AIRPORT ROBBERY

Government officials have assured our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are returning home for the holidays a warm welcome and a hassle-free treatment at the airport. Here we go again. That's the same old tune they have been singing every Christmas season - and every Christmas season, the poor OFWs are victimized by crooks and grafters both in and out of government. Don't shoot off your mouths. Just do it and those returning workers will be grateful.

At least 100,000 OFWs are expected to come home. Add to these the permanent Pinoy residents from the US and Canada. Unless our officials can really give them protection and courtesies at the airport, these kababayans of ours are going to complain again. Customs officials should crack down on customs examiners who just have the nasty habit of appropriating for themselves items they take a fancy to while going through the luggage of the returnees. Some are even brazen enough to ask for Christman gifts, especially when they see expensive perfume, signature clothing and quality leather goods brought in by the OFWs. Likewise, the immigration officials should also slap the wrists of immigration people at the airport who make things difficult for the OFWs unless they come across with some cold cash.

Our officials even promised that the OFWs can go through customs and immigration clearance in no more than 25 minutes.

This we gotta see.

(Image from http://pinoyworld.org/)

MISSING MANING PELAEZ

The late Vice-President and Ambassador Emmanuel Pelaez will always be remembered for his wit and wisdom, and examples are two statements he had uttered which will live long in the lexicon of Philippine government and politics: "What's wrong with our airport?"

These were the words he said when he and his family were trapped for more than an hour in an elevator at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) some time in the 90s. Pelaez had been summoned back to Manila so he could serve as an adviser to the Philippine panel in the then bases talks.

Some years ago, Pelaez was wounded in an assassination attempt and, as he was being wheeled into surgery, turned to his military aide at his side and asked, "What's happening to our country?"

So bitter was the feud between Pelaez and then Foreign Affairs Secretary Raul Manglapus that some political wags claim that the elevator was sabotaged by NAIA officials close to Manglapus. Their objective, the story goes, was to encourage Pelaez to return to Washington immediately and leave the eloquent Manglapus undisturbed as chairman of the Philippine bases panel.

As such, Manglapus' people kept a close watch on the growing desire of top Aquino administration officials to have Pelaez take over the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and have Manglapus shipped out as envoy to any country of his choice. The gentleman Pelaez, refusing to stoke the feud, told newsmen he came to be a mere "resource person" in the bases talks, and not an active participant.

(Image from http://www.philstar.com/)

THROW HIM IN THE CAN

Joc-Joc Bolante arrives at the NAIA:

REPORTER: Sir, any statement?
BOLANTE: Madam President, thanks for the millions ... aaah ... este ... a million thanks pala mam!

(Image from http://gmanews.tv/)