credits, The Development Bank of the Philippines-Bacolod Chorale sang it perfectly during their recent roadshow here. So did the recording played by the Negros Navigation Co. during the company's diamond anniversary Thursday. During the inauguration of Bacolod City officials, the University of St. La Salle also delivered a dirge, and maybe that is why only three or four officials on stage were noted singing with them.

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Who can blame all the rebel and bandit groups in the country if they are now laughing their heads off at our government and especially our military? A few days ago, the Army Chief of Staff proclaimed a "deadline" for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to surrender their members responsible for lopping off the heads of ten Marines in Basilan. The deadline came and went, and the Army Chief ordered his troops to get ready to assault Tipo-Tipo, the place where the beheading took place. Hmmm? Yesterday, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Navy and Air Force, went to Basilan herself and said, hold it, hold it. Let's investigate first, and let's invite the MILF to join us. Should we also go Ha-ha, Ho-ho?

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Neophyte Congressman Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro has a point. He says that the policy of No work-No pay should also be applied in Congress. Rodriguez noted that absenteeism is a very rampant ailment among solons and he is saying that they should be penalized, like other government workers. Yes, we do know that some congressmen are known for coming in just for the roll call and then disappear (between us girls, only) to some sauna parlors, or worse. It was also pointed out that they only come to office Mondays to Wednesdays, but the salary does not matter, it's a pittance compared to the disgraceful pork barrel that goes to some P70 million or more a year, much of it, as we already know, only goes to private pockets, salaries of relatives and favored ones, if not to questionable foundations - and for which there is no fear of an audit. What a life!

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Some politicians are making much of the fact that Jose de Venecia is the first Speaker of the House of Representatives to hold the position five times. Do not discount the possibility that he may also set a record of being the first Speaker of the House for life.*

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