I HAVE yet to agree with a Marcos in 62 years , which is my age. But you have to appreciate the crafting of Senator Marcos’ response to the government’s war against Balikbayan boxes. The boxes, Mr. Marcos said, are now the endearing replacements to the love letters that homesick Filipinos abroad used to send to their families back home.

Instead of the written expression of love, remembrance and caring, Mr. Marcos said, the homesick Filipino overseas now have an itemized list – broken down to the last intimate detail – of things in the box for every member of his or her family here. It is now the second best way to express intimacy, after the Skype chats. And we are fully aware, the senator said, of the blood and sweat and toil dedicated to buy those things inside those boxes, painstakingly itemized for every member of the family back home.

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