Last Saturday evening I experienced something I have not seen in the last 17 years of my living here in Canada.

At the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Ottawa’s fund-raising dance we saw the emergence of the youth as exponents of maturing leadership. The dance was clearly a successful event both in terms of attendance, which means higher ticket sales and bigger food and drinks revenue from the consuming throng that came and as equally important – the vibrant display of fun and enjoyment that pervaded in the cavernous basement hall of the Assumption Church in Vanier.

PBA’s current president, Manny Beloy and wife Yola swear that was one of the most successful community fund raising events in many years past. Behind such success, credit is attributed to the enthusiasm, energy and youthful idealism of PBA-Ottawa’s young members. With the guided challenge posed by the association’s adult leadership, the youth responded and functioned like well-oiled cylinders organizing, planning, promoting, synchronizing and finally indulging in the company of parents and peers alike as they jumped, gyrated, punked, shake and yes, danced to the rhythmic sound of crisp dollar bills filling the PBA coffers.

And yet nobody seemed tired – not even the parents and adult leaders who were busy attending various chores. The road to the big summer event, the very reason for the fund drive, is short but arduous. And they have just begun.

Come August, basketball teams from at least 16 American and Canadian cities will compete in friendly but high quality games as the basketball loving Filipinos living in North America celebrate this annual hoop tournament in Ottawa. Before and during that time, PBA-Ottawa has to muster enough resources and logistics to successfully host this big event.

All hands will be appreciated. Money for sporting goods and venue rentals must be raised early enough. Volunteers to support the various activities in multiple venues are needed. The kids are showing the way with their youthful idealism. We want them to succeed and appreciate the value of working hard and cooperation, don’t we?

As one community, let us provide PBA-Ottawa all the support and assistance we can offer.

Bad habits die hard. Filipino Congressman Crispin Beltran, one of the three party list representatives currently touring Canada, failed to rein his temper and exhibited his disdain of others’ opposing views as he pejoratively called Tinig Pinoy host Regina Sosing-Ferrar a fascist. Ms. Sosing-Ferrar is an Associate Editor of Pinoy Eh, the only newspaper serving the Filipino-Canadians in Ottawa in particular.

Ka Bel, as he is popularly known in the Philippines, must think everybody knows what in his view is happening in the Philippines or that nobody thinks differently about the state of affairs in the Philippines. Or, he must think he is superior to everyone else. Barely seconds after perfunctory introductions, without hesitation or respect to the views of others, Beltran launches a tirade about the oppressive, repressive government of Arroyo and the massive resistance it generates. That when even simple questions are asked for clarity’s sake – one is tagged a fascist.

If true, the human rights violations and the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, as reported by the three touring solons to members of the Canadian parliament, should be given the due attention by the Philippine authorities. Proper measures should be taken to uncover and punish the guilty. Meaningful reforms should be put in place to prevent such from happening again.

However, Crispin Beltran must realize that this is the very reason why he and his two colleagues are waging this propaganda in Canada. One would think that their objective is bring these reported abuses to the attention of people other than those in the Philippines and put a stop to it. Surely, questions have been asked by others. One wonders then how many more Regina Sosing-Ferrar have been branded by Beltran as fascist because they asked questions?

In contemporary political discourse, adherents of some political ideologies tend to associate fascism with their enemies, or define it as the opposite of their own views. Considering his age and experience, Ka Bel should handle such questions with candor and wit.

Or, is failure manifesting itself already?