Fiestas crowd our summer

Raul Manglapus' "killjoy" treatise on Philippine fiestas must have hit

the wrong tree.

Sounding out his disdain on the bacchanalian practice several decades back,

the former senator did a correct analysis of this Spanish leftover which eats

away our vitals.

If you look around, you'd find that majority of the Indios did not heed his

advice.

A village swain shrugs off Manglapus with this retort, "what's wrong with

loosening up or losing some savings for just one fiesta a year? It's big fun, and

I don't mind the consequences."

The habit, though, has its good points. Fiestas create reunions and give the

common tao a break from humdrum routine and yes, get even with Mr.

Congressman and Mr. Mayor who usually donate a cute sum to the executive

committee. How many barangays are there in a town or in a congressional

district? Fiestas can be a torment to politicians in a way.

Our main misgiving about our kind of fiestas is their utter lack of imagination

on the food served. Full of cholesterol, ugh! Heard of Mr. So and So dying of

high blood pressure after a bacchanalian affair?

Whole week as we blue-pencilled the last chapter of the misus' magnum opus

on nutrition, some of our evenings were taken by three fiestas: San Carlos

City with Fernando Poe Jr. as crowning guest, Mayor Leo de Vera's

Bayambang, Pangasinan with Citra's Cesar Quiambao and Congressman

Gener Tulagan at the head table, and Mayor Pedrito Garcia's Manaoag town

with Senator Gringo Honasan and PNP Director Joel Goltiao as chief guests.

This summer treat has also its delightful social menu. You meet tycoons and

celebrities and swap banters on the current topics - General Lastimoso,

Senator Enrile's pajero, and the latest "eraptions" - and get away with some

libelous lines.

On Fernando Poe, we shared a light chat with Mayor Jolly Resuello, Rep.

Gener Tulagan, and Amay Bisaya and the non-Pangasinense Sison, the Atty.

Jose "Ipaglaban Mo" Sison. Ronnie said he won't go into politics (this must

warm up coPangasinense Gloria Arroyo) and that he was breaking his word

not to ask pare Erap favors for the love of native city of San Carlos.

Ronnie was a total magnet. The thousands of admiring citymates and fans

that mobbed him caused a stampede rendering Colonel Jess Pangsolingan's

cops helpless.

"This man is unbelievable," Police Director Goltiao mumbled, dazzled by the

movie actor's popularity.

The affair has grouped divergent faces in Ronnie's circle. Undersecretary

Orlando Soriano, former Miss Philippines Tess Reyes, Reps. Tulagan, Mary

Tulagan, Congressman Ranjit Shahani and Teddy Cruz, Mayor Leo de Vera,

Vice Gov. Oca Lambino, Provincial Board members Jun Samson and Angel

Baniqued, actor Ramon Zamora, former board member Tito Cabuay, Club

Pangasinense president Adonis Samson, Boy and Joe Samson, St. Martin

Pharma president Ernie Bravo, Agno Flood director Fidel Gines, businessman

Cesar Aquino, vice mayor Harry Cagampan, Boy Acuna and FPJ's directors.

* * *

We were in Libon, Albay recently and got "detained" by a group of farmers

(some 150 of them) who claim losing access to their government officials.

These farmers simply want to avail of the Bulletin's pages to air an old

grievance. Barangay Carisal is about to cave in due to unchecked soil erosion

and chronic flooding. We are writing a more detailed news article about this

shortly.

We feel the matter which should be included in President Estrada's "Erap sa

Mahirap" program, need not banner the Albay officials who are obviously

sleeping on their job. Calling the attention of Governor AlFrancis Bichara,

Congressman Joey Salceda and Mayor John Dycoco to this small but deadly

problem.

* * *

More than guarding the frolickers that pour into the Pangasinan beaches such

as on Pistay Dayat by a stout contingent of frogmen and life savers - thank

you, Colonels Goltiao of Pangasinan and Wendy Rosario of Dagupan City! -

the grand fun and frolic at sea should strike us as a requiem for that precious,

gleaming body of water.

Not very far away is a pile of junk and heap that will soon put an end to the

beach fun in Tondaingan. Disease from Dagupan's Smokey Mountain nearby

will rule this tourist area. And death won't be far away. Let's hope Mayor Al

Fernandez, Barangay Captains Fred Quinto and Ped Gonzales and the

keepers of our environment act now.

We hear a waste management seminar initiated by former Vice Governor

Gonzalo Duque will be held any day now to handle the Bonuan Stink and

other waste issues. In face of the junked incinerator system, the timing of the

seminar is perfect. All for the love of our children and their future.