MY BATTLE WITH DIABETES

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2012-01-10T18:13:00.000-05:00

What Kind of Legal System Do We Have in the Philippines?

2011-05-25T14:48:00.003-04:00

Reading about the case of Governor Leviste’s obvious privileges, a convicted killer and inmate at the Bilibid Prisons in Manila, and who made a mockery of the legal system in the Philippines, made me and many Filipinos so angry and furious.

In the first place, what kind of legal system do we have in the Philippines? I could not believe and imagine that some inmates, though how notorious their case maybe, as in the case of Mr. Leviste, are given free lunch and so much privileges. Never in my imagination have I heard an inmate who is given what they call ‘living out’ or ‘sleep out’ privileges. According to the news report, this has been a practice going back to the past administrations. My question is, has the prison system in the Philippines changed into a hotel for inmates? To my understanding, a prison is a place where you confine criminals even against their will as a punishment for committing criminal acts, and/or violating the laws of the land.

But let’s take the case of Mr. Leviste. Leviste has been found to have committed murder. For this, he was sent into Prison at the Bilibid Prisons in Manila. A few days ago, somebody was able to take a picture and video of him going in and out of the Bilibid prisons. When the Media finally caught up and interviewed Mr. Leviste and asked how he was able to go in and out of the Bilibid Prisons, he said that he did not ask anyone for permission. He made this alibi of walking out from the Bilibid Prison because he had a terrible toothache and had a Dentist appointment. Upon further investigation, however, it was not true that he had any dentist appointment that day as Mr. Leviste claimed earlier. His claim was disputed by his dentist. However, the issue here is: How did an inmate like Mr. Leviste got in and out of the Bilibid Prison? Does the Prison system in the Philippines so lax that any inmate could just walk in and out of the prison compound as they please? Or, did Mr. Leviste got in and out of the prison because he was given “special privileges” by the prison officials? Was this “special privileges” given to all the inmates, or given only to some who are rich and powerful like Mr. Leviste? Does the new bilibid prison chief Mr. Ernesto Diokno know about this practice? The truth is, in the Philippine Inquirer Today (May 25, 2011), Mr. Ernesto Diokno acknowledged of dropping the ball on the issue of “special privileges” on some inmates. During a hearing conducted by the Department of Justice on Wednesday, Diokno told investigators that he had noticed that “special privileges” were being doled out to some inmates, particularly those allowed in separate facilities (“nipa huts”) outside the minimum security compound. But Diokno denied that he had anything to do with the unauthorized trips of the convicted killer, Mr. Antonio Leviste. And then he said that “he was only concerned with policies.”

Let us scrutinize this case at issue. In the first place, who said so that there should be “special privileges” extended to any inmate at the bilibid prison? There is nothing in the constitution or any law of the land that mandates or gives orders that some inmates or prisoners be given “special privileges.” Therefore, whoever initiated this practice should be immediately investigated and sacked out from their office. Second, We would earnestly recommend that Mr. Diokno, the head of the bilibid prison be removed immediately from his office. Mr. Diokno, don’t tell us that your only concerned is about policies. You are the chief of the Bilibid prisons. Whatever happens at the Bilibid Prisons is your responsibility. Do you know the meaning of “command responsibility,”Mr. Diokno?

With the case of Mr. Leviste, I think it is time for the President to make an overhaul of the Prison system in the Philippines. We need new policies and new restructuring of the prison system. I recommend that all the current officials, from the chief of the bilibid prisons down to the lowest level, be immediately sacked from their jobs. What happened in the case of Mr. Leviste was a mockery of the legal system. Also, it brings to fore once again the recurring problem in the country – which is corruption in government. It is time for the President to show to everyone that he really means business when he says that fighting corruption is his number one priority. Likewise, the legal system should be an institution whereby we can depend and trust. Hence, everyone should be treated with fairness and justice by the law. Our laws are meant not only for the rich and powerful like Mr. Leviste, but for everyone even like Mang Pandoy. Therefore, everyone should be treated fairly and squarely. Otherwise, people will lose their faith on our legal system. If that happens, a revolt from the people may deem again possible.

Three Filipinos were Executed in China

2011-04-11T10:31:00.001-04:00

Three Filipino workers convicted of drug trafficking were executed by lethal injection in China on Wednesday, March 30, 2011.The three were identified as Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, 32, Elizabeth Batain, 38, and Ramon Credo, 42, the Philippines' GMA News reported. The executions were scheduled last month but were postponed after Philippine Vice President Jeomar Binay went to China to appeal for their case on behalf of the Philippine government. Now, after two months of reprieve, the Chinese government has finally enacted its verdict – the execution of three of our compatriots.

What can we possibly say about this execution? Let me reflect with you today of what I think about this whole incident. First of all, we as Filipinos sympathize with the families of the victims who were executed in China. Although their families were given a chance to see their loved ones just before the three were executed, but what good is that? When they found themselves at the edge of life, hopeless, grieving and could not do nothing more? When their appeals and cries landed on deaf ears and they had nowhere else to go? When even God himself seemed to have distanced himself from them and they could nowhere find Him? Every Filipino cries out with these families who are grieving because of their lost. We cry out and mourn with the families of the victims, not because we condone what the victims allegedly perpetrated, but for many of us – we don’t see them as “drug traffickers or drug pushers”, but simply “victims” of illegal drug traffickers. Being “drug traffickers and drug pushers” per se is quite different from being “victims” of real drug traffickers. Of course, we can never know what really happened. From the legal point of view, the Chinese government would defend their action and say that they were just following their law and constitution. Anyone who violates their laws would be meted out with the same penalty. My point of discussion is not about the content of their law or constitution. If that’s their law, fine. My question,however, is: Did they really make a real, honest and truthful investigation of the case? If they were really serious about the case, and if they intended to be objective and comprehensive in their investigation, as they should have done, then they should have really investigated even the background of these persons whom they executed. As we all know now, the three ‘pinoys’ did not come from a well-to-do family. They were ordinary Filipinos who just dreamt of giving their families a better future. In spite of the known- hardship of separation from their loved ones,they sacrificed everything, went to work in another country, hoping to find a job so they could help their families back home. But this dream just crumpled into ruins.Their recruiters, according to these three Filipinos, ‘used’ them to carry heroins to China. Whether they knew they were carrying some contraband drugs –no one could really say for certain. As an outsider but prudent observer, I could never imagine that Sally Ordinario, for example, a wife with two kids,would be branded as ‘drug trafficker’ per se? Of course, I am not discounting the fact that any person, whether poor or rich, can become a drug trafficker if he or she chooses to do so. I am aware that money can buy anything, even one’s soul. But let us be realistic and practical here. Could you really imagine a simple house wife like Sally Ordinario or Elizabeth Batain become real ‘drug pushers’ as they were branded upon by the Chinese government? Either they were desperate to do anything (because of the glare of money), or they were simply dumb and crazy. I will stand by their statements that they were just used by drug traffickers to transport the contraband drugs (or heroin). I refuse to accept that they were in a state of desperation to do anything because they had their families and children to think about. It’s my honest opinion that executing these three ‘pinoys’ were a damned mistake. I refuse to accept that they were the real culprits. That is why, the Philippine Government should exhaust all its resources to go after the real drug pushers and drug traffickers in the country who continue to pry on fellow Filipinos, and use them for these illegal trades. Again, we should not stop our campaign against these illegal traders. We should continue to warn our nationals and overseas workers never to engage in such illegal activities. Otherwise, they will eventually pay a very high price like these three pinoys who were executed in China.

This brings me to another point of discussion. I would like to ask: to what extent did the Philippine government had helped and assisted, if they did at all, these three Filipinos in their ordeal? I heard on the news and read on the papers about the Philippine Government assisting the families of the accused going to China at the eleventh hour? I heard as well about some Philippine lawyers assisting the accused at their trial. My point of interest is not so much what the Philippine Government did at the last hour. But the point of discussion is– were the accused assisted from the very beginning of their trial, or just when the Media started to publicize their case? What help did the accused had gotten from the Philippine Government – at the beginning of the trial, during the trial, and at the completion of the case? As Filipino citizens, the accused individuals should have gotten all the necessary help they needed to win their case. I hate to say that in a number of instances, the Philippine Government would come to the aid of such individuals only at the eleventh hour. Take the case of the Filipinos who needed to be evacuated from Libya and other Arab countries in turmoil, the help from our government came too late. Then, about two days ago, there was a news on TFC (The Filipino Channel) about a Filipina in Dubai who was abducted, jailed and raped. But nobody had ever assisted her – not even the Philippine Government, until recently, when the case was publicized in the media. Why is that? In my observation, there seems to be a lack of concern, interest, or political will, from the part of the Philippine Government to follow up cases such as these mentioned. If this is so, then this is a real set back. First of all, this negates the very essence and role of government. That the government exists and subsists to protect its citizenry. And also, it sheds a bad light on the image of the President of the Republic. This just shows that the President lacks the ability to run the government as he should. Maybe it’s time again to evaluate whether our government is doing its job or not.

I’d like to pose some concerns I have towards the Chinese government. Yes, the Chinese Government executed three of our compatriots because they found them allegedly to have violated the Chinese laws and constitution. In their case, the three Filipinos were convicted of drug trafficking – and the penalty was death. Out of curiosity, if those convicted were not Filipinos, say they were Americans or British, would the Chinese Government have had the muscle to execute them as well? How many drug traffickers from the US, Britain, or France have China executed so far? Do their laws apply for everyone, or do they apply only to poor people from third world countries? I am just curios. Also, I know that China is one of the countries which has the worse records as far as violation of human rights is concerned. No wonder, killing its own people like what happened at Tianenmen square some few years back, or enacting capital punishment like death penalty,are just some manifestation of this. In my opinion, it’s time for governments to abolish death penalty.

I’d like to address myself to all our compatriots especially those who are working abroad. I hope that what happened to our three “kababayans” who were executed in China would serve as a lesson for everyone. I hope, by now, you are smart to know that if you are caught dealing or exporting contraband drugs, you could possibly be meted out with the same punishment – which is death. Don’t risk your life and fate by engaging in these illegal activities. There are more important things in life than money. Think about your family, your life, and your many sacrifices. Dealing such illegal trades, or letting yourself being used as a “mule” by drug traffickers is not worth it. For those who are engaged in these illegal trades,we earnestly ask you to think twice. Our law enforcements are running after you.

At this time, as we mourn with the family of our three compatriots who were executed in China, we would like as well to commend Sally, Elizabeth and Ramon to your prayers. We pray for the repose of their souls. May they rest in peace.

THE TRAGIC KIDNAPPING AT RIZAL PARK

2010-09-01T08:57:00.002-04:00

The kidnapping incident by a disgruntled Filipino policeman at Rizal Park, Manila last August 22, 2010, Monday, where eight Hongkong tourist nationals got killed elicited so much anger and questions from the respected families of the injured and the deceased as well as from the countries of their origin.

A lot of questions had been raised from many people as well as from the various sectors of society as to why such a tragic incident was permitted to happen in the heart of the city of Manila. In the first place, a lot of anger has been directed to the Philippine government, for their inefficiency and for their lack of coordinated supervision in handling the case. But a lot of the blame and finger pointing were directed to the manila national police who displayed a lack of training especially among the swat team members who stormed the kidnapped bus, after the negotiations failed, and which resulted in the tragic death of the eight Hongkong tourist nationals.

