•Best Edited

Weekly
2003 and 2007
•Best in Photojournalism 67 . ., . 4, 1109,
1998 and 2005 Ð1655 3853 29 Ð . 4, 2008 . 29, . 34 8 10.00 (0632) 912-4852 (0632) 912-5706

O RGANIKONG P AGSASAKA

Mga kaibigang insekto,

isda nagbalik na sa bukid 6

TAGUMPAY Ñ
Ñ

(( ))
,,
19.
19.
,,

..
Ñ

SAN MIGUEL, Bulacan — Ikina-
galak ng mga manggagawa ng
pastilyas sa bayang ito ang pag-
tatangka ng Bulacan na maka-
gawa ng pinaka-mahabang pas-
tilyas sa buong mundo dahil
malaking tulong iyon sa indus-
triya.
Ayon kay Nestor Vidal, 42, at
isa sa mga namamahala sa RicMar
Sweets, umaasa sila na higit na
uunlad ang industriya ng pastilyas
dahil higit na makikilala ang
pangunahing produkto ng bayang
ito.
“Mas makikilala at sisikat ang
pastilyas ng San Miguel at tataas
ang kita namin,” ani Vidal hinggil
sa paglulunsad ng pamahalaang
panglalawigan sa paggawa sa
pinakamahabang pastilyas sa
buong mundo na isasali sa Guin-
ness Book of World Records.
Ang pinakamahabang pastil-
Ô Õ
yas na gagawin ng Bulacan ay
ipakikita sa publiko sa ika-12 ng
Setyembre o sa kalagitnaan ng
walong araw na pagdiriwang ng
Linggo ng Bulacan na magsi-
simula sa ika-8 ng Setyembre at
matatapos sa ika-15 ng buwan na
siya namang pagdiriwang ng ika-
110 guning taon ng pagbubukas
ng Kongreso ng Malolos.
Inayunan ang pahayag ni Vidal
ng iba pang manggagawa ng
pastilyas sa bayang ito tulad ni
Gemma Alcantara ng Sevilla
Sweets.
Ayon sa mga manggagawa ng
pastilyas, napapanahon ang pag-
tatangka ng pamahalaang pang-
lalawigan na mapasikat ang
kanilang produkto na kabilang na
sa mga produktong Tatak Bu-
lakenyo dahil sa dumarami ang
gumagawa ng katulad na pro-
dukto sa ibang bayan.
Bukod dito, sinabi nina Gem-
ma na patuloy ang pagtaas ng mga
pangunahing materyales sa pag-
gawa ng pastilyas tulad ng gatas
ng kalabaw, asukal at maging ng
panggatong tulad ng liquefied pe-
troleum gas at kahoy.
Ayon kay Vidal, tumaas sa P25
ang bawat isang boteng “long
neck” ng gatas ng kalabaw mula
sa P20 bawat bote noong Enero,
 6
2 29 Ð 4, 2008

EDITORYAL Buntot Pagé PERFECTO V. RAYMUNDO

NAGSIPAG-ABANG ang mara- bayan. Martial Law o Batas Militar. Tu-

ming Bulakenyo sa daraanan ni
, . dating Pangulong Joseph Es-
trada nang siya ay dumalaw sa
bayan ng Baliwag noong ika-16
ng Agosto sa pagpapatuloy ng
3 “Lakbay Pasasalamat” ng dating
Pangulo.
Bagamat hindi napasabihan
. na darating ang dating Pangulo,
. agaran at walang abiso ang pag-
bisita, marami pa ring mga lider
, . pulitiko ang nagsipaglabasan ng
kanilang mga tahanan sa pag-
asang masulyapan ang dating
pangulo kasama ang ilang lider
, pulitiko sa lalawigan.
Hindi mga kabataan lamang
, , ang sabik na makita ang dating
pangulo, kundi maging ang mga
, katandaang babae at lalake na
. kinabakasan ng kagalakan sa
pagdalaw ng dating pangulo sa
kanilang bayan.
. Napuno ang Plaza Naning sa
Baliwag ng maraming tao na
, . nanabik na masilayan ang dating
pangulo. Pag-akyat pa lamang ng
dating pangulo ay sinalubong na
siya ng masigabong palakpakan
mula sa mga nakangiting taong-
.
?
Kastigo
?
.
Sumalubong sa kanya ang
alkalde ng Baliwag na si Mayor
Romeo Estrella at ang mga lider
ng oposisyon sa nasabing bayan
ng buong kagalakan.
Sa kanyang pagsasalita, hina-
tid ni Erap ang kanyang pasa-
salamat sa mga Bulakenyong
tumangkilik at tumatangkilik pa
rin sa kanya hanggang sa kasa-
lukuyan. Sa kanyang pagsasalita
binigyang diin niya ang pagtutol
sa “cha-cha” at kanya ring tinukoy
ang hindi pa nalilinawan ng
marami hinggil sa Bangsamoro
Juridical Entity (BJE).
NAGSIMULA na ang buwan ng
taon na ang huling pantig ay bre.
Halimbawa ay Setyembre, Ok-
tubre, Nobyembre at Disyembre.
Dahil dito aasahan natin na
malapit na nating maranasan ang
tag-lamig.
May mga alaala rin naman ang
nasabing mga buwan. Sapagkat
ika-21 ng Setyembre taon 1972
nang ideklara ng dating Pa-
ngulong Ferdinand E. Marcos ang
wi namang sumasapit ang buwan
ng Oktubre ay pinagdiriwang ng
mga katoliko ang Sto. Rosario.
Sa pagsapit naman ng Nob-
yembre 1 ay ginugunita nating
lahat ang mga pumanaw nating
mga mahal sa buhay. Sa araw na
ito ay dinadalaw natin ang ka-
nilang mga puntod, tinitirikan ng
kandila at pinag-uukulan ng mga
panalangin.
Pinagdiriwang din ang araw ni
Andres Bonifacio tuwing ika-30
ng Nobyembre.
Sa pagsapit naman ng buwan
ng Disyembre ay lubhang masa-
saya ang mga kadalagahan at
kabinataan dahil sa Simbang
Gabi. Ito ay nagsisimula tuwing
sumasapit ang ika-16 ng Dis-
yembre at matatapos ang pag-
sisiyam sa Araw ng Pasko sa ika-
25 ng Disyembre na siyang araw
ng pagsilang ng ating Dakilang
Manunubos.
2008
NARITO ang mga nagsipagwagi sa
Gawad Plaridel 2008 na ginanap
 7
BIENVENIDO A. RAMOS

