Petropolitik, Sapian and China 11

Petropolitik, Sapian and China - Eleventh in a Continuing Series

Let’s talk about a commodity not related to gas prices, but suddenly related to it just because President Bush said that America is addicted to gas. Bush the Elder once said that catsup is a vegetable. So, what the heck. My story today is about addiction to tobacco. I’m reminded of this topic as I started reading Christopher Buckley’s book entitled, Thank You For Smoking. That book is a satirical comedy on the machinations of Big Tobacco’s chief spokesman, Nick Naylor, who spins on behalf of cigarettes while trying hard to remain as a role model for his son. It also detailed high-level lobby in US politics, an Iron Triangle of lobbyists, members of US Congress and officials Federal agencies, as tobacco lobby fought head-on against the health establishment.

On FVR’s first day in office, the Palace Household, an office that’s, well, exactly managing the Palace household, had been taken over by the new administration. At its helm was Ambassador Lolita Haney, FVR’s aunt. Her gunner was Mrs. Paynor, wife of incoming protocol officer, and later Ambassador of Palace Protocol, Marciano Paynor. That morning, we have been disappointedly surprised. Mrs. Paynor had told us point blank that no cigarette would ever be lit inside the palace. The smoke deteriorates national treasures by Amorsolo, Juan Luna and other great Filipino masters that were hanging all over the palace walls. She added that even camera flashes ruin them. That’s ironic because FVR is aptly known as Tabako. Later on, we would equally be disappointed that our favorite caterers, Jade Vine, Ria’s Cuisine and Makati Skyline, would, from that day forward, be replaced by an endless fare of tuna sandwich and, oh well, tuna sandwich. We would later regularly see Century Tuna delivery trucks. FVR had a problem with cholesterol and his carotid would later be operated on. After a few months serving the FVR Administration, I never ate another tuna sandwich for years, until I got tired of pink salmon and discovered white albacore.

We had a smoking club under the Cory Administration. Our president was Ruben D. Torres, former Secretary of Labor and later, Executive Secretary. The membership spanned through different levels of the hierarchy. At that time, there were lead crystal ash trays all over, and as long as it does not get into the eyes of non-smokers, you’re fine. Just sit in the corner and light up, the high velocity air flow and filtration system will take care of it. Our club shared cigarettes and lighters, exchanged palace news, and bartered favors.

But it had been different under FVR since the only ash trays inside the palace are the ones for FVR’s chewed up tobacco. We would now have to go out through very heavy bullet- proof French doors, you have to lean your weight forward, into the patio or a terrace. Getting in would be more cumbersome because some doors lock you out. You have to either hope somebody inside would look outside and beg you way in, or go back to the entrance and through guards and a maze of hallways and stairs to be back to where you started. But life went on.

Through two administrations, smoking time for VIPs and staff alike took its unspoken toll on many occasions. Sometimes, the convoy’s itinerary had to be planned to have a smoking whistle stop. Venues of programs, locations of stage, riders in a particular vehicle of the convoy, and VIP holding rooms are often influenced by staff and VIPs’ smoking habits. Central Bank’s Falcon jet had to wait in Mactan International Airport because we could not find a cigarette vendor. We had to get a smoking holding room in Sarabia Manor (Iloilo) for Mrs. Ramos who was stressed about the number of people who showed up in a supposedly very private lunch with her family in La Paz. Lai Torres explained to her, “You are the First Lady now, so they are all your relatives suddenly.”

The arrival of Estrada Administration did not change the FVR “no smoking” policy even if the incoming Administration itself had its smoking club. On the morning of Estrada Inauguration, as I parked my tora-tora alongside the gleaming rides of national elites, I saw Triple V and more than half a dozen aluminum-clad catering trucks! Goodbye to one century of Century Tuna. On that day of Estrada Inauguration, like I did for the Ramos Inauguration, I would be the conductor of the bus shuttling incoming Cabinet members from the landing area to Palace luncheon, to Quirino Granstand for the Inaugural Address, to a Grandstand mini-reception, and back to the Palace for the first Cabinet Meeting, and the Inaugural Ball. Upon arrival from the Presidential oath taking in Barasoain Church, Erap went straight to the Drawing Room to try the President’s Desk. Then lunch was served. As he was walking out from the President’s Office for lunch, a giant chandelier, wires shorted out and cut the chains, fell down, missing him and his wife by a few feet. We were outside the office door waiting to hail to the new chief when we heard a big thud. Thud! No one will ever know whether it was a premonition of what will be a failed presidency, or the revolting spirits of the presidents past, or both.

But lunch was super, all the king’s best caterers and finest china for the first day of the newest presidency. It was exclusive for 300 people composed of the Estrada Family, very close friends and political allies, and yes, acolytes like us. Mostly, they were familiar faces of the silver screen, business and politics.

After lunch, we congregated to our usual smoking time. New smoking faces have been directed to the only and the best smoking spot by by the Pasig River. Then there was this short, balding, dark man who did not look familiar; he stood next to me asking about palace life. He was generally nice but curt sometimes. He told me he is an incoming Undersecretary of Tourism. So I politely asked why I never saw him in company of the elites, or at least, the power circles of Tourism Department. He said that he is from Jamindan, Capiz but he lived in the States for decades; has two houses there, in fact. But Erap, a close friend, had asked him to come home and help. So, you are from Jamindan, I’m from Sapian. Yes, he said his Dad was a mayor, and yes, he knows some Orilloses and Hondrados. Well, the only person I know from Jamindan is the late Nong Boy Advincula, husband of Nang Venus. He said he knows the Advinculas but he is not in a hurry to go home as yet because he had lots of work waiting for him. I did not ask for his name, but at the Cabinet meeting that day, I surmised from the list that his name was Orestes Ricaforte. I never saw him again. Never heard anything until two years later. After the downfall of Erap, I saw on the news that his wife, Yolanda Ricaforte, was the auditor of Erap’s jueteng money. Deng! His work waiting for him was counting Erap’s money. Had I known then, I should have volunteered to work under him and would have already paid up all my debts to Gee Ann Ballie Tupaz and NN Alvarez!

Anyway, at the second Erap Cabinet Meeting, our smoking club continued to expand. A new member was Undersecretary Fely Villareal, known to Mambusaonons as “the Madre,” daughter of former Speaker Cornerlio Villareal, Sr., who even ran for mayor in Mambusao. At that time, she was GMA’s deputy in Department of Social Services and Development. We shared cigarettes and lights, and assigned someone as a look out in case GMA suddenly calls her. GMA kept Undersecretary Villareal very busy and she had to put out halfway-lit cigarettes. What a waste.

I hoped to see them both again at the next meetings. But Erap did not convene the Cabinet for many months. On that second meeting, he said that since he was the President, he would not use the scripts we prepared. Neither would the agenda be as long as FVR’s. Whoever had issues among Cabinet would have to resolve it themselves and he would sign anything. He just asked us to enjoy the Manila Hotel catered lunch, which of course, was a pleasant surprise for us to be free from tedious minutes and the scourge of Century Tuna. The third Erap meeting and the last Cabinet meeting I will ever attend will be a Manila Bay cruise aboard the newly refitted BRP “Ang Pangulo.”