The question is: Was there any way in which the tragic incident could have been prevented? A British expert on terrorism made some very revealing observation about this incident. The British expert pointed out some of the obvious lapses made by the manila national police who were involved in the negotiation as well as on the assaulting team operation. This British terrorism expert mentioned that such a tragic incident could have been prevented if: the government negotiators gave in to Mr. Mendoza's demand in the first place, that he be re-instated to his job and position. Recall that Mr. Mendoza, the disgruntled policeman who hijacked the tourist bus, demanded that he be re-instated into his former position and into active duty. According to the report, Mr. Mendoza had been sacked from his job and position in the police force a year before for alleged distortion, grave threat and robbery cases. Now he wanted to have his job and position back. He claimed that he had been unfairly treated and discharged. According to the British terrorism expert, granted that the government gave in to Mr. Mendoza's demand, in reality, his agreement with the government would have had no legal bearing whatsoever because it was solicited and accomplished under duress. Hence, the government could have said "yes" to Mendoza's demand, but had no binding obligation to follow the agreement afterwards. As we all know, any kind of agreement secured under duress has no legal or binding obligations whatsoever. Second, in you tube video, you can see that during the process of negotiations, there were two individuals (I assumed they were government negotiators) who were talking with Mr. Mendoza at the front step of the bus. While Mr. Mendoza was standing at the steps of the bus, in full view of everyone, his gun was pointed down, and he was apparently talking with the negotiators at a short distance. At this time, the two negotiators could have easily grabbed him, tackle down and disarm Mr. Mendoza, or otherwise, a sharpshooter could have easily taken him down in an instant. Another strategy that the manila police force could have utilized was to wear down Mr. Mendoza. In other words, the negotiators could have bought some more time, until Mr. Mendoza finally surrendered, either of tiredness, hunger, or lack of option to consider. The desire by the police to bring in a relative(Mr. Mendoza's brother, in fact) to negotiate was a tactical mistake, according to some observers. Patience and time are very important in negotiations like this. Obviously, the using of "time" as a weapon was never really considered in this case. Next, what was so frustrating to see in the live video was the fact that when the assaulting team was ordered to go in, they did not have the right equipment to use to break in the glass door and windows of the bus. They were using a mere sledge hammer. It took them quite sometime before they could finally break the glass door open and enter in. Now, what is very important in a kidnapping rescue like this is the element of surprise. But, obviously, in this rescue incident at the Rizal park, there was no element of surprise whatsoever. While the assaulting team was trying to break the glass door of the bus - which took them sometime - Mr. Mendoza, at this time, could have already killed his hostages. The question is, why did not the assaulting team used the right equipment to break the glass door open? The British terrorism expert said that given the right equipment and tools, the assaulting team could have easily break in the door or windows of the bus in an instant. But this did not happen here. Also, from the video, you could see that the assaulting team were just concentrated on one area - opening up the door of the bus. They could have used the windows or the back door of the bus for entry, aside from the door entrance. But, unfortunately, the assaulting team, as described by many reports, did not have a ladder to use so they could have entered through the windows of the bus easily, or other means of entrance. Now, if I was the commander overseeing the rescue operation, I would have utilized both "land and air" power for the rescue operation. Some of the assaulting team members could have been dropped from a helicopter and entered on both sides of the bus windows, and made a surprise attack on the hijacker from that vantage point. Or, otherwise, they could have used some tactical deception to mislead Mr. Mendoza into believing that they were entering through the windows via helicopter, while in fact some of the assaulting team could have entered the bus via different entrance routes. Yes, there were a number of options that could have been considered in the rescue operation, but unfortunately, the assaulting team leaders did not have the right training to implement a good plan at such a very critical rescue operation.

As a result of this debacle, there were eight tourist nationals who died in the rescue operation. Hongkong and China were obviously angry. They are demanding some apology and thorough investigation from the Philippine government on the tragic incident. During the past week, President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III has come out in the media and made some apologetic remarks and extended condolences on the families of all the victims. He has declared August 25th as a National Day of Mourning for the victims. The Senate just had an inquiry on the same incident, whereby they were trying to get to the bottom of this tragic incident. As of this date, the head of the manila national police had resigned, and four of the team leaders of the assaulting team were relieved from their post. In the meantime, as President Aquino was asking for a thorough investigation on the incident, he promised to relieve and punish all those responsible for this debacle. He likewise formed a new swat group which was composed by the military and the police - to be trained well for rescue operation purposes. Because of this hijacking incident in manila, a lot of tourists are apparently scared and wondering whether they could ever be safe in the Philippines. Due to this incident also, a number of tourists especially from Hongkong and China have cancelled their previous reservations in coming to the Philippines. This was kind of worrisome for the Philippine Tourism Industry as there are about 140,000 Hongkong Nationals who visit the Philippines yearly, according to a Philippine News Report.

Now, what are we going to do from here on? I have a few suggestions to make. First, the Philippine government have to do its job - finish its investigation on the case as thorough but quickly as possible, and then present the result to the media for public disclosure. Everyone is interested to know what really happened, especially for the families of the injured and the victims - for their own closure and healing. Second, we have to show to the world that we are determined to do the right thing. If in the final report some people in the government or in the military are found wanting, or were determined that they were inefficient in their given tasks, then they have to be immediately relieve from their posts and be meted out with the corresponding punishment or penalty. Nobody should be above the law especially if it pertains to national security. Third, for the newly formed swat team, and for the other tactical teams already established by the different military agencies, which were originally formed for rescue operation purposes, all should undergo a training and retraining program, be equipped with the necessary tools and ammunitions to accomplish their jobs, and they should all be coordinated by one, single agency. Fourth, the Philippine government should immediately employ a reconstructive media promotion to repair its image, extend a hand of friendship especially with Hongkong and China by an open communication and transparent reporting of the incident, and by all means, extend all the necessary help for all the victims' families. Fifth, the military and the police have to repair their image as well. The head of the Interior Local Government, who oversees the military and police force, should initiate some necessary programs and training for all the military and police force of the country. Unfortunately, whether we like it or not, what happened at Rizal park showed some kind of reflection on our military and police force in general. With the new government under President Aquino, I think it is time that we take the necessary step to modernize our military and police force, equip them with the modern tools of warfare, and retrain them to become efficient in their assigned jobs. Our people and everyone else, including tourists and guests in our country should feel safe because our military and police are called to protect them at all costs. This is their job - to protect our country and citizenry from any internal or external aggression. But the people can only feel secure if our military and police are able to function well, do their jobs as they should, and able to restore confidence among our people. All military or police undesirables should be rooted out from their respective agencies. The military and the police should as well maintain a level of professionalism at all times in their conduct and behavior. By this, the military and the police will gain due respect from the people on whom they are called to serve and protect. Sixth, in the aftermath of the tragic incident at Rizal park, the government should re-evaluate and make a study on the role of the media in any rescue or government operations. Apparently, according to some newspaper reports, the live broadcast media during the negotiations and military operations did not help facilitate to end the hostage drama. In fact, as some people observed, it made even worse the situation. The British terrorism expert said that there should have been a news blackout during the actual negotiations and operations, for the purpose of denying the hijacker a chance to promote his cause.

As we grieve and pray for the deceased, let this be a time for self-examination and renewal for us as a country. Let this be an opportunity for us to pause and reflect, to examine our weaknesses, and to determine how we can better ourselves in the future.

It is hard to fall and feel broken, but we can always look forward of getting up. At the end of a dark tunnel, we know a light will shine through. As the song says, "At the end of the storm, the light of the sun will shine again." I know that this tragic incident at Rizal park has put us all (especially the Filipinos) at a low ebb. We have been criticized, demeaned, and made fun in the media by all sorts of people, both inside and outside. But let this serve as a lesson for us to work for a positive change. Let us work harder to make this world and our country a better place to live in. Let us join hands together to create a better world free of violence and war; let us work together to promote justice for all people; let us continue to safeguard human life at all costs, and let us live the command of Christ - to love one another, even our enemies.

We are Filipinos. We don't easily give up. We can work together to make a positive change in our country. Let this be our solemn pledge.

WHISPERS OF THE HEART

2010-09-01T08:57:00.001-04:00

Is there such a thing as whispers of the heart? Maybe there is. For some, it may just be a plain and nice expression of language. For others, it may mean nothing else but simple words put together to create what they call some compound words. For me, however, it is a way of expressing some inner sentiments that go beyond accidentals and externalities. More than we ever know, the heart has its own language that we can hardly grapple or understand at times. That is why, St. Exupery says in the Little Prince, "It is only with the heart that one sees rightly."

Love, as we know it, is generally labelled as the language of the heart. When you love someone, you are not really able to explain in any mathematical formula or scientific terms why you feel the way you do. You just feel the excitement of being in love beyond measure; there is the sense of joy being encompass. Talk about so called "sleepless nights" and dreaming of some fantasy world when you are in love. The truth is, you are not in any way living in the world of schizophrenia when you feel this way. Such sentiments, however, though unexplained, become your common language. It is just the way the heart is.

It is said too that the heart has its reasons that the mind often don't understand. It is quite strange and ironic, just to think about it. At times there is a dialogical opposition between the mind and the heart. The heart says one thing, while the mind says another. They don't often coalesce peacefully together. They seem to have their own separate and independent minds. The mind cannot dictate on the heart, but sometimes the heart can dictate on the mind. How strange.

Love is indeed a very strangest thing. When you love someone it occupies everything about you. It involves the core of your being. It is like a magnet that draws the sand to you uninterruptedly. Sometimes, even if you want to get out from such a situation, but the attraction is so forceful that you cannot easily retract. Love often defies logic and reason. That is why people often wonder why two people who maybe at opposite ends in terms of external, physical appearance can be so in love with one another. So the expression says, "beauty lies on the eye of the beholder." Everyone of us see things differently. Our folks used to tell us that if you are in love, "everything is beautiful." I guess, there is some truth to this statement.

When you love someone, you have a binding obligation for that someone. The Little Prince speaks of being responsible forever for what you have tamed. This binding obligation entails respect, care, emotional support, responsibility, and nurturing space. Love, however, is not something suffocating. It should not be. Because love, if it is truly love, is something freely given, and it is also something freely accepted. True love involves a dialogical interpenetration of beings. It is not just an exchange of emotional sentiments. It is an interchange and acceptance of persons, of beings, of values, of characters, of the whole personhood of one another. That is why, true love goes beyond the sentiment of feelings and emotional exchange.

When you love someone, it entails no limit. When one says, "I love you," it means "I love you all the way without any reservation." There is no such thing as "I love you only half way." That is why I hate the expression "I love you until further notice." Such an expression defies any true sense of love. For true love cannot be measured by time and space. As the song says, "Love is forever." When you put a limit on love, then it is not love anymore.

Love is something that goes beyond the language of man. When you try to describe it, it defies you and loses its meaning. It is something indescribable, and yet it is something real. It is something you dream, and yet you already feel it in your guts. Love is such an irony. It is mysterious and defiant as well. It is what it is when you think it is not, and it is not when you think it is. In a true sense, you don't need to speak the words of love when you love someone. Love speaks for itself.

That is why, when love beckons you - you cannot defy it, or run away from it. Let love flow into your heart and into your soul. Live love and you will find the beauty and wonders of life.

The 2010 Election In The Philippines

2010-05-09T00:43:00.000-04:00

In two days we will hold our national election in the Philippines. As I think and reflect about this coming national exercise, I feel excited that the Filipino people would be able to exercise its God-given and constitutional right, the freedom to choose the next President and leader of our Republic.

