Reason and Concern

By Ronquillo C. Tolentino

Notwithstanding Possible World
Recession, It’s Start of Presidential
Campaign in RP

Print and electronic media world-wide made gloomy report of a possible United States recession and fear of worldwide economic slowdown. President George Bush immediately called for an emergency meeting with US congressional leaders. In the Philippines, Pesident Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo made the observation that the reported US recession shall possibly stunt and adversely affect the growth projected for Philippine economy in 2008.
Seemingly unaffected by this depressing economic event, Philippine presidentiables have considered an all-systems-go for the 20l0 presidential elections. In Aklan, Senator Mar Roxas together with former Senate President Franklin Drilon met with the political monolith Tibyog of Congressman Joeben Miraflores and Governor Carlito Marquez together with Tibyog founder, former Cong-ressman Allen Salas Quimpo, the Liberal Party headed by Sangguning Panlalawigan member and lawyer Shelwyn Ibarreta and a Mar Roxas core group capped with brief visits to old Liberal Party political leaders on January l9,2008. Earlier, MMDA chair Bayani Fernando went the rounds of the Aklan before he inducted the new officers of Aklan Press Club, Inc. on the night of January l8,2008 at Sampaguita Gardens Resort which was a joint affair with the Publishers Association of the Philippines Inc. (PAPI) with PAPI president Johnny Dayang and National Press Club president Roy Mabasa.
Not to be outdone, Senate President Manny Villar came in the afternoon of January l9,2008, met with Nacionalista Party leaders and attended the Sto. Nino Ati-Atihan festival field mass at the Kalibo Pastrana Park in the morning of January 20,2008. By the way, it was Ati-Atihan season that the trio came to Kalibo. Their public relations experts may have seen it fit that (they) be seen by as many Filipinos and tourists this early.
There’s no stopping or rest now. One may look at the presidential elections to be two years and a half away but one has to consider the different islands of the Philippine archipelago that a presidential candidate has to cover. I received reports that Senator Mar Roxas left Kalibo in the late afternoon of January l9, 2008 for the Sinulog festival of Cebu. Also the other night, Senator Manny Villar was with former President Erap at Dinalupihan, Bataan with probable senatorial candidates.
World recession, it would seem, is not a hindrance to the early campaign of the 2010 presidential candidates.
Notes: Our deep condolences and sympathy to the bereaved family of the late Carmen Salas Quimpo. Carmen Salas Quimpo is the mother of former Aklan Congressman Allen Salas Quimpo and her other chldren: Melrose, Carmela, Erlinda, Lilian, Dan, Vic and Jess.
Carmen SalasQuimpo spent her life in education, religious and charitable endeavors and public service. She is chair of the Northwestern Visayan Colleges Board of Trustees and former municipal councilor (now sang-guniang bayan) of Kalibo. During the Golden anniversary of the Province of Aklan on April 25, 2006, she was awarded the Outstanding Aklanon in Education by the Provincial Government of Aklan. To the family, the sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, great grand-children, relatives and friends of Carmen Salas Quimpo also our deep condolences. To Carmen Salas Quimpo, this line from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Act IV, Sec. 5: “Death lies on her, like an untimely frost/Upon the sweetest flower of all the field.” /MP