10th Anniversary

(My Ordination Logo)

Today is the 10^th Anniversary of my Sacerdotal Ordination. I celebrated the Mass in joyful thanksgiving to God for the gift of Vocation at the Mother of Mercy Grotto beneath St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. My friends Fr. Gregory Gaston and Fr. Tony Ricarte concelebrated with me. I am sharing with you my mother’s speech after my ordination (my father died two years before I was ordained):

“My Only Son- Now A Priest”

Your Excellencies- Bishop Miguel Purugganan and Co-Adjutor Bishop Sergio Utleg, Rev. Monsignori, Rev. Fathers, Beloved Friends and Relatives, Good Morning.

Where should I begin…. I do not know how to start for I have diverse feelings as I stand before you this morning- a feeling of happiness and a feeling of pensiveness. On one hand, I am happy and full of eagerness because at long last, my son’s cherished dream of reaching the goal for which he has been called has been realized. On the other hand, I should say that contrasting this feeling of gladness is a lingering anxiety due to the conspicuous absence of my late husband on this momentous event in the life of our only son.

Twenty-seven years ago, my late husband and I were both very happy and filled with enthusiasm when I gave birth to a very healthy baby boy- our second child. Our old folks were then very exuberant- arguing among themselves whom the baby boy would be like. The first thing we did was to give him a name- we got his name from the calendar which was then customary at that time- interestingly, we gave him the name of a great Pope who became a saint- St. Gregory VII. Little did we know, he is going to live up literally closer to his name- Gregorio, which also comes from the Latin word grex- which means flock. As a priest, he will be tending and guiding a flock- the Lord’s flock.

Grevy, as he is fondly called, was brought up in an atmosphere wherein he was made aware of God’s presence and love as we opened his eyes into our faith. This, for us, is our greatest achievement as his parents. He grew up like any other normal boy- playful, active and full of excitement. At such an early age we already noticed in him the earlier manifestations of the seed of vocation. I do not know if Fr. Grevy could still remember- when he was barely five years old, there is one instance which has literally manifested such an inclination. As some of you could recall, my late Mother-in-law was then the one in-charge of the maintenance of the statues of santos and santas in this Church. There was a time when she brought home the garments of those statues for laundry. Little Grevy got a hand on one of them- a white one, and fitted it into himself like a small cassock. Then, he came out running- trying to steal everyone’s attention by saying “innadda bi- Fr. Uanan baddi nga(look at me I am little Fr. Uanan)- obviously inferring himself to his uncle, “Fr. Uanan dakal”- Fr. Pacoy. At that time, also another relative, his first cousin- Fr. Edwin Ramirez was still a seminarian.

What we have noticed were confirmed when, upon graduation from elementary, he intimated unto us that he wanted to study in the minor seminary- San Jacinto Seminary in Tuguegarao. He asked us something which we could not, in any way, refuse. Thus, my late husband and I agreed to send him in that school. Relatives and friends had mixed reactions upon learning that he is entering the seminary- some said that two priests in the clan is enough. Others were concerned that no one will propagate the family name, Grevy being the only son. Nevertheless, we allowed him to pursue what he desired. We did not, in any manner, force him into it. After all, who are we to force into him or to stand against- such a craving of the heart. After the minor seminary, he decided to continue. He entered the major seminary. Again, we did not stand on his way. Neither was his decision due to our propensity. It was his vocation, not ours. At that time we are sure about his conviction and we have accepted it. The least that we could do was to support and nurture his calling and pray for his success. This we did until he has reached his goal. We are, therefore, glad that he has reached this moment in his life.

My dear son, today marks the attainment of your aspiration. You are now standing by the altar of the Lord. We share in your blissfulness on this day. Allow me then to give you some parental advises before you are plunged into the real world. You must not be engrossed about having reached the top because the priesthood entails leading and serving at the same time. The priesthood is not a career where the success is gauged by fame, wealth and gain. Look at this moment as the beginning, not the fulfillment, for it is in how you will serve that your success will be seen. Moreover, you should not claim the success- for this belongs to God whom you shall serve all your life as his instrument. Be faithful to your vocation.

