Wednesday, July 25, 2007 Barrita: Cuenco’s act By Eddie O. Barrita Small Bites
REP. Pablo “Pabling” Garcia, sensing his fight for House Speaker was losing steam, shied away from being nominated.
But the former Cebu governor was pained when fellow Cebuano Rep. Antonio Cuenco nominated Speaker Joe de Venecia (JDV) for his unprecedented fifth term.
“Napakasakit, Kuya Tony,” the 81-year-old Noy Pabling said.
***
Look, he did not commit any act of treachery, Rep. Cuenco said.
He did it because JDV asked him to do it and it “was imminent that de Venecia was going to be elected.”
That’s why Rep. Cuenco can say Noy Pabling’s defeat was “devastating and resounding.”
***
Rep. Cuenco said he would have voted the other way had Garcia succeeded in pushing for secret balloting.
Noy Pabling said attempts to raise it on the floor were squelched when their microphones were turned off.
For want of a microphone, Noy Pabling’s battle for Speaker was lost.
***
While President Gloria Maca-pagal-Arroyo delivered her State of the Nation Address (Sona) last Monday, detained ex-president Joseph Estrada was having a more enjoyable and refreshing sauna bath.
He didn’t like to listen to President Arroyo’s Sona.
Maybe he wants to deliver it himself.
***
President Arroyo said she hopes the Philippines can join the ranks of wealthy nations in 20 years when “poverty shall have been marginalized and the marginalized raised to a robust middle-class.”
Her hopes aren’t empty.
They are backed by efforts to create one million jobs a year until 2010, P1.3 trillion in education, training and public infrastructure and passing a law on cheaper medicines.
I hope she will be with us when her hopes turn into reality.
***
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has floated the idea of annexing Cordova town to the city after Lapu-Lapu City became a highly urbanized city and plans are afoot to make it a lone congressional district.
When this happens, Cordova will be isolated and even Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy said they are placed in an awkward situation.
Mayor Osmeña may have failed in his bid to annex Talisay City, but Cordova is certainly a prize catch.