.
, HINDI kulang ang bansa sa mga
batas na mangangalaga sa kalika-
san at pipigil sa pagwasak sa
, kapaligiran, tulad halimbawa ng
Clean Air Act.
Ang Department of Environ-
ment and Natural Resources
. (DENR), ang kagawarang binig-
. yan ng pananagutan at kapangya-
rihang mangalaga sa mga likas na
yaman at kapaligiran, ay nagtakda
, ng mga tuntunin, tulad ng Envi-
. ronmental Compliance Certifi-
cate (ECC) at Environmental
, Impact Assessment (EIA), bago
. pahintulutang makapagtayo ng
, isang planta, o ano mang establi-
simyento, na ang operasyon ay
makapipinsala sa kalikasan at
. kapaligiran, at sa kalusugan ng
mamamayan.
At batay naman sa Local Gov-
ernment Code, kailangan din ang
(para raw makunan ng langis)
saka lamang natuklasan na ang
Ming Hong Trading ay walang
Mayor’s permit, walang ECC,
walang EIA atbp.
Marami na ang nagkasakit sa
baga at puso sa mga taong naka-
tira sa paligid ng plantang ito,
nagkamatay na ang mga hayop at
halaman, hindi pa rin naipasasara
ni Mayor Feliciano Legazpi, o ng
DENR ang planta.
Bakit? Gaano ba kalakas sa
pamahalaang Arroyo ang may-ari
ng Ming Hong Trading?
Ang mga patakaran ng Admi-
nistrasyong Arroyo (at ng mga
administrasyong nakalipas), na
isulong ang ekonomya sa tulong
ng mga puhunan at kaalamang
teknikal na dayuhan, ay dapat
kapitalista, dayuhan man o lokal,
ay ang kanilang kabatirang takaw
na takaw ang Admintrasyong Ar-
royo na mapasulong ang eko-
nomya sa ano mang paraan —
kahit na ikapipinsala ng kalusu-
gan ng mamamayan at ikawawa-
sak ng kapaligiran at kalikasan,
tulad ng pagsusunog ng gulong ng
Ming Hong Trading.
Sa pagtutuos, ang pangyaya-
ring may tatlong taon nang nag-
susunog ng lumang gulong ang
Ming Hong Trading nang walang
mayor’s permit, walang ECC at
EIA at iba pang rekusitos ay iisa
ang kahulugan: may basbas ni Ka-
lihim Lito Atienza (at ng Mala-
kanyang) ang operasyon ng Ming
Hong Trading.
Kung may basbas ni Ginang
Macapagal-Arroyo, ano ang ma-
gagawa nina Mayor Feliciano

Mabuhay
pahinulot ng kapitan ng barangay ikalungkot, sa halip na ikatuwa, Legazpi at mga opisyal ng Baran-
at ang mayor’s permit na nakasa- ng mga Pilipino. gay Parada para mapatigil ang
sakop sa lupang pagtatayuan ng Una sa lahat, alam ng mga ilegal na operasyon ng Ming Hong
LINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980 planta tulad nang sa kaso ng Ming dayuhan na napakadaling labagin Trading kahit magkasakit at
Hong Trading. ang mga batas sa Pilipinas — magkamatay ang mga tao, hayop
Ang Ming Hong Trading, na madaling suhulan ang tagapagpa- at halaman sa mismong paligid
EDITORIAL itinayo sa Sityo Diliman, Baran- tupad ng batas at hustisya, at nito, at malason ang hangin at
Jose L. Pavia . , . , gay Parada, Norzagaray, Bulacan matatakaw sa kumisyon at kick- mawasak ang kapaligiran ng
/ . , . , . at isang plantang nagsusunog ng back ang matataas na opisyal na Bulakan?
, . , ., lumang gulong ay siguradong ma- nakikipagkontrato kaya madaling Para sa Administrasyong Ar-
Perfecto V. Raymundo kalalason sa hangin sa partikular, mapapayag kahit sa isang kasun- royo, salapi lamang ang mahalaga,
PRODUCTION at sa kapaligiran sa kalahatan. duang agrabyado ang Pilipinas. hindi ang buhay ng tao, at lalo
. , . , Pagkaraan ng may tatlong ta- Pero ang higit na nakapagbu- nang hindi ang malusog at ligtas
Anthony L. Pavia ong pagsusunog ng lumang goma buyo sa pagsasamantala ng mga na kapaligiran!
. , .
PHOTOGRAPHY / ART
, , .
25@ . Promdi DINO BALABO
- BUSINESS / ADMINISTRATION
. , . , ,
. . , . ,
, , . ,

Best
Edited Weekly
CIRCULATION
.
.

,
,

.
.

