Kerygma Magazine September 2015

Inspiring You To Live A Fantastic Life
Y
ER GM
No. 309 Vol. 26
rise up,
filipinos!
LET OUR GREATNESS SHOW!
LUIS ANTONIO cardinal Tagle:
a filipino gem,
gods gift to the church
ambassador grace princesa
PROUD TO BE FILIPINO
jc libiran: think, speaK and act
pinoy!
nio calonge: I am. i can. i will.
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SEPTEMBER 2015
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ER GM
Bringing you inspiration through touching

life stories, reflections and testimonies
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PUBLICATIONS, INC.
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May Your Dreams Come True

Friend, what are your dreams? Those dreams you have in your heart of hearts? God has placed
them in the very fiber of your being. His plan for your life is connected to your deepest desires.
Heres the truth: God wants to make your dreams come true. But He needs your help. He has already
equipped you with the gifts, talents and resources you need to accomplish the beautiful dreams He has
for your life.
But why is it that your dream still remains a dream? There are some important principles you need to
learn and apply, like what to do when your dreams are bigger than your resources, how to marry your
purpose and hire your strategy, and find Gods solution when you encounter obstacles that stop you
from fulfilling your dream.
You may be on the verge of giving up or may have abandoned all hope.
This book will inspire you, motivate you and bring your dreams back to life!
Yes, your dreams dont have to remain just dreams. Learn how to achieve your God-ordained destiny by
following these seven crucial steps:
Step 1: Conceive
Step 2: Receive
Step 3: Achieve
Step 4: Adjust
Step 5: Supply
Step 6: Solutions
Step 7: Significance
What are you waiting for? Its time to make your dreams come true.
This book will change your life.
PUBLICATIONS, INC.
For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 to 108

or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com to buy
digital or paperback versions.
Your Newborn Is a Blessing!

Are you a new parent? Dont worry! Learn how to care
for your newborn through this simple guide to your
babys health from conception to birth.
Dont know how to begin taking care of your precious
one? This book can help you:
Care for your newborn with the right skills, tools
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needs.
Know the importance of screening for congenital
diseases to prevent other mental retardation and
serious complications.
Assess you childs condition to avoid developing
into serious illnesses.
Know your true calling as a parent with Gods
amazing grace.
Doc. Joy equips you with the necessary skills to cope
with the stresses of having a newborn baby.
Enjoy caring for your infant, because your newborn is a
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PUBLICATIONS, INC.
For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 to 108

or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com
the Boss
Let me share with you a simple secret to succeed in life.
Dont ever try to please everyone.
Ive been a leader of ministries for more than three
decades now.If Ill try to meet all the expectations that
people heap on me, I need to be Padre Pio, Bill Gates,
Francis of Assisi, John Rockefeller and Clark Kent rolled into
one.
Talk about severe schizophrenia!
Some want me to be Padre Pio:Bo, your early morning
prayer time at 4 a.m. should last for three hours. You
should levitate once in a while.When you walk around, we
should smell the odor of sanctity and see a beautiful glow
on your face. Jeepers, I have sometypeof odor, I know.But
I doubt if its sacred. (Spell out my name.Reminds you of
something?)
Others want me to be Bill Gates, the great CEO: As
our leader, you should manage a well-knit, well-run, welloiled organization.You should implement re-engineering,
develop our marketing niche, and work towards ISO 9002 in
our prayer group.
Others want me to be St. Francis of Assisi, the ascetic:
Bo, you should live in poverty, wear second-hand clothes,
and never touch or own or think of money at all.Drive a
beat up, rusty, dilapidated car. And live in a slum area.
And yet another group of people insists that I be John
Rockefeller, the philanthropist: When we have financial
needs, itll be nice if we see you dig deep into your pocket
and help us in our childrens tuition fees, in our hospital
bills, in our shopping sprees.
Some wish me to be Clark Kent: I dont care if your
schedule is full.You have to be there for me!Be my best
friend.Dont just be my leader! Phone me every day and
visit my home every other day.Uh for the 16,000 people
who attend The Feast Bay Area and the thousands more
in the 189 Feasts around the world?
Ive accepted this truth:I believe that if I will do what
my Creator wants me to do, Ill end up disappointing a lot of
people.
Im not all these characters.
Im Bo.And I like being Bo, a Filipino!God has created
me to be this particular person with my own set of
strengths, weaknesses and idiosyncrasies.
Heres my message: Dont try to please everyone.
Disappoint people!
Know your call.
And answer it.
May your dreams come true,
By Bo Sanchez
DON T TRY
TO
PLEASE
EVERYONE
Bos outfit courtesy of Elite Garments/SOLO.

SEPTEMBER 2015 | KERYGMA
mailroom
I was in college when I first read your
magazine. But I forgot about it when I
worked in the Middle East for 10 years,
before moving to Africa. I married a French
chef and, in 2012, we went back to Manila
because he got accepted in a five-star
hotel. But after two years, he lost his job
and we also struggled in keeping our small
business. Our debt started to mount up to
almost a million. We were afraid, worried
and stressed all the time.
A few months back, a neighbor
handed me a copy of Kerygma. I read it
every day and I began to be hopeful again.
I kept the faith. It inspired me to hold on.
By Gods grace, just recently, my
husband got a job opportunity in one of
the biggest hotels that will open soon.
God be praised!
I just read your magazines June 2015

issue, which my board mate gave me.
I was so touched and inspired upon
reading the featured stories, especially
the article The Guarantor.
I hope you will continue to share
stories and amazing life testimonies.
Frank Gongob Bermejo
Makati City
My officemate is a subscriber of
Kerygma and she usually lends me her
copies. I cant stop reading them old
and new issues one by one.
Im thinking of subscribing for
myself and my family.
Brent
Baguio City
Merna
Greenbelt, Makati
Thank you so much for inspiring us to
become better persons. Thank you for
bringing out the saints in us through your
teachings and testimonies.
I pray that God will continue to use you
more to bless many lives.
Again, thank you very much! God
bless!
Thank you for the wonderful and

inspiring stories that you put out month
after month. Many times, the stories
speak to me personally, as if God is
talking to me.
Continue the good work that you
are doing for Gods people.
God bless!
Eric Trinidad
University of the East - Manila
Valerie V.
Paraaque City
Kerygma exists because of you

Send us your stories. Give us your feedback.
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just breathe
Living by Grace
By Rissa Singson Kawpeng
In-the-Box Thinking
Rissas outfit courtesy of Elite Garments/ENSEMBLE.
Living with the end in mind
Last October, we exhumed my mom,

who died in 2009. It was my dads plan
to exhume her and have her cremated,
but the law only allows disinterment
five years after death. Unfortunately,
Dad didnt live long enough to wait for
the five years. He died in April 2014,
six months short of Moms fifth death
anniversary.
So we four sisters had the not-sopleasant task of exhuming Mom. We
were told that a member of the family
had to look at the remains before it
was cremated. Obviously, none of us
wanted to do it. Both our brothers
live in the US. One sister joked, Can
we just ask the gravediggers to take a
photo and well Viber it to Kuya?
Long story short, the vault was
already extracted from the ground
when we arrived at the cemetery. The
gravediggers were just waiting for the
family to arrive so they could open it. I
was across the street covering my eyes.
My two sisters were inside the van
parked a few meters behind the vault.
My doctor sister was the only one who
was a few yards away but still not close
enough to see the inside of the vault.
We feared that Mom would still be
intact because of the news we heard
of a bold star in the 80s, Claudia Zobel,
who was exhumed 30 years later and
still hadnt deteriorated. Surely my
mom, a daily Mass goer and a lover
of the Lord, was more saintly than
a bold star, right? What if Mom was
incorruptible?
She wasnt. For all her beauty
regimen and meticulous skin care, she
ended up as dust and ashes. We took
her remains and inurned it in my dads

tiny apartment at the church crypt.
That night, I brushed my teeth, which
had recently become sensitive, and I
looked at the mirror worried about my
wrinkling skin that had darkened from
the sun because I swim three times a
week. As I moisturized my skin, I realized
that no matter how much I take care of
my body, Ill one day end up in a box, too.
Theres a beautiful poem in
Ecclesiastes 12 that reminds us to think
in the box.
Rejoice, O young man, while you
are young and let your heart be glad in
the days of your youth. Follow the ways
of your heart, the vision of your eyes; yet
understand that as regards all this God will
bring you to judgment. Ward off grief
from your heart and put away trouble from
your presence, though the dawn of youth is
fleeting.
Remember your Creator in the days of
your youth, before the evil days come and
the years approach of which you will say, I
have no pleasure in them And the dust
returns to the earth as it once was, and
the life breath returns to God who gave it.
(Ecclesiastes 11:9-10, 12:1, 7)
King Solomon, who is credited for
writing the book of Ecclesiastes, reminds
us to enjoy life. To live it to the hilt. To
pursue pleasure. But and its a big but
lets not forget that God will hold us
accountable for our actions.
The passage also tells us to remove
grief and trouble from our lives. I was
surprised to learn that one of the top
issues people face today is depression.
You may be depressed because of your

hormones, your health, your marriage
or your work.
I was struck by a priests homily
when he said, Mary is called Our Lady
of Sorrows, not Our Lady of Depression.
Her sorrows were not trivial. But she did
not give in to depression. She pondered
things in her heart. She reflected on
them. She sought to understand what
God wanted to teach and work in her
through all that.
When we live with the end in mind,
we will enjoy life more, grieve less and
love with all weve got.
Teach us to count our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
(Psalm 90:12)
Email me at justbreatherissa@gmail.com,
follow me on Facebook or visit my website
www.rissasingsonkawpeng.com.
What to Expect:
God wants to make your dreams
come true! But you also need to
do your part. In his latest book,
Bo Sanchez teaches us that what
you visualize will materialize.
Learn the 7 steps to achieve your
God-ordained destiny in Life
Manual 101: How to Make Your
Dreams Come True. Available in
kerygmabooks.com and leading
bookstores nationwide. You can
also call (02)725-9999 and place
your orders now. Free delivery
within Metro Manila for a minimum
purchase of P500.
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Special Section
RISE UP, FILIPINOS!
LET OUR GREATNESS FLOW!
SEPTEMBER 2015
Y
ER GM
Mailroom
Daily Pause
New You
Real Stuff
10
1
48
Kfam Insider
NYOY VOLANTE AT
ANAWIM
Departments
12
Dear K
15
Feast Snapshots
THE FEAST CDO
17
It Happened
My Lifes Hugot: A Journey
of Gods Beloved
47
One Last Story

THROUGH THE STORM
The Boss
DONT TRY TO
PLEASE EVERYONE
Special
Section
Cardinal chito tagle:

A filipino gem,
gods gift to the church
22
Sino Ako? Ako ay

Pilipino, Taas-Noo
Kahit Kanino
27
thank god, i am a
filipino in thought,
word and deed
31
I am. I can.
I will
35
Point of Contact
The Bo
Files
20
Columns
Just Breathe
IN-THE-BOX
THINKING
Seasons
MIDLIFE PINOY
STYLE
41
Faith @Work
TRIBES
43
K Preacher
THE FILIPINO STRENGTH:

FAITH-FILLED PRAYERS
45
Finally, we have Cardinal Chito Tagle on our cover!

We are grateful that, despite his busy schedule here and
abroad, he granted us an interview one fine Monday
afternoon in June. Read about this humble servant of God
on page 22.
founder and publisher BO SANCHEZ editor-in-chief RISSA SINGSON KAWPENG managing editor TESS V. ATIENZA creative director MIKE CORTES assistant layout artist LEAH KIM RECTO
graphics director REY DE GUZMAN assistant graphic artist JAP TARECTECAN staff writers MAYMAY SALVOSA, MARJORIE ANN DUTERTE, KARREN RENZ SEA, DINA PECAA contributing writers
AMBASSADOR GRACE R. PRINCESA, BELLA ESTRELLA, JC LIBIRAN, NIO CALONGE photographers DANIEL SORIANO, DAVE APALLA columnists OBET CABRILLAS, EARNEST TAN, ARIEL DRIZ
chairman of the board and CEO BO SANCHEZ president HERMIE R. MORELOS vice-president for corporate services WENG CEQUEA assistant vice-president for production RISSA KAWPENG production
manager TESS V. ATIENZA sales and marketing manager JOSEPH MARTINEZ
Kerygma. A Greek word meaning Proclamation of the Gospel. It is a Catholic inspirational magazine. It aims to be an evangelistic tool for all nations, providing Scriptural, practical
and orthodox teachings to Catholics, particularly those in the Catholic Renewal, as an alternative to present-day magazines. It is also committed to fostering the renewal and unity
of the whole Christian people. Philippine copyright Shepherds Voice Publications, Inc. 2015. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission. Published monthly by
Shepherds Voice Publications, Inc., whose editorial and business offices are located at 60 Chicago St., Cubao, 1109 Quezon City. Tel.: (632) 725-9999, 411-7874, 725-1190, 470-4091
(Production Department). Fax: 727-5615. Email: editsvp@shepherdsvoice.com.ph. Website: www.kerygmabooks.com
daily pause with Pope Francis

1
Amid so many problems,

even grave, may we not
lose our hope in the infinite
mercy of God.
Those who believe come to see

themselves in the light of the
faith which they profess: Christ
is the mirror in which they find
their own image fully realized.
The love of Christ fills our

hearts and makes us always
able to forgive.
Let us learn to live with

kindness, to love everyone,
even when they do not
love us.
Why is it so difficult to
tolerate the faults of
others? Have we forgotten
that Jesus bore our sins?
Dear parents, have great

patience, and forgive from
the depths of your heart.
13
14
15
Let us invoke the Holy