What are the qualities and characteristics I am looking for in the next President of the Republic? Here are some of them:

1. I am looking for a leader who is smart, intelligent, and God-fearing, someone who respects the rights of everyone, magnanimous in his heart, stern and well-thought in his actions, one whom every Filipino can be proud to emulate;
2. I am looking for a leader who can truly lead and guide our country become economically prosperous;
3. I am looking for a leader who will work tirelessly to improve and change the lives of many (if not all) Filipinos become a little better and more humane;
4. I am looking for a leader who can help spur our country compete in the league of nations - both in the economic, political and social arena;
5. I am looking for a leader who is just, strong-willed, and trustworthy, one who does not work for personal, family or corporate gains, but only for the service of the common good;
6. I am looking for a leader who is ready to make tough, decisive and difficult decisions - ready to root out corruption in government, have the courage to dismantle political and family dynasties, private armies, etc.;
7. I am looking for leader who is ready to respect and fight for human rights, prosecute those who abuse their powers, and investigate any kind of human abuses and the like;
8. I am looking for a leader who is ready to work out a national plan to achieve peace among the insurgents like the CPP-NPA, the Moro National Liberation Front, MILF, and other insurgent groups currently fighting against the government;
9. I am looking for a leader who is ready to implement decisive programs that will uplift immediately the conditions of many poor Filipinos, to create an environment where small and big businesses could thrive and prosper, both local and foreign, a leader who can create jobs and work for the common man, so that our citizenry would no longer seek for jobs abroad or anywhere else;
10. I am looking for a leader who is not afraid to implement new changes in government for the advancement of the common good, ready to "rock the boat" if needs be, be able to implement programs which are 'pro-poor' and viable, able to follow them up, cut red-tapes in government, and ensure that all programs geared for the people are implemented accordingly;
11. I am looking for a leader who will work expeditiously to protect the environment, our natural resources, promote "clean air," "clean energy," and the like, for the advancement of a better world;
12. I am looking for a leader who will create and implement health programs, ensure that all citizens are given health insurances, and help especially the poor and the needy;
13. I am looking for a leader who is open to current technological changes, implement new forms and ways through the use of media, latest technology, internet, etc., for the advancement of our country and the world;
14. I am looking for a leader who will modernize and strengthen our military, ready to make sweeping changes if necessary, root out military and police personnel who are corrupt and undesirables, implement reforms and programs that would benefit especially our military and veterans and their families;
15. I am looking for a leader who can implement the laws of the land, protect the constitution, uphold the courts, and see that the laws are implemented justly.

The Filipino people have been dreaming for a long time for good governance. We hope that the new President of the Republic would not let us down this time. That is why, we need to rally all Filipinos to exercise their constitutional right come election day. If we want new changes to happen in our government, and in our country, this is the time to act. We will fight our battle through the use of the ballot. We cannot let this opportunity pass us by this time. The stake is too high. Our children and our children's children depend on us their future. Therefore, this time, I urge every Filipino (who are able) to go out and vote, and vote wisely.

Don't be subdued by any intimidation of whatever kind. Listen to the voice of your conscience. Remember the saying, the voice of the people is the voice of God." Know your candidates well, examine their platforms and programs, examine their records (if any) in conjunction with their words. Don't be easily taken by nice and moving speeches. Words are sometimes cheap.

Be vigilant against vote buying, delaying tactics, force or intimidation being played by some notorious candidates and their supporters, who will do anything in order to win. In the past elections, vote buying had always been a problem. I hope it does not happen again this time. In some areas, the usual tactic of intimidation through the use of guns and goons have been prevalent, to rig the election. We hope the Commission on Election will know what to do in areas where "evil practice" of this kind is prevalent. The Filipino people know what to do if cheated again. But, we cannot be intimidated anymore. Any candidate employing such kind of tactic or the like should be investigated immediately, banned from running any electoral office, or else he should immediately be prosecuted.

During election time, the military has a big role to play not only to keep peace, but to see to it that constitutional laws and processes are implemented and the rights of the citizenry are safeguarded. Lately, we heard of some military personnel who are acting as protectors of some big-wig politicians and their cohorts. This has tarnished the image of the military. The military is a non-partisan entity, and they should remain that way. They have no right to meddle in politics in whatever form. Their role is specified by the constitution - that is, to protect the citizenry, not to meddle in politics. Any military personnel meddling in politics should be prosecuted.

This morning I read in one of the national dailies that about 80,000 students from catholic schools all over the country have volunteered to act as poll watchers during election time. I was excited and happy to hear about this. It's a good sign. Our young people are getting actively involved in the election process, to safeguard the sanctity of the ballots. We commend them for their courage and for their self-less generosity. The adults should have the same fervor and enthusiasm as our young people.

In two days we will hold the national elections, and yet, the issue of the 'cards' and configuration of some polling machines and their reliability is still a concern. These issues and concerns should have been dealt with a long time ago - not at the last minute - prior to election time. I just hope that there is nothing fishy about this. Nonetheless, the Commission on Election should look into this problem, otherwise it can create a series of problems they can never contain. Who is to blame about this? I really don't know. I hope that they should look into this very well. Something like should never happen again, I hope, in the near future.

At this time, I pray for the success of our national election in the Philippines. I urge everyone to pray for the success of this national exercise. The future of our country depends on our elected leaders. We simply cannot take this national exercise for granted.

Good Samaritan left for dead

2010-04-28T13:44:00.002-04:00

I just posted a video in www.dailygospelreflection.com from youtube entitled "Good Samaritan Left for Dead." This story was in almost all the news network the other day (4/26/2010). It's about a story of a guy who tried to help a woman who was mugged, and got himself stabbed and left for dead. A number of people passed him by in the sidewalk and never dared to help him. In fact, one guy even took a picture of the dying man. People just passed him by unconcerned, offered no help, and just continued on their way. It just reminded me about the story of the Samaritan in the scripture. This time, it is real. It just made me feel sick watching the video. I cannot imagine that people nowadays just don't care anymore. What has happened to us human beings? What has happened to our sense of humanity and connectedness? Where is our sense of values? I thought we are sons and daughters of One God. But no - many people have simply negated their affinity (relationship) with their fellow human beings. Is it really true that man is a social being? I just wonder. Such an attitude displayed in this news story negate this fact. Why do human beings don't care anymore? Does it have something to do with the feeling and senses being disensitize? I don't know. I was listening to one of the explanations being forwarded by a psychologist who was being interviewed in this video on why this prevalent attitude among many people these days. The bottom line is, if you believe in God (or even if you don't), we cannot deny the fact that we have a responsibility for our fellow human being. Not only by reason of decency, but by the fact that we belong to the same human race, that God has given us knowledge to know what is right or wrong, that we are human beings imbued with conscience and intelligence– we have an obligation for one another. If you are a believer in God, we know for a fact that we were all made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, we are all brothers and sisters because we have the same God and Father. Our obligation and responsibility for one another is a given. This video on this news story, and similar other videos, really put us all to shame. I wonder if this is not just a tip of an iceberg, an unforeseen “evil” seeping into our society, a killer cancer embedded and is gradually metastasizing in the very fabric of our souls. If this is the case, then we should all be alarmed and scared. There would come a time when everything we hold dear – such as absolute truth, love, feelings of compassion, service, sacrifice, dying for a greater good, families, country – would just become mere language devoid of meaning and substance. If ever humanity reaches that point, I am almost certain that it would be the beginning and end of humanity. God help us!

A SECOND CHANCE

2010-02-03T20:59:00.001-05:00

As some of you may know, I have been diagnosed as diabetic about two years ago today. Since then, life has not been easy. Well, the truth is, in the beginning, I was so worried and upset. When I was just diagnosed with this disease, I took all the precautions that were necessary to take care of myself. I was religiously following a diet; I was constantly in communication with my primary doctor and diabetes specialist; I was exercising regularly; I was taking my medications religiously. The bottom line is, I was taking care of myself, and doing the things that were necessary to take care of this disease. Believe it or not, by taking care of myself, I was able to regulate my blood sugar. My A1C has gone down dramatically to normal level. I was very happy with myself.

But, for whatever reason, things changed. For about two years, I became complacent. I was not taking care of myself. I was eating all kinds of food that I was not supposed to eat. I was not taking my medications regularly. I didn’t go for any physical exercise. I stopped literally going to my doctors. I didn’t go for any blood works for a long time. I simply stopped checking my blood sugar. I was simply living a lifestyle as if I was never been sick.

About two weeks ago today, I started feeling some tinge of discomfort and pain in my lower abdomen. This went on for some days. I felt a little weak and dizzy at times too. I also felt some burning sensations on my feet. At times, I would occasionally have some cramps on my leg. These were exactly some of the symptoms I had before I was diagnosed with this dreaded disease two years ago. So I knew exactly that this has something to do with my diabetes. I suspected immediately that my sugar level must be very high. When I checked my blood sugar, it was 580. This was too high from the normal level of 100-160. That day, I made an appointment immediately with my primary doctor. When I saw him, I told him that I have not been very conscientious in taking care of myself and my sickness. So he prescribed me some medications that I needed to take immediately. And he asked me to go for blood test as soon as possible. After two days, I went for my blood works. The next day, I got the result of my blood works. My A1C was very high. I think it was 11.4. The normal A1C average is 6.5 and below. My cholesterol was very high too. With these results, I know I can have complications in my kidney, heart, eyes, etc. So this started me to reflect and think of what I have to do and need to do from here on. If I want to live longer, I need to change my lifestyle now. I need to follow my regimen: take my medications regularly, consult my doctor as often as possible, have a regular check-up, exercise, diet, and do the things necessary to take care of myself. For a week now, I have been taking my oral medications regularly. I also started dieting again. This afternoon, I started doing physical exercise. I am determined to go for a walk at least 3 times a week (for at least 30 minutes). The most difficult part is dieting. I know it would not be easy, but I have to do it. I tried cutting down on carbohydrates like rice and pasta, and eating more vegetables. I will try to avoid eating any fatty foods.

It’s like I am beginning anew in my journey. I feel a little sad but I am determined to make the necessary changes in my life. Well, life is after all making choices. This time I am determined to make the right choice.

How To Improve Your Health as a Diabetic

2010-02-03T18:22:00.002-05:00

This is not a cure but rather tips for improving and preserving the health of a diabetic. According to health experts, type 1 diabetes cannot be cured, because it is a form of pancreatic dysfunction, which results when insulin producing cells cannot make enough insulin to process glucose in the body. Type 2 diabetes, however, can usually be prevented or controlled by diet and exercise, because Type 2 diabetes is typically the result of insulin resistance, which is caused by physical inactivity and poor diet.

Steps

1. Drink an ampalaya (bitter gourd/bitter melon) tea. It is well known for helping diabetic patients to maintain their blood sugar at healthy levels. Banaba tea is one of the best sources of plantisul (plant insulin). Consult your endocrinologist, diabetes educator, or dietitian before beginning this or any alternative treatment.

2.Maintain a healthy diet. Follow the advice of your doctor or diabetes educator.

3.Exercise. If it is medically safe, start exercising 30 minutes a day. A 30-minute walk at a good pace for the diabetic individual will help to reduce blood sugar, and possibly the amount of medication needed. Have a plan for exercise when taking insulin or using blood sugar lowering drugs, because exercise lowers blood glucose, and can possibly result in hypoglycemia.

4.Take doctor prescribed insulin regularly, and on time!

5.Attend all laboratory tests and doctors' appointments.

6.Have your hemoglobin A1c test done every 3 months or as directed by your physician. Aim for a value of 6.5% or less as recommended by the American Diabetes Association. This test measures your average blood sugar levels over a period of 2-3 months and is a strong indicator of overall glycemic control.

7.Stop smoking! Smoking raises blood sugar levels, damages blood vessels which can lead to heart disease and stroke, and adversely affects circulation due to constriction of blood vessels. Heart disease, stroke, and circulation problems are frequent complications of diabetes, even in non-smokers; a diabetic smoker is "adding fuel to the fire", greatly increasing his or her risk of developing these complications.

