I will give a cent from my savings to this perennial poll loser from Iloilo who, despite losing thrice in his attempt to capture City Hall, is again running for the mayoral race in that city.
Not only thrice but he lost seven times. Carmelo “Mel” Carreon has also lost other political contests for the city council in 1992, 2003 and 2016; the House of Representatives in 2004; and for the presidency in 2010. He said failure has never discouraged him from running. I admire him for his strong will.
As the saying goes, “Never say die,” let’s fight to the last, and this is why I offered him a centavo because of his courage to challenge his debacle in all elections he participated in.
Carreon’s sentiment is in his never ending defeat in elections. Mine is different. I never lost in my first and last attempt in politics. It is in my being poor that I have this challenge to continue my life, to survive and be what I am today.
I experienced challenges in life and almost quit, yet I persevered and now I am finally almost there. Or with God’s grace, I might even surpass this as I am still around.
I should have given Carreon more than a centavo if not for the fact that at his age of 73, he seems suffering from dementia. After reading the full story of his seven defeats in his election bid, I noticed some inconsistencies in his statements while narrating important events of his past life. Even his correct age is confusing.
For example, at first he filed a certificate of candidacy for the Senate. Withdraw from it four days later and filed another certificate for the mayoral race, his fourth attempt. He’s not sure of what he was really running for.
Carreon said he was with the Iloilo officials then who served the Commonwealth Republic in 1935 to 1945 but even a grade school pupil can swear that it was impossible for him to serve in the President Manuel L. Quezon government then because at his age of 73 now, he must be born in 1947 or when he was still in the womb of his mother while he claimed he was already around in 1935.
Believing much of himself, he once submitted his name for a Guinness World Record and nominated himself for the Ramon Magsaysay Award. Both organizations rejected him.
He also promised to make Iloilo City as progressive as Makati City, Quezon City, and Davao City if elected as mayor.
Now I have second thoughts of not giving him my last centavo!
-o0o-
The Commission on Population (PopCom) is now hoping that the implementation of the National Program on Population and Family Planning (NPPFP) will take off, this time without much resistance from the Catholic Church who is against contraceptives.
“We are working together (with Catholic Church) on natural family planning methods. They are happy working with us. Many of the dioceses are working with PopCom on the natural family planning,” said PopCom regional director for National Capital Region Lydio Espafiol.
There’s no doubt on the cooperation of the Church this time. No less than the Pope himself admitted the many sins of some bishops, priests, and other parishioners that they hide in their Cossacks while preaching God teachings for so many years. And one of the sins is for the Church people not to have children or cohabit with women because the Church prohibits them being in a married state.
And also, some priests may finally realize that they too are to blame for the increase in the country’s population estimated to balloon to almost 108 million Filipinos now.
PopCom reports that there are two million babies being born annually.
-o0o-
Next week is Holy Week and I annually go to the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague at Madapo Hills on Good Friday to show my devotion and to thank Him for the good health He has given me and my children through all these years.
To my readers, just continue believing in Him and He will never deny you.
My eldest son Jojo together with his family is presently in Manila to have his graduation after he successfully defended his thesis connected with his present job in the city government.
Congratulations, son!
