My 30 Seconds of "Fame"

I just had a busy, crazy week.

Two of my company's most senior executives were in Tokyo for business meetings. This coincided with President Arroyo's state visit focusing on the arrangements for the JPEPA.

Friday was so hectic. We were rushing from one meeting to another. And by the end of the day, a big celebration was scheduled in observance of Philippine Independence Day and the Migrant Workers' Day. PGMA was the guest of honor.


The entire presidential entourage was in the hall - congressmen, senators, cabinet members, press people and chuwariwariwaps. Most of the Filipino invitees were in their regal Filipiniana.

PGMA addressed the very excited and supportive crowd and conferred awards to some Filipino achievers and Japanese supporters.

Then the finale.

It was a medley of Filipino nationalistic songs by professional singers in Japan (one was a former Bagong Kampeon Grand Champion, another was a champion in a Japan-wide singing contest).

One odd inclusion was an upstart singer, who should have known better to just stay as a banker-lawyer. But he had no choice as it was the Labor Attache's personal order. So he hesitantly joined and did try to simply blend with the powerhouse cast. Unfortunately, he seemed to have brought in the most number of "pala". So when it was his turn to do a solo, he received a remarkably loud applause that even the President noticed. The Secretary of Labor informed her that the one singing was the representative of a government bank to Tokyo. She looked at the Bank's President who was in the crowd and waived at her.


At the end of the song, the singers went up the stage and brought the VIPs forward. People swear the President was teary-eyed (that was one of the most welcoming crowds during her recent overseas trips, some claimed).

After the last dramatic note, the President congratulated the singers. When it was the upstart's turn, she asked "Ikaw ba yung sa ****Bank? ". "Yes Ma'am", he meekly answered. "Ang galing mo ah!". Then Senator Angara butted in, "Di ka lang pala bankero, singer pa!".

That folks was the Islander's 30 seconds of fame. :-)