8.Be prepared for hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. These conditions are more common in patients taking insulin, but can occur in other situations.

*Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, occurs when the blood sugar level is above 126mg/dL (7mmol/L). It can occur as a result of stress, insufficient insulin, too much food, or an issue with oral diabetes medication. Symptoms include frequent thirst, frequent urination, unusual hunger, fatigue, and irritability. Untreated hyperglycemia is a leading cause of complications from diabetes, thus it is important to recognize and treat hyperglycemia as directed by your physician. Treatment includes adjusting insulin treatment (frequently, patients using insulin will simply take a correction shot based on the level of their blood sugar), or adjusting oral medications. While patients taking insulin will typically adjust their insulin dosages to lower blood sugar, patients taking oral medication or patients using diet or exercise will typically have to adjust their carbohydrate intake to control blood sugar. Untreated hyperglycemia can rapidly progress into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which is life-threating and frequently requires hospitalization. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, unquenchable thirst, diarrhea, and muscle cramps. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms of DKA, SEEK URGENT MEDICAL ATTENTION.

*Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, occurs when the blood sugar level is below 70mg/dL (3.9mmol/L). It can occur as a result of stress, too much insulin, too little food, or an issue with oral diabetes medication. Symptoms include shakiness, tremor, rapid heart beat, sweating, and clamminess. Untreated hypoglycemia can rapidly progress into seizures, coma, or death; thus, it is very important that hypoglycemia is quickly recognized and treated as directed by your physician. In any situation where the patient believes that he or she is suffering from hypoglycemia, the patient should confirm with a blood sugar test; however, the patient should treat immediately if they feel that the hypoglycemia is severe and it would take too long to test. Treating the low blood sugar is paramount. Mild hypoglycemia can be treated by the patient and usually involves consuming 15 grams of carbohydrates, in the form of sugary (not diet) soda, juice, glucose tablets/gel, or occasionally a small snack in the form of crackers, pretzels, hard candy, etc. It is important to note that candy bars such as Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, etc. contain a high amount of fat and can slow the absorption of sugar from the candy bar; therefore, it is not advised that patients use high-fat candy bars to treat hypoglycemia as the blood sugars may not rise fast enough to prevent any further and possibly severe drops in blood sugar. Once the patient has treated, they should wait 10-15 minutes and test his or her blood sugar to confirm that blood sugar levels have risen above 70mg/dL (3.9mmol/L). If the blood sugar levels are still below 70mg/dL (3.9mmol/L), the patient should repeat the treatment process, and if upon testing again after 10-15 minutes blood sugar levels are still below 70mg/dL (3.9mmol/L), the patient should treat once again and consult his/her physician immediately. If the patient has a meal planned within the next 30 minutes, the patient should continue as normal and continue to monitor his or her blood glucose to check for any additional episodes of hypoglycemia. If his/her next meal is beyond 30 minutes, the patient should consume a small snack (1/2 of a sandwich and an 8oz glass of milk, or a pack of peanut butter crackers). Severe hypoglycemia is an urgent medical condition that requires immediate intervention, and can frequently require intervention from a third-party. It can occur when blood sugars fall very rapidly, or when the patient suffers from hypoglycemia unawareness. Severe hypoglycemia can result in fainting, seizures, or death. Treatment may or may not be possible by the patient themselves due to significant impairment, however, the main idea is still the same: raise blood sugar levels as rapidly as possible. This can be achieved using oral carbohydrates, but in a situation where a patient is unconscious, unable to swallow, or having a seizure, outside intervention is necessary. Two types of injections are used to treat severe hypoglycemia: glucagon and intravenous dextrose solution (D50). Glucagon is a hormone produced in the body that acts an opposite to insulin; it blocks the blood sugar lowering ability of insulin and stimulates the liver to release glucose into the blood from energy reserves. When used as treatment for severe hypoglycemia, the solution is injected intramuscularly and produces results in 1-2 minutes. The patient will typically feel nauseated and may vomit shortly after injection. However, this treatment is ineffective if the liver is depleted of glucose stores and in such cases, intravenous dextrose (sugar) solution is necessary. IV dextrose will awaken an unconscious person whom is suffering from severe hypoglycemia in seconds. IV dextrose is commonly referred to as "D50" by emergency medical technicians and paramedics.

Tips

* Always follow your doctor's prescriptions and guidelines, including, but not limited to: checking blood sugar as directed, taking insulin/medication as directed, following a meal schedule if necessary, and attending all doctors' appointments and laboratory tests.

* Regular eye, kidney, and foot checkups are advisable.

* Communication with one's health care professional is essential in developing an effective treatment plan for diabetes; by working together with one's health team, a diabetic is much better prepared to handle the illness.

* Have and know how to use a glucagon emergency kit, and instruct family members and roommates on how to use it. It may save your life if you have severe low blood sugar and are unconscious. The paramedics may not arrive in time.

Warnings

* This is not a substitute for professional medical care.

* If you have "cotton-mouth" and are urinating frequently, you may be in ketoacidosis: seek urgent medical attention!

* If you feel faint/lightheaded, have a quickened heart rate, and are clammy, you may be having an insulin reaction - immediately treat for hypoglycemia as directed by your physician.

(Source: http://surimounthealth.blogspot.com/search/label/Diabetes)

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

2009-12-24T10:41:00.001-05:00

Another year is almost over, and we are anticipating for the arrival of another year. Time just flew by so suddenly. We hardly had time to sit and relax, enjoy the events and memories of the past. Now a new dawn is here, before we even realized it. Yes, whether we like it or not, Christmas is here. Its joyful spirit is felt everywhere; from the songs being played in the air waves, to the grandiose Christmas decors that are visibly displayed in the malls and stores. At almost every house yard in the neighborhood you will find the display of Sta. Claus riding on his sleigh, or the child’s wonder, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, or else, you will see the glittering multicolored lights that are sneakily interwoven on top of the garden plants and/or among the trees’ branches, which keep on radiating light almost forever. Such an elaborate display of Christmas ornamentation speaks of our inner sense and great emotions as we await the arrival of our Messiah, Jesus – the Savior of mankind.

For all the Filipinos worldwide, we started celebrating the so called “Simbang Gabi” mass in our parish churches. The “Simbang Gabi” is a unique tradition that Filipinos have that has been preserved and remains an essential part of the Filipino Christmas celebration. It is popularly called “Misa de Gallo.” The “Simbang Gabi” is observed by the Filipinos to spiritually prepare for Christmas. It is a novena of advent masses for nine days starting December 16th and ends on December 24th. It dates back to the 1700s when the Spanish missionaries brought the custom from Mexico to the Philippines.

In the Philippines, these masses start at 4:00 a.m. In some towns and in the cities, they usually start at 5:00 a,m. Churches are always full to capacity. In some areas, an hour or so before the mass, a band plays traditional Christmas carols all over town and the whole village remains vigilant for the observance of “Simbang Gabi.”

These novena masses are culminated by the midnight mass on Christmas eve. After the mass, everyone goes home to spend “Noche Buena,” or Christmas dinner with their families and loved ones. This is a time of family reunion as well. Members of the family who have left “the nest” come home once again to enjoy and share the spirit of Christmas with one another.

Last night I also celebrated the “Simbang Gabi” mass in my parish church where there were about five hundred or more people in attendance. There were six priests who concelebrated with me at the mass. Our Filipino Apostolate choir sung beautifully. We sang Christmas carols to relive our most tender memories of the joyful Christmas celebration. After the mass, we had dinner and “salo-salo”, and non-stop dancing afterwards. This was our way to celebrate Christmas together as a parish family.

In a few more days we will celebrate Christmas, the birth of our Lord. Because of this, it forced me to reflect of what Christmas really is. One thing that is associated with Christmas everywhere is giving. Christmas is the feast of giving. Christmas is the one time in the year when everyone is sure to give and receive a present, even if only a Christmas card. People spent a lot of time and money shopping for the perfect Christmas gift. We put up Christmas trees to surprise family members with our gifts and to be surprised with theirs. Santa Claus is the perfect symbol of Christmas because Santa is the one who gives and gives and never gets tired of giving. Christmas is a feast of giving even from God’s point of view. At Christmas we celebrate the king of kings leaving his divine glory and coming to our dreary world to share with us our poverty, misery and pain. It is not a question of Jesus giving us any particular gifts or blessings, it is a question of him giving us himself. This is the big difference between Jesus and Santa Claus. Santa Claus rides in an open sleigh giving gifts to children who have been good. But Santa leaves the gifts on the Christmas tree and disappears. Christ, on the other hand, does not leave a gift and disappear. He comes to live with us. He comes to share our human condition. His very presence is the gift. At Christmas we celebrate the mystery that “God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16). God gives, and the people of God give, and that is Christmas.

If Christmas is the feast of giving, then the question of what to give and how to give becomes very important. After all what is worth doing is worth doing well. So the question is, how can we improve on the quality of our giving? How can we improve on the quality of our Christmas celebration?

The gospel last Sunday helps us to answer some of these questions. In the gospel we read the story of Mary Visiting Elizabeth. We are not told that Mary brought foodstuff, or anything. We are told she brought just one thing: herself. She gave Elizabeth the gift of her very presence. And, dear friends, this is the best and the hardest gift of all. It is easy to send flowers, it is easy to send a parcel, but to give the gift of ourselves, to make out the time to be with somebody, that is the gift that many people long for but do not receive at Christmas.

I wonder how many families out there who are so busy with the everyday affairs of life (work, school, social activities, etc.), that they don’t have time to be with their families or be with their children anymore. For many people, work and material things have replaced human longing and need. In fact, for some people, they have become the most important venture. And what are the common results? We hear of families being fractured and couples separated because they didn’t have time for themselves anymore. We hear horror stories of young people who ran away from home, and who are engaged into drugs and all kinds of immoral activities, because no one loves or cares for them. Machine or toys cannot replace human love and care. Te gift of ourselves are more important than material gifts.

Following Mary’s example, we must, in addition to flowers and parcels, give of ourselves, our presence, our time. We must find the time to visit and be with people. This is the greatest gift because its value cannot be calculated in terms of money.

Do you know one thing everybody needs today? Everybody needs love and encouragement. Everybody needs the interior peace and joy that come from the Holy Spirit. This is what Mary’s visit did to Elizabeth. Mary’s visit was an inspiration to Elizabeth. When we visit people this Christmas, let us try to bring some inspiration into their lives, let us seek to bring them closer to God, and let us try to share with them the Spirit of God in us, the Spirit of consolation, of courage, of peace and joy.

Before I forget, may I ask you to include in your intentions this Christmas- to pray for peace in our native land. In a special way, we remember all the victims of the gruesome massacre in Maguindanao. We pray that justice be served upon them. We also pray for all the victims of the recent floods in the Philippines which affected so many people. We pray that in this Christmas season they may find some comfort and joy in this difficult time.

To one and all, I wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

God bless you all.

The Maguindanao Massacre

2009-12-01T00:44:00.000-05:00

People all over the world remember a historic event that happened in the Philippines in 1996, the well-known ‘Edsa Revolution,’ a non-violent mass action by the Filipinos to end the dictatorship of the then President Ferdinand Marcos. It was historic because it was the first time ever that a sitting President was deposed, not by impeachment, but through a continuous pressure of mass rallies and protests without resorting to arms or bloody revolution.

The cry for change was the epitome of the Edsa Revolution. People then were fed up with corruption in government and they wanted to be free from the grips of martial law which was imposed as a ploy so that President Marcos could have complete control of the government, the military, and the citizenry. This was not to say the obvious: that he wanted to perpetuate his stay in power. But as we all know now, that move was a tactical mistake. When the rights and freedoms of our people were violated, they rose above themselves in concerted efforts to fight a common enemy.

