2 weeks in the US

I spent two weeks visiting my eldest son Emmanuel, his wife Lyra and their four children at Atherton, just 30 minutes out of San Francisco.

On the way over on board a Philippine Airlines (PAL)  747, we had a smooth flight of 11 hours and 46 minutes due to tailwinds. On the return flight again, we had a smooth flight of 13 hours and 50 minutes due to headwinds.

Both flights were full and I was told that all PAL flights to San Francisco and Los Angeles and back are full these days.

We were pleasantly greeted with good weather, with temperature in the 60s. I was told that one week before it was still winter weather.

I visited friends in Washington D.C. led by my niece Arlene Calleja Sanchez and former Philippine Embassy staff Babes Ramiscal, Rey and Pilar Veloso, Badette Torres, and Lita Esguerra. Again, we were favored with warm spring-like weather of up to 65 degrees. They still had snow on the ground a week before we arrived.

We were pleasantly surprised to undergo a fast immigration clearance lasting no more than 5 minutes. No questions were asked and we were given a six-month stay without asking for it. There are no embarkation cards to fill. It is significant to note their sophisticated x-ray machines. One had to take off his coat or jacket and everything in the pockets and place them with your belt and shoes in a tray.

We attended mass in three Sundays and noted the churches were half full. We noted a Filipino priest officiated at the mass. Despite the many cars on the road, traffic flow was smooth with no accidents happening in both San Francisco and Washington D.C.

The price of unleaded gasoline is still around $3.80 a gallon or around $1 a liter. We noted that taxes on gasoline and oil products are lower than Europe or even the Philippines.

Food prices at the supermarkets including Costco are still the same since six years ago when I was last in the US, but steak dinners range from $15 to $20. Home service massage cost $100.

My son and grandson brought us to a basketball game of the Golden State Warriors against the New York Knicks and also to a baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Both games were sold out despite the $65 box seat price. Hotdogs at the ball games now cost $6 from $1.50 five years ago. Burger King Cheeseburgers cost $3.

Real estate prices have recovered and have returned to their price levels five years ago when it dropped down.

Hillary Clinton is leading the Democratic Party nomination for president. No Republican candidate has yet come out ahead of the pack.

Gigi Reyes returns

We welcome back Atty. Gigi Reyes to face the charges filed against her. It would have been extremely difficult for Gigi to hide and move from one place to another for the rest of her life. I am sure she will have a good defense team to help her argue her case.

Now, the guessing game starts whether she will turn state witness and testify against her former boss Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.

Gigi arrived early Saturday morning on PAL flight 105, from San Francisco. In a brief interview at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), she said she was back to face the charges against her.

Malacañang Press Secretary Herminio Coloma and Senators Miriam Santiago and Grace Poe urged Gigi Reyes to tell the truth and reveal everything she knows.

But personal friends of Gigi Reyes do not believe she will turn state witness and testify against Senator Enrile.

Half-baked draft

The Transition Commission has submitted a draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law to Malacañang but it appears to be incomplete. It certainly looks like Malacañang’s legal team will have to revise and finalize the same.

With Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago issuing a statement, saying the Bangsamoro Agreement on Peace is unconstitutional, it will undergo long debate in the Senate and certainly will be brought to the Supreme Court.

It is doubtful if the Bangsamoro Basic Law can be approved by Congress before the end of the year.

Holy Week crimes

Despite the holiness of Holy Week, crime did not take a holiday.

Mrs. Alice Lacson, wife of Senator Ping Lacson, was victimized by three men and relieved of her 14-karat gold earrings at Divisoria.

The bodies of 5 dead men were found in an owner-type jeep in Laurel, Batangas where they attended a wake. Robbery was suspected as the motive. All the bodies had bullet wounds in their heads and stab wounds in their bodies.

Jackie Pajaroja, 22, a drag racer was shot dead by a rival racing group he defeated in Quezon City. Six others were wounded.

1 man was slain and 2 were hurt when 3 men went into a shooting rampage in a videoke bar in Caloocan.

China Esplana, 45, was shot dead at the wake of her estranged husband in Tondo, Manila.

Nineteen-year-old Romnick Joseph Alon in Tondo killed his cousin, 18-year-old Junesca Rusco whom he had gotten pregnant.

Tidbits: Condolences to the family of two good friends who passed away last week. Firstly to the family of Ambassador Felimon Cuevas, whose wake is at the Heritage Memorial Park. Secondly to the family of former Food Minister Jesus Tanchanco Sr.

Birthday greetings to Mayor Joseph Estrada (April 19), who will celebrate his birthday on April 26. President/Mayor Erap is preparing to leave for Hong Kong to formally deliver the apology of the government.

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