Spirit each day: He guides
us along the path of
discipleship in Christ.
19
In the sacrament of the
Eucharist, we find God
who gives Himself.
25
The strengthening and

renewal of consecrated life
are the result of great love for
the rule, and also the ability
to look to and heed the elders
of ones congregation.
6
We can observe the

Fourth Commandment by
loving visits to our aging
grandparents.
20
Christians are witnesses not

to a theory, but to a Person:
Christ risen and alive, the
one Savior of all.
21
The Lord never abandons

His people in difficulties,
and is always alert to their
oppression. He hears His
childrens cries of pain.
Life, human life above all,

belongs to God alone. Not
even a murderer loses his
personal dignity, and God
Himself pledges to guarantee
this.
26
27
All of us, in life, need

educators, mature, wise and
balanced people who help us
to grow in the family, in our
studies, in work and in faith.
Those who believe, see; they

see with a light that illumines
their entire journey, for it
comes from the risen Christ,
the morning star which
never sets.
Thus, wonderfully interwoven,

faith, hope and charity are the
driving force of the Christian
life as it advances towards full
communion with God.
When we cannot earn our

own bread, we lose our
dignity. This is a tragedy
today, especially for the
young.
10
11
12
Lord, send forth Your Holy

Spirit to bring consolation
and strength to persecuted
Christians.
There is an urgent need, then,

to see once again that faith is a
light, for once the flame of faith
dies out, all other lights begin to
dim.
16
17
18
Lord, grant us the

awesome gift of meeting
You.
The light of the Gospel

guides all who put
themselves at the service of
the civilization of love.
We need to build up
society in the light of
the Beatitudes, walking
towards the Kingdom with
the least among us.
22
23
24
It is good for us to spend

time before the Tabernacle,
to feel the gaze of Jesus
upon us.
Where there is no work,

there is no dignity.
Next to parents, teachers,

priests and catechists, a
coach can be an effective
formator of young people.
Dear friends, I encourage

you to continue with the
work you are doing, because
the world needs witnesses
of the mercy and the
tenderness of God.
At times, God can grant the

gift of wisdom to a young
person, but always as the
fruit of obedience and
docility to the Spirit.
28
29
30
The clearest proof of the

reliability of Christs love is to
be found in his dying for our
sake.
Without being conformed

to Jesus in love, without the
presence of the Spirit, it is
impossible to confess Him as
Lord (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:3).
Faith in Christ brings salvation

because in Him our lives
become radically open to a
love that precedes us, a love
that transforms us from within,
acting in us and through us.
new you
Tips for Personal Development
Save Up This Holiday Season

Its Christmas time once again at least for most
Filipinos. And to trim down your budget, better be
prepared as early as September. Here are some useful
tips on how to have a stress-less and budget-friendly
Yuletide season:
1.
The gift list. Create a complete list of the people

you want to give gifts to, including the items that
you want to give them. This will help you decide
on your budget.
2. Get started. Begin today! Start
researching for and going to
places selling good items.
Come December, you
wont be as tired as
those who are haggling
and rushing here
and there. This also
applies for Do-ItYourself gifts
that you plan
to give
away.
Visit
www.
pinterest.
com for cool
DIY items.
3. Write letters
or cards.
Nothing beats giving
a personal message
to people dearest to
you. It costs a little,
but definitely means
a lot.
Source: www.realsimple.com
Quick Health Tip

Potatoes
Potatoes, if properly prepared, are
rich in Vitamin C and B6, which are
both immunity boosters. Potatoes
also contain folate, manganese and
potassium. Even the outer potato peels
have a high level of fiber. With all these
nutrients, eating the right amount of
potatoes can help ease out depression,
stress, indigestion and inflammation.
Source: http://www.livescience.com
How to Fight the SAD Attack

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a depressive condition caused by
changes in the weather, particularly a decrease in the amount of sunlight.
Studies show that such decrease affects the bodys internal clock and
pulls down the level of serotonin (also known as the happy hormones)
and melatonin (hormones that regulate sleeping patterns). As a result,
people experiencing SAD have low energy levels, mood swings and
lack of appetite.
In the Philippines, SAD commonly strikes as soon as September
kicks in and lasts until January of the following year. This
is why some people feel gloomy in spite of the festive
Christmas air. Check out the following ways on how to
keep your spirit up this time of the year:
1. Let there be light. Keep your house well-lit and allow the
natural light to permeate your space. Adjust the curtain, open
the window and brighten up the atmosphere. Bask in the
morning sunlight, too, to acquire Vitamin D which contributes to
mental health.
2. Prepare a happy meal. No, its not about eating at a fast-food
chain. Fill your tummy with mood-boosting foods such as
bananas, green leafy vegetables and chocolates to stimulate
happiness. Refrain from drinking alcohol.
3. Have a support group. Inform your family and close friends of
your situation. There isnt a better way to cope with sadness than
have trusted people to talk to and plan clean, fun activities with.
Source: http://www.besthealthmag.ca, www.mayoclinic.org
real stuff
Cardinal Tagle:
1st Asian President of

Caritas Internationalis
Darling for
Europe and
Asian Francis
added up to the
list of monickers
attributed to Manila
Archbishop Luis
Antonio Cardinal
Tagle after his
election as the new
president of Caritas
Internationalis. It is
composed of 165
Catholic charitable
organizations in
over 200 countries
across the globe that aim to serve the poor.
The election was held during the
confederations general assembly in Rome in
May 2015, attended by more than 300 delegates.
Cardinal Tagle succeeded Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez
Maradiaga when the assembly ended on May 17.
Chacko Joseph, Head of Caritas Internationalis
Solidarity Team for Emergency Preparedness (STEP)
in the Philippines, said that Cardinal Tagle is warmly
supported in Europe and in most Caritas networks.
Early this year, the charismatic Cardinal from
Imus, Cavite was already appointed by Pope Francis
as President of the Catholic Biblical Federation.
Source: http://www.cbcpnews.com
Mexicos Exorcists Wage

Spiritual Warfare
The growing number of victims due to drug-related incidents in

Mexico raises an alarm not only to government leaders but also to
church officials. Reports show that from 2006 up to the present, there
have been at least 70,000 casualties coming from the military, the
bandits and the ordinary citizens.
Some priests believe that such menace is Satans attack resulting
from a cult venerating Saint Death or Santa Muerte. Santa Muerte,
symbolized by a skull clad in a wedding dress holding a scythe, has
gained eight million worshipers all over Mexico and many others who
live in Central America, Canada and the United States. Among the
followers are drug traffickers who ask for Santa Muertes protection
from being arrested and to acquire greater wealth. As an offering, they
present human sacrifices which lead to more violence and death.
The local Catholic Church responded with a series of exorcism
sessions, including a nationwide exorcism held in San Luis Potosi
Cathedral. As Father Carlos Triana, an exorcist, said, We believe that
behind all these big and structural evils, there is a dark agent and his
name is The Demon. That is why the Lord wants to have here a ministry
of exorcism and liberation, for the fight against the Devil.
Father Francisco Bautista, another exorcist, noted that the
legalization of abortion in the country also gave the devil a foothold in
Mexico, which they hope to counter through exorcism.
Source: http://www.bbc.com
Saints-at-a-Glance
St. Emily de Rodat
Born and Died: 1787 to 1852
Feast Day: September 19
Born in France, Emily earned her degree in Villefranche and started teaching when she
was 18. Emily put up a school and taught poor children for free. She also devoted her time
caring for prisoners, orphans and the elderly. After her several attempts to join religious
congregations, she later discerned that being a nun was not for her. She lost to cancer in 1852,
leaving behind 38 charitable foundations. Women who joined Emily in teaching became the
core of the Holy Family of Villefranche congregation.
Source: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com
Kfam insider
Nyoy gamely participates in the lolos and lolas activity
during his visit.
NYOY VOLANTE AT ANAWIM

By Bella Estrella
Photos by Anawim Lay Missions Foundation, Inc. and Dave Apalla
NYOY VOLANTE, 2015 Best Male Acoustic Artist

of the Peoples Choice Awards and the 12th Annual
Asia Pacific Excellence Award, gained public
attention along with seven other celebrities who
impersonated iconic singers in Your Face Sounds
Familiar (YFSF), a high-rating ABS-CBN show which
ran from March 14, 2015 to June 7, 2015.
The weekly winners in YFSF received a cash prize of
P100,000, half of which went to the winners chosen charity.
Nyoy won twice for his impersonation of Canadian pop singer
Justin Bieber and Italian operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
He chose Anawim, the home for the abandoned elderly
founded by Bo Sanchez, as his beneficiary charity. He
personally went to Anawim on May 25 to share half of his
P200,000 winnings and to entertain the elderly and others at
Anawim.
Following are excerpts from an interview with Nyoy at the
Nobu Hotel shortly before an evening performance on June 11.
Why Anawim?
Nyoy: First of all, Im familiar with Anawim. In my elementary
10
years, Ive always been a listener of Bo Sanchez. I listened to

his teaching tapes. Even as I grew up, Ive been very familiar
with everything that hes involved in, so I know about
Anawim.
There are many different charities around for street
children, for scholarships, for rehabilitation, for the sick.
Of course, these are all important, but I think there are not
many charities for the elderly. And Im glad that the focus
of Anawim is on them. So when I was asked to choose a
charity, I chose Anawim.
What can you say about Anawim and Bo?
Nyoy: It was my first time to be there last May. It was
very heartwarming and I was very happy. I felt that
they appreciated what I did, and that they longed for
companionship and more friends. Definitely, I have plans of
going back there.
I believe one of the reasons I reached the finals of the
show was because of their prayers. I was very happy to see
some staff at the Resorts World during the finals of YFSF
when I did Whitney Houston.
Big or small, it felt more of an achievement to be able
Nyoys real victory is in his

generous heart.
Nyoy sings to the Anawim residents.
Having fun with the lolos and lolas.
More Happenings at Anawim

on its 20th Year

With Caloy Dimson and Aida Dy during the

turnover of his blessing to Anawim.
to share my win with them. Definitely,

my big thanks goes to the people of
Anawim because I know they prayed
fervently.
And, of course, to Bo Sanchez. I
was overwhelmed when I saw that
he tweeted about it. For someone
of that caliber to acknowledge me
like that, especially someone like Bo
Sanchez, wow! Ive always been a fan.
I know him now as one professional to
another, but before I did, Ive always
been that young boy who looked
up to him as one of my heroes, and
now in this kind of situation, its
somehow very surreal to me that he
acknowledged me when all my life Ive
been acknowledging him. Im proud to
have known him.
and I acknowledge that all these are His

blessings.
Im proud of all the beautiful things
that have happened to me through the
Lord. For all the blessings that He gave
me, the most effective way for me to
acknowledge these and His goodness is
through my success as an artist because
if people see that Im doing well with my
craft, and then I acknowledge the Lord as
the Giver of all these things, we can add
to the number of believers. We can inspire
others who are not that enthusiastic about
their faith, those who are enjoying the
things of the world, maybe we can call in
more individuals to seek the Lord.
What are your plans after this and what

more do you want to ask from God?
Nyoy: I will continue working hard
What about your connection with
especially now that Im preparing for my
God?
wedding. Aside from that, definitely, Ill
Nyoy: I make it a point to acknowledge have to continue doing my music and to
Him in all my achievements because
improve other aspects of my art, especially
sometimes we easily forget, not
since the Philippines has discovered
because we want to, but sometimes
something about me that is a little bit more
we are overwhelmed with the good
to my music.
things that happen in our life. For me,
I want to ask God to maintain what I
before anything else, I acknowledge
have right now, and the kind of health that
that whatever happens here, the
I and my family have. Im not asking for
Lord is behind it. With that in mind,
anything much greater because I know we
my gratitude to Him remains great
have it good right now.
Fr. Romeo Nimez and Fr. Maurice

Galasa, both CICM priests, have been
temporarily residing at Anawim while
negotiations are ongoing for the site
of the San Isidro Labrador Parish where
they will be assigned. They celebrate
Mass every day and provide spiritual
guidance and friendship to the
residents and workers.
Through the help of Feast servant Mat
Maderazo, Anawim is now recognized
as the First Learning Site of Rizal by
the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI)
Regional field Unit IV-A. ATI conducted
several courses such as training in
organic farming and vermicomposting;
cassava processing and cooking; and
Gender Sensitivity cum Livelihood
Training: Dagdag Kabuhayan para
sa Kalakasan ng Kababaihan. These
seminars were attended by Anawim
staff, nearby barangays and guest
Feasters.
Anawim now has a solar pump in
collaboration with the Bureau of Soils
and Water Management.
On its 20th anniversary celebration last
June 17, 2015, Bo Sanchez expressed his
gratitude to all the people behind Anawim,
and most especially to God who has always
been the One who can be depended upon
in all things.
He told everyone present during the
celebration: You are all rich maybe not
in money, but in smiles, time, presence,
service and love because of the presence
of God in your midst.
11
dear K
Is religion necessary for healing?
Is religion necessary for my
healing? This is the question that
I received from my father when
I invited him to confess and to
receive the anointing of the sick. He
is bedridden and has stopped going
to church for more than a decade.
We are Catholics, but when
my mom left us for another man
and Dads sister deceived him over
money matters, he turned his back
on the Church. My mom used to
serve in our parish and his sister is
an active Protestant.
My dad hates Christians and
regrets being one. He believes that
it is better for him to stay away
from things related to any religion
and be a good person than to
practice religious stuff but be mean
to others. He even encourages me
and my siblings to quit our parish
service.
How do I answer his question?
To be fair to him, he has been a
good provider and sole guardian
to us until he got ill. Should I just let
him be?
Samantha
Dear Samantha,
How painful it must be for you to care for your bedridden father but be offlimits when it comes to his spiritual life.
Please, try to understand him. Unfortunately, he had several bad
experiences with people who gave religion a bad name. They are, as
Pope Francis lamented several times, not real Christians. He suffers inner
wounds that need time to heal. So respect his feelings and pray a lot for
your father.
Then, please, dont insist right now on confession and the anointing of
the sick. Important as these two sacraments are for your fathers healing,
respect his feelings and his conscience. Instead of urging him to receive
these sacraments now, try to show him through your example what a
real Christians way of life is. Show him compassion, love, understanding
and respect for his feelings. Think of Mother Teresa who lived with and
took care of so many sick and poor non-Christian people. She never urged
anybody to become a Christian but her way of life and example touched
many hearts.
When he encourages you to quit serving in the parish, be kind and
make a deal with him: Dad, I respect your decision, so please respect
mine also.
Finally, dont worry too much about the salvation of your father. He
is not at fault. Even if he would not return to the Church until the end,
dont worry. As you mention, he is a good person, and God sees the heart.
Recently, Pope Francis said that even atheists can be saved if they follow
their conscience and do good.
Dear readers, please pray with Samantha and me for her father.
Fr. Rudy Horst
When Fr. Rudy Horst came to the Philippines in

