Almost everybody lauded President Aquino for his humility and sincerity by throwing protocol out of the window and meeting openly MILF leader and chairman Murad Ebrahim in Tokyo to solve the decades-old insurgency and secessionist movement in Mindanao.
We don’t know the result of this meeting but Noynoy will be remembered in our history for doing this. Strong and effective leaders are like this, sincere and humble. I recall an anecdote many years ago. President Manuel Quezon was a strong president. Benito Lopez, father of Eugenio “Enyeng” and Vice-President Fernando “Nanding” Lopez was Iloilo governor and was in the opposition. One early morning at around 6:30 there was a visitor and the maid told him to wait in the porch because the governor was still asleep. Quezon waited for 15 minutes because somebody woke Lopez up and told him that the visitor looked like a big official. Lopez, in his pajamas, woke up and was surprised to see Quezon waiting for him. Quezon got his support. Quezon knew when to be humble. *** I remember other stories of sincere national leaders. Frederick William I visited the prison at Potsdam where everybody asked to be pardoned arguing they were imprisoned on account of prejudiced judges, perjured witnesses and unscrupulous lawyers. Everybody was innocent. Then he came to one cell where the inmate was silent. Frederick asked, “I suppose you are innocent too.” No, the inmate answered. “I am guilty and deserve this punishment.” The king shouted for the jail warden. “Come and get rid of this rascal quick before he corrupts this group of innocent people.” Or this other one. John Pace, court jester of Queen Elizabeth was hurting in some of his retorts so that, she said she did not want to see him in her royal presence. But friends interceded and Pace was called back. This time Pace was as witty as ever. The Queen expecting gracious humor told Pace, “Now we will hear of our faults.” “No Madam, I never talk of what the world is talking about.” The Queen was game. She made the first applause. **** Meanwhile, on other topics, ophthalmologist Dr. Tony Doy Sarabia wrote me to pay tribute to Jose Rizal, patron of Filipino eye doctors and first Filipino ophthalmologist in 1885. Rizal had his training in Heidelberg in Germany in 1885 and operated on his mother’s eye on his return to the Philippines. Other friends wrote to ask me to write about topics I have not much knowledge about. One asked me to write about the popular drama years ago, “Maria Morena” and “Mundo Mistico.” But I don’t listen to radio dramas and know nothing about “Maria Morena” and “Mundo Mistico.” Another asked me to write about sports and improving Pana-ad. Again, that is not my line as we have sports editors. *** But what is interesting and I am thankful for is so many write me of the cure to my ailment. One avid reader said, what I need is to drink a new brandy in the market named “Primo.” It’s the best, he said. I tried a sip and really it has the best taste. So, I am promoting “Primo.” While in the U.S. in 1992, there was a perfume named “Primo.” It’s marketing line was “If you like Georgio, you’ll love Primo.” I bought plenty at one dollar a piece and gave them as “pasalubong” to friends. The joke Dodol Gamboa sent me in Spanish was about a father who saw in his son’s “botiquin” a Viagra. He asked for one which cost 20 Euros. The following day the father paid 200 Euros for the pill. He told his son, “Your mother is paying for it.” *** Now that we are in a joking mood, here’s one. A poultry farmer in a bar sat near a woman who ordered a brandy “Primo.” That’s my order too, said the woman. What a coincidence! This is a special day for me, said the woman. The woman said, her doctor told her she is now pregnant after a number of years. What a coincidence, said the man. I am celebrating my hens after months are now laying eggs. Great, said the woman. How did you do it? I changed the cock. What a coincidence, said the woman. *** FEEDBACK: I am happy to have received e-mail from Ben Barredo, Jr. and wife Marlou, the former Miss Carisma, La Salle graduates of 1970. I recall Marlou was valedictorian and Ben was salutatorian. Like my many other students, they have fond memories of me. They are sending their prayers. They are involved in evangelical ministry. They live in the U.S. and they read my column whenever they can have access to the interest. Yesterday afternoon my fellow Rotarians in the Mother Club visited me at home led by Club president Glenn de Guzman. With Glenn were President-elect Roderick Alba and past presidents Elcid Familiaran and Jun Alemany. They prayed over me. In the morning another friend Alex Espino was at home too. The Club’s guest speaker tomorrow is the new Ceneco president Arnel Lapore. For Rotarians, come Lapore has some message for us.* Primo Esleyer Visayan Daily Star
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