Finally, as I wind up my message I would like to take the opportunity to thank the bishop and the co-adjutor bishop with the clergy of the diocese of Ilagan in welcoming my son into their fold. I did not lost a son, rather we have gained a larger family in you. To Fr. Pacoy(Fr. Uanan “dakal”) who has untiringly supported Fr. Grevy(Fr. Uanan “baddi”- no longer small literally speaking). To the seminary formators here present, who have guided my son during his seminary formation and to those who have helped my son reach his goal in one way or another, my deepest gratitude. To all of you dear friends and relatives who have graced this most awaited moment in the life of my son, Thank You Very Much!

To my dear friends on the net, please pray for me....

They were just doing their job but…

The arrest of media people in the Failed Revolution at the Pen brought about so many questions that need to be answered. Is there a limit on journalists’ participation in such situation? Are they obstructionists or just doing their job? I surmise that in their zeal to fulfil their job they have unwittingly become human shields for the rebel soldiers. It was part of the perpetrators' game plan to have them stay inside the hotel. The military and the police were in a quandary as to how they could attack the “rebels” with the media people inside. They had to device a softer attack. There could have been bloodshed had the media people left the rebels and their civilian sympathizers led by an ageing political butterfly, an ageing street parliamentarian, an ageing bishop and a running priest. Trillanes and Lim could have been killed without them. Why would the perpetrators want the media to remain with them? Aside from media mileage, the perpetrators and any pundit knew the obvious- if media people have been hit by stray bullets, the international community will raise a howl and it will ignite a broader indignation from the people. Such scenario could have resulted into GMA’s downfall.

The media should follow a protocol in such situation (I do not know if there is an existing one) so as not to endanger their lives. Neither should they allow themselves to be used. They are intelligent people, they ought to know when they are being used or not.Their being handcuffed and arrested, though, were an overreaction by the police. The police could have just brought them for questioning at the Makati Police Headquarters instead of the long tedious ride to Bicutan. But of course, the authorities were sending a strong message to intimidate the seemingly partisan media (their threat now is “sue us and we will sue you too”). It is part of what they termed as “shock and awe” response.

There are no winners in this, only losers.

Media Sensationalism and the Church

The purported reason for the suicide of a young girl in Davao was proven to be an issue hyped-up by media sensationalism. At first the media projected that the young girl committed suicide because of poverty. The initial reports had her diary as a basis. As a result, a Bishop commented that her death is everybody’s fault, activists used the poor child’s name to put the blame on the government, Davao politicians blamed each other and one politician even cursed his political rival on television. All of these are consequences of the emerging trend of decadence in the quality of journalism in the Philippines. As the body of the child was exhumed, the medico-legal found out that there is evidence that the child has been raped. This is the real cause of the child’s suicide. It is horrible that the child, even in her death, has become a victim of media sensationalism all for the sake of a sure-hit banner story or headline that would sell newspapers and tabloids and draw the attention of tv viewers.

Most journalists could no longer separate raw news from a commentary. It is one thing to report the news per se. It is another thing to comment on the news. The Church is also a victim of such journalistic trend. For instance, every time a Bishop speaks, news items would refer to it as a “CBCP stand”. On television interviews, I have noticed on several instances that before they show the bishop being interviewed, the CBCP building in Intramuros is first shown. One bishop or a group of bishops is not the CBCP. Sometimes the Bishops are caught off guard and are pitted against each other (in one case, a bishop said that the Church condemns suicide, the other bishop says the Church has softened its stance and the headline for it came out as “Bishops divided on suicide”). Sadly, the bishops have unwittingly allowed themselves to be victims of media sensationalism. The CBCP media office should step in and put things in proper perspective so as not to mislead the laity on things that pertain to faith and morals.

