So many millionaires

More reasons to play Pollyanna – the price of pandesal, the Pinoy breakfast staple is being reduced from P24 per 10-piece bag to P23. That is only P1, but for a big family that has to buy several bags each morning, that could mean some savings already. They say this is possible because the flour being used comes from Indonesia and is cheaper. And then another “staple”, the ever ready sardines, will also cost less, and that’s another thing to be glad about. Let’s not forget to be thankful, even for the smallest blessings.

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Let’s enjoy and appreciate the small pleasures of these days before the ugliness that inevitably accompanies the season for election comes along. At the moment it is interesting to find out who among the people in show business are seriously considering throwing their hats into the ring. The latest reports say that former movie actress and now Parañaque City Councilor Alma Moreno has announced that she will run for the Senate in 2013. Alma must feel that her experience as councilor will help her, not only to win the votes but also to serve the country better in the so-called Upper House.

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Then there is actor Richard Gomez, who apparently wants to vindicate himself after being disqualified when he wanted to run for congressman in his wife’s turf in Leyte. The Commission on Election did not allow him to run for lack of residency. Now I think, he has been staying there most of the time in order to be considered qualified, this time to seek the mayoralty post there. Meanwhile, his wife, had to run in his stead in the last election, and seems to be doing well as a congresswoman.

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But maybe Gomez now wants to become a politician since he doesn’t seem to be making so many movies, nor is he often seen as an endorser of any product. In the meantime, another person who has also reportedly confirmed that she is seeking a Senate seat, is Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia. At least Garcia has disclosed that she has a base of more than two million voters from Cebu. Look out for other movie personalities who may soon announce their interest in “serving the country”.

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If the theory of a lady senator, now deceased, that “Millionaires don’t steal” is true, then we will not have any problem with many of our cabinet members as far as theft of government money is concerned. The latest statements of assets, liabilities and net worth of those cabinet members show that they are millionaires many times over, and on top of the list is Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario whose latest SALN shows that he owns P82 million in assets.

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Following him in the “honor roll” are Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Transportation and Communication Secretary Mar Roxas, and Energy Secretary Rene Almendras. Both Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman reported owning some P3 million each, and I don’t think the others have much less. Does this mean that we can relax and assure ourselves that they will all hew to their Big Boss’ “matuwid na daan (straight path)”? But is the saying also true that the more you have, the more you want?

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And now for a little chismis. Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach was shown on TV yesterday saying that the Pacman was not himself during that fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. Speculation was that his wife, Jinkee, had filed for divorce and that the papers were served to him on the night before the fight. I don’t claim to be privy to their personal lives, but I don’t think Jinkee could be that cruel. I also think she is a very practical and intelligent woman who knows that if Manny had lost that fight, she would have lost, too, even only the part of the purse that would be her share of their earthly goods.

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Yesterday, we went to Pontevedra for the fiesta of barangay San Isidro, our grandparents’ old barrio. My sister and I had not gone there for a few years and we were surprised at the changes in our ole haunts. There are now so many new houses lining the road up to the center, and the whole place looks quite prosperous, with some foreign national also settling there. I think this progress could be attributed largely to the improvement of the road, thanks to former mayor and then Congressman Charlie Cojuangco, whose project it was to have the five kilometers or so fully cemented. He has really left his mark, not only in San Isidro, but also in the whole of Pontevedra town. Thank you, Charlie.*

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