Subject:   Pnoy; A ray of hope
Name:   Tomas Marcial, Jr.
Email:   tmarcial@comcast.net
Date:   08-11-10

This is the first time that long written report by Chito Dela Torre of Samarnews; that I enjoyed reading and finished it to the end. I believe in what he said. I hope that changes will not only in words in our government but in real life. We must stand for an honest government and an honest society. It may not be perfect, but we have hope to have a better place to live in. And it is up to us, and it is up to us to build that society. Now we have hope let us take this opportunity to do it. We need the guidance from the church and the strenth and protection from our laws that are enforce by the government to protect us and not to compete with us. In our business and daily life. Magbago na po kayo kasi if not kami ang magpapabago sainyo, ang taong bayang nagmamahal sa ating bansa at familya. Para sa diyos, bayan at sa ating familya.

Bayan ko gising na, ito na ang simula, ang simula ay ikaw, sa pagbabago ng iyong kapaligiran, kagandahan ng kalikasan, kasagaan ng sakahan, kasiglahan ng pangingisda, at katahimikan ng sangbayan ito ay sigla tungo sa kaunlaran.

Subject:   Para han mga Empleyado - "Kalipayan o Kabidoan"
Name:   Orkeys l
Email:
Date:   08-10-10

Para hadton mga nadadabihan,

Daku unta an akon pagpasalamat han ginpapabati han SP han Samar parti han pag-ugop ha mga empleyado han probinsya pinaagi han ira pagpasa han ordinansa paghatag han 25% salary increase ug iba pa nga mga benepisyo nga dire na huhulaton an pag aprobar han annual budget 2010. Sugad man nagpapasalamat unta liwat ako han aton Gobernadora han iya pamulong nga desidido liwat hiya maghatag para hini nga kalun-ganayan para han mga empleyado. Maupay kunta pamation pero makuri pagdumdumon.

Kun baga ha direksyon han pagnabigar oosa la an distinasyon pero magkaiba an direksyon an osa nagpawala an osa naman nagpatoo kakuri pagdumdumon kun paano hira magtatapo. An SP karuyag maghatag ha mga empleyado pero pinaagi han paghimo han ordinansa para han 25% increase nga imposible aprobaran han Gobernador kay pulong niya osa na liwat nga illegal ngan panguwat ug baluktot nga pamaagi han SP. An Gobernadora naman karuyag maghatag ha mga empleyado basta pag aprubaran la an Annual Budget han 2010 nga gin ririg-onan liwat han Magnificent 7 ha SP nga dire nira aayunan tungod kay osa liwat nga anomalous nga budget ngan daku an depekto ug osa liwat nga panguwat han mga samarnon labis na an mga empleyado. Kun pagbabanabanaon ini nga duha waray mapaperde kay puros hira ngririg-on han ira panindugan.

Ano an dadangatan hini? komo osa nga empleyado tuguti la ako pag ankla han an akon opinion dida han kahimtang han mga empleyado han Samar apesar nga natuod ako nga labaw han ngatanan an kabug-usan han probinsya an angay tagan gud hin duon para han kaupayan han mga Samareño labi na gud hadton mga kablas.

Kun aton kikitaon, kadak-an han mga empleyado bisan kun may sweldo mga kablas gihapon kay siring pa han iba maupay pa an parag traysikol, parupangisda kay dire nakakautang hin daku kontra han mga empleyado nga dire ngani makapangutang han five six dire magpapakapangaon an bug-os nga pamilya labi na gud nga an iba despatsado na an sweldo osa ngada duha o tulo ka bulan, tungod han kaguti han sweldo nga ginkakarawat ha gobyerno.

Ini nga mga salary increase ug binipisyo amo la an ginlalauman han mga kablas nga mga empleyado pero ano an nahihinabo imbes nga ihatag hin ungod amo lugod an ginhihimo nga darat-alan han ira pamulitika nga mga panuyuanan. Nahadlok nga makakawat an kawarta han probinsya hini nga mga opisyales pero an kamatu-oran an mga empleyado an maiha na nga gin kikinawatan han naglabay pa nga mga tuig, kinakawat an katungod nga makatagamtam hin kalipayan dara han mga benepesyo, nakakawatan mismo hin kwarta kay imbes dire na kunta makakapangutang hin daku nga porsyento han pagbayad napipiritan na la hin pagbaligya hit iya sweldo ug nag aantos hin daku nga porsyento hin maiha nga panahon.

Ini nga salary increase dire ini pareho hin bonus nga ikakaosa o ikakaduha la ihahatag ha empleyado ha osa ka tuig pero ini nga increase han sweldo kanan bug-os na ini nga kinabuhi matatagamtaman han osa nga empleyado ngada hit iya kamatay. Sanglit kun ini nga increase dire maihatag dara la han problema han budget nga dire gin kakaansyahan dara han pamulitika, bisan kun may ada daku nga salapi an probinsya, osa ini nga daku nga pagtiyupi, pagpa-ol-ol ug sugad man pagpatay hin hinay hinay han mga gudti/kablas nga mga empleyado kay kun pagkwekwentahon an mawawara nga kantidad para han mga benepesyo ug sweldo amo an bastante na para mapakaon an pamilya ngan makapaeskwela hin tuhay hit iya mga anak.

Babasolon ba an mga empleyado han probinsya kun maghimo hin pitad kontra hini nga mga waray kasingkasing nga mga opisyales han probinsya? Hadto nga panahon nauulang la an pag implementar han salary increase kun waray supisyente nga pondo an probinsya kay pirmi man "Subject to the availability of Fund" yana iba na kay "Subject to the Conscience of Government Officials" na la an pag implementar hini tungod kay may ada man daku nga pondo an aton probinsya. "Kalipayan ba o Kabidoan" an hihingadtoan hini.

Hon. Gov. Share-ann Tan and Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan pag orosa na gad la kamo para han kaupayan han nga tanan kun ano an problema tratara gad niyo hin maupay, pangalingkud kamo hin tuhay ngan pag-sarabot igawas na an pamulitika ngan kaupayan han probinsya an iyo unaha ayaw an pangkalugaringon nga panuyuanan an iyo pag-uroga. Nanginginyupo kami nga mga empleyado han probinsya han Samar.

Damo nga Salamat!

Subject:   Igkasi ko mga Waray and Doms Gabrito
Name:   Virgie
Email:   vjg_1981sc@yahoo.com
Date:  27 May 2010

I'm impressed with your poetry and lyrics...I wish you could help me research find materials re native, original "waray" epic, or set of songs and poetry…works of our elders which depict history, culture, values...I've been thinking that we have a rich archive of those which need to be revived and studied, so that our generation will find our own race, something that we can be proud of...If not, you can help produce one...Congratulations and God Bless!

Subject:   Bishop Medroso's 2008 Easter Message
Name:   Rufino Ty
Address:   Ontario, Canada
Email:  findelty@rogers.com
Date:   04-28-10

Your Excellency,

I was intrigue by the 2008 Easter exhortation on our Christian involvement [see article], as witnesses of Christ in the world is indeed edifying. I wanted to make this comment on your blog but I could not. I tried emailing Chito de la Torre but I never knew if it got to him.

There are some things that bothered me though. I hope I do not sound critical or judgemental. I only mean to let you know how it affected me. Some phrases disturbed me, not because of the message itself but what it implies to you as a person of faith. Please bear with me if the writing style does not suite to your eyes and ears.

1st: the impression these words quoted below make: “But back to reality. Is it really possible to celebrate a happy Easter in the midst of all these social turmoil and political mess?”

To me these “but back to reality” after the jubilant proclamation the resurrection of Jesus Christ, makes it sound as though all of that was not true or real, to use your word.

2nd: In the question and answer below

“Can the citizens of a morally shaken country such as ours capable of genuinely greeting each other with greetings of “Alleluias” and “Rejoice, for Christ is risen”?”

“The answer is why not? After all the Church sincerely believes that the answer to our sad plight goes beyond socio-economic analysis and political maneuverings.”

“For the start our Church believes that this deep Easter experience of the risen Christ would give us the stubborn hope that blossoms best in moments of darkness and ambiguity;”

Your answer starts with the Church sincerely believes or our Church believes. There is no doubt about what the church believes, our communal faith but faith to be real and meaningful must be personal. It must be first experienced individually. Why is the perceived hesitation to express your personal faith, your Excellency?

3rd: Four times the word on Easter Experience appeared. Why is it that the Easter Experience “give us the stubborn hope”,”could give us the hope to extricate ourselves”,” whose spirit is soaked with the Easter experience, plunges himself into action”, is given more prominence or importance than the source, reason or the cause of hope of the Christian Life? Did not Christ categorically stated that he is the Resurrection? This becomes the case of the tail wagging the dog.

4th: The quotes from the Pope speaks consistently in the first person plural and uses pronoun We, Our, Ourselves and Us, which implies sincerity and faith and solidarity with the People of God.

“We can open ourselves and the world and allow God to enter: we can open ourselves to truth, to love, to what is good” (Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi, 35).