The ongoing crises in the Philippines are not just vestiges of the past, but the past resurrecting itself with new face, but of the same reality. The cycle of corruption that has gripped the Philippine government in the past is still very much prominent in the current system, although some say otherwise. The Philippines is still poor as ever. Some years ago, Time magazine called the Philippines ‘the sick man of Asia,’ considering that among the association of South East Asian Countries (ASEAN), the Philippines was singled out among the poorest. Today there is still widespread poverty and unemployment in the country. As in the past, the gap between the rich and the poor is unconscionable. The problem of insurgency is still prevalent. The situation in Mindanao is getting worse. Not to mention that on November 23, 2009, just this past week, a mayor elect in Maguindanao named Andal Ampatuan, Jr. has been implicated for the gruesome mass murder and killings of 46 unarmed people including mass media people. This for me is not just deplorable and unconscionable, but it is symptomatic of a deeper problem, a cancer that had been metastasizing in the fabric and fiber of our society for so long a time. Now in the face of this gruesome murder, and the current and ongoing other problems facing our country, what should be our common stand? Is there any viable solution that we can endorse to end these problems?

I think it is important that we as a nation should make an honest and radical assessment of why we have these recurrent problems. The reality is, the past and present governments have not really done anything to improve our situation. If the leaders did anything good for their merit, it was only for the good of a few. Since Mr. Estrada assumed office some years ago, until today,the situation in the Philippines had remained stagnant, if not gotten worse.Under the reign of President Arroyo, the economy had improved a bit, as some observers have declared. Whether this is true or not, but the problems of poverty and unemployment are still widespread. Corruption and cronyism in government are still prevalent. In my view, there is a need for a swift,resolute and radical move to put our country in its rightful place, a place among the world of nations where we can salute with honor and dignity. We cannot just sit on the sideline and pretend that everything is going well. All of us need to know that there is an ongoing crisis in the country, a crisis that all of us need to address. Therefore, we need to make a common stand and a firm resolution to address this problem.

Besides the socio-economic problems that beset our country, we need also to address the political crisis in government. In my view, the gruesome killings in Maguindanao allegedly perpetrated by Mr.Ampatuan, Jr. was just a tip of the iceberg. How many Ampatuan’s are there in government right now that we know of? Why they continue to remain in power is mind boggling. Why can’t we do anything to depose these‘undesirables’ from their offices? Are we simply afraid of them, or are we just contented to accept our fate in misery and fear? The cry of one of our Catholic bishops yesterday is for me in order: In the coming national election in May 2010, the people should not vote for those political leaders and their accomplices who were allegedly involved in the gruesome murder. What happened in Maguindanao should be a wake-up call for all the Filipinos. The Filipino people should also make a stand as far as cleaning up the other ‘political undesirables,’ who may still be sitting so comfortably in their offices. The coming national election in May 2010 should be a good venue to start this process of change.

The Filipino people have suffered long enough. We therefore need to address these current problems swiftly and resolutely. As far as the gruesome murder in Maguindanao is concerned, first we demand that the sitting President, Ms. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo should follow up and make sure that the perpetrators of the dastardly acts in Maguindanao are apprehended and brought to justice. The question is,can we expect a free and judicious trial in the case of Mr. Ampatuan, Jr., the alleged mastermind and perpetrator, considering that he was a close ally of Ms.Arroyo? What guarantee can they give us that the process of judicious trial not be derailed by the big supporters and allies of the Ampatuan clan? In my opinion,if in case the trial of Mr. Ampatuan, Jr. is derailed, the Filipino people will know what to do. I believe strongly that if the trial of Mr. Ampatuan is derailed, the people of the land will rise up and stage another revolution, one that maybe even more daring than the two Edsa revolutions combined together.The people cannot be fooled anymore. They have had enough.

Our government should implement radical and substantive changes in our country’s political and economic systems. One time,before the second Edsa Revolution, the former National Security Adviser Jose Almonte outlined some urgent tasks that our government should do. First of all,Almonte was pushing for an institutional method of ‘correcting political mistakes’ where mechanisms of the people’s initiative, recall and referendum are to be invoked. Secondly, in promoting a ‘direct democracy,’ Almonte proposed that the electorate should be empowered to ‘intervene expeditiously and peacefully in political crisis. This would also increase the political accountability of all officials, whether elected or appointed. Thirdly, Almonte said that the new government must ensure transparency of all elected officials by protecting constitutional guarantees, including the “full public disclosure to all transactions involving public interest.” And fourthly, the administrative bureaucracy should be professionalized, ‘to make it strong enough to resist the ‘importunings’ of special interest groups.

What is needed today and the future is an overhaul of the whole system of government. I support some of Almonte’s suggestions as to how we can immediately address some of the current problems besetting our country. I endorse the idea that more people’s participation in government be made. There should be less control by the government and more control by the people. And a ‘constitutional mechanism’of ‘direct democracy’ must be in place.

There is no doubt that all these suggestions are positive and should be considered. I hope and pray that the next government leaders will consider these suggestions. But the problem is, who can effectively implement them. Words and ideas are good. But if they are not implemented the way they should be, what good is that? We therefore need a leader who has the right vision and resoluteness to restructure the government as we have envisioned.

At this time we need to stand together. We need to face the crisis and continue seeking the right solutions. We need to continue fighting for the good of the country. We should not lose hope. We believe that someday our country will become free and prosperous again. I therefore urge everyone to be wise and vigilant come election time. This time, let us really try to elect leaders who are qualified and ready to serve our country with selfless dedication and commitment, leaders who have the vision and the ability to implement the needed socio-political and economic programs for the betterment of our citizenry, and leaders whom we can be proud to emulate and follow. Let us make this our solemn pledge and contract with one together. Be a part of this process of change. To be silent or passive is not anymore an option. We should all wake up before another set of leaders will rob us again of our dignity.

Tribute To Rosa

2009-10-17T21:25:00.000-04:00

Rosa was one of our members and a subscriber at Daily Gospel Reflection Website. Yesterday morning, October 14th,she passed away at Clara Maas Hospital, Belleville, New Jersey, of kidney and heart failure. Rosa was just 50 years old.

I have met Rosa a few months back. She was a member of our Church and quite active in the "Why Catholic" program of the parish. She was a single mom of an 18 year old daughter named Sarah. Sarah is a freshman in college. Before the opening of the school year, Rosa was so nervous about her daughter's going to college. At the same time,she was very excited knowing that her daughter is enrolled in a good and esteemed school.

I don't know much about the personal life of Rosa except that she was a very religious woman. I saw her come to Church almost every Sunday. She was a member of a "Why Catholic" group in our parish, where they meet regularly with the group to pray, reflect and study our Catholic faith. She was a native of Peru but has been living here in the United States for some years now. Rosa is an expert on web design and computer graphics. Actually, according to her, she studied computer graphics in school but never web designing. She learned by her own effort to design and build websites after she got laid off from work. In fact, she let me borrow her book about SqL and PhP programming, so I could learn it myself. She told me that she learned everything about web designing, servers, web hosting, etc. just by reading the book, and so I could learn it too, she said. When I tried to read the book myself, I could hardly understand anything. I told Rosa that she was very smart to learn from the book so easily. When I told her that, she just looked at me with a smile on her face.

Two weeks before the end of August, I wrote a little Ad in our Sunday Bulletin asking for volunteers to help me build a parish website. The next day, Rosa emailed me immediately and was volunteering her services. Two days later I called her and told Rosa that I wanted to meet her. We met a few days later and we started planning about building our parish website. She showed me some of her current work and designs and I was elated. Her designs were very elegant and professional, and I wanted her to build something similar. So, after our initial planning, Rosa began to work immediately on our parish website. After a few days, we met again because Rosa wanted to show me the progress of her work. At this second meeting, she was very happy to show me the progress of her work. To my surprise, she really did a good job building our website,although it was still at its initial stage. The structure was quite intricate.The design was simple but elegant. I was very happy myself about the result of her work. In that meeting she told me that in a few more weeks the website will be done and running. She promised to update me every now and then about the progress of her work. After this time I went out of the country on a pilgrimage to Europe. When I came back from the pilgrimage, I learned that Rosa was in the hospital. I immediately went to see her. When I saw her in the hospital, she told me that she was so sorry that she was not able to finish yet the parish website because she got sick. I told her not to worry about it. I told her as well that her health was more important than anything else at this time. She was already two weeks in the hospital when I went to see her. According to Rosa, the doctors were not yet able to diagnose what her sickness was in spite of the series of tests that they did to her already. She was feeling sick and dizzy. There appeared some rushes on herskin. After two weeks, Rosa went home from the hospital. At home, she was not getting better. So she got back to the hospital in a few days. I went to see her again in the hospital later in the week. This was just last Saturday. Even at that time, the doctors were not yet able to determine what was really wrong with her. At first they were telling her that she had low potassium, and then, they said that there was something wrong in her gall bladder.And, according to Rosa, they would be doing more series of tests in the coming week. During the past week, I never heard anything from Rosa since I saw her last. I just assumed that she was already well. Yesterday morning, three of Rosa's friends came to the rectory looking for me to inform me of the sad news. Rosa passed away yesterday morning. The doctors were finally able to determine her illness - the big C.

Rosa's friends were so worried because Rosa has no family here to take care of the funerals services and other incidentals. Rosa just had a daughter, a cousin and a few friends, who are all trying to help in some way. Sarah, Rosa's daughter, just started college and is not working. Rosa's mom, by the way, arrived from Peru last Thursday, just in time to see Rosa for the last time before her demise. Her mom is about 80 years old, who could not speak English. Now we are trying every way possible to help out the family, especially for the funeral rites. The family is in dire need of help. Her body still lies at the morgue in the hospital. At this time we are trying to make arrangement with the funeral home and the cemetery, if they could possibly extend free services and help for Rosa's funeral and internment. It's a very sad story with a very sad ending. But I hope and pray that Rosa will now find her peace.

Please join me as we pray for the repose of the soul of Rosa, and for her daughter Sarah whom she left behind. May God reward her for the good things she has done, and may she now rest in peace in the bosom of God.

I Call it a Miracle

2009-10-06T00:12:00.000-04:00

As some of you may know, I just came back a week ago from a pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain and France. Our European tour and pilgrimage was so great & fascinating. It was not just a sightseeing of many wonderful and exquisite places, but a faith-filled journey. We visited many shrines and holy places, including Fatima in Portugal and Lourdes in France. These were the highlights of our pilgrimage.

On this pilgrimage, there was something that happened that I could not forget- and which I call a miracle. We were traveling from Burgos,Spain going to Loyola, Spain. This was a four hour journey. Along the way, we stopped by a restaurant to take lunch. Now I was carrying a small bag which contained all my documents like passport, Socialsecurity, xerox copy of my passport, our travel itinerary, camera,camcorder, and all my cash money. When we took lunch at this restaurant, I put my bag at the back of my chair. After lunch, when we got up to leave, I simply forgot my bag on the chair. I only realized that I left my bag in the restaurant when we were already in Loyola,Spain. That was four hours drive away. Now just imagine the feeling that I had when I realized that all my documents, and money were gone? We could not go back because we were catching up with our schedule. In fact, we were a little behind in our schedule already. In that evening, were were heading to Fatima, Portugal. But when we were in Loyola,Spain, during the mass that we had at the house of St. Ignatius of Loyola, we prayed during the mass that somebody will find my bag and return it to me. Believe it or not, after the mass- our tour guide and manager, Ari, was able to call back the restaurant to inquire. And lo and behold, someone found my bag. And this person who found my bag sent it by mail to our hotel in Caen, France. I received my bag in France after five days with everything in it. Nothing inside the bag was lost or taken. I had everything intact. Now, would you call this a coincidence? or a chance, maybe, or just mere luck? NO. I call this a miracle. I believe in the power of prayer and the goodness of people. We prayed earnestly for it, and God readily answered. For this experience I thank God that there are still some people in this world who are honest and good. And of course, if you pray earnestly, God will answer your prayers. Maybe not always according to your time. But He will answer you. No doubt about it.