1984, he was first assigned to the Immaculate
Conception Parish in Cubao. It was where he
came in contact with the still young Light of
Jesus Family. In 1990, he moved to Christ the
King Mission Seminary, where he now serves
as head spiritual director of the seminarians
and teaches Religious Education. He also
teaches Holy Scriptures at the Maryhill School
of Theology and the Divine Word School of
Theology in Tagaytay.
12
I WANT TO graduatE witH latin honors

Im 19 years old and a fourth
year college student. Ive been an
achiever since preschool until high
school. When I entered college, I
always had the goal of graduating
with honors, and every day I
worked hard just to achieve this
goal.
Now, I got a low grade in a
minor subject, which means Im no
longer qualified to graduate with
honors. Ive been crying every day
for almost a month now. I dont
want to go to school and study
anymore since it will all be just
useless.
What should I do?
Hi, Pebbles!
I understand how devastating it is when you miss your goal. But you
have to move on. The next best thing to do is to reset your goal.
My own mom told me once that the real measure of success is not
in never falling but in rising every time you fall. Actually, as I look back
now, experience is a better teacher than books.
To graduate with honors means youve excelled in academics
learning largely from books and from what the school teaches. Theyre
very important. But the school of life has so much more to teach you to
grow in character, to be the person you are meant to be, to be the person
the Lord wants you to be.
How do you deal with failure? How do you cope when you miss
your goal? These are some questions the school of life will always
confront you with. Why not try to excel here more?
Pebbles
Cristy
Cristy Galang has been serving San Nicolas de
Tolentino Parish for many years, building Basic
Ecclesial Communities in the parish and doing
catechetical work. She is a licensed guidance
counselor and a certified counseling psychologist.
She was one of the pioneers of the Light of Jesus
Pastoral Care Center.
Email your questions to editsvp@shepherdsvoice.com.ph. Or if you need to talk to someone, call

(632) 726-4709 or 726-6728 to contact a Light of Jesus Pastoral Care Center counselor. Pastoral
counseling by telephone is 24 hours from Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
Face-to-face pastoral counseling is by appointment. For correspondence pastoral counseling,
email lojcounseling@yahoo.com or go to www.kerygmafamily.com.
Or Call
(632) 725-9999
Pregnant? Confused? Abortion is not the answer. Contact Grace to Be Born at 654-1377.
You may also contact Pro-life Philippines at (632) 733-7027.
13
Feast snapshots
THE FEAST CDO:
WHERE THE RIVER OF BLESSINGS

FLOW!
By Aben Garlan
A Family for All

When CDO and Iligan were struck by Typhoon
Sendong in December 2011, we, as LOJ Family,
coordinated with other groups such as Gawad
Kalinga and the Fourth Infantry Battalion
to hold relief operations. We gave practical
support to members, friends and citizens who
were affected by the giant flood. Bo Sanchez
even flew to CDO to check on us and to help us
in our Oplan Tabang CDO relief operations.
At an early stage, our relationship as a
spiritual family was tested, and through trials,
we learned to hold on to Gods promise of
rescue, support and provision.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that

yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not
wither. In all that he does,
he prospers. Psalm 1:3
Cagayan de Oro is called The City of

Golden Friendship because of its people
who always wear awesome smiles. What
will happen if friendly servants and a
cheerful crowd meet at the happiest place
on earth? The event will surely be a blast!
Love, laughter and lifting up of souls will
definitely take place.
And this is what you encounter when
you attend The Feast CDO a venue of
Gods love.
The Humble Beginning
We started as a tiny Light of Jesus (LOJ)
Family chapter with 10 members on April 8,
2010. With just 20 copies of Love Someone
Today (LST), a booklet that introduces one
to a personal relationship with Jesus, and
guidance from our dear mentor, Rudy
Mallari, we decided to build The Feast in
this city.
Every Thursday evening, we held
prayer meetings in a small boardroom
downtown. We deepened our relationship
with one another, raised our own funds,
and strengthened our faith and trust in God
while dreaming of a live Feast.
As months went by, we took courage
and conducted a once-a-month live Feast
while maintaining our LST sessions on
weekdays. From a monthly Feast, we held it
twice a month. Then on April 2012, we went
weekly. It was a beautiful experience of
Gods power at work in us and through the
people around us.
Grace, Friendship and So Much More!

Currently, The Feast CDO shares the love of
God to almost 300 people every week.
We also meet for fellowship: we jog, then
eat together; share stories, then eat together;
go on an adventure, then eat together; and we
pray for each other and eat together!
We remain true to our mission of bringing
Gods love to others. After all, discipleship is
friendship. This is what The Feast offers
not just a weekly event filled with fun and
inspiration, but a fruitful friendship that
flourishes.
We have witnessed transformed lives,
healed diseases, deepening of family
relationships, financial abundance, and many
other blessings. And these are not due to our
own efforts, but because God is prospering the
work of our hands!
Come and experience a praise party,
fantastic relationships, and soul satisfaction
at the happiest place on earth! The Feast CDO:
The Feast CDO is held every Saturday
Where the river of blessings flow!
at SM Cinema 3. Anticipated Holy Mass
starts at 6 p.m. followed by joyful worship
and an inspiring talk.
15
it Happened
Camille finds joy in the truth that God loves her.
My Lifes Hugot:
A journey of Gods
Beloved
By Cherry Camille Depano as told to Maymay R. Salvosa
17
it Happened
Camille shares her lifes happy and sad
experiences through her book, #Hugot.
Students and young

professionals filled
the cinema lobby. The
line leading to the
book table was long,
and every person
held a small book
with excitement. That
book, entitled #Hugot,
bore my name as
its author. Tears
trickled down my
face, but I tried hard
to prevent them from
rushing. Everything
felt surreal as people
lined up for my
signature and a quick
picture taking. I could
see their faces, hear
their cheers, and feel
their embrace, but I
could hardly absorb
anything at the
moment. If heaven
is for real, I thought,
this must be how it
feels like to be there.

I am in awe of how God blessed the work of my hands. More importantly, I am
stunned on how He guided me from a woman who grew up believing that I was
not worthy of any attention, to a person who finally embraced my true worth.
Living to Please Others
I am the fifth child among a brood of seven. Since I am a daddys girl, I had no
question about his love for me. But it wasnt so with my mom. She is a public
school teacher and Ive looked up to her ever since I could remember. However,
the admiration wasnt mutual. She only had eyes for my brother who came before
me. My theory? The bias sprang from one thing: Mathematics. My mother taught
Math and my brother mastered it. As for me, well never once did I get a grade in
the line of 9 in that subject.
In my desperate attempt to solicit affirmation from my mother, I joined a
math contest. I won in the district level and expected my moms appreciation. I
waited and waited, but it didnt come. My brother, who also competed in the same
contest in a higher category, won in the district level, and continued to bag an
award in the national level. The following week, I stood wounded in front of our
school bulletin board where my brothers name was written in bold letters. That
moment, I swore to prove myself more.
I became an over-achiever. I gained recognitions in and outside my school,
both in academics and extracurricular activities. Unconsciously, I pleased others
to fill my longing to be affirmed. I tripled my effort to be perfect, to be the best,
to be seen. And yes, I got the whole world to applaud for me, but I was never
satisfied. My mom remained blind to my accomplishments.
From Faithfulness to Agnosticism
I was in third year high school when we rushed Dyo, our youngest sibling, to the
hospital. He was 10 years old. Dyo had mild cerebral palsy when he was born,
18
thats why we panicked even at the

slightest sign of sickness.
The laboratory results came out
fine. However, the doctor advised us
to confine Dyo for monitoring. On
September 6, 2002, we celebrated Dyos
birthday in his hospital room. It was a
party to remember! Food and laughter
overflowed.
With a smile painted on his face,
Dyo told me, I hope that when I go
home, it would also be this fun and
many people will come. I smiled
back at him and responded, Sure Ill
prepare for it! I loved Dyo very much so
I couldnt wait for that day to come.
On September 8, I whispered a favor
to Mama Mary. Hi, can you tell Jesus
to heal my brother? Its your birthday,
anyway. Hell listen to you. That day, I
went home with a hope-filled heart.
The following morning, I woke up to
the disconcerting sound of my phone. I
rubbed my eyes, reached for the phone,
and accepted the call. I wished I didnt.
Because on the other end of the line, my
aunt informed me that Dyo was gone.
How could that be? The results
were negative. He was fine!
My knees trembled as I wobbled
towards the side of the bed. I sat on
the floor and, hugging my knees to my
chest, cried out my whole heart. The
entire world seemed to fall apart as I
recalled his face, our conversations, our
last time together. It just didnt make
sense. We even prayed together.
With that thought, a surge of
anger engulfed my being. Hysteria
overpowered me as I shouted to God.
We pleaded to You for him! Are You
deaf? Are You even for real?! I grieved
for a long time; my indignation against
God even longer. I stopped praying
and turned my back on all the religious
practices I grew up with. The day Dyo
died, my faith died with him.
Coming Back to God
Dyo became one of two reasons I
agreed to take up nursing in college
upon my moms advice. I wanted to heal
people and save others from the agony
of losing someone they love.
The second was still anchored on
my thirst for my mothers affirmation
it Happened
They helped me know God in a more personal way. My childhood
dream of being a teacher and catechist inspired me to facilitate
recollections and youth formation activities. I didnt mind spending
my Sundays giving talks even if its my only rest day. The joy of
touching many lives ignited my calling to be a healer of hearts by
being an ate (older sister) to the youth.
People lined up with excitement during

the launch of Camilles book.
and my low self-worth. Perhaps if I made it as a nurse, I

would finally please her.
One day, I was doing my routine as a student-nurse
in the ICU when a child came up to me, crying. Ate,
is God alive? I was dumbfounded with his question.
Since I didnt know what to say, I replied, Why do you
ask?
His cry turned to a bawl. Because if God listens
to my prayer, why is my father dying? Why is he not
getting well? My heart broke at his words. I couldnt
tell him that its OK because I knew it was not. I knelt
down, wrapped my arms around the boy, and told him,
I dont know the answers to your questions. But let me
cry with you. Youre not alone.
For the first time in many years, I went inside a
chapel again. I poured my heart and soul as I looked
at Jesus on the cross. I bombarded Him with the
questions that I had bottled up inside me after we lost
Dyo. Where were You when it hurt? Do You really care?
Why do You allow bad things to happen?
A voice interrupted my thoughts. Whatever it is,
know that God loves you. I turned around and saw a
priest smiling at me. I hollered back at him, Oh, yeah?
With nonstop tears, I recounted my story to him.
In the end, he assured me, Life may be unfair, but
God remains faithful. You can get mad at Him all you
want, but He still loves you. Theres a reason behind
everything.
His words worked like magic. A heavy load was
lifted from my chest. Funny how God knew me so well
that He found a way to get me hooked into service.
I was a professional Mass commentator I
had more negative comments about the Mass than
personal reflections. So when I heard an inarticulate
lector reading one time, I proudly remarked, I could
do better than her! Something stirred inside of me,
followed by a voice saying, Then why dont you do it?
That prideful moment opened the door of
humility, faith and service to me. I joined the Lectors
and Commentators Society of Don Bosco Parish where
I became friends with people who accompanied and
continues to accompany me in my faith journey.
Beloved, Blessed, Blessing

