To belittle is to be little. This could apply to the time when some cretin and his posse decided it would be cute and funny to change a street named “Gil Puyat” to “Gil Tulog.”
It was not funny at all but downright insulting. And whoever thought of this deserves a fat lip from the Puyat family.
The Puyats have long been part of Philippine history beginning with their patriarch industrialist Don Gonzalo Puyat who, born in 1878, was from the town of Guagua, Pampanga and married Nicasia Juco (originally Uco) also from Guagua. They had 10 children, and among them, one rose to be Senate President Gil Juco Puyat Sr. who was born in Quiapo (1907-1981).
This is the illustrious name that Wellspring (a brand that sells Melatonin gummies) and Gigil ad agency chose to insult by way of coming out with a stupid idea and allegedly supported by the Makati LGU headed by its Mayor Abigail Binay who recently claimed she knew nothing of this street name change.
Okay, so she wasn’t told about it. I wonder what other things in Makati do not require her nod?
Gil Puyat started his political career when he won a Senate seat in 1951 until its closure in 1972 upon the declaration of Martial Law. Puyat’s business ventures brought him to establish the Manila Bank (now China Bank), the Manila Bankers Life Insurance, and the Loyola Group Companies.
He also founded the Loyola Plans and the Loyola Memorial Chapels which I believe would someday play the finishing touches (pun intended) on our lives. Another interesting aspect in his business ventures in the manufacture of excellent quality billiard tables and bowling lanes.
I know this for a fact because I was a frequent “bilyarista” at the Coronado Lanes along Pasay Road, (now Antonio Arnaiz Avenue) Makati City. The fine craftsmanship of these tables support the truth that the Kapampangans are tops when it comes to woodcraft such as billiard tables of the AMF-Puyat, furniture, and even caskets.
Gil Puyat Jr. died on March 23, 1980 at a young age of 72 due to heart complications. So, it would be best to leave a noble legacy in peace. And one way of doing so is to preserve the honor and respect befitting this man and his family.
Drugs and politics are partners like Tom and Jerry
Shabu is still the number one drug of choice in the country, but the Dutertards seem to be fixated on cocaine instead as to come out with a fake video showing President Bongbong Marcos snorting it from a cheap container (looks more like one used for stool specimen) and shabby-looking clothing.
Anything, as long as it contributes to destabilization attempts from the other side.
But seriously speaking, there is another factor to this drug needing attention and it has to do with the availability by a “force” that is a combination of big drug lords and top officials of drug enforcement agencies and members of the PNP.
This force can (if it insists) cut off the supply of drugs in a given area overnight, literally, so that within 24 hours, only tiny amounts of it would be available, thus commanding a higher price to the buyer. This is known to all pushers from all levels from the one who sells them by kilos and to the one who sells them “piso-piso.”
The effect of Shabu on the results of an election benefits those who utilize this scheme must have command over those that control the supply, and that would naturally be a politician. He will ensure a steady supply of the drug to areas where he will surely emerge victorious.
And, if the supply is cut-off, voters will be too dependent on the drug and won’t have enough energy to go to the polling places to cast their votes on the day when withdrawal symptoms would have kicked in to voters, and even transport drivers like tricycles and jeepneys.
If this scenario of “chemically disenfranchising” the electorate looks implausible, then maybe we should defer to a UN report that no less than 200,000 grams of shabu is traded daily on our streets. That’s a whopping P1 billion each day.
According to British filmmaker Martin Butler who travelled the country talking to shabu junkies, he concludes that there are close to 7 million shabu addicts in the country today. And the number is increasing.
So, if China would continue dumping that drug in the country, thus turning us into chemical zombies, then wouldn’t that be much easier to invade us quicker?
Like PBBM’s fake video, a fake PAGCOR memo is circulated
I knew it was fake the very first instance I took a close look at it and read its contents. It was poorly worded and lacked all the necessary ingredients needed to make it authentic.
I have been in this letter sending craft too long not to detect a bogus document.
The allegedly memo from PAGCOR took the rounds via screenshots on mobile phones yesterday, thus PAGCOR had to come out with a denial immediately which, contrary to President Marcos to wind down POGO operations until the end of the year, the memo orders all POGO outlets to stop operations “within the first week of August” supposedly signed by a certain Atty. Jessa Mariz Fernandez, head of PAGCOR’s offshore gaming and license department.
This is a clear disinformation campaign, but atty. Fernandez, in reaction, confirmed that among LGUs that licensed IGLs can continue operating since the process of shutting down their operations has yet to be finalized.
During President Marcos’ 3rd SONA, he ended his report by declaring a total ban on all POGOS “effective today” and directed PAGCOR to work on this order towards the end of the year. POGOS have been linked to unlawful activities such as online scams, human trafficking, prostitution, torture. But glaringly, it also is a concern for national security, looking at the bigger picture.
-o0o-
Random Memorandum: Askal, a portmanteau of ‘asong kalye,’ which means street dog, aka Aspin, a portmanteau of ‘asong Pinoy,’ pertains to the numerous mongrel dogs found on PH streets both in our cities and provinces.
-o0o-
Factoid: The height of the Quezon Memorial shrine is 66 meters which is equivalent to President Manuel L. Quezon’s age when he died in Saranac Lake, New York USA.
(Leslie Bocobo is a former Special Assistant to the Secretary at the Office of the Press Secretary, Malacañang, and a former Public Affairs Director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources) Email: sleeplessinmyshuttle@yahoo.com
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