Waiting for Twenty Oh Eight

By the time this will be published, it will be the end of the year on half of the world while the other half will still wait for one day. 365 days have passed, another year to be filled with new memories to remember and new headlines to read.

These are some of the personal highlights that I remembered of the year that was.

International

Most recent news was the assassination of Benazir Bhutto last December 27. She was a formidable opposition leader and former Pakistani Prime Minister for two terms, 1988-1990 and 1993-1996. The last king or shah of Afghanistan, Mohammed Zahir Shah, died from a prolonged illness last July 23. He reigned Afghanistan for four decades, from 1933 to 1973.

Local

President Joseph Estrada got a presidential pardon from a guilty verdict that should not have been. It should have been acquittal but because of the Filipino political hullabaloos, it turned out negative, plus the fact that the legitimacy of the current administration will be at question. The wife of former senator Rene Saguisag, Dulce, died from a car accident last November 8. Rene Villanueva, a Filipino writer who wrote the famous theme song of Batibot, a children TV show in the Philippines, died of stroke last December 5. Another failed standoff in the city of Makati last November 29 happened with major personalities from the senate, army, religious groups and other civilians as the frontliners. Two explosions happened on different locations on different dates, one was in Glorietta Mall in Makati City last October 19 and the other was in the House of Representatives in Quezon City last November 13.

Sports

Manny Pacquiao did it again. He made history by losing in the political contest in South Cotabato, Philippines, last May. He did win in his fight last October 7 against Marco Antonio Barrera with a unanimous decision. He is now continuing his studies and taking up business administration course.

Entertainment