Throwback

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AS soon as he walked into the chic and elegant Champagne Salon of Manila Hotel, three people instantly reacted with the same question, “Is that a shirt jac?” If they had had time to elaborate, they would’ve said, “Is that your father’s shirt jac?”

Taken aback by the spontaneous, unexpected comment, Bongbong Marcos told them, “I’ve been wearing this [look] for the longest time. I’m surprised that you noticed, but this is what I wear to work, to church, to a wedding. . . ” In a blushing shade of pink, his shirt jac – for the benefit of readers who have not reached senior status – reminded the Monday morning Kapihan of his father’s everyday casual wear, casual for Malacañang, that is. Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s shirt jacs were always in jusi or pina, Junior’s version was in linen. (And I don’t recall FM ever wearing pink.)

The throwback to the era of FM was emphasized by a radio commentator. Approaching the microphone with alacrity, he cited a brief history of Philippine politics. “At my age,” he began, “I have been through two Macapagal presidencies and two Aquinos.” A pause, and then, “In my lifetime will I see a second President Marcos?”

FM Jr. smiled a disarming smile. “You might have to wait a while for that to happen, I wish you a long and happy life.”

The Kapihan banter is not typical, I was told, probably the effect of having a guest who does not speak in anger even when the subject is as frustrating as the mothballed Bataan nuclear power plant or the present state of farming and our farmers. Or the ex-senator’s electoral protest pending before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, for which he has spent P69 million, including P3 million to open the ballot images. Considering that the protestant is a GI, genuine Ilocano, and that “my opponent spent P400 million” to win the vice presidential elections, Bongbong Marcos is not disheartened by “delay after delay” in the recount of ballots stuffed into 3,000 boxes because he is “confident” that the holy grail is not fading away but looming closer. “Groups of people continue to rally and support me nearly two years after the elections. I ask them to go home, they’re tired, but they won’t give up.”

So why should he? Sure, no losing candidate for VP has ever won an electoral protest, but as the son of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos gamely pointed out, “That’s because none of them pursued their case the way I’m pursuing mine, today.”