HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
My only son Raul and I are two lucky Pinoy-guys living in an
equal opportunity environment. This is because throughout our lives (entirety
for Raul and entire married life for me), we have been surrounded and guarded
by three Angels or what is called in Greek mythodology as “Furies”. I describe
them as the Triple “T” or Tina (my wife), Tanya (oldest) and Traci (second or
middle). They provide the strongest foundational support and shield against
all tests and challenges befalling us mortal male beings.
2014 was a year that I would also call a Multi- “T“ season. As
reflected in my columns and blogs, it was a year of Tragedy, Tributes,
Troubles, Tribulations, Travails, Trials, Technologies, Tear-jerking Thoughts
of the past, Triumphs, and Thanksgiving.
TRAGEDY and TRIBUTES
Five people who were very close to our hearts joined
our Lord in 2014. In my Tributes, I called AVELINO HALAGAO a “Jolly Good
Fellow”; MILA MAYNIGO DENTON GOLDBERG, my youngest sister, I distinguished as
“An Amazing Woman With Structured Dreams”; ELLEN CARAG, I depicted as “A Loving
Wife, A Superior Mother, A Community Leader; An Excellent Counselor; and A
Freedom Fighter”; RAUL GOCO, I remembered His Excellency with great memories
both professionally and personally; and ANABEL VELASQUEZ ALEJANDRINO, I
described as uniquely “Beautiful Anabel” – who was the “envy of Angels”.
My Tribute to my youngest sister, MILA MAYNIGO DENTON
GOLDBERG was one of the most widely read Tributes. The only two that
generated more were those of Raul S. Manglapus and Conrado F. Estrella.
The former was a Philippine Senator and Secretary of Foreign Affairs while the
latter was Governor and Secretary of Agrarian Reform.
TROUBLES, TRIBULATIONS, TRAVAILS, TRILLANES vs. TIU and VP BINAY
My articles on the Senate investigations of alleged over-pricing
and bid rigging of the construction of the Makati Parking Building and other
structures during Binay’s term as Mayor, plus the alleged ownership by him of a
350 hectare Hacienda in Batangas generated an unusual number of
readers. The responses were comparable to my series of articles on the
Libingan Ng Mga Bayani and Fake Medals/Fake Hero on Marcos; and those of my
Columns and Blogs on the Senate Impeachment Trial of Ex-Chief Justice Renato
Corona.
The troubles, tribulations, and travails that Binay faced from
the relentless attacks brought by his former allies and current political foes
led by Senator Trillanes generated media attention and caused Binay a
substantial decline in his performance and satisfaction ratings. My writings on
them also attracted substantial increase in my readership.
My analysis showing too many uncertainties on the Tiu Purchase
Agreement was a hit. The document was supposed to prove that Tiu was not
Binay’s dummy but I showed that it tended to bear out the opposite instead. The
article generated one of the most accesses, likes, and shares among my blogs in
the online editions of Asian Journal, BlogSpot, Facebook, and GMA News Online.
TUWID NA DAAN, TRIALS
In one of my articles, I coined GPS as Grand Prosecution of the
Sleazy or Guiding Path to be Straight. It is my way of reinforcing the Tuwid Na
Daan program of PNoy.
Several articles were written on the Justice Secretary and
Ombudsman’s efforts to go after the perpetrators of the Pork Barrel
Scams. Preliminary and bail trials put into detention some celebrities
led by Senators Enrile, Estrada, and Revilla. It was historical and
unprecedented.
“Let Them Furies Be Furies” was to give all out support to the
women who are aggressively prosecuting criminals and pushing for judicial
reforms.
In some of my columns, I was able to express my legal
views. On DAP, for example, I opined that the Supreme Court should
make clarifications amounting to a modification of their decision.
TECHNOLOGIES
2014 was also about technologies. I wrote about attending
the International CES in Las Vegas, Nevada. I described “The Winning
Mobile Apps” and “The Best of Innovations at CES 2014. I also met the
CEO and had him demonstrate what I discussed in my column, “Social
Radar: Revolution at the Planet of the Apps.”
I informed my readers about CAPTI Narrator – an Amazing App; the
software “WhatsApp” that processed 64 Billion Messages in 24 hours; Internet
Governance as a Leadership Challenge; and the growing strength of People Power
in Cyberspace.
TEAR-JERKING THOUGHTS of the PAST
Writing and paying Tributes to a deceased loved one is something
else but joining the surviving relatives and friends grieve and mourn is
another. Listening to the Eulogies, conversing with relatives that you have not
seen in ages, indeed elicited tear-jerking sad and happy thoughts of the past.
There
were my family reunions and there was my Huntington Beach High School Class ’64
50th or Golden Anniversary Reunion. Most of them were
nostalgic as I recounted in my articles “my dreams, my early hopes, my youth,
and my ambitions.” Traveling to the West and “California Dreaming”, I reunited
with relatives and friends in Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco under
sad and happy times.
TRIUMPHS
2014 was actually a year of triumphs as well if my articles were
to be read. Filipino Boxing Champion Pacquiao continued his winning ways. My
basketball idol Laker Kobe Bryant surpassed the greatest player of all time
Michael Jordan in total career points.
The initial successes of PNoy’s GPS (Grand Prosecution of the
Sleazy) with the detention of some seemingly “untouchables” and the improvement
of the economy should be added to “AYEs”.
“Recognizing, Recording, Reporting, Repairing, and Righting a
Wrong” as I have written in discussing the law that provides for Reparation and
Recognition of the victims of Marcos’ Martial Law, would come down as a great
victory in the fight for democracy and freedom.
THANKSGIVING
The
article, “ My Lettered Thanksgiving: Gifts of ‘L’ and ‘F’ “ says it
all. It showed my appreciation to the LORD for the Gifts of Life,
Liberty, Love, Luck, Logic, Laughter, Learning, Language, Literature, Law,
Logarithm, Leadership, Luxury, Land, and Liquidity.
My
greatest thanks should also go to the GOD Almighty for the Gifts of Family,
Friends, Folks, Followers, Fans, and the whole Flock.
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