Almost a month after my last entry? Sorry, sorry, sorry. I have noted that the journal has been visited 15 times this May. There's really no excuse.I must find time to make entries to this journal. I must. I must. I must.

I have a sore neck. It must be from this TV set which is placed too high in my room. Like many Filipinos these days, I depend on TV to keep track on what's happening in Congress these days. They are supposed to canvass the votes for the President and the Vice President. Instead, our honorable representatives of the people spent the past two days debating on the procedures. Last night, a woman spectator from the gallery sent a note to the filibustering Congressman who, incidentally, lost his bid for Senator to just shut up and start the counting. The honorable wants the whole Senate and Congress to act as committee of one to do the counting instead of having a 14-member committee to do the canvass as it was done before. The honorable congressmen and senators could not agree on which option to take.

Anyway, let us hope, the people will not be too impatient to take matters in their own hands. They may just barge through the barricades of policemen and the Marines to just scream their frustrations about the delay.

Meanwhile, here in Baclayon, more than 200 residents have signed a petition addressed to their political leaders that they support their proposed amendment to the road expansion plan to be implemented soon by the Department of Public Works and Highways and Korea's Hanjin Corporation.

Copies of the petition were also sent to the Office of the Governor, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the Office of the Vice Governor, the Office of the Representative for District 1, Hon. Edgar Chatto. After a week, complete silence.

In a microcosm, you see here the indifference of public officials to the simple request of residents that the expanded highway should not destroy pre-World War II houses and other structures along a two-km. stretch of the town.

I still hope the bureaucracy can act a little faster to respond to this petition.

Meanwhile, life goes on. That means, I have now to go to the showers, dress up, eat breakfast, and rush to the office. Here's another day to live through despite all these distractions or, if you prefer, burning issues...