We have to suspend our series in this corner on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which drove Pres. Pnoy crazy over the weekend up to the point of calling all Filipinos to wear the yellow ribbons to show protest against the Supreme Court decision declaring it unconstitutional. A tribute is in order for the editor-publisher of this paper, Ciriaco “Boy” Guingguing, who died last Thursday morning at the Borja Family Hospital, this city, due to a lingering illness. Rosalinda G. Paredes, wife of Atty. Rene Paredes of this city, aptly commented in her Facebook account on a post made by former Sunday Post editor-in-chief Chito Fuentes regarding BG's death. Paredes said the “passing of a period - BG - The Era of Boy Guingguing.”

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Well, BG ended his era with his boots on at a time that this paper marked its 28th anniversary last week. In one way or another, we too became part of his struggle in making this paper survived after all these years. BG became close to our family after knowing that his brother, Victor, used to be our neighbor in our hometown in Malangas, Zamboanga del Sur (now Zamboanga Sibugay). From the time that we started as a neophyte in the local media, BG has been close to us even up to the time that he welcomed us to write a column in this paper almost a year ago. We have been through thick and thin as they say. BG engaged our services to defend his libel suits. BG used to brag that he is the most well-dressed media man because of his libel suits.

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The last time we talked two weeks ago was when BG asked me to defer writing a column about a libel case which we won in a court in Talibon. Others seem not to understand the traits of BG, as he may sound oozing with personality. The way we understand BG is that he is just a man who was full of wit and humor. And of course, BG liked to move, think and do like the rich and famous. BG liked to utter lines, puns and quotes.

Our Pare Chito Fuentes said in his Facebook post: “My favorite, among a host of humorous puns he dished out, was a, well, biblical quote (it was straight out of the bible - until BG's mind started to click). It was a news item about Capitol functionaries who were placed on floating status when a new governor took over because they were perceived to be loyal to the defeated governor. BG wrote the tagline to the story which continues to make me laugh to this day: "Many are cold, but few are frozen".

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Chito's wife, Chinky, shared a favorite memory of BG. She said: “It was a Saturday, the busiest time at Sunday Post. A group of campus journalists came in with their adviser, asking for an interview with Sir BG. Reluctantly, he obliged, darting us with suspicious looks, trying to determine who arranged this intrusion into his busy day. As we were very busy ourselves, we did not listen to the interview, until one student asked this question:

Student: What course did you finish, Sir?

BG (irritation evident at this time): BSBB

Student (hand with pen poised on her notebook, ready to jot down his answers): What course is that, Sir?

BG: Bachelor of Science in Basa-Basa

BG always showed impatience with a good sense of humor.

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We would like to remember BG through his lines like “it depends upon which side of the bread is being buttered” whenever he was confronted of a situation whether to favor one side against the other. Oftentimes, when BG wanted to be neutral, he would likely say that he can be “both,” it was one way of emphasizing that he can be “bought.” If ever BG is confronted with a critical problem, he quickly claimed that it could be the last straw that broke the camel's back – hisway of saying that it was the last nail to the coffin. When he opened his stories, he loved to use the quote that the cat is out of the bag. At the end of his economic stories, he really loved to end it with a quotation as to who “holds the empty bag.” And there many more.

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As Pare Chito claimed in his post on BG's death: “Indeed, the statistics on life in this world is astonishing: nobody gets out of here alive.” The Bohol Sunday Post, including its most sought-after commissions, must move on despite the demise of BG, its editor-publisher, and continue with its publication on Sundays. We shall continue helping BG and his paper at this time that he is no longer around. But this will be quiet a task indeed to face on. As the present situation that BG left behind, this task may be a tall order. To BG, may your soul rest in peace!

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Postscript: We shall resume our series on DAP in the next issue...There's more when we come back.