10/10/10 and other ‘lucky’ numbers

WHAT happened on Oct. 10, 2010, a Sunday, more famously billed as 10/10/10?

A grandmother, Maria Refuerzo Lazaga of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, turned 100 and was gifted by relatives and friends with 100 roses and 100 envelopes containing P100 bills.

In Cebu, many candidates for barangay and youth council seats filed their COCs. In Beijing, Chinese couples chose the day for getting married. Election hopefuls thought they'd have better chances of winning and newlyweds expected a long married life.

Otherwise, last Sunday was pretty much like any other slow news-day.

In Manila, President Noynoy Aquino said he'd decide what to do with two feuding Cabinet members, DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo and Undersecretary Rico E. Puno. A news "advancer," no real movement.

Puno, who earlier said he'd take a bullet for P-Noy, said the president would think twice before sacking him for the Aug. 23 hostage rescue bungling and other controversies. A 10/10/10 hubris or just the "feel-good" sentiment bred by "superstition." And Puno felt right: P-Noy didn't let his shooting-range buddy go.

Hiatus after 2012

There will be similar "lucky" dates: Nov. 11, 2011 (11/11/11), Dec. 12, 2012 (12/12/12), then a long hiatus until Jan. 1, 1301 (01/01/01).

But 10/10/10 held a special allure to believers in numbers because, they say, "10" implies a perfection, whose "symmetry has occurred since 2001 and will do so until 2012."

Barangay and SK bets will soon know which will influence the Oct. 25 polls more: the 10/10/10 filing or the help of politicians.

(paseares@sunstar.com.ph/ paseares@yahoo.com)