May is the favorite month of our Boholano professional "fiesta-goer."

Every day, there is a fiesta - in one of these 46 towns, celebrating the day of the town's patron saint with pomp, gaiety and overloading tables with food goodies. The foreigner is quick to blame Juan de la Cruz' "fiesta mentality" that he sacrifices his lone pig or cow or else go in debt, just so his house will not be "bungol" during fiesta time.

We do not condone such ritualistic insanity but we are stating a fact that fiesta celebration in the Philippine context is a reality of life. It competes with Christmas, New Year and birthdays, when it comes to ranking in importance and the value by the renewal of ties between friends and families.

A strong lobby is on-going for an environmental consciousness among our people, such that, even frivolously material events like fiestas are enjoined, at the very least, to be eco-friendly. The town community must exercise this act of political will to make fiestas, an event that do not further degrade the ecosystems which are calling for healing and protection.

On the lead here should be the influential Church, who as early as 1988 on Her Pastoral Letter on Ecology called for citizen participation in preserving the environment. The government efforts on this should reach up the barangay level, with the youth providing the inexpensive but visible "eco-patrols" which will monitor the community's adherence to the "Green Fiesta" scheme.

There are a few practical things that can be done during fiestas, according to guidelines of EcoWaste Coalition.

Say "no to plastics," use bayong made from nipa or cloth to pack things and reusable glass cups and glasses, fork, spoon and plates (not plastics). Do not use styrofoams.

Set up stations where the fiesta wastes are classified into biodegradable or non-biodegradable materials. Volunteers should regularly educate the community on this classification. Compost and do not burn fallen leaves, flowers and trimmings. It is better to use cloth and canvass materials instead of PVC-coated tarpaulins and for signages as well.

Do not blow too much pollution - heavy firecrackers and fireworks and make do with the brass band blurting out Pilipino and ballroom music and the local band do rock and funky music. Use colored cloth banners and decorations instead of too many balloons and recycle those burnt candles or make them out of cooking oil. Decorate your homes and churches with natural plants and flowers and do away with the plastic, artificial ones - no matter how exotic and pretty they are to the visuals.

Plan your menu and cook only for the household and visitors - there is too much waste in fiestas which are just thrown away uselessly. Try using banana leaves to serve food, they look and taste more delicious (even in Manila-based resto called Banana Leaf) does that precisely and is charming customers off their wallets.

Offer clean tap water or healthy drinks made from lemon grass or calamansi, buko from the coconut (that's really refreshing), pandan or salabat from (ginger) rather than chemically processed soft drinks, juices, teas and coffee. Serve only fruits and vegetables grown the natural way without pesticides and those non-organic fertilizers.

Don't throw that extra food but instead share with the more unfortunate neighbors and give the food discards for animal consumption or for composting. Use compact fluorescent lamps and work for eventually lighting our homes and chapels with solar energy from the sun.

Finally, establish a Parish Ecology Center or Materials Recovery Facility where the faithful can bring recycled materials that can later be sold to support church scholars or other benevolent endeavors.

The Fight to Preserve the Environment is a world war that has been declared long time ago. We are also all invited to become warriors to this crusade - yes even-nay especially - during fiesta time.

Happy "Green Fiesta" to all Boholanos.

HERO TO HEEL?

Blame power-hungry politicians, sycophants and opportunists for poisoning the mind of our national boxing hero Manny Pacquiao. After his sensational knockout win in the eighth round of previously unbeaten Jorge Solis of Mexico last Sunday (which sent the nation into another collective frenzy) he will now go to the next bout.

This time, however, he will do away with the boxing gloves and deal with a pint-sized woman reelectionist congresswoman Daleen Antonino, belonging to a large political clan in Cotabato. For Manny's sake and the country's (we must say) we hope sincerely that Antonino will clobber Pacquiao in the elections of May 14.

Not because we want to deflate the rightly deserved monumental ego of Pacman, the Terminator of Mexican brawlers, but because he does not cut right for the job.

Pacquiao can probably do better in the career of singing, although arguably, people only buy his CDs and mimic his ditties because he is the world's best pound-for-pound boxer today.

This one Manny Pacquiao didn't have a Freddie Roach as coach.

A congressman is there primarily to make laws - how can the humble former bakery and construction man as Pacman - contribute significantly to that cause?

In a post-fight interview, Pacman said that he feels it in his heart that he wants to help his constituents by becoming a congressman. He was probably thinking of the pork barrel - for which his political "advisers" are really salivating for. With the good graces he is presently endowed with GMA, he can tap into the Palace's seamless treasure for other projects besides.

But that is what is wrong with our politics - it is about getting funds for projects which should be the main concern of the Executive department and its DPWH, Social Services, Education etc. That is not the main job of a congressman, good gracious.

Since he cannot dictate the boxing calendar of the world, Pacman will be forced to go on practice and be absent for his congressional chores (once elected). But man cannot serve two masters, pretty soon, one of these (boxing or congress work) - or worse, even both - will suffer from the half-commitment of Pacman.

Manny is known to succumb to psychological pressure when some problems affect him outside the ring. Will this messy, corrupt and daredevil world of the Congressman not just bedevil the life of Pacquiao, today's hero of Filipinos, young and old?

It is such a pity that the nationalistic fervor that burns with a passionate aroma in the heart of this boxing gladiator has been misused by others to twist his head and attention to some agenda (including also using his popularity to endorse their candidates) Pacquiao, like Richard Gomez, is not prepared by education and experience to handle well.

To the voters in Gensan area, vote for Antonino, if you love Pacman.