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Apology, planning, reflection
2008-06-08 04:29:00
It's been a while that I have not posted in this blog. Shall I need to apologize to my readers? Perhaps 'Yes'. Blogging is a hobby. I ought not to have any responsibility at all whether I post or not. I am not compelled to write. No one is forcing me. Should I apologize? This time I say 'No'. Well, I would be ungrateful if I say no because I have to be accountable not just to myself but also to you. I should write, that's for myself. And I will continue to write, that's for you. Because you inspire me to write especially with your intelligible, sincere, honest, and sometimes harsh comments.The last time I posted was 22 May, and its 8 June. That's 2 weeks. Two weeks of thinking and reflecting what I ought to do in 2008-2009. I planned my life carefully, though plans may get failed. But as long as there is a plan, I can feel myself secured. Planning makes life easier. I set goals--writing goals. I promised myself to write 2 pages per day five days a week, from Monday to Friday...
More About: Reflection , Apology

Alone with Maria Cristina
2008-05-21 00:45:00
Lush green trees. There is music in the air - music of birds, cicadas and cascades. Twin waters fall on a cliff - Maria Cristina Falls. According to legends, there were twin sisters Maria and Cristina. Maria was set to marry a rich tribal ruler but she refused. Lonely, perplexed and depressed, Maria jumped off the cliff. Cristina, knowing that Maria was gone, she followed her twin sister because she did want to leave her. From then on, the people in the villages of Iligan (now a city) called the waterfalls Maria Cristina.The month of May in the Philippines, being a largely Catholic country, is a time of feasts and celebration. In the pre-Christian Philippines people offer feasts to the gods of the harvest during summer season particularly in May. When Christianity came, these feasts and celebration were Christianised. The names of the gods whom the people celebrated their feasts were changed into Christian names: Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Our Lay of Penafrancia, Our Lady of Peace, Sa...

In the so-called 'timber city'
2008-05-08 03:35:00
Butuan City , Philippines - It's my second time to visit this historic city of Butuan, the ancient balangay that treasured its earliest marked civilization in Philippine history. Butuan is 6-hour drive from Davao. It is located in the northern most part of the island of Mindanao.Butuan boasts of its being the center of timber trade. The economy of the city is mainly sustained by its human and natural resources. Logging whether legal or illegal is the main source of income by both the poor and the rich.The city government is capitalising on its being 'historic.' There is even a saying here that before the Philippines there was Butuan.I visited its museum the other day and it was interesting and exciting to learn about the earliest known civilization in the island of Mindanao 4,000 years back. There were already trades with the neighboring countries in Southeast Asia that could be traced as early as 300 AD.Of course, these are all approximation because we have lost our history prio...
More About: Timber

Flight hassles with Cebu Pacific Air
2008-05-04 04:51:00
Davao City- It's good to visit again the city where you can feel the air flavored with aromatic durian scent--Davao. It is also the city which is quite strange to me because of its secrets and mysteries. Progress becomes possible only because the of city's secret eradication of the precious lives of many individuals--a mystery that until now haunts Davao of its inquisitorial past and present. I grew up in the neighboring town of New Bataan where I spent my grade school. And ever since I was a little boy, I was already hearing about the seeming peace of Davao that was made possible only by sheding the blood of troublemakers. My family frequently visited the city for family shopping and business transaction until the early nineties before we transferred to the Visayas region. I will say then that Davao is a great city--peaceful, clean, disciplined--and the food is great and cheaper compared with that of the prices from the restaurants of Manila.But before I reached this city as a wa...
More About: Pacific , Cebu , Philippine Airlines , Cebu Pacific , Flight

The evil of insensitivity
2008-04-30 11:57:00
Manila- The blessedness of a person is, obviously, not measurable by what he or she does in many convincing ways if the purpose is no other than glorifying evil. Evil is, culturally sanctioned, which is not non-evil--injustice, inequality, violence, violation of human rights, systematic and any form of crime, oppression, stealing, betrayal of public trust, sin of apathy due to religious intolerance, etc. And the greatest of all evil is insensitivity to the pain and suffering of the poor and helpless; the evil that Jesus Christ wanted to end.Unfortunately, poverty is the greatest problem the world is facing today, and it is the consequence of humanity's insensitivity to the cry of the oppressed. The psalmist says in Psalm 1 that if we consider ourselves righteous, we must not walk in the counsel of evil, of wickedness. And as I have observed nowadays, Christianity is itself the hub, the main office of the counsel of the evil of insensitivity to social issues. Conservative churches--...
More About: Philippines

