Tindahan Ni Gloria

Inasmuch as I avoid self-indulgent rants against the government (because, c'mon, let's face it, who doesn't have an issue against it?), something I've come across has managed to irritate me no end. You may have seen the government ads shouting the virtue of shopping at Tindahan Ni Gloria, where one can purchase daily food necessities at very low prices. Sure it's great that ordinary folks with ordinary means can buy rice cheaply, but why throw instant noodles into the mix? Have these awkward imitations of decent home cooking now become part of the day-to-day staple of Juan Dela Cruz? Are Filipinos who tread the poverty line not entitiled to some real meat or even canned fish at prices they can afford? Is that how shallow and lowly the government views the majority of Pinoys?

I remember when Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, at a time when he was still allowed to speak for The President, had one of his more inspired moments of glib and said that he believed the price of instant noodles was still cheap when prices of basic goods were on the rise. Every other valiant AM radio commentator pounced on his words like tigers devouring freshly-caught prey. Well, what do you expect from the guy who said "Hello Garci" was actually "Hello Gary"? Not much if you ask me, that's why Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita acts as Presidential Bullhorn now (the official source of Bull***t?). I hope and pray that if and when we actually have a rice shortage and the government tells us we should change our food staple, Mr. Ermita won't get up to the podium to tell us that "at least we have enough instant noodles."