If youre a nurse but you feel that you have another calling, find
your passion, Bo Sanchezs words at The Feast struck me. Fr. Ike
Veloso, one of the Bosconian priests who walked with me when I
was just bouncing back from my spiritual rock bottom, invited me to
The Feast Manila. He assured me that its a Catholic prayer meeting,
but honestly, I thought it was a cult. People raised their hands and
danced like crazy during worship. But for some reason though, I kept
coming back every week.
Bos message haunted me for months. I was already a licensed
nurse then, but I knew my heart burned for speaking and formation
engagements. It was a struggle, because the day I passed the board
examination was the first time that I felt how proud my mom was of
me. How could I just set it aside?
At that time, I also got a couple of heartaches because of
unrequited love. It might sound shallow but for someone who was
always left hanging one heartbreaking episode at a time it was
devastating. I wondered what was wrong with me, and I ended up
pleasing people again.
Until one Feast, I just lifted my hands in prayer, thanksgiving and
submission. I let go of my need to be affirmed, my fear of being left
behind, and my belief that I am not worthy. I vowed to see myself
the way God sees me beloved and blessed. I decided that if theres
somebody whom I should please, it should be God.
Its been three years since I became a full-time formation
facilitator and speaker, and the Lord has been faithful. I managed
to send my younger sister to medical school from the stipend that I
received. She has completed the course. Unbelievable! God revealed
another quality that He has engraved in my being I am a blessing
to others.
My True Identity
Just recently, my mom told me how proud she was to see my book
among the bestsellers list of National Bookstore. My heart overflows
with happiness. No, not because of the fame, but because of the way
God worked out everything from my lifes own hugot. All of my hurts,
rejections and issues are part and parcel of the beautiful person He
intends me to be.
I have nothing to boast, except the unparalleled love that God
gives me. Without Him, I would still be the wounded woman that
I used to be. Sure, I didnt have the best of luck when it came to
romance. I got addicted to affirmations. But I know better now. God
loves everything about me. He makes sure I remember it by heart.
Often in my prayer time, I would see Him looking at me with a guitar
in His hand, singing, When I see your face, theres not a thing that I
would change... cause youre amazing just the way you are. He ends
it with a tender, I love you.
Who I am in Gods eyes is the truth that I choose to believe in. I
am His beloved.
19
special section
Rise Up, Filipinos!
Let our Greatness Flow
By Bo Sanchez
20
ne day, a genie appeared to a

woman and said, This is your
lucky day! I will give you three
wishes.
Yehey! the woman squealed.
But on one condition, said the genie,
Whatever you ask for, your husband will receive
three times more.
The woman frowned, What? But I hate my
husband! Hes a despicable man!
The genie shook his head. Im sorry. Im
the Love Genie. I repeat: What you ask for, your
husband will receive three times more.
The woman said, Oh, OK. My first wish: Make
me very rich. I want $1 million.
The genie asked, Are you sure? Your husband
will have $3 Million.
She says, Oh, never mind. Whats his is mine
and whats mine is his.
Very well then! the genie said, and with a
wave of his hand, Poof! and the woman had $1
million and her husband had $3 million.
My second request is that I want to be very
beautiful.
The genie asked, Are you sure? Your husband
will look like Piolo Pascual and John Lloyd and
Daniel Padilla put together. This is very dangerous.
The girls will flock to him.
The woman said, Just as long as Ill be
beautiful.
And with the wave of his hand, Poof! and she
became utterly beautiful and the husband three
times more handsome.
The woman then said, For the third wish, I
would like to have a very mild heart attack.
Heres the lesson: Whatever you give to
yourself, you give to others more. To your
community. To your country.
Questions: How do you live as a Filipino? What
do you give to our nation?
The Filipino Flair

Several years back, I stood in the same room
with some of the remarkable Filipinos we know,
including sculptor Mike Cacnio, broadcast
journalist Rico Hizon and scientist Windell Rivera.
Mike Cacnio is one of the top sculptors

of the country. His art pieces are owned by
royal families around the world. Were a gifted
people. Mike also has a deep faith in God and a
love for His people, being a minister himself for
more than 20 years. Ang galing talaga ng Pinoy!
(Pinoys are truly great!)
Rico Hizon is the first and only Filipino
male news anchor to work for two of the most
prestigious global news organizations CNBC
Asia and BBC World. As an international
journalist, he interviews kings and presidents
of nations. He, too, has a deep faith and love for
God. Ang galing talaga ng Pinoy!
Windell Rivera is a Filipino scientist who
created a diagnostic tool for amoebiasis, which
has saved (and will continue to save) millions
of people from being mistreated. His many
accomplishments landed him in the Whos
Who in Medicine and Healthcare in the world
from 2000 to 2006. A Filipino genius! Ang
galing talaga ng Pinoy!
Through them, I regained hope for the
Philippines. If there are Filipinos as great,
passionate and sacrificial as these, then wow
we as a nation can rise up from poverty.
Friends, if theres one thing that is common
in all these incredible people, its their passion.
They love what they do and theyll go to
the ends of the earth just so they could serve
others.
Through them and the thousands of
unknown Filipinos here and abroad, past and
present, who are heroes in their own ways, I
can conclude one thing: Greatness runs in our
blood.
We have a flair for excellence. For service.
For God.
Let us not lose hope for our people and our
country.
Love your Filipino roots. Live your Filipino
identity.
Your best Juan dela Cruz characteristic is
what our country needs.
You are born with greatness.
Let your Filipino greatness flow.
21
special special
sectionsection
| Introduction
cardinal tagle:
A Filipino Gem,
Gods Gift to the Church
By the Kerygma Staff
ardinal Luis Antonio Chito Gokim Tagle, the 32nd archbishop of the Philippines, is known for his charming smile
and profound theological wisdom. From a simple priest who rides a bike around Cavite or Manila, he caught
the worlds attention by being one of the youngest papabile when Pope Benedict resigned three years ago. His
genuine humility, charity, simplicity and brilliance are some of the things that made him a candidate for the
papacy. Currently, he serves as president of Caritas Internationalis and head of the Catholic Biblical Federation,
among many others.
Unknown to many, this charismatic cardinal hoped to be a doctor when he was younger. At age three, he already
showed outstanding intellect by learning to recite the rosary. Today, Cardinal Chito speaks fluent Italian and is also adept in
reading Latin, French and Spanish. He also has two summa cum laude degrees.
But all these achievements are just icing on the cake. Cardinal Tagles sincere heart for God and the poor shines brightest
among all thats admirable about him. No wonder he is named as the most popular cardinal on Facebook. He is definitely one
person we ought to follow.
Kerygma: Were celebrating 500 years of Christianity in 2021. What kind of new evangelization does the Church want to focus
on in the run-up to 2021? How can we, the laity, participate in this?
Cardinal Tagle: The mission of the Church is called evangelization, the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ.
This is new in any season. This does not mean we will invent a new Gospel. (Laughs.) Because the Risen Christ is always
new, always alive. Thats why the message we proclaim is always new. Maybe what becomes old is our methods, our inability
to connect with the world that sometimes doesnt align with the Gospel. That is the world that we need to invade with the
Lords message that is ever new. From the beginning, Pope John Paul II said that new evangelization means you rekindle a
new fervor. Because there are parts of the world where the Good News is difficult to share, and because of several factors in
life today, the enthusiasm fades, people become tired. And because they are weary, they give up. But the New Evangelization
teaches us to discover and rekindle the enthusiasm that comes from the Good News.
Second, new expressions, the new face of the Gospel, especially those that are aligned to the mentality and culture of
our times. We are not saying that our generation is always right, that we will embrace the times without looking at it with
a critical eye. What is their language, their mentality? And with that language and mentality, how do we present the Good
News?
The missionaries did that 500 years ago. They analyzed the world and saw it in a certain way and proclaimed the Good
News in that same way.
And the third is new methods. I visited a small chapel that was constructed during the Medieval Ages. This chapel
in Northern Italy had frescoes, paintings all over. I saw right away that the quality of the art wasnt at par with Da Vinci or
Michaelangelo. So I asked one of my companions, This artwork, when did it start? He corrected me right away. He said,
This is not art. It is evangelization. Because during that time, there were only a few literate people in this village. They could
not read the Bible, the Catechism. Through the paintings, the Bible is presented. I thought, Yes, for those who cannot read
or understand, what method do you use? During the Medieval Ages 600 years ago, you tell a story through the paintings on
the wall. Today, we look for new expressions maybe through TV, social media. Those are the methodologies. How do we
continue to proclaim Jesus with zeal, in a way that we become creative?
23
Kerygma: How does the Church shepherd

its shepherds? We hear of many abuses of
the clergy not just sexual abuses but even
scandals involving money. How does the
Philippine Church deal with erring clergy?
Cardinal Tagle: First of all, any form of
abuse is really against the Gospel and
its against what the Church stands for
and should stand for. Whether the abuse
comes from a lay person or government
official, as the bearer of the Gospel of
liberation and salvation, the Church has
every obligation to denounce abuse and to
help in the healing. And it is more painful
if these incidents are linked to the pastors.
So first, the entire Church is saddened by
this. And when I say the entire Church, it
is not only the bishops who are saddened
by these reports. It is everyone. We are all
wounded. And I can say that the Church
in the Philippines is also undergoing, and
continues to undergo, a process of facing
such reports about the abusive behavior of
priests. Because based on past experience,
matters like these were not always
discussed. For a long time, there was only
silence, and now we see that the silence
of the victim is part of the victimization,
because of shame, sometimes because
of guilt, they remain silent. That silence
does not mean that what happened is
OK or that what happened has been
ignored or forgotten. No. It is even a
sign of victimization. But the Church is
gradually understanding this. Maybe 30
years ago, with the state of psychological
understanding of victimization, there
was none of this insight. But we are
more sensitive today. Thanks to the
help of the human sciences, the help of
anthropology, the help of psychology and
legal (knowledge), the awakening of the
Church is gaining ground. And thats one
of the important things today. It is like all of
us are studying. The things you didnt pay
attention to before, now you are more alert
and thats so important.
Now, about dealing with priests and
shepherding the shepherds. We have to
start from the seminary until their ongoing
formation. At the seminary, we not only
try to do proper screening but also give
attentiveness to detect attitudes and
inclination towards abusive behaviors.
In the past, when someone entered
the seminary, as long as he was a good
seminarian, he was OK. [Laughs] But
today, a priest assigned to the seminary
undergoes a special training that was not
given before. So now thats already part
24
of the formation. But that is not enough.

After ordination, what is the support
given to priests to prevent (such abuses)?
That is why we are thankful we have
centers for ongoing formation. And in
the Philippines, the bishops set up the
Galilee St. Jean-Marie Vianney Center
for the Clergy. The center offers different
kinds of support: for renewal and also
for healing, and thats where they help a
priest whove had allegations to accept,
admit, and if needed, to discern towards
a different life.
The bishops today are answering the
call of the Vatican. Because the Vatican
sent guidelines about how to deal with
erring priests. We also call on the laity
and the religious, to help the bishops
Cardinal Tagle wears his famous
smile throughout the interview.
in the continuing formation of priests.

Especially in the parish setting, because
the priest is with the parish community
daily, not with his superior. So by
reminding the priests, by challenging the
priests, by correcting fraternally some
of the attitudes of the priests, and by
continuously bringing their observations
to the attention of the superiors like the
bishops, we may be able to prevent an
incident before it happens.
Kerygma: In your journey as a priest, as
a bishop, and now that you are a cardinal,
youve been blessed to experience the
leadership of three popes. Could you
share with us what you believe are the
contributions of each of these popes?
Cardinal Tagle: That question is like for
a doctoral dissertation! [Laughs] But it
is a good question. Were not pitting

the three popes against each other
not to say who is better than the
other but rather to make clear how
the Holy Spirit guides the Church.
Sometimes we do not see right away
why this pope was the one given to
us. But after his papacy, that is when
we realize, Yes, he was anointed by
God to be pope during this time in our
history.
For Pope John Paul II, it had been
many years since a non-Italian pope
was chosen. Because the Pope is the
Bishop of Rome, we tend to think he
should be Italian. And that [tradition]
was broken. We suddenly had a
Polish pope in 1978. Without speaking
a word, just by having a Polish pope
as Bishop of Rome and universal
pastor opened a lot of windows and
doors.
Pope John Paul, being a poet, a
drama person, but also coming from
the sad history of communism and
dictatorship brought to the papacy a
lot of mystique the survivor spirit
of how to withstand atheism and
forces against the Church. This was
part of his character how to live
underground and be faithful. How
to be strong, how to have courage,
to have no fear. That was his first
message: Have no fear. Because it
came from their experience.
For me, Pope John Paul brought
Vatican II to a certain level of
implementation. But he did it his
way, in the sense that he brought
his personal history. He brought
his personal charism. He brought
his advocacy. Take a look at the
legacy he left us: World Youth Day,
World Meeting of Families, ecclesial
movements. And the Berlin Wall fell
as well as the former Soviet Union.
These came from his personal
charism but always tied to the
implementation of Vatican II. Then
of course towards the end of his life,
when he got sick he showed also
how to remain steadfast in suffering.
This pope who loved to sing, who
loved to speak, and gave many
speches, towards the end, he could
not anymore speak. He who used to
ski and traveled a lot could no longer
control his movements. So he was
rendered poor, he was rendered
vacant. He became one with the poor
that he had served for a long time.
Then came Pope Benedict. A brilliant

man, a scholar, a writer, a professor and a close
collaborator of John Paul II. In fact, their close
relationship, now we know, was instrumental
to some of the theological choices of Pope John
Paul II. But Pope Benedict, compared to Pope
John Paul, is timid, shy. I worked with him for five
years when he was still cardinal and after a week
of meetings, he still hasnt spoken. He is shy and
quiet. Hed rather read, pray and write. He enjoyed
that. He enjoyed discussing with students. He
enjoyed guiding students in their doctoral work.
But he does it with scholarship and prayer. That
combined is what he brought to his papacy. When
you go through all of his writings, speeches and
homilies, it is like you are transported to a mystical
realm where you see a heart that prays and a
brilliant mind that studies very well the Christian
tradition. Thats why others say that if he becomes
a saint, he will definitely be declared a Doctor of
the Church, a teacher of the Church. But some
people say maybe the greatest act of his papacy
was when he humbly admitted, I dont have the
energy any more, I dont have the physical, mental
energy to carry forward the renewal of the Church
based on Vatican II. Imagine this great scholar,
this great teacher say, Its time, and humbly just
relinquishing it. Many people say that he wrote a
lot about the theology of the Church, the theology
of the papacy, but this one act contains more
volumes of truth than what he could have written
or could still write in terms of theology. It was
unheard of in the history of the Church. The last
time a pope resigned was centuries ago.
Then came another surprise: Bergoglio
becoming pope and from outside Europe. He
didnt come from Italys neighboring countries
like Poland and Germany. Wow, they said, the
cardinals chose someone from the ends of
the earth! [Laughs] You know right away hes
not a European. The moment he stepped out
of the balcony, he did not wear the European
ecclesiastical garb, and in a very simple way,
he said, Buona sera. Good evening to you all.
[Laughs] Its not a typical papal greeting. When
you look at the way he has been ministering, his
approach is a person-to-person encounter. Personto-person, which becomes an encounter with God,
an encounter with the Gospel and bringing again
the joy of mission, the joy of having found Jesus
and the joy of being the bearer of the Gospel of
Christ. Hes so Latin American in simplicity.
Looking at these three popes, they assumed
the same Petrine office, which is constant. But God
allows whoever occupies the position to bring
his unique history and gifts. That is part of the
papacy and the papacy is enriched. Its not just
one expression. Thats the new evangelization.
There are different expressions even of the
papal ministry, thanks to the different persons
occupying the chair of Peter.
Cardinal Chito is known to encourage the faithful to listen

