Bato-bato sa langit tamaan….!
LAS VEGAS – The Manny Pacquiao-Keith Thurman fight set on July 20 at the MGM Grand Arena is again a top headline sports story of some local papers here in the past few days.
Since arriving from Manila, the 40-year-old Pacquiao already ran the 5.6-mile mountainous Griffith Observatory, the latest clocking 53.6 minutes, leaving dust to nearly 20 running mates as he reached the summit.
The Filipino champion is looking forward to win the 147-pound unification confrontation with 30-year-old super belt-owner Thurman who, many boxing enthusiasts think, has no boxing chance of winning.
As usual, majority of lowly construction workers I interviewed in my place at Illinois stake their last centavo for Pacquiao. These construction workers, mostly of Mexican descent, are known boxing lovers and in my earlier meeting with them they knew Pacquiao more than our President Duterte or the Philippines.
Anyway, I do not worry on the outcome of the PacquiaoThurman fight. My sports are wild hunting and fishing, remember? Hindi ako sanay manuntok!
My only concern is whether the Senator-boxer is still receiving regular pay and bonuses from the people’s pockets while outside of his air-conditioned office in the Senate and earning millions of pesos inside the ring!
Elective officials may be allowed to practice their private professions outside of public office, but this should not mean at the time he or she is still at the taxpayers’ expense.
Senator-elect Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s priority bill is the restoration of death penalty for drug trafficking, noting that this has better odds of passing in the new Senate.
“Most likely, dahil marami na tayong kakampi ngayon na tutulungan tayo, hindi naman gaano mabigat yun dahil ang akin naman ay sa drug trafficking, hindi naman lahat ng heinous crimes,” dela Rosa said.
I believe that restoration of death penalty is not a solution to curb drug abuses and other heinous crimes as almost every second in a day, killing, rape, robbery are a world-wide happening since time immemorial.
But Bato’s priority bill is still worth looking at and should be passed. At least would-be criminals will think twice before committing crimes.
Bato-bato sa langit, magbantay na hindi tamaan! Another Senator-elect from Davao City, also a good friend but am not sure whether am still known to him after his election, is Christopher “Bong” Go of the Tesoro clan. Hi, Linda and Letty! USA na ako!
Senator Go said he prioritizes the salary increase of teachers and government workers in the 18th Congress.
While I am not against giving additional pay for teachers and government personnel although what they’re receiving now are much higher than what their counterparts in private employment are receiving, their actual take home pays after cuts from pay-slips – SSS, GSIS, medicare, tax, salary advances, 5/6 loan, could not even sustain the education of their children and daily subsistence at home.
“Yung list ng priority bills na ipa-file ko, yung increase in salaries of teachers. Medyo gusto ko rin pag-aralan maging holistic ang approach, maybe filing (salary) standardization law, para kasama na ang government nurses, engineers. Next is the proposed Department of OFWs to enhance coordination between agencies,” Go said.
Go, Bong, that’s a good start for a neophyte lawmaker looking after the welfare of the lowly-paid workers. God will always be with you and avoid evil things to come to your head. Go!
Bad news (or chismiss) reaching my new world says that Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Pinol who was recently criticized over his response on the Reed Bank incident where a Philippine fishing boat was rammed by alleged Chinese maritime militia vessel, is out in the forthcoming major Cabinet revamp.
Well, knowing Manny who survived the hardships in life and controversies when he joined politics as he used to be a Timesman before in the 70s, he will retain his post (or maybe given another higher position in the Cabinet if the rumor is true) as his talent and ability to deal with the situation are what the Palace needs now, being also a Mindanaoan.
But we can’t be sure of what’s in the mind of his BOSS or those who longed for Manny’s head to roll. Being in politics is just temporary as what our life in this world is. Ako lang yata ang pinagbigyan ni Lord na tumagal ng ganito sa mundo!
Anyway, let’s hoping that the news of Manny’s fate remains just a tsismis!
Just for the record. The Timesman misses this corner for the last few issues because of eye fatigue due to my constantly facing the computer, laptop, tv shows, and maybe because of age. Enjoy!