These is virtually the advanced Thanksgiving Day in honor of former President Fidel V. Ramos, guest of honor in the book launch of a collector item of a collaborated work on the Pinatubo tragedy and the early Halloween party to frighten the Pampanga governor.
Pampanga business leader Levy Laus and CSF Mayor Oscar Rodriguez lead the welcome honors and tribute to Mr. Ramos for his singular and decisive role in saving the city and Pampanga from floods with the construction of the so-called FVR megadike.
THANKSGIVING. Laus invested millions of pesos in establishing a radio station and used his fleet of company vehicles to monitor and facilitate rescue, relief, and relocation work during the eruption and after.
Rodriguez, as congressman, whipped the bureaucracy to maximize flood intervention work. He used his congressional funds for the restoration/strengthening of public works infrastructure in the city and the towns of the 3rd district.
The people who figured prominently in Pinatubo- related development work are featured and listed in the book. I hope to find the name of then city mayor Rey Aquino who was part of the great epic.
Laus and other city businessmen, with the city mayor, too, exemplify grateful Pampangos who will not let a debt of gratitude go unheralded, as they do in honoring Mr. Ramos for his past deed in saving San Fernando and in protecting Central Pampanga from further ruin.
Another public event in advance takes the form of "Undas" when the well-funded opponents of Governor Ed Panlilio file a well-dramatized petition for Recall tomorrow at the Comelec.
HALLOWEEN. The Recall initiative definitely has the trappings of an Halloween Bash. While certain leaders are wearing ghostly masks to camouflage their identity, their persons are disguised as civic leaders with a spooky intent. What would capture the crowd would be the special effects, that is, if the leaders would be bold enough to don "manananggal" costumes. After all they want to make tanggal of Among Ed.
They are quite ashamed to admit they are in this as partisans who demand a reenacted continuation of the 2007 gubernatorial election. They are doing it for "good governance." Their leaders are not paid for it, the patriots they are. Board member-participants should come in Dracula costumes.
Have they not virtually sucked the blood out of the governor's administration? With the spectacular delivery of over 200,000 unverified signatures gathered by the chief Kambilan, he should be distinguished by a standout costume, definitely a black flowing gown with a matching broomstick.
Tomorrow's Recall parade is certainly a nerve-tingling experience for Fernandino's. It is also calculated to give fright and anxiety to Among Ed's supporters. Considering the ghoulish motive of the scary characters, the Governor and his cabalen from Minalin, Ed "Que Tal" Aguilar can relieve their young days when garish laman labuad and dark creatures roamed the town at that time of the year (Undas).
ENCAMPMENT. The Halloween in Pampanga has in fact been going on since August. In a limited scale malicious-visual elements had been haunting the Gov and the Capitol's "first lady", the fearless and stouthearted provincial administrator.
The freakish beings incarnate -- the Balas boys -- had encamped at the Capitol grounds, and have tried with sustained industry to startle the senses and frighten the "first lady."
The woman, I understand, has learned to outlive her fears as she now faces the Balas boys with new intrepid confidence.
MORE TROUBLE. As the resident picketers have turned into full-time demonstrators at the Capitol, followers of Among Ed will be putting up their own counter-demo. This poses a big problem to Pampanga PNP OIC-Director Keith Singian who will be placed on the spot nationwide should violence erupts between hot headed anti and pro Panlilio hordes.
When untoward incidents erupt, as surely this will happen, the international press and the Philippine press/TV channels will dramatize the news. Director Singian does not have to wait for such eventual contingency to happen. With his office a stone's throw away from the hot spot, any mayhem would reflect badly in his service record.
As future general, this will hamper his promotion as maverick administration and opposition legislators in the Committee on Appointments would make life difficult for him.
COURT ACTION. The Balas encampment at the Capitol site may yet be the longest demonstration in the province. Unless their families are provided subsidies, or the husbands have made their "nest" in their work, families of the demonstrators must be very happy to let their spouses help the cause of "good governance."
As of now, these former quarry workers are merely being used as sounding board of anti-Panlilio propaganda; their encampment is a staging station of Recall people, and a convenient platform to mount systematic black propaganda on the Gov and the lady attorney.
After an ocular inspection and due litigation, it would not be difficult for the Court to declare this situation as a public nuisance in a government setting. Demonstrations and meetings for free assembly/speech may last for a day in regular permits granted to similar groups. But pursuing this protracted disturbance for three straight months is an outright abuse of their right and the permit given.
SINGIAN. Permits for public rallies are granted to marchers beyond the far-off Chino Roces bridge near Malacañang. Why should similar demonstrators be allowed to stage a long-running and sustained rally and camp-in at the Pampanga provincial Capitol, right at its doorsteps?
Will the indefatigable and talented Director Singian, for instance, allow dismissed cops and desirable personnel to demonstrate and conduct a sustained rally in front of his provincial headquarters for long?