GOSPEL IN ACTION

2009-09-28T11:22:00.000-04:00

You may have seen the video "Ondoy's Trail of Fury" which I just posted in my site (WWW.DAILYGOSPELREFLECTION.COM). As you may know, On Sept.26, 2009, Manila had been flooded, and the neighboring provinces suffered greatly caused by one of nature's worst typhoon, ONDOY, with international name "KELSANA." According to the news reports, ONDOY poured more than a month worth of rain in six hours, submerging most parts of the bustling metropolis, especially Marikina, San Mateo Rizal, and neighboring areas, drowning at least a hundred people and more. Just watch the video from Youtube which I just posted here. I could never describe the scene on the video in words. The video speaks for itself.

I don't know what comes to your mind as you are watching this video now? For me, I could hardly watch it without my heart writhing in pain. My heart goes out for those people who lost loved ones, those who lost homes and properties and who have no where to go from here. I feel sorry for those children who lost their parents, who may have been buried in the mud or swept away by the raging waters. Now they are left alone to live and mend their own pains. I feel sorry for those parents who lost their children. Now they will forever grieve for their lost. I feel sorry for those people who have no food to eat tonight, no warm clothes to wear, and no shelter to lay their heads. Could somebody extend them some help?

Yes, I could watch the video over and over again, feel sorry about it, and then go on with my life. But is that who I am? Does the video affect me or you in any way? Are you affected by the suffering of your fellow human beings? Yes, we are. We are part of humanity. We are part of Christ's body. If one of the members suffers, the whole body suffers. As Christ's disciples, we need to pray for all the victims of the tragedy and for everyone who were affected by the typhoon. On the other hand, while prayer and good faith are good, they are not enough. Our faith and prayers should flow into action. "Faith without good works is nothing," says St. Paul.

It is in such moments like these that we are asked and challenged to manifest our faith through our good works and actions. One concrete way to show your love and compassion for those affected by the typhoon is to extend financial help, as you are able to. There are many civic or church's organizations which you can direct your donation or "love offering" for this sole purpose. But it is time to act now and show compassion to our fellow human beings. We cannot just sit on the sidelines, be content with our personal prayer and meditation, and we consider ourselves Christians. What we need to do is to meditate on the Word of God daily, and live it through our actions and good deeds. This is what I call Gospel in action.

God calls each one of us to be people of faith and action.

Home is Where My Heart Is

2009-07-02T07:24:00.001-04:00

Every year since I came to the United States, I always made it a point to go back home to my native country, the Philippines, to visit family, friends and loved ones. As everyone knows, especially those who are working abroad and away from loved ones, to go back home and see one’s family is always a revitalizing experience. From my own experience I know for a fact that no matter how hard life is, no matter how difficult one’s journey may have been in life– going back home and be with one’s family gives you a sense of belongingness and affirmation, a sense of direction and purpose, a sense of “meaning,” if I may call it that way. There is so much truth to the saying of Frederick W. Robertson which says “Home is the one place in all this world where hearts are sure of each other. It is the place of confidence. It is the place where we tear off that mask of guarded and suspicious coldness which the world forces us to wear in self-defense, and where we pour out the unreserved communications of full and confiding hearts. It is the spot where expressions of tenderness gush out without any sensation of awkwardness and without any dread of ridicule.” Very much so, indeed! When we go out and begin to explore the world, we are pretty much on our own – facing our own battles, carrying our own burdens, crying on the shoulders of no one. We are forced to live in our own independent world, seeking our own dreams and purpose solely by ourselves. And some of us may have gone a long way seeking their own dreams; some may have settled at a lower pace along the way; and some may have just given up hope trying to make some sense of their lives. But no matter what our achievements maybe( or defeat!) – there is nothing compared to going back home and be with family, and feel accepted and affirmed no matter what our achievements (or defeats) may have been. No matter what happens to our lives, our family will always be there to love and support us.

I was in the Philippines for the whole month of June for my annual vacation. After a year long of work, I think I needed and deserved a break as every one else. “Break” or vacation is always good for the body as well as for the soul. As for me, it was a time to recharge myself, break off with the daily routine, and a time to examine myself again. Well, I can tell you that I really had a wonderful experience. I spent most of my time with my siblings. While in the Philippines, we traveled around and visited some known tourist places like Baguio, the summer capital of the country. Going back to Baguio was a reminiscing experience, considering that I finished my college in Baguio some years back. I visited my Alma Mater, which has not changed very much in its physical structure. I met some seminarians from my Diocese, where I had a chance to talk and share with them some experiences. It was truly a fun reunion of some sort and a reminiscing of experiences.

From Baguio we traveled back to Manila. I had my home base in Fairview. Every year I see a lot of changes going on in the city. There were malls newly erected, new highways were built and rerouted, new schools, business establishments rising everywhere. Well, I guess it’s a good sign. The Philippines is finally catching up with the needed improvements. On the other hand, despite my own optimism, I still observed about the current traffic mess in the city, the garbage files on the side roads, the crowding of vendors on the side streets, and others. You still see a number of children peddling on the streets, and the poor people living under bridges and slums. The Philippine government, I was told, had been trying its best to improve the life of the poor through various project programs. In fact, to improve the economy is one of the urgent goals of the current President. But as to how this is translated into action is something to be seen and validated.

From Manila we went to Tagaytay. It took us about two hours and a half ride from manila. In Tagaytay one can readily observe a change of scenery. The climate too is different here, a lot cooler than Manila. In Tagaytay we went up to this place called people’s park (the highest peak), where you can have a nice bird’s eyeview of the city, see Taal lake, and the surrounding towns of Batangas. In Tagaytay I enjoyed so much not only the beautiful scenery but also I enjoyed eating all these native fruits like sweet pineapple, avocadoes, banana, and others. Along the road going to Tagaytay, you will find vendors one after the other peddling and selling all kinds of fruits and farm products.

From Tagaytay we went down to Matabungkay beach, a well known beach in Lian, Batangas. We stayed at Coral Beach Club owned by a British couple, I was told. Among the many resorts there, I found this place quite decent and secure. The resort was guarded twenty four hours so it was very safe. It has its own heated pool. The rooms were clean and classy. It has its own bar and restaurant. We really had a good time there. We stayed only for a night. The next day we went back to Manila.

As in the previous years, whenever I went back home, I did not just go and visit places, I also visited family and friends. In manila, we visited an uncle priest who is now retired. He is currently residing at Christo Rey in Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City. My uncle priest is an SVD missionary priest who spent all his life serving God and people. Before his retirement some years ago, he was the chaplain of the Pink Sisters (cloistered nuns) in Baguio City for a number of years. Before that, he was a priest chaplain of UP Los Banos, a parish priest in San Teodoro, Mindoro. During his younger years, he was the President of Divine Word College in Vigan. He is a very jolly and friendly priest. When we visited him, he told us of his current hobbies which are composing religious songs and learning how to play the guitar and violin. He is now 87 years old and yet he was able to learn and play the guitar and violin. I told him, “you are an amazing priest!” He just looked at me with a smile on his face.

I have also reconnected with a friend whom I haven’t seen in a long time. She is truly a wonderful person, with a generous heart. Her husband just passed away on June 6. He suffered from brain tumor. She herself, my friend, is battling some terminal sickness. Recently, her younger sister is facing the same fate. And yet, despite of everything, her faith is strong and her convictions are firm. I love to share with people her story because it is an amazing story of a beautiful soul. Too often we cannot understand why we suffer in this life, or why our love ones suffer terribly. And yet, there are some people like my friend (maybe not so many), who still hold on and believe on a good and loving God, despite of everything. What an incredible story of faith. Please pray for her and for her sister. I pray for all those who are in the same or similar situation.

I had some ambivalent feelings coming back to the US after my grand vacation in the Philippines. Once again, I had to say goodbye to my siblings, nephews and nieces. To say goodbye is always the most difficult thing. Yes, we promised to pray and call one another constantly. We said to one another that we hope to see each other again next year, God willing. But who of us can predict of tomorrow, or next year. Life is full of uncertainty. I hope that tomorrow and next year will come as we have dreamed. But between now and next year, we are left alone again to face our own battles. I just hope that the beautiful memories I have of yesterday with my family will give me strength, hope, and joy, as I tread on my journey for the future.

Farrah Faucet's Story

2009-05-20T11:15:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I watched the video documentary of Farrah Faucet on hulu.com on her battle against anal cancer. This documentary, I was told, had been aired on NBC last Friday, where apparently there were about almost 9 million viewers who watched the documentary, according to the papers. As I was watching the documentary, it was a very heart-wrenching video as far as I was concerned. The documentary taught me a lot of lessons about many things. First, it gave me a better understanding about the life and pains of those people who are suffering with the same or similar kind of illness. Second, it made me see about human beings’ limitation and capabilities. In spite of the advancement of technology and science, man has not discovered any known cure for cancer. Billions of dollars are currently being spent for research and for trying to find a cure for this dreaded disease. But, until today, unfortunately, nothing has been discovered. Scientists and doctors are trying some alternative medicines to cure cancer patients, but these are nothing but experiments. We pray to God that scientists and researchers will soon discover a cure for this dreaded disease.

We all know Farrah Faucet. She was the golden girl among the three in the famous show called ‘Charlie’s Angels.’ If you watch the video documentary, your heart will cry out for her. In this documentary, it shows the life, pains and struggles of a cancer patient, who is trying to find a cure for her illness. She has availed the services of probably the best doctors in the world. She had seek treatment in Germany. She have had chemo and radiation and all kinds of treatment, including so called alternative treatments. Initially, in the beginning, her treatment seemed to be working out well. Her initial treatment and prognosis in Germany was very positive. She and the people who loved her were so elated and happy. Then, at a later examination, her doctors found out that the cancer has returned, and has metastasized in the liver. She had been treated with all kinds of treatment, but nothing seemed to be working out now. But the video presents the face of a Farrah who has not given up hope. Her son who was recently jailed was given permission to visit her in their house, maybe to see her for the last time. It was a very moving scene- the encounter of a dying mother and a son - in the documentary. But the documentary ends there, with lot of flashbacks about Farrah’s early and joyful life. What a very moving video.

It was about two years ago when she was told about her illness. From that day forward, her world changed dramatically. Remember, she was a famous actress, adored and loved by her family, and millions of people all over the world. She was a devoted mother to her son, and loving wife to Ryan O’Neal. She had everything anyone in this world could ever hope for. And yet, beyond anyone’s expectation, when she was diagnosed with this cancer, her world just collapsed upon her. No one could do anything else to reverse the situation, even the best doctors in the world. Now, she is at the verge of her demise. Her family and loved ones could not do anything else but pray for a miracle. Yes, life is so fragile. Our life and everything we have can be taken away from us in instant. We do not own our life. We are just stewards of God’s gifts.

After I watched the video of Farrah Faucet, I started to offer a prayer for her, and for all people who are stricken with the same or similar illness. I know that we can never understand why people suffer in this way, or why God allows suffering. But I also know that there is a purpose in everything. Just recently a friend of mine wrote me about her struggles, and pains and hopes- as she was also stricken with cancer, so with her husband, and recently, her youngest sister. It broke my heart to hear about their struggles and pains. But she has not given up hope. She continues to surrender herself to God’s will. I am so amazed by her deep faith and commitment to God. I pray for them constantly.