“Even when we are fully aware that Heaven far exceeds what we can merit”, the Pope says, “it will always be true that our behavior is not indifferent before God and therefore is not indifferent for the unfolding of history” (35). Even when we seem powerless before the enemy, “our actions engender hope for us and for others…” (35).

“It is not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it, maturing through it and finding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love” (37).

Your words were written, moving back and forth from the third person singular (It, this, the Church sincerely believes or our Church believes, Easter experience, experience of Easter, Easter experience, Easter has taught him, A Filipino Christian) to first person plural (our, us, we) which gives an impression of incomplete confidence (faith) in what you are saying or you are speaking from you head only than from your heart.

It is not my wish to offend you but only to let you know how readers like me are impacted by your message.

Subject:   Poor concept of Samar province
Name:  Carlo LIm
Address:
Email:   clgrp@yahoo.com
Date:   04-27-10

I am not faulting the individual Samarnon but the politically empowered politicians of Samar. It is not surprising why they don't fulfill their mandate. That is why I encourage our electorate to to make a better choice w/ the upcoming election.

It is important to awaken the potential intellectual growth of our youth in Samar. These are the majority who can't afford higher education but are bright & deserving to earn a college degree. Better educated citizens make better/best candidates.

There are several enlightened professional & business people who had done their part by putting bright young minds through high school & college. I admire the ZUCIR foundation of Zumarraga for exactly what they are doing. This is a good template for other communities to follow.

Name:   Chito Dela Torre
Address:   Pio K. Tabunda, Basey, Samar
Email:   delatorrechito@yahoo.com
Date:   April 17, 2010

Welcome back, Ricky!

It’s inspiring that Ricky Jumagdao Bautista is once again editor-in-chief of Samar Weekly Express. I learned from the publisher’s office that prints the Leyte Samar Daily Express and the Samar Weekly Express that Rommel Lopez Rutor, who was editing the paper since early in 2006, left the local paper for the second time – the first time was when he went on leave because of threats from a lady politician’s camp, and the second, only lately, when he found his hands really full. Ricky is the returning editor. He was chief of the local tabloid for many months before Rommel took the responsibility of editing. Ricky left the Samar Weekly Express (SWE, for short) because of mounting calls for his service that necessitated his absence from the newspaper for an indefinite period of time.

Ricky, the Star Report of Region VIII, has been awefully busy. Besides his personal advocacies which kept winning the trust and confidence of advocacy groups, especially in the contexts of human rights and human trafficking, he is an avid trailblazer in tourism promotion particularly contributing to the social marketing of hitherto unpublished and unknown tourism potential areas. Then, when he married a lass in Basey, Samar, he put up his own tourism-oriented in his lady’s town. After the last barangay elections, he was appointed barangay treasurer of Canmanila, and shortly after that he worked for the formation of the association of barangay treasurers in Basey. He has not, however, left his news and feature writing career. In fact, last year, he was chosen as the Eastern Visayas’ best feature writer.

When Ricky asked me to continue contributing a column to this tabloid – it was just last April 16 evening, I congratulated him for reassuming the editorship. I thought for myself, at last, this brilliant guy has enough time for the SWE, the paper that once spoke his mind.

In response, I had wondered what to write. My mind was preoccupied with preparations for the April 24, 2010 first general assembly and induction of officers and members of the newly organized (just last April 4, an Easter Sunday, in Roxas, Basey) Gugma han Deloria Association (acronym DELORIA). That preoccupation prompted me to think of inviting Ricky as one of the speaking guests of our April 24 affair. Our president, Juan “Jun” Distrajo Jr., and vice-president, Praxidio Duran, had brainstormed the night before on whom to invite as guests – among those considered were mayor Didi Estorninos and the newest face in local politics, Raul Sendic Bajas, who is the son of a very helpful Basaynon couple.

They also thought of inviting someone from the Akong Ako Kasosyo party-list because they want to have an immediate access to its registered programs, but they don’t know how to start connecting with the AA Kasosyo, and so they requested me to help find a contact.

Well, I went to the internet cafe and found just last Saturday morning a short detail. It said that the Akong-Ako Kasosyo is only the acronym of the Comelec-registered party-list known as KASOSYO PRODUCER-CONSUMER EXCHANGE ASSOCIATION, INC., with address at 171 Scout Deguia,11th Jamboree st., Sacred Heart, Quezon City, and with email addresses given as follows: info@aakasosyo.com | info@aakasosyopartylist.com | aakasosyo@yahoo.com. It was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 18, 2006 under registration certificate number CN200613016. Listed as number 17 in the ballot among the party-lists to be voted on, this non-stock corporation’s industry classification is as a farmers and agro-forestry workers association and was accredited, “approved”, by the Commission on Election in its Resolution No. 8744 dated January 15, 2010. Adopting the “Kasosyo” concept, it is pursuing the Kasosyo Project in which “Filipinos will help each other as when consumers patronize the products of local producers and local producers provide low-cost quality products that increase the buying power of consumers”. There are a few more discussions, but I got the info that I wanted and so I shared it with Jun and Praxid

Having done that, and darn sure of the completion of the April 24 activities, I have thought that I could now start working on this column, and even the things to write about in the next appearance of this column here in the SWE.

Again, may I say, congratulations, Ricky! Welcome back, Mr. Editor!

Subject:   If I were the President
Name:   Pedro C. Albea
Address:   307 One Burgundy Plaza, Unit 7-C, Katipunan Ave., QC 1108
Email:   PeteandCel@aol.com
Date:   03-30-10

If I were the President of the Philippines, this is how I will solve the current problems of our country:

• Peace and order. The Philippines has been troubled by secessionist movements, rebels, terrorists, and various forms of crimes for many decades. These undesirable elements have caused miseries to the majority of the population, undetermined loss of lives, properties, business opportunities, investments, etc., have eroded the economy, and stunt the progress of the Philippines.

Perhaps, the first step that the government should do is to boost the strength of the armed forces of the Philippines in order to make them adequately capable of maintaining peace and order on land, on sea, and in the air. After achieving this, the government should enact a law that would make mere possession, safekeeping, and ownership of a firearm(s), with the exception of members of the armed forces and national police, and persons who, after rigid investigation should be issued a court clearance could possess a firearm for personal protection, would be a crime punishable by 20 years imprisonment without parole. Then after said law is in place, a vigorous campaign against illegal firearms shall be launched jointly by the armed forces and the national police nationwide until there will be not a single loose firearm remaining in the hands of civilians. Without any loose firearm in the country, no heinous crime could be committed against the citizenry, and everyone can pursue their livelihood without fear and enjoy life any time of the day or night. Moreover, the peaceful atmosphere in the country will lure foreign investors and tourists to put up businesses that can provide jobs for our countrymen.

• Food sufficiency. Ever since I can remember, our country has been importing rice from the very countries we taught how to grow good varieties of rice. Our importation has consistently grown through the years as the population increases, and a large portion of the government resources is spent every year for the importation of rice, bloated by incidental kickbacks and commissions of people involved in this operation. In spite of these importations, the number of hungry Filipinos multiply every day because the cost of imported rice is no longer affordable to the poor.

Before anything else, we need to replace the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) with another law that would ensure the effective implementation of the reform. This new law will limit the ownership of arable lands to three hectares per family or association, and would ban the conversion of arable lands for industrial, residential, or recreational purposes such as housing subdivisions, golf courses, parks, etc. When this is done, the government will acquire all privately owned arable lands in excess of such limitation from their owners through expropriation by paying them the price prevailing at such locations. Then the government will distribute all the acquired lands, together with those arable lands currently owned by the government including public domains, to landless families throughout the country (including the families of criminals that have surrendered and have pledged allegiance to the government of the Philippines) at the rate of two hectares per family for free, on condition that the grantee shall cultivate such land in order to yield sufficient rice and vegetables. Failure of such grantee to produce sufficient yield without justifiable reason, as will be determined by the Department of Agriculture, will cause the government to recall the grant and award the land to another family who is willing and able to produce the yield desired.

Based on available data, the land area of the Philippines is 300,000 square kilometers and 70 percent of those lands are arable. It is also a known fact that current population of the Philippines is 90,000,000, more or less, and that the average members of a family is five persons. It is also known that a hectare planted with rice can yield 60 cavans of palay, and a milled cavan of palay will give 25 kilograms of rice. Based on these assumptions, it can be deduced that the total area of arable lands is 21,000,000 hectares, to be distributed among 10,500,000 families composed of 52,500,000 people or about 58 percent of the current population. Each harvest will yield l,260,000,000 sacks of palay equivalent to 31,500,000 metric tons of rice. In 2003, the annual consumption of rice in the Philippines was 9,105,000 metric tons. Assuming that the current consumption has doubled since that time, this would amount to 18,210,000 metric tons, therefore we can still have a surplus of 13,300,000 metric tons which we can export to other countries.

The whole impact of this proposal on the economy is that we can achieve self sufficiency in rice and vegetable so that we can maintain the price thereof within the reach of the poor, use the dollars normally intended for rice imports to payment of foreign debts, and provide livelihood (farming and husbandry) and eradicate the poverty of 58 percent of the population.