A mystical soliloquy for Cordillera
2008-04-25 04:50:00
Baguio City - The mystic rays of the sun that refuse to set pierce the foggy summer afternoon of this ancient city of the mountain gods. As the city fights againts the summer heat of a tropical country and against the sun's imperialism that subdued the lowland Metro Manila, a thought comes to mind that a cold summer is the best antidote to the hot climate of the metropolis--and oh! the mountains receive my hot body and hot eyes welcoming me as I enter into the caves of mystery as the pines stood uphigh proud of their bodies that had passed the tests of time.The power of the gods for fertility and production extend to the fertility of wombs symbolizing, affirming, dignifying and respecting life. The naked body of Bulol, the god of rice fields displays its splendor, and as his semen drops into the soil, it causes fertility so that the life of the community will be preserved from perishing. The protector god Kabunian safeguards the tribes and races so that they retain their identities...
More About: Christianity , Baguio City , Mystical

In the city of pines
2008-04-22 09:39:00
Baguio City - From the foot of the Mountain Province in the northern part of the Philippines, one will see a stunning mountainous terrain of Cordillera. At the heart of Cordillera is the summer capital of the Philippines--Baguio City . The city is six-hour drive away from Manila. I left Manila at three in the afternoon yesterday (Monday) and arrived here in Baguio at nine in the evening.As the bus climbed up the mountain, the moon rose from the eastern hemisphere and watched me as I was on my way to the land of mystery, ritual and magic. It seemed that the moon was telling me to be calm as I ran away from the summer heat of the metropolis Manila. It was indeed calming upon realizing that there is more to be enjoyed in life--the beauty of nature.When I arrived in Baguio I could immediately smell the fragrance of pine trees, and the cold summer air greeted my senses. The people are beautiful, hospitable and lovely. I was received by a friend, who is my host, very warmly and openly. Ear...
More About: Culture , In the City

Banahaw: beauty, mystery, power
2008-04-20 16:12:00
Mt. Banahaw ? Lush green forests that tell of hidden tales for thousands of years, and a sleeping mountain that masked itself with masculinity while its characteristics express that of a motherly love, Mt. Banahaw is the ancient babaylan (shaman) lying on the sacred space that is full of mysteries. In the south of Manila are the three mystical mountains: Mt. Banahaw lies in the east; in the west is Mt. San Cristobal; and in the southwest rests Mt. Makiling. The three stand on the grounds of the provinces of Laguna and Quezon. Banahaw, being the most mysterious among the mystical trinity, is in Quezon with entrances in the lovely towns of Dolores and Lucban.The silence of Banahaw comforts my tired body and soul after a four-hour long drive from Manila. As I reached the foot of the mountain I sit on the ground staring at the beauty of Banahaw just like staring at a beautiful painting. All cares and worries of life were set aside, and I sighed upon realizing the fact that after all lif...
More About: Beauty , Power , Mystery

Some, poems, and, reflections
2008-04-16 01:20:00
Divine UnionWhen I listened meI found out it wasn?tMe speaking but youWho dwells in eternityAnd when I listened youI found out it wasn?tYou speaking but meWith words of prophecyThe truth that humanityIs in constant battle with divinityAnd the war will end in eternityWhen humanity triumphsAnd divinity triumphsThe union, the marriage?Of night and day is notA mere impossibility...LightIt shines in darknessIlluminating what is yet to be seenThat comes from nothingIn an empty space it forms somethingIlluminating what has never beenDisclosed in darkness... ... ... ...When God ends his creationIt begins with human inventionThe image he bestowed on meIs the picture I have for himThen in Bethlehem he comesOh the moment must be gloriousI am becoming more he and he meBe reduced as mere representationIn his anger declares heMe a sinner, a covenant breakerShame on him who despises meRebelling me his creatorNow I descend into the depthsAnd ascend beyond the skiesLooking at him below crying,?Rescu...
More About: Poetry , Poems , Reflections , Poem

