Bong O. Wenceslao
Wenceslao’s road to the journalism profession was circuitous. While still with Southwestern University’s campus publication The Quill, he was offered a reporter’s slot in the Visayan Herald (now defunct). He worked part-time in dyLA.
But a bigger concern drew away Bong, as colleagues call him: the fight against the Marcos dictatorship.
Some seven years later, he was back, more serious about resuming his journalism career at dyLA. But as writing was his real passion, he left broadcasting to be a reporter at The Freeman. In 1997, he joined Sun.Star Cebu.
As a journalist, he believes he is no longer out to radically change the world but merely to make a difference through his writing. His columns reflect his causes: freedom, nationalism, justice. Twice, he was awarded best in column writing by the Cebu Archdiocesan Mass Media Awards.
Columns
Girl in sex scandal, USJR come out
THE decision by one of the two students involved in the recent sex video scandal to surface has allowed the public to hear a truer narration of the circumstances surrounding the recording of the couple’s sexual trysts and information on what happened after then. It also gave us a glimpse of the character of the unnamed female student.
Another sex video scandal
I HAVE been invited a number of times by mass communications students in a university in Cebu to speak about opinion writing. The last time I was there was only a couple of weeks or so ago. Every time, I focus on responsible use of the medium, whether print or radio or TV. I recently added social media into the mix.
Balili case moving
I ALREADY said this before. Among the cases filed against Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, the one involving the purchase of the Balili property in Naga is the most difficult to parry. This is because of the inherent simplicity of the accusation. Why would the government buy a 24.7-hectare lot when a portion of it (almost 20 hectares) is under seawater? Outsiders looking in would find any explanation to that difficult to believe.
Daluz and Rama’s complaint
THE last time we went to attend one of the 6 p.m. masses held there was for our wedding anniversary in December last year. The Pedro Calungsod Chapel was inaugurated only a few weeks before and while it had the lure considering that its construction was dedicated to a newly sainted Visayan, it is located inside the South Road Property (SRP) where public utility vehicles are not allowed to pass. It wasn’t surprising that only very few of us were there.
Senatorial polls
IN THE 2013 elections, Akbayan’s Risa Hontiveros almost won a Senate seat, trailing 12th placer Teofisto Guingona III by “only” around one million votes. If the next senatorial elections were held today, and if surveys are to be relied upon, it looks like Hontiveros still won’t make it to the top 12 slots. She is not even in the top 15, according to the Social Weather Station (SWS) survey last Jan. 17-19.
State of the Magpale-Davide union
IS THE teaming up of Liberal Party (LP) gubernatorial bet Hilario “Jun-jun” Davide III with vice-gubernatorial bet Agnes Magpale a marriage made in, should I say, political heaven? That question flitted in my mind when a news source told me of rumors about a conflict brewing between the camps of the two LP stalwarts following Gov. Gwen Garcia’s suspension.
Saving the Inayawan chapel
THE meeting held at the Inayawan chapel last Sunday night was interesting, not only for the mix of personalities that graced it but also for the motivation of the group that organized it. The activity was part of an effort to end the conflict that resulted in priests deciding to hold masses outside the chapel instead.
Totol, Osmeña and Tabunan
I BUMPED into lawyer Aristotole Batuhan, who is running for the post of congressman in Cebu City’s south district in the May elections, at the wedding of my sister-in-law Amylita Jaca to Ian Lenard Turingan at the Redemptorist Church last Saturday. Batuhan of Team Rama is up against Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa of the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).
UNA in Cebu
THE report, quoting senatorial bet Juan Miguel Zubiri, said the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) wants to kick-off its campaign for the 2013 elections here in Cebu. The operative word there is “want,” which means nothing is sure yet. UNA senatorial bets may yet go for Tondo in Manila, where UNA stalwart Joseph Estrada is running for mayor.
More on John H. Pope
THE Palace of Justice slayings were no doubt serious occurrences that should not be taken lightly. But some things did amuse us as we pored over reports on the incident. Like when some people stumbled at times when mentioning the name of the perpetrator, John Holdridge Pope (or John H. Pope). One blurted “Pope John” and almost added “Paul” to it. “Pope John,” surely, is vastly different from “John Pope.”
