Cebu dumping ground of fake products

A septuagenarian kumpadre of mine said to me last night: "You know, Pre, all the names in my address book, are those of now dead friends." Me, too, I said. All the names in my address book are now those of my doctors.

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A Leyteno acquaintance of mine was made to choose where to be assigned after his supervisorial promotion -- Leyte or Negros. "Of course," he said, "I chose Leyte." He added: "Better Leyte than never."

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Someone called me on the phone and said: "Did you know, Mr. Jabat, that Cebu is a dumping ground of fake or imitation products?" I said no. And he said: "Now you know."

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The caller who refused to give his name or identify himself said: "In Cebu you find imitation or copies of some of the world's expensive products — from ladies bags to shoes, from bracelets to watches, from shirts to pants, from sunglasses to beach hats, etc."

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He went on to cite the copied brands which are originally sold in fashionabale boutiques in Europe and America at sky-high prices but can be had for only a few pesos here. "Usahay buy one take one pa gani," the caller said.

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He said these imitation products are found in many stores in the shopping malls. What stores? "Do your own sleuthing," he said.

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Elmer Gestopa of Canoga Park, California, is joining the discussion over claims that his unworn sotana could have saved Fr. Jovencio Rabusa's life. In an e-mail, Elmer shares a true story in relation to the priest's death.

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"Sir Nito Jabs, I am one of your readers here in the States. I would like to share with you this story regarding the wearing or non-wearing of the sotana by the priests. I used to work with the San Jose Recoletos before I migrated to the US in 2001.

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"We had a priest who was apprehended by a Citom traffic enforcer for jaywalking. He explained that he was a priest and had to celebrate Mass ... The enforcer let go of our priest, which goes to show that priests are respected and they can have on the spot respect if they wear clerical garment which identifies them as men of God."

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On another subject, Reno Ordonez of Tucson, Arizona, sent me this e-mail: "What's the matter with Erap? He wants to be president again? His being president depends on you people there. Allow him to run but beat him in the polls."

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Email: [email protected]