Tuesday, December 23, 2008 Covington: Pinaskuhan and dem boots By Gary Covington Looking In
IT'S not the season to be hanging about is it? Stand still anywhere longer than ten seconds and I'm nobbled by two or three folks wailing and hopping about on one leg. LBM? Nope, snatches of ethnic songs, which did I but know it, probably translates into something like "Give us your dollars fatso."
These days I ignore them and not through being callous or hard-hearted either. I used to part with my loose change but today there are just too many hands being held out. Everywhere. Persistently. I'd need to set out in the morning carrying a bucket of coins.
I'm not even safe aboard my bicycle. Stop at traffic lights or outside a shop or even to look at the scenery and a few seconds' later hands will be tugging at my shirt-tail, a grubby baby thrust in my face or tin can rattled.
Demeanor has changed too. I don't see smiles and thanks. Surly looks. P5. Is that all? Going into a mall give an urchin some coins and he'll plague you for more coming out. And is the tyke a genuine out-of-towner or just one of the local gang out for rugby money. The Christmastime "tradition" of pinaskuhan has got way out of hand, there's impossible numbers of folks begging. How GMA can stand and say that poverty is on the decrease beats me.
Still on politicians and how about the Iraqi shoe-throwing episode -- where a reporter hurled his size 10s at George Bush. What a kerfuffle. There's online shoe-chucking games. There's been "shoe-demonstrations". The guy himself was arrested and thrown in gaol. I say he deserves a medal -- he was, after all, only keeping up the grand old tradition of pelting the politician with whatever's available be it rotten fruit and veggie or handy footwear.
Hasn't it occurred to his Iraqi gaolers that a good pelting is beneficial? Drives home the point that the politico's policies or person are unpopular. It's a tradition that should be revived. Remember that next year when they who wish to be voted in slime down from manic Manila laden with packets of noodles and empty promises. There's nothing like a nifty egg or putrid tomato to make a man (or gal) feel unpopular.
On Friday there was an item telling us of a Davao hotel owner planning to set up a village catering for foreign retirees -- so far, so good -- and then on Saturday reporter Ben Tesiorna commented on a Sun.Star reader who had posted remarks on the paper's website.
