Calling on Erap, the POC and the PBA
There’s one urgent appeal for Pope Francis to kindly reconsider his decision to mingle with the tumultuous crowd on foot around the historic Rizal Park, and instead ride the bullet-proof Pope mobile, because the Holy Father is sure to wade into an intolerable upheaval, a sea-swell of love and faith as terrible as a supertyphoon.
In fact, it should be the duty of every Filipino, from President Noynoy Aquino, to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, down to poor, mindless religious devotees, to do the guarding-even if we’ve got to guard each other—in order to ensure the Pope’s safety during his visit here.
For the moment though, allow us to detail these pleas from public and sports corners in the metropolis.
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To Mayor Joseph Estrada of the City of Manila: Please have a traffic signal light installed in the intersection of New Panaderos and Aglipay streets off the Manila-Mandaluyong boundary after the Lambingan Bridge in Sta. Ana. The senseless construction of a petty concrete bridge and exit to Bacood has turned the area into a hopeless traffic trap, a devil’s playground dominated by growling maniacal drivers to the detriment of commuters, vendors and countless daily-wage earners. No Manila cop has ever been seen manning the chaotic spot. Mayor, maawa po kayo sa mga pasahero, jeep drivers, mga manggagawa at mamimili, hirap na hirap po kami lahat.
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To the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee: Please make an honest and objective assessment of the sick, sad state of Philippine sports. Instead of offering trite band-aid cures, please seek assistance from competent experts, to assess the primitive structure of the malfunctioning national sports development and training program. Taking in foreign coaches for respective national teams to the SEA Games is both tired and reactionary, but worse is blaming questionable judging and refereeing for perennial failure in regional meets such as the Asiad and the SEA Games. Working for the establishment of a national sports academy, backed by a solid sports medicine network, should go a long way to help poor PH sports back on its feet.
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To the PBA Commissioner: Kindly check and act on the complaints from concerned fans and experts, led by basketball mentor and former national player Rudy Hines from Cainta and Crayden Sports, about the atrocious interpretation of calls by the league’s technical consultant. Hines, who has published a manual on curative basketball methods, singled out an incident in the final Alaska-Rain or Shine game, which he said was a shame and slur on the PBA. “To think that the sick, sloppy interpretation was being done for millions of fans is a sacrilege to the sport we all love and promote like religion,” Hines said.
He said the PBA can afford a more competent and credible man for the sensitive job.
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(CHARITY GOLF: The fourth leg of the Rotary International District 3800 golf tournament “For A Cause” is set tomorrow at the Sun Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City. Hosted by Rotary Club of Rizal Mideast president Tony Constantino and past president Jun Sarreal (tournament director), the tournament is in support of free cataract operations for the underprivileged.)
