Miracles do happen

At the Rockwell Tent for the human resource summit of the Lopez Group HR Council, I saw Ces Drilon in person for the first time after her abduction in Mindanao. I was invited to do a private conversation with her with a live audience eavesdropping. I have always liked Ces. Her body of work is impressive from her Greg Honasan interview to the coverage of The Manila Pen siege. She has gone to places only the mad and the brave ones go. After nine days in captivity, she came out of it alive, whole, better and hopeful. Mindanao is a lovely place according to Ces. Her father who was a lieutenant colonel was once assigned to Mindanao. She’s never been afraid to go to Mindanao. She has a special connection to the place.

What are her learnings? She has been humbled by the experience. For violating company rules, she was suspended, a suspension she humbly accepted. Others would perhaps argue that the nine-day ordeal was by itself capital punishment for someone who even if she violated company rules — just wanted an excellent story. But Ces chose to meekly acquiesce to the suspension. Another lesson is, simplicity she said. She brimmed with joy when she intimated that her children tell her “I Love You” more often now.

Have you forgiven? I asked. Yes, she quipped. Yes, there was a moment when she did think that she was going to die, that she was going to be raped. Professor Dinampo told her much later that the bandits talked about this evil plan. It was the one-hand leader of the group who was eyeing her. But Ces was ready for anything. She would have fought back with all her limited might, even if it meant her end. “I was ready to die.”

And Ces prayed. And prayed hard she did. Never doubting, never wavering, that Someone up there was watching over her.

And miracles do happen. I admire Ces even more now.

The best president we never had

Whether you like Sen. Edgardo Angara or not, you will not ignore the important, relevant laws he has authored that have touched millions of Filipino lives like the Free High School Law, The Senior Citizens Act, the law that created the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and many others. Nanay always proudly shows her Senior Citizens ID when we go to any restaurant or when we buy plane tickets every time she’d go home to Samar.

Some people even say that Sen. Angara is the best president we never had. Some would say “sayang” and I ask why? Of course it’s a rational question answerable by an oratorical piece on how this country chooses its leaders. It’s not by whim when I say that Angara would still make an excellent president of this country. He laughed when I asked him if he still plans to run for the top position.

Sometime before the Democratic Convention in the US that nominated Obama as its presidential candidate, Sen. Angara was invited to Denver to attend a Democratic convention. He saw Obama. He heard Obama speak. He saw how people were mesmerized by the first Afro-American president of the US. There, according to him, they talk about issues. Parties have ideologies. They hit each other but not on the personal level. And most important of all when one wins, the other concedes.

But Sen. Angara remains hopeful that this country will be great someday. The senator may be quite shy but he is intense. He maybe perceived as moderate but he is firm. He is brilliant but he’s in touch with his people. He is not a showman but he is a statesman. What is his place in the political spectrum of the future of this country? Only the sea and the sierra would know.

A happy expectant mom

Vina Morales who is pregnant is excited about her baby. She is not at all bothered by the rumors that her boyfriend Cedric Lee is non-committal regarding the paternity of her yet unborn child. This is simply not true. Vina who is in the US for a concert tour said that her family and friends are doubly excited about her pregnancy.

“The rumors will die a natural death. The rumors are no longer new to me. Cedric already filed an annulment and he was already separated when I came into his life. Ced and I have moved on hoping that others would have moved on. I hope everyone moves on.” Vina also said that they do not let the rumors affect their relationship. “So many people are happy with our baby. We are happy and we love each other and are looking forward to the baby.”