Maasin City (4 December) — The biggest anticipated story this week is not the tossing and passing and guessing of the political music called cha-cha, but the fight of the century at Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on December 7, Philippine time. It was billed as a “dream match”, and for all its commercial and media-hype intentions, the label was true and realistic in form and substance. For who would have thought that Manny “pacman” Pacquiao would met his idol, Oscar “golden boy” De La Hoya on top of the ring, as if to ask the legendary mirror who is the fairer of the two? ***** Professional boxing has always been pitting the cream of the top, for the sake of honor, prestige, and the green bucks to boot. The Pacquiao-De La Hoya match, however, has been a great surprise ever since it was first touted in June, 2007, and there were valid doubts, including technical questions, if ever such a made-in-heaven bout would ever materialize. All that is now water under the bridge, as the world waits with baited breath the moment of truth on who among the two would emerge superior than the other. ***** Frankly, I had initial doubts if Pacquiao would make it, and why such a match was cooked, in the first place. But the Filipino in me, of course, is all-out for the man from General Santos City, despite the odds, and in spite of the confusing late developments ? maybe intentional to confuse the enemy, or so they say — that the Pinoy pugilist had some adjustments in his training, like cramming for a test. Anyway, let’s wait this Sunday, and hope that the warrior with a human heart can beat the tested golden machine. ***** The country will be united again, and this is an added bonus everytime the former baker climbs the ring. The streets will be empty, no demonstrations, no political statements as both the administration and opposition politicians will watch the fight, others more privileged to see it live, and no encounters as soldiers and rebels take time out to watch, too. Police blotters will have no entry, for even those with hardened ways stop doing their wayward things to monitor what’s going on. ***** After the fight, expect the worst to let loose, particularly in the political front. Anti-Cha-cha stalwarts would be in high gear to avoid a no-el come to 2010. Meanwhile, the Palace functionaries have always maintained a singular note: the President will step down once her term ends. No ifs and buts about it, cha-cha or no cha-cha. So, while the dream match will be this Sunday, December 7, 2008, the dream act of leaving the presidential office will be on June 30, 2010. The dream fight and the dream act. Hope and pray all of us are winners. ***** LOCAL FRONT: Cong. Mercado rightly stressed that people should not be swayed by political distractions in the country’s capital, and deal instead with the upcoming global economic crisis that will surely affect us. He had advised that people learn to find ways to have other sources of income, like engaging in agricultural business. This piece of wisdom is applicable to returning OFWs and those living here, because with or without crisis, we all want an increased income. ODDLY YOURS: A 16-year old boy from Cebu, Philippines found that the expression “may pera sa basura” (there’s money in garbage) is true. Last week of November, 2008, on a routine day scavenging trash at Inayawan landfill, a bag containing $ 60,000.00 or about P3,000,000 was found by the unnamed boy. He is now in hiding even as his relatives returned about one-third of the money to the supposed owner, a money-changer, whose maid reportedly mistook the sack as garbage. (PIA-Southern Leyte)
