A POOR CONGRESSMAN

The nation was shocked when it learned that Rep. Crispin Beltran, a prominent labor leader, had died in a freak accident. He fell from the roof of his modest and unfinished bungalow. Another thing that stunned the country was the fact that Ka Bel, as he was fondly called by his colleagues, died a poor man.

A copy of his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth showed that his net worth amounted only to twenty two thousand pesos, thus making him the poorest congressman. Las Pinas Representative Cynthia Villar's the richest, with net worth of more than one billion pesos. Yes, Virginia, in this country where many people are dying of hunger, where a lot of families live under bridges that are about to collapse, where people have to fall in line just so they could buy a kilo of rice, a billionaire citizen exists.

In this nation where the term poor congressman is a first class oxymoron, it is truly astounding to know that a congressman ( a three-termer at that) is poor and, well, not rich. And in a country populated by rapacious and thoroughly corrupt politicians who are not ashamed to affix the word honorable to their names, Congressman Beltran died a modern hero


In a related tearjerker of an event, Senator Lito Lapid, whom a lot of reporters covering the senate thought was mute because he wouldn't comment on any issue engulfing the country, finally broke his silence and expressed shock and grief over Rep. Beltran's sudden death in a press statement.

Senator Lito Lapid, probably unknown to many, was the brain behind the greatest bill filed in the senate: a bill prohibiting the use of staple wire in food packaging. The bill was widely applauded and praised by other lawmakers. A landmark bill, some of them declared. Kaya sa sandaling makakita kayo ng pakete ng pagkain na may staple wire pa rin, pakidala lang po ito sa opisina ni Senator Lapid at lulunukin po ng intelehenteng staff at consultants ng senador ang nasabing staple wire.



Incidentally, the good senator's son, former Governor Mark Lapid, as if to cement the family's cerebral reputation, delivered (in the film Apoy Sa Dibdib Ng Samar) what is widely considered the greatest line in Philippine cinema: "Oo, inaamin ko, saging lang kami! Pero maghanap ka ng puno sa buong Pilipinas, saging lang ang may puso! Saging lang ang may puso!"

It was rumored that Irish actor Daniel Day-Lewis wanted that stunning line translated in English so he could use it in his next movie. Senator Lapid reportedly offered this translation: "Yes, I am admit, we're just banana trees. But look around all over the archipelago, only the banana trees have hearts! Only the banana trees indeed! Mango trees and guava trees doesn't have heart! And also the lemon tree!"