THE ABSURDITY OF ESCUDERO

I find it absurd that Congressman Escudero proposed the giving of a 1 peso instead of 31.9 million budget to the MTRCB simply because the MTRCB rated the biopic of Erap with an X. It is a politically motivated move from a supposedly well educated politician. The Philippine Daily Inquirer reports that “Escudero said he recommended the lowest budget for MTRCB because the opposition strongly disagreed with the board’s decision to give an X rating to the Estrada documentary film, to which they insisted the MTRCB had no jurisdiction over.” If that were the case, then why not question the MTRCB’s authority at the Supreme Court? What might become of the Philippine Senate if people like Escudero will become one of its members? Erap- lovers like him are the very reason why the Anti-GMA movements did not and will never succeed.

The UST Tigers are UAAP Basketball Champs Again: A Real Cinderella Finish

When I was in the Philippines last June, I met Fr. Franklin Beltran, OP on a plane from Tuguegarao City to Manila. Fr. Franklin was the most basketball-active Dominican when I was a seminarian at the UST Central Seminary. He is the former sports coordinator of Letran during the time of Samboy Lim and he was the PE Director of UST during the high school days of Marlou Aquino and EJ Feihl. When I played as a Varsity of the Central Seminary (known as ECCLE in the intramurals), he was the manager of the College of Education Varsity. When, I asked him about the UST Tigers' chances on this year’s UAAP Basketball, he said “they will surprise everybody”.

And so, the Tigers have, indeed, surprised everybody. From the cellar of the first round eliminations (they were at the bottom because one after the other, the great players were either sick or injured) they rose to 3rd for the final four. They have already made Thomasians like me proud by securing the no. 3 spot. At the Final Four play-offs, all the more they surprised everybody by beating the favored UE Warriors which enjoyed a twice to beat privilege. Reaching the Finals was already quite an achievement for a team that was never expected by experts to be part of the final four casts.

Game 1 showed the inexperience of the young squad as they bungled a won game with that last one second defensive lapse as they lost 73-72. But in game two, they have proven that they are in the Finals not by sheer luck by clobbering the Blue Eagles 87-71. The game 3 overtime win has proven all pundits wrong. They bagged the Crown with a 76-74 win over the Blue Eagles. This UAAP Championship will be one for the books. It has all the elements of a classic that basketball fans will savor years and decades from now. It was a real Cinderella finish for a young team with a Rookie coach- Pido Jarencio who during his time as a Goldie (the tigers were Goldies at that time) was not able to bring the gold as a lonesome hero of the then UST Goldies in 1984 in a classic match with UE’s Allan Caidic for the 1984 UAAP Finals.

The win brought back the old glory we savored during the four-peat years from1993-1996. I was lucky to be at the UST Central Seminary in those years. I remember going from one Dominican priest to another to ask for most sought after UAAP Championship tickets in all of those years. There was even a time when I had to buy a ringside ticket from the driver of Dennis Espino. But it was Fr. Virgilio Ojoy, OP, the UST Secretary-General at that time, who pampered us with ringside tickets.

I can imagine the Thomasians having a grand victory party at the UST Grounds at this very moment. During the four-peat years, there were roasted calves and packed dinner in each victory celebration. As they celebrate, I am sure they are shouting these cheers over and over again till their voices become hoarse:

GO USTE
Go USTe! Go USTe! Go USTe!Go! Go! Go! Go! (4x)(2x clap) U(2x clap) S(2x clap) T(2x clap) UST Tigers! 1, 2, 3, 4(5x clap) U(5x clap) S(5x clap) T(5x clap) UST TIGERS!

BLACK GOLD BLACK WHITE
L - Black Gold, Black WhiteA - Black Gold, Black WhiteL - Black Gold, Black WhiteA - Black Gold, Black WhiteBlack Gold (clap 2x)Black White (clap 2x)Black Gold (clap), Black White (clap)Go Fight, Fight, FightGo Fight (clap 2x) and win (clap 2x) for U (clap) S(clap) T(clap 3x) FIGHT!

