Another saga unfolds

Now that the Senate committees have finally been organized, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, headed by Senator Joker Arroyo, is going to take centerstage. And the focus of attention will, of course, be the mind-boggling charges aired against Senator Panfilo Lacson involving money laundering, drug-trafficking, kidnap for ransom, smuggling and salvaging. Right now, public interest on L’affaire Lacson is at fever pitch.

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The witnesses ranged against Lacson are interesting and impressive: AFP intelligence chief Col. Victor Corpus, newsman Ramon Tuflo, Mary Rose Bud, Ador, NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco, etc. Corpus has hinted that there will be other witnesses, with equally dramatic testimonies, who will appear before the Blue Ribbon Committee. Abangan.

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The hearings of the Blue Ribbon Committee are expected to be as interesting as, if not more lively and explosive, than the impeachment trial of then President Estrada. This is a hint to Joker Arroyo that a televised live coverage of the big Senate event should be allowed. Shunting TV aside is going to be a big letdown to the general public.

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Last August 1, I published an essay from my book, Walking Through the Pathways of Life, about the heart-rending experience of a young Filipino in South Korea in his quest for a better life for him and his family. That essay was written many years ago, during those times when the memory of the execution of Flor Contemplacion in Singapore was still fresh in my mind.

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You know what? I received a letter from Ambassador Juanito P. Jarasa, disputing my essay’s concluding paragraph which said that "the Filipino workers get so little help from Philippine Embassy officials who seem to be not reaching out to them." Apparently, the good Ambassador thought that the story about Mario Sanchez is of current vintage. No, sir, that essay was a recollection of a time long past. And it was written long before you became our envoy to Korea.

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I am glad to know, though, that Ambassador Jarasa is sensitive to things written about the Philippine Embassy. Not only did he react immediately by sending a well-written clarificatory letter, through the diplomatic pouch, but he also included various materials and newsletters documenting the good things being done by our Embassy in South Korea. Congratulations!

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Levy P. Laus, a top businessman and civic leader in Pampanga, has added another feather in his multi-awarded cap as an exponent of business excellence in the countryside. His Ford Pampanga entity has just been declared by Ford Motor Philippines Inc. as the first Blue Oval Certified dealership in the Philippines and Asia.

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This coveted status is a measure of the dealership’s capability to deliver quality products and services to customers. The criteria cover customer viewpoint, survey results, facility operations and upkeep, completion of training programs, among others.

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Ford Pampanga, which has become a landmark in the city of San Fernando, is managed by Levy’s eldest son, 27-year-old Paul, who is the president of the firm. Paul said of his dealership’s recent feat: "We are known for customer satisfaction. This has become our way of life and we have to keep outdoing ourselves."

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Actually, Ford Pampanga is under the umbrella of the Laus Group of Companies established by Levy some 23 years ago. The LGC is now a conglomerate of more than 20 business interests, ranging from real estate to aviation, with many of its affiliates landing on the list of the country’s leading corporations. Levy, at one time a nominee for a Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines award, is a symbol of the confident, caring, upbeat and forward-looking businessman in the countryside.

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Usually, business news in the major dailies focuses on successful businessmen in the metropolis. Probably, it is high time to give recognition to successful countryside businessmen like Levy Laus who has been a recipient of many awards like Most Outstanding Kapampangan, Most Outstanding Fernandino, Most Outstanding Alumnus of Don Bosco, and Gold Award of Excellence awardee of the Equitable-PCI Bank.

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Recently, Levy was appointed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as a member of the board of the Bases Conversion Development Authority. President GMA did well in selecting a man whose marketing and corporate savvy could infuse fresh ideas and energy to the government’s thrust of developing the former baselands occupied by the Americans.

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PULSEBEAT: Don’t think that all products imported from Europe are high-quality. Recently, I bought a carton of 24 canned ENSURE liquid nutrition product at Mercury Drug branch in Broadway Centrum, New Manila. I was jolted to discover that all the tin cans inside that carton had defective openers. Wala palang quality control. Just imagine the time wasted, and the hassle of puncturing each can with a sharp instrument. By the way, the exclusive Philippine distributor of ENSURE is Abbott Laboratories…. Joe Wilsin of 2244-C Leon Guinto St., Malate, Manila, applied for a renewal of his driver’s license with the Manila and Transportation Office South Agency on March 6, 2001. Up to now, despite repeated follow-ups, he has not gotten his driver’s license. Paging LTO chief Edgardo Abenina!

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THOUGHTS FOR TODAY:

Earthly life is not easy,
That’s why we draw strength from God.
Today, get intimate with Him
And hear His voice say:
"Relax, I’ll take care of you!"

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Very little is needed
To make a happy life,
It is all within yourself,
In your way of thinking.
No matter what you do,
Do it with gladness in your heart.

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My e-mail addresses: <[email protected]> and <[email protected]>