@65

I FIND no qualms writing about my age as I reach five notches over the legal benchmark for senior citizens at 60.

I am having (and treasuring) a second precious lease on life, so to speak, as having survived a mild stroke on June 25 this year and a reprise of a benign attack on July 11.

In the first infarction, I was brought to the Mabalacat District Hospital where I stayed until June 29, when I was discharged feeling a little fit to start my old regimen at work. But then on July 11, I had to be admitted again this time at St. Raphael Foundation Medical Center for hypertension. In the latter episode, Doctors Nova Pamintuan and Oscar Aurelio patiently tracked my fluctuating blood pressure: 170/100; 160/100 and so on. It is no joke going through the roller coaster of a ride for my blood pressure and so medication and maintenance medicines are de riguer.

For my second lease on life, I have Him to thank for and friends, family and others whom I have contract with. Ditto with Mr. Levy Laus, Jun Sula and the Sun Star Pampanga staff, GMs Rey Liwanag and Atty. Francis A. Dimaliwat, Mayors Boking Morales, Ed Pamintuan and Romy Pecson, brother Perry and sister Mely Pangan Sotto and her accommodating husband, the comebacking SB member Eddie Sotto. I am also grateful to Bien Mateo and SM officials for their support, Mabalacat City Administrator Rosan Paquia and SB members Rox Pena, Froy Galang, Cherry Manalo and Liza Pineda as well as Mac Salta, Jerry and Jojo Arenas and Fer Cadlum. I have several more to thank but the space is limited for my column.

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In my previous column, I snapped about the seeming irrelevance of party-list system and representatives in Congress because it is true that the so-called designates do not really belong to the parties represented nor do they think and breathe the objectives of the parties they represent.

To illustrate, Mikey Arroyo is neither a security guard or owns a security agency nor is he a tricycle driver or ever rode on one. Why then should he occupy a congressman's seat for Ang Galing party-list? There are misfits in Congress as well as nitwits and yet they are being paid with taxpayers' money.

Now, let us take note of what Neal H. Cruz, columnist of the Philippine Daily Inquirer wrote on September 17: In fact, 99 percent of the accredited party lists with representatives in the House do not really represent the marginalized sectors of the society that they supposedly represent... Politicians who would never be elected as regular representatives were therefore able to enter the House through the back door, i.e., the party list. Shame!
 
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Today, the jobs fair initiated by PESO Mabalacat will be held at the covered court, Barangay Lakandula, from 9 a.m. up to 3 p.m. The local employers joining are: Jumbo Jenra, Faith in God, Gain Manpower, NCO, Magnapeak Service Corp., Metro Gaisano, R. D. Policarpio Company, Savemore, Asia Pro, Sutherland, 3C's Industrial Staffing, Zoocobia, Jollibee, Hausland Development Corporation, Fiber Sorting, Elcell Phil and Horizon Powder Coating. The POEA-licensed and accredited recruitment agencies attending are: YWA Human Resources Corp., TUEM International Manpower, Holy Cross Placement, Uni-Trust International Services, Spear International Manpower and Trading, Kan_Ya Internatioanl Services Corp., Key's Placement Inc., Non Stop Overseas Employment Corp., Prudential Employment Agency Inc., Blue Sky Employment Agency, LLS, EastWest Placement Agency and Ruru Global Recruitment Services
Inc. Representatives from Dole and POEA were invited to oversee the activity.