A tale of two mothers

So even Malacañang is seeking an explanation, well, they just called it “clarification” for the unexpected grant of bail to Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, one of the three members of the Senate being detained for alleged involvement in the infamous PDAF, or Priority Development Assistance Fund, more popularly known as “pork barrel”. But what more explanation do you want, when there is the fact that eight out of the 15 members of the Honorable Body, had voted for granting him temporary freedom? Not even the fact that the Chief Justice herself was against it could dissuade the “Compassionate Eight”.

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A rather comical development is that, it now looks as if Enrile was able to convince the C-8s (what else but the Compassionate Eight), that he really had nothing to do with the scam where supposedly P172 million had gone to other pockets and not to the projects supposed to be funded? What some gags are laughing about is that poor Ms. Gigi, as Jessica Lucila Reyes is popularly known, who is being pointed to as the one who made the arrangements for that scheme with Janet Lim Napoles, may be the only one to face the music. As for the C-8, they should have known better than to think the old fox could not outfox them.

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Officials and staff of the Washington D.C. Smithsonian National Zoo are ecstatic over the birth of twins by the Panda they have been caring for. It was a double surprise for them because the mama panda, expected to give birth to only one, came up with another one, gifting them with twin pandas. Oh, how lovingly the mama panda cuddled her baby, as the Zoo keepers watched. She also allowed them to take and hold her offspring like a proud mother.

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What a contrast Mama Panda was to a Philippine mother, who was caught on a video recording slapping her little one as they lay near each other in the hospital identified as the Pasay City General Hospital. The video became viral and thousands who saw it were indignant enough to report the case to the proper authorities. Now the slapped bambino has been turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development while the mother, believed to be a teenager, will be made to undergo psychiatric testing to determine what has turned her into such an unusually cruel mother, outdone even by a panda.

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Will Prince Charles ever get to become King of England? Apparently not, if his mother can help it. Seems she has intended all along to keep her place as long as she is alive. That was surely what she meant when, upon her inauguration, she vowed to serve her people whether her life is short or long. And, just among us girls (stop peeking, boys), how do you relish the idea of having Camilla as queen? I heard that, until now, many cannot forgive her for the adultery she committed against the very beautiful and popular Diana, who, many also believe, was simply made a breeder for good-looking heirs to the throne.

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Queen Elizabeth is now 89 years old, perhaps the longest reigning monarch of England, having been sitting on the throne for 32 years. And how old is Charles now? The news say he is 66, with still nothing to do except wait, wait and wait… Would Queen Elizabeth have abdicated, like so many other monarchs in Europe, had Diana not been killed in that gruesome accident in Paris? Maybe she is listening to the opinions of her people. Or maybe she doesn't think Charles is capable of maintaining the gains she had brought to the monarchy.

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Are eggs getting back on the breakfast tables of people around the world? Several years ago, eggs became very unpopular, especially as breakfast food, because of warnings against cholesterol and other supposedly dangerous contents. During that time egg producers all over the world were suffering losses, and were trying all means to get back in the favor of consumers. No matter what some experts would say about their healthful contents, many never listened. I even remember seeing a big billboard in San Francisco, USA, pleading: “Twice a week is OK. Give eggs a break!” That was very cleverly worded, but, not until these past few years did people realize how wrong they were to snub the nutritious and healthful components of eggs.*

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