Angel thoughts “ Next time you are about to lose your temper, remember these wise words- anyone who causes you to flare up in anger conquers you.’ ” -Pempe Rodrigo, Rivers of Living Waters Community

What causes me to lose my cool these days are high fuel and power prices (diesel, gasoline, LPG, electricity). Each time I have to load up diesel in my trusty little Adventure, I get palpitations because of the pump prices. I used to run around Metro Manila and up to Tagaytay on less than P l,500 a week, but not anymore!

Like other vehicle owners, I tremble every friday when the oil companies jack up their prices. The unkindest cut of all was the P 3 diesel increase last weekend and then the companies giving in to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s "request" to roll back the price by P 1.50! Were we played around with by the oil giants? Was that just a "moro-moro," and they will again raise the pump prices to make up for their "generosity"?

Only heaven (and the oil gnomes ) know until when this rollback will last. After the State of the Nation speech of PGMA, maybe? Well, that’s what her critics snicker. Is it all a ploy to regain some popularity in time for her SONA?

Well, what if it was?

We got a respite, didn’t we? And we discovered that the oil companies (at least Petron and Shell) will comply with a presidential nudge. So thank you, Madam President, even if the oil firms deny that they rolled back their diesel price because you "pressured" them to! Please continue intervening for us consumers!

Use your persuasive charms (and powers) with other stakeholders in the power industry and with basic goods! We poor suffering citizens certainly can use that kind of intervention!

And by the way, Madam President, best of luck on your SONA on Monday. The figures are there for scrutiny and they are positive with regards to GDP, jobs generated, teaching posts created (some 52,000), housing, agricultural output, infrastructure finished, etc.

However, it is also the perception as shown by surveys that the poor feel poorer and the middle class feel hemmed in by low salaries, higher transport and basic commodity costs, expensive health care, and so on. There is something to be bridged here, and we hope, for the sake of the nation, the perception can be worked on and improved .

Let’s pray for a peaceful SONA on Monday. Protests are healthy in any democracy but let us be civil to each other and not resort to vandalism and violence!

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Barangay Zaragosa in Surigao, according to RPN news last Monday evening, is lighted up by solar power! It seems the barangay is totally dependent on cheap solar power for their lighting needs. Solar panels installed on their rooftops give them enough electricity for their basic living needs--lights, ironing, a refrigerator, or electric fan.

The place has become a model for other poor barangays and the residents have no worries about soaring power rates. Now, if they can use electric-powered vehicles too, they will be 100 percent solar- run. That’s a nice thought to ponder when high prices eat up our pay and retirement checks.

In the meantime, consume less power, and keep your blood pressure down. Me, I go to tagaytay where I don’t have to use an aircon and we grill instead of using LPG.

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Notes: Happy birthday to Andrew Masigan, the daddy of my apo Amanda and hubby of my only daughter Sandee today. CEO of the Dimsum n’ Dumplings chain and XO Philippines, Andrew is now a rising photographer of note…Also last tuesday, Trisha Weigand Mescallado, who is with the House of Representatives staff, turned a year older…Happy birthday as well to another niece, Attorney Magna Rivera-Victorino. And last Monday, an old friend, businessman Danilo Sayarot, marked his birthday with close friends like Cavite’s leading political elite led by Gov. Ayong Maliksi, Cong. Pidi Barzaga and his pretty wife, Dasmariñas mayor Jenny, his sister Helen, Willie Uy, and Danny’s business associates. Wife Juliet was there with their children Donna, a recent culinary graduate, good-looking teener Darlon who is with the Xavier basketball team, and Daniel and Julian.