ENOUGH!

Controversies and anomalies came one after another (this blog will sound like a handbook in criminal law if I write them all here), yet Gloria Macapagal Arroyo seemed not to care. She remains unperturbed because of her control of the lower house which assured her of protection from impeachment. The tipping point has now begun as yet another set of anomalies have tainted her governance. These things have proven only one thing- she is incorrigible! Her most recent blunder is the hurried granting of pardon to the convicted plunderer- Joseph Estrada only a month after his conviction. The granting of pardon at this time is besmirched with opportunistic motives as she is now on the edge of a cliff. She did it for political survival. By such actuation she now casts a dark shadow over the glimmer of hope for our justice system brought about by the conviction of Joseph Estrada for the crime of plunder last month.

When the “Hello Garci” controversy erupted, Mrs. Susan Roces said over national tv: “Ang mandaraya ay kapatid ng magnanakaw" (some people even made a text joke about it by saying that GMA's marriage to Mike Arroyo is null and void because they are 'magkapatid'). As GMA hastily granted pardon to Joseph Estrada, I can also say: ANG MAGNANAKAW, MADALING NAPAPATAWAD ANG KAPWA MAGNANAKAW!

While I have not joined those who called for GMA’s resignation in my previous blogs, I now join my voice to such clamor. My fear then was that there is no perceived alternative leader at that time. Her incorrigibility changed my mind- I now believe that her continued stay in office will further plunge our country into a quagmire of moral degradation.

On the Guilty Verdict on ERAP

As one of the convenors of the ERAP Resign Movement in Isabela Province in 2000, the guilty verdict on ERAP came to me as a triumph of justice and the Philippine Judicial System. As anticipated, there were different reactions to the verdict. I was particularly dismayed to hear Senator Villar say that he is disappointed because he hoped for ERAP’s acquittal. When asked by media people why was he for ERAP’s acquittal while as a matter of fact he was instrumental for the transmission of the impeachment case of ERAP from the House of Representatives to the Senate in 2000, he said that the impeachment was “not meant to convict but only to clarify certain matters”. Coming from a Senator and a senate president at that, such ignorance of the law is deplorable. Article XI section 2 of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines states: “The President, the Vice President, the Members of the Supreme Court, the Members of the Constitutional Commissions, and the Ombudsman may be removed from office, on impeachment for, and conviction of, culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust. All other public officers and employees may be removed from office, as provided by law, but not by impeachment.” Based on this, the impeachment proceeding is certainly not a mere “clarification of certain matters”. Obviously, Senator Villar said those words only to appease the Estradas and earn their support/endorsement in the 2010 Presidential Election. Should he be elected President in 2010, their wishes will be his command.

From among the topnotch lawyers of ERAP it was only Estelito Mendoza who gave a logical reaction based on the verdict and based on law. Others, most notably Rene Saguisag, were fallacious. He showed a book to prove that all special courts like that of the special Sandiganbayan Court that tried ERAP were created to convict the accused. It was like saying that they (ERAP’s lawyers) knew from the very beginning that he will be convicted as guilty. If that was the case, then why did they still argue in the said court for six long years? They also continued to pound on the credibility of Chavit Singson. I think that Chavit Singson was right when he said that ERAP’s lawyers are to blame because instead of presenting evidences to prove ERAP’s innocence, they used media propaganda to counter the prosecutors’ various witnesses and voluminous documentary evidences.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada and some of his father’s lawyers have questioned the conviction on the basis of Jueteng Payola and the kick back on the Bell Corporation stocks sold to to GSIS and SSS. They said that these are not government money as if to impute that the plunder case is confined to public funds. I am a Canon Lawyer not a civil lawyer. But, one does not have to be a civil lawyer to be able to understand the following Provisions of Section 1, d no. 2 of the Republic Act No. 7080 (An act Defining and Penalizing the Crime of Plunder) which states: “By receiving, directly or indirectly, any commission, gift, share, percentage, kickbacks or any other form of pecuniary benefit from any person and/or entity in connection with any government contract or project or by reason of the office or position of the public officer concerned;”

