Nakakatuwang mga Kongresista

Pagod na pagod na sa paglalaban ang mga lehislador. Sawa na sila sa away. Biyernes na, madilim, hindi pa sila natutulog. Pero marami ang umaasa sa kanila. Kailangan nilang magkaisa. At kailangang matapos ang trabaho.

Hindi ito ang budget hearing na inumaga noong nakaraang Biyernes. Ito ay isang charity basketball game na ginanap sa San Andres Gym na tinaguriang "Press Against Congress". Kinalaban ng mga mambabatas ang "Tri-Media All-Stars", na pinangunahan ng apat na miyembro ng koponan ng The Philippine Star. Ang magwawagi ay makapagbibigay ng P100,000 sa paborito nitong charity. Ang papangalawa naman, P 50,000. Pagkatapos ng laro, ang pinagsamang iskor ng dalawang team ay tatapatan ng mas malaking halaga at ibibigay sa Philippine General Hospital.

Salamat sa mga tagahanga ni Rep. Mile Roces ng Maynila, napakaingay, at bawat siyut ng mga kongresista at ipinagsisigawan. Maagang lumamang ang mga media, pero dagliang humabol ang mga mambabatas, dahil sa dating UST Growling Tiger at party-list representative na si Joel Villanueva, na nag-ambag ng 28 puntos.

"It feels great that in sports, everybody’s equal, and the greatest thing about it is the corporate responsibility of Coca-Cola, helping the PGH, helping our charities and forging unity among us," sabi ni Rep. Alan Cayetano ng Taguig, na nagdagdag ng 22 points. "It’s so refreshing to be working together, a common goal, and it’s not all talk. We’re sweating it out. Luckily, the media group was friendly to us."

"It’s great, because all of us crossed party lines and we’re just having fun," tawa naman ni dating PBA player at Pasig Rep. Dodot Jaworski, na nag-ambag naman ng 13 puntos. "We get to experience the camaraderie in a different light compared to what we do in congress. We’re all enjoying, and we hope the people watching had fun, too."

"For once, we’re doing teamwork, that’s why we played well," halakhak ni Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla, isang dating ABS-CBN News correspondent. "Seriously, when we play as congressmen, it’s all for fun, we want to be fit, we want to still think that we’re young. Although the next day, we remember we’re not young anymore. But the camaraderie we get here is something we can’t get in congress."

"I’m happy. Coming from the budget hearing yesterday, it’s relaxing," pag-amin ni Roces, na siyang isponsor ng pinagdausan ng laro. "Ang maganda nito, kasama ko yung mga oposisyon. Kahapon, kami yung naglalaban. Now, we’re teammates, playing together. And it’s all for charity."