to God like Mary did.
Kerygma: You knew Cardinal Bergoglio before he became Pope. How

did you know him? Did you foresee he would be such a popular and
electrifying pope? How do you envision him in the coming years as our
pope?
Cardinal Tagle: I met Pope Francis when he was still Cardinal Bergoglio
at the Synod of Bishops in 2005. At the end of the synod, both of us
were elected to be members of the Council of the Synod that will meet
regularly to prepare for the next Synod of Bishops in 2008. So from
2005 to 2008, we would see each other three to four times a year. We
shared stories, would compare notes a lot. But I was surprised that
whenever he would read an article about me, for example an interview
I did for an Italian magazine, he would write me a note. Or when we
would meet, hed say, Young man, you say a lot of things. [Laughs] He
said, You have guts! [Laughs] We would kid each other that way.
To cut the long story short, we had many official business that
paved the way for us to be together. We would kid each other a lot. So
when Pope John Paul II died, and there was an election, I was surprised
in a pleasant way when people were talking about him as one possible
person that they should consider from Latin America. But the conclave
produced Pope Benedict.
25
Last week, I had a meeting with the Pope, just the two of us.
While I know in my mind and I see with my eyes that he is the Pope,
my relationship with him is still the same, a regular person who
asked questions, who wrote letters. Unfortunately, I dont recall
having responded to any of his letters. Thats why now when he
summons me, I go immediately. Ill look for those letters. Theyre
collectors items now. [Laughs]
Kerygma: As a priest, who is the one person that made the greatest
impact in your calling to the priesthood?
Cardinal Tagle: What I really wanted was to be a doctor. And my
parents also wanted me to be one. Its a long story, but when I look
back now, even though it was not explicit, the biggest influence in
my becoming a priest was my parents. Even though they never
mentioned the priesthood. [Laughs] They exemplified the simple
life that leads to the essentials church, family, studies, be loyal to
your work. They did not become a president of this group or that,
not even in the parish. They were simple parishioners who heard
Mass but with regularity. I saw how deeply they prayed. But the one
who clarified if indeed I was being called for the priesthood was our
assistant parish priest. He spotted and befriended me who had
no interest in becoming friends with priests. But he did not invite
me to the priesthood. In fact, when he heard that someone was
encouraging me to try the priesthood, he said, Dont. Youre still
young. Dont think of the priesthood yet. And dont make a decision
without discussing it with me first. But my life became chaotic and I
already entered the seminary without consulting my priest friend.
It was only recently that I was able to apologize to him. We
had an agreement before that I will not enter the seminary without
telling you but I decided on my own. Now I am already a bishop!
There are many others. One great figure is the former bishop
of Imus, Bishop Felix Perez. Very simple person, very close to the
people. He was the one who ordained me. He trusted me.
Cardinal Chito finds comfort and

strength in his personal prayer time.
Kerygma: What is the best part and worst part about being Cardinal Tagle?
Cardinal Tagle: This is not an advertisement nor is it a complaint. [Laughs] Maybe the best part is the great opportunity that
is given to me to be of service to God and to human beings. One of my aunts whom I hadnt seen for a long time, said, Chito,
what has happened to your life? You can no longer walk alone unnoticed. You cannot even go to the wet market without
causing a commotion. But this thing that at times can be scary also gives me a sense of its weight of responsibility. I cannot
hide the fact that the Lord has opened many opportunities for me to proclaim Him and serve His people. If I did not have this
kind of life then I will also not have these opportunities.
I was surprised when they announced in Caritas Internationalis that it would be the first time that an Asian will lead
the federation. It was the same at the Biblical Federation. I said to myself, Wow, its as if Im representing all Filipinos and all
Asians. What a burden but at the same time what a privilege. How many people would be given that opportunity?
During the Conclave that elected Pope Francis, I was a cardinal for only two months. I was appointed by Pope Benedict
in November, then he resigned in February. Then the Conclave was convened. As we walked towards the Sistine Chapel, it
suddenly dawned on me that I was the only Filipino cardinal at that time who could vote. I said, Wow. Im the only one of 90
million Filipinos who will witness this event. So in a way thats the burden and also the best part of it.
Indeed, Cardinal Tagle stands out among 90 million Filipinos across the globe. It isnt due to the positions he holds in
the Vatican or the number of supporters he has within and outside the country. Cardinal Chitos light is one that radiates
from the inside out. Even without the cameras focused on him, he deals with people with so much warmth, sincerity and
humility, that one can almost experience how its like to be in the same room with a living saint.
We went home bringing with us not only a number of selfies and groupies with the Cardinal, but more importantly,
prized lessons that we learned from him. Cardinal Chito, with his genuine and charming smile, taught us that we could
preach about Jesus, exhort about love, and evangelize through service without actually saying much. His presence already
speaks a lot. No doubt, God is working mightily through him.
And as Filipinos, we are blessed to witness just how amazing Gods grace is.
26
special section
Sino Ako?
Ako ay Pilipino,
Taas-Noo Kahit Kanino

By Ambassador Grace Relucio Princesa
have been a diplomat cum public servant for

almost 30 years . It was a blessing to join the
Department of Foreign Affairs in 1986 after the
People Power Revolution. I have seen our ebb
and flow as a nation and as a people both
from the vantage point of someone from within and
outside our beloved country.
As Filipinos, we are sometimes proud of our
country and race, but sadly, we are oftentimes lost in
knowing our own worth and wealth of who we are
and what we can be.
From May 1990 to December 1997, I had
assignments in Chicago, Abu Dhabi and Cairo. In
these places, I validated my observations about

Filipinos.
I was back in the Philippines in January 1998 on
our centennial year as a nation. It was sad to see that
after a century of our independence from foreign
yoke, we, especially our leaders, seemed not to have
delivered to our people the expected promises of a
free and wealthy nation.
Searching for a Framework
I prayed to understand and seek for guidance. In
March 1998, a coincidental or divine appointment
trip to SM North Edsa in Quezon City happened.
27
special section
Among a mountain of books on sale, I saw the
book Leadership that Builds: Nehemiah A Biblical
Model for Our Times of Crisis by Glenn Johnson. It is
the story of Nehemiah, an Old Testament prophet,
who led the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in
52 days. The book narrated how Nehemiah heard a
report from his brother that the walls of Jerusalem
are broken down and its gates burned with fire
(Nehemiah 1:1-4). Upon hearing this news, he sat
down, wept and mourned for days, fasting and
praying before God.
It was an emotion I could share with him on
our 100th year as a nation. I could sense the walls
around our souls, around our families, and around
our beloved country. From then on, I persistently
sought the Holy Spirits help to have a framework
to look at ourselves at our strengths and our
weaknesses and how to heal our brokenness,
thus releasing our blessings.
Five Gifts of Our Nation
Part of the answer came in Geneva in 2004
through the presentation of Milagros Aguilar,
a former University of the Philippines (UP)
instructor. It was entitled Birthing Lupang
Hinirang, which was part of her program for
the National Movement for Righteousness and
Transformation. Other answers came from the
Pamathalaan or God-centered governance, from
Consolacion Alaras, PhD, retired UP professor
and one of the movers and shakers who sought
to fulfill our supposed Rizalian prophetic destiny
to become the pilgrimage country for good
leadership if we but take care of our poor.
As our national hero Jose Rizal said, Ang hindi
lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating
sa paroroonan (He who doesnt know how to look
back at where he came from will never reach his
destiny).
The founding father of the United Arab
Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al
Nahyan, had similar sentiments when he said, He
who does not remember his past will not have a
present and a future.
Ms. Aguilar pointed out that our motherland,
Lupang Hinirang (Chosen Nation), has been blessed
by five gifts even before the Spaniards came.
One, a sense of God and the sacred. We are
the only Catholic Christian nation in the Far East,
28
which is interfaith and accepts other beliefs.

Mother Teresa said, If you are a Muslim, be a
good Muslim; if you are a Christian, be a good
Christian; and if you are a Hindu, be a good
Hindu. Makes sense to me, as I either heard or
read that in the word good is God. Thus, being
good is being godly.
Two, our country is rich in natural, human
and cultural resources. According to the
Pamathalaan newspaper, which is anchored
on the covenant of Rizal and the Katipunan for
honor and holiness, the Filipino is a race highly
favored by God. He is gifted with land rich in
natural resources all of its 7,107 islands.
Asiaweeks November 1992 issue reported
that within the vicinity of a volcano lies
rich deposits of gold. The world has 300
volcanoes, one third of which can be found in
the Philippines. Our tropical and volcanic soil
produces abaca or Manila hemp, the strongest
natural fiber in the world.
In the book, The Story of Abaca by Elizabeth
Potter Sievert, the foreword states, This native
natural fiber represents the best in the Filipino:
strong, resilient and exceptional. We produce
around 80 to 90 percent of the worlds supply.
Another blessing is the abundance of marine
resources. All of the 95 coral species in the
world can be found in our country. It reveals
the richness of our marine life in terms of fish,
Asiaweeks November
1992 issue reported
that within the vicinity
of a volcano lies rich
deposits of gold.
The world has 300
volcanoes, one third of
which can be found in
the Philippines.
seaweeds, pearls, vegetation and sea minerals. We have

Jewelmers world-famous South Sea Pearls, declared a
national gem in 1996, from pinctada maxima oysters.
We are also supposedly the center of the worlds biodiversity. The Philippine Deep in Surigao has reserved
spaceship fuel.
But the greatest wealth of the Philippines is our
human resources. We have been gifted with an
abundance of TLC (tender loving care) and a sunny
disposition, artistry and creativity. This trait of Filipinos
is famous all over the world as exemplified by our
professionals and semi-skilled workers in the hotel and
service sectors, specifically in the nurturing sector, like
doctors, nurses and caregivers needed by the world.
We are also considered among the best singers and
dancers in the world. We have an estimated 10 percent
of our 100 million population outside the country. Half
of this 10 million are immigrants and the other half are
labor migrants, with their top two destinations being
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates.
Culturally, we have the bayanihan spirit (collective
heroism for a common cause ) that inspires us to die
to ourselves for a nobler mission, like repairing our
broken walls as a nation.
Here in the UAE, I proposed the establishment of
the Bayanihan Council, an umbrella association that
looks at the lights and shadows of our labor migration,
which is the source of an estimated $26 billion in
remittances to the country in 2014, comprising almost
10 percent of the nations Gross Domestic Product.
We studied the social costs of this migration, which
is feminized, meaning more than half of those who
work abroad are women, through the Pinoy W.I.S.E
( Worldwide Initiative for Investment, Savings and
Entrepreneurship ) Movement to maximize the gains
and minimize the pains of labor migration.
Our contribution to the world is our faith since
we are considered to be global missionaries, both as
Christians and Muslims. It is perceived that without
the Filipino migrants in Europe, more churches would
have been converted into bars and restaurants.
Three, we had a consensual troika democracy
back then in our barangays. The political leader
was the datu, who had to be matapang (courageous),
matalino (intelligent) and matino (with integrity). The
environmental leader was the panday and the third
personality in the leadership was the babaylan, the
priestess and oral historian, who could be a datu or
The greatest wealth of the

Philippines is our human
resources. We have been
gifted with an abundance
of TLC (tender loving
care) and a sunny
disposition, artistry and
creativity.
political leader if the latter passes on, as in the case
of Gabriela Silang when Diego died.
Fourth, we always had gender balance. Since
we are a rich country, nanay (wives or mothers)
could help tatay (husbands or fathers) even if
she was pregnant or had just given birth, and
could help around the house and in livelihood
activities. Presently, we are fifth in the world for
gender balance, the only Asian country to be so
recognized.
Fifth, we never had to conquer any country
since we are a wealthy nation and we always wish
to return to our motherland.
The Need for Restoration of Moral Values
Why have we not yet fulfilled our destiny? Why
are so many poor when we are truly rich? To root
out the causes is, at least simplistically as the
Pamathalaan movers and shakers say, to reflect
on 2 Chronicles 7:14. If my people who are called
by My name shall humble themselves and pray,
seek My face and forsake their wicked ways, then
I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal
their land. Meaning, God requires us to restore our
moral values beginning at the earliest time of our
history as a nascent nation when an act of betrayal
to Andres Bonifacio and his fellow Katipuneros
were committed.
Nehemiah guides us on how to rebuild our
walls through the seven leadership lessons of his
life:
1. Vision. To help birth our Lupang Hinirang,
we can be partners of the Bayanihan ng
Bayan at mga Bayani, a godly, nationalistic,
29
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
disciplined, focused, visionary, country

