Take it or Leave it

BY JUN PRADO

The New Press Secretary

The choice of President Arroyo to replace our good friend and colleague, Cerge Remonde as Press Secretary was Manila Bulletin editor-in-chief Crispulo J. Icban, Jr. , a seasoned and veteran newman and a very well-respected member of the Fourth Estate. It indeed was a perfect choice that fitted Jun Icban to a T.

Cerge died recently of a massive heart attack while taking a shower in an early Friday morning while preparing to report to his office as was his usual routine.

I really don't know if I should congratulate Jun Icban or commiserate with him for his new assignment. Jun was a classmate at the University of Sto. Tomas College of Philosophy and Letters many decades ago. Our class, Journalism 106, was then specializing in both editorial and column writing. So you can say that Mr. Icban is somehow taken aback for the mayhem I have created all these years with the editorials and columns I have written for a number of publications.

Being Press Secretary is an assignment that can kill and Cerge Remonde just proved that point. It is particularly lethal in the sense that Jun Icban will now have to explain to the public the fickle, unexplainable "little woman" in the Palace by the Pasig.

If there is anyone who can make us look the other way or take it easy on Ate Gloria, it is Jun Icban. Soft-spoken, unassuming, intelligent, Jun is difficult to say no to the past requests.

When I was connected with the Sweepstakes Office as Senior Public Relations Officer, one of my functions is regarding all activities that the charitable institution initiate - projects that have something to do with the health and welfare needs of the nation, we publish nationwide.

During all those years, even as Jun Icban was then news editor of the Manila Times and until his sting as ed-in-chief of the Manila Bulletin, Jun never disappointed us even just for once with our requests for our press releases or sometimes even "praise releases: and to find print in his newspapers.

Jun Icban knows when a favor can be given or when it is asking for the impossible. Jun will never ask us to ignore the truth. Main reason why, Ate Gloria should not expect him to make her look forever good because that's simply being untruthful. We expect Jun Icban to stay as he can to the tenets of journalism that we have learned in journ school - even as Press Secretary.

Our best wishes then to Jun Icban. He might have been forced by circumstances into accepting this assignment because despite his age, we are most certain that he is still of sound mind. Personally, I know that if he had his rathers, he would rather prefer it that he be holed in at his cubicle at the Bulletin trying to make taipan Emilio Yap happy - or maybe reading a good book.

That's Jun Icban, our new Press Secretary - in a nutshell.

Imelda stamp

Some of the guests at the US Embassy cocktails were in a hurry to leave. They were going to another party... to celebrate the 80th birthday of Imeldific Marcos. That reminded me of an Imelda joke.

The post office once issued a stamp featuring Imelda.

Imelda was pleased. However, she began hearing complaints that the stamp was not sticking properly.

She became furious and complained to her husband. President Marcos called General Ver and ordered him to investigate the matter.

General Ver checked several post offices and then reported back to the President.

He said, "Sir, the stamp is really of international quality. The problem is, errrrr."

"The problem is what?" shouted the President.

"Sir, our citizens are spitting on the wrong side of the stamp!"