Mistresses and lawyers

March 15, 2003 - 12:00am

Did you know 1: <./B>Talk to any business with a purchase through installment operation and, chances are, mistresses and lawyers are at the top of its negative list.

You see, the cashflow of a mistress can change at any point in time. As for lawyers, well, these guys will indeed see you in court.
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Did you know 2: Pilferage of checks payable to government pensioners has gotten so bad that Government Service Insurance System president and general manager Winston Garcia has ordered that all issued checks be crossed.

The downside, of course, is that the pensioner or beneficiary of the check and these include those availing of other GSIS programs such as salary and housing loans – will have to deposit the check in a bank of his/her choosing and wait for three days for the check to clear.
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With only a week left before the national convention of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., there’s now only one candidate for president (that’s current executive vice-president Robin Sy) and for executive vice-president (that’s sophomore vice-president Francis Chua).

Current federation president John K.C. Ng isn’t running after all. You see, he’s accepted the grand-sounding job of presidential special envoy for Chinese affairs, which is different from being a presidential adviser.

For one thing, a presidential envoy (who, of course, represents the President) works on a project basis. In the case of Mr. Ng, his first and just possibly last assignment is representing the President in a Philippine trade fair, which will be held in Shanghai at the end of the month.

For another thing, a presidential envoy doesn’t need congressional approval.

This year’s federation convention is, uh, rather strange because three old-time vice-presidents are not seeking reelection. Adding the slot of Mr. Chua, that’s four vice-president positions up for grabs.

Said to be eyeing those four vice-president slots are Alfonso Sy, the current committee chairman for tax advocacy; Henry Lim Bon Liong, the current committee vice-president for external affairs; Tan Ching, the current committee chairman for arbitration; and Henry Ah, the current committee chairman for social welfare.

Oh yes, President Macapagal-Arroyo is breaking tradition by not giving the keynote address during the opening day lunch of the convention. Instead, she will cut the ribbon to an exhibition hall – refurbished, incidentally, at great expense at the ground floor of the federation building – earlier in the day.

The other speakers from the government sector – Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Senate President Franklin Drilon, House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho, Trade Secretary Manuel Roxas II – haven’t cancelled out.

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