Team Philippines (government), partnering
with an equally committed and qualified
Team Bayanihan, i.e. NGOs, media,
academe and faith-based groups, to
exemplify global, taas-noo Filipinos.
Strategy. Through Pamathalaan
(pamamahala na kasama si Bathala or
spiritual government), where the poor and
the oppressed are given a pure and true
proof of commitment to help in their plight,
as exemplified by bayanihan, collective
heroism for a common cause or many
causes, like stamping out corruption and
the unbridled abuse of our God-given rich
natural resources by selfish parties, thus
spreading our wealth to everyone.
Spirituality. To remember our sense of God
and the sacred.
Integrity. Katinuan of our leaders in all
sectors of the Philippine society.
Courage. Katapangan to be a bayani (hero)
for a worthy cause.
Discernment. Knowing what causes we will
die for to counter selfishness and greed.
Perseverance. No matter how long it takes,
we, taas-noo and proud Filipinos, should
and must unite in imbuing our sense of
nationalism.
Let me end by sharing what I learned from the

late Vice President Salvador Doy Laurel on what he
gathered from the Germans and the Japanese when
asked about their secrets to success from being
losers in the World War II to becoming the top 10
economic leaders:
1. Nationalism, a need to know who and what
we are in order to be nationalistic. In the case
of the Philippines, maybe we can add being
spiritual since we are supposed to be the
most faith-based country in the world, except
we dont seem to walk our talk.
2. Discipline in all aspects of our lives.
3. Focused and visionary leadership, thus the
vision to help birth our Lupang Hinirang
through the Bayanihan ng Bayan at mga
Bayani (Collective Heroism of Government
and other Partners for Identified and Agreed
Upon Causes).
30
Our contribution to the

world is our faith since we
are considered to be global
missionaries. It is perceived
that without the Filipino
migrants in Europe, more
churches would have been
converted into bars and
restaurants.
Grace Relucio Princesa is a Babaylan or

Filipina warrior from Ligao, Albay. She is a
career diplomat and a distinguished Philippine
public servant for almost 30 years. She is
currently the Ambassador of the Republic of
the Philippines to the United Arab Emirates.
Her stint in Baghdad, Iraq, from 2001 to
2003 merited her two Presidential Awards, the
Department of Foreign Affairs Gawad Mabini
Dakilang Kasugo Award in 2003, and the Civil
Service Commissions Lingkod Bayan Award in
September 2005 for successfully evacuating
Filipinos before the outbreak of the 2003 USIraq war.
She writes about Gods blessings, healings
and miracles in her life in Didache, published
by Shepherds Voice Publications of Bo
Sanchez.
special section
Thank God,
Im a FILIPINO
in Thought, Word AND deed
By JC Libiran
31
special section
ne day, the baby camel and her

mom had a conversation.
Baby: Mommy, why do we have

long eyelashes?
Mommy: Son, we have long eyelashes to protect
us from sandstorms.
Baby: Ahhh! Wonderful! How about our legs, why
are they long?
Mommy: We have long legs so that we can
withstand our journey in the desert.
Baby: Ahhh! Awesome! Lastly, Mom, why do we
have humps in our backs?
Mommy: We have humps in our backs because
they serve as our food storage to sustain us in our
long travels in the desert.
Baby: Ahhh! Amazing! Thank you, Mom, for
answering my questions. I am just wondering
why are we stuck here in the zoo?
This is one of my favorite stories. More than
making me laugh, it causes me to ask myself also
if I am being true to what God created me to be
especially as a Filipino.
I have received many talents but do I use
them to reach my full capacity and make my
country proud of me? Or am I still locked up
in my prison of smallness, mediocrity and
victimhood?
How about you do you see being a Filipino
as a blessing or a burden? Are you also of the
mindset that our country wont be able to rise
from its current challenges as a nation?
Once in a while, we hear some negative
comments about the Filipino and our
country. But the Filipino cannot be defined
by the mistakes of a few. The Filipinos are
higher and greater than that. God has a
beautiful story for us as a people.
Alex Lacson, Filipino lawyer,
nationalist and author
Independence Day in September?

You may or may not agree with me, but this is
what I firmly believe: Every time we wake up, we
are given an opportunity to experience life to
the fullest to proclaim our freedom not just for
ourselves but also for our fellow Filipinos here
and abroad.
When we live with meaning and purpose
as Filipinos, we encourage our kababayan
(countrymen) to do the same with their lives.
Nothing can change the truth that we were born
32
Pinoys. And celebrating our being so is our way of giving

back to our ancestors who sacrificed their lives for the
sake of our motherland.
The presence of Pinoys overseas is a unique gift
and a mission. Their identity, influence, inspiration and
impact to make a difference is a valuable contribution
wherever they may be.
Think Pinoy
Whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any
excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
Philippians 4:8
When you type the word Filipino or Philippines in
your Internet browser, you will get all sorts of views.
Its either positive or negative. Some are inspiring
while others are depressing. You even see social
media posts about Filipinos attacking each other
and speaking ill of our country. All of these affect our
thinking as a Filipino. Whatever we feed our mind
every day shapes our mindset, such as the book
we read, the movies or tv shows we watch, and the
people we hang out with.
We are given the choice whether to think good or
bad. Just like the Cherokee tale, there is an ongoing
battle between two wolves within each of us. The one
we feed always wins.
Who will you feed in your life journey as a Filipino:
your negative or positive mindset?
You have a choice on what to focus on in your life.
Choose to be thankful. See the beauty and goodness in
every Filipino. Think and dream for our country once
again.
I remember a story of a man who sells crabs
along the street. He has three containers and each
has a different kind of crab: American, European
and Filipino crabs. The containers with American
and European crabs have lids, while the one with
the Filipino crabs remains open. A customer asked
the vendor why it was like that. The vendor replied,
Filipinos dont need a lid. Everyone pulls down
anyone who starts to go up.
One way to think Pinoy is to fight our crab
mentality. Instead of being jealous of the success of
others, lets make them our inspiration and model so
that we can aspire to be more.
We dont have to compete with our fellow Filipinos,
or with anyone for that matter. We have to challenge
ourselves to be better each time. Lets be better not
bitter.
Speak Pinoy
I love the Philippines, the land of my birth,

The home of my people.
It protects me and helps me
Become strong, hardworking and honorable.
Because I love the Philippines,
I will heed the counsel of my parents.
I will obey the rules of my school.
I will perform the duties of a patriotic citizen.
Serving, studying and praying faithfully.
I offer my life, dreams, successes
To the Philippine nation.
Words kill, words give life; theyre either poison

or fruit you choose.
Proverbs 18:21
Have you heard these lines before from our
fellow Filipinos?
Hay, naku! Hindi na talaga aasenso ang Pilipinas.
(The Philippines will never progress.)
Nakakainis na mga kurakot yan! Kawawa naman
ang Pinas! (Those corrupt politicians are infuriating! I
pity the Philippines!)
Mabigyan lang ako ng visa, iiwan ko na ang
bansang ito. Goodbye, Philippines! (As soon as I get a
visa, Im leaving this country.)
You hear these comments and complaints about
how hopeless and helpless our country is. This has
become pandemic. Thus, we hear a lot of Filipinos
who want to escape and live somewhere else. Its as
if our boat is sinking and most Filipinos are getting
ready to abandon this ship called Pilipinas.
What you express is what you expect and what
you expect is what you expand in your life.
Let us not badmouth our own country and fellow
Filipinos, most especially in front of other nationals.
We are all ambassadors of our nation and every word
we say affects how people from other countries see
the Philippines.
Do the words that come out of your mouth
dignify or degrade our reputation as Filipinos?
The Philippine Patriotic Oath (Panatang
Makabayan) is a positive declaration of how we
should speak about our country. Even if we are
no longer students, its good to be reminded of its
meaning again:
Act Pinoy
You are the salt of the earth You are the light of the
world.
Matthew 5:13-14
Decide now not just to think and speak positively about
our country, but to make a difference in your own special way. It
need not be grand but at least do something for the betterment
of our nation. What can you do and contribute for our countrys
growth?
If you are still looking for ideas or for real people who are
helping make things happen for our country, allow me to name
a few and be inspired by their works:
1.
Bo Sanchez
Bo was once a poor preacher. Now, he has become
a millionaire missionary. He keeps on making and finding
ways to grow so that he can raise funds for his growing
mercy ministries and train a new generation of Filipinos
who are truly rich not only in finances but in every aspect of
their lives.
2. Illiac Diaz
Illiac is a social entrepreneur whose ultimate goal in his
businesses is not to make profit. He establishes projects and
businesses that are sustainable, environment-friendly, and
empowers the community.
Illiac Diaz
33
Dra. Josette Biyo
3. Dra. Josette Biyo

Dra. Biyo left the comforts of urban living to
teach in a faraway rural public school. Later on, she
was given a rare recognition by the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in the U.S.A. by naming
after her a small and newly discovered planet
which is now called Biyo.
In my life, I almost left our country once for
good in my search for greener pasture. I lost hope
in the Philippines but, thank God, He gave me a holy
discontent to return, stay here for good, and serve our
country. I dont have regrets with my decision to bless
our country as a missionary, an author and a life coach.
I thank God I am a Filipino. And I can proudly say
that I am blessed to be a Filipino. Because of this, I
aspire to be a blessing to my fellow Filipinos every day.
Shine, Pinoy!
In 1957, a group of monks needed to relocate a giant
clay Buddha statue from their temple to a new location.
Their monastery was being relocated to make room
for a highway in Bangkok. When the crane lifted the
massive idol, it was so heavy that it began to crack. The
head monk, who was concerned about damaging the
sacred Buddha, decided to lower the statue back to the
ground and cover it with a large canvas tarp to protect
it from the coming rain.
Later that evening, the monk went to check on
the statue. He focused his flashlight under the tarp
to see if the Buddha was dry. When he did so, he
noticed a gleam of light through the crack. As he took a
closer look, he wondered if there might be something
underneath the clay. He ran to wake up the other
monks. With a chisel and hammer in hand, the monks
carefully chipped away the thick clay covering the
statue. As they thumped on the clay, the gleam grew
brighter and bigger. After hours of chiseling, the monks
34
stepped back and were awed by the sight before them.

There, in front of the monks, stood a solid golden Buddha.
Historians believe that Thai monks covered the
Buddha with clay hundreds of years ago. They hid that
precious golden Buddha by putting a clay covering to
avoid being looted by the Burmese army. Unfortunately,
all the monks were killed in the attack, so their well-kept
secret about the golden Buddha remained intact until its
discovery in 1957.
This story serves as a powerful reminder for us as a
Filipino nation. There is a golden treasure in our Filipino
identity that is just covered by the mud of insecurities,
unworthiness and the wrong image that we have created
about our country or what other citizens say about us.
But today, God is breaking through us once again. Let
us dig deeper to rediscover the greatness and giftedness
He has given to us Filipinos. Its not meant to be kept or to
be hidden. God is calling us to add flavor here on earth. Let
us shine His golden light not just for our countrys sake, but
most especially for the glory of our Almighty God.
Mabuhay tayong mga Pinoy!
JC Libiran is a life coach

and author of Byahe ni
JUAN: Life Lessons I
Learned from Riding
a Jeepney. Connect
with him through
CoachJCLibiran@gmail.
com.
special section
Nio with Salve Bandong (left) and Dolly Cajayon
(right), two of the people who serve as his
inspiration.
I am. I can.
I will.
From being an ordinary CITIZEN

to AN extraordinary Filipino
By Nio Calonge
35
special section
erriam-Webster defines inspiration as

something that makes someone want to
do something or that gives someone an
idea about what to do or create. It leads
an individual to give or bring an impact to
someone elses life.
In our countrys history, we can identify well-known
Filipinos who have inspired the succeeding generations to
love and fight for our motherland. Do you remember how
Ninoy Aquinos death gathered Filipinos together to fight for a
common cause that led to the People Power Revolution?
Personally, many people influenced me, too, to become a
better version of myself maybe not the best yet, but a better
me. These four people that I will write about showed me that
being an inspiration and creating an impact does not mean that
one has to be seen on TV, heard over the radio, or have your
name written in a full-page advertisement of a newspaper.
Anyone can be an inspiration, even an ordinary citizen.
Let me share with you four things that I learned from
four people on how to be an inspiring and impactful Filipino
through ordinary ways:
1. Be Anchored
We have different gifts,according to the grace given to
each of us. If your gift is prophesying,then prophesy in
accordance with yourfaith;if it is serving, then serve; if it
is teaching, then teach. Romans 12:6-7
An anchor is a piece of heavy metal attached to a ship by

a chain. Once dropped and firmly placed in the sea bottom, it
prevents the ship from drifting away.
Question: What is your anchor in life?
Answer? Your passion.
Passion is the one thing that you want to do and the thing
you love doing. That one thing is called your core gift.
When Dolly Cajayon was still a child, she took on the
role of a teacher every time she played with friends. She
loved to be in front of children, holding a stick, and acting like
their teacher. Later on, she pursued her dream of becoming
an educator and took Bachelor of Science in Secondary
Education.
From being an ordinary classroom teacher, she was
promoted until she reached the rank of Master Teacher 4,
which was then equivalent to Principal I.
After 23 years in the academe, she took her optional
retirement. But until now, she remains anchored to her first
love as a college professor and consultant of the Basic
Education Department in a private school in Marikina.
Moreover, she helps in the formation of young women
aspiring to join the Sisters of the Daughters of St. Mary of
Leuca. No doubt, she is making a difference in the lives of
many people.
Passion allows you to do things with all your heart. It
energizes you to persevere even if you fail initially because
you love doing it.
36
What is your anchor?

