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Bacolod City, PhilippinesMonday, November 12, 2012
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OPINIONS

From sick man to tiger!

Ninfa Leonardia

Did we hear that right? The Prime Minister of Canada called the Philippines an “emerging tiger.” Wow! That is so different from our old tag of the “sick man of Asia”. Well, it is nice to hear, and we hope he means it. We do feel quite bullish about ourselves lately, don’t we? Me, I was immediately reminded of that poem of William Blake that went: “Tiger, tiger, burning bright/ In the forests of the night/ What immortal hand or eye/ Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”

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What hand or eye, indeed? Why are we now perceived to be “burning bright”? Could it be because we have managed to kick out a Supreme Court Justice perceived to be breaking a lot of laws? Or because we have a former president who is now being made to account for some transactions and decisions that haven’t been justified? There is more than just having claws and sharp teeth to being a tiger, you know. So what could Canadian PM Stephen Harper have seen during his visit to the country this weekend?

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Whatever it is, it must have been enough for him to assure President Noynoy Aquino that he will increase investments in the Philippines, that his country will cooperate with ours in defense and trade, and that he will encourage people to people exchanges. I think the latter will be the least of his concerns, considering that there are now an estimated 800,000 Filipinos living in Canada. And, as Harper himself has confirmed, these Pinoys are proving themselves to be hardworking and reliable members of the communities they have joined.

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And, just between you and me (and don’t tell this to PM Harper), we have not heard so much about Pinoy lawbreakers there, like drug mules and swindlers. So they must be behaving themselves. I have many friends and relatives who are now permanent residents or citizens of Canada, and they all seem to be happily absorbed in the culture of that country. They should be even happier during the administration of Mr. Harper, who sounds like a very good fan of our President and of our country. I hope our people never give him cause to be disappointed.

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Meanwhile, is the world shaking and teetering on its axis? Note that practically everyday, reports come out about some countries where earthquakes are occurring. And they are not mere little tremors, the latest ones record as much as Intensity 6. Yesterday, the news was about Myanmar (a.k.a. Burma) where records showed the temblor at 6.8 The other day, it was Guatemala, where, if I recall right, it was also about that strong. We’ve also been having them in parts of Mindanao lately. As for Myanmar, where 13 people have been reported killed, will this affect the announced plan of the recycled American President to visit? One of the first announcement made after the Obama victory was that he was going a-visiting with The Lady, Aung Soon Suu Kyi. Will security let him go there?

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The government could have anticipated it. Right after the signing of the framework agreement between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the representatives of the Philippine Government, it was also mentioned that MILF members will be welcomed into the police organization. So, before the framework could be solidified, we already hear of swindlers and pseudo recruiters going around the former MILF territory, inviting police applicants for a fee. Both the MILF and government leaders should put a quick stop to such operations before another big problem is created.

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I was surprised to see on TV the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court weeping copiously while saying a prayer during a gathering in Manila recently. A friend said she must be crying because she has still not won over her fellow members of the High Court. Indeed, the general impression is that the other, older and more seasoned members are giving her the cold shoulder until now. But another friend noted that she should try to look a little more “justice-like”, maybe by sporting a more dignified hair-do, or less tight-fitting outfits that reveal a not-so-slender figure, anyway. Still another said, maybe she wants to look really young, in contrast to the oldies there.

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Basketball enthusiasts, especially those monitoring their favorite NBA teams, have been dismayed with the performance of the former champions, Los Angeles Lakers. What happened? Lately, they have been losing all, except one single game. Finally, they must have realized what was wrong: They had the wrong coach, and that was why, as one of them said it, they had been running around the court like chickens with no heads. Well, they fired their new coach, a certain Mike Brown, and are imploring their old favorite, Phil Jackson, to come back and save them. Will he agree?*

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