Now, I also promised myself to pray for Farrah Faucet. I know that millions of people may also be praying for her. But I know and believe that God, in his own good time, will cure her. Let us flood heavens with our prayers. We ask God to cure Farrah Faucet, so that His goodness maybe known to all men. He is a God who loves and cares for us, and that He can do even the impossible.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-11T00:44:00.002-04:00

I was at CVS the other day to pick up a mother’s day card for my cousin. Then I realized that I was browsing for a mother’s card that I should have liked to give to my mom today instead. My mom passed away in 1999. But there is not a day that I don’t think about her.

Today we celebrate and honor the life and work of mothers. For me, motherhood is one of the most fundamental institutions of God’s creation. Although some of us may have struggled with their moms, but who of us can ever really forget our mothers.

Now and then we hear about unsung heroes. There is probably no more unsung a hero than a true mother.

If we consider what she has done for us, what she is doing for us, what she will do for us should some urgency require... and compare this to what little thanks she receives in turn –it’s so sad that mothers generally go unrecognized in this world.

Let us not make the same mistake.

The book of Ecclesiastes (17:24-30) states, “Honor thy father and mother and forget not the groanings of thy mother. Remember that thou hast not been born but through them: and make a return to them as they have done for thee.”

Our mother carried us nine months in her womb, she nourished us with her own substance; she gave us birth in a most painful way; she nursed us at the breast... when we could not feed ourselves, she fed us; when we could not change our diapers, she did. As we grew, it is true, the father began to share the pains of child raising. But is it “the groanings of thy mother” we are told not to forget. Mostly, mothers need be praised for giving us life.

In the Old Testament we read that when the elder Tobias was growing old, he said to his son, also called Tobias, “When God shall take away my soul, thou shall bury my body, and thou shall honor thy mother all the days of thy life: for thou must be mindful what and how great perils she suffered for thee in her womb.(Tobit 4:3-4)

Our mothers suffered to give us life... even now those heroic mothers who stay home to raise their children suffer. The father gets to leave the home most days of the week; he gets to intermingle with people and co-workers, perhaps have lunch with friends at a café; he may even receive promotions and certificates of “job well done.” It is different with a stay home mother. She stays home where she, day in and day out, looks at the same walls, hears the same voices, occupies herself with the same chores for which no promotion is forthcoming. It is a suffering of the humdrum.

Do we give our mothers appreciation even for this type of humdrum suffering? Perhaps. But as much as we ought, probably not.

Let us recall often the words of the book of Wisdom, “in the womb of my mother I was fashioned.”(7:1) Without my mother I would not have life. But to be praised too is that mother who sacrifices a job of the world for a world at home with her children.

On this day, and often besides, let us wish our mothers a happy day if not with words at least with a good life for virtuous children are the true pleasure of parents. Adults - we should daily pray for our parents; we should call, write, or visit them frequently. Children - pray every day for your parents, but also be obedient and uncomplaining; do your homework and chores on time and without complaint. Good deeds greatly please our mothers and will be a sign of our appreciation for what they have done for us.

There was an interesting story about John who was 12 years old, and who became self-conscious about his mother’s hands. Although she was in every way beautiful woman, her hands were terribly scarred and twisted. John’s father was the first to notice that John, who had once brought his friends home to play, now no longer did so. “Perhaps you would like to know how your mother came to have such hands,” said his father, “because when I married her, they were lovely. One day when you were just able to toddle about, your mother turned her back for a moment. You made for the fireplace and stood too close. You screamed, and because there was nothing else available and the flames were growing, she smothered the fire with her own hands. She saved you but sacrificed her hands in doing so.”

Our mothers will sacrifice anything and everything for us. That’s how they show their love for their children.

I have received this email a few years ago, and I have kept it till now. The title of the email is: “The Portrait of a Mother, written by Ermie Jaramillo.

What is a mother? Que es una madre?

A mother is someone who cares for and loves her children deeply.

A mother is a person who worries about her children, day and night, every moment.

When they are infants, a mother worries when they are sick, and stays up all night taking care of them and praying that they get well. When they get older, a mother worries about where they are going and whom they are with. A mother worries about her children constantly, hoping that they are being raised correctly and hoping that someday they will grow up to be good and loving parents, and live a respected and prosperous life.

A mother teaches her children the values of respect, the appreciation of hard work, and the affirmation of God and faith.

Young people of today, don’t forget that mothers are very special people, and you’ll only have one in your lifetime. Take care of your mother and never get tired telling her how special she is and that you love her. Make this day and every day special for your mother by the gift of love from your heart. She may not be with you next year, or the year after that. So, love you mother everyday and always.

Finally, mothers of all ranks, never forget the great reward laid up for you by the good God. By fulfilling well your vocation you have many opportunities in the day to show your love for God. We have only to consider the words of the blessed Lord to know this: “Whatever you have done for these little ones, you have done unto me.”

Happy Mother’s Day!

Please Pray for the Repose of the Souls of my Friends!

2009-04-27T08:36:00.001-04:00

This morning I heard the shocking news that two of our active parishioners(who are sisters) died in a tragic car accident yesterday. Actually, there were five of them who perished in that car accident. Four of them were siblings --3 sisters, and a brother. The fifth person was a brother-in-law of our two deceased parishioners. All of the fatalities were in their 70's. According to the news story, all the deceased were riding on the same car. They just attended a wedding of a relative, and they were on their way to the reception when the accident happened. Apparently, their vehicle was struck from behind by a truck, which in turn ignited the car into flames. All of them died instantly.

If this was just a news that I read on the papers, it would have been different, I am sure. But what was so sad and heartening was that---I knew personally all the three sisters. Two of them were very active parishioners of our parish. The three sisters were members of my Faith Study Class. They used to come regularly and attend my class every second Friday of the month. One of them was very close to me. She was a member of my team who helped me out tremendousbly when I did our first parish recollection last March. The two sisters who were members of our parish just sent me a beautiful card for Easter, with their warm wishes and greetings. The day before yesterday, I just saw them in church when they accompanied their great grand nephew for his first reconciliation. Now and then I used to talk to one of them on the phone when I had some requests or things to be done. Now, you would understand why I feel so sad and downtrodden right now. I am sure many of our parishioners who knew them feel the same way. I could not understand why these two beautiful souls, who were very religious, God-fearing, service-oriented, loving and kind ...could just be taken from this world, just by the twinkling of an eye.Yes, life is indeed short. We have to be prepared always because we don't know when death will come knocking at our doors.

Yes, I prayed for them today, and all the members of their family who perished in that accident. Please, may I ask you to pray for them as well. We pray that God will bless their souls and reward them with everlasting life. May they rest in peace.

At the Bagel's Place

2009-03-25T15:31:00.003-04:00

When I have time and don’t have any schedule early in the morning, I usually drive to Jollibee to buy some breakfast meal and have coffee. One early morning, as I was driving to go to this Jollibee place where I frequent to have breakfast, I spotted a small “bagel’s place store” at a corner of a main street, near the Jollibee place. For whatever reason, I just decided to try it out for a change and have my breakfast at this bagel’s place that morning. When I entered the place, I saw two guys chatting at a corner, enjoying their coffee. There was a big table strewn across the place. An elderly woman was sitting at the end corner, sipping her coffee, and chatting with another elderly lady who was eating her breakfast at the other end of the table. An African-American man, in his mid- thirties, was luxuriously eating his bagel at the middle of the table, with his daughter (who was maybe six or seven years old). There was another guy who was also seated at the table, sipping his coffee, and writing something on his calendar. When I went in, they all looked up as if surprised—and said, “good morning!” I said “good morning,” too, in response. I ordered a bagel with cream cheese and a coffee. I sat down at the table to eat my breakfast with the rest of the people. As I was eating my breakfast, I could hear this conversation from these people from the table. They seemed to know one another. They were calling each other by name. There was a lively conversation at the table about almost everything—on the status of the economy to the latest buzz in town. I was smiling to myself as I was intently listening to their conversations. After a while, some of the guys left, then the others. I had to leave too because I had to do something that morning.

You think the story ended there. No. The next morning, I went again to the same bagel’s place to have breakfast. To my surprise, it was the same fixture of people whom I saw there. The two men conversing at the corner, the two elderly lady who were conversing at the table, the African-American man with his daughter, and the guy who was sipping his coffee and writing on his calendar. It was like a small town, all-in-one in this small bagel’s place. At this bagel’s place, you hear the latest news on the economy, the latest buzz in town, and everything what’s going in the life of every American. I was really amused and entertained. I have been going to that place almost everyday, for almost two weeks now. I see the same faces, hear the same conversations, enjoy my breakfast like the rest. Know what? I enjoyed the company of these people. I don’t know any of them but I felt a certain sense of belongingness and community. Here I found the souls of ordinary people, who just want to live ordinary lives and not get caught up with the web of lies and intricacies of the world. Think of a place where you can sometimes escape? This was for me one of those places.

Life's Little Surprises

2009-03-24T10:42:00.003-04:00

The other day, I had three unexpected little surprises. Now I call them “Life’s Little Surprises.”

I went to Staples in the afternoon to buy a new printer. At the same time, I brought along an old hp printer to be recycled. I have read in their Ads that Staples would give a rebate of $50.00 for anyone who brings along a printer to be recycled, but the customer had to buy a new printer not less than $179.00 in value to avail of their promotion. That’s exactly what I had in mind to do when I went to the store. When I arrived in the Staple store, there was a Filipina lady(also a customer) who saw me and apparently recognized me. But I had no recollection whatsoever who she was. After a while, she engaged in a conversation with me as if she knew me for a long time. She asked all sorts of questions about computers and printers and the like. Then when I told her that I was at the store because I was planning to buy a new printer, and that I brought along an old printer to be recycled so I get a rebate….to my great surprise, she immediately offered to buy a new printer for me. Now, would I call this a coincidence, or some kind of ‘good luck?’ I don’t know. I just thanked her for her overwhelming generosity. While driving home afterwards, it got me to think about what real generosity really mean - when you give something without expecting anything in return.

The second surprise. In the afternoon, I went to a Filipino restaurant to order some food. When the owner of the restaurant saw me, she declined to accept any payment for all my orders. In spite of my insistence, she would accept none of it. “Well, “ I said. “If you don’t accept my payment, you would go bankrupt.” She just smiled at me and said..” just remember me in your prayers.” Again, I was flabbergasted.

In the evening, I was invited by a friend to go for dinner- which I gladly accepted. The dinner was supposed to be at 7 PM. But due to some works I had to finish, I went to the restaurant somewhat late. When I arrived at the restaurant, to my great surprise and shock, a chorus of friends greeted me with a belated happy birthday. Talk about a surprise birthday party…that was it. I never expected that my friends would surprise me with a big bash birthday party. I almost fainted in shock. But, anyway, we had a wonderful evening together. I thanked all of them for all their warm wishes and generosity. It’s so nice and comforting to have friends who love you and whom you can depend on.

While lying down in bed that night, I could not but thanked God for such a wonderful experience I had during the day. And talk about life’s surprises…I had them that day.

Fight Against Abortion

2009-01-18T13:06:00.002-05:00

On Thursday of this coming week, our nation will observe the 36th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion in the United States. Thirty-six years ago, the Supreme Court decided that it was mightier than God and gave its permission to kill children in their mother’s wombs. We know people – our friends and even our own family members – who would agree with the decision. We also know of many others – hopefully ourselves – who would not.

