The envoy as apologist - Washington Tsismis

The talk among guests, according to some Tsismosos, was about the propriety of holding a reception in the face of human tragedy. “Why would Ambassador Albert del Rosario host the dinner at a time when he was asking Filipinos and friends of the Philippines to donate funds for the victims of landslide which claimed more than 1,000 victims?”
Mga kababayan, talagang mahina ang utak ninyo. The purpose of the ‘celebration’ was to give the ambassador an opportunity to explain to all the hullabaloo over the declaration of marital law....er state of national emergency by the ‘small but terrible President’ in Malacanang. People in Manila describe her actions as Napoleonic.
Here are the remarks of the ambassador - with apologies to him for Tsismosos unsolicited comments. I asked the editor’s permission to publish his speech here:
“Please allow me to welcome you to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the First Filipino People Power Resolution, or EDSA I. For this occasion, we gather here to remember and to celebrate the restoration of Philippine democracy in February 1986. (Tama yan.)
“We no doubt agree that EDSA I will stand for all time as the Filipino contribution to the great tradition of civil disobedience and peaceful protest exemplified by Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and other champions of democracy. EDSA I will also always be known as the model that inspired democracy movements in years past from Eastern Europe to Latin America. (Sure, there is no doubt about that.)
“Since 1986, our democracy in the Philippines has overcome every challenge, and we will continue to surmount challenges now and in the future. Democracy is always, however, a work in progress. I cannot recall who it was who said that democracy is not a destination. It is a journey. And so, fellow Filipinos, our nation continues on its journey. (Journey to perdition?)
President Arroyo has proclaimed a state of national emergency. This was in response to a clear and present danger to our national security and democracy. (Isn’t she the danger to democracy herself?)
“The President asserted her leadership, under the Constitution, to face this danger, to protect and to enhance democracy, and to continue to promote development. In he exercise of this leadership, human rights and due process will be respected. The Government is in control, and with the measures taken, the situation is expected to normalize shortly. (The ambassador was saying this while police were arresting people without warrants and raiding opposition publications because they questioned her legitimacy as president.)
In the pursuit of this journey, we remain committed to democratic development, through a poverty alleviation strategy.
Despite political distractions, economic growth continues. Macroeconomic stability has been maintained. Poverty is being reduced. We are laying the foundations for long-term reform and sustainable growth. (An AFP story said the national emergency in the Philippines are the poor who have nothing to eat.)
“As we move forward with democracy and development, we will do so in partnership with the United States. Our countrymen and our friends in the U.S. stood with our people in February 1986. They not only watched the miracle of EDSA unfold, they did much to encourage our democracy’s resilience and restoration. (Mr. Ambassador, we are moving backward.....to 1986.)
“Today, our alliance in the United States is strong. Filipinos and Americans continue to confront common security challenges, especially the threat of terrorism. We are working together to promote peace in Mindanao, we are expanding our economic linkages, we are helping each other in time of need. In Southern Leyte, American soldiers worked alongside our own using their hands to dig out victims of the recent terrible landslide. (Sayang, Sir, your good work towards this end might all go to naught.)
“Let me conclude by saying how indebted we are to the Filipino community in America. I thank you for your great support in every endeavor to help the people of the Philippines. You have been an inspiration to us, and to me in particular. I cannot stop thanking you and I urge all of us to stay united. (Yes, Mr. Ambassador, we love you. Filipino Americans will help the Filipino people but not the President who wants to remain in power like Marcos.)

Am I satan? To understand why I am saying this, please see the Letters to the Editor section first.
Tsismoso feels like the Danish cartoonist who set the Muslim world on fire after he drew an insulting cartoon of their revered prophet Mohammed. Like the Danish cartoonist, I have also set the world of my fans and enemies on fire, all because I used a contribution from a fan in my Tsismis column, Feb. 15. Of course there were a few who thought the column was very funny.
Now, even the editor who rarely touches my column for fear of retribution from me, is sulking. He is obviously angry. Readers who are usually silent have found the guts to pillory me.
But the saving grace is a letter from one defender: “Don’t feel bad about the sexist menu at the Pek Pek Carinderia. Only people with dirty minds will see it that way. Even TV stars like Jay Leno, Oprah Winfrey and others use words like those in your column to describe sexual acts — on the air.”

Von voyage to Consul General Jocelyn Batoon Garcia who is finally returning to Manila after an overdue stay in Washington D.C. The community is preparing a rousing sendoff for her with a grand party. No, Evan is not the one initiating the party, an embassy Tsismoso said. Neither did he moved for her return to Manila while he remains in his post here. Tsismosos say he is just happy that he will no longer be a resident of IMUS (I’m Under the Saya). The long suffering DCM, this Tsismoso said, can now live as a ‘free’ man.