• Budget Deficit. Traditionally, the government’s budget is overshot annually because government expenditures are not properly regulated. Other causes may be attributed to corruption and the clamoring of influential officials of the government to increase their allocations for personal gains. A large chunk of the budget is wasted on corruption through the conspiracy between officials and suppliers resulting in bloated appropriations, inferior infrastructures, or unfinished projects.

To correct these prevalent irregularities concerning the budget, certain reforms need to be implemented.

First, we should overhaul the operating structure of the national government, from the Office of the President to the smallest bureau or unit, in order to minimize expenditures on personnel, supplies, utilities, communications, etc. and to improve the efficiency of the services to the people. This would entail the streamlining of functions and conversion of procedures into automated system.

Second, we should abolish the House of Representatives completely and do away with traditional huge budget for salaries, operating expenses, and pork barrels for that office. After all, we have already enough laws in the land and all we need to do to achieve fair justice for all Filipinos is to enforce those laws properly. Furthermore, the lower house is the seat of corruptions that drains the government’s resources to waste.

In its place, we shall increase the number of senators so that each province will be represented by at least one senator depending on it’s population. The senators, in addition to their primary duty of enacting, repealing, or amending laws, shall serve as liaison between the provincial and the national governments with respect to infrastructures and social services.

Third, we shall abolish the pork barrel of senators and, in its place, a commission made up of cabinet members as commissioners will meet at least twice a week to discuss and decide which of the infrastructures requested by the provincial government, with the concurrence of the senators representing such province, will be implemented and for how much. The commission will then forward the said approval, together with all supporting documents required by law, to the Budget Commission for allocation of funds.

Fourth, according to the SWS’s survey of business managers in 2009, corruption in the public sector is happening in the national level and progressively decreasing in severity at the provincial, city, and barangay levels. Sixty-one percent of business managers surveyed admitted that their companies were solicited by someone in the government for bribes.

Agencies graded “poor” by the managers are the Department of Budget and Management, Philippine National Police, Department of Agriculture, Department of Interior and Local Government, and the Presidential Commission on Good Government.

Agencies graded “bad” are the Department of Transportation and Communications, Presidential Anti-Graft Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Land Transportation Office, and the Office of the President.

Agencies graded “very bad or worst” are the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Bureau of Customs.

The President should appoint National Marshals from people with reputable competence and integrity who shall oversee these “worst” agencies and to report any anomaly directly to the President of the Philippines. The laws against bribery should be stiffened to include 20 year imprisonment without parole for both giver and recipient of bribes in whatever form.

• Allegiance. Filipinos are, by nature, beholden to the person who has done him something good or favor. For this reason, the recipient of such a favor believes that he/she has a bounden obligation to do something to benefit or please the giver in return. This is the root cause of all injustices and corruptions happening in all offices of the government.

To remove this bad tradition or practice in the governance of our political subdivisions, every position in the government that carries with it enough power to subvert the laws and moral values of people in government service shall not be appointed by any higher official or office, but instead should be elected by the people during national elections. These positions shall, at a minimum, include all commissioners, directors, heads of government corporations, justices of the supreme court, judges in all lower courts, prosecutors, fiscals, military leadership, national police leadership, etc. just like how it is done in the United States. If we have to elect a barangay kagawad, how much more should we need to elect a higher office than that?

• Supreme Court. We regard the Supreme Court as the last bastion of human rights and the ultimate interpreter of the laws in the event there is a controversy. As such, it should be composed only of people with highest integrity and competence. If that should be the case, why then that most of our current justices of the supreme court could not seem to uphold the Philippine Constitution which was written in simple English language? Instead, they have their own interpretations in order to please and support someone whom they felt beholden to. The constitution should be amended to provide a provision that whenever there is reasonable doubt in the integrity and competence of any justice of the supreme court, he or she should be impeached immediately and banned from any judicial employment.

• Moslem Separatists and New People’s Army. In order to induce them to come to the fold of the law so that they could be useful citizens and contribute to the progress of the country, the government should grant each of their families two hectares of arable land, for free, that they could cultivate and call their own. If this gracious offer in exchange for their allegiance to the Philippine constitution is still rejected by them, then there will be no other recourse left but to eradicate them with all the might and resolve of the Philippine government.

PEDRO C. ALBEA
PeteandCel@aol.com

Subject:   Hydroelectric Power
Name:   Mark Corleto N. Untalan, Jr.
Address:  MPI-MCM, National Road, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
Email:   markcorletountalan@yahoo.com
Telephone:  09189351162
Date:  Feb 26, 2010

While reading your article on rooftop hydroelectric power [read article] my nape turned numb! indeed! I AM NOT ALONE in this world. I am Mark Corleto Untalan, born in Catbalogan, Samar 1967 and due to family reasons transferred to Baguio City.

Recent events have made me day dream if we can somehow USE, not only hydroelectric power, but also wind turbines and solar panels in combination (depending of course on the season) to power homes across the country. If only we can somehow combine them with an automatic 'traffic' controller of sorts. It might be very expensive at the onset, but in the long run, it won't only save us money but our PLANET as well! so yes! bring on the hundreds of millions in GMA funds for this endeavor. Who knows, we might even get rid of them IPP's which charge exorbitantly, next only to Tokyo, Japan's electric bills.

Please let me know if we have the technology. Thank you and my best regards to you!

Subject:   Supreme Court's reversal of its own decision
Name:   Chito Dela Torre
Address:   Basey, Samar
Email:   delatorrechito@yahoo.com
Date:   24 Feb 2010

The fairness of the Supreme Court

The February 22, 2010 decision of the Supreme Court of the Philippines reversing its December 1, 2009 landmark decision, which allowed those holding appointive positions to be a candidate in partisan elections without resigning from their posts, appears to be plausible and popularly acceptable.

The reversal ruling simply means that incumbents of appointive positions no longer have any authority to stay any longer in office as they were deemed resigned upon the filing of their certificates of candidacy.

The Court thus the Court resolved to grant the “respondent’s and the intervenors’ Motions for Reconsideration; REVERSE and SET ASIDE this Court’s December 1, 2009 Decision; DISMISS the Petition; and ISSUE this Resolution declaring as not UNCONSTITUTIONAL (1) Section 4(a) of COMELEC Resolution No. 8678, (2) the second proviso in the third paragraph of Section 13 of Republic Act No. 9369, and (3) Section 66 of the Omnibus Election Code”.

Last Dec. 1, the Court voted 8-6 in favor of the decision penned by Associate Justice Antonio Eduardo B. Nachura. Justices Corona, Chico-Nazario, Velasco, Leonardo-De Castro, Brion, Bersamin, and Del Castillo concurred. Justices Peralta, Abad and Villarama joined the Dissenting Opinion of Chief Justice Puno, while Justices Carpio and Carpio Morales wrote separate Dissenting Opinions.

On the strength of that imprimatur, some Cabinet officials, without resigning from the positions to which they were appointed, joined the partisan political race. Even a sitting judge in Region VIII has also become a mayoral candidate in a city.

But thanks God, the Supreme Court has not allowed that for long. After 83 days, it changed that picture. Cabinet Secretaries are deemed resigned and are therefore no longer Cabinet Secretaries. Judges who filed their certificates of candidacy are no longer judges. That application of the ruling, I believe, will not anymore be reversed even on the basis of motions for reconsideration by any or all of those affected thereby.

The newest ruling of the highest judicial body in the Philippines was handed down in the case of petitioners Eleazar P. Quinto and Gerino A. Tolentino Jr. versus the Commission on Elections (G.R. No. 189698).

Said the Supreme Court in the first part of its resolution in G.R. No. 189698:

“Upon a careful review of the case at bar, this Court resolves to grant the respondent Commission on Elections’ (COMELEC) motion for reconsideration, and the movants-intervenors’ motions for reconsideration-in-intervention, of this Court’s December 1, 2009 Decision (Decision).

“The assailed Decision granted the Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition filed by Eleazar P. Quinto and Gerino A. Tolentino, Jr. and declared as unconstitutional the second proviso in the third paragraph of Section 13 of Republic Act No. 9369, Section 66 of the Omnibus Election Code and Section 4(a) of COMELEC Resolution No. 8678, mainly on the ground that they violate the equal protection clause of the Constitution and suffer from overbreadth. The assailed Decision thus paved the way for public appointive officials to continue discharging the powers, prerogatives and functions of their office notwithstanding their entry into the political arena.

“In support of their respective motions for reconsideration, respondent COMELEC and movants-intervenors submit the following arguments:

(1) The assailed Decision is contrary to, and/or violative of, the constitutional proscription against the participation of public appointive officials and members of the military in partisan political activity;

(2) The assailed provisions do not violate the equal protection clause when they accord differential treatment to elective and appointive officials, because such differential treatment rests on material and substantial distinctions and is germane to the purposes of the law;

(3) The assailed provisions do not suffer from the infirmity of overbreadth; and

(4) There is a compelling need to reverse the assailed Decision, as public safety and interest demand such reversal.