Feeding a crowd of five thousand?a miracle!
2008-04-13 14:35:00
As Jesus and his disciples were on the other side of Galilee which is the Sea of Tiberias, there was a large crowd that followed them after seeing the signs that he performed on healing the sick. Just as what a typical mystic would commonly do, Jesus went to a mountain (a hill) to stay in solitude for meditation, prayer and reflection. But while he was on the mood for meditation, as he lifted his eyes, he saw the crowd, and he thought about them what to eat because it was already late afternoon. The Passover Feast of the Jews was coming, and there must be merriment and feasting, but the crowd could not prepare for the feast because they were from the margins of society, the am? haaretz or the people of the land?the poor.As he saw the crowd like who are like sheep without a shepherd, Jesus felt compassion and worried about them, ?Where are we to buy food so these people may eat?? The question was directed to Philip who was the one who reported that he found the person whom Moses and ...
More About: Miracle , Thousand , Feeding , Crowd

"The Rice-ing Issue Shortage"
2008-04-11 13:58:00
I received today an email update from Christian Convergence on Good Governance (CCGG), a faith-based NGO working as an independent research organization on current socio-political issues in the Philippines . CCGG is advocating good governance and exposing anomalies in different government offices and agencies. This young organization is also conducting seminars and training to grassroots communities on voter's education, corruption and the like. And since the government is covering up past issues of anomalous deals and scandals, the country is once again on the brink of a countrywide hunger.Here's the email update of CCGG on the issue of rice shortage:The Philippines, despite being a rice-growing country, is one of the largest rice importers in the world. Approximately 1.8 million metric tons of rice is imported annually to feed a more than 80 million and rapidly increasing population. According to the National Food Authority (NFA), Filipinos consume approximately 12 million metric...
More About: Rice , Issue

The power of the powerless
2008-04-08 16:45:00
As I was walking this morning along the historic Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), the symbol of the first People Power in Philippine history, I noticed several street vendors suddenly disappeared when the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) officers arrived. They brought with them their items as they hurriedly hid from a more powerful force in Philippine society, i.e. those who are given the power to legally hurt powerless vendors in the name of discipline. I witnessed several incidents of this kind?government officers coerced street vendors leaving the latter teary-eyed after their vending items were taken by ruthless MMDA personnel.I can?t blame the officers who are themselves coming from urban poor communities paid to oppress their poor fellows because they just performed their duty. The country?s economy is not really translated into the tables of every Filipino family, and those who enjoy the reported economic growth are the elite capitalists and those who are in hig...
More About: Philippines

A dose of the Great War: the story of an unsung guerilla (2)
2008-04-06 17:12:00
?When Gen. MacArthur and his troops landed in Palo bay, several of us local guerillas paved the way for the Americans to attack Ormoc and recapture the valley. In my company, we were 50 and after three days of gunfire, our number was reduced to 29. But the reward was a swift victory. A few days later after the victory in Ormoc, a Japanese fleet was seen in the bay of Villaba and Palompon in the northwestern part of Leyte transporting soldiers from Luzon, but their reinforcement was too late. An allied fighter plane dropped several bombs on the fleet; the Japanese was caught by surprise attack, and so they had no other choice but to jump into the sea to survive.??I knew then that the war would not last for another ten years?we couldn?t afford to wait even for a year of pain and suffering. The war must be stopped. My best friend was killed when we were attacked in our barracks; he died on my arms. That was terrible, and sad. When he was dying, I did not say anything. I was silent unti...
More About: Society , World War I , United States , Story , Philippines

A dose of the Great War: the story of an unsung guerilla
2008-04-04 14:51:00
The World War I I was the bloodiest war in human history. Heroes were rewarded with their names written in history books. The villains were remembered as war criminals. But both of them were human slayers?in a sense they?re all criminals.But according to the definition of the heroes who wrote history from the perspective of the victor?they?re the saviours of humanity, and the villains the dark cloud that murdered innocent people both military and civilians.With this, one can only surmise on how to justify the hundreds of thousands of civilians who died during the bombing of Hiroshima (6 August 1945) and Nagasaki (9 August 1945) to force the surrender of the Japanese Imperial Army.The United States forces under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and the Allied Forces were, according to most history textbooks, the heroes. And the villains were the infamous Nazi Adolf Hitler who murdered millions of Jews and Emperor Hirohito of Japan; the dark horse was Josef Stalin of USSR whose for...
More About: Story , Philippines , Great

