Saturday, December 23, 2006 Editorial: Christmas and the mundane
IT IS tempting to pick up the debate over Charter change (Cha-cha) after President Arroyo re-intensified it with her recent speech during the 40th anniversary celebration of the Asian Development Bank.
Cha-cha has always been a contentious issue, one that has split the country in the middle for years now and has given both the Arroyo administration and the political opposition something to entertain the public with.
The Asean summit is another interesting topic considering the controversy its postponement has generated and worries about its new schedule hitting the early stages of the Sinulog festivities and the feast of the Sto. Niño.
Besides, the speculating game has attracted a good number of participants lately, focusing initially on whether the Cebu International Convention Center would be finished on time, moving to the reasons for the summit’s postponement, then to rumors that the summit venue will be transferred to Manila.
Arroyo resign
And what about the killing of Abra Rep. Luis Bersamin Jr. and the bombing of the van of Rep. Robert "Dodot" Jaworski Jr.?
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has already grabbed the headlines riding on those incidents by simply claiming, without proof of course, that the Arroyo administration is out to kill more legislators to justify the declaration of martial law.
That shoved the Bersamin and Jaworski cases into the ambit of the long-running Arroyo resign show.
Season’s spirit
But it is Christmas, and it is time to momentarily keep our peace and bask in the spirit of the season.
In Fuente Osmeña, the multi-colored bulbs of a giant Christmas tree are glowing and everywhere series lights are dancing, or it's time to savor the sights and pause for a moment of meditation.
Wake up to the sound of church bells ringing, then dress up and wallow in the warmth of companionship as the misa de gallo shifts to its final stages---it will be spiritually uplifting.
And yes, the midnight mass, the burst of firecrackers, the carolers.
Christmas joys
Cha-cha, Asean summit, politicians' antics, crime, conflicts, controversies? They are no match to the joys the Christmas topic brings.
So with the big moment but a few hours away, let us move our focus away from the mundane.