,
Ô Õ
2003 + 2008 , MATAGUMPAY na naisagawa ang nanalo, at si Ka Nene Bundoc Delos Santos dahil kinakabahan
ikatlong taunang Gawad Plaridel Ocampo. Kaya naman parang noong gabing iyon. Sus, babasa-
Mabuhay noong Biyernes ng gabi, Agosto 29, binuhusan ng malamig na tubig hin na lang ang nanalo, kina-
Best Ñ sa BarCIE Hotel sa Lungsod ng si Mariz. ’Yan ang tinatawag na kabahan pa?
in Photojournalism . 00075266, 6, 2006 Malolos, ngunit nabahiran ito ng three seconds of fame. Sabi pa ng PPAO, “human er-
1998 + 2005 6, 2011, , . alinlangan. Mabuti na lamang at naituwid ror” lang talaga ang pagkakama-
Mabuhay Nagkamali sa pagbasa sa na- agad ang pagkakamali ni Bokal li. So, human error din kaya yung
, nalo si Bokal Enrique “Jon-jon” Delos Santos. Dahil kung hindi ay hindi nila pagpapakita kung alin
30, 1987 . 490; Delos Santos Jr. Matapos basahin baka matulad sa karanasan sa ang mga winning entry sa nasabing
ang pangalan ng mga finalist, Metro Manila Film Festival parangal mula pa noong 2006?
. 1281 99 . binasa niya ang pangalan ng na- (MMFF) noong dekada ’90 ang Hinggil naman sa pagbatikos
15, 1999. 1655 3853 nalo, pero wow mali pala. insidente kung saan ang tinawag ng ilang mamamahayag sa nasa-
: 626 , , “And the winner for the inspi- na pangalan ng nanalo ay hindi bing human error, sinabi ng isang
 294 8122 rational category is …” ang una naman pala talaga nanalo. opisyal ng PPAO na “sour graping”
niyang sinambit na pangalan ay Epekto kaya ito ng pagbabalik lang daw iyon at wala silang pa-
“Mariz Jaucian” na isa sa mga fi- sa bansa ni Gabby Concepcion na kialam sa batikos.
:// . nalist. Kaya naman, kulang na isa sa mga nadawit sa nasabing Hindi ba ang mas graceful na
lamang ay magtatalon sa tuwa si scandal sa MMFF noon? Ano ang sabihin ay “I am sorry” na tulad
( ): 520 52 Mariz na dalawang taon na ring masasabi mo Manay Lolit Solis? ng binigkas ni Ate Glue noong
; 750 . umaasam na manalo sa taunang Siyempre, nagdepensa ang 2004?
100 . parangal. Provincial Public Affairs Office na Paano kung inatake sa puso at
Ooops, di pala si Mariz ang nagkamali lamang daw si Bokal  7
 29 Ð 4, 2008
Depthnews
JUSTICE Undersecretary Ri-
cardo Blancaflor is in the news
these days. He oversaw the extra-
dition, from Bahrain, of the sus-
pected Filipino mastermind in
the Superferry bombing.
Mr. Blancaflor also rides shot-
gun over the Anti-Trafficking in
Persons Act (RA 9208) He is con-
current chairman of the Inter-
Agency Council Against Traffic-
king (IACAT).Thus, he com-
mented on our Viewpoint column
on “Lurid Trade” (Aug 26). This
dealt with human trafficking
within Asean nations.
“Thank you for the concern
(over) one of the most horrendous
acts against our fellow Filipinos.
We need all the help we can get …
Even our own judges and pros-
ecutors are still in the dark in re-
lation to prosecution of persons
who traffick (human beings).
Cebu Calling
WE have to rescue this virtue, now
largely distorted and misunder-
stood, if not ignored and allowed
to drift, it seems, toward extinc-
tion.
When Pope Benedict issued
his second encyclical, Spe Salvi
(Saved by hope) November last,
there hardly was any ripple about
it in the secular press.
Put bluntly, this extensive dis-
cussion on hope, the virtue that
forms an inseparable troika with
faith and charity, was left out in
the cold. It’s telling that this sad
phenomenon is happening. It ex-
poses the real, sorry state of our
Christian life.
In Christian understanding,
these three virtues are indispens-
able. They bring us to God. They
practically form Christian life’s
essence.
They infuse our intelligence
and will with the capacity to par-
ticipate in the divine knowledge,
activity and life itself, allowing
us to be in sync with God’s ways.
Without them, there really is no
Christian life, no matter how im-
pressive we manage to fake it.
The Pope himself offers some
explanation for this turn of
events. First, he says that many
people are afraid of what faith
and hope promise — eternal life.
“Many people,” he said, “do
not find the prospect of eternal
life attractive. What they desire
is not eternal life at all, but this
present life, for which faith in
eternal life seems something of
an impediment.”
This situation truly poses a
tall order to those whose busi-
Forward to Basics
EVERY year Kapuluan, a study
center for university students and
young professionals, celebrates a
family day. It is a concrete gesture
of expressing our gratitude to the
boys and their families for the help
they have extended to the center
and its activities throughout the
years. These activities mainly fo-
cus on helping them to be compe-
tent and prestigious professionals
in their respective fields.
Moreover, the activities help
them discover a deeper plane in
their work by learning to spice up
everything they do with a super-
natural flavor: by offering their
work to serve God, family and ac-
quaintances. This only seeks to
live and transmit the novel and
dynamic spirit that God had en-
Based on a U.S. State Depart-
ment report, Viewpoint “stated
that only three (3) were secured.
Allow me to make a slight correc-
tion. As of June 30, IACAT, with
assistance of different govern-
ment agencies, secured the con-
viction of one Ms. Nelia Ogalesco.
(This brought ) the total number
of convictions to eleven (11).
“In these 11 convictions, wit-
nesses were vital to sentencing of
the perpetrators. Most of the cases
that remain unsolved or archived
usually do not have witnesses to
corroborate the evidence gathered
against perpetrators.
“The international community
praised the Philippines for its
success in reducing the number
of cases involving human rights
violations (including the traffick-
ing of women and children). In the
recently released 2008 Traffick-
ness is to evangelize souls. This,
of course, requires nothing less
than grace. But it also requires
us to find convincing arguments
and ways to link the present life
with eternal life.
We have to find a way to show
that it is God who adequately cor-
responds to our deepest yearn-
ing for joy and peace. It’s not just
any lofty human goal or worldly
idea of success.
This observation can provoke
a second concern — that hope
leads us to pursue only our own
personal salvation, without re-
gard to our duties toward others
and the world in general.
The Pope answered by saying
that this eternal life with God is
always lived not by oneself alone,
but in union with a people. Union
with God is also always a union
with others. It’s never just an in-
dividualistic affair.
It presupposes, he said, “that
we escape from the prison of our
‘I’, because only in the openness
of this universal subject (we) does
our gaze open out to the source of
joy, to love itself, to God.”
Again, this truth needs to be
fleshed out in concrete forms im-
bued with a sense of immediacy,
for us to appreciate it. It’s an-
other hard task for the evange-
lizers.
A third question can also be
raised: how did we come to con-
ceive Christian hope as a selfish
search for salvation which rejects
the idea of serving others?
The Pope answers by saying
that modernism’s attitude of re-
placing faith in God with mod-
FR. FRANCIS B. ONGKINGCO
trusted to Opus Dei’s founder, St.
Josemaría Escrivá.
St. Josemaría taught that God
can be found in the most ordi-
nary events of our lives. He said,
“Heaven and earth seem to
merge, my sons and daughters,
on the horizon. But where they
really meet is in your hearts,
when you sanctify your everyday
lives.” (Homily, Passionately
Loving the World, 8-X-1967) In
this manner, he paved a new path
to for many Christians that actu-
alized their baptismal calling
right where God had placed them
in the middle of world.
For the majority of Christian
men and women who have been
called by God to marriage, the fam-
ily is a wonderful and fruitful cov-
JUAN L. MERCADO
ing in Persons Report, by the U.S.
Department of State, the Philip-
pines was removed from the
Watch List. (The country) was
cited for making significant ef-
forts in eliminating trafficking.
“However, government,
through IACAT cannot eliminate
human trafficking without fund-
ing support. The Justice Depart-
ment, since IACAT’s creation five
years ago, repeatedly requested
the Department of Budget and
Management (DBM) for financial
aid for our programs.
These have been denied We’ve
asked for reconsideration. To
date, we’re still awaiting the DBM
response … A big part of the little
success that IACAT achieved was
due to the funds provided by the
different Non-Government Orga-
nizations (NGOs).
 7
FR. ROY CIMAGALA
ern science and praxis has rel-
egated the faith and hope in God
to a purely private and other-
worldly level, irrelevant to the
here and now.
That’s, of course, wrong. True
faith and hope in God, while tran-