Liberalism vs conservatism vs fundamentalism
2008-04-02 04:43:00
Liberal is the person who favors progress or reform; he or she is tolerant with other beliefs and views, and is free from prejudice. A liberal person must be generous and abundant, and not, in a stricter sense, literalist when interpreting texts, situations or experiences. He or she advocates for liberty seeking freedom from arbitrary government system, freedom from foreign rule or policy, freedom from captivity, and freedom from any forms of oppression and injustice. The liberal person adheres to the libertarian tradition where there is freedom of expression, thoughts and thought forms.But you can only distinguish or classify ?liberal? when you have identified what is ?conservative.? To be conservative is to spend your life preserving the status quo or the existing conditions of society, cultures, institutions, etc. Usually when the person is conservative, his or her tendency is to limit and moderate change. Major reforms should be avoided in order to preserve peace and order, and ...
More About: Religion , Fundamentalism , Conservatism , Liberalism

Ramblings: Silence, meaning, self
2008-04-01 02:07:00
Deep inside is the strangest feeling of emptiness when I stay in silence. I can feel that life is not worth living unless one will give meaning into it. I have to create my own meaning of existence and I shall not allow the influences from outside to recreate me. My perception shall be tamed, but my inner senses shall gather bits and pieces of myself and create me in the process.O silence, the uncanniest friend?friends become enemies and enemies become friends because of you. The disturbed try to break you through words, rhythms, colors and music but you?re still there?unbreakable, the sacred host of the ineffable. Are you the wife of darkness giving birth to the melancholic music of light?Where are the philosophers of this age? Can they destroy the strength of silence? Can they desecrate its beauty? How can cosmetologists beautify the ugly face of silence when its beauty is in its being silent? Where is the music that breaks the stillness of my friend?s presence? Where is the life ...
More About: Poetry , Self , Meaning , Silence

Plagiarism, rhetoric, slavery
2008-03-31 02:38:00
I found out that two days are enough to take a rest from posting. I did not write anything during the last two days, I took a vacation from thinking what to write. Actually, an excuse for me to do some other things. During the weekend I checked the papers of my students, a thing that most teachers hate to do. Some students are really smart and brilliant enough but there are also those who pretended to be so. Some did their papers hardly and honestly, but there are also those who plagiarised their papers. I hate plagiarism, but students simply plagiarise. So I can't do anything except giving 'F' grade to plagiarists.Anyway, let me go back to my sanity. Last Saturday I joined a theology discussion which is popularly called "Bible study" with my regular suport group at Asian Theological Seminary. This group began in November 2006 with a handful of jaded Christians and non Christians alike (Evangelical, Catholic, Agnostic, and Atheist) from different fields of interest (film, law, th...
More About: Philippines , Slavery , Plagiarism , New Testament

I seek freedom
2008-03-28 14:38:00
When I was a child, I looked at my parents as authority. I could not decide by myself what to eat, what to wear, and what to choose. I was totally dependent. My parents fed me, clothed me, and formed me both consciously and socially. I was taught how to behave, what to say and not to say in public, and how to be "human" in a wider sense of the term. How my parents defined human that's how I also thought to be what it was.Then I was enrolled in a kindergarten, and in grade school. There the teacher became my authority figure. The knowledge that my parents taught me was challenged by the the teacher and so I had to balance the two forms and sources of knowledge. In school I was taught grammar, mathematics, science and history; but at home, I learned the values of my family. Mother was religious, father was analytical, and grandfather was critical. There was a wide range of sources of knowledge.At school I was taught to memorise the alphabet, basic rules of grammar, events in history,...
More About: Freedom , Seek

Defining transformation
2008-03-27 00:31:00
Yesterday I was in the office of the academic dean of the school where I am teaching. The school is relatively small and new offering experimental courses of theology and community transformation. This is the first independent school in the Philippines that seeks to make sense with theology as a legitimate branch of social sciences through a dialogue with other disciplines such as sociology, psychology, and political philosophy. In our conversation with the dean, we came across with defining 'transformative education' as the ethos of the school as an institution. Why transformation? How do we understand transformation in relation to education? Isn't education transformative, and the goal of every educational institution is to transform individuals through exploration of knowledge? How do we define transformation and how do we define education? How much effectivity we need to aim, and who need it? Such questions led us to think through the implications of our goals and roles in th...
More About: Society , Self , Transformation

Can an evangelical be at the same time intellectual?
2008-03-25 02:02:00
When I was a little boy I used to go to Sunday school to learn the Word of God through Bible stories; then I was taught to memorise the church's confession of faith. Every time I asked about the conflicts in science, culture and faith, the pastor would simply say that you have to accept Christianity by faith. Reason is always defective, but faith will lead you to salvation. From then on, I started to doubt the honesty and truthfulness of Christianity.In high school and in college, I tried to make sense with my Christianity by defending my faith against the attacks of reason and science. But I was frustrated of the inability of the Christian faith to be at par with science. Biblical accounts such as creation, incarnation, resurrection, miracles and many others are not scientifically reasonable, thus to be scientific implies abandoning Christian faith.My grandfather was a philosophy professor in one of the top universities in the Philippines , and he would always tell me that Christia...
More About: Time , Evangelical

