JUST 70km south of Manila lies the great Lake Taal, easily the equal of Sumatras Toba, so far from Jakarta. The mayor of one part of the shore is the only Muslim anywhere to be seen. He ran unopposed and is a successful businessman. His wife is a local Christian. Their son is a Muslim, the daughter a Christian. One of his predecessors during his mayoralty gained riches beyond riches, and was gunned down. The first is honest beyond reproach; about the second, the less said the better. I write from Villa Taal, my humble residence a good part of the time here on 150m of the same beach.
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