scending worldly dimensions, are
intrinsically immersed in earthly
affairs. They play a crucial role in
our lives and history, as individu-
als and as people.
For these truths to shine out,
we need concrete examples and
models. And they can be found in
the lives of martyrs and saints
who with God’s grace and their
efforts show how faith and hope
in God have shaped their lives.
This is the challenge of today’s
evangelizers. And I’m sure that
with the proper attitude and
skills we can find such examples
and models not only in ancient
times but more so in contempo-
rary life.
There’s need to present these
wonderful narratives in a more
secular style. We have to say
enough to empty celebrity obses-
sion.
An appropriate theology has
to be developed, where the ele-
ments of dogma blend well with
the cultural character of the
people and of the times.
The spiritual has to be materi-
alized, and the material spiritual-
ized. In short, a theology that pro-
duces holiness in the flesh, and
generates hope with substance and
not just a matter of conviction. It
should be one where God and we
in all our dimensions enter into a
living, vibrant relationship.
enant between God and the
spouses, and their children. Even
early on in the beginnings of Opus
Dei, St. Josemaría already saw
marriage, not as a second-rate
Christian calling as it was then
commonly perceived, as a divine
calling. This is illustrated in what
is now found in his book The Way,
when he surprised someone he was
spiritually guiding, “You laugh
because I tell you that you have a
‘vocation for marriage’? Well, you
have just that: a vocation.” (No. 27)
Later on he would teach: “Hus-
band and wife are called to sanc-
tify their married life and to sanc-
tify themselves in it. It would be
a serious mistake if they were to
exclude family life from their
 7
Regarding Henry
NEVER underestimate the power
of a smile. At one time, I was mad
as hell when someone took the
book I bought. I left it on top of my
table before I left for work. When I
returned home, it was gone. I re-
ally don’t have any problem with
it if the person who took it just left
a note that he was borrowing it. At
least, with a note I can always ask
the person if he is already done
with the book.
But what really got my nerve
this time was the fact that I had
some scribbled notes on the said
book which I inserted. I was afraid
that whoever took the book might
just throw away the notes I had
written.
I was about to give up when
my niece came to my room. “I am
very much sorry, uncle,” she said.
I was surprised; what had she
done to me, I asked myself. She
took something from her bag and
with a big smile, “Here’s your book
which I took without your knowl-
edge. I forgot to leave a note.”
It didn’t matter if the book
was lost. What mattered most
was the fact that here was my
niece and with a broad smile
eased all those worries. Never
underestimate the power of a
smile. I have not seen a beauty
contest where the contestants are
not smiling.
“A smile is central to our evo-
lution and one of the most power-
ful tools of human behavior,” ex-
plains Dr. Cacher Keltner, a pro-
fessor of psychology at the Uni-
versity of California, Berkeley,
who has studied the importance
of facial expressions — including
the variety and impact of smiles.
In 1872, Charles Darwin pro-
posed in his book, The Expression
of Emotion in Man and Animals
that facial expressions are biologi-
cally based and universal among
humans. However, the celebrated
anthropologist Margaret Mead
thought the smile was a cultural
behavior that varied between so-
cieties.
Ka Iking Reports
GOVERNMENT agencies seldom
coordinate with each other in
working towards the convergence
of their policies and programs.
This is true in the case of the De-
partment of Health (DOH) and
the Department of Environment
& Natural Resources (DENR) as
it is true in many other depart-
ments. For sure, there are many
potential policy and program ar-
eas where they could work to-
gether, if only they could put their
acts together.
To cite an example, there is no
doubt that dirty and polluted riv-
ers pose a threat to the health of
everyone, not only to those who
live along the riverbanks. Using
this as an example, it is very well
within the authority of the DOH
to sanction the polluters of rivers
for health reasons, aside from the
sanctions that the DENR could
impose upon them.
Citing a case in history, the
Americans convicted Al Capone
for tax evasion, because they
could not gather enough evidence
to convict him for his other crimes.
Without going around the bush, I
say that murdering a river is a
crime and if we could not get the
criminals for environment rea-
sons, we should get them for
health reasons. And why not?
The La Salle Institute for Gov-
3
HENRYLITO D. TACIO
There are several reasons why
a person smiles. One indicator is
that he or she is in love. Barry
Manilow, referring to his beloved,
croons, “I can’t smile without
you”.
“A smile costs nothing but
gives much,” someone once wrote.
“It enriches those who receive
without making poorer those who
give. It takes but a moment, but
the memory of it sometimes lasts
forever. None is so rich or mighty
that he cannot get along without
it and none is so poor that he can-
not be made rich by it. Yet a smile
cannot be bought, begged, bor-
rowed, or stolen, for it is some-
thing that is of no value to anyone
until it is given away. Some people
are too tired to give you a smile.
Give them one of yours, as none
needs a smile so much as he who
has no more to give.”
“Smile and others will smile
back,” Jean Baudrillard thinks.
“Smile to show how transparent,
how candid you are. Smile if you
have nothing to say. Most of all,
do not hide the fact you have noth-
ing to say nor your total indiffer-
ence to others. Let this emptiness,
this profound indifference shine
out spontaneously in your smile.”
But more often than not,
people stop smiling. It seems
they are carrying the all the
problema of the whole world.
Even in the early morning, when
they should face the new day with
gladness, they are already frown-
ing. There are several reasons but
those reasons are not enough to
let yourself not to smile.
Here’s one poet said, “If at
times you feel you want to cry and
life seems such a trial. Above the
clouds there’s a bright blue sky,
so make your tears a smile. As you
travel on life’s way with its many
ups and downs, remember its
quite true to say one smile is worth
a dozen frowns.”
The poet continues: “Among
the world’s expensive things, a
 4
IKE SEÑERES
ernance (LSIG) and the La Salle
Institute for the Environment
(LIFE) are planning innovative
programs to enable students to
become more active in cleaning
the environment. The program
will help river polluters in devel-
oping corrective measures that
would be good for all.
***
All drugs containing PHENYL-
PROPANOLAMINE (PPA) are
being recalled in the USA. What
is the DOH doing about this? Cer-
tain drugs allegedly contain this
ingredient (Alka Seltzer, Dime-
tapp, Robitussin, Dexatrim, Bio-
flu, Neozep, Tuseran and Di-
sudrin). It is reportedly linked to
INCREASED HEMORRHAGIC
STROKE (bleeding brain) among
women ages 18 to 49 and seizures
among children. For more infor-
mation, visit the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration web site:
www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/
ppa.
Email iseneres@yahoo.com or
text me at +639293605140.
Watch my TV show “KA IKING
LIVE” every Friday from 9:30 to
10:30 PM on Destiny Cable Chan-
nel 3. Form your own Inter Char-
ity Circle and build our Nation.
Tune in to “KAPIT-BAYAN” on
DWIZ 882 KHZ, 5:00 to 6:00 PM
Mondays to Fridays.
4 29 Ð
Napapanahon
Birth of the Blessed
Virgin Mary Mabuhay
MAKAKABASA na ng pahayagang
Mabuhay nang libre sa Chowking –
Bayan Baliwag.
Sa kagandahang loob ng Chowking
franchisee na ito, si Jorge Allan Teng-
co, at manager na si Roberto Miranda,
na nag-subscribe sa Mabuhay kama-
kailan, lahat ng kanilang customer sa
Chowking ay puwedeng kumuha ng
sipi ng Mabuhay sa newspaper rack
na nakasabit doon at basahin ito
habang kumakain.
Maraming masasarap na menu ang
Chowking: Chowking Sarap Sets na
nagsisimula sa murang halaga na P39;
Chao Fan (beef, pork, spicy) at Yang
Chow (P79); at ang mga Bagong Chow-
king Almuchow na mabibili hanggang
ika-11:00 ng umaga (Pork Chopsuey);
Omelet (ham & mushroom at corned
beef) at Hot Naichi (milk tea).
- Heart of Jesus Parish Church, Salacot,
USO na ba ngayon ang ikinakasal na
matatanda? Siguro, dahil kamakailan
lamang ay ikinasal si Carmencita
Gonzales, dalaga, 53 taong gulang, at
si Jose “Pito” Calanoc, biyudo, 73
Kakampi mo ang Batas
48 TANONG: Sir, pina-annull ng mister
ko ang kasal namin nang hindi ko alam.
Maaari po ba iyon? Pwede ko po ba
