Water snake good for government top 3 ‘rats’

The cautious and the wise water snake will slither through the new year most likely to bring an “intimate and passionate” love life to the country’s bachelor leader if he finds it, according to a feng shui consultant.

The Year of the Water Snake, which officially holds sway from Feb. 10, 2013, to Jan. 30, 2014, also augurs prosperity for the government especially with three of its top officials—President Aquino, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. born under the Year of the Rat.

“The Rat is one of the prosperous sign for the Year of the Water Snake… and if you have three Rats under one roof, it’s super lucky!,” said  Dr. Andy Tan in a phone interview on Sunday.

It will also likely bring good fortune to banking and finance, real estate and property development, and even to sari-sari stores or carinderias (eateries), said Tan.

Tan has been practicing for more than 20 years feng shui, an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to use the laws of heaven and earth to help improve one’s life by receiving positive energy (qi).

During the Water Snake’s reign, the country will continue to experience progress and abundance amid the festering fiscal crisis in the United States and financial market meltdown in Europe if good governance is sustained and the public-private partnership (PPP) projects is fully implemented.

“These factors will provide us with a beautiful economic forecast for the new year,” said Tan. An accelerated government spending and a boost in consumer purchasing power will also lift the country’s credit ratings, he added.

Not great for Binay

The new year won’t be exactly great for Vice President Jejomar Binay, who was born in the Year of the Horse—the “contrapelo” of the Rat sign in the Chinese zodiac and whose compatibility with the Water Snake is “merely average,” Tan said.

But 2014, which is the Year of the Wood Horse, will be another story for Binay, said Tan.

As 2013 progresses, the Rat’s luck will start to wane and this will most likely affect Mr. Aquino’s approval rating, which is expected to gradually slump after the midterm elections in May.

But the mysterious and careful Water Snake will allot the President room for a “very exciting and very intimate” romance in the third quarter of its reign—from August to October.

Passionate love

If he manages to get hitched in the last quarter, from November to January, he will have a “very passionate” love life, Tan said.

“If he doesn’t get hitched in 2013, it’s not advisable to marry in the next two years because the energy is low,” he said.

“So the best time for him to get married is toward the end of 2013… and if he can marry someone born in the year of the Monkey or Dragon, it will be a jackpot. He will be very happy and everything will be positive,” Tan added.

Tan also said that the brewing coup in the Senate against Enrile could succeed. Enrile’s hold on the upper chamber will highly depend on the outcome of the May elections, which are expected to become a season of balimbings (turncoats), ahasan (betrayal) and nepotism.

All about popularity

According to his forecast, the administration-led Liberal Party will win only at least four seats in the Senate while its rival, the United Nationalist Alliance will score five to six seats.

Unfortunately, the wisdom and careful planning of the Water Snake will have no influence in politics, especially in the coming elections in the absence of “a good basket of candidates,” said Tan.

“Like the Snake, the people will supposedly think but the majority of the voters belong to Class E. So there’s not much wisdom [at play]…it’s all name recall and popularity vote,” he said.

There is nothing much to expect from the national elections but he said the local balloting would be hotly contested, noisy and festive “with a little violence but not much bloodshed.”

Low energy for GMA

The stars won’t align yet this year for former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The Pig, Arroyo’s animal sign, has the lowest energy in the Year of the Water Snake.

“Based on my personal reading, her health will continue to deteriorate and she will be defeated if the charges will be pursued against her,” said Tan. But she could be spared “out of mercy” due to her health, he added.

Good for households

Generally, the new year will be good for Filipinos. Households will experience an increased cash flow, particularly during the election season, which could continue later in the year if the government pushed through with its infrastructure projects.

Big businesses like banking and finance, and real estate and property development will run smoothly in the Year of the Water Snake.

Water refilling

For enterprising Filipinos, they can reap good fortune in businesses related to consumer products, haute couture as well as landscape and floral designing.

But plans to invest in a water refilling station should be put on hold. “That’s too much water,” Tan said.

Ordinary entrepreneurs may also want to explore the gaming industry, which is expected to provide fertile opportunities when it booms this year, he added.

Small sari-sari stores and carinderias are expected to do well this year. “No need for franchising food businesses which is just a waste of money. Go for homemade products, which will make money because the people have money to spend on food and services,” said Tan.

Attend happy occasions

For those whose animal signs are not compatible with the Water Snake, especially the Pig and the Tiger, they are advised to attend happy occasions like baptism and wedding, and skip funerals and visiting the sick in hospitals for a balanced “yin and yang.”

Those born under these animal signs are also advised to hold on to their cash instead of investing in any business.

But there is good news for these apparently luckless batch. Tan said they could counter their misfortunes not with expensive lucky charms but by what he called “inner charm”—prayers, hard work and perseverance.