LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

Everyone’s talking about change in 2008
MARCH L. FIANZA

For the many that could not bear the chill of New Year’s Eve, we chose to stay in the warm comfort of the living room. I was one of them, admittedly, hoping to watch live coverage of any fireworks display on TV. We were less fortunate that evening because most of the hosts and guests of the TV news channels were talking about “change.”

That however, seemed to be the same “change” they were talking about in their promises in the past. The hosts and guests on New Year’s Eve television sounded like vintage 33 RPM LP records of my Lolo that were broken due to scratches caused by playing them over and over again.

The onlooker has no choice but to become part of a captive audience and listen to what the members of the star cast have to say on New Year’s Eve. The speeches delivered by democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton about “change” sounded familiar. It made my thoughts roll back to the scenes I saw during the last election campaign here.

Barack talked about an America for all colors and genders, partly slighting woman candidate Hillary. The rest of the New Year’s Eve speeches by any of the presidential aspirants were of the same tone – economy for all, less participation in world wars, world policies acceptable to all, etc. But what the world will see as a “sure change” is if either colored candidate Barack or woman bet Hillary win as president.

By the way cousin Tommy in the US said, the republicans were in a way supporting Barack’s state to state campaign. The reason for the support is selfish. The republicans whose bets are all “white males” predict that America will always vote for a “white” candidate – that is if Barack, who is “black,” wins as democrat party bet before November.

The New Year’s Eve star cast of course, included The Most Honorable, Her Excellency, The Queen, Madame Glo who wished everyone a prosperous new year and promised a better life for every Filipino in her empire. I am not sure if it was the cold night or the New Year’s Eve greetings that made me sleep. What I was aware of when the neighborhood firecrackers woke me up was that the good and the bad of what was to come in 2008 were in my dreams.

True enough on the first day of 2008, and comparing the evening chill that has crept to the bones, The Queen’s wishes failed to seep through as motorists found their gas purchases fifty centavos higher that fateful day. And so I thought, “ahh, Her Excellency’s greetings were for the gas dealers and businessmen” because that is the sector that gains from the wishes of a prosperous new year.
But knowing the Pinoy’s low disappointment level, he still is able to survive and laugh away the problems because there are a lot of other “changes” that he can look forward to. He is now able to bet on lotto with “better” winning chances because the bets were increased by a hundred per cent by the lotto bosses. He has jueteng winnings to wait for, three times a day, seven days a week, more so because jueteng is widespread.

As we write, the Pinoy is threatened with an increase in the prices of noodles, kitchen oil, basic food commodities, and diesel and gas fuel over the weekend. When that takes effect, that will be one of the surest “changes” of a prosperous New Year and better economy as promised by The Most Honorable.

That too can easily be forgotten by the Pinoy who by now has gotten used to uncontrolled price increases. Instead, I look forward to the “promise of change” by our friend Baguio Reporter publisher-editor Eli Refuerzo to be more active in attending press conferences and pushing for interviews. I would like to be there too. Kung Hei Fat Choy to all! – marchfianza777@yahoo.com