God created every individual with a specific
purpose in life, anchored to their specific gifts, that
only they can give to the world.
But there will be times and situations when you
would be tempted even forced to turn your back
on your passion. The key is to keep yourself anchored
and trust that God will lead you back to your original
path.
Inspiring and impactful people do not drift away
from their core gift.
2. Be the Light
So do not fear,for I am with you;do not be
dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthenyou
and helpyou.I will uphold youwith my righteous
right hand. Isaiah 41-10
Life isnt a fairy tale. No matter how much we want it to
be, it can never be.
There is no knight in shining armor who will save you
at all times. There is no magic carpet ride to help you fly
away.
There will always be challenges that will try to stop us
from being our best. But inspiring and impactful people
know how to get past these obstacles and use them to
become more uplifting and encouraging persons. They
have a special ability to overcome the challenges that
come in their way.
Verchie Totanes, my friend, is not your usual guy next
door. Starting his own business at 11 years old was not an
ordinary thing to do.
When he was in college, he was diagnosed with
keratoconus, a rare eye condition that rendered his right
eye useless even for driving and reading. He thought it was
just fine.
Two years ago, his good left eye was diagnosed
with acanthamoeba keratitis, another uncommon eye
condition. Now, he has a problem with both of his eyes.
It was confusing, depressing and painful for him. He
had to relearn the basic things in life, like reading and
walking, in a childlike manner. Slowly but surely, he is
gaining ground.
With all the hardships and challenges he faced, he is
grateful and proud to have managed to get back on his
feet again. People say that I was positive, inspiring and
even funny while facing my challenges, Verchie shares.I
worked hard to get up again. I experienced depression and
confusion like everyone else. During the worst time that
the world gave me, I got the best that people could give.
Right now, he is managing three businesses: Royal
Oasis Massage, a spa center; Pesos and Sense, a training
company; and EC Gas, an LPG distribution company.
Dale Carnegie, a well-known American writer
and lecturer, once said, Most of the important things
Verchie still flashes a bright smile

amidst his challenges.
in the world have been

accomplished by people who
have kept on trying when
there seemed to be no hope
at all.
Are you in trouble
right now? Are you facing
challenges that seem
insurmountable at this point?
Keep going. Take it one
step at a time. Run. Do not stop
moving forward. In situations
surrounded by darkness, be
the light.
Inspiring and impactful
people never give up even if
others think they have all the
reasons to.
3. Be Yourself
But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not consider his appearance
or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lorddoes not
look at the things people look at. People look at the outward
appearance,but the Lordlooks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
Authenticity plays a big role in being an inspiration. It means
being true to yourself, living without any pretention. You do things
naturally.
Believe me when I say that people will know if you are being
true or not. I myself failed at this. But not my friend Salve Bandong.
If you see Salve for the first time, you wont think that there is
something extra special about her. But after listening to her story, I was
amazed at how her simple yet powerful story can bring inspiration
and impact to many.
She works as a member of the housekeeping department of
a private school in Marikina. Her husband is an Overseas Filipino
Worker in Africa. With their combined minimal salary, they were
able to send their eldest daughter to college. And now, their youngest
daughter is in Grade 3, and they are committed to send her to college,
too.
Salve never felt ashamed of her work.
Hindi ako nahihiya sa trabaho ko. Yung mga classmate nga ni
Fatima (eldest daughter), mama ang tawag sa akin, kasi parang nanay
ang turing nila sa akin (I am not ashamed of my job. In fact, Fatimas
classmates also call me mom because they treat me as their own
mother).
Irish author and writer Oscar Wilde remarked, Be yourself;
everyone else is already taken. By becoming true to ourselves, we
become the unique creation God intended us to be. Be authentic.
Inspiring and impactful people never hide their true self from
others.
4. Be the Best
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for
the Lord, not for human masters,since you know that you will
receive an inheritancefrom the Lord as a reward.It is the Lord
Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24
Being our best is a wonderful gift to the Lord. For it

is only by living out our full potential can we show Gods
magnificence as our wonderful Creator. God is the best,
and He creates only the
best.
But some people
still do not get it. For
some, they are just
teeny-weeny creatures
in the universe that
have only one reason
to live and that is just
to exist.
It shouldnt be like
this. To just exist is one
thing. But to live, love
and be our best is the
Emilia inspires her son, Nio,
way to truly live.
with her way of life.
Emilia knows this
by heart.
She grew up in a family of farmers. Both her parents
tended their tobacco farm in La Union.
She used to wake up at four in the morning to water
the plants in their farm before going to school. And this
was not an easy task.
One day, while working under the scorching heat of
the sun, she told herself, I dont like to go on living with
these hardships. I have to study well, earn my college
degree, and help uplift the condition of my family.
That became her battle cry. Her solution? To be her
best in any situation. Her efforts bore rewarding fruits:
She finished first honorable mention in high school,
graduated a student scholar in college, and rose from
being a rank and file employee to becoming a director
in a government office.
Now, all of her kids, including me, are doing well
in our chosen careers. Emilia Calonge, my mom, is the
epitome of hard work for me of doing things in the
best possible way.
Helen Keller, who inspired the world as the first
deaf-blind person who attained a bachelors degree,
said, When we do the best we can, we never know what
miracle is wrought in our life or in the life of another.
What are you doing right now? Do you have things
on your success to-do list?
Go on. Do it. Give it your best.
Inspiring and impactful people always choose to
give their best!
These are the four important lessons that I keep
in my mind from the people I look up to. They are my
guideposts as a Filipino educator, entrepreneur, lay
preacher and author. I pray that they, too, will serve
as your guideposts towards becoming a hope-giving,
responsive and driven Filipino.
I am Nio Calonge and I thank God I am a Filipino!
Nio Calonge is the author of Maam, May I Go Out? Practical
Lessons I Learned Outside the Classroom. Connect with Nio by
sending him an email at nio_calonge@yahoo.com
37
Manila International Book Fair 2015

Its the time of the year again for
the biggest and and longest-running
book fair in the country the Manila
International Book Fair (MIBF). MIBF
2015 is the 36th year of showcasing
a collection of printed literature from
various genres: inspirational, fictional,
academic, and so much more. Publishers,
authors, students, professionals and
book-lovers flock together to ignite
the passion and widen the interest for
reading among Filipinos.
MIBF 2015 is a five-day treat to
all book enthusiasts beginning on
September 16 up to 20 at the SMX
Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia
Complex, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Shepherds Voice Publications (SVP)
takes part once more in MIBF. Drop by
booths 218 to 220, and check out our
current and new titles that might still be
missing in your library!
Here are the 2015 offerings of SVP as
of this writing. More will be coming out
in time for the MIBF until the end of the
year.
#HUGOT
Cherry Camille Depano
Nagmahal ka na ba at nasaktan? Pinaasa,
at umasa ka naman? Akala mo kayo na,
hindi pala! Relate much ka ba rito? So
many questions, but the answers are
so few. Basahin mo ito at siguradong
maliliwanagan ang isip at puso mo.
Marami kang matututunang valuable
lessons in life and in love sa small but
powerful na librong
ito ni Camille
Depano. Para ito sa
lahat ng nagmahal,
nagmamahal at
magmamahal muli.
Ito ang #Hugot
ng buhay niya at
buhay mo.
38
Voices in the
Theater
Aileen Santos
Do you want more
of the Twilight
Saga? Do you want
to experience
thrills and chills
(kilabot at kilig)
at the same
time? You
dont have to go
to Forks, Washington to read and
experience a thrilling, chilling story.
We have one right here, in the heart of
Manila!Voices in the Theater is the first
installment of A.S. Santoss three-book
young adult paranormal romance.
Follow Sam and her friends in the
Student Paranormal Research Group
as they encounter bizarre and often
dangerous supernatural occurrences,
battle demons both spiritual and
psychological, and navigate adolescence
and young love.
How to Deal with Horror Parents,
Monster Kids and Freaky Siblings
Bo Sanchez
Today, many
homes are
haunted by
ghosts of their
familys past. In
this life-changing
book, bestselling
author Bo
Sanchez turns
into a spiritual
exorcist for
wounded families
whose homes are haunted. Bo shares
powerful secrets on how to stop toxic
patterns inherited from one generation
to the next.Youll learn how to deal with
monster parents and break the cycle
of horror parenting. Youll also find out
the secrets on how to create a loving
family and cut the roots of envy among
your siblings.This book has the power
to transform your families from horror
families to happy families, from haunted
houses to healthy homes.
Audience of One
Rissa Singson Kawpeng
We have a God who wants to be known.
He doesnt hide Himself or make us
jump through hoops to get close to Him.
He sent His Son to become the Way to
His heart. When we learn to pray and
worship in the manner He intended, the
result is nothing short of miraculous.
Why? Because theres blessing,
healing, wholeness and
every good thing in
Gods presence.
Rissa Singson
Kawpeng tackles such an
ethereal topic as worship
without the nosebleed,
theological, pie-in-thesky discussions. Practical,
easy-to-understand and
filled with stories, this
book contains lessons
shes learned as someone who has made
worship a lifestyle.
Nahanap Mo na Ba ang One True Love
Mo?
Bo Sanchez
Hayaan mong gabayan ka ni Bo Sanchez
sa mga pasikot-sikot ng buhay pag-ibig.
Malalaman mo ang mga mahahalagang
steps to attract Gods best for you, tulad
ng:
Ma-realize mo ang mga Maling
Paniniwala na Kailangan Mong Pagingatan
Mga Myth na Sumisira sa Iyong Love
Life
Alamin Mo Kung Ano ang Hanap Mo
sa Isang Asawa
At napakarami
pang iba!
Ano pang
hinihintay mo?
Your Newborn Is a Blessing

Josephine T.R. Holgado, M.D. D.P.P.S.
Do you have the necessary skills to cope
with the stress of having a newborn baby?
Dont worry! Be brave! This book will show
you how you can:
Care for your newborn with the right
skills, tools and frame of mind
Determine the nuance of every act or
expression that your baby makes
Assess your childs condition to avoid
development of serious illnesses
And many more!
Life Manual 101: How to Make Your

Dreams Come True
Bo Sanchez
Maam, May I Go
Out?
Nio Calonge
Friend, what are your dreams? Those

dreams you have in your heart of hearts?
God has planted them in the very fiber of
your being.
But why is it that your dream remains a
dream? Your dreams dont have to remain
just dreams.
Learn how to achieve your Godordained destiny by following these seven
crucial steps:
1. Conceive
2. Receive
3. Achieve
4. Adjust
5. Supply
6. Solutions
7. Significance
What are you
waiting for? Its
time to make your
dreams come
true. This book will change your
life.
This is a book for

every student.
Maliban sa
mga natutunan
mo sa loob
ng classroom,
mayroong mga
bagay na dapat mo ring
matutunan sa labas ng eskwelahan na
hindi mo dapat balewalain. Mayroong
malaking classroom na naghihintay sa
iyo ang classroom ng totoong buhay.
This book will inspire you to study
more, learn more, and have fun.
Packed with down-to-earth and
funny stories, this book will inspire you
to reflect on your own journey through
school and life. May mga activities din
that will help you apply valuable life
lessons and make you a better person.
Can we learn outside? Teacher Nio
says, Yes, we can!
Mag-aral ka at magmahal.
Life Dream Books

LIFE DREAM BOOKS is the self-publishing arm of Shepherds Voice Publications. It has been helping aspiring authors to make their dream
book a reality. We have a team of dedicated professionals with years of experience and expertise in the industry that can help you with
all of your editorial needs. Aside from these two titles published in early 2015, we have more coming up in the last half of the year.
Hit Your Lifes Reset Button
Marc V. Lopez
Do you want to be given
a clean slate? A chance to
begin again?Maybe restore
a relationship? Re-ignite
your zest for life? Live a
richer, fuller life?
This book will show
you three simple steps on
how to reset your life
and start again! Anytime,
anywhere!
Learn:
Whats holding you back and what you need
to do to break through!
The simple secret of living life to the full!
Your authentic Christian identity!
Home Away from Home

Vea Inojales Panturas
In this book, Vea shares the important lessons she has
learned working as a nurse in Singapore. It contains helpful
advice that will equip you if you are planning to work abroad
for the first time. Her journey will make you reflect on your
own as you ponder on Gods Word.
You will also find valuable insights from Filipinos who
have made it big overseas in their respective fields. Learn from
BBC news anchor Rico Hizon, Channel News Asia news anchor
Timothy Go, Ricky Carranza of Style Dance Industry in Finland,
Vikki de Jesus, volunteer at Migrant Skills Training Program, entrepreneur Precious
Gomez-Sia, and Ely and Bernadette Cruz of The Feast Singapore.
For rates, manuscript submissions, or other inquiries, email us at
lifedreambooks@shepherdsvoice.com.ph or call us at (632) 470-4091.
39
Home Away from Home

Be strong and courageous! For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9
Working abroad is one of the most challenging and fulfilling things that a person will experience in his or
her lifetime.
Leaving the comforts of ones home for another country requires a lot of courage and sacrifice, yet it is
very rewarding.
In this book, Vea shares the important lessons she has learned while working
as a nurse in Singapore. Her journey will make you reflect on your own as you
ponder on Gods Word.
Just remember that wherever your dream may take you, you are never alone.
Wherever you may be, home away from home is in the arms of a loving God who
will always be with you.
PUBLICATIONS, INC.
For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 to 108 or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com

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40
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seasons
MIDLIFE PINOY STYLE

