GMA through thick and thin

Palace Spy-weightwatchers disclosed that GMA has lost close to 10 pounds since the beginning of the Gloriagate scandal. Our Eye-Spy tells us she looks much better now, and is in fact closely watching what she eats. Some observed that her clothes are beginning to hang loose. Insiders added that she has been like a potato couch (without the potatoes) glued to the TV for the past two weeks because of the impeachment hearings. As of Tuesday night, she was already in high spirits and even joking around. GMA has been through thick situations resulting in her getting thin. In political and military speak, the Commander-in-Chief is now "battle trim," ready for the next battle.

Lumpy roadwork

A balikbayan who recently did a tour of Pampanga and Nueva Ecija would like to call the attention of the DPWH about several roads that could cause potential accidents to travelers. One is a bumpy dirt road stretching from San Isidro to San Antonio in Nueva Ecija that jolts commuters into bumping their heads on the roof of their cars. Another is the bridge from San Mariano to Lawang Cupang whose middle portion is sagging and is a disaster waiting to happen. While Pampanga seems to have been blessed with new highways and bridges, Nueva Ecija’s towns seem to be getting left behind, the reader said. At best, all these roads could contribute is a nasty lump on the head of commuters.

Copycat SM store

Our Mindanao Spy-ring disclosed that a store in North Cotabato owned by an illegal immigrant is raking in money by capitalizing on the popularity of taipan Henry Sy’s SM stores. The store reportedly sports an exact replica of the SM logo, so people in the province are misled into thinking that the store is a legitimate branch of the Shoe Mart chain of Sy. Spybiz Eye-spies are wondering how the illegal immigrant was able to get away with it, when the store is located near a busy section in town. Wonder what DTI and SEC will do when they find out. Or, what Henry Sy will do for that matter.

Spy tidbiz: Where are gma’s bright boys now?

Readers are wondering whatever happened to President Arroyo’s "Bright Boys," the vaunted Harvard and Wharton graduates who formerly served in her Cabinet. During their stint in GMA’s Cabinet, former presidential adviser and Agriculture Secretary Luis "Cito" Lorenzo and former Energy Secretary Vince Perez were also called "The Wall Street Boys."The Spy-Ring disclosed that Vince Perez, a Wharton alumnus, is now in Yale on a fellowship grant. Meanwhile, Cito Lorenzo is busy with Gawad Kalinga, an NGO that helps provide homes for Filipinos in slum areas and other poverty-stricken communities. At the same time, Cito has been busy with the Cito Foundation, his own private NGO devoted to helping entrepreneurs and exporters. Despite his disappointment with government, Cito continues to do his bit in helping boost trade and agriculture, as well as create jobs.

From the listening post: Rising oil costs could bankrupt big airlines

Washington, D.C.-based Airline Forecasts reported that big airlines might crash if the price of oil per barrel stays at the $65-dollar mark. Those in the endangered list include Delta and Northwest, but other carriers are also struggling to survive the high costs of fuel. Airline companies might also be forced to go into mergers because of steep oil prices, with half the US airline industry facing the probability of bankruptcy by 2006 especially in the light of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina which crippled oil production and refining. Airline forecasts, however, said that European and Asian airlines can cope with the fuel costs better because they have more capital and have more flexibility in raising fares or cutting schedules in certain markets. Airline Forecasts, however, warned that foreign carriers might also go to the brink because of transatlantic fare wars.

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