ILIGAN City ― There's the story of a hotel here in this city that closed down a few decades ago. Why? Because the unionized employees were very noisy, demanding this, demanding that.

There is therefore a clash between labor and management or employer. Because the perception of one is different from the perception of the other. So, trouble comes. If not addressed properly. Both for labor and employer.

I remember a cartoon that showed some employees marching in a circle with placards of their demands. And not far from them a father and a son were watching. And the father said: "Son, someday you will inherit all these!"

That's it. The clash between labor and management.

Which is being dramatized early this month of May.

Yet, there are other clashes to reckon with. Man vs. Women. Hence, the "Women's Month" every March of each year. And I heard of at least one man grumbling that women are a favored lot. Maybe yes. And maybe not. Depends again on the perception.

Then there are clashes brought about by the skin color. White vs. black. This is especially visible in America, the "land of the free and the home of the brave." So what did the blacks say? Black lives matter. Of course, every life matters.

We too have nation vs. nation. As in Russia vs. Ukraine. Which is taking forever to last. Because there is another impactful war, if not more impactful. Which is Israel vs. Palestine. And Hamas. And Iran. With other nations taking sides. As in America siding with Israel. The way it had sided with Ukraine. And there's some kind of thought that because of US intervention, Ukraine had been emboldened to fight Russia too because of the US even giving aid to it in terms of dollars. But Russia under Putin is a determined nation. Hmm…

Then there's America vs. China. With us, the Philippines is in between. Some call it a "proxy war." Because it's Uncle Sam that China is fighting for world dominance. And we're just "pawns".

Like a game of chess. At the moment though, many of us have that "who cares" attitude. Even if some are thinking that we might become another Ukraine. The latter, some people are seeing that there will be a time when it ceases to be a nation. Just like Ukraine.

But the ones that we care about these days are the political clashes. Because it is a few months away now from the filing of the Certificates of Candidacies. So, the "red" team under Congressman Celso G. Regencia is making lots of noise. Like some people going around, with red T-shirts with the letters written CGR. With the meaning, "Care, Go, Respond." Ostensibly. Yet we know better.

And then I saw too, some young ones wearing blue T-shirts. This color is the color of the incumbents here led by city mayor Frederick Siao. Even if the latter says, "wala nay koloray." Oh, really? Cynical me thought. So, I asked one of the blue-colored guys who had something emblazoned boldly on his shirt which read "ABM". What's that mean, I thought. Maybe, the "A" means, Alemania who is the Vice Mayor. And the "M" to mean "Marianito" his first name? How about the "B", what does it mean? Vice Mayor does not come with a "B"…hmmm.

So, I couldn't resist asking what the 3 letters mean. This isn't a case of "wrong spelling wrong."

"Ma'am," the youngster said, "ABM" means Accountancy and Business Management!"

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