, , siyang kasuhan? (639272386703).
. Sagot: Salamat po sa tanong ninyo
sa amin. Sa ilalim ng 1987 Constitu-
8. tion, ang isang tao ay hindi maaaring
, alisan ng kanyang karapatan, ari-arian
. . o buhay ng hindi muna siya binibigyan
ng pagkakataong maipagtanggol ang
kanyang sarili. Ang tawag sa bahaging
4, . . , ito ng Saligang Batas ay “Constitu-
32 4. tional right to due process”.
Kung naalisan ng karapatan, ari-
arian o buhay ang isang tao ng hindi
siya napapayagang gamitin ang kan-
Murmurings yang “right to due process”, magiging
ilegal ang sitwasyon, at maaaring
kumilos ang mga apektadong partido
upang maiwasto o maisaayos ang
pagkakamali o di kaya ay maisantabi
ang anumang proseso na naganap dahil
sa pagkakabalewala ng right to due
ARIEL HANS C. SEBELLINO process.
Maaari ding hilingan ng pagbaba-
! yad ng danyos perhuwisiyos ang mga
taong nag-alis ng karapatan, ari-arian
at buhay ng iba ng walang right to due
, process.
Sa sitwasyon ng mga kaso sa hu-
kuman, lalong-lalo na ng mga kaso sa
. pagpapabalewala ng kasal ng mag-
asawa, kailangang ang asawang ini-
hahabla ay mabigyan ng pasabi na
, mayroong ganung kaso laban sa kanya,
upang makagawa siya ng paraan para
, maipagtanggol ang kanyang sarili.
Ayon sa Korte Suprema, hindi maha-
. lagang kumilos nga ang taong naihabla.
, Ang mahalaga, ayon sa Kataas-taasang
Hukuman, ay nabigyan siya ng pasabi.
Kumilos man siya o hindi, matapos
, , niyang matanggap ang pasabi, ay nasa
. kanya na iyon.
, pupuwedeng maging batayan ng anu-
, mang kaso o paghahabol ninuman.
Tanong: Batas, ibebenta ko sana ang
lupang minana ko sa aking parents.
. Puwede bang ibenta ang lupa kahit di
É na pirmahan ng anak kong 12 years
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Regarding Henry
smile is very cheap. And when you give
a smile away, you get one back to keep.
Happiness comes at times to all but
sadness comes unbidden and some-
times a few tears must fall among the
laughter hidden.
( ) So when friends have sadness on
their face and troubles round them
piled, the world will seem a better
place and all because you smiled.”
A smile can make a woman more
beautiful. “Beauty is power; a smile
! ? is its sword,” Charles Reade pointed
out. And someone commented, “I’ve
never seen a smiling face that was not
! beautiful.” (Frank) Gelett Burgess
also said, “Thinking a smile all the
. time will make your face youthful.”
taong gulang.
Pinangunahan ang mga ninong at
ninang nina Engr. Ireneo Villangca at
Mayora Sonia Estrella at ang recep-
tion ay ginanap sa KC Mall sa St. Au-
gustine Parish Church, Baliwag, Bu-
lacan.
Sabi ni Fr. Joseph Cruz, paring nag-
kasal, na mabuti at kahit matatanda
na ay nagpakasal pa din sila Car-men-
cita at Pito sa simbahan upang ma-
basbasan ng simbahan ang kanilang
pagsasama at pagmamahalan.
***
Ang pangalawang kasal ay mga ka-
bataan: sina Sonny Singalawa, 25
taong gulang, at Maritess Casimiro,
22 taong gulang, ng San Miguel,
Bulacan at mga anak nina Solficio at
Teresita Singalawa at Orlando at
Rosalinda Casimiro.
Ginanap ang kasalan sa Sacred
San Miguel at ang nagkasal ay si Fr.
Norberto Ventura. Kahit malayo ang
barangay Salakot, ang simbahan
naman nila ay sosyal dahil air-condi-
tioned ang confessional na may
old?(63928-3279662 Cecille/Sylvia
Llerin).
Sagot: Salamat po sa tanong na
ito. Sa ilalim ng Civil Code of the Phil-
ippines, ang isang ari-ariang mana ay
ituturing na sariling pag-aari ng taong
nakamana nito.
Dahil diyan, ang taong nakamana
o naging may-ari ng mga ito dahil mi-
nana niya ito mula sa kanyang mga
ma-gulang ay ituturing na solong
may-ari lamang, na may sariling
karapatan upang gamitin o ibenta o
isanla o ibigay kahit kanino ang
nasabing mana.
Hindi ituturing na conjugal prop-
erty o absolute community of prop-
erty ang nasabing mga manang ari-
arian, kaya’t walang pakialam ang
asawa o mga anak dito.
Sa katunayan, sinasabi ng Civil
Code na hindi na kailangan ang pirma
o pagsang-ayon ng asawa o mga anak
sa anumang transaksiyong papasukin
ng taong nakamana ng mga ari-arian.
Tanong: Batas, puwede po ba ako
maghabol sa boyfriend ko kasi paulit-
ulit na kami nag-sex tapos ngayon ay
nakikipaghiwalay na siya dahil nahuli
ko siya na may iba. Puwede ba akong
maghabol? (639213385287).
Sagot: Maraming salamat po sa
tanong na ito. Sa pangkalahatan, ang
isang babaeng kusang loob na naki-
pagtalik sa kanyang boyfriend o kahit
kanino pa man ay kumikilos ng ayon
sa kanyang sariling kagustuhan, at
dahil diyan, wala siyang karapatang
nalalabag ng mga nakikipagtalik sa
kanya.
Ang pagtatalik na parehong gi-
nusto ng mga gumawa nito ay hindi
Kaya lamang, may mga sitwasyong
kahit gusto ng isa sa mga nakipagtalik
ang naganap, maaari pa din itong
maghabol laban sa kanyang naging
katalik.
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
After all, a smile, according to
Charles Gordy, “is an inexpensive way
to change your looks.” George Eliot
surmises, “Wear a smile and have
friends; wear a scowl and have
wrinkles.” American humorist Mark
Twain also stated so: “Wrinkles should
merely indicate where smiles have
been.” Just a reminder: It takes 17
muscles to smile and 43 to frown.
If you can smile, why don’t smile
at all. How unfortunate a person is, if
he can’t smile anymore. Twice in his
adult life, Ross Main had has his face
paralyzed by Bell’s palsy, a disorder
in which the seventh cranial nerve be-
comes inflamed, probably from a vi-
ral infection. “I could only smile with
4, 2008
LINDA R. PACIS
Ð
glassdoor pagbukas at pagsara.
Ninong sina Bulacan Vice Gov. Wil-
helmino Sy Alvarado, Vice Mayor
George Castañeda ng San Miguel, Be-
nigno Managan, Conrado Lacanilao,
Jr., at Ireneo Valdez. Ninang naman
sina Atty. Margarita Luwalhati M.
Banzuela, Guadalupe Doctor, Erlinda
Waminal, Alicia G. Rodriguez at Ma.
Nora T. Sales.
Siyempre dumalo ang mga kamag-
anak nila mula sa Sabang, Baliwag na
sina Mr. ang Mrs. Ricardo Mendoza at
Esmeralda Casimiro-Mendoza at
pamilya. Naroon din si Lola Amyr
Casimiro kahit sumakabilang buhay
na si Lolo Carding Casimiro.
Humabol din si Sis. Teresa Pasam-
ba ng St. Paul College, Pasig dahil pa-
borito niyang estudyante si Maritess
noong si Sis. Teresa ay Dean of Educa-
tion ng St. Paul College, San Miguel.
Sa kasalukuyan, nagtuturo na si
Maritess sa San Miguel Elementary
School.
Ginanap ang reception sa bahay ng
groom sa Barangay Pinambaran, San
Miguel, Bulacan.
ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO
Ang una sa mga sitwasyong ito ay
kung ang nakatalik ay isang menor
de edad pa lamang, ke babae ito o
lalaki. Ayon sa Republic Act 7610, o
ang Anti Child Abuse Law, ang
pakikipagtalik ng isang menor de
edad ay lubos na ipinagbabawal, at
pinarurusahan ng hanggang habam-
buhay na pagkakabilanggo, na kung
saan ang akusado ay kinakailangan
ding ikulong habang nililitis ang
usapin. Itinuturing kasing walang bi-
sa ang pagsang-ayon ng isang menor
de edad sa pakikipagtalik kahit ito
ay kanya pang kagustuhan, o di kaya
ay kanyang inumpisahan.
Pangalawa, kung ang nakatalik,
bagamat nasa wastong edad, ay may
sayad naman o sira sa pag-iisip at,
dahil diyan, ay hindi maaaring maka-
pagbigay ng pagsang-ayon. Ituturing
na panggagahasa ang ganitong paki-
kipagtalik at maaari itong maparu-
sahan din ng habang-buhay na pagka-
kabilanggo.
Sa kabilang dako, kung ang pakiki-
pagtalik ay hindi pumapasok sa mga
sitwasyong ito, walang pananagutang
kriminal ang lalaki o babaeng naki-
pagtalik, bagamat maaari siyang
pagbayarin ng danyos perhuwisiyos.
***
PAALALA: Maaari po kayong tuma-
wag sa aming mga landline, (02) 994-
68-05, (02) 433-75-49 at (02) 433-75-
53, o di kaya ay sa aming mga cell-
phone, 0917-984-24-68 at 0919-609-
64-89. O sumulat sa aming address:
18 D Mahiyain cor Mapagkawanggawa,
Teachers Village, Diliman, Quezon
City. O mag-email sa website na ito,
www.batasnews.com, o sa batas-
mauricio@yahoo.com.
***
PARTY LIST: Maaari na po kayong
maging kasapi ng BATAS Party List,
o ang Bagong Alyansang Tagapag-
taguyod ng Adhikaing Sambayanan.
Ipadala po ang inyong mga pangalan
at kumpletong address sa parehong
mga address at telepono sa itaas.
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
 3
half my face, and the result was this
weird grimace,” he says.
Looking for peace between a hus-
band and wife, or between enemies?
The answer to that question is a big
smile. As Nobel Peace Prize winner
Mother Teresa said, “Peace begins
with a smile.” A smile, nonetheless,
is a powerful weapon; you can even
break ice with it.
”Today,” urged H. Jackson Brown,
Jr., “give a stranger one of your smiles.
It might be the only sunshine he sees
all day.” A poet puts it more succinctly.
“Smiling is infectious; you can catch
it like the flu. Someone smiled at me
today and I started smiling too.”
Ñ @ .
 29 Ð 4, 2008 5

