WHY the fuss over jueteng? Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz is raising hell against jueteng operators and their cohorts in government since it is his moral and spiritual duty as an eminent leader of the Church and as the founder of the erstwhile anti-gambling movement, Krusada ng Bayan Laban sa Sugal.
On the other hand, most politicians remain high on the illegal numbers game as a matter of political survival. They pretty-well know that given the proclivity of the great mass of electorate for election goodies, victory usually goes to poll bets who are flush with cash.
That/s why Monsignor Cruz said jueteng has gotten even worse than before because politicians and jueteng lords want to recoup their expenses during the May elections as fast as they could. And the jueteng brouhaha is rearing its ugly head once more.
In fact, Bogoy, my sidekick, has cracked up a joke over the issue on illegal numbers game. One day, he narrated, a priest while saying Mass noticed that during the offertory an elderly politician forked out a relatively sizable amount from his wallet. He dit it in style so those around him and even the priest would notice. Unable to hold back his curiosity, the priest approached the generous donor to express his gratitude when the Mass ended.
" Naku, walang anuman 'yon Father," he smilingly replied, "medyo malaki kasi ang kinita ko sa jueteng sa buwang ito."
Meanwhile, many parishioners, Bogoy said, have gotten the habit of dividing nickels and dimes so they could place jueteng bets and at the same time donate to the church. Medyo nabawasan ang tithe, sabi ni Bogoy. I asked hims, kaninong tithe?
What to do with jueteng? Frankly, I'm at a loss on that one. Some people are batting for small town lottery or STL to eradicate jueteng once and for all. However, STL is gambling per se and could be used by jueteng lords as a front to propagate the illegal numbers game as what happened during the time of President Estrada.
Government by itself should not engage in more gambling activities like the STL business. However, STL is under the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. Should private operators be allowed to run STL, they will engage in the business with one hand tied behind their back vis-a-vis the jueteng operators since the former will have to pay taxes and other incremental expenses like minimum wage and SSS premiums of their employees.
One major question is: Will the politicians get as much paychecks from the STL operation as they are getting from the illegal numbers game? I doubt it very much. Thus, it is likely that they will surreptitiously allow jueteng lords to operate within their turfs. Another major question is: Will winnings from STL be equal if not bigger than those from jueteng? Don't ask me, but I'll say it anyway. Jueteng will still win in the end.
How to deal with jueteng? Well, Bogoy has this solution.
Why not interchange the roles of those who are pro and anti-jueteng and see who performs better in his new role? Monsignor Cruz as jueteng operator and Bong P or the others playing the role of obstinate anti-jueteng cursaders? Masaya!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Gracias Ashok, my friend
Gracias Ashok, my friend
ONE early morning not long ago, I woke up feeling depressed because of a lingering sense of failure in what I could have had accomplished had I planned and worked harder in pursuit of my dreams in life. Suddenly, I felt like I was a desperado so helpless, so heartbroken that I just laid on on my back on the bed numb and motionless, just staring up the ceiling, unaware of what's going on around me.
Then, the message tone of my cellphone screamed and I was up on my feet. With a sluggish motion, I opened the inbox and read the message: "Fulfillment doesn't merely mean achieving our highest dreams in life, but also living a life that has made the lives of others worth living. Gudam."
The words hit me like icy water splashed on my face. Slowly, self-assurance crept up my being. I may not have been gaining much ground in making the lives of others worth living, but at least I should be contented with what I could make out of myself for the remaining chapters of my life.
For a few moments I held the mobile phone and my eyes lingered on the message inbox. I read further: "God has made life so good that even if we don't enumerate all that we need everyday, we realize that He continues to give what's best for us. Gudam."
Within minutes, I was fully alive. The heavy load I was carrying a few moment ago vanished. I began to feel that my spirit was back and I noticed that the golden rays of the early morning sun have started to fill up the room, giving warmth and comfort. I felt God's presence in the room. I was humbled.
Thank you Ashok, my friend. Of course, Ashok is Mr. Ashok Vasandani who, for countless days or months now, has been sending those priceless messages each morning before breakfast. They arrive without fail so much so that I began to call them "breakfast appetizers." Like several other media practitioners, business and civic leaders in the city, I am wonderfully happy to be in Ashok's List.
I don't exactly know who are the others in Ashok's List. I'm just aware that colleagues in media like Idol Orly Navarro of Aksyon Radyo, Joey Ball and RJ Jimenez of Power Radio read once in a while Ashok's nuggets of wisdom which oftentimes are divinely inspired. The message certainly make life worth living.
Ashok's List calls back to mind the classical movie Schindler's List. The movie is a 1993 American epic drama film about Oscar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories.
The film was a box office success and recipient of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked the film 8th on its list of the 100 best American films of all time.
Ashok's List may not become a box office hit. However, I'm sure that, as in my case, many of those in his list, in one way or the other, have been drawing inspiration from his divine messages to move along the bumpy and rock-hewn road of life.
ONE early morning not long ago, I woke up feeling depressed because of a lingering sense of failure in what I could have had accomplished had I planned and worked harder in pursuit of my dreams in life. Suddenly, I felt like I was a desperado so helpless, so heartbroken that I just laid on on my back on the bed numb and motionless, just staring up the ceiling, unaware of what's going on around me.
Then, the message tone of my cellphone screamed and I was up on my feet. With a sluggish motion, I opened the inbox and read the message: "Fulfillment doesn't merely mean achieving our highest dreams in life, but also living a life that has made the lives of others worth living. Gudam."
The words hit me like icy water splashed on my face. Slowly, self-assurance crept up my being. I may not have been gaining much ground in making the lives of others worth living, but at least I should be contented with what I could make out of myself for the remaining chapters of my life.
For a few moments I held the mobile phone and my eyes lingered on the message inbox. I read further: "God has made life so good that even if we don't enumerate all that we need everyday, we realize that He continues to give what's best for us. Gudam."
Within minutes, I was fully alive. The heavy load I was carrying a few moment ago vanished. I began to feel that my spirit was back and I noticed that the golden rays of the early morning sun have started to fill up the room, giving warmth and comfort. I felt God's presence in the room. I was humbled.
Thank you Ashok, my friend. Of course, Ashok is Mr. Ashok Vasandani who, for countless days or months now, has been sending those priceless messages each morning before breakfast. They arrive without fail so much so that I began to call them "breakfast appetizers." Like several other media practitioners, business and civic leaders in the city, I am wonderfully happy to be in Ashok's List.
I don't exactly know who are the others in Ashok's List. I'm just aware that colleagues in media like Idol Orly Navarro of Aksyon Radyo, Joey Ball and RJ Jimenez of Power Radio read once in a while Ashok's nuggets of wisdom which oftentimes are divinely inspired. The message certainly make life worth living.
Ashok's List calls back to mind the classical movie Schindler's List. The movie is a 1993 American epic drama film about Oscar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories.
The film was a box office success and recipient of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked the film 8th on its list of the 100 best American films of all time.
Ashok's List may not become a box office hit. However, I'm sure that, as in my case, many of those in his list, in one way or the other, have been drawing inspiration from his divine messages to move along the bumpy and rock-hewn road of life.
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