(Editors’ note: The Courier is reprinting the columns of the late Atty. Benedicto T. Carantes as a tribute to one of its long-time columnists. This piece was published on Sept. 22, 2019)
Other than myself, I have yet to meet a man who shares my opinion that a woman is smarter than us men. Yes, they are.
Actually, the reason why the LGBTs are twice smarter than the original two genders.
A man’s true worth can only be determined by a woman, and after measuring you up, will come down to your level if she takes a shine to you.
Otherwise, she will scare you with her brains and talk, you will feel so small, you will run home to mom and hide under her skirt.
Only the LGBTs can stand up to the women, thinking like a man if the occasion calls for it, and standing up to the women in matters that does not concern the man.
Of late, one gender seems to be going the wrong way, while the other appears on the right track.
Meanwhile, the LGBTs can dance one way or the other – with the men on the rare times they are right, but always with the women when going up against the men.
I suspect that President Rody Duterte and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno are closet queens, both focused on getting to where they want to go.
But Duterte veers left and right while moving along, turning left when he should be turning right, and like the sign on you jeepney ride says, vice-versa.
So maybe, given his unpredictable moves, Duterte is macho after all.
But doesn’t Isko remind you of Gina Lopez when she was DENR secretary?
Gina too wanted to get things done in a hurry, rubbed some people the wrong way, and this failed to get the confirmation from the Commission on Appointments.
But as mayor of Manila, Isko is his own man, and no one can tell him what to do or not to do.
Isko isn’t out to make a name for himself, he just wants to show that if you set your heart and mind to it, you can make the world – or Manila – a better place to live in.
He has no Moreno legacy to carry on, no tribe to answer, does not posture himself as a son of heaven, only a genuine desire to do good.
Our assessment of him may not exactly be completely accurate, but we are keeping our fingers crossed.
But going over history, all our political leaders before him showed the same promise – Marcos, Cory, Erap, GMA, BSA III, but Duterte has three more years to rebound from his rather forgettable first three years.
I feel he even wants to resign from the presidency, but there is no way he will do that to give way to Leni Robredo.
Like the woman that she is, Vice President Leni Robredo is keeping her cool, seemingly saying the right things on important events affecting our lives, as if she is the new answer to all the nation’s woes.
I tell you, if Rodrigo doesn’t ruin the country first, Leni will, with all her Rasputins surrounding her.
By the way, except for the victims and those traumatized by his tyranny, there are people – not just the Ilocanos – that times were better during his rule. Not that it speaks well of Marcos, it merely speaks ill of his successors.
But what the country needs is a Marcos with the heart of Cory, the diplomacy of FVR, and the siga-siga¬ toughness of Duterte.
In sum, one who keep the military in check without need of sharing power with them, or allowing them to get rich in their own way.
We miss the Rafael Iletos and the Tirso Fajundos, whose agenda(s) differ from that of many of our generals.
Back home, Baguio Mayor Benjie Magalong appears to have succeeded in one thing – dividing public opinion.
Diehards say he is doing great, but the rest claim he seems to be overdoing things a bit.
When it comes to local leadership, a hands on policy, is far better than presscons or press releases, or photo-ops.
Alas, media’s ever ongoing sin.
Getting the news by mouth or word of mouth, not conducting their own investigation and research.
At least here in Baguio, media takes time out to do that. The only problem is that pretty soon the “sabits” become media too.
Oh well, anyway, jueteng is back.
Rain, rain, little boy, is not going away, and will be here for another month or two. Be patient, there will be time enough for play once December comes around.
Right now, travel is risky, slides here and there, road cuts after a night of heavy rains, and of course the flooding because of poor and old drainage.
Only the wealthy are happy with this kind of weather. Dining out and watching a movie after, sit around the fireplace sipping wine or Scotch, playing under the bedsheets with a young thing.
For old folks like myself, watching all the pretty coeds passing by more than makes up for the cold and drench.
Have a great Sunday!