Makisaya sa Singkaban Fiesta 2008

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SINGKABAN FIESTA 2008 Ñ .
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6 29 Ð 4, 2008

PLARIDEL, Bulacan — Nagbalik na ang
mga isda at kaibigang insekto sa mga
bukirin sa bayang ito dahil sa organikong
pamamaraan ng pagsasaka, samantalang
sumasapaw na ang mga sinaunang binhing
itinanim sa iba’t ibang bayan sa lalawigan.
May kagalakang ibinalita sa Mabuhay
ni Liza Sacdalan, isa sa lider ng mga mag-
sasaka dito sa Plaridel, ang pagiging epek-
tibo ng organikong pagsasaka ng mga sina-
unang binhi sa kanilang bukirin.
“May mga bulig at gagamba na uli sa
bukid,” aniya.
Ito, ayon kay Sacdalan, ay isa sa positi-
bong epekto ng organikong pagsasaka o ang
pagtatanim ng palay na hindi gumagamit
ng kemikal na pataba at pestisidyo.
,
Ipinaliwanag niya sa Mabuhay na ang
mga kaibigang kulisap tulad ng gagamba,
tutubi at bubuyog ay nawala sa mga bukirin
dahil sa paggamit ng mga magsasaka ng
makabagong pamamaraan ng pagsasaka na
ang tagumpay ay batay sa dami ng gina-
gamit na pataba at pestisidyong kemikal.
“Hindi lahat ng kulisap sa bukid ay
kalaban ng magsasaka, pero maging mga
kaibigang kulisap ay nadadamay kapag
nag-spray ng pesticide ang mga magsa-
saka,” ani Sacdalan.
Sinabi pa niya na maging mga similya
ng isdang bukid tulad ng tilapia at dalag
ay namamatay dahil sa paggamit ng pesti-
sidyong kemikal.
Batay sa mga naunang pakikipanayam
ng Mabuhay sa mga magsasaka sa la-
lawigan, ang dahilan kung bakit lalong
naghirap at nabaon sa utang ang marami
sa kanila ay ang gastos sa mga kemikal
na pestisidyo at pataba na karaniwan ay
inuutang lamang.
Ayon sa mga magsasaka, bago maging
laganap ang paggamit ng nasabing pesti-
sidyo sa mga bukirin ay walang problema
sa pagkain dahil marami silang nahuhuling
isda sa kanilang bukid.
“Dati ay walang problema sa ulam.
Mangapa ka lang sa gilid ng prinsa may
ulam ka nang bulig, hito o kaya ay hipon.
Pero nang mauso ang pesticide, napeste rin
ang mga isdang bukid pati mga talangka,”
ani Resty Inocencio, isang magsasaka sa
bayan ng Hagonoy.
Ayon kay Sacdalan, sumasapaw na ang
mga itinanim nilang sinaunang binhi na
kanilang pinaparami ngayon.
Bukod sa Plaridel, nagsipagtanim na rin
ng sinaunang binhi gamit ang organikong
pamamaraan ang mga magsasaka sa Lung-
sod ng Malolos at mga bayan ng Bulakan,
San Ildefonso, San Rafael, at Pandi sa
Bulacan. Maging sa mga bayan ng Apalit,
San Luis at Candaba sa Pampanga ay
nagtatanin na ng ganito.
Ayon kina Melencio Domingo at Agaton
Milagroso ng Malolos, ang pagpaparami ng
sinaunang binhi ay nangangahulugan ng
pagtalikod ng mga magsasaka sa mga
binhing “hybrid” na nangangailangan ng
maraming pataba at kemikal na pestisidyo.
Binigyang diin ni Domingo na ang bunga
ng sinaunang binhi ay maaaring itanim
muli kaya’t hindi na bibili ang mga
magsasaka ng binhing ibinebenta ng mga
seed company.

MODERN orthopedic sci-
ence, combined with space-
age technology, has trans-
formed the field of pros-
thetics. But in much of Asia
— and even more so in pro-
vincial areas like northern
Thailand — modern pros-
thetic limbs are well be-
yond the reach of ordinary
people who need them.
They are too expensive.
They are too time consum-
ing to acquire and main-
tain. Or they are poorly de-
signed for life in the hills
and on the farm.
This is why poor people
who lose legs from acci-
dents or landmines or dia-
betes (or from snake bites,
for that matter), often re-
sort to makeshift alterna-
tives. They fashion substi-
tute limbs from bamboo
shafts and spare bicycle
parts and from wood and
leather and plastic pipes, or
they walk on homemade
crutches.
:
Observing this some 40
years ago, Therdchai Jiva-
cate, a young orthopedist
practicing in Chiang Mai,
decided he could help them.
Therdchai, a graduate of
Chulalongkorn Hospital
Medical School who also
studied rehabilitation
medicine at Northwestern
University, began to experi-
ment with cheap and sturdy
alternatives to the pros-
thetic limbs available at his
hospital, all of them made
from costly imported ma-
terials.
An early breakthrough
involved recycling plastic
yogurt bottles to fabricate
artificial legs. Using his own
money and time taken from
his private practice, Therd-
chai tinkered constantly to
simplify the fabrication
process and to adapt his de-
vices to local circumstances,
creating a “farmer’s foot”
for working in wet, slippery
fields, and another foot for
wearing flip-flops. To poor
patients, he provided these
devices free.
In time, Thailand’s late
Princess Mother Sri Naga-
rindra came to know of
Therdchai’s generous
project. In 1992, she lent
her patronage to create the
Prostheses Foundation in
Chiang Mai under his direc-
tion. With support from the
royal family, private donors,
and the Thai national lot-
tery fund, Therdchai was
able to expand his work.

Malaking tulong sa industriya

Amputees from Thai-
land’s remote borderlands
were among the least likely
to have access to proper pros-
thetic limbs. To change

ang ‘pinakamahabang pastilyas’

