OUR weekend column item was about how modern communications technology allows us classmates of long ago in high school to come to have a reunion even on a daily basis. Yes, those among us who have the gadgets equipped with all the platforms of social media can participate in such a reunion even if we do not have actual physical gathering in a venue of choice.
Of course we realized in the course of our daily contacts, those who are most active participants in the “reunion of sort” are the ladies – most of whom if not all, are housewives and dotting grandmothers. We the boys in that class seldom join. But if we do only about two, three or four male classmates correspond sometimes. But we are certain many of us reads whatever is posted by the ladies. Only, we are just lazy to chat.
And no, the exchanges of banters among our lady classmates in high school are not pure women talk. Yes, they talk about their husbands, their children and grandchildren most often. But in the more than two years of being into forced “incarceration” in their respective residence because of the CoViD 19 pandemic, lately they became amateur political analysts with views on the candidates for President more down-to-earth and somehow make more sense. That is why we believe it is worth sharing with others, be they like our classmates who are simple women of the house or dotting grandmothers, or long awaiting moms for the visit of their children who are now working overseas or permanent residents in their host countries like our English teacher Ma’am Lolita Lapinid.
Here are their views and perceptions on some Presidential aspirants:
Ms. Amor Gumora Lao, a former (perhaps now retired like us) government employee: “Those from Leyte, the province where Imelda Marcos hails from, are likely solid for BBM. Those from the Ilocos Region, Solid North as they are often called, will likely rally for Bongbong. Then, here comes Sara Duterte-Carpio who is from the Southern Philippines, she can mobilize a Solid South.
Amor contends that with such voter bases, BBM is likely to win the Presidency. But she believes aspirant Senator Lacson answered the Presidential interview questions very intelligently. She is also convinced that Lacson indeed does not accept bribes and did not avail of the Pork Barrel or Countryside Development Funds from the government. Ms. Lao added that Lacson is competent enough to handle the huge problems facing the country. She also opines that many are running for President down to the local elective positions for obvious reasons of which almost everyone is well aware of what these reasons are. That is why it is not anymore surprising that candidates are coming from one family or clan and that once they have a taste of power they do everything possible not to be booted out from the seat of authority. They amass money through corruption and use the money to buy votes and with poverty lurking in most households, many are enticed to sell their votes. But the money they receive as payment is the same money they pay to the government in terms of taxes.
Ms. Lao is also persistent that Lacson is one sincere candidate but she admitted that the senator cannot win in the May 9 election. Yet Amor Lao thinks that no one of the candidates will be able to handle our problem with the Chinese in our dispute with them on the West Philippine Sea and it is still our embracing Uncle Sam and seeking the US government’s and other allied countries’ help that will extricate the Philippines from our row with China. If we do it on our own, one day we’ll wake up and our country is already taken softly by the Chinese, says Amor.
With this view of Ms. Lao, another classmate of ours, Ms. Priscilla Lim, the furniture entrepreneur, was quick to add her own idea. That is, all the Presidential contenders must be ready to accept the notion that only by taking the side of America that we will succeed in our desire to put an end to our claim of some territories in the West Philippine Sea in our favor. She adds that whoever adopts the US-emanated strategy must be ready to embroil the Philippines in a war with China since at this time the two superpower countries’ relation is in its utmost strain.
On the other hand, classmate Lao thinks that Presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao may not be corrupt, but she says he is incompetent to lead this country. Hence, the likelihood is that he will just entrust most of his jobs to his advisers whose sincerity may not be according to his and the Filipino people’s expectation.
Maam Norma E. Colon, a classmate from Leyte, pitches in her own idea as to who she thinks is worth her vote come May election. She is a blue-blooded Leytenyo from Isabel town and has no qualms in admitting that she’ll support BBM. But she says we are in a democracy. So whoever our classmates will vote she will not dare to influence. But she adds that “not just Pacquiao” with a boisterous Bwa, ha, ha, ha! Whatever she insinuated with the laugh we have no idea. We can only assume.
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