Easter meditation: Making sense with the resurrection myth
2008-03-23 03:51:00
Today Christians around the globe celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter or Resurrection Sunday is one of the most important religious feast of Christianity. I will not define what Easter means, neither will I trace the origin and history of Eastertide; I just leave it to Wikipedia's entry on Easter.In the Christian Philippines, Filipino Catholics developed the tradition of Salubong (literally fetch) welcoming the risen Lord. There's a procession of the icons and images of an angel, Mother Mary and Jesus that will end at the entrance of the church or cathedral. Angels sing hymns of praise and joy of the coming of the Son of God to life again. A girl who played a role of an angel will pull the string to open the basket of flowers and confetti as Jesus and the host of saints entered the sanctuary.People fill the church--people of different interests and motives: to be blessed, to acquire power and magic, to experience luck, to renew their vows to God, and to remember and...
More About: Sense , Meditation , Myth

Black Sabbath meditation: Was resurrection a hoax?
2008-03-22 13:58:00
Today is Black Sabbath. Black not because dark is the color of the day but because during Lent season, Christians around the world commemorate the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Friday was the crucifixion, and Sunday was the resurrection of the hanged man. But between Friday and Sunday was Saturday ? the day of grief, mourning, gloom and loneliness. The disciples of Jesus were scattered like sheep without a shepherd. On Saturday, the crucified God journeyed the realms of the dead. God was in the dark.Late this afternoon as I read the New Testament, I was curious of this passage in Matthew 27:51-54. And I think it is best to cite the verses:?At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When ...
More About: Meditation , Black Sabbath , Hoax , Resurrection

Good Friday meditation: God is dead
2008-03-21 01:47:00
Today is Good Friday . Christians commemorate the death of the historical Jesus of Nazareth on the cross.In the Christian Philippines, some folks imitate the manner of the death of Christ. They even nailed themselves to crosses. That's the expression of their spirituality. To die with Christ is the only way to achive the death to self that they're seeking.According to the Christian tradition, Christ was God. And God was Christ. In the first few verses of the Gospel of John it reads, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning... The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." Thus, accordingly, the Word was Jesus Christ, the God-incarnate.When Jesus died, God died. That's a simple syllogism: Jesus Christ is God; and Jesus Christ died; therefore, God died. God was dead.In his classic philosophical writing Thus Spake Zarathustra, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche presented the idea of the death of God. After the mee...
More About: Meditation , Dead

Holy Thursday meditation
2008-03-20 10:25:00
Today is Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday. In Christian tradition, today is a commemoration of the Lord's Supper and Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet. The word "maundy" was derived from the Latin mandatum or commandment of Christ to love one another.Jesus washed the disciples' feet which signified love, humility and servanthood. God so loved the world that Jesus humbled himself to serve humanity rather than to be served. Jesus came to bring peace and goodnews to the poor, and ultimately to bring the message of freedom to the prisoners.The freedom that Jesus proclaimed was the freedom of human spirit--that is freedom from all forms of captivity either political, social or religious. That freedom was freedom ultimately from dogma. However, this freedom, throughout the history of the movement of the followers of Jesus called Christianity, was turned into a dogma that enslaved unfree individuals.A free human spirit is free even from thoughts of freedom. This freedom requires, a...
More About: Meditation

Color it pink too
2008-03-19 00:34:00
Now I have some ideas about the pink line that Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando has drawn in the major streets of Metro Manila. I talked about it in my former post "Color it pink."Two days ago I went to the domestic airport, and when I was in Pasay area, I stopped for a while then I asked a taxi driver what was the pink line for. The driver replied that the pink line indicated that there had to be no street vendors beyond that line. A minute or two later, I asked an MMDA officer why there was that pink line along EDSA. He said that the line was used to limit the freedom of the street vendors to go beyond the line. No vendors were allowed beyond the color pink.The other day, I went to a dinner with my colleagues in West Ave., while on my way I asked the taxi driver what's the pink line for, he said the same: no street vendors allowed beyond the line.So the conversation went on, what do you think of that pink line? The driver thought about the cost o...
More About: Society , Pink , Philippines