1 directly to the people.
samantalang ang bawat bag
ng asukal na tumitimbang
ng 50 kilo ay tumaas sa
P1,700 mula sa P1,500
noong Enero.
Ayon naman kay Mayor
Roderick Tiongson ng San
Miguel, handa na ang kan-
yang mga kababayan sa
hamon na makalikha ng
pinakamahabang pastilyas
sa buong mundo.
Sinabi niya na malaki
ang tiwala niya na magiging
tagumpay ang paggawa ng
pinakamahabang pastilyas
dahil may sapat na kara-
nasan at kakayayan ang
kanyang mga kababayan.
Ang pastilyas na gawa sa
gatas ng kalabaw ay iti-
nuturing na pangunahing
produkto ng bayan ng San
Miguel sa loob ng mahigit
100 taon.
Ang pastilyas din ang
itinuturing na dahilan kung
bakit ang San Miguel, na
matatagpuan sa hangganan
ng Bulacan, Pampanga at
Neuva Ecija, ay tinatawag
din na “San Miguel De
Mayumo.”
Ang salitang “mayumo”
ay nagmula sa salitang
Kapampangan na ang ibig
sabihin ay “matamis.”
Noong 2006, inilunsad
ni dating Mayor Edmundo
Jose Buencamino ng bayang
ito ang kauna-unahang Pas-
tilyas Festival upang higit
na bigyang pagpapahalaga
ang nasabing produkto at
higit iyiong makilala.
Sa naunang panayam ng
Mabuhay kay Mayor Buen-
camino, sinabi niya na isa
sa layunin ng paglulunsad
ng Pastilyas Festival ay
upang maangkin ng San
Miguel ang karangalan
bilang tahanan ng pinaka-
masarap na pastilyas.
Sinabi niya na duma-
raming bayan sa bansa ang
gumagawa ng pastilyas ka-
ya “kailangang mauna kami
sa pag-angkin ng titulo.”
“Bahagi na ng aming
kultura ang pastilyas,” ani
Buencamino. “Hindi lang
2006,
ito isang dessert o pang-alis
ng uyam matapos kumain.”
Simbulo ng pagkakaisa
at mahabang relasyon ang
pastilyas, paliwanag ng
alkalde.
. Ñ
“Pastilyas ang pabori-
tong pasalubong ng mga
taga-San Miguel sa mga
manililigaw, ito rin ang
paboritong regalo sa nilili-
gawan,” ani Buencamino.
this, Therdchai initiated
field clinics in which teams
of doctors, technicians, staff
members, and volunteers
bring prosthetic workshops
Once on the site, he and
his team assess the waiting
amputees, make casts of
their stumps, mold plastic
limbs for each one and then
test them for proper align-
ment, comfort, and “gait.”
On the sixth day, a custom-
made limb is presented to
each amputee —anywhere
from 150 to 300 persons.
To date, Therdchai has
organized nearly one hun-
dred of these mobile work-
shops, including several in
neighboring Malaysia, Laos,
and Myanmar.
In certain high-need ar-
eas bordering Myanmar,
Laos, and Cambodia, Therd-
chai also set up permanent
satellite workshops capable
of making artificial limbs on
the spot. The Foundation
equips these workshops and
also trains the technicians,
who are often amputees
themselves.
In ancillary activities,
the Foundation has orga-
nized artificial-leg work-
shops in Aceh, Indonesia
and trained prosthesis tech-
nicians from several neigh-
boring countries.
Meanwhile, Therdchai
himself established Thai-
land’s first and only school
.
Write us.
“Sa mga okasyon, ito rin
ang paboritong regalo; at Philippine Press
maging sa mga may alitan, /
ang pastilyas ang ginagamit . 312 . .
na peace offering.” — Dino . .,
Balabo
of occupational therapy at
Chiang Mai University.
Through it all, Therdchai
has remained an inventor,
assiduously refining his de-
signs and fabrication tech-
niques in cooperation with
engineers at the King Mong-
kut Institute of Technology
and other collaborators. His
devices cost about 60-80
percent less than the im-
ported alternatives and are
durable.
Through the Prostheses
Foundation, more than
15,000 people have re-
ceived them free of charge.
Although officially re-
tired, at 68 Therdchai
shows few signs of slowing
down. He knows that well-
made prosthetic limbs not
only restore amputees to
productive lives; they also
restore their self-esteem.
His work brings great sat-
isfaction.
“Seeing my patients’
smiles ... when they are able
to walk on both legs,” he
says, “I just feel happy.”
In electing Therdchai
Jivacate to receive the 2008
Ramon Magsaysay Award
for Public Service, the
board of trustees recognizes
his dedicated efforts in
Thailand to provide inex-
pensive, practical, and com-
fortable artificial limbs to
even the poorest amputees.
?
Council
,
 29 Ð 4, 2008 7
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Forward to Basics Promdi  2

