12 May 2007

that reminds me of...

Now, the 'entrenchment' reminds me of another ridiculous scenario that occured some years back with the commemoration of a National Artist through a sculpture. He was an excellent writer, his works immortalized the classic facets of Filipino soul. As prolific as he was in writing, so did he at drinking. None of those who witnessed a drizzle of his brilliance could ever immortalize the figure without him holding that Beer, which, undisputably, also established itself as an institution to this country's identity as the writer himself had in the literary field. It seemed, that Beer brewed itself with a weird concoction hidden somewhere in the molecules of its imported malts and hops that brought his passionate, creative genius frothing to the brim.

So, another writer-friend of his, from Davao, equally eloquent in her prowess with written words like 'waling-waling' spoken in English, decided to immortalize him by having a sculptor mold a figure of the man, surely holding that patronized Beer. It shall be unveiled to coincide with the oath taking of our group's new batch of officers. I remembered when she brought the preliminary sketches of the sculpture with her during the meeting for us to probe upon (don't you think the arm was a bit eskewed?...agh, no, don't make him step on a book). It would be the country's first sculpture of him, and it will be erected in her resort compound in Davao City. She said she will be going with this noble purpose, where else but of course, to the office of that beer company
to request for sponsorship or even for a little bit of donation from the super-rich multinational giant with subsidiaries and branches in China, Australia, etcetera that anybody in this archipelago could be proud of. We warmly anticipated the fulfilment of her project, a sculpture of the National Artist holding the 'national beer', sponsored, what else, by that company. Gwapo.

Finally, the anticipated time came the next meeting as she announced the result of her long travel south to the city outskirts, where the company's office was. So? The person in charge turned down the request. What? They turned down the offer. Unsa?? They're 'broke', they guzzled out much funding for the Oktoberfest (and dancing sexy ladies, I noticed).

Anybody could bet the guy sitting behind that desk had no iota about who the National Artist was, nor heard about the well admired female, young-at-heart writer in front of him, and that 'anybody' could even win! Where did the likes of these individuals place a portion of their critical gray matter that should otherwise enable them to discern such nobility? Inside their belly? We in this country must be warned, the next time we sit on the water closet, some might flush out that priceless portion of their brain, forever. Pangit!

Please, tell the news that might spare the utter destruction of this culturally clueless, soulfully malnourished, art unappreciative, barbaric capitalist colony by the hands of more civilized invaders like the fate of ancient Carthage, quick. Fortunately the rival beer company saved the day and offered sponsorship. Just as that Beer was renowned in itself, so is this beer renowned for imitating it. Intawon, maayo na lang.

It is election season in this country, and since the place I'm in did not proceed in seceding into a separate republic, one will have to put up with the election circus and some clowns, Wowowee, Michael Meiring, entrenched idiots, and, not to be outdone, entrenched barbarians.

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