Thanks to the VECO employees union!

For our special presentation on Straight from the Sky, we bring you a little known government agency, the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM). I found out from our guest, Regional Director Bernardo Calibo, that this body isn’t under the Philippine National Police (PNP) but under the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). It just gives you an idea of the many things about government that many of us still don’t know about. So watch this very interesting show about the NAPOLCOM tonight on SkyCable’s channel 15 at 8:00pm.

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Let’s start the week with some good news. I got a text from VECO that the Visayan Electric Company (VECO) and the VECO Employees Union (VECEU-ALU) last Friday signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) that addresses and resolves the issues that led to the strike vote last week. VECO thanks and wishes to acknowledge the mediation efforts of the NCM and Rep. Raymund Mendoza (TUCP Partly list). As the old saying goes, “All’s well that ends well!”

I’m sure this is not the end of the problems between VECO and its employees but allow me to thank the leaders of VECEU-ALU for their sacrifice and understanding of our current situation. Holding that strike would have been devastating to Cebu’s economy especially in these times when the world is still suffering from the effects of the global financial meltdown, which has affected many Filipinos holding jobs here and abroad.

Thankfully, with God’s help, Cebu’s economy has apparently withstood the harsh effects of this economic crisis that we watch on CNN or BBC almost everyday. Even the economies of Japan and Korea were badly hurt, yet Cebu somehow floated along. If the VECO employees decided not to sign that MOA, there was no question that it would hurt our economy. So I take my hat off to you VECO employees for your understanding. You truly have that indomitable Cebuano spirit within you. May God bless you all!

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Now that Tita Cory is dead and buried, I earnestly hope that the so-called “Cory Magic” would yield positive results. If at all we got any good news from the family of Tita Cory, it is that her only son Sen. Noynoy Aquino isn’t seeking a higher office, nor is Kris Aquino looking at a life of politics. This is good news in the sense that the Aquino family doesn’t intend to exploit the popularity of their parents for their own political ends.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of knee jerk reactions to the massive outpouring of sympathy for Tita Cory by a grateful nation. The Senate and Congress are trying to outdo each other in lionizing Tita Cory, like that bill proposed by Sen. Mar Roxas to have a “Cory Day” for the country. I’m not so keen in this in the sense that, even the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. didn’t have his own holiday. Another proposal is to make Tita Cory a “national hero”. Again, I don’t think this is necessary as we already have the EDSA Revolt on Feb. 24.

Some people even went further to the point of proposing Tita Cory to become a Saint, forgetting that Tita Cory was a political giant, not a religious one, although she was a very pious lady. Sainthood may come if miracles happen that is related to Tita Cory. These suggestions no doubt must have come from the very same people who, after he died so suddenly, wanted Actor Rico Yan to be dubbed a Saint! So let’s stop all these nonsense and get back to business.

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Indeed, the death and burial of Tita Cory has sidetracked the media on the many other news that should have made the local headlines. For instance we belatedly learned about the dismissal of another graft case related to the so-called Lamppost Scam. In truth, after taking so long a time to even hear this case, it doesn’t surprise me at all if the whole damn case is thrown out by the Office of the Ombudsman! Their track record for bagging the big fish is dismal!

Another important issue that we originally brought to public view was the proposed Dog Racing in Mandaue City. After many columns, we didn’t get any reply from anyone. But when we asked Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes point blank what he thought of this proposal, he goes to the other newspaper to say “There is nothing wrong with Dog Racing.” I say to you Mayor Jonas Cortes, something is gravely wrong with you if you allow dog racing in Mandaue. It just may cost you your reelection!

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