FI only….

The most common saying among students of the Faraon Institute in Fabrica, Sagay City , is “FI only…” That meant a lot of things. But this February 23, this could mean the return of some 40 alumni and alumnae to their favorite haunt some 50 years ago.

The setting will be the Golden Anniversary of Class '58. And among their ranks were many Fabricanians from abroad and the United States and Canada . Anyway, this will represent a gathering of foreigners who came from Fabrica.

Thrilling news for Mrs. Maquiling Ascalon, the FI directress. Maquiling, despite her age, remains the indefatigable top honcho of the school which her late father had established before the World War II.

Some of the 40, who had indicated their desire to attend the alumni homecoming, are already in town.

Among the first to have arrived is Edith Serafin-Espina, wife of my younger brother Bert. The latter was former president of the Bacolod Capitol Lions Club. They will be joined by another younger brother, Graciano, who is actually a resident of Cadiz City .

Some of the FI graduates had long been absent from Fabrica. Several of them had not returned yet until this year. And 50 years is a long time to wait for the reunion.

But they are coming for a “once in a lifetime reunion with former classmates and friends.”

Among these are Judy Barbon-Ariola. So with Precy Castro-Otto. The latter had also gone out of the Fabrica 50 years ago, but now returning home to attend the grand reunion.

Among the recognizable personalities are Marden Lacuesta, Franklin Orille, Jose Pardilla, Othello Buensuceso, Albert Nicolas, Lucilda Bason, Tarhata Cahuday-Ignalaga, Elnora Honoridez (a cousin) and Eli Eimandante.

Many others will be published soon. But Fabrica will be boosted by the presence of “foreigners” raring to attend the Golden homecoming of Class '58 on February 23.

* * *

The strong warning by Brig. Gen. Ricardo Morales, Army Headquarters Support Group Camp commander, reminding army elements to follow the chain of command, must have been considered necessary to remind the military to remain steadfast and loyal to the commander-in-chief.

In short, an admission that the ongoing ZTE deal probe by the Senate and the revelations of Rodolfo Lozada Jr. must have their impact on the soldiers. Otherwise, if the revelations were just ordinary “lies”, they would not have bothered the military men that much.

Of course I don't believe the AFP will allow removal of confidence in the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration. Still, it seems that there are elements in the military who must have been jarred by the revelations of alleged astronomical graft involved in the ZTE deal.

The warning against spreading rumors only hint at the possibility that there is again restiveness among the ranks of the military.

Surprising. I had thought that Lozada may have come up with explosive issues, but that these had not registered so much impact on the popular consciousness.

But it is the alleged “kidnapping issue” that seems to have cast doubts on the professionalism of some police and military men.

The Lozada exposé has tarred both the AFP and the PNP.

Although not advocating violence, Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra has come out with the appeal to the public that Lozada's testimony should spur the laity now “to take up the cudgels and initiate moves to arouse the conscience of the public to make government accountable and responsible to all.”

. . . “There should be concerted efforts to pressure the culprits to ease out the truth,” was how the Bacolod prelate put it, taking up the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines call for “communal action” in the wake of Lozada's exposé on alleged massive corruption involving top public officials.

“Civil society is being challenged to draw their communal discernment by watching the developments of events,” Navarra emphasized.

Of course, Negrense solons came out with their observations that the revelations of Lozada, the former president of the Philippine Forest Crop., is not enough to lead to the ouster of President Arroyo.

Lozada's statements, they pointed out, are hearsay and questionable.

Be that as it may, the public perception is quite different. Even the ordinary man in the streets seems to believe that Lozada may have nailed the final coffin on the administration's credibility.

This was aggravated by the government's virtually throwing everything except the kitchen sink on Lozada during the Senate on the controversial ZTE deal.*

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