Traffic jam and news blackout

Today, late in the afternoon, there was a heavy traffic jam in Bgy. Tiring, Cabatuan, Iloilo. Vehicles and throngs of people lined the sides and the middle of the road. No, there was no fiesta. There was no road accident. There were no road repairs. No, none of the roadside tarpaulins of Gloria Arroyo were toppled by the wind and the rains, and created a disaster on the highway. No, no airplane overshot the Iloilo Airport runway and nosedived near Tiring Elementary School.

None of the passengers of the passing vehicles knew what happened or was happening. Iloilo City-bound vehicles were virtually stopped and they lined askance all the way to the adjoining barangay of Tabucan. Cabatuan-bound vehicles were slightly lucky even if they moved a bit faster than a snail. At least, Cabatuan-bound passengers were assured they will be home by dinner.

So, why this traffic jam? What happened? Why were there so many cars with red plates near the school? And why so many usyuseros and usyuseras around, as if may shooting ka pelikula in this remote brownout ridden barangay?

At about 6:00 pm, everybody got the answer. First, they saw a hand waving like a beauty queen gone ugly. Then, they saw the mole. Then, that toothy rabbity smile... or smirk. Yes, Marilene. At around 6:00 pm Gloria Macapagal Arroyo made a dramatic entrance in Bgy Tiring.

So, why was she there? What was she doing? Nobody knew for sure. Some said she was there to inaugurate a Botica sa Barangay. But they were not sure. Others said she might be running for Congresswoman in the Third District of Iloilo. Wasn’t she there also last month? And the other month? Frequent? As frequent as her visits in Pampanga? Ah, chismis.

But why was the visit not known?

In the evening news, there was no mention nor footage of the Arroyo visit, unlike her other visits. But there was a mention about the news blackout. Yes, news reporters snubbed Arroyo’s visit allegedly because of a Malacanang factotum decree that only one handpicked reporter will ask Arroyo a question. The others will just listen like tape recorders. The factotum’s decree raised more questions. Ano bala ang ginatago ni Arroyo? Ano ang ginakahadlukan ni Arroyo? Indi bala siya gusto pamangkuton parte kay Gibo Teodoro? And rather than be fed with the lies and the calibrated responses, the media mounted a news blackout.

And just as the media were peeved by Arroyo’s sudden media-shyness, the commuters too were cursing because they were delayed by another shooting ka pelikula ni Gloria. Pila na naman ka boto ang nadula.

So, there. Now, you know. It’s no longer a news blackout.@