Feb. 3, Friday, the first day of spring, to some Chinese people the real start of the Lunar New Year (to end on Feb. 4, 2018). Have we done our spring cleaning yet? Apparently not in the Philippine National Police, where a police superintendent accused of taking part in the kidnapping and killing of a Korean was allowed to slip out of Camp Crime, oops, Crame, while under PNP protective custody.
This after President Duterte had apologized to Koreans the day before, vowing that the scalawags will be hunted down and he might even “send (their) heads to South Korea.” There is hardly a day that Digong has not uttered some quotable quote or other. Why, as the world east and west jointly greeted the Fire Rooster, this President made more news than any of his predecessors in terms of feng shui experts’ predictions for himself as head of state and for his country. Yes, it helped that he was born a Rooster and it’s a Rooster year, but no one made a fuss of President Gloria Arroyo being a Pig in 2007. (There was no reason to hail President Aquino as a Rat because there was no Rat year from 2010-2016.)
Digong is a Wood Rooster, born 1945, and as anyone can see, he’s the kind of guy who crows about his achievements and struts his stuff, quite like a peacock who loves an audience. Feng shui forecasters have given him a ton of unsolicited advice, but do cocksure Roosters typically listen to advice? Master Joseph Chau warns that Wood Roosters are “under tremendous stress at work and full of negative thinking,” so they should relax and try to enjoy life. Dato Joey Yap of Malaysia sees four stars in the President’s horoscope for intelligence, wealth, relationships, and the Duke’s Arrival, all pointing to “continued strength in his leadership” but cautions against making “catastrophic decisions.” Metal being the Rooster’s element, Maritess Allen urges the President to be vigilant as metal “would mean guns, knives, assassinations, killings” although his wealth star spells good luck for the Philippines.
Spring is in the air, Mr. President, clean up the government and PNP but be careful, and as well behaved as when you were starstruck admiring the Miss Universe candidates. (Jullie Y. Daza)