Others have also reacted and said that there are more government officials (GMA included) who should be charged with plunder. To them, I say, gather evidences and file cases. If there is something good that should come out from the guilty verdict on ERAP aside from the triumph of our judicial system, it should be that it stands as a warning to those who hold power and use it to enrich themselves because no matter how powerful they are, the long arms of law will eventually catch them. Our justice system should now be consistent in punishing the guilty no matter how powerful he/she is and no matter how unpopular the decision may be. Dura lex, sed lex.

An Inspiration from Former President Nixon

In his final speech to the White House staff before he resigned, Former President Nixon said:
"Always give your best, never get discouraged, never be petty; always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself."

In the midst of my most recent debacle with some unscrupulous individuals, these words have inspired me aside from the Bible and from my friends' support and comforting words. Indeed, there is no need for me to be discouraged and be continously distraught for in so doing, those people will only win and it will only lead me towards self-destruction.

Taming the Tongue

When I was a little boy my grandmother spiced up our conversation with wise sayings like "Keep your tongue between your teeth" and "Think twice before you speak once." The Scottish people would put it this way: "Keep your tongue a prisoner and your body will go free" and "A long tongue shortens friendships." My mother would also tell us, "Remember, one day you'll answer to God for every word you say."

The Bible mentions many kinds of tongues:
a flattering tongue (Psalm 5:9)
a proud tongue (Psalm 12:3; 73:9)
a lying tongue (Psalm 109:2; Prov. 6:17)
a deceitful tongue (Psalm 120:2)
a perverted tongue (Prov. 10:31; 17:20)
a soothing tongue (Prov. 15:4)
a healing tongue (Prov. 12:18)
a destructive tongue (Prov. 17:4)
a mischievous and wicked tongue (Psalm 10:7)
a soft tongue (Prov. 25:15)
a backbiting tongue (Prov. 25:23)

St. James also talks about the tongue. He says it's a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. He calls the tongue a fire, the very world of iniquity. James says it is untamable, a restless evil full of deadly poison, used both to bless God and to curse men. But James also told us that a man who doesn't stumble in what he says is a perfect(James 3:2-10) man.

I wonder how startled James would be today to find out how much man has "conquered." We've put men into big, fancy tin cans, and shot them off into space. We've sent men into submarines without coming up to the surface for months. Man has had the moon under his feet and he's left his footprints on the ocean floor as well. We've also put some fantastic canisters up into the sky, bouncing our voices off these satellites to countries around the world. Look at how we've harnessed the wind with giant windmills, and made the rivers and waterfalls drive our turbines. What incredible power man has over his world! And yet, he has still not conquered his own tongue.

In James 3: 6 the tongue is called "a sword." This sword has certainly damaged, bruised, wounded, and killed more people than all the swords in all the wars since history began. You've seen it many times. That newly married couple - so lovey-dovey for days and days on end. But one day the fellow lost his temper and slashed into the heart and affections of his wife with uncontrollable anger and with words he might regret forever. But it was said. The damage was done. How often we need to remember that old saying: We cannot call back the arrow we've shot into the air, the water under the bridge, or the spoken word, the bag full of feathers we threw into the air.

And they finally met…

Monsignor Francisco U. Uanan (on the Right) and Fr. Reynaldo Adalid, OP (on the Left) are two priests I hold with high esteem. The former is my Uncle while the latter is my Spiritual Director in Rome. They were classmates at the UST Faculty of Sacred Theology when they were seminarians. My uncle stayed at the UST Central Seminary while Fr. Rey, a Dominican Priest, stayed at the Sto. Domingo Convent. My Uncle is visiting from the Philippines and Fr. Rey Adalid, OP is currently assigned as a summer parochial vicar at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Staten Island, NY. It is providential that my uncle was able to visit me in my summer parish here in Jersey City, NJ- about 15 minutes drive to Fr. Rey’s summer parish. They finally met last Tuesday (July 24th). Prior to this meeting, they only saw each other on pictures and they were very eager to see each other after 43 years!