By Earnest L. Tan
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Society and culture play crucial roles in defining the kind of
psychological lifestyle that we adopt. Some of the influences of our
Filipino culture are positive, such as giving priority for the family.
Some are not, like our high regard for authority that reinforces
different treatment between those who have power and those who
have none. Midlife challenges us to re-examine the aspects of our
life that may not be healthy in terms of aging well and claiming a
full life.
One specific aspect of culture that we need to explore is about
gender definitions. How do we define our worth as women and
men? Let us examine this in the light of midlife issues and concerns.
Dirty Old Man?
The Filipino male ego is traditionally conditioned in accordance
to two major criteria: first, the ability to achieve success in career,
and second, the ability to be macho by staying youthful and virile
in the eyes of women. It, thus, comes as a great distress when a man
suddenly loses his job at midlife. It is scary when he looks at the
mirror and sees signs of aging, enough to make him question his
worth: Am I over the hill?
In his desperation to recover his ego, a Filipino man will
attempt to regain a sense of power in the household. This is sadly
manifested at times through domestic violence. He asserts his
authority by using his brute strength, especially when he feels
insecure when the wife takes over his role as breadwinner.
On the flipside, he holds on to his youth by acting like a teen
and chasing after young girls. A school owner in his seventies once
prided over the fact that his youth stemmed from getting involved
with young virgins. He failed to see that he was nothing more than
a dirty old man. He did not age well as one who is truly honorable
and respectable.
Midlife then challenges the Filipino man to:
shift from an ego phase to a soul state
redefine his worth from a quantity of doing to a

quality of being
grow up to become a real man (not stay as an
adolescent boy)
reconcile with ones aging body.
Whats Left of Her Life?
In contrast, the Filipino female ego is traditionally defined
by: first, her ability to take care of her family, which is her
sole purpose and responsibility; and second, her ability
to sacrifice for the sake of her marriage and family. The
Filipino woman then feels lost when her children grow up
and leave home. She realizes that she has neglected her
own life because she focused too much on the children.
She wonders then: What is my life all about?
In her confusion, she struggles with what to do with
her own space and freedom. She resorts to ballroom
dancing, Zumba and yoga, among others, to fill in her
emptiness and loneliness. She holds on to her spouse by
turning to plastic surgeons to remain pleasing to him. In
midlife, she constantly feels insecure about herself.
Midlife invites the Filipino woman to:
consider ones meaning in life outside family
balance lifestyle of caring for others and ones self
be true to ones own self
claim ones aging body.
Though midlife may come with changes that are
painful to undertake, it is Gods way of making us better
human beings. Our culture may define us according to
societal norms and standards. This, however, may not
help us age well. Midlife necessitates that we consider a
process of reconstruction in order that we may fulfill what
Jesus wished for us: I have come so that (you) may have
life and have it to the full! (John 10: 10)
Email Earnest at earnest_tan@yahoo.com.
41
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faith @ work
TRIBES
By Ariel B. Driz
Nathan Winograd is an American author, film-maker,

animal advocate, and director of the No-Kill Advocacy
Center in Oakland, California. He leads a movement of pet
lovers who espouse animal adoption.
Joel Spolsky runs a small software company in New
York City. His real passion, though, is talking about how to
run a small software company. Through blogs, books and
conferences, Joel has completely changed the way many
smart people think about finding, hiring and managing
programmers.
Laura Fitton has built a profitable consulting
company while working from home with her two kids.
She did this using nothing but Twitter. Now she has
thousands of people following her on Twitter, connecting
to each other and building businesses around her
insights into social media.
Home Depot started a revolution of do-it-yourself
enthusiasts.
These successful people, organizations and
companies have one thing in common. They created
what Seth Godin calls tribes in his book, Tribes: We Need
You to Lead Us.
A tribe is a group of people connected to one
another, connected to a leader, and connected to
an idea. For millions of years, human beings have
been part of one tribe or another. A group needs
only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and
a way to communicate.
People want to join, participate, connect and reach
out to like-minded individuals who share a passion or
strong interest. The Internet through Facebook, Twitter
and social media have made this even more possible in
a global way at the speed of thought, as Bill Gates would
put it.
The formation of different tribes revolutionized how
businesses are growing.
Is a tribe just another word for customer data
base? Far from it. While every member of your tribe is a
customer, not every customer truly belongs to your tribe.
This deeper affiliation comes when you unlock something

more special when you identify a group of characteristics
that bind your key customers together, such as a collective
passion, vision, stage of life or desire for change. These shared
attributes make these people more than just customers. They
not only embrace your brand identity; to a significant extent,
they help you define it.
Tina Sharkey, Forbes Magazine
Thus, tribes have disrupted marketing in a big way. Ads
used to rule the propagation of ideas, products and services.
The one-way bombardment of TV and the interruption of
commercials are on their way out.
People want to interact, voice out their opinions,
thoughts and feelings. Literally, anybody can lead a tribe
lead an enterprise with todays technology and social media.
One can establish oneself as a thought-leader in their field of
expertise without spending money in advertising.
Create a tribe thats the message.
When I started my consulting practice in late 2008, I
didnt know the formula to make it work. Thankfully, I did
certain things that produced enormous results and helped
me start my own tribe:
1. Focus on primary expertise. In my case, I focused on
Process Improvement and Six Sigma.
2. Openness to opportunities. There is no competition,
only potential partners.
3. Reach out and reconnect with friends who can make
a difference.
4. Be generous: offer services for free or at a bargain
initially.
5. Update your LinkedIn profile and participate in the
professional interaction of the site.
6. Join professional groups in LinkedIn and share
knowledge. This will establish you as a thought leader
7. Start a blog or a social media group and share.
Now youre on your way to creating your tribe!
The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. (Deuteronomy 28:13)
Email Ariel at faithatworkariel@gmail.com.
43
Visit us at the
SVP booth
218-220
K preacher
THE FILIPINO STRENGTH:
FAITH-FILLED PRAYERS
By Obet Cabrillas
My elder and wedding ninang (wedding sponsor),

Letty Dimazana, approached me in one of the
prayer meetings of my community of origin,
Friends of Jesus and Mary, and asked,
What happened to you yesterday
about 7 p.m.? I dreamed about visiting
a morgue and when the blanket was
uncovered, I saw your face! I woke up
and urged your Ninong Peng to pray
with me for your safety.
You want to know know what
happened to me that yesterday?
A Catholic community in Pampanga
invited me to give a talk. Their driver
picked me up somewhere in
Manila and the van sped through
the dark streets of a town in
Pampanga. I was praying the
Rosary when I was jolted
because the van made a sudden
swerve and screeched through
the grass field. Praise God for His
protection! No oncoming car.
What if my ninang and
ninong didnt pray for me?
The vision in the morgue
might have been a reality. (I
will no longer be a family man,
missionary and a Feast builder
today if something happened to
me.)
I can relate to my rock star
lookalike, Bamboo, as he sings,
Ilang beses na akong muntik nang
mamatay. Oh, alam ko ang sikreto kayat nandito pat

buhay. Ang sabi nila may anting-anting ako. Pero di
nila alam, na Diyos ang dahilan ko.
Hoy, Pinoy ako, buo aking loob
May agimat ang dugo ko!
(Loose translation: I almost died many times. I
know the secret why Im still alive. People say that I
have an amulet. Little do they know that God is my
reason.
Hey, Im a Filipino!
I have rock-solid conviction!
Power flows in my blood.)
This is the beauty of the Filipino faith. We
pray alone. We pray together. We pray
for each other. We pray for others. We
pray till God moves. We pray till God
moves us.
God wants His Filipino Church,
as well as the Universal Catholic
Church, to be spiritually connected
such that we feel, think and move
as one towards our union with
Him.
The very same communal
faith that won the nations
sovereignty will be the same
faith that will see us through.
Bottomline: Pray your life!
Live your prayer!
Pinoy ako! Pinoy tayo!
Connect with me:
Email: kpreacherobet@gmail.com
Twitter: @DaddyObet
Facebook: www.facebook/DaddyObet
45
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and look for any of the editors.
one last Story
through
the storm
By Annia Steen
It was around six in the morning. We lived in a small but

cozy bungalow in a village at the foot of a hill. Behind
the house was a48-hectare farm and forest. The rain had
been pouring heavily for hours that it formed a lake of
floodwater behind our perimeter wall.
The Unexpected Rush
The sound of an explosion alerted our next-door neighbors
that something happened. Our household helper, Nancy,
froze in shock for a second as she witnessed our wall break
apart. In a panicky attempt to stop the water from getting
in, she made the mistake of closing the sliding glass door.
Shards of glass then came flying in along with slabs of
cement and raging rapids of floodwater. In just a few
seconds, the contents of the house were swimming around
as the water kept rising.
My dad was pushed to the wall by the flood that
carried our heavy furniture from the dining room to the
living room. The only part that was left untouched was his
head. Meanwhile, my mom was also struggling to get out
of their bedroom. She gathered the strength to push a rack
down so it wouldnt stand in her way, and then sheclimbed
out of the spot where she couldve gotten trapped.
I woke up to the chaos around me. The water was
about to reach my bed. At first I was afraid to step into the
water worried that I might get electrocuted because the
door was right next to wall sockets. By the time I got out of
the room, the water was already chest deep. I joined Nancy
and my parents in attempting to escape the flood-filled
house.
I tried to use my phone to make a call for help, but
it wasnt working anymore. I looked around our house
thinking of other possible exit points, but we were
surrounded by grills. How were we supposed to get out?
Then I thought, Could this be our time? Lord, please
dont let this be our end. Lord, please help us get out. Save
us. Lord Jesus, there is nothing You cant do. I know You love
us. You wont forsake us.
Saved and Secured
My mom kept repeating every now and then: In Jesus
name! My dad tried opening the grilled gate on the side of
the house leading to the garage. As we joined him, we saw
Annia continues to declare her

gratitude on Gods faithfulness
and love.
that the grills were slightly detached from the railing, in one
corner, on top. This seemed like our last chance to survive.
We all started pushing the grills for it to get detached even
more so it could create an opening for us to escape. I ripped
the screen door off to make it easier to apply force on the grills.
When the opening was about six inches, my mom told me to
go ahead, then she followed suit. By the time my mom and I
reached the area with a slightly weaker current, a neighbor had
himself tied to a rope and reached for my hand. Our neighbors
helped us up, and then took us into the safety and warmth of
their home. Nancy followed, and then my dad. I was relieved
that we all got out, but the sight of blood on my parents was
painful more painful than my own wounds.
There were many moments where we could have died:
electrocution, shards of glass, and heavy wood rapidly
swimming around, getting trapped or knocked out, then
drowning, getting instantly washed away by the current if
we got out through the front door, or if we got out too soon.
Considering how dangerous the situation was, its amazing
how we got out without major injuries.
Our Faithful God
We all know that its a miracle that we are all alive. We cant
thank God enough for saving us, and giving us the wisdom and
strength to escape the horror that devastated what used to be
our home. I dont know if you believe in miracles, but we were
there, and we know with certainty that what happened to us
was one.
God has a plan for us; He did not save us for nothing. What
matters now is not what we lost, but what we still have: family,
friends, love and faith. We now know how much we love each
other and how there is nothing impossible with our merciful
and loving God.
47
point of contact
I Pray That You
Receive Your
Miracles In
Jesus Name!
I pray that God lift your trials,
heal your diseases, bless your problems
and direct you to the path He wants you
to take. I pray that God remove your fears
and give you the courage to surrender
your burdens to Him.
So place your hand over my hand,
and let us pray with trust, together with
our prayer team of intercessors praying
for you right now
This page is our Point of Contact, our
spiritual connection.
Say after me
In the Name of the Father, of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Lord, I surrender to You my worries
and anxieties. I surrender to You my
needs, my problems, my trials. I place
them all in Your big hands. And I open
myself to all that You want to give to
me. On this day, I say yes to Your love, to
Your blessings, to Your healing, to Your
miracles. And Lord, specifically, I ask for
the following miracles for my life...
I believe that You answer my prayer
in the best way possible! And I thank
You in advance for the perfect answers
to my prayers. I also ask for the special
intercession of Mama Mary. I pray all this
in the Name of the Father, the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, Amen!
SPECIAL INTENTION FOR THIS MONTH:
Father, we thank You for Your presence and love. Thank You for creating us the way we are,
for crafting our identity, for planting us where we are. Thank You, dearest God, for walking
with us through every step of our story. We ask You, Father, to open our hearts to see
what we can do to help our nation. As one Filipino people relying on Your guidance and
providence, move us to take responsible actions for the betterment of our country. Instill in
us an appreciation of our past, stewardship of our present, and hope for our future. This we
pray in Jesus name. Amen.
Praying for you,
48
Email your prayer requests to me

at bosanchez@kerygmafamily.
com or write to me at Shepherds
Voice Publications, #60 Chicago
St., Cubao, Quezon City,
Philippines 1109.

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Inspiring You To Live A Fantastic Life

No. 309 Vol. 26

Bringing you inspiration through touching

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I just read your magazines June 2015

Thank you for the wonderful and

Kerygma exists because of you

SEPTEMBER 2015 | KERYGMA

Rissas outfit courtesy of Elite Garments/ENSEMBLE.

Living with the end in mind

Last October, we exhumed my mom,

her remains and inurned it in my dads

You may be depressed because of your

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One Last Story

Cardinal chito tagle:

Sino Ako? Ako ay

THE FILIPINO STRENGTH:

Finally, we have Cardinal Chito Tagle on our cover!

daily pause with Pope Francis

Amid so many problems,

Those who believe come to see

The love of Christ fills our

Let us learn to live with

Dear parents, have great

Let us invoke the Holy

The strengthening and

SEPTEMBER 2015 | KERYGMA

We can observe the

Christians are witnesses not

The Lord never abandons

Life, human life above all,

All of us, in life, need

Those who believe, see; they

Thus, wonderfully interwoven,

When we cannot earn our

Lord, send forth Your Holy

There is an urgent need, then,

Lord, grant us the

The light of the Gospel

It is good for us to spend

Where there is no work,

Next to parents, teachers,

Dear friends, I encourage