MANILA, Philippines – Ex-CoA auditor vows to walk naked if Garcia case is dismissed – News item. If she did that, she wouldn’t be Haydee anything.

DILG Secretary and NAPOLCOM Chairman Jesse Robredo disclosed that 175 erring policemen, mostly implicated in drug-related cases, were dismissed in past 6 months. They have it good: Civilians go to jail for that.

On my apostolic mission to fetch from Tokyo our grandson Danilo, the first Zaide of the third generation (from my reckoning), I will miss the Ateneo Glee Club 90th anniversary concert celebration, “A Grand Night for Singing,” at Nicanor Abelardo Hall, CCP, on Saturday, February 5, 2011.

Older than the nonagenarian warbler society is Fr. James B. Reuter, SJ, going 95 years, who will conduct ala Andy Veneracion of the Philippine Madrigal Singers… i.e., from his wheelchair.

BTW, Andy Veneracion, Madz founder and conductor, is on 5th year suspended animation since her stroke in December, 2005.

Other Balikbayan conductors of the Ateneo Glee Club benefit concert will be Fr. Antonio Cuna, SJ, and Prof. Joel Navarro. They will be joined by current conductors Ma. Lourdes Venida Hermo (college), Vonn Lomarda (high school), and Daisy Marasigan (grade school). Marquee idols Joe Mari Chan, Boby Garrovillo, Jim Paredes, and Willy Cruz are guest performers.

I had a one-night stand performance with the Ateneo Glee Club to prop, literally, Rolando Tino’s choreography for the song performance of Lucio San Pedro’s “Simbang Gabi” (first put into words by Fr. Luis Candelaria, SJ, and Virginia Palma Bonifacio) for the inter-varsity competition.

Although I didn’t make good my threat to sing, we lost to Maryknollers’ African interpretation, Misa Luba, choreographed by Alice Reyes.

One of the most difficult songs is Raul S. Manglapus’ Blue Eagle the King, which contretemps. Which is why this generation only cheers the Blue-Eagle-Spelling (which is an intro to the song) at UAAP and sings A Song for Mary (beautiful lyrics by Fr. Reuter) as the school hymn.

A controversy surrounds the current hymn (said to have been written by Ateneo band moderator Capt. José Campaña) over an identical twin, “O Canada,” originally commissioned by Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Theodore Robitaille.

Since the Ateneo took A Song for Mary as its school hymn in the 1950’s and “O Canada” became the national hymn in 1980, will the original plagiarist please stand?

Singing is the higher form of prayer. Experience Gregorian chant at San Beda Benedictine chapel…

Or José Carreras pray a missa cantata at Medjugorje, before he underwent throat operation without anesthesia because he didn’t want to risk his vocal chords.

Filipinos could sing before they could talk, dance before they could walk. But whatever I sing, they say, “I did it my way.” My 4th grade teacher Mr. Marquez said it would bring rain…

When it rains, it pours: There’s no end to the bounty coming Philippine Football Federation’s way, following the success of Azkal (Askal). After M. V. Pangilinan-Smart’s P80-million 10-year program to help fund a league, El Shaddai’s Bro. Mike Velarde offers a 4.5 hectare property in Parañaque for a football pitch.

Make sure that the original Askals (street footballers from Tondo) have time-sharing on the pitch, too.

Birth dates used by many lotto winners – News item. Which is why I say, I was born at the wrong time.

Balikbayan DoST scientist Dr. Custer Deocaris says Pinoys are one of lowest vegetable consumers in Southeast Asia. So why did teacher call us “camote?” Feedback: jaz_aide@yahoo.com