THE MALLS- The best way to beat the punishing heat of summer is to go to the malls. This I suggest, partiuclarly to senior citizens. Instead of my morning walks, I do the rounds inside the SM Clark, going up and down its stairs,avoiding escalators. After half hour or so I can feel my legs can last three rounds of sparring with Manny Pacquiao. He he he.
There is bonus in doing the brisk walk inside the malls. I can do girl watching also, and it add up in the rise of my body temperature. Since it is summer, many girls and not so old women are in their PP shorts. My colleagues, Benjie Pangan and Bong Lacson know what I mean.( Another naughty smile. He he he)
PEOPLE- Another extra is meeting friends inside the malls. Former Congressman Carmelo 'Tarzan' Lazatin, IC Calaguas and ex-Councilor Willie Rivera are very partial to a frenchy coffee shop. Bert 'BK' Kilates and Tito Roxas of Casablanca Casino always seated outside a doughnut coffee shop and their eyes going back and forth like ping pong balls while some young Korean girls are passing by.
Joey Castor, Josel Feliciano and Boy Ong sip their red wines,of all places, in a grill resto. My insans Tito and Boy Munoz with Tony Ayson are there too every Wednesday afternoon for their vodka session.
Mabalacat City Mayor Marino ' Boking' Morales together with wife Nina holds court in a leading coffee shop. All these reminded me of the late Labor Secretary Ka Blas Ople who spent most of his time having coffee and beers in coffee shops in several hotels in Metro Manila.
BYGONE ERA- There was the 365 Club in the Hotel Intercontinental in Makati. The late Teodoro 'Ka Doroy' founded the fellowship club after President Marcos proclaimed martial law in 1972. It was meant to be the meeting place of media people displaced by the martial rule.
And it met daily as the name suggest, and until now the club exist with former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and half sister Armida Sigiuon Reyna as regulars.
Those were the years when nobody can out talk Ka Doroy, even with the presence of media big shots Louie Beltran, Max Soliven, Jun Icban and Dick Pascual. The Makati mayor then was our cabalen from Macabebe, Nemesio Yabut.
Marcos brother-in-law Benjamin 'Kokoy' Romualdez was a regular with a retinue of palace subalterns.
There were no malls yet during those years, but there were big department stores like Aguinaldo's in Cubao, Rustan's in Makati, Soriente Santos and Good Earth Emporium in Sta Cruz district in Manila. Henry Sy built his SM CITY NORTH in the early eighties, and from then on,a new lifestyle for Filipinos developed.
POLITICS- It is too common that when I chanced upon politician friends, the common subject of course is about local politics. And the common question is if one of the Pinedas is running for mayor in Angeles City. And if Senator Lito Lapid is deadset to capture city hall in the 2016 elections. And if Mayor Boking Morales can still run for reelection in the next elections. The consensus is that Morales, even if he is eligible, should relinquish his hold on Mabalacat.
Much too much. He has been there for as long as one can remember. But like Pacquiao, he claims he is still good for two more outings.
The new rising star in Mabalacat politics is Vice Mayor Christian Halili, the son of the well loved late Mayor Fred Halili. If ever, Halili may face Board Member Cris Garbo. At this early the betting is on the side of Christian.
Morales should either run for congressman or vice mayor if he desires no retirement in politics.