“We find the foregoing arguments meritorious.”

The Court ruled also in favor of movants-intervenors who it said “have each sufficiently established a substantial right or interest in the case”.

Thus:

“As a Senator of the Republic, Senator Manuel A. Roxas has a right to challenge the December 1, 2009 Decision, which nullifies a long established law; as a voter, he has a right to intervene in a matter that involves the electoral process; and as a public officer, he has a personal interest in maintaining the trust and confidence of the public in its system of government.

“On the other hand, former Senator Franklin M. Drilon and Tom V. Apacible are candidates in the May 2010 elections running against appointive officials who, in view of the December 1, 2009 Decision, have not yet resigned from their posts and are not likely to resign from their posts. They stand to be directly injured by the assailed Decision, unless it is reversed.

“Moreover, the rights or interests of said movants-intervenors cannot be adequately pursued and protected in another proceeding. Clearly, their rights will be foreclosed if this Court’s Decision attains finality and forms part of the laws of the land.

On the substantive issues, the Court ruled:

“The assailed Decision struck down Section 4(a) of Resolution 8678, the second proviso in the third paragraph of Section 13 of Republic Act (RA) 9369, and Section 66 of the Omnibus Election Code, on the following grounds:

(1) They violate the equal protection clause of the Constitution because of the differential treatment of persons holding appointive offices and those holding elective positions;

(2) They are overbroad insofar as they prohibit the candidacy of all civil servants holding appointive posts: (a) without distinction as to whether or not they occupy high/influential positions in the government, and (b) they limit these civil servants’ activity regardless of whether they be partisan or nonpartisan in character, or whether they be in the national, municipal or barangay level; and

(3) Congress has not shown a compelling state interest to restrict the fundamental right of these public appointive officials.

After resolving other issues involved in the case, the Court then said:

“We grant the motions for reconsideration. We now rule that Section 4(a) of Resolution 8678, Section 66 of the Omnibus Election Code, and the second proviso in the third paragraph of Section 13 of RA 9369 are not unconstitutional, and accordingly reverse our December 1, 2009 Decision.

“In the case at bar, the probable harm to society in permitting incumbent appointive officials to remain in office, even as they actively pursue elective posts, far outweighs the less likely evil of having arguably protected candidacies blocked by the possible inhibitory effect of a potentially overly broad statute.

“In this light, the conceivably impermissible applications of the challenged statutes – which are, at best, bold predictions – cannot justify invalidating these statutes in toto and prohibiting the State from enforcing them against conduct that is, and has for more than 100 years been, unquestionably within its power and interest to proscribe. Instead, the more prudent approach would be to deal with these conceivably impermissible applications through case-by-case adjudication rather than through a total invalidation of the statute itself.

“Indeed, the anomalies spawned by our assailed Decision have taken place. In his Motion for Reconsideration, intervenor Drilon stated that a number of high-ranking Cabinet members had already filed their Certificates of Candidacy without relinquishing their posts. Several COMELEC election officers had likewise filed their Certificates of Candidacy in their respective provinces. Even the Secretary of Justice had filed her certificate of substitution for representative of the first district of Quezon province last December 14, 2009 – even as her position as Justice Secretary includes supervision over the City and Provincial Prosecutors, who, in turn, act as Vice-Chairmen of the respective Boards of Canvassers. The Judiciary has not been spared, for a Regional Trial Court Judge in the South has thrown his hat into the political arena. We cannot allow the tilting of our electoral playing field in their favor.

“For the foregoing reasons, we now rule that Section 4(a) of Resolution 8678 and Section 13 of RA 9369, which merely reiterate Section 66 of the Omnibus Election Code, are not unconstitutionally overbroad.”

Subject:   Taboan coops tiklos
Name:   Ka Chito
Address:   Basey, Samar
Email:   delatorrechito@yahoo.com
Date:  16 Feb 2010

Para kan Pantaleon Natano Ayong,

Nadadani ak' hit im' plastada parte han pagbulig ha mga mag-uruma, ug han im siring nga "Taboan is for their product to be sold. Tilosuma is to build a cooperative working condition for their work on farming." Puede nim' ba ak' padad-an hin comprehensive details. Iyawat nala maka-angbit ak' hit mahihimo pinaagi hini nga hingangadtoan. Aadi an ak' email address: delatorrechito@yahoo.com Ayaw nala han ak' celfon number, kay masukot diri ak' hit nagamit, agsub la it' adto ha ak' bag ha balay ni misis.. Palihug tagi liwat ak' hit im' email ad. Madamo nga salamat.

Ka Chito

Subject:   Taboancoops/Tiklosuma
Name:   Pantaleon Natano Ayong
Email:
Date:   02-14-10

Please support our farmers the backbone of our nation. Kon maupay an ira kamutangan waray kita gutom sa Pilipinas. Taboan is for their product to be sold. Tilosuma is to build a cooperative working condition for their work on farming.

Subject:   Recognize these people?
Name:   Tomas Marcial
Address:
Email:
Date: 02-13-10

The Know It Alls- They're arrogant and usually have an opinion on every issue. When they are wrong they get defensive. The Passives- These people never offer ideas or let you know where they stand. The Dictators- They bully and intimidate. They're constantly demanding and brutally critical. The "Yes" People- They agree to any commitment, yet rarely deliver. You can't trust them to follow through. The "No" People- They are quick to point out why something won't work. What's worse, they're inflexible. The Gripers- Is anything ever right with them? They prefer complaining to finding solutions. Of course you recognize them. They're the people you work with, sell to, depend on, live with. Learn to deal with them quickly and confidently at Dealing with Difficult People. You might need to learn contact WWW.careertrack.com they will help you. Hope they will give me a percent on this maybe 10% LOL. I post this to see if we can learn who we really are. And correct ourselves to become a better person.

Subject:   Maupay nga pasko ug malipayon nga bag-o nga tuig
Name:   Humbug
Address:   Samar
Email:
Date:   12/25/09

Peace and goodwill towards Samar are my wishes this seasson. Let there be peace in Philippines and let it begin in Samar. Samar citizens need goodwill in times of low regards for life; even a mayor and a priest were lost to terror and unkind hearts. So peace on Samar and goodwill among men are the Christmas messages worth taking seriously by all even if the church fails to deliver the Christmas message of love and peace.

Run away ego, self-promotion, hatered, and contempt are the messages sent by people who write in samar.com. that are contrary to the messages of christmas. No love, no peace, no respect, and no goodwill perpetuate ugliness and decay and retard the human condition. a break from self-centered and ego-filled personas may bring peace.

Maupay nga pasko yana.

Subject:   Military
Name:   Zandra
Address:   Brgy. Buanavista-II, San Jorge, Samar
Email:   zandra_ramos@yahoo.com
Telephone:   09396504377
Date:  12-15-09

Hay naku!....there are some military who are using there position as a soldier or lets just say 'using there uniform'...para mang abuso diva?? and meron din namang military na mababait... dahil sa kalokohan ng ibang sundalong lokoloko, nadadamay ang mga kasamahan niling mababait at walang alam sa kalokohang ginagawa ng mga kapwa nilang sundalo...am i ryt??? tsek tsek tsek!!!!!!hehehe!! 8s the nature of some of them 'ika nga..so it up to you kong sino paniniwalaan nyo..anyway its your own choice..nagsasabi lang ako kong anu paniniwala ko...hmmmm...all i can say to all people of San Jorge, lets choose a good leader,ok! kong sino sa tingin nyo ang nararapat sa posisyong yan,yon ang piliin nyo..

Subject:   Bagsakan Center in San Jorge
Name:   Rudy
Address:   Abu Dhabi, UAE
Email:   rudy.doctor@fluor.com
Telephone:   97128831180
Date:  12-08-09

Magandang Araw diyan sa Bayan ng San Jorge lalo sa sa mga Town official na balak na naman tumakbo sa darating na Election.

Actually maganda ang ginawa ni Mayora na mayroon Bagsakan Center para sa mga magsasaka pero di nakita or nakita man pero walang paki alam kung ano talaga ang pinaka importante ngayon lalo na sa mga taong nakatira Mula Bry Quezon hangang Brgy Cantagik, San Jorge, Samar, napakahirap sa daanan. Kahit motorsiklo mahirapan pagpasok. P80.00 ang singil per sack ng palay for only 3 or 4 kilometers ang layo sa bagsakan, ang rason sa driver, napakahirap daw sa daanan.

Tiningnan na ito sa mga official, tapos medyo inayos ng kaunti, tapos picture taking lang at hanggang ngayon di na binalikan at lalo pang pumangit ngayon ang kalsada dahil na rin sa ulan.

Mahirap naman akong manawagan sa mga tao roon kay im sure d nila ito mabasa. Wala nga electricity karamihan sa bahay doon internet pa. Kaya sa mga taong naka basa nito, hope u could extend this message sa mga balak mag serbisyo sa mga tao doon this coming election, please help them.. Sa mga taga roon, pumili kayo sa mga kandidato na talagang tumulong sa inyo sa lahat na panahon, huwag na kayong magpabayad sa boto nyo dahil kayo rin ang kawawa...Sure ako mabasa ito ni Ex Mayor Greg na balak magpapili para Vice Governor, sana hindi naman kayo mag ayaw parang babaye ni Mayor Uy ng Calbayog. Merry Christmas to all...

