Many workers will be forced to go on a self-declared holiday

A reader observes: "The drive against sidewalk vendors and the poor people's barong-barongs is more intense than the campaign against prostitution and lewd dancing in the bars..." Oh, well, maybe because sidewalk vendors are barong-barongs are eyesores while prostitution and lewd shows are not. I said "maybe."

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A leftist group is preparing a massive rally during the ASEAN Summit. Maybe the group just wants to prove to the Summit delegates that ours is a democratic country. Unlike communist Vietnam where rallies were banned during the Apec Summit in Hanoi. Again I said "maybe."

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The ASEAN traffic dry run is scheduled on Friday. Nearly all the streets in the city's downtown and uptown districts will be closed to traffic. I know a lot of people working for private firms located in the so-called ceremonial route who intend to spend the day at home. "I'm sure we are not alone," said Arnel Pue, whose two cars can't bring him to his place of work because of the traffic closure in all streets leading to his work place. Thousands of private workers will be declaring their own holiday," Arnel said.

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Another Pinoy boxer has beaten a foreigner to win the World Boxing Federation (WBF) welterweight title in Singapore. Dondon "Supremo" Sultan from Zamboanga del Norte but based in Cebu received only two-column stories in the national press and no one mobbed (even just a semblance of a mob) when he returned to Cebu two days after his victory. I think Sultan deserves even just a third of the accolade the nation has given to Manny Pacquiao even if only to inspire him to do much better next time.

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Let's not wait for Dondon Sultan to become a bankable boxer before we given him the accolade he deserves. For then that would not be helping him rise. That would be opportunism.

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Here's a portion of a letter I received last week from a reader who seems to have lost faith in our freedom of speech. "Palihug tawon ayaw ibutyag ang akong pangan kay basig hilintian ko sa akong amo sa city hall."

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"Dear Mr. Editor Jabat. Kinsay nag-ingon nga pobre kita...nga nahubsan na ang panudlanan sa siyudad? Nagtuasik lang ang minilyon nga gasto alang sa mga proyekto kalabot sa ASEAN Summit....Ang pagkaon lang sa mga asawa sa mga delegado sa Summit gigahinan og P1.9 milyones sa usa lang ka buffet dinner....P8.2 milyones ang gastuon alang sa welcome sign diha sa SRP...ug uban pa."

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In fairness to City Hall, not all expenses for the ASEAN Summit activities will be taken from the "Panudlanan sa siyudad." Some of the expenses will be charged to the National Organizing Committee funds. Even then, it's true that "nagtuasik lang ang minilyon nga gasto."