Friday the 13th and notable dates
ADVISORY. Today is Friday the 13th, one of those stayin-bed days for the superstitious. Although misfortune can befall those who are really unlucky even in their sleep, or even when they are dead-set against coming out of their house today.
There is no 13th floor in the Department of Foreign Affairs; and none for that matter in high-rise buildings in Makati and Global City.
Even building owners who are not superstitious realize that the desirability of units on the 13th floor might be compromised because of superstitious tenants or commercial tenants who worry about losing superstitious customers.
There is an unconfirmed story about a bungee jumping exercise which proved to be disastrous because the team failed to take into account that the building was one story less (no 13th floor).
Otis Elevators estimates that 85% of the buildings with their elevators do not have a named 13th floor.
My classmate, a man of consequence, always insisted on including the waiters in selfies and photo shoots in order to override the dreaded 13 number.
If you are really dead-set on avoiding the unlucky number, even after you avoided Friday the 13th, remember that in this year 2017 there will be another such on Friday, October 13th.
*** Arrest, deport those involved in “5-6” lending scheme – DU30. – News item. At the recent Monday Cabinet meeting, the administration announced a crackdown on foreigners engaged in the notorious “5-6” money lending scheme. President DU30 directed Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. to inform the ambassador concerned about the decision to put a stop to the usurious practice.
The ones driving motorcycles are now Pinoys. These days, you find the “5-6” financiers now in three pecking orders: They now live in Dasmariñas, Magallanes, or San Lorenzo.
Ernie Fajardo says that his Magallanes Village is supposed to be a “Boom Town” because there are so many Bombays.
*** The observance of the 70th anniversary of Philippines-Spain diplomatic relations kicked off last Tuesday, 10 January 2017 with a two-part Philippine Air Safari presentation at the Shangri-la Cineplex of the sojourn of Capt. Joy Roa in Spain.
Spanish Ambassador Luis Antonio Calvo-Antonio underscored that the 70th anniversary celebration is only for official diplomatic relations. We actually go back long ways from the discovery by Magellan.
But Gary Lising says that it should be the other way around. Since we have always lived in these islands before they came, we Pinoys actually discovered Magellan.
Ambassador Calvo said that after the USA and China, Spain is the third most visited country by tourists… that 8 out of 10 tourists return to Spain… because Spain grows on you.
The first successful aerial journey from Spain to Manila happened in May, 1926, when the “Legazpi” (the plane, not the conquistador) first landed in Manila. This feat was duplicated by Spanish aviator Fernando Rein in 1932, and again, in 1933.
Then, on May 29, 1936, two Filipino pilots Juan Calvo and Antonio Arnaiz returned the compliment and flew the “Commonwealth” to become the first Filipinos to fly to Madrid, Spain.
Calvo and Arnaiz, raised money to buy a Fairchild Model 24 aircraft, which Manila Mayor Juan Posadas christened “Commonwealth of the Philippines” on May 26.
Capt. Joy Roa has begun campaign for two related projects to celebrate the long and happy relations between the Philippines and Spain. The first is to acquire a Fairchild Model 24 aircraft identical to the “Commonwealth” to donate to Philippine aviation. The second ambition is to trace the flight of Calvo and Arnaiz to Spain.
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