Love transcendent
2008-03-18 00:54:00
Love, what is it? Is it an emotion, a cognition, an attraction, or something that is seen in action? Or is love a combination of both perceptions of the senses and expressions of the very depths of our being?Fatima was my childhood crush. She's beautiful. Attractive. Pretty. No one was like Fatima in our village. She's brilliant, and lovely. Every time I saw her, her beauty pierced the deepest part of me. She looked at me with the eyes of an eagle that I had nothing hidden before her.Yes, I love her. And of course, she said that she loved me too. We were friends. But our love was more than friendship.But there was a non-negotiable difference between us besides she being a female and me a male. She's a Muslim; and me, a Christian. Her parents didn't like me, and my family didn't want me to have her as my future wife.In a religiously polarized country like the Philippines, religion matters in deciding whom to love and whom to marry. When the woman belongs to the Iglesia ni Cristo...
More About: Love

Palm Sunday meditation
2008-03-16 02:07:00
Today is Palm Sunday . In the Christian tradition, today was the celebration of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. In the Christian Philippines, this tradition of reenacting the triumphal entry is still alive. As early as last Friday, Catholics already prepared palm leaves to sell to devotees so that as they enter the church the following Sunday, they're ready to welcome the coming of Jesus.This morning, I read the Gospel of Mark's account of the triumphal entry comparing it with Matthew's and Luke's accounts. Although there were few variations of the accounts such as Matthew's addition of the city that was in turmoil and Luke's report that it was not the bystanders who asked the disciples why they untied the colt but the owners of the colt, one noticeable feature was that Jesus was welcomed by the crowd but the Pharisees and other religious and political leaders in Jerusalem detested him.A close reading of Mark would tell us why was Jesus welcomed by the people but u...
More About: Meditation

My new Sade "120 Days of Sodom" paperback
2008-03-15 09:23:00
I happened to visit National Bookstore yesterday afternoon, and to my surprise there was a promo of up to 70% discount on imported books. It's been a month that I had not visited my favorite bookstore, but I confess though that it was next only to Powerbooks, so I was excited to pick some of my favorite books on sale.At first, I had in hand Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes at 70% percent discount, but then there was Marquis de Sade 's The 120 Days of Sodom and Other Writings with critical essays by Simone de Beauvoir and Pierre Klossowski at 20%. But I said to myself that I have to buy only one book a week because I had many books left unread on my bookshelves. Last two weeks I bought Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera and two books on building religious communities, Serving with the Urban Poor published by World Vision and Dave Andrews's Building a Better World: Developing Communities of Hope in Troubled Times.So I had to choose between the two, the university-...
More About: Paperback

The Christ of the poor
2008-03-14 12:09:00
I live 120 meters away from a Catholic church owned by the order of Society of Divine Word (SVD), the Sacred Heart Parish.Every morning I listened to the chiming bells playing tunes of traditional Christ ian music. Every Sunday, the cathedral was full of thousands of worshipers and Masses were held 7 times.The day before the Lord's day, there were already people setting up their products and goods around the vicinity of the sacred sanctuary. Fruits. Food. Vegetables. Fancy accessories. Clothes and textiles. Newspapers. Children's books. Novenas. Amulets and talisman. Flowers (Sampaguita). Etcetera.These vendors are small entrepreneurs trying to make sense with life. They were still hopeful that someday, God would perform miracles and make them rich. Or at least, they would live decent lives.And there were beggars too.Next week is Holy Week. Or to make it theologically accurate, the Passion Week.As early as today, I saw people preparing their products around the vicinity of the cath...
More About: Poor

Color it pink
2008-03-13 10:51:00
This afternoon I went to a supermarket in Cubao. As I was walking along Timog Ave. before I rode a jeepney, I noticed that there was this pink line in the pedestrian lane.I did not bother to ask the jeepney driver, but I was really wondering what was the purpose of that pink line.As I reached Aurora Blvd., I still saw the pink line, then at EDSA.Road signs and road lines used brighter colors as reflectors -- yellow, white and red. But pink? That's unusual.Unfortunately I didn't bring my camera. So I have no photograph of how it looked like.Then suddenly when I was inside the supermarket, a thought came to mind. Pink is the color that Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando used to decorate the streets in Marikina and in Metro Manila. Pink posts. Pink rails. Pink footbridges. That's MMDA. That's Bayani Fernando. That's the Metro Gwapo beautification project of Fernando.Actually there's no problem with the line. And if one would think about the cost of the pa...
More About: Color , Philippines