IT WAS heralded in the national newspapers. HOUSE PANEL OKAYS PAY HIKE FOR STATE WORKERS. It met with silent applause from some. No Virginia, government workers didn't jump for joy. The prices of basic commodities, water and power rates which are ever increasing will easily extinguish whatever is the added amount. You may say that those rich families living in gated subdivisions are lucky because they have so much money to spend, particularly this Christmas season. Not true. Absolutely not. My philosopher friends from both Monday Club and Wednesday Club say many rich people believe they don't have enough money. They are still in tirelessly searching for more. It is greed. See how in deep shit the Ayalas, Lopezes and Manny Pangilinan? True or not about the accusations against them, they must be getting sleepless nights over threats of President Duterte's that he will file plunder cases versus them.
It is all about money. It is wrong to say that money is the root of all evil. It is too much love of money that makes one evil. Never contented of what they have till perdition descend. Two big stories hogging headlines for the past few days now on almost all metropolitan newspapers. Subject of commentaries on radio and television. So unpalatable. Tongues wagging.
Do you still remember this. The coming out of Mrs. Patricia Bautista in the open accusing the husband, former Commission on Election Chairman Andres Bautista of amassing unexplained wealth running to a billion peso wouldn't only mean a possible jail term against the latter. Valuable real estate properties, condominiums, vehicles and bank deposits, name it, Andy Bautista whom I meet very often at Tuesday Club at Shangrila Edsa has it.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) investigated after that many beans spilled by Mrs. Bautista vs the husband. It became a national interest because it would appear that Chairman Bautista was getting commissions from a law firm representing Smartmatic. This is the company that the Comelec hired for the automated elections. And that the wife said several deposits made regularly a little less than half million pesos to avoid detection by the Anti Money Laundering Agency (AMLA). The poll chief maybe clever, but the wife now holds four aces. Now Bautista migrated elsewhere and apparently people forgot all about him. Ah, love of money!
You remember about a congressman from the Bicol region who according to a Catholic bishop started penniless early in his life. "He can't even build his own house nor can afford the rent on a modest apartment and was forced to live with his family on his in laws residence."
Over a period of time, he became a billionaire as alleged. His breakthrough and joining the billionaires in this country is really amazing. He is not alone. "Hindi siya nag-iisa." A good number of solons both from the upper and lower chambers are multimillionaires or maybe billionaires. Even some governors and mayors of LGUs. Wealth and power. Good combination indeed to stay powerful, buying political seats. But most is dirty money. But all of these will have their sad endings. HINDI NATUTULOG ANG DIYOS.
TIDBITS: Avoid going to the malls. You'll only be stressed with so many people on their shopping rush... Traffic, traffic, traffic everywhere. Whether in Metro Manila, San Fernando, Angeles City there are so many vehicles on the road... When can we impose discipline the motor bike riders? Are they exempt from law enforcement? It is for everyone to see how they defy traffic laws. But the law enforcers don't mind it.