The Marcos Presidency

We write this column as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prepares to assume office as the 17th President of our country this coming June 30th. While it pains me to say that our aspirations to have a first Bicolano President in the person of VP Len Robredo was dashed off by BBM’s victory, we do look forward as well to an administration guided by decency, honesty, and fairness rather than political considerations. And it would seem that we may not be disappointed, as we closely look at the initial cabinet appointments by the President. That he has chosen the National Museum, a heritage site where three former Presidents of this Republic were inducted, to wit: President Manuel L. Quezon in 1935, President Jose P. Laurel in 1943 and President Manuel Roxas in 1946, augurs well to an administration that Filipinos deserve. We likewise heard just tonight from tv reports that President BBM has invited out-going Senate President Tito Sotto as one of his advisers, which according to the same report the latter favorably considered. With these developments, it would seem that we can expect from the new President an era of progress and development for our country which to my mind has been long overdue. Indeed, as an old song goes “Que Sera Sera, what ever will be, will be.”

On the local scene, we likewise wish well (though belatedly) Mayor Nelson Legacion of this city for his re-election as mayor of the Heart of Bicol. If my memory serves me right, this is his last term and we expect his best for the city. Incidentally, in a few months we will be celebrating the annual Feast of the Virgin of Penafrancia, and we expect thousands of visitors and devotees of our Ina to come to Naga to witness the traditional Traslacion and Fluvial Procession. Unfortunately, expect once again our hotel owners/operators to double their room rates to the chagrin of most devotees and visitors from different parts of the country. I wonder if the city administration can do something to convince these hotel owners/operators from taking advantage of the occasion for the economic benefits.

TRIVIA:

I wish to greet my fellow column writer Bert delos Martirez for his informative column where readers come to get the whereabout of old friends and relatives as well as minus of dishes to satisfy the readers’ palate in his radio program “ALCALDE SA KUSINA”.

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

“HONESTY AND DEVOTION TO DUTY HAVE THEIR OWN REWARD, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE IMMEDIATELY APPARENT.”

RAMON H. FELIPE, JR.

(Former Chairman - Comelec)

FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE:

“FOR I AM THE LORD, YOUR GOD, WHO GRASP YOUR RIGHT HAND, IT IS I WHO SAY TO YOU “FEAR NOT I WILL HELP YOU.” ISAIAH 41:13