Memories of New Orleans and Louisiana

It seems that until now most of us just haven’t internalized the implications of the catastrophic events that wiped out the energy industry of the Gulf of Mexico. It seems now that "Katrina" devastated the area worse than what had been anticipated.

The most tragic scenes were those of New Orleans. Eighty percent of the city was under water, the levees having been breached and water poured into the metropolis. The once picturesque city of Louisiana, famous for its Mardi Gras and the French Quarter, has almost disappeared.

And Louisiana tried to pick up the pieces left behind by "Katrina." Even the federal government seemed paralyzed in extending help to the beleaguered population of that state, almost known as the sugar bowl of the United States.

What seems funny is that our congressmen hardly uttered any comment about the impact of the oil crisis caused by the "Katrina" havoc. It seems they are just so obsessed with getting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo out that they are unable to see a tragedy shaping up.

Plus the impact of E-VAT. By ruling it is constitutional, the Supreme Court prompted the Sangguniang Panglunsod of Bacolod City to appeal to the House of Representatives and the Senate "to have mercy on the Filipino people by quietly amending the E-VAT Law." The local lawmakers unanimously approved the removal from E-VAT’s coverage of energy and fuel, being prime commodities, "to mitigate the sufferings of the people."

Bacolod councilor Lyndon Cana stressed that E-VAT would wreak untold havoc and unmitigated sufferings on the Filipino people, "the vast majority of whom are poor, if not extremely poor."

But until yesterday morning, the members of Congress were just focused on counting the signatories to the impeachment charge sheet against GMA. And nobody has yet addressed the implications of the escalating oil prices on the country’s economy. Why? There is not yet even a voice raised to prompt the national bioethanol bill filed in the House by Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri. Yet this bill is urgent if local and foreign investors could be cajoled into putting their money in the production of the alternative fuel.

Remembrances

I could not help but be reminded of my cross-country visit to Louisiana and New Orleans way back in 1986.

I started out our trip from San Diego on board a small car owned by Fr. John, a former parish priest of Toledo City, who was transferring to St. Mary’s Parish in Louisiana. He had been incardinated by the auxiliary bishop of Thibaddorx.

It was a lengthy trip. We passed through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, passing through the midland of the sprawling state. We caught our glimpse of Louisiana in Baton Rogue. I convinced Fr. John to ask permission to say the Sunday Mass at the Baton Rogue Cathedral.

It was there where I discovered the underlying residue of racial discrimination. Nothing ugly or spectacular. It was only that I found out I was the only "colored" Mass-goer who caught the attention of what was a predominantly Caucasian community.

Anyway, after that we proceeded to Thibaddorx to meet the auxiliary bishop. We stayed at his residence for the entire duration of our stay in Louisiana.

To my surprise. I found three more Filipino clergymen there. It was explained by the auxiliary bishop that he had a predilection for Filipino priests, pointing out that they were more flexible in their outlook and could easily mix with the population. He was the first auxiliary bishop who produced the first Afro-American bishop of the United States. And he begged me to recruit more Filipino priests for his diocese.

Anyway, from there, accompanied by a group of Filipino clergymen, we proceeded to New Orleans. Later in the evening, we went around the French Quarter to listen to jazz music. There were numerous bars around. And New Orleans, I found out, was a swinging city.

Later, as I was about to enter a bar, the priests halted me. "It’s a striptease joint. You might only get scandalized," they chorused. I remonstrated and asked them if they must have gone there. They just laughed at me.

Anyway, after repeated visits to New Orleans, I discovered that a certain Mrs. Marina Espina, a professor there, had written her thesis about having discovered in the bayous a Filipino community made up of descendants of a Filipino sailor who had jumped ship during the galleon trade between Acapulco and Manila. I tried several times to secure her thesis from Marina, but failed.

Anyway, it was an enchanting city. The people were friendly and still retained remnants of their French culture. The French Quarter’s homes remained colonial, their verandahs providing a convenient perch for viewing the Mardi Gras.

