Nationwide goat program suggested

Thanks to Ma. Mae Castillano for the invitation to the launching of her book of poetry. Mae, daughter of a classmate who taught at the PWU in Manila, writes very good poems. I’m tempted to tease the young poet with : “Poems are made by fools like Mae but only God can make her free.”

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Mae alone knows what I mean when I said “only God can make her free.” It’s got to do with poetic justice. It’s a beautiful story. But I’m not at liberty to write about it.

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Children today are being influenced by what they read in the papers and hear on tv. One example is the l4-year-old son of a friend who reads the papers daily. I heard this dialog between father and son ...

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Son: “Dad, na-deficit ko sa akong allowance.”

Dad: “Come again?”

Son: “Ni-meltdown and bulsa ko, Dad.”

Dad: “So, what else is new?”

Son: “So, Dad, tabangi ko. I-bailout ko please.”

Dad: “You talk like an investment expert going bankrupt.”

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My kumpadre Teddy H. observes that no congressman or senator has asked the public utility vehicle drivers to roll back their fares. “You know why?” Teddy says. “Because they fear that the drivers would dare them to also roll back their pork barrels.”

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Email from Leonides Pascua, a native of Talisay, Cebu and now a resident of San Francisco, California: “Dear Sir Jabat. I read your column about goats (TF, Oct. 10/08). It’s a very timely topic in view of the current controversy over the so-called tainted milk. The goat development program initiated by then Congressman Dodong Gullas in Cebu’s First District should be adopted in earnest provincewide. Yes, even on a nationwide scale. A massive goat raising program could help enable the Filipino masses drink fresh milk daily and thus help also our poverty-stricken country be healthy.”

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I saw and heard on tv last Friday night Congresswoman Darlene Antonino Custodio of General Santos City. She’s the young lady legislator who KO’d Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao in his initial foray in politics and, in effect, told him to stay put in the boxing ring and not to venture into the political arena.

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Now I know how and why Congresswoman Custodio beat Manny Pacquiao. She is not only pretty and charismatic, she is also very articulate in English and Tagalog. I was impressed by her explanation of her advocacy in the House which is the protection of the rights of women and children.

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