MEDIUM RARE
Jullie Y. Daza
Destiny. Destiny? That’s what the astrologer said.
Father and son, both September-born Virgos. How Marcos Jr. looks, walks, talks, dresses like Marcos Sr. (at least when Jr.’s sporting the barong shirt-jac that FM made fashionable in the last century).
Mythology. Mythology? That’s what the advertising-p.r. expert said.
From 1965-86 the father’s lucky number was 7, and everybody but everybody considered it theirs as well (until feng shui man Paul Lau preached that 8 is the synonym for luck). In the 2022 elections, Jr.’s number on the ballot was 7; now he’s to be proclaimed 17th president of the Republic.
Among the losing candidates, Ping Lacson’s “I’m going home” was the most poignant way to concede. Perhaps Ping remembered those three words from the olden-golden song Tie a Yellow Ribbon? “I’ve served my time,” the lyrics continue. Senator Lacson has served his country for 50 years. Now it’s time to be with his family.
Another defeated candidate, Ernesto Abella, has conceded defeat. When he joined the fray, which he could not have predicted to turn so vile and vicious, even bordering on blasphemous, the pastor said he wished the people would take citizenship seriously instead of entertaining the mindset that government is there to serve the citizens. As US President JFK put it, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
Days after the 2022 event of events, the networks have by now wrapped up most of their election coverage. Speaking as a May 9-10 insomniac, I was glad to compare how two smaller stations on cable TV stood up to their bigger, older sisters by giving viewers a change of pace and broadcast space. Thanks to their field reporters and anchors, editors, producers and directors, all of them just as driven, quick and nimble as their colleagues in the more established networks, what makes them so interesting to watch is their point of view, folks!
Coincidence or not, these networks are identified with Iglesia ni Cristo and Apollo Quiboloy, both of which made no bones – downright ingenuous of them! – about supporting UniTeam for the entire stretch of the campaign.