The meeting was dramatic. They were very happy and exuberant in seeing each other. They hugged and they laughed so loud. They reminisced their good old days in UST, remembering the old Spanish Friars and their other classmates. They told me that it was harder during their time in UST than during my time because their lessons were taught in Latin and that they had to speak Spanish when they talk to their Spanish Friar Professors.

I have learned a lot from both of them. They are my idols. They have so many things in common. I will cherish the wisdom they have inculcated in my mind as well as the good example they have shown.

Let the elected Governor and Vice-Governor of Isabela be Proclaimed!

It is disgusting that the winning Vice-Governor and Governor of Isabela Province were not yet proclaimed until now. Based on this statement of Fr. Antonio Ancheta (Chairperson of PPCRV-NAMFREL-NASSA ISABELA), the people came to vote and their votes were counted. Hence, it is clear that there are winners and there are losers and there is no failure of election contrary to what is claimed by the losing candidate (please mouse click on this document to make it legible):

A lesson for Pacquiao and other celebrity electoral candidates: Running for Public Office is not a Popularity Contest

If there is something positive in the recent Philippine Election (which I branded as Jurassic in my recent entry), it is the semblance of maturity among the electorate: majority of movie stars and other celebrity candidates were clobbered. One of those celebrities is Manny Pacquiao.

As one of the millions of fans of Manny Pacquiao, the boxing champ, I am happy that he didn’t get elected. For, how in the world can he effectively fulfill his duties as a congressman while being a topnotch boxer at the same time had he won? Reports said that he is disappointed and depressed over his lost. He now resorts to blaming even his political leaders- he complains that his money was pocketed by his supposed leaders. We cannot blame him for such actuation for he might have spent a fortune in his campaign. It is the kind of reaction we see from every neophyte politician who lose at the first try. The people around him made him believe that he is invincible.

One important thing which Manny didn’t put into consideration is the vaunted political machinery of his opponent who is a descendant of a political family that has reigned in their province for generations. His camp did not exert efforts to employ strategies to counter such. He relied solely on his popularity. He should have anticipated that the crowds that gathered in his rallies are not actual votes. It was his celebrity status and the movie stars he brought in his rallies that attracted the crowds, not his platform which didn’t have any remarkable difference from his opponent’s. Come Election Day, the crowds did not necessarily translate into votes. But, why oh why? The answer lies in the fact that in our political system (which I abhor), if a local candidate does not have the backing of the Barangay Captains, there is slim chance for one to get elected. When I was still a seminarian serving in the villages during summer, I have witnessed how powerful the Barangay Captains are, especially in the far-flung villages. Their voice is like God’s to their constituents. Their constituents become captive votes to the candidates they campaign for.

Manny became blind and deaf because of his sheer belief that his popularity can deliver the votes. Even the other candidates (Lito Lapid, Kit Atienza, etc.) whom he endorsed did not win. Worse, his candidacy gave the impression that he was just persuaded by Malacanang, with the intention of thwarting the candidacy of a known critic. It was already too late when he came back to his senses. I hope that this setback gave him profound lessons in life.

