"It is very much upon us."
"It is very much upon us."
I wish my readers a merry and blessed Christmas.
Remember that the true essence of Christmas is loving your fellowmen and sharing whatever you have with them. This is just as God the Father shared his son, Jesus Christ, with mankind so that all may be saved from the ravages of sin.
On this day we should also pray that the violence and impunity in our country would end.
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The problem with us Filipinos is that we are no longer shocked at these killings, whether they are directed at those involved in drugs, or are politically motivated.
The killings seems to be the new normal, and people look at these with apathy. My gulay, has it come to this? We see these over media and all we can do is wish that we would not be the next?
And then of course we know that local elected officials take their politics seriously that the option of eliminating their rivals via extreme prejudice is a very real option.
In Ilocandia where I grew up, candidates see politics as a matter of life and death. There is not much natural resource to sustain livelihood. Thus they have to depend on politics to survive.
As the midterm polls approach, expect more killings in the provinces.
This is why I have been suggesting to the President to start a campaign against private armies, hired killers and loose firearms.
The only way these can be stopped is for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. Filipinos should also stop being apathetic and indifferent.
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Finally the Bulacan aerotropolis proposal of San Miguel president and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang has obtained the final approval of the National Economic and Development Authority. The project will be awarded in the first quarter of 2019.
This means that early next year, SMC’s P735-billion project to be built on a 2,500-hectare flatlant with four runways and a state-of-the-art terminal will be up for a Swiss challenge.
Earlier, there were questions posed by the geniuses of the NEDA’s Investment Coordinating Council on the viability of Ang’s proposal. San Miguel gave the assurance that it has the financial clout to undertake the project.
Santa Banana, for a while I was beginning to think that the government has become the biggest stumbling block here.
NEDA secretary general Ernesto Pernia said that there was no government guarantee in the concession agreement as agreed with SMC.
Recall that under the Aquino administration, the concession agreement entered into for the Mactan-Cebu International Airport said the government must shell out a terminal fee of P20 billion.
This development in the Bulacan airport is a Christmas gift, indeed.
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Santa Banana, it’s not New Year’s Eve yet but I am already hearing about injuries related to firecrackers. This, despite government warnings that these can only bring harm.
The government should just ban the sale and distribution of firecrackers. This is a recurring problem that never gets solved.
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I have my own Persons of the Year. Mine are Miss Universe Catriona Gray, House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio.
No one can argue that Miss Universe Gray indeed brought us great honor. And then, Arroyo showed us that after great hardships one can be on top again. As for Inday Sara, surveys said she could make it as senator but she has decided to run for reelection.
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I’d like to take this opportunity to commend a nation builder-—GMA 7’s Felipe Gozon who has made the Kapuso network no.1 in the Philippines.
His network has outperformed ABS-CBN. Gozon made it all possible.
