AND so, did your bets win? I hope so. If not, don’t sulk. Look, all elections are like lotto time: The vote you make is like betting on a lotto number.
AND so, did your bets win? I hope so. If not, don’t sulk. Look, all elections are like lotto time: The vote you make is like betting on a lotto number. If your bet won, it would just be the start of either something good or bad to happen. The ultimate win is, if your bet would turn out good and upright with power in his/her fingertips. In that scenario, rejoice no end because you have just hit the lotto jackpot. Aren’t all lotto tickets, like voting, blind bets?
The beauty of every electoral contest is having our own choices. It adds up to the thrill we experience during such season. Win or lose, fine. Whatever the result, treat it as part of life.
Ah, election! It’s also like falling in love. Always, it is a game. If your object of desire turns out not ready to return the favor, act naturally. Parenthetically, if your vote that helped make a bet win it turns out to be the fool on the hill, fine, too. To every bet we make, we are never too sure if we did right or not. It’s like buying a car, too. Whether brand-new or not, there’s no guarantee of eternal satisfaction.
OK to be honest, mine won—I mean, some of my bets. Like Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte, our newly-elected President. I also voted for Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte’s running mate. However, he lost. But it’s all right. Alan, sure, would play a crucial role in Duterte’s administration. Hasn’t Duterte said in his political ads about Alan being his trusted ally, appealing for votes for Cayetano—passionately? Already, Duterte has said Cayetano might head the Foreign Affairs department. Ummm. Actually, with his adroitness and deep grasp of the law, Cayetano would easily fit in any Cabinet position he’d be assigned to. I should know. His late father, Rene, who I had many occasions to be with even before he was elected senator, was as sharp and Alan, sure, took after him. Like father like son. Too bad Rene died early—a cancer victim.
Road Trek in El Nido
WAS I glad that before the May 9 election, I was in the Toyota Road Trek—again. It was my 10th participation in 12 editions of the fabled event—now an institution no less in the motoring world. Big break before D-Day.
Like the previous 11 Road Treks, this year’s offering was a plane ride from Manila to Puerto Princesa, where a state-of-the-art Toyota dealership co-owned by Henry Sy and Robert Uy has become a landmark in the “last frontier” not far from the disputed Spratlys Island off the west of the Philippine Sea.
Robin Jarvis C. Uy, the youthful assistant general manager, was super hospitable during the breakfast feast at the Puerto Princesa Toyota dealership. Thank you, indeed, RJ.
From Puerto Princesa was the land ride on board alternately of Toyota’s Big Three—Fortuner, Innova and Hilux. Arriving in El Nido’s dusty, almost unpaved Lio Airport, we next took a boat bound for El Nido’s extremely serene Lagen Island.
The following morning, there was this island-hopping cruise around the million-year granite formations punctuated by stops along the famous small and big lagoons. That evening’s glittering ceremonies saw Toyota president Satoru Suzuki giving out the awards to the Road Trek winners, aided by Toyota big shots Murase-san, Jose Ariel Arias, Atty. Rommel Gutierrez, Sherwin Chua-Lim, Carlo Ablaza, Jade B. Sison and Jigo Vidanes, and Michele, Uzzi and Long Tall Emman.
And how can I forget the Peppermint Jam (Jof, Raymond and Joseph), who provided us magical music on acoustic guitars (lead and bass—Jof lead vocals) and their sound was totally spectacular. OMG! They are simply world-class. Thanks to Danny “Sir John” Isla, the Peppermint Jam’s “discoverer.”
Thanks Toyota. Till next year.
PEE STOP. Perl and Meyrick Jacalan, and Kate Uy were the key figures again in ensuring the success of the recently-ended Toyota Road Trek. Hats off to them, indeed. In all editions of the now legendary Road Trek, the said triumvirate of Cebu’s much-respected Asap Promotions took care of virtually everything—from the itinerary’s take-off point all the way to the event’s final destination. Even the evening awards and program to in clude live music from professional performers are also under Asap’s control. Only on occasions when Luzon was part of Road Trek that Perl, Meyrick and Kate were not involved—but that happened just twice in the last 12 seasons. And each time the Road Trek reached either Visayas or Mindanao from Manila, the Terrific Trio would recapture control of everything. Thank you, guys, for your never-ending brilliance in making every Road Trek edition memorable and exciting. Cheers!
Image credits: Ronalad Rey M. de los Reyes