SANTO TOMAS SPELLING
L - Santo Tomas SpellingA - Santo Tomas SpellingL - Santo Tomas Spelling - Santo Tomas Spelling Ready 1, 2, 3 (clap)S-A-N-T-O T-O-M-A-S Santo Tomas Fight!

VIVA SANTO TOMAS
VIVA SANTO TOMAS!!
We are the Tigers the mighty, mighty TigersWe came to cheerAnd to win it with no fear (3x)We are the Tigers the mighty, mighty TigersWe came to cheer 1, 2, 3And to win it with no fear

P-P-O P-O-W-E-R the POWER the TIGER POWER Whooh!

And lastly they will be singing this Hymn with great pride:

UST HYMN
God of all nations

Merciful Lord of our restless being

Sweep with your golden lilies

This fountain of purest light

Trace with the sails of the galleons

The dream beyond our seeing

Touch with the flame of your kindness

The gloom of our darkest night

Keep us in beauty and truth and virtues impassioned embrace

Ever your valiant legions

Imbued with unending grace

Congratulations to coach Pido and the Tigers and also to the Tigresses for winning the women's championship too and to the Salinggawi Dance Troupe for winning the Cheering competion 5 times in a row.

Pope Benedict XVI: Wrongfully condemned and maligned

(Picture taken by GCU during the Consistory on March 2006)

I find it outrageous that most of our Muslim brothers condemn His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on account of a quotation he used in his lecture at the Aula Magna of the University of Regensburg on Tuesday (12 September 2006). The Pakistani Parliament condemned him. In India, he was likened to Hitler and Mussolini. Elsewhere, his effigy was burned. But, what did the Pope say exactly? He quoted from a book in which 14th-century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel II Paleologos and a Persian have a conversation about truths of Christianity and Islam. "'The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war,' Benedict said. 'He said, I quote, "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." These were not the Pope’s words per se as he quoted them from an old book in an effort to venture upon the issue of understanding among religions as his lecture was on Faith and Reason. Does he deserve to be condemned for merely quoting that book?

They demand his apology. But, did they ever consider the context of his quotation? They who condemn him ought to read the Pope’s full lecture, otherwise they are pathetically reactionary and simply irrational. The complete text of his lecture can be read on the Vatican website: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/september/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060912_university-regensburg_en.html

REMEMBERRING 9/11: Man can be so cruel....

Five years ago today, I was watching CNN at about 8:50 P.M. Philippine time, when a newsflash showed that a “small” plane hit one of the buildings of the World Trade Center. They thought at first that it was indeed a small plane that hit. Then came the other plane hitting the other building. At that point, I thought of informing Bishop Utleg because at that time I was living with him at his Residence. I knocked at his door and told him that both buildings of the World Trade Center have been hit by terrorists. We prayed at the private chapel adjacent to his room.

Pondering upon that day of infamy, I realized how man can be so cruel to his fellowmen. Innocent people were killed. People of different races were in that building. It made me think how fragile life can be. Life is made fragile by people who seem to live only in order to hurt. When will such debauchery stop? When will the extremists realize that there is no such god that mandates the killing of innocent people?

G.C. UANAN
11 September 2006

"Nonna and Nonno, I think we are Good People"

I was invited to eat dinner at the house of an Italian couple here in Franklin Lakes, NJ last Sunday evening. It was a typical Italian dinner: tomato with mozzarella, salami di Milano, roasted pepper and olives for aperitifs, pasta for prima piatto and breaded chicken breast with salad for secunda piatto, apple pie with gelato, cappuccino and sambucha for antipasto. With us was their 12 year old granddaughter. After the antipasto, the wife packed some of the food and brought it to their neighbor who is a an 80 year old widow. When the wife returned, the granddaughter said "Nonna and Nonno (grandma and grandpa) I think we are good people because we share what we have with a neighbor". I was mesmerized. I remembered what my late father used to tell me- "Share your blessing with those who need it." The girl saw the goodness and kindness of her grandparents. I told her how lucky she is to have them as her grandparents and it's up to her and her cousins to continue that legacy- being good people. I hope that parents and grandparents all over the world would instill good value to their children and grandchildren through their example and not just through words.