The question as to when human life begins has occupied the minds of physicians, philosophers, and jurists from Greece's golden age of famous thinkers until now. The question is ancient, and for us once again new.

In our time the debate over abortion rights has often been skewed by assertions that those who are against abortion on demand are imposing their religious beliefs on those favoring abortion rights. They couch the debate in terms of faith, doctrine, and religious belief. But what are the factual elements that belong in the debate quite apart from religious beliefs?

At the end of the first three weeks of pregnancy (just twenty-one days), medical science, not religious faith, tells us that the child in the womb has brain cells that are developing. Likewise the child is developing a stomach, lungs, and its own pair of eyes. The child’s heart first begins beating when it was only eighteen days old. Electric brain activity begins in the fourth week of pregnancy. Soon its arms and legs make their first appearances. These are medical facts, not articles of faith. Can we say it is not a human life in being?

A fetus in its mother’s womb has its own blood type, not its mother’s. It has its own body cells, its own DNA coding, it’s own heartbeat, and its own electric brain activity. Quite clearly it is not merely a part of its mothers protoplasm. It is not even a part of its mother’s body. The fetus is, however, connected to its mother’s body via an umbilical cord in order to receive nutrients. It is dependent on its mother; it is distinct from its mother but not yet separated from the shelter of its mother’s body. Clearly it is not a simply a part of its mother’s bodily cells.

In simplest terms, a fetus is a human life that, if nurtured and protected, will grow to be eighty or ninety years old. These considerations are matters of science, of fact, and of common sense, not faith. These truths are held not only by Catholics but also by people of other faiths, and people who do not claim to profess any particular religious faith. To claim that a fetus is not a human life is to turn a blind eye to reality.

Let us be mindful in these days ahead that the Lord is calling us to action. Abortion on demand is legal but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Pro-abortion activities and their allies in Congress are now promoting an agenda that would deprive Americans of their freedom to enact any restraint on abortion at any stage of pregnancy.

For those of you who do not know, the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on January 21, 2004, and in the United States Senate on January 22, 2004. Although the bill received no further action in the 108 congress, it was again reintroduced in the 110 congress. President elect Barack Obama promises to sign it if it is passed by Congress. The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is the next chapter in the book of abortion. If made a law then all limitations on abortion will be lifted which will result in the following:

1. All hospitals, including Catholic hospitals will be required to perform abortions upon request. If this happens Bishops vow to close down all Catholic hospitals, more than 30 % of all hospitals in the United States.
2. The FOCA would overturn the national Partial Birth Abortion Ban. This means, the Partial birth abortions would be legal and have no limitations.
3. The FOCA will overturn hundreds of current laws, including limits on tax payer –funded abortion . In other words, all U.S. tax payers would be funding abortions.
4. Also, it will overturn the current law of parental involvement in the decisions of their minor children regarding abortion. If FOCA will be made into law, then Parental notification will no longer be required.

This information is disturbing, but sadly true. As Catholics, as Christians, as anyone who is against the needless killing of innocent children, we must stand as one. We must stop this horrific act before it becomes a law.

These current laws must not be swept away, all at once or even one at a time. So what can we do?

First, consider writing your Senator and your congressional representative asking them to vote against the Freedom of Choice Act.

Second, pray (say a novena) along with fasting. For Catholics and non-Catholics, I encourage you to pray your strongest prayers with the same intention. The hope is that this will branch and blossom as to become a global effort with maximum impact. We have very little time so we must act fast.

Remember that with God all things are possible and the power of prayer is undeniable. If you are against the senseless killing of defenseless children then the time is now to do something about it.

The Real Meaning of Christmas

2008-12-24T20:45:00.003-05:00

Tonight we are celebrating the vigil of the birth of our Savior. In this context I would like to reflect on the real meaning of Christmas.

Can you imagine a person receiving a precious Christmas gift, which came very beautifully wrapped. He impatiently removed the nice gift-wrap paper and treasured it. While the gift itself he threw into the garbage pile.

That is exactly what some people today, as I have observed, have done to Christmas. They celebrate the season of the year. The traditional Christmas carols that recall the mystery of Christ's birth are now replaced by Jingle Bells, Frosty the Snowman, and Mommy kissing Santa Claus. People put up beautiful and even high tech decorations - Santa Claus on space ship, and fireworks, many of which focused on the season rather than Emmanuel - God with us.

Somehow Christ has been left out of his own birthday party. The greatest event that changed the whole history of mankind is not the reason and concern for the celebration. In many places people celebrate a Christ-less Christmas. Frantic shopping, midnight madness, partying, and tempers rising in the traffic replace the greatest mystery of God's love.

As we journey into another year, let us put Christ back into Christmas. Carols, greeting cards, Christmas trees and gifts are only a few of the many traditions, which come alive with the celebration of Christmas every year. They are all tied together with various meanings and memories from as long as our childhood days. These customs, beautiful as they are, do not touch the very heart of Christmas, but are only extensions of its central meaning.

If we are looking for the real message of this day, we should not search for it in the shopping mall, or TV Christmas specials. We turn to Church to hear why this day has such deep significance, although we have heard the story over and over again.

Perhaps the most significant words from the account of Christ's birth by Luke is the phrase, "Glory to God...Peace on earth."

The message that resounds on the first Christmas eve holds the everlasting key to the attitude we should have toward Jesus. "Glory to God" is a brief but powerful prayer of adoration acknowledging His unequalled dignity. It tells of his infinite power in the face of our weakness, His wisdom in the face of our foolishness.

The Incarnation, the birth of Jesus is the deepest expression of God's love for sinful mankind. Before the coming of Christ, the world was in a grip of sin and Satan's power. Humanity was incapable of saving itself. By becoming one of us, and dying for us, Christ broke the power of Satan, the power of sin and death. His birth was indeed an event of great glory of God's power and love. By God's saving acts, we can rightly join the angels as they sing "Glory to God in the highest."

St. Jerome, who had spent his life at Bethlehem translating the bible living in a grotto was praying one Christmas night, wondering what gift he might make to Jesus, when suddenly the baby Jesus appeared to him, in the midst of a brilliant light.

"Jerome," the infant Jesus asked, "What are you going to give me for my birthday?"
"Divine Infant," replied the saint, "I give you my heart."
"Yes, but give me something more," says the Infant Jesus.
"I give you all my prayers and affections of my heart," Lord.
"Yes, but give me something more,"
"I give you all that I have and all that I am," answered Jerome.
"There is still something more than I want," says the Baby Jesus.
"Divine Infant, I have nothing more. What is it that I can give you?"
"Jerome, give me your sins."
"What will you do with them, Lord?"
"Give me your sins that I may pardon all of them."
"Divine Babe," exclaimed the saint, "you make me weep."

And the strong man, filled with love of the Infant Jesus, wept for joy.

I think that message from the Infant Jesus was not only for St. Jerome, but also for each one of us. Christ is no longer in the manger in Bethlehem. He left that over 2,000 years ago.

Christmas present is God present in our midst, his spirit inspiring us to care and respect all people, especially the needy. It is a time to encounter Christ in a personal way, to let him be born in us, that we maybe "Christs" in our time and age - to the people around us. Let us be the "Good News" to people in our time.

The second part of the angelic song says, "Peace on Earth." It is the Lord's mission statement set to music. We will work and pray for it, for our suffering world is filled with violence, hatred and mutual mistrust. It's unfortunate that we have not taken seriously the message of the Prince of Peace.

We give glory to God when we extend ourselves to one another and thereby create a small atmosphere of peace on earth. Our kind words naturally invite other kind words from our neighbor, and that could start a pleasant chain reaction to produce peace on earth. Selfishness breeds contempt, and hatred turns to war - but love, like a seed, germinates and grows into everlasting goodness.

Tonight we join all our prayers with those of the angels. We re-echo once again the meaning of the birth of Jesus, the message of the Church, the mission of Jesus and song of the angels, "Glory to God..Peace on Earth."

Merry Christmas to all of you!

How can I bear it?

2008-11-20T10:51:00.003-05:00

A few days ago a woman came to me crying hysterically. "What else can I do? How can I go through this? How can I bear it? I have prayed to God everyday; I say my rosary and novena three times a day; I go to church; I plead to God that He will help me...but it seems he is not listening. I have no one else to turn to." This was the cry of this woman who is in desperate need.

This woman whom I call Martha is married, has two grown up children, but she is right now at the verge of hopelessness and desperation. Her husband has cancer and does not have work. Her children are married but are not working too. They all live in the same house together. Martha is the only one working but her salary is barely enough to pay their house mortgage. Her credit card debts are insurmountable. There is no way she can pay them. But that is not all - a week ago, her husband has been accused of some misdeamenor by his daughter. Now, Martha's husband was not allowed to stay in or near the house with family, or be near with his grandkids. A court hearing is set next week on the case.

How can I bear all these? Martha asks. She seems to have no way out. She is in pain and don't know what to do next. Yes, it is easy to say to her..God loves you.He will take care of you. But is that all we can say to her?

I ask you to pray with me for Martha. When at times we complain that we are suffering from some kind of trial, or difficulties in our lives-- think about Martha. We just don't know that there are people who are suffering out there more than we are.

Boredom and Complacency

2008-11-14T09:11:00.002-05:00

I haven't written any article for the past month or so. I just felt lazy to do anything worthwhile. Even as far as my health problem is concerned, i have been complacent about it too. I know I need to take care of myself. I am fully aware of the possible tragic consequences of my complacency. But sometimes I just don't get it. The bottom line is, I think I am still on denial about my health issues. It is not that I deny of its existence. I simply try to live my life as if the illness is not there. If you call this denial- then maybe I am on denial. As a consequence, I really don't pay much attention any more on what kind of food I eat or not eat. In the past month or so, i simply put my dieting on the side. I have been eating all kinds of food-- even food that I know which are not healthy for a diabetic person like me. I still maintained my regular exercise though.(Well, it has not been really regular in the strict sense of the term). But I still try to maintain some form of exercise on occasion, but on a lesser degree. Taking of my medications has become irregular too. I stopped injecting myself with insulin. I haven't checked my blood sugar in a long time. Either I was lazy or i simply didn't care to know about my blood sugar anymore. I just checked in my weight lately and I found out that I have gained another 10 pounds since the last time I was on the weighing scale. Well, this is where I am at for the moment. I don't know what I can do to change my life patterns. Yes, I know I need to do something about this. Do I have to wait till something happens to me again before changing my lifestyle? Boredom, complacency, and laziness...they are getting in control of my life...

A Lady Finger?

2008-10-15T14:53:00.004-04:00

A colleague just handed me this email which he just received today. It's about the healing wonder attributed to a so called 'Lady finger,' another name for 'Okra.' Wether it has scientific bearing or not is for you to discover. But I want to post the email here for your study and information.

The email reads:

"Last month in one of TV program I learnt of a treatment of Sugar (Diabetes). It was very useful and sugar is in control now. Take two pieces of Lady Finger (bhindi) and remove/cut both ends of each piece. Also put a small cut in the middle and put these two pieces in a glass of water. Cover the glass and keep it at room temperature during night. Early morning, before breakfast simply remove two pieces of lady finger(bhindi) from the glass and drink that water. Keep doing it on a daily basis. Within two weeks, you will see remarkable results in reduction of your sugar.

A lady has got rid of her diabetes. She was on Insulin for a few years, but after taking the lady fingers every morning for a few months, she has stopped Insulin but continues to take the lady fingers every day. But she chops the lady fingers into fine pieces in the night, adds the water and drinks it all up the next morning. Please, try it as it will not do you any harm even if it does not do much good to you, bu you have to keep taking it for a few months before you see results, as most cases might be chronic."