Remembering My Father

“MGA PADERS” — June 21 is Father’s Day. Advisory: all fathers, like me, are excused and relieved on this day from their normal chores like cooking, washing, ironing, household chores, tending the baby, etc. cos it’s their special day!

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MY FATHER MARTIN — He was a simple and humble man. He worked for a living as a passenger bus driver when we were all small. I cannot forget what he told me when one day I asked him if he wanted to stop driving and retire as he was getting old and all of us 8 children could adequately take care of his needs. I really thought he would welcome the suggestion. But his reply was: “Why will I stop driving when my driving made you a lawyer and a congressman?” End of discussion. He died after retiring as service bus driver of the Davao Sugar Central in our home barangay Guihing in the south.

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POPE OKS PROBE — Pope Francis gave the “green light“ for the start of the investigation of a former Vatican envoy to the Dominican Republic for alleged sexual abuse of children. This is unprecedented.

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IT’S GENETIC? — Looks like the ambition and the itch to be president runs in the blood. Having a former sitting president in the family can whet the appetite of presidential families to seek the same path. Hillary Clinton is now an announced presidential candidate in the November US elections from the Democratic Party. She‘s the wife of former US President Bill Clinton. Another kin of another former US Pres. George Bush, son Jed Bush also announced his presidential plans for the Republicans.

In the Philippines, the same pattern prevails. We had PGMA after his father President Macapagal. Then Pres. Noynoy after Pres. Cory. Who’s next? Sorry for me. I don’t have the genes!

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REFORMS — I attended a few days ago an executive management seminar on security in Camp Crame. I was clapping discreetly C/Supt Noel Constantino, over-all chief of the PNP office regulating and overseeing private security providers (PSAs) all over the country. He called on all participants to stop doing shortcuts and bribe officers. He even called PADPAO, the organization of security agencies as the biggest “fixer” in the industry. I wish we have more of his kind in government service.