 3
spiritual development. The marriage union, the care and
education of children, the effort to provide for the needs
of the family as well as for its security and development,
the relationships with other persons who make up the
community, all these are among the ordinary human situ-
ations that Christian couples are called upon to sanc-
tify.” (Homily, Marriage a Christian Vocation, #23)
Towards the last years of his life he gave numerous
catechetical gatherings to his sons and daughters the world
over. In many of these he would emphasize on the positive
role parents have in their vocation to marriage. “God has
made marriage a holy bond, the image of the union of
Christ and his Church. (…) Parents are the cooperators of
God. (…) If you live marriage as God wishes you to, in a
holy way, your house will be a bright and cheerful home,
full of peace and joy.” (Homily, Interior Struggle, no. 78) But
the home can only be “bright and cheerful, full of peace
and joy” through the personal and constant sacrifice of
each of its members. Without sacrifice these fruits de-
scribed by St. Escrivá will not be easily reaped.
This thread of thought brings to my mind a story about
a brother and sister rummaging through their mother’s
cabinet. They were enjoying themselves looking at their
parent’s marriage album and some other memorabilia.
Inside the very same box they found something wrapped
in a blue silk cloth. In their curiosity, they unwrapped the
object. They found an old broken handle of what seemed
to belong to a coffee cup. They felt that it was something
that didn’t belong there, and decided to ask their mother
about it.
Their mother replied, “Oh, that’s the reason how we
met!” The two surprised children asked how a broken
piece could have ever brought them together. Their mom
told them the story.
She once invited a prospective suitor to dinner with
her parents. He, however, unexpectedly brought a friend
of his along. “He was to be your dad,” she said. “The first
time I saw him, I felt he was the right man.” That feeling
totally overtook her and she became very nervous at serv-
ing their guests.
“When coffee time came, I was shaking as I prepared
the coffee. As I placed a cup beside your dad’s dessert
plate, I began to tremble and accidentally tipped the cup
and it fell to the floor!”
“Then what happened?” the children asked. “Did dad
help you clean up the mess?”
“No, I quickly picked up the pieces, but I realized that
the handle was missing. I told myself that I would simply
look for it the next day. In the meantime, I replaced your
father’s cup.”
“So this is the missing piece?” the youngest asked.
“Yes. The next day I swept through the entire floor and
found it strange that the handle was nowhere to be found.”
“Then who found it?”
“When dad came back for another date, and this time
without my previous suitor, he shook my hand and said,
‘Oh, you must have been looking for this piece.’ And that’s
how this broken piece brought us together.”
May this story help us to be grateful that God our Lord
wants us to find in marriage and the family a wonderful
path to become holy. But this doesn’t only depend on the
fact that there aren’t any problems or trials within mar-
riage. Let us understand, that whatever difficulties there
may be — with prayer, sacrifice, the Sacraments, and God’s
grace — will soon enough be the very ingredient to
strengthen our love and self-giving.
Rather, let us learn to break our proud thoughts, our
attachments to our plans and comfort, our sensitivities
and critical thoughts, etc. In doing so, we would have truly
made a sacrifice that would make our homes, our families
a source of light and joy.
The youngest child then smiled mischievously at his
mom and asked, “Mom? Does this mean that it’s alright
for me to bring out the vase that I broke last week?”
[That’s a different story!]
, .
. 19, . 4,
: 29,
natuluyan yung “nanalo na talo pala”, sour graping pa ba
iyon?
Kung sabagay, baka bigyan nila ng posthumous award sa
susunod na taon. Imagine, napakaliit na pagkakamali, buhay
pala ang mabubuwis, pero simpleng “I am sorry” ay di
masabi ng PPAO.
***
Hindi na tatawaging Gawad Plaridel sa susunod na taon
ang nasabing parangal, sa halip ay Gawad Marcelo H. Del
Pilar na dahil nakapangalan ito ng mas prestisyosong Gawad
Plaridel sa University of the Philippines (UP).
Bukod dito, dadagdagan ng kategorya tulad ng best in
science and technology, business, health reporting.
Magbibigay na rin daw ng parangal para sa best new
story at best feature story. Pati istoryang lumabas sa
telebisyon ay bibigyan na ng pagkilala, at mga campus
journalist.
Exciting ang parangal sa susunod na taon, ani ng isang
nagwaging mamahayag. Ito ay nangangahulugan na mas
marami ang makakatanggap ng parangal, at iyan ay
matatawag na “democratization of the awards”.
Maganda ang plano at hangarin, ngunit mas maganda kung
mailalabas na ng PPAO ang mga winning entry sa mga nagdaang
parangal upang maging modelo ng mga naghahangad na manalo.
Bukod diyan, isa sa pagkukulang ng PPAO ay ang
pagsasagawa ng kaakibat na programa para sa higit na
pagpapataas ng antas ng pamamahayag sa lalawigan.
Ito ang pagsasagawa ng mga seminar-workshop para
sa mga mamamahayag, bukod pa sa paghamon sa mga
nagsipanalo na makabilang sa mga magsasanay sa mga
kabataang mamamahayag upang maibahagi nila ang
kanilang kahusayang ipinanalo.
Kung hindi magagawa ito ng PPAO, mas maganda siguro na
dadagdagan pa ang mga kategorya sa taunang parangal dahil
mukhang mas intresado sa pamamahagi ng parangal ang PPAO
kaysa mapataas ang antas ng pamamahayag sa pamamagitan
ng iba’t ibang pagsasanay.
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Depthnews
“Despite the (financial crimp) IACAT produced a
“Manual on Law Enforcement and Prosecution of Traf-
ficking in Persons Cases.” These were provided to pros-
ecutors and other law enforcers to to facilitate effective
investigation and prosecution of trafficking.
“There is still so much to be done. Among these are a
massive information campaign and strengthening of dif-
ferent government agencies involved in (curbing) human
trafficking.”
Sylvia Miclat of the Environmental Science for Social
Change commented on Viewpoint columns (June 26 and
July 17 ) that spotlighted the new book: Forest Faces.
ESSC co-published this book with the UN’s Food and
Agriculture Organization.
“We deeply appreciate the Viewpoint columns. They
“cited the stories we really wanted communicated to larger
Philippine society. (They) speak so much of what was lost
in our forests and how these were lost.
“But there are also threads within those stories, that
need to be pieced together for Filipinos who want some-
thing done now — and who are willing to do so.
The Viewpoint column on “Chasing after the wind” quotes
from a log truck driver in the environment office in the
Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao … The log truck
driver (who saw the forests devastated and colleagues
murdered) is somebody I know. And when he unfolded his
story to me, I was just dumbfounded while listening.
“We can become so numb to the numerous “illegal
logging” anecdotes as we go about our work. But listening
to someone’s heart and mind as they shared their “ordi-
nary” lives in relation to Philippine forests, can shred
one’s heart and blow one’s mind.”
From Washington DC, Annie Montemayor emailed her
reaction to Viewpoint column on “Piranha Feeding
Frenzy” (August 19). This dealt with local government
officials helping themselves to the “20 Per Cent Develop-
ment Fund”. This trust fund is intended to help the
poorest.
. .
“I can only shake my head in disapproval, but not
16, 2008 ,
in disbelief! These acts are reenacted throughout
, .
barangays, towns, cities, provinces, in every department
. 82,
of government up to on high. Is there ever crime and
2008.
punishment?
“Education is the start. But is this a priority for those
5 & 12, 2008 in power? Those entrenched are the ones that perpetuate
Narito ang ilan sa mga posibleng dagdag na kategorya.
Rotarian of the year award. Paumanhin sa mga kasapi
ng Rotary Club, ngunit ang parangal na ito ay hindi para sa
inyo. Sa halip, ito ay para sa mga mamamahayag na mahilig
umikot sa iba’t ibang opisina. Mahilig sa orbit, wika nga.
Xerox award. Paumanhin din sa kumpanyang may katulad
na pangalan. Wala akong nais na bigyan ng masamang kahulugan
ang inyong pangalan, sa halip ay nais ko lamang bigyang pansin
ang mga mamamahayag na mahilig mangopya ng istorya ng
may istorya na nalathala na.
Napocor awards. Paumanhin din sa kumpanyang may
katulad na pangalan. Wala akong nais na bigyan ng masamang
kahulugan ang inyong pangalan, sa halip ay nais ko lamang
bigyang pansin ang mga mamamahayag na nangongopya ng
istorya at hindi bineberipika ang detalye, kaya ayun, sabit ang
istorya. Kuryente ang labas.
SSS award. Paumanhin din sa kumpanyang may katulad na
pangalan. Wala akong nais na bigyan ng masama kahulugan
ang inyong pangalan. Ito naman ay para sa mga mamamahayag
na mahilig kumopya ng mga praise release.
Perya award. Para naman ito sa mga mamamahayag na
mahilig kumulekta ng ‘tong’ sa mga perya na may mga sugal
na beto-beto at pula-puti.
Painter of the year award. Para naman ito sa mga
photographer na ang mga larawang kinukuha ay
karaniwang “drawing” o yung binibigyan muna ng
direksyon kung ano ang hahawakan o kaya’y kung saan
titingin ang taong kinukunan ng litrato. Kasama na
rin dito ang mga larawang firing squad o nakahilera
ang mga taong kinunan.
L a u n d r y l i s t awa r d . Pa r a n a m a n i t o s a m g a
pahayagang pinakamaraming “praise release” na
inilathala sa buong taon. Puro praise release and
inilalabas dahil hindi nagkokober ang reporter nila.
Invisible award. Ito ay nararapat na pagkilala sa
mga lokal na pahayagang hindi nakikita ang kopya
dahil iilan lamang ang kopyang nag-si-circulate.
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 3
their hold on power. There are no checks and balances,
despite what the Constitution says ...
“Alas, the children see and breathe the examples of
corruption, a cycle being perpetuated. It is a way of life.
Elections come and go. But the rich remain entrenched
well above the masses of poverty.
“We cannot even quote our own politicians to end this
nightmare. The only one I can think of is Lee Kwan Yu
who said: ‘ Line them up against the wall.’.”
If there’s any place where perversion of local officials
is most patent, as noted in “Piranha Feeding Frenzy”, it
is the President Gloria Macapgal Arroyo’s home prov-
ince of Pampanga, writes Eusebio Vasquez from St. Pe-
tersburg, Florida.
There, local trapos are ganging up on Governor “Among
Ed” Panlilio. They can not nail Panlilio for cupidity.
By raising province income dramatically, Panlilio, in fact,
underscored their corruption wihtout saying a single
word. So, they cite every gripe under the sun: from lack
of charisma to aloofness.
But no one is fooled. “The voice is that of Jacob but
hand is that of Esau.” It is the President who can not
stand an honest man, specially on her home turf. This is
all about 2010.
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Buntot Page  2
sa Barci International Hotel sa Malolos.
Sa Environment Category, ang nagwagi ay si Pete
Buluran ng DZRH para sa radyo at sa print ay si Gino C.
Arellano ng pahayagang Punla ang nanalo.
Narito ang iba pang nagsipanalo: Inspirational Cat-
egory, Efren Alcantara ng DZXL para sa radyo at si Nene
Bundok Ocampo ng Punla para sa print.
Sa Culture Category, nagwagi si Theofel Santos na
walang kalaban para sa radyo at sa si Jose M. Garci ng
Punla sa print.
Si Boy Cruz ang nanalo para sa Photo of the Year,
samantalang iginawad ang isang Posthumous Award para
sa namayapang si Pareng Pete Gosuico na tinanggap ng
kanyang anak.
Bago matapos ang parangal ay ipinag-bigay alam sa
mga dumalo na magiging Gawad Gat Marcelo H. Del Pilar
ang Gawad Plaridel sa susunod na taon.

27, 2008
.
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: 29, 5 & 12, 2008

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Gawad Ramon Magsaysay 2008

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