Subject:   On Mr. Ballena's feedback
Name:   A. Morales
Address:   Catbalogan, Samar
Email:
Date:  11-18-2009

While the political posturing of Gov. Evardone is excellent, Mr. Ballena's comments are worth pondering. 200 youth environmental advocates only mean 200 more youth poll watchers in the upcoming 2010 elections. He did hit the nail on the head when he emphasized that all those theatrical show is merely cosmetic and facial scrubbing or shall we say media mileage.

True to form, Gov. Evardone is one master of media mileage having been a media practitioner himself. The better question is why only now when he could have championed the cause of the environment earlier on. It's just political timing folks.

And, a feedback on Bryan M. Azura. Mr. Azura, are you an independent media practitioner or merely a paid barker of the governor? Your article recently is simply laughable. How can you write an article through a third party's point of view when you are interviewing your own self? Come to think of it. Did you tape your own interview about your self? Please read that article because it simply is a clear violation of the rules of journalism. Here's one portion that I found to be only the lines of stand-up comedians: Bryan Azura writes "Boses Han Sinirangan anchor Bryan Azura himself found the experience amusing. “I never thought we will be making that feat,” he said. “We were worried we will miss another episode of the program because of the distance and the situation,” says Azura." Is Mr. Azura having multiple personalities in this instance?

Not even Larry King or Anderson Cooper or Bill O'Reilly can do what Mr. Azura can do: "Interviewing his own self." Call it independent media practice, I call it a media disaster in Eastern Samar.

Can Mr. Azura stand up and recognize himself?

Subject:   Gov. Evardone Appoints 200 Youth Ambassadors
Name:   Maximo Agda Ballena
Address:   Sabang, Borongan E. Samar
Email:   niknok_2003@yahoo.com
Telephone:   09323289436
Date :   November 11, 2009

I applaud the efforts of the Governor. Encouraging the students to participate on this task is such an admirable move and a sure manifestation of his honest and true devotion for the Environment of Eastern Samar. I wish I am convinced, with the words that I wrote but I AM NOT. Because even with the staged forum I am still awake with the real deal that is happening in Eastern Samar.

The first question, how did they came up with the participants? What was the process of selection? Two hundred participants cannot fully manifest the voice of Eastern Samar's youth population. Given that the forum was a successful one, is there any follow up move by the Governor to assure that these people that attended will practice what they have "learned"? Are you all just there to instruct and not make sure that the practices that you have discussed are indeed being done? How can the province be assured that what they spent in preparing and making the event successful was compensated with the "results" of it? It is fine to instruct but without seeing the outcome of the money and effort spent - everything then is considered as nothing.

The second question, is the Governor really concerned about the Environment? I don't have to site a litany of facts because every Samareños know that it is highly doubted. Again, the attempt of the Governor to advocate for the environment is very good! But then, how can a sensible man do this when we have places like Homonhon, Manikani, Salcedo, among others. They have one thing in common which is mining. If the Governor would say that he has no hand on this, then who? As the father of Province I think he would have an answer. As far as I can see, what is happening is we are listening to someone who teaches everyone to help Mother Nature but then on the other hand he allows/sits blind to what is happening. So where is the consistency of the advocacy?

The third question, Sentay Quitorio is part of the program? I was thinking that she might be one of those journalist that covers the event. But then, it is obvious that she is part it (being a facilitator). I grew up listening to her voice over the radio. I can still remember when she wrote a probe about the overpriced construction materials bought during the time Gov. Salazar. It was a brilliant and valiant move. That for me was journalism! But now, with her taking part of the this ridiculous stage play is something that bothers me. Now I am not wandering as to why Eastern Samar lost a voice. So, money and influence really knows how to shut the mouths of those people that once had the principle of "being someone for others".

Lastly, I want to thank the editor for being fair in delivering the news to the people (I really meant this one, with a puppy eye!). I have been reading the news that you have for weeks now and I am happy. Kudos to you all and Mr. BRYAN MONTES AZURA for living a life of a journalist.

Subject:   Guiuan Airport
Name:   Rey Sadongdong
Address:    Doha, Qatar
Email:    boga_rey@yahoo.com
Date:   11-04-09

It’s worth to know that Guiuan airport project is now working. Unta deri masayang an budget nga gin hatag han gobyerno para hini nga proyekto. Una nga malilipay kami nga mga OFW nga deretso na an biyahe.

Sana mabuksan na this year. Thanks

Subject:   IGKASI KO MGA WARAY
Name:   Doms Pagliawan
Address:   VIP Subd. Brgy. 87, San Jose, Tacloban City
Email:    domsatup@yahoo.com
Telephone:   0535206028

Hi, there!

Doms Pagliawan here. I'm just so thrilled to know that such a great website as this exists online. This could allow us all to get in touch with one another, to get to know wonderful people from our tribe.

It might interest you to know that I am one of the most productive contemporary writers of our Waray literature. Although I'm more at home writing in English, I see to it that my creative works are in Waray, our native tongue, as part of my commitment to at least document the usage of Waray in our time. That's if saving it is an impossibility.

So, I write short stories, poems, songs, and novels (in the making). As a recording artist, I have had four albums in all, one of which already exists in this website's music room. I'm more of a composer than a singer, though, as you may carefully observe.

Right now, I am working on another Waray album. Six of the targeted twelve songs have been written (with melody, of course). Let me share with you the lyrics of three songs there, if you don't mind.

KARANTA

Kapot han im gitara, sarihan ta pagkanta
ako an magtotono, dudunganan mo la
kon pananglit mawara ini nga akon boses
ada, sangkay, ikaw it masunod

Hala kapti an kopya upaya nga mabasa
dis-og kamo ha butnga pagpurundok kita
para diri magsarang ini nga aton boses
bug-os hiya nga hibabati-an

Refrain:
Pagkaranta kita, gamit inin gitara
pagli-aw libang samtang nagkaka-urusa
bisan pa lumuyaw ayaw hito kabaraka
kay an tingug may pagpalya
peru an kamagsarangkay
angay magpabilin
ha pagkaranta

Ayaw kam pag-inalang upaya la pagkanta
damu an namamati ha aton musika
abriha an im baba ginhawa hin hilawig
utok peru ayaw pag-ihaa

Kon diri memoryado kopya hala basaha
kay diri mauuwat iton mamarati
kon ha butnga hitabu kita tanan in mawara
padayon la ayaw pahalata

KAHOY

Dinhi hinin bulod
Ha puno hiton kahoy
Aton iginsa-ad
Magkikita pa kita

Refrain:
Kinahanglan nga kita magkabulag
Kapalaran waray sugot
Saad ha kada tagsa
Dinhi kita magkikita
An kahoy nga marampag
Hiya an aton testigo
Mga tu-ig nga malabay

Adlaw nga iginsa-ad
Asya na ini nga takna
Kahoy kakadtoon ko
Ngan didto maghuhulat

Kahoy waray naman
Diri na nahibibilngan
Bulod ngan mga bukid
Kalbo na naghaharawan

Ha akon panmiling
Bis bulod di makit-an
Bangin lumunod ini
Han higlarum nga baha

PAG-ABROAD

I
Kalipay han ira nanay kay ma-abroad na daw,
human igbaligya tuna ngan karabaw;
lima nga mga anak bilin ha balay,
nahulat han tatay tikang ha irignuman.

Paglagos hin bulan may padara naman
dolyar nga salapi para panpa-aram,
pagkaon, pambayad utang.

II
Peru an ira tatay kwarta kinakaptan,
huygo ngan irignom asay binantayan;
babaye ngan droga iya sinudlan,
gutom ngan sakit pamilya dinangatan.

Nahingadto naman an nanay ha prisohan,
abusado nga agaron iya ginpatay
hiya daw in pagbibitayon

III
Tanan nga panalingkamot ha iya pagsalbar,
waray nahimo, kaso nagpadayon;
umabot an adlaw umuli an nanay,
ginbabarabyawan sulod han lungon.

Ini an dinangatan hingyap nga pag-uswag
pamilya naruba, inup nagin ngarat
narugos nga mga kinabuhi

Subject:   Prayer for love and peace part II
Name:   Tomas Marcial
Email:
Date: 10-24-09

If Faith remembers my little advice to our people on June 2008. To be ready to the law of nature, the calamity that might happen AND TO THE GREED OF MAN, it happens. Whose fault? Not God, it is us, our negligence and stupidity.

