Boring

GO on the other hand can’t seem to get its act together. They spent all of three weeks just deciding on a problem called Kiko. They’ve debated with TU on where to hold a debate that likely will never be, and the exchange has taken more than a week. When TU refused to defend their "achievements" at Plaza Miranda, that should have been it. Takot sa taong bayan. Period. But no, all you hear in the airwaves are debates on the venue, on the taboo topics, on everything peripheral from opposing spokesmen. No gut issues.

This is a campaign where the opposition has failed to be on the offensive, and failed to put the administration team on the defensive. Meanwhile, by just twitting the opposition for failed public rallies, for poor planning, for lack of resources even, TU is succeeding in gaining the upper hand despite woeful and awful survey findings that show they are about to be clobbered.

Force of habit. LCS probably thought he was in Santa or Bantay in Ilocos Sur. There, he would blow into any fiesta or any festive gathering, thousands of pesos in hand, and throw them around, with the people scampering to get a piece of the loot. He keeps winning elections merely by playing Robin Hood each time he goes home to his province.

Then in Misamis Oriental, he throws away cash prizes in a raffle being held at the town of El Salvador where "Absolute" the water is bottled. Now he is in hot water for doing something clearly violative of the Election Code. Comelec commissioners have seen video footages of Chavit’s bountiful generosity.

Tell you what, Mr. Commissioners, sir. Chavit will thank you profusely if you disqualify him. The guy hates to lose. And lose he definitely will. Even Garci and Bello put together cannot resurrect the demise of Manong LCS’ flatulent senatorial dreams.

Disqualify LCS and he will even thank you for giving him reason to go back to Ilocos Sur and his baluarte. Baka bigyan pa kayo ng balato.

What a difference a day makes. In one day, the stock market fell and practically all the shares went red. Fragile, fragile is the economy that Team GMA preens in pride about. With hot money continuing to desert the market via the next computer flight available, greedy and giddy local speculators are left holding bags that are fast emptying of any hope of loss recovery.

The peso-dollar exchange rate is acting up likewise, and since dollar inflows are likely to slow up in anticipation of the next windfall from abroad to finance matriculation of dependents, what will Team GMA crow about in the next few weeks?

Ah, but of course election spending will make up for all that. It will create a feeling of prosperity among the masa, fleeting though it be.

No wonder Fitch is unappeased. They could see through the veneer of economic success that GMA crows continually about.

But wai. Finance Secretary Teves promises to do better. He is looking at more and newer taxes, to ensure the satisfaction of Fitch, Standard and Poor’s, as well as change the mood of Moody’s next time around.

Vote ASAR, that is Arroyo, Sotto, Angara and Recto, and they will do as Teves and Fitch wish. Make the "economic recovery" sustainable through more taxes. As if RVAT is not enough, trust ASAR to think of better ways to ensure more money for Gloria’s "good governance" to waste.

Friend Wilson Gamboa has gone to the Supreme Court, seeking f an injunction with an urgent prayer for a temporary restraining order against the sale of PTIC shares, against respondents Gary Teves, Ricardo Abcede of PCGG, and the First Pacific Holdings of Salim of Indonesia. The much-touted sale violates Section 11 of Article XII of the Constitution, which provides a limit of 40 percent foreign ownership of shares of stock in a domestic public utility.

Will the tribunal stop the fastbreak of a fire sale? Abangan.

Meanwhile, relief has not been declared by the Chicago Immigration Court of Judge Katsivalis in favor of Joc Joc Bolante, thanks in large part to the vigilance of friend Harry Roque. Joc Joc will have to continue in detention at Kenosha County Jail in Wisconsin, while he waits for his appeal to prosper. Denied political asylum, he could stretch the appeal process for three years, maybe even five, but it is a process that will not allow him relief from jail.

The ex-future gentleman from Capiz will have to stay in jail while awaiting the results of his appeal for asylum. Or he could just accept the Chicago verdict, voluntarily leave the US of A, and fly back like a "wac-wac", there to pursue his dream of becoming the future Gentleman from the second district of Capiz.

Who knows, if the wac-wac’s allow him to win a seat in the House of Representatives, he might just come face-to-face with the Gentleman from the lone district of Pasay City, who else but Harry Roque?