G.C. UANAN
30 October 2006

The Devil's "that's all" is not all at all

After an impromptu get together with other Filipino priests at the Todai Japanese Restaurant in Manhattan last week, we went to the AMC movie house along 42nd Street. There were 20 movies in the offing. Three of us settled for “The Devil Wears Prada”. I was intrigued by the title (I didn’t read the novel and didn’t know that there is a novel with same title). It was literally about fashion as "Prada" denotes. The Movie revolves around the character of a fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly (Merry Streep) and her naive (at least in the beginning) secretary Andy (Anne Hathaway). The office staff were like models themselves with elegant outfit and “skinny bodies”. They would tremble and panic as soon as Miranda arrives the at the office. Miranda acts like “God” (or rather the Devil) as her wish is her staff’s command. Andy on the other hand was a simple journalism graduate who thought that she will be able to maximize her journalistic skills in the Fashion Magazine. Unfortunately, her work was confined into buying meals and coffee for her boss as well as answering the phone. In spite of her seemingly naiveté’s to fashion, she strived to be efficient and eventually became fashion savvy.

Miranda has the penchant of saying “that’s all” without saying the details of what she wants to convey or done. That left Andy puzzled and terrified at first but it helped her strive to become efficient. Miranda’s “that’s all” symbolizes power, elegance and wealth. Andy was being gradually pulled into same trend of thought as her boyfriend Nate (Adrian Granier) says it all “you want to defeat her but you became like her (Miranda)”. But towards the end, it came into Andy’s senses that Miranda doesn’t care about people’s feelings. She doesn’t care if her actuations hurt others so long as she preserves the status of power, elegance and wealth at any cost. Andy realized that becoming like Miranda is becoming like a Devil dressed in Prada, Valentino, Versace, etc. It came into her senses that Miranda doesn’t care about other people’s lives. Thus, her “that’s all is not all at all. Her “that’s all” is limited to her everything. Her “that’s all” doesn’t include others. Her "that’s all" is egoistic rather than altruistic. Miranda knows this but she doesn’t mind so long as she is on top. Andy realizes this and made the right decision- there is more to life than power, elegance and wealth. Many people are like Miranda. Many people are like Andy, as well. The world has gone bad because of people like Miranda. Thus, we need more Andys. We must always bear in mind that a selfish all is not all at all.

If you can't seem to understand what I mean, just watch the movie.:)

G.C. UANAN
14 August 2006

Longing for Peace

What is happening to our world? There seems to be no end in war. People’s lives are set aside. Innocent non-combatants are killed helplessly. The warring sides seem to disregard the importance of life. In the midst of this, I wonder if a lasting peace is still possible. Yesterday, I had a conversation with an elderly Church-goer. He said that peace can still be attained if people focus on it. As I ponder on the wisdom of what he said, I realize that he is right. When the war between Hezbollah and Israel broke out two weeks ago, leaders of the most powerful nations were quick to point fingers on culprits. Not so many clamored for peaceful resolution. The immediate focus is punishment and retribution, not peace.

Does peace have a chance to reign in such situation? Certainly! There can be peace if both sides stop putting the blame on each other. There can be peace if the Lebanese Prime Minister will not allow Hezbollah to hold him and his government by the neck and order the Lebanese army with the help of UN to disarm Hezbollah. There can be peace if the United Nation leaders would stand firm and implement its resolution calling for the disarming of militias like Hezbollah in Lebanon.

DEAR GOD, please let there be PEACE.

G.C. UANAN
01 August 2006