Now is the time to visits the projects of the government. How they are built. Dapat tingnan at usisain ang bawat proyekto ng govierno. It is the God given right of the people to know what the government officials are doing. What plans and projects they have for the good of the people. Panahon na para makialam, manindigan, at sumbatan ang mga taong nagsasamantala sa govierno. At dapat transparent ang gastos sa bawat proyekto ng govierno. So the people will know, and that is your duty to the people which you are responsible to serve. TO OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, THE FILIPINO IS NOT ALONE, THE WORLD IS WATCHING US. OF OUR ACTIONS AND GOOD DEEDS. WE KNOW AND WE CAN SEE, WHO YOU ARE. MAYBE YOU THINK YOU CAN HIDE, NO YOU CAN'T, WE ARE WATCHING YOU.

"THERE ARE NO TYRANTS, WHERE THERE ARE NO SLAVES". JORIZ.

"ETERNAL VIGILANCE IS THE PRICE OF LIBERTY". LIVE FREE OR DIE. NH

Subject:   ERRATUM: Gibo to visit Balangiga
Name:   Balangigan-on
Address: Balangiga, Eastern Samar
Email:   balangiganon@yahoo.com
Date:  28 Sept 2009

I just want to comment and correct a line in the news about Sec. Gibo Teodoro visit in Balangiga it is not "Balangiga Lingganay Performing Group" that will perform/present but, "Alingawngaw Han Balangiga" compost of local Talent within Balangiga. Directed and Choreographed by Miss Cindy Campanero. Thanks

Subject:   Konting Kaalaman sa Sintomas ng "H1N1 Virus"
Name:   Omar Gabrito
Address:   Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Email:   ogabrito@yahoo.com
Telephone:   00966-501059126

Kaalaman sa Sintomas ng "H1N1 Virus"
Ni Omar Gabrito/Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Ang H1N1 virus o human swine flu ay isang tipo ng seasonal flu o panapanahong trangkaso at may dalang mga mikrobyo ng trangkaso mula sa mga ibon, baboy at tao.

Bukod sa trangkaso, ang mga sintomas ng taong may H1N1 flu ay sakit ng ulo, ubo, pananakit ng kalamnan, panghihina/pagkapagal, pagduduwal, pagsusuka, masakit na lalamunan, lagnat/panginginig at diarrhea.

Maaring kumalat ito mula sa isang tao at iba pa, sa pamamagitan ng hininga at pagbahing, kung saan ang mikrobyo ay naikakalat sa hangin na maaari namang malanghap ng ibang tao.

Maari ring lumapag ang mikrobyo sa mga counters, doorknob, kung saan madadampot ng kamay at maililipat naman sa iba.

Kung galing sa biyahe at nakakaramdam ng sintomas na hawig sa trangkaso, manatili sa bahay at sikaping umiwas sa ibang tao.

Kung kayo'y may sakit na kailangang gamutin, tawagan ang inyong doctor at sabihin din sa kaniya kung kayo'y bumiyahi bago nagkasakit. Palagiang maghugas ng kamay at/o gumamit ng alcohol hand sanitizer; takpan ang bibig at ilong kung uubo o babahing; kung walang tissue paper, bumahing o umubo sa manggas ng inyong damit o braso, huwag sa kamay at manatili sa bahay kung maysakit.

Subject:   Omar Garbito
Name:   Bubbles
Address:  Dallas, TX, USA
Email:
Date:   09-21-09

How sad naman ng "tula"mo. Totoo bang Hinahanap mo parin yang 'pag-ibig' mo. Nakaka touch naman, sana makatagpo ako ng katulad mo tapat ang pagmamahal, sana mahanap mo na sya. Taga Catbalogan Samar ka rin ba? If you are trully, willing to find her, best thing to do is pray and God will answer right away. Again I wish i found someone like you!

Subject:   To all Samarnon
Name:   Bubbles
Address:   Dallas, TX, USA
Email:
Date:   09-17-09

To All Samarnon we should read and bear it in our mind the message of Mgen. Tabaquero, it's really serious matter to protest against killing of our home town. Let us all wake-up, we want peace, and a New amendments in this town.

Why we can not solve the killing problem of our beloved town? Because some of us is afraid to oppose the enemy. Why we can not dispute? Because we don't want to listen. To all Samarnon not only the government's job to fight the violence, the killing. But we (ordinary people) can do something to stop this killing in our home town.

Let's we all involve or participate. People who support this NPA is also a killer, a demon, a terrorist. They don't have rights to killed people. So please to all samarnon, support Mgen. Tabaguero. Read his message with your heart. It might waking-up. I salute you Mgen. Tabaguero you are truelly great soldier. MAY THE ALMIGHTY GOD BLESSED AND GUIDE YOUR TROOPS TO FACE THE ENEMIES.

Subject:   Ako'y Malungkot Pa rin
Name:   Omar Gabrito
Address:   Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Email:   ogabrito@yahoo.com
Telephone:   0501059126
Date:   09-16-09

Ako’y Malungkot Pa Rin
Ni Omar E. Gabrito
Riyadh

Ako’y natutuwa at kumakabog ang dibdib
Dahil muling nababasa mga tulang nakakaakit:
Mga taludtod ay may linyang parang umaawit
Na nagdudulot ng kasiyahan sa buong daigdig!

Ito’y ipinagpapasalamat ko sa mga kababayan
Na siyang nagpadala sa Samar News na inaabangan
Kahit papaano , bawa’t OFW ay naliligayahan
Sa indayog ng salita na lubos na kinagigiliwan!

Dahil mga kababayang makata ako ay inaaliw
Sa pamamagitan ng salita’t taludtod na umaawit;
Kaligayahang dulot ay hindi ko lubos na malirip
At kahit na ‘di magaling ako’y napapatula rin!

Pero kung malungkot ang tulang aking ibabahagi
Huwang sana ninyong ikagalit at sa akin ay isisi
Kung bakit mga linya ay punong-puno ng pighati:
Buhay ko’y malungkot bagama’t walang sinisisi!

Napakalalayong lugar ang aking pinuntahan
Sa aking paghahanap sa kinaroroonan mo, hirang
Maraming hilahil at sama ng loob ang dinanas
Pero ang lahat ng mga ito ay aking kinalimutan!

Sa aking kapaguran ako’y matamang nakinig
Sa mga masasayang ibong sa sanga’y umaawit
Sa aking kalungkutan ako’y lubusang naaaliw
At panandaliang ikaw, giliw, ay nawala sa isip!

Sa masaya at matining nilang tinig ako’y nalibang
Masasayang sandali ay nanahan sa pagal na isipan
Upang pighati at hilahil ng buhay ay makalimutan
At sumaya ang pusong bugbog sa kasiphayuan!

Ako’y nagmahal sa isang dilag na walang kawangis
At ang maaaring pagkasiphayo ay hindi ko naisip
Buong puso at katauhan ibinuhos sa dilag na inibig
Pero sa hindi malamang dahilan siya ay umalis!

Mula noon buhay ko ay lubhang pumanglaw
‘Di naglaon sa lahat ng dako siya’y aking hinanap
Pero ako’y bigo dahil ‘di natagpuan si mahal
Hanggang igupo ako ng pagod at kalungkutan!

Sa lugar na pinagkilanlan namin ako’y bumalik
Baka sakaling muli siyang sasagi sa paningin.
Ako’y nagtatanong at bumubulong sa hangin
Na iparating ang pagmamahal ko sa aking giliw!

Wala akong inisip kung hindi ang nililiyag
Na sana ay ipaalam ang kaniyang kinaroroonan
Mahabang, mahabang panahon ang lumipas
Ako’y nagtiyaga at walang sawa sa paghihintay!

Pagtatangi ko sa kaniya ay walang sawang dinilig
Ng pag-asa na balang araw siya ay babalik
Nagpupunta ako sa dalampasigan kapag takipsilim
Pero ang nakikita ay mga uwak sa papawirin!

Subject:   Letter to the Editor
Name:   Kristina E Herrera
Address:   Catubig, Northern Samar
Email:
Date:   09-13-09

Dear Editor,

Magandang araw.

Noong linggo lamang ng pumutok ang balitang pinatay si Rev. Fr. Cecilio P. Lucero ang isa sa mga Pari dito sa Catubig, Northern Samar. Buong bayan nagluksa sa kanyang pagkatamay. Hinaing lamang ito bilang isang residente sa bayang ito, masakit para sa amin ang mawalan ng isang Ama sa bayang ito, marami na siyang naitulong sa amjng bayan. Siya ang Chairman of the Diocesan Committee on Human Rights at iginalang ng lahat.

Sa kanyang pagkamatay marami ang naghinagpis, isang malaking kawalan sa aming bayan si Rev. Fr. Cecilio P. Lucero. Maraming katanungan sa aming isip kung bakit pati pari ay kanilang pinapaslang, mga armadong kalalakihan, mga sumasalungat sa ating pamahalaan, na kung kanilang pagsusumahin isa lamang ang ating bayan at kailangan nating magkaisa. Sana naman maisip ng mga bandido o ng mga NPA na may Diyos tayo na siya lamang ang may karapatang kumitil sa ating buhay. Sana matakot rin sila sa Diyos, may kanya-kanya tayong paniniwala at sana igalang nila iyon, ang pumatay ng kapwa niya ay isang napakalaking kasalanan. Kung may ipinaglalaban sila hindi na nila dapat mangdamay pa ng mga inosenteng tao at isa pang Pari na ang tanging misyon ay ipamulat sa atin kung ano ang pakay ng Diyos para sa atin.

