Cesar
Montano's 'panaghoy'
The Hongkong-based
group called the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy or PERC,
has released its latest survey report showing that the Philippines
now tops the list of Asia's most corrupt economies. But we do not
need the PERC to tell us that, everyday our media gives us accounts
of cases of corruption taking place, and very few reports of grafters
being penalized. Oh, we hear of charges being resolved, but, by
some mysterious developments, or maybe machinations, fewer still
are acted upon. And so we continue to have that reputation, despite
the denials issued by the administration.
***
Meanwhile, that kind of reputation follows us even in the conduct
of professional examinations as illustrated in the June 2006 nursing
examination. After a lot of hullabaloo, and a lot more posturing
for pogi points that didn't work, the President has ordered a re-take
of the ill-fated tests. Obviously she no longer believes in the
capability of those self-appointed emissaries to convince the untractable
Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, or even the
American Congress, to give in and, as the classic statement of the
team leader quoted by Manila media noted, "bend the law" a bit.
The re-take has been scheduled on June 11-12. I wish they had chosen
another month, though.
***
Poor Cesar Montano. The multi-awarded movie actor who had lately
ventured into the uncharted seas of politics by filing his certificate
of candidacy for senator, is finding out that he had gotten himself
into an entirely different milieu this time. His fellow candidates
and the leaders of the Team Unity that had recruited him say he
is only suffering from culture shock, and he might well be. The
poor guy is just finding out how different campaigning is from making
movies.
***
Here he has no script, he has no actors to direct, no producer,
and also, he is not being given top billing. He may have garnered
all those awards for his own movie that he produced, directed, wrote
and starred in, the one titled "Panaghoy sa Suba" set in his own
home province, Bohol, that roughly translates to "Sighing by the
river". They say Montano is now wavering over his decision to run.
Maybe he is now making his "panaghoy" along the campaign trail.
***
He's not waffling, but he is certainly singing a much different
tune now. After all the bravado about not yielding to family urgings
for him to abandon his plan to seek the gubernatorial post in Batangas,
Vice Governor Ricky Recto was seen and heard yesterday talking calmly
about family togetherness, his love for his brother, the senator,
and even for his sister-in-law and potential political rival, Vilma
Santos. Does this mean that we will be seeing a Recto in the Senate,
a Recto in the House of Representatives, and a Recto heading the
province of Batangas? It seems we are making so many protests against
dynasties and yet, perversely, we keep on abetting them.
***
As for the now much-acclaimed decision of Vilma to run
for governor after all, guess who her runningmate is going to be?
No less than the son of Presidential executive secretary Eduardo
Ermita, who is believed to have been instrumental in guiding both
Ate Vi and Ricky to come to their decisions. Well, the post of Edwin
Ermita does not make him a "dynast", since his daddy is not an elective
official, only one of the most powerful in the land, known as "The
Little President." I hear that the new members of the dynasties
who are coming in have pledged to pass an anti-dynasty law when
they are settled in office already.
***
The Daily Tribune editorial yesterday was titled: "FIRE TO
THE RESCUE". How malicious can you be? And the paper does not sound
as if it is laboring under so many libel cases filed by people close
to the administration already. Maybe its motto now is "In for a
penny, in for a pound." As for the official response of Comelec
to those who have aired suspicions about the cause of the blaze,
we are supposed to be assured by their claim that only the records
of elections from 1995 to 2004 (!) were destroyed.
***
On the lighter side - fans of basketball star James Yap, the youthful
husband of celebrity Kris Aquino, are disappointed that he has not
been picked for the team being sent to the Beijing Olympics. Sports
officials said, anyway, he's still very young and has other chances
to compete there. Others say it should be a blessing so he can stay
home and fix his family troubles first.*
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