Feeling like Pacquiao

Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn looks nothing like Manny Pacquiao, but at the Bulong Pulungan at Sofitel yesterday, he said he felt very much like the “Pambansang Kamao” (National ‘Fist’).

This is because, like Pacquiao, the mayor has come under the scrutiny of bashers in the social media and the media mainstream. The Pacman has been criticized for what some would call his “lackluster” performance in the match against Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez. This, even if the congressman from Sarangani emerged the victor on points, and sustained quite a beating.

His face is still unscathed, but Hagedorn rued that in the wake of the inclusion of the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) in the list of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, a distinction won only after a fervid campaign by both the local and national government, critics have pooh-poohed the achievement, claiming the entire search was a “scam.”

Much of the criticism has centered on the inclusion of PPUR in the “provisional” list of winners, alongside (in alphabetical order) the Amazon River, Halong Bay, Iguazu Falls, Jeju Island, the “Komodo Dragon” and Table Mountain. The list is “provisional,” said Hagedorn, only because not all votes (sent in through the Internet and by text messages) have been counted and tallied yet. The organizers of the search made clear, though, that there may still be changes in the line-up. Awarding ceremonies have been set for early next year.

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Still, I very much doubt if citizens of the nine countries through which the Amazon winds, or Koreans, or Indonesians, would look askance at the inclusion of their own natural attractions in a list of the world’s natural “wonders.”

But count on the good old Pinoy “crab mentality” to work its own wonders.

Despite the detractors, though, Hagedorn said the campaign to give due recognition to the Underground River has already reaped dividends. Before the campaign began in earnest, said the mayor, “the Underground River drew about 160,000 tourists annually.” But afterwards, he said, “the number of tourists rose to 400,000.” In fact, he added, he is now even worried about more arrivals, “because we may not be ready yet to accommodate all of them.”

He is thus calling on all players in the tourism industry, especially the airlines, tour operators and the private sector to invest heavily in Puerto Princesa and in Palawan.

Among these players is Philippine Airlines, whose president Jaime Bautista joined Hagedorn at the media forum. Bautista reiterated the airline’s support for tourism in Puerto Princesa, sharing the good news that it might be able to bring in bigger aircraft soon. This despite its many recent troubles, but that’s for another column.

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The Reproductive Health Advocacy Network or RHAN, which has taken the lead among civil society groups in working for the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill, has an amusing PowerPoint presentation to mark the 10th anniversary of its struggle.

“2001-2011, Sampung Taon (10 years),” states the opening slide: “Naging hi-tech na ang mga cellphone (Cell phones have become hi-tech), Nagbinata na si Harry Potter (Harry Potter has matured), Napatay na si Bin Laden (Bin Laden has been killed), Naiba na ang presidente (the president has changed), Nagkaapat na anak na si Aling Julie Ann ng San Jose del Monte, Bulacan (Julie Ann of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, has now four children), pero ang RH bill ni hindi mapagbotohan (but the RH bill has not yet been voted on).”

It ends with this reminder: “Ang tunay na kinatawan di takot sa botohan.” (The true representative is not afraid of voting.)”

Of course, the thrust of the presentation loses a lot without the visuals, but the frustration and disappointment with the stalled proceedings in both chambers are nonetheless palpable.

I don’t know if I’m adding fuel to the fire, but today’s RH advocates must be aware that, if we count the efforts of early supporters in and out of Congress to promote reproductive health and rights (long before the term even became fashionable), the timeline would extend well beyond 20 years. Just ask former senator Manang Letty Shahani. Or President Aquino’s aunt, former congresswoman and senator Tessie Aquino Oreta. Or you might ask P-Noy himself, who would surely remember the early ruckus caused by the attempt of pro-lifers early in his mother’s term to have all forms of family planning, save for NFP, banned. This is a long and difficult struggle—and only time will tell if it turns into a “glorious” struggle at the end.

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RHAN and other supporters are right now camped out in the grounds of the Batasan in an effort to press forward a plenary vote on the RH bill. But congressional leaders have been quoted in news reports dousing their hopes, saying they doubt very much if the measure will be passed (in the House) before Congress adjourns for the Christmas break. (And assuming all the congresspersons who went to Las Vegas to watch Manny Pacquiao will choose to return before the adjournment.)

The reason given is the long list of legislators who have signed on to interpellate the sponsors. Even if the sponsors, beginning with Minority Floor Leader Rep. Edcel Lagman, have been so patient to entertain all the questions, theological opinions, unscientific challenges and ad hominem attacks (in English or Tagalog), enough is enough.

House leaders should take a stand now, and if an interpellator starts to cover ground already taken up previously (as objectors have been doing), they should intervene and interject “asked and answered!”

Public opinion support for the RH bill is clear, as opinion polls show. A few grandstanding, muddle-headed, unreconstructed legislators should not be allowed to thwart the people’s will.