Ben Contreras IT’S not every day that you find people making people happy. But on Tuesday, “Ford” (Friends of Rody Duterte) just made 500 first and second grade pupils at Lumbia Elementary School happy. Through our Ford local chapter chair Cydric Sabio, we received 10 big cartons or 1,000 sets of school kits from the Ford national chapter. A kit is composed three notebooks, one pad paper, three pencils, a ballpen, an eraser and a sharpener, all placed in a transparent snap-on plastic folder. After withdrawing them from Pambato forwarder, we proceeded to Southwinds Hotel to decide who the beneficiaries would be. I suggested that we go to Luyong Bonbon first. Unfortunately, when we reached there, only a few students were there due to some other school activities. So, we decided to just come back another day. We proceeded to another elementary school but felt that there were less needy students there. Finally, we went to the Lumbia Elementary School. Their principal there is a beautiful lady named Maricel. They have a population of over two thousand students. We showed her a sample of the school kit and she told us that they are fit for first and second grade pupils. Luckily, most of them are indigents. We brought only five cartons or 500 school kits since the pick-up truck we used could only carry so much. When they were all gathered, the distribution began. They’re all just little kids. But their tiny eyes mirrored a great sense of joy. The Lord has just prepared 500 kids to receive 500 gifts, almost to a tee. Thank you, Maricel and your faculty members for the opportunity. Our team is composed of Ford chair Cydric Sabio, Dave Agudo, Niño Contreras, Rona Factora Muhi, Jonathan Alcampado, Jeff Madrid, David (I forgot his surname), and yours truly. The next five thousand would be decided tomorrow morning. Although we have agreed where to go, anything could change. The Ford national chapter has many things to do for our President. Whatever they do, our local chapter will be there to assist in all their endeavors. We could even recommend school buildings in remote areas or in the hinterlands.
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Presumptive Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez may have misunderstood President Duterte’s cry for “change.” But by announcing the increase of the pork barrel from P70 million to P80 million per congressman, Alvarez just sent a wrong signal to Duterte’s supporters for change. Perhaps, to the President, too! Apparently, Alvarez is dangling this “pork” to gain more support for his leadership. But any way you look at it, it’s still corruption. Although it’s too early to judge, there are appointees that are being frowned upon by Duterte’s followers. Not all Duterte’s allies are assets, and not all political enemies are liabilities.