Let's hope the Ironman race returns next year

Greetings to the 888 News Forum on its 6th anniversary today. If you noticed that we did not have an 888 Forum yesterday, it is only because we are holding it today on its special Red-Letter day. There will be no interviews today, but there will be a short program to recognize those who, one way or the other, helped or participated in the 888 News Forum all through the years.

Special greetings and thanks goes to Mr. Robert “Bobby” Joseph for his full support in having a weekly forum for the Cebu Press to get their stories, which is now televised over MyTV Channel 28. The 888 News Forum on MyTV Channel began early January this year because more often than not, the TV news crews just put in news snippets of the interviews. But when Sir Bobby Joseph signed up with MyTV, we’ve featured the whole morning affair and only cut or edit it when it often goes on overtime. So once again, more power to the 888 News Forum, especially to our fellow mediamen, for this forum is for you!

* * *

I was supposed to be writing about the sudden change of heart of House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte, Jr. where Congress was set to have the final vote for the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill yesterday, but then there was an unexpected viva voce vote to end the debates on this highly-controversial bill… where the yeas supposedly won over the nays. Why these votes were not counted only proves that Congress will railroad the RH bill. So we’ll just come up with our comments when they are done.

* * *

Despite the declaration by Gov. Gwen F. Garcia that the Ironman 70.3 triathlon was a huge success, a tragedy put a black mark on this sporting event when first time entrant, Mr. Ramon “Ramie” Igaña, Jr. died enroute to Talisay at the South Road Properties (SRP) after he crashed and hit his head on the gutter. Unless an autopsy is done, we will never know if Ramie Igaña, Jr. died because he hit his head on the pavement or whether he was suffering from exhaustion or had a heart attack while still on his bike.

I would like to believe that Ramie Igaña, Jr. was fit to run the triathlon and perhaps because racing bicycles like the one he was using have a very small tire print, he must have hit a small stone and crashed. The organizers should investigate this accident.

Accidents resulting in deaths in international events like this are not uncommon. In 2010, when the Ironman was held in CamSur, a participant drowned even if they had enough rescue boats and medics in the area. At this point, allow me to say that Ramie Igaña, Jr. would have died in vain if the Ironman 70.3 was called up because of his death or if the event would no longer be held in Cebu.

There are just too many sporting events like the F-1 races or those Red Bull powerboat or air races in the US or in Europe which often results in the race car driver or the pilots getting killed… but somehow the race must go on and I say that we should hold a better Ironman next year. The organizers should make sure though to clean up the roads because triathletes use road bikes and not mountain that can handle rocks or stones on the road. Let’s hope this race returns next year.

* * *

Twenty-year-old Marc Andre Marcos was killed in the last hazing incident that rocked the nation a week ago and he was buried amidst cries of justice. Who killed this promising young lad? At this point, all fingers point to the Lex Leonum Fraternitas. Of course, it goes without saying the fraternities in itself do not kill… but their members do because to become a member of a fraternity, one must go through some form of hazing… and when it goes to the extreme… it kills! But what has the nation done about this? Nothing!

If there was anything good that happened when then Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos declared Martial Law on Sept. 21, 1972, he outlawed fraternities. My ex-girlfriend was a member of the Kappa Lambda in USC, although their organization did not go to the extreme forms of hazing, but when fraternities were outlawed… they disbanded… just like the so many other fraternities in this country.

At this point, I’m still in favor of outlawing fraternities for the simple reason that having them has only caused more tension in schools especially when fraternities tell their members that this or that fraternity is their enemy. So how many more Filipino youths will die because of fraternities? Your guess is as good as mine. But for sure, Marc Andre Marcos won’t be the last in this long line of unsolved killings called hazing, which for me is plain and simple murder!

* * *

Email: [email protected].