THE big news in America this week is Peter Jennings. The popular “World News Tonight” anchor of 22 years died Monday at his home in New York City. He was 67.

Aside from being a good television journalist, Peter Jennings’ good looks made him a magnet to many young Filipina-Americans, especially in the early 80s when he was in the early years of his long and successful career. I know because, nightly, my two sisters in New Jersey used to watch Peter and the news, in that order.

Peter Jennings is another example of an immigrant (he was from Canada) who worked hard and made good in America. He became a U.S. citizen in 2003.

The swiftness of his end saddened many of his colleagues in the business and TV viewers. The former ABC news star died of lung cancer. Another victim of smoking. According to a reading from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), smoking cigarettes causes lung cancer. Harmful substances, called carcinogens, in tobacco damage the cells in the lungs.

The NCI primer also says that over time, the damaged cells may become cancerous. The likelihood that a smoker will develop lung cancer is affected by the age at which smoking began, how long the person has smoked, the number of cigarettes smoked per day, and how deeply the smoker inhales. Stopping smoking greatly reduces a person’s risk for developing lung cancer.

Like crime, smoking doesn’t pay.

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Meanwhile, two Filipinos with sterling qualities and extraordinary traits when it came to the service of their people have died since the outbreak of what I consider as political nonsense in Manila. The two were former Sen. Raul Roco and Cardinal Jaime L. Sin.

Their memories should serve as reminder to politicians in Manila to tone down their politics and, instead, devote their energies to improve the lives of the people they are sworn to serve.
The results of the most recent survey of Filipinos by Pulse Asia, which revealed a plunge on the approval ratings of the Philippine President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court were indicative of the distrust of the Filipino people on the three branches of their government.

Since early June, virtually every other day, people of dubious characters have been making allegations against the highest official of the land with apparent encouragement, financing or coaching from handlers.
It’s amazing how such people are allowed to disrupt the life of a nation.

The present situation in Manila is somewhat like in America at the height of Watergate scandal before the resignation of President Richard Nixon. In fact, even the issue is coined after that of Watergate...Gloriagate.

During that period, the trust of the American people on the Executive Branch of their government was at its lowest. In the Philippines today, the Filipinos evidently distrust all three branches of government.

However, in a separate report late last month, investment brokerage Bear Stearns analyst John Stuermer said there was a 50-60 percent probability that Ms. Arroyo would last until 2010, a slim 23-35 percent chance that she would be given a “graceful exit” via a Charter change, and a 15-20 percent likelihood she would be impeached by Congress.

(Analyses of political and economic situations like the one above serve as guide to investors in their decision-making processes.)

Many say the Filipinos do not have an alternative leader in mind. So, they are willing to stick with their president. After all, their president was elected, with a little help from a friend, (according to her opponents and to Paul McCartney’s song), to serve for six years.

Besides, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is not perturbed by the hyperactivity of her political enemies. She is determined to continue leading. As she said during a recent meeting with the local press, “The important thing is what we do to move on.”

This President has again started invoking the wisdom and lessons she learned from her father (former President Diosdado Macapagal). “My father once said that when you are the president, you should be prepared to make the sacrifices,” she said in the same press conference last week.

Including the ultimate sacrifice? I hope not.

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Perhaps one positive effect of the disruptive power play in Manila is the increasing awareness on the part of some to look deeper into the causes of problems in Philippine society and find possible solutions.

Some academicians from the University of the Philippines and leaders of so-called civil society groups collected their ideas and came up with a “blueprint for a viable Philippines,” hoping to bring solutions to the county’s problems.

The group, led by former activist UP president Francisco Nemenzo Jr., recommended the shift to “a simplified, universal and equitable gross taxation system,” the modernization of the agriculture and service sectors, the negotiation for a five-year relief on interest payments for foreign debt, and the doubling or tripling of the education budget.

I have watched two television programs recently on The Filipino Channel where the participants discussed the “whys” of the issues of the day, and what can be done.

This space recommended the creation of a soul-searching commission. A Manila lawyer who is a recent U.S. visitor and leader in her community and her church, was quick to respond. We were informed that our proposal for a soul-searching panel will be adopted by her church and that it will be recommended to her entire diocese.

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While I was in London recently, I received a lengthy e-mail about one of our earlier columns from a lady who said she’s a radio broadcaster in Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao. I promised to reply to her when I return to the U.S. However, I accidentally deleted her mail. If she happens to read this on the Internet, please send me another mail so I can answer. Sorry and thank you.

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Our help was sought by a Catholic elementary school in Jersey City. If you have a child or know a child who will be Grade 7 in September, said school is offering scholarships to new students in that grade level of up to 50 percent of tuition depending on the qualifications. If you are interested, you may call The OLC School at (201) 434-2405.
This offer is only for new Grade 7 students from other schools, not for those who are already studying in that school.

E-mail: MCaball241@aol.com