FEARED as the Month of Ghosts, August is not the auspicious time to make major decisions. It is believed to be a time when evil as manifested in bad luck, accidents, misfortunes and disputes strikes without warning.
Although predominantly Chinese like feng shui, the ghost month is Buddhist in origin, with aspects of Indian culture. During the month your friendly neighborhood money lenders (called Bombay) go in a bank holiday. They experienced bad business with welshing (balasubas Pnoys) stalling their payments instead of installing their debts.
I do not believe in the taboos and karma arising from the month of ghosts but certain events seemed to convince me of the cause and effect of the devil at work.In Pampanga, the satanic culture has sunk deep into our youth who are heavy into drugs, marijuana, and strong drinks.
An evil spirit has entered Customs Commissioner Albert Lina who wants to manually inspect the iconic Balikbayan box for contraband items and to raise revenues for the bureau.
Lina joins ex-Senator Joey who crafted the infamous stupid Lina Law that coddles illegal squatting in outrageous stupidity. Commissioner Lina has the shameless gall and temerity to look into give away presents from Filipinos abroad when it allowed tons of Canadian garbage to easily pass the Customs.
Here are some news reports of recent days. A Filipino domestic help in Hongkong jumped to her death from her employer's high rise building. A prized Philippine eagle named Pamana was found dead with gunshot wounds in a mountain lair.
Friends, admirers and supporters of veteran journalist Neal Cruz and Edsa icon Butz Aquino were saddened by their passing.
August is the death unlucky month of the martyr Ninoy Aquino and the celebrated former DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo. The former was assassinated, the latter perished in a plane crash.
A bomb blast killed 20 persons in a shrine vicinity in Bangkok while a plane with 54 people crashed in an Indonesian province, killing all.
A series of food poisoning from various locations in the country had claimed lives; 17 students were victims of bad food served at Marquee Mall's Yakimix restaurant.
The evil ghosts short circuited a drugstore in Candaba, causing damage estimated over P6 million.
Her fanatic leaders wondered what dark spirit has entered the mind of Rizalito David in exposing Sen. Grace Poe's questionable citizenship.
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Still, the month of ghosts bedevils Secretary Mar Roxas in his unlucky, unsuccessful and fruitless courtship of Ms. Poe to be his running mate. The futile attempt to have either Gov. Vilma Santos or Rep. Leni Robredo as VP bet reflects the sorry inability of Roxas to attract a running mate.
The investors of a huge sewerage and garbage disposal firm along Sacobia Rivera have been effectively stopped from starting their project by a temporary restraining order from an Angeles City RTC.
The ghosts have been actively at work when veteran Gilas star players refused to join the new national team. Earlier basketball godfather Manuel V. Pangilinan failed to win the bidding to host a world cage tournament in the country.
The ghosts of August flew abroad, providing dark and strange impetus to the presidential bid of billionaire Donald Trump. Like a man possessed the Donald has been sweeping the USA- and winning wide interest- in his unorthodox campaign.
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Evil winds from the Korean peninsula caused the exchanges of artillery firing between North and South. It is similar to the verbal shelling between Capas Mayor TJ and his nemesis ex-mayor ReyCat. While the proverbial cool heads have intervened to pacify the Korean combatants, Capas residents are feeding fuel to their leaders' burning quarrel.
There is so much at stake in Capas as the BCDA has decided to build its Green City in the area. It does not surprise the residents to know that in a recent heated exchange on the Canadian trash and road use, TJ and former CDC chief Rufo Colayco almost came to a fist fight.
The issue of caskets and a mortuary, on the other hand, are only the tip of the political iceberg, the bigger reason is the rich potentials of Capas in the coming years, according to sources.
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August as a "malas" month claimed the happy fulfillment of several couples. Still in grief is Mariel Rodriguez (Mrs. Robin Padilla) who lost her triplets in a miscarriage.
Lead comedienne Pokwang suffered the same, losing her fetus from an American lover. Still in the stage of denial are our esteemed colleagues in newspaper work whose publication was closed down without notice. As I have long warned our friends, beware of the Dona when she, like a tropical storm, rages in August.
Mar Roxas should put off until next month his search for a running mate when the ghosts of August have finished their depredation and their evil doings. If friendlier gods will bless him, he could get Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as his VP. Alan can beat Sen. Escudero in public acceptance and people's support.
If he looks up the August moon with its deathly pale and uncertain glow, the winds and the rains ominously ushering a shaping misfortune, Mar Roxas should stop chasing after the wind and let Grace Poe go whichever way her partner Sen. Escudero advises her to be. The two are simply blinded by the false gods of poll ratings.