Ang tanging hangad lang naman namin ay ang magkaroon ng katahimikan sa aming bayan pati na rin sa buong bansa. Masarap maglakad na walang kinatatakutan, na hindi ka nababahala sa iyong kapaligiran. Ang pagkakaron ng tahimik na buhay ay siya naming tanging hangad.

Maraming salamat at mabuhay ang iyong pahayagan.

Gumagalang,

Gng. Kristina E Herrera
Catubig, Northern Samar

Subject:   Capital Letters, maaring galit o Sumisigaw
Name:   Omar Gabrito
Address:   Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Email:   ogabrito@yahoo.com
Telephone:  0501059126

Capital Letters, maaring Galit o Sumisigaw
Ni Omar Gabrito/Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Maghapon sa trabaho at pag uwi ng bahay ay walang sawang binabalik-balikan ang laptop para bulatlatin ang mga emails na dumarating. Libangan nga naman ng mga Pinoy na tunay at hindi nakakasawang tuklasin ang mga nakatagong kaalaman sa internet. Isang halimbawa dito ay email. Paano bang gamitin ito? Batid ng marami na ang pagpapadala ng email ay may mga "etiquette rules" ayon sa katayuan ng tao o dili kaya trabaho. Ang email ay gaya ng postcard at iba kung ihahambing natin sa ordinaryong sulat.

Ang email ay makikita na may pangalan kung saan nanggaling o patungo, may cc, subject, attach at bcc. Ang mga ito ay may kanya-kanyang kaparaanan kung paano gamitin. Kadalasan ay ginagamit ang Cc para sa gustong padalhan maliban sa To: (addressee). Ito ay makikita ng pinadalhan ang mga tao na naka Cc ganoon din siya. Maliban lang kung gagamitin ang Bcc, na ito ay makikita lamang ang pinanggalingan at hindi ang mga pinadalhan. Hindi gaya ng Cc.

Ang pagpapadala ng email ay kailangan maiksi o concise ang message para may ganang basahin ang email. O sa English ay "be concise and to the point". Mahirap magbasa ng email kung mahaba lalo na kung sa screen. Karamihan na kapag mahaba ang sulat ay agad na tinitingnan lamang ang subject at sabay delete. Yong iba naman ay sadyang kinukopya lamang ang mga sites o links at saka i pi-paste at bahala na ang pinadalhan magbukas kung intiresado sa topic. 'Wag kalimutan mag lagay ng space sa pagitan ng paragraph.

Mainam na iwasan gumamit ng capital letters sa email text lalo na kung kayo ay secretary sa isang kumpaniya. Ito ay may ibang kahulugan na maaring galit o sumisigaw.

Kadalasan ay gamit ang kumpaniya sa pagtanggap at hatid ng kanilang mga email, ma personal o business. Dito ay ingat sa pagpapadala ng email baka ang mga files na naipadala ay may virus na pati sistema ng computer ay tuluyang bumagsak at kayo pa ang pagmulan ng sisi. Ang mga kumpaniya ay gumagamit ng "disclaimers" sa mga internal o kaya external emails, kung saan ligtas o umiiwas sa mga liability.

Dapat iwasan na huwag i-copy paste o kaya attach ang mga bagay na walang permission sa nagpadala. Ito ay maari kayong malagay sa alanganin na maaring infringing on copyright laws.

Ayusin ang mga tuldok, comma, at grammar bago ipadala ang email para hindi ibalik at makapagbitiw ng mga maaanghang na salita ang nakatanggap. Iwasan mag sulat ng mga confidential o personal na bagay, ito ay maaring ipasa sa ibang tao na walang nakakaalam at gawing ibidensya laban sa nagpadala.

Kung ang email ay para lamang sa isang particular na tao ito ay hindi maaring ipasa kahit kanino na walang pahintulot sa may ari. Magka ganoon man kung ito ay ipapasa sa iba ay malinaw na hindi na ito saklaw ng sender bagkos may pananagutan ang pangalawang nagpadala o nagpasa at siya ay nagkasala ng sinasabing secrecy of communication law.

Ang sulat, na kapag binuksan ng ibang tao maliban sa addressee ay may pananagutan ang nagbukas. Walang disiplina ang tao kung kaniyang gagawin ito. Dito ma sulat o bagahe ay kailangan na magkaroon tayo ng konting disiplina sa pagbubukas. Huwag buksan ang sulat, bagahi, package kung hindi nakapangalan sa inyo. Maliban kung walang pangalan o kaya mapanganib ang loob.

Kapag ibinalik ang email ay maaring ayaw o dili kaya busy ang pinadalhan. Maaring walang gana o sabihin na maghintay lamang at sa susunod kana.

Maari din mag attach ng file o kaya picture sa email pero kailangan na ito ay naka address lamang sa tao na padadalhan at huwag ipadala sa mga address na hindi kakilala. Ito ay maaring ika-surprisa ng ibang tao lalo na kung hindi sila ka anu-anong tao.

Iwasan gumamit ng send to all o dili kaya copy paste sa mga address. Kung ayaw ninyong makita ang mga email address ng ibang tao ay gawin ang bcc. Gawing paisa-isa ang paglagay ng mga padadalhang tao. Kung hindi kailangan ay huwag padalhan. Lagi i-review ang mga naka-add doon sa address list kung sino-sino sila at kung hindi kakilala ay burahin agad.

Huwag gamitin ang email sa pag-tukoy ng mga confidential na informasyon. Gaya ng personal na buhay ng mag-asawa at mga sinsitibong bagay. Mas maganda kung gagamit ng mga mahahalagang topic na may idudulot sa mga Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Huwag gamitin ang mga email address ng tao kung walang pahintulot sa nagmamay-ari. Kung gusto ninyo sila i-add sa listahan ng inyong mga kaibigan ay huwag mag lagay ng pangalang nakakasakit. Halimba: Mrchong@yahoo.com at pinalitan ng Darna. Mas kaaya-aya kung pangalan din ang ilalagay.

Kung ayaw ninyong tumanggap ng mga unknown emails ay madali lamang ang sulosyon diyan. May option sa bandang itaas at pwede ninyo silang i-block.

Maaring kunin ng ibang tao o grupo ang mga email address at ilagay sa kanilang group list at sabihin na marami silang members. Pero iyan ay walang asal na mali ang kanilang ginagawa. Walang malay ang ibang tao na bakit nakakatanggap ng mga emails na hindi naman sila nagpa member sa ganoong grupo. Iyon pala ay kinapi paste na ang kanilang address doon sa kanilang group list. At kung gusto ninyo mag reply o post ay doon lamang sa kanilang iisang address dahil kayo ay naka Bcc nang pinadalhan.

Subject:   Rude intellects
Name:   Padre
Address:  Darahuway
Email:
Date:   Sept 10, 2009

Dinhe ta hibabaruan, nga damo gud kaupay an mga baltok nga mga igkasi ta waraynon. Mapa langyaw o ha yubar, purbida...di na gadman intawon mga utok bulinaw.

Unta, an mga kabaltok ipahimutang o gamiton ha kaupayan. An mga pulong unta himu-on nga aksyon. Waray man hinanabo kon puro la putak. Karag la iton mga kabaltok kon ngada pagkalalagas niyo amo la kamo hito pirmi.

Imbes nga magpinaki-unot ngan manlabay hin mga pulong nga diri angay pamati-on, mag baro-balyo na daw la kamo hin ideya kon papaanhon makakabulig ha iyo mga kablas nga kabugtuan dinhe sa Samar.

Alayon pagkaluhod...

Subject:    Pananaw sa Pagkamatay ni Father Cecilio Lucero
Name:   Omar Gabrito
Address:   Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Email:   ogabrito@yahoo.com
Telephone:   0501059126

Magandang Ugnayan ng mga Taga Samar
Ni Omar Gabrito/Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
ogabrto@yahoo.com

Ang tao ay binigyan ng Diyos ng pag-iisip o kaalaman, lakas, at pagsupil sa sarili (self control) sa mga bagay-bagay na dapat lutasin para makamit ang kaligayahan sa buhay. Ang mga aspetong ito ay dapat pairalin ng tao nang sa ganoon ay hindi mapahamak sa mga problemang dumarating. Ang mga pagsubok sa buhay, pamilya, kababayan, at bansa ay malulutas kung ang mga ito ay makikita sa isang tao.

Ang mga suliranin sa buhay, mga pagkukulang ng tao sa gustong matulungan ay maituturing sila na mga kababayan, kapatid at kaibigan. Kaibigan na may halong pag-alinlangan sa katotohanan na nakalukop sa mundo ng pagkukunwari para magkasundo sa isa’t isa. Ang pag harap sa katotohanan ay mananaig sa sarili na ito ay kanyang paninindigan kahit saan man makarating, sapagkat ayon sa kasabihan ang katotohanan ay siyang tulay upang ang bawat isa ay magkasundo.