The Jurassic Philippine Electoral System

I could only watch (on TV and internet) with pity at how last Monday’s Philippine election was conducted. Nothing has changed in our electoral process since the first time I exercised my right to vote 20 years ago. People complained of the same problems: names of voters are not on the voter’s list while dead peoples’ names are still on the list. After the voting, the snail-paced manual counting began and the usual problems occurred- ballot box snatching, deliberate brown-outs for cheating purpose and ballot box and Election Returns switching in some areas. No wonder why one of the foreign observers remarked that our elections are "worse, compared to Afghanistan." I pity the teachers who serve during elections- two teachers were killed in an arson on a school in Batangas while fulfilling their duties; most of the teachers are victims of intimidation from opposing sides; they themselves bring the ballot boxes, most of the time on public transport (the COMELEC always fail to provide transportation fro them) to the place where the votes are to be canvassed after the counting in the precinct level. These things can be avoided if the elections were automated. It is pathetic that those election automated machines are rotting at the storage room of COMELEC because there was anomaly in their purchase.

Months before the elections, during the elections and the days after the elections, the most barbaric indication of our Jurassic system occurred- killings, there were killings everywhere. Yet, the police have the guts of proclaiming that this year’s election is peaceful.

I have been to US and Italy during their elections and I wondered in awe as the results were known the following day and there were no killings and other glitches. When will the Philippines automate its elections? When will the election related violence stop?

Broken Glass

You liken yourself to a broken glass

It points out to your poignant and painful past

But, being broken should never be an obstacle

in living life on its normal cycle

Brokenness brings forth something that is good

It is one of the realities destined by God

Like a broken seed that grows into something new

A person needs to be broken in order to grow too

Your concern lies in gathering back the pieces

You should take the cue from your experiences

Look back and cure your past

Let them go so that they won’t last

Gathering the pieces of a broken glass

Can sometimes unravel what has come to pass

But if that is the only way to find a cure

It can very well lead to your again-being-whole

Should you not be able to gather all the pieces,

It should not make you slumber into sadness

Gathering the best pieces makes someone better

It surely makes you into a person much stronger

Diamonds emerge by carving out the precious from dirt

And so are you- a new you should come to birth

Tomorrow will be brighter as you trek a new path

The challenges should never bring you into slack

A Short Reflection on the Passion of Christ ( Luke 22:14--23:56)

From the Gospel account on the Passion of Christ, we can observe three types of people. The first type are those who hate Jesus. They wanted him to die. They accused him. They discredited him. They did everything to destroy him. The Second type are those who were indifferent. They did nothing. They chose to be mere spectators. They didn't care. It was none of their business to be of help, to get involved. The third type were those who became witnesses of Jesus. They were moved. They were touched. They believed. They accepted Jesus and proclaimed that He is the Son of God. They chose Jesus and they followed him. Let us ask ourselves to which type of people do we belong....if we are of the first two types, let us strive to be among the third type.

On the Desecration of Intramuros

Photo taken from: http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com/

It pains me to read about the desecration being inflicted on Intramuros, one of the last symbols of our Spanish past. A sports complex is being built by Philippine Tourism Authority just several feet away from the famed walls (Costing P25 million, the project touches the outside walls of the Fort Santiago Shrine which has the Rizal Shrine within it), thus defacing a historical monument and possibly endangering the shrine’s structure…- excerpts from news report from manilatimes.net). It is a sad addition to the numerous desecrations that has been done in the past wherein old buildings worthy of being preserved were demolished to give way to malls and high-rise buildings. When will our officials ever learn?

Here in Rome, subway routes were diverted from the original plan so as to avoid some ancient ruins or artifacts that were discovered hundreds of feet below the ground from being destroyed in the course of excavation work to construct tunnels. In our school, the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (ANGELICUM), a building's underground electrical wiring system has to be diverted several meters away so as not to destroy an old structure which the diggers have discovered. The Italian government prohibits the building of any structure that would affect such artifacts. Hence, in Italy (and I am sure that the same is done in other countries), even the things that are underground and are not visible are protected from being desecrated. In the Philippines, the Intramuros is very much visible, yet our government does not seem to take care and protect it.

Stop the Killings!!!