I felt saddened to see the devastation of the city and the fate of its fun-loving population.

And, yes, one thing that may have escaped the notice of many, Louisiana is also, aside from neighboring Florida, the sugar bowl of the United States. Aside from the oil refineries dotting the New Orleans landscape, all along the Louisiana area were also sugar refineries. And many Negrense agriculturists and sugar producers had graduated from Louisiana University where they took up sugar agriculture.

But that’s beside the point. The most important thing is that we must ready ourselves for the fallout of what happened there. Even other oil-producing countries are already starting to worry about its implications on their respective economies.

But then, we remain with our eyes focused on our intramurals. Perhaps, we might wake up too late to be able to wrestle with the oil price increases which seem inevitable post the "Katrina" havoc.

Bacolod Recall Movement

>As earlier noted, the impeachment bill against GMA has been replicated locally by the recall movement against Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia. This was initiated by former mayor Joy Valdez and her predecessor, former mayor Oscar Verdeflor. And true, Verdeflor was one of Leonardia’s staunchest supporters in the last elections. But he readily had a change of heart.

The Commission on Elections reduced to 5,895 the other day the petitioners who had submitted their affidavits of withdrawal. The 11,573 petitioners claimed that they were misled into signing the petition for recall against Leonardia.

Despite this development, Valdez twitted Leonardia against premature celebration, pointing out that the recall petition is still very much alive since it is based on the 48,347 signatures they have against the incumbent mayor.

The verbal joust continues. And Comelec registrar Marvil Majarocum said she would deliver to the Comelec in Manila the affidavits of retraction and the additional affidavits of withdrawal submitted by city legal officer Alan Zamora.

C’est la vie in the Philippines.

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ADDENDA: Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas and Monetary Board head Juanita Dy Amatong inaugurated last Sept. 1 the Kauswagan Bank, the newest micro-finance-oriented thrift bank in Iloilo City. Other special guests included Paul Honeymoon, Opportunity International, USA; Tess Rosacia, president and CEO of the Alliance of Philippine Partners in Enterprise Development; and Noel Alcaide, also of the Alliance of Philippine Partners in Enterprises Development. The TSKI trains the poor to start a business, improve their housing and health, and provide them with funds for the education of their children. The Kauswagan Bank is located on E. Lopez street in the Jaro district of Iloilo City… The GSIS filed criminal charges against San Enrique Mayor Rosario Mediatrix Fernandez Tupas and her municipal accountant and treasurer before the Ombudsman-Visayas for the non-remittance of the town employees’ contributions to the insurance firm. Tupas, treasurer Hermie Pendon, and accountant Ramon Bayoging reportedly failed to remit P1,593,527.77 for 2004 and P1,42,929.95 for the current year. Deputy Ombudsman Primo Miro gave the respondents 15 days from receipt of the complaint to file their answers… APEC party-list Rep. Sunny Rose Madambad of Oriental Negros warned that the impending price increases could be triggered by the E-VAT on fuel and electricity. He said he and two other Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives party-list representatives are working to repeal the E-VAT on power and fuel, the two commodities that can affect the prices of basic commodities… Barangay Captain 13 El Clo Cid Familiarana is in hot water following the confiscation the other day of cartons of allegedly fake toothpaste carrying the brand name "Close Up." CIDG Negros chief Inspector Marlon Tayaba said lawyer Elmer Cadana of Unilever Phils. supervised the raid covered by a search warrant from the Regional Trial Court Branch 24 of the National Capital Region. The owners of the establishments were Familiaran, his wife, Portia, and son, Franklin Andre… Later, the NBI also seized 46 boxes and a sack of allegedly counterfeit products bearing Nestlé brands in simultaneous raids in different areas of Bacolod. Seized products included fake Nescafé Classics 100, Milo Tonic Olympic Energy Drink, and Coffeemate, etc., according to senior NBI agent Arnel Sigue.