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Listening to Bolero at 3 a.m., I thought about
insomniacs and wondered how they cope with sleeplessness. I decided
I would make good use of our problem by organizing the sleepless and
keeping ourselves busy at nights.
First, I have to find out who the
insomniacs are, the confessed and the closet ones. I know I could
recruit Imelda Marcos and her brother Kokoy, known for
night-till-dawn sessions dreaded by the “Sir” and “Ma’am”
followers. From two friends, I got the name of Batangas Gov. Vilma
Santos. I can’t miss with former President Joseph Estrada who
probably is eager to reconvene his infamous Midnight Cabinet.
Some people must be losing sleep
these days. Former Speaker Jose de Venecia is undecided whether to
testify or not on the new ZTE revelations. Secretary Romulo Neri is
dying to return to NEDA but, first, he must accomplish his original
assignment at the Commission on Higher Education (which everyone has
forgotten, including Neri) ordered by President Arroyo.
I texted friends if they were
insomniacs or who knew famous somnambulists. Former Bulacan Vice
Gov. Bernie Ople confesses to being one. Willie Nepomuceno is not
sure. Zip Roxas says Ms. Remy Martin takes care of his sleep. Former
NPC President Roy Mabasa relates the story about the wife of a Pasay
politician who has the worst case because she is up the whole night.
I thought I could recruit easily
from the ranks of musicians, night-duty watchmen, long-distance
truck drivers, workers in 24-hour outlets, announcers on graveyard
shift, call-center operators and politicians stricken with
conscience.
I thought about a good name for
the group. Walang Tulugan is too obvious. Eyes Wide Open? I decided
to sleep on it.
If the journalist and artist
Emilio Aguilar (Abe) Cruz were alive, he would make an ideal
chairman. His insomnia was the envy of aspiring writers. Instead of
cursing the darkness, he turned to painting and learned French.
The members ought to be busy at
night when the world has completely forgotten us. Telephone calls
and texting could keep us sufficiently busy. We ought to have a
clubhouse where we could meet, chat, have coffee and commiserate
with each other. A chess tournament is not a bad idea. A part-time
night job could be helpful.
But we really have to think
long-term. The club could become a national organization. We could
lobby Congress, city hall and Malacañang. Insomniacs have rights,
too. We could ask for a 20-percent discount on medicines and liquor.
We could ask for seating privilege on the LRT and MRT trains because
we are woozy on mornings. Compulsory membership in the
government’s state insurance fund sounds promising.
We would have an easier time if
we organize an Insomniac Party-list Group and run for Congress. With
the worsening problems like rice and gas price hikes, water and air
pollution, fare increases, traffic anarchy and government scandals,
more and more Filipinos are likely to spend sleepless nights.
There ought to be regular
activities, like an awards night where we honor the Insomniac of the
Year or Best Examples in Coping with Insomnia. We shall ask
President Arroyo to appoint a Presidential Adviser on Sleeplessness.
In partnership with an NGO, we could launch an Adopt an Insomniac
Program that would welcome a “niac” to a hospitable home.
What will be our contribution to
the nation? We could man lighttowers or serve as volunteers in the
national planetarium. We are prepared to join the police on
neighborhood patrols. Serving as guinea pigs for sleep-inducing
medicines and technologies is fine.
The group needs credibility and
prestige for support. If the Filipino people know about the
world-famous insomniacs who made history and made a difference, they
would likely support us. It will impress them to know that the
Museum of Insomniacs includes Napoleon, Winston Churchill, Thomas
Edison, Abraham Lincoln, Margaret Thatcher, Benjamin Franklin,
Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Marilyn Monroe, Vincent van Gogh, Judy
Garland, Mark Twain, Groucho Marx, zzzzzzzz…
opinion@manilatimes.net.
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