I kept my mouth shut and my keyboards at a halt when the issue about the political killings in the Philippines was first brought out in the news in the early part of 2006. At that time, I thought that the killings were not politically motivated and could have been the result of personal grudges and other cases. But with the rate it has been going on with impunity until now (even after the Melo Commission and the UN human rights body gave their respective reports), the latest of which is a witness in the UN human rights probe, I am now convinced that the killings were politically motivated. It has a chilling effect on me as I reminisce my childhood during martial law- the stage at our basketball court in San Pablo, Isabela (North Luzon) is turned into a makeshift morgue for victims of "salvaging"€. There was even a time when corpses were brought in that spot continuously for several consecutive weeks. Most of them were not identified and no relatives were there to claim their remains. For sure, they were part of the "desapericados"€ of martial law- brought into a rural town like ours where they were eventually killed so no one can identify them. It is happening again. The killings that happened 30 years ago is happening again! The government should do something. Its inability to stop the killings validates the accusation that it has condoned such.

GO, Team Unity, ASO and Joker

Election fever has started in the Philippines. As usual it is a showcase of politics of personalities rather than issues.

GO- This acronym stands for Genuine Opposition. They are composed of Estrada Loyalists and some former Anti-Estrada politicians who become opportunists leaning on Estrada’s perceived popularity among the "masa". They think that they are like the great opposition senators of old as they chose to be proclaimed at the Plaza Miranda and they will only debate with the administration candidates if it will be in Plaza Miranda. But, with the way they jockeyed for position in a photo op with Estrada, they have shown that they are all opportunists, not worthy of being compared to the great senators: Salonga, Manglapus and Aquino, etc. of old.

Team Unity- I still wonder what unity does this team connote aside from letting three former Estrada allies to run in its fold?

ASO- This acronym stands for Angara, Sotto and Oreta, all former allies of Estrada. A jingle depicting them as ASO (dogs) has been airing in the airwaves for weeks now. It is a sad sign of the kind of campaign which politicians employ until now- mud-slinging and character assassination. I just hope that if ever these senators alluded to as ASO will win, they will not resort to vengeance but really become ASO- Astute, Servant-Leaders, and Outstanding lawmakers.

Joker Arroyo- I was delighted in hearing his pod cast interview at the inquirer.net. He is the personification of wisdom in politics. He is cerebral yet not proud; he goes bluntly to the point yet not arrogant. He is one of the vanishing species in Philippine politics.

Global Warming

Skeptics and government leaders have, for a time, rejected the phenomenon of global warming as a mere figment of a mad scientist’s imagination. Recent weather inconsistencies (snow in places where it does not normally occur, short winter and early spring and wicked weathers), however, have proven that we might now be experiencing a taste of the consequence of global warming. Governments should now focus on the research and manufacture of alternative environmental friendly fuels and regulate the manufacture and use of gas guzzler SUVs and other vehicles or else we are headed into the worse- our world is wounded, our world is bleeding… it needs to recuperate (to paraphrase an elderly in the movie Apocalypto : the earth has given everything but man craves for more until the earth says 'I have nothing more to give'.

Lesson from the Magi

Today, the Feast of Epiphany (more popularly known back home as the Feast of the Three Kings or Magi) is celebrated in Rome. When I was a kid, I always looked forward for this Feast every year as it was a chance for my ninongs and ninangs to make their “pahabol” gifts which they may have “forgotten" or failed to give during Christmas and New Year.

As years have passed, I have given different homilies on this Feast. My favorite homily is putting emphasis on the meaning of Epiphany as self manifestation of the Lord. The Lord Manifests himself to us and we must respond. There is no better response than that shown by the Magi. The Gospel of St. Mark tells us that “they departed to their own country by another way” after meeting the Lord. This is the best response to our Lord’s manifestation to us. We meet him in the sacraments, we meet him in the scriptures, we meet him through other people. We must change our ways after meeting him. Every instance of the Lord’s manifestation upon us should result into change in our lives by going into another way- the better way.