NEW YEAR 2007 ushers in a fresh and new start in our political lives with May election just around the bend. Even if other new years after 2004 were non-events, this year is something else. If only the administration can hold a peaceful and credible election this year, maybe just maybe, the old year's problems, struggles and demons may well become a dim memory.

The years after the 2004 election were marked by a nation and people divided, and hopefully we can look ahead with great expectation and a year 2007 worth celebrating in unity and peace. Come to think of it, when my wife died five years ago, it was as if the world had come to a stop. For some twenty or more years, she provided me with the love and comfort only a compassionate and understanding woman could ever give. But when she unexpectedly went out of my life in that fateful month of October, everything in my life appeared completely turned upside down. For weeks on end, I had no way of finding solace in the face of such unexpected grief. If not for people, especially Christian friends who talked of laughter after sorrow, and who never left me in my predicaments of pain, I could never have learned and grown through the heartaches to really get started anew. And yes, the passage of time helped.

This time I found out that even sorrows can be good for me to be able to think more about myself and what I can do to rise above sadness. Until this writing, the only congressional district where the action is in the 3rd district. The LAKAS-CMD has congressionables Angelo Balili, Dioning Balite and Adam or Pediong Jala jockeying for appointment as the party's official bet. On the opposition, we have Rene Relampagos who appears to be by his lonesome self uncontested by anyone on that side. Of course, Aleckoy Lim, who was a board member in 1988 when former Governor Nonoy Torralba was in the saddle also plans to throw in his hat.

All of the above candidates have potentially good chances of winning the elections. If I were only a flying voter, I could easily vote for all them. By the way, the Philippine Daily Inquirer came out last week with a press release from the GSIS that it is awash with billions of surplus money and that it was investing money overseas. But how come that the GSIS cannot even pay its pensioners on time? Tsk,Tsk, Tss…