Ang magandang ugnayan ng tao ay nagbubunga ng magandang kinabukasan sa ating sarili, pamilya, at sa susyodad. Ito ang nagbibigay ng lakas ng pagkakaisa na magtulungan sa mga problemang ikinahaharap ng sinomang tao. Lalo pa’t kung magkalayo ang bawat isa, na ito ay maiisip-isip kung bakit tayo'y nagkaganito. Minsan tulala ang mister o kapatid sa sobrang pag-aalala sa kanyang pamilya at ganoon din ang mga anak na hindi mapalagay sa kanilang ina na napalayo sa kanila. Walang ganang kumain, hindi makatulog at wala sa sarili. Kung iyong tatanungin ay sasabihin sayo na wala lang pare kaya ko ito. Pero sa saloobin ay may hinanakit na hindi mailabas. Kaya kung minsan ay tolero habang kinakausap.

May mga taong gumaganti sa problema, nakikipagpatayan at nakikipaghamonan. Ngunit ito ay walang mangyayari kung papairalin natin ang ating sarili sa hindi pagkakaunawan. Mahirap man tanggapin sa sarili na tayo ay nagkulang pero nariyan parin ang sinasabing bonding of good relationship. Sabi nga ng iba ay sa hirap at ginhawa tayo ay magsasama, sa madilim at sa maliwanag tayo ay magkakaisa.

Ang mga problema ay malulutas sa magandang kaparaanan at pagkamahinahon, sa pamilyang magulo ay may pagkakasundo sa lamig ng ulo tayo’y magkakaisa. Ganyan ang turing sa ‘di pagkakaunawan sa problemang umukit na hindi inaahasan.

Ang paghingi ng payo sa mga kaibigan ay nararapat lamang na tanggapin na ito’y susuklian din ng kaliwanagan sa problemang idinadaing. Hindi natin pinagkakaila sa Dios na tayo ay tao lamang, na minsan ay nagkulang din sa ating mga responsabilad sa asawa’t mga anak, mga biyanan at kamag-anak, mga kabitbahay at sa sosyodad. Ngunit ang pagpapakita ng kagandahang lood sa bawat isa ay hindi nawawala. Nariyan parin ang magandang ugnayan na hindi makakalimutan.

Ang magandang pagtitinginan sa bawat isa ay mamamayagpag at ipagmamalaki sa anong bagay na ikabubuti ng simbahan, paaralan, lipunan, leader ng mga organisasyon, pamilya, maliit man o malaking problema ay tiyak na malulutas at magkakasundo.

Ang relasyon - halimbawa ng mga pari, guro, magulang at anak ay dapat na ito’y pangalagaan, sa katuwiran, at pagtitinginan. Kapag ‘di napagbigyan ang anak ay maaring ikasama, na ito ay maaring maglayas at malolong sa masamang bagay. Ngunit dito’y malalaman ng mga magulang na dapat timbangin ang kanilang sarili na sila ay nagkulang sa kanilang unang responsabilidad. Alalahanin natin na tayo ay may reponsabilidad sa kanila sa ano mang mangyari sa anak ay pananagutan parin ng magulang. Kaya malaki rin ang tatanawin dito na magpakumbaba ang magulang sa anak, na hanggang sa humantong sa pagkakaigihan ng bawat isa.

Mapalayo man ang anak, magulang hinahanap hanap. Ang anak gaya nito, ay hindi ipinagkakaila na sa oras ng kanyang kagipitan ay hahanapin parin sa tuwina ang kanyang mga magulang at kapatid ganoon din ang kanyang magulang na puno ng pag-aalala sa anak.

Ang isang mag-aaral halimbawa ay minsan hindi naipapaabot ng diretsahan sa kanyang guro ang kanyang problema, na ito ay nalalaman ng kanyang magulang. Dito ay makikita na ang magulang ay gumagawa ng paraan upang kausapan ang guro tungkol sa problema ng kanyang anak, at sa ka na lang makikita na ang anak ay nagkulang sa guro. Sa Pilipinas, halimbawa- may sinasabing guro na mabagsik daw kaya ito ay nilalayuan ng mga mag-aaral. May mga guro naman na maka tao ang dating sa mga mag-aaral. Pero kung ikukumpara ang kanilang responsabilidad ay iisa lamang. Ang gurong mabagsig sa paaralan ay mapapansin natin na konti lamang ang kumukuha ng subject na kanyang hinahawakan. Dito mapapansin ng Dean na may problema ang guro kaya naman kung minsan ay nagra-rally ang mga mag-aaral na mapatalsik ang guro. Minsan umaabot pa sa Dean ang problema.

Kaya naman ang hindi pagkakaunawaan sa magkabilang panig ay nagdudulot ng bunga na hindi maganda sa eskwelahan, simbahan at sosyodad. Ang paghingi ng payo't tulong sa mga expert, pag-uusap sa magkabilang panig ay nararapat upang ang problema ay ilagay sa isang tabi at pag tuunan ng sulosyon ito. Kalimutan ang alitan sa bawat isa at harapin ang bagong hamon ng buhay na magkasundo ang mga pinuno, pari, magulang, guro, lider ng mga grupo at iba pa, nang sa ganoon ay may magandang ugnayan. Sabi pa sa kasabihan ay nawa ang kapayapaan ay sumainyo.

Ang pagkamatay ni Fr. Cecilio Lucero ay nagbigay kulay sa relasyon ng bawat isang Samarenos upang makita ang kaniyang hinanakit sa taumbayan, mahirap o mayaman ay ngayon ang sempatiya sa kanya. Ano pa't nagkaganito ang buhay ng tao? Sadya bang ibuhos kung kinakailangan? Magkaisa at talikuran ang hidwaan. Alisin ang mga makamundong hangarin at iwaksi ang masasamang adhikain. Tayo ay isinilang na walang masamang pagtitinginan ngunit napapasama lamang sa mga dikta ng ibang tao na ito'y hindi sadyang paniwalaan. Magkaroon ng sariling accountability at tingnan ang buhay na hindi kanais-nais. Magbago, hanggat sa supling ng sandali ay ganito nalang ba?

Karumaldumal man ang kaniyang pagkamatay, ay sa tingin ng bayan ay siguro mayroon din naman siyang konting ipinaglalaban na sumusunod lamang.

Mga taga Samar didi ha Saudi Arabia ay nakikiramay kay Father Cecilio Lucero sa kaniyang pagkamatay. Nawa ay makarating ng masagana sa ikalawang buhay. Paalam Father Cecilio. Naway ang awiting "You Raised Me Up" ay dumaloy sa isipan ng mga mahihirap na kabataan ha Norte san Samar.

Siguro naman panahon na para magbago, talikuran ang alitan at isulong sa sambayanang Pilipino na tayo ay nag-iisang lahi, ang dugong bughaw na nananalantay ang pagkaka-isa. Huwag matakot sa tao bagkos matakot sa Dakilang Lumikha. Mabuhay!

Subject:   To Salvador Cerbito a.k.a. Samarnon from Canada
Name:   A. Morales
Email:
Date:   4 Aug 2009

Wow, I was able to flush the feces from the toilet when I posted a reply on the observation of Salvador Cerbito. I did not know that Salvador and Samarnon from Canada are one and the same but apparently they are.

First, the way you responded to my reply was not responsive to the points I have raised. Instead, you tried to paint generic "holier than thou" attitude reminiscent of religious bigots and zealots.

Come on, just answer the points that I have raised. If sex is merely for procreation, did you answer the questions I have asked? No, instead you use a fallacious argument of generalization. Just be frank, Mr. Cerbito or Mr. Canada, do you have sex merely for impregnating your wife?

Second, I don't keep a tab on how many times I post a comment here or check whether I won or lost an exchange of idea. My challenge is for my protagonist to merely answer my questions and try to convince me that their points of view are worth pondering. Cut the shit about talking who has the right to interpret the Bible. I will not relegate my salvation on biblical zealots like the two of you. Sorry for the word zealot being used, it also just happened to be the title of Judas the Iscariot.

Third, who is interpreting the Bible out of context, me? Isn't it the domain of close-minded "holier than thou" religious rightists and fundamentalists like the two of you? Well, if you think that procreation is the main reason why people exist, then what is our difference to animals? The underlying condition sine qua non before one could multiply is to be fruitful. "Be fruitful and multiply" is far better than merely "Go and multiply." And, to you being a contextual interpreter, here is your own pitfall, you said: "You must remember that when God gave this commission to Adam and Eve, it was given before they fell into sin. Everything is being provided for by God during this time." So, if that is the case then why are you still preaching "Go and multiply" now if you think that it only applied to Adam and Eve during their stay in the Garden of Eden prior to their banishment into the "real world" of hard work and sinfulness. Therefore the logical conclusion of your line of thinking is that the "go and multiply" theology ceases to have meaning once they (Adam and Eve) got out of the Garden of Eden because not everything is provided for them, right? See, that is an example of your irrational "contextual" blunders. Whereas, the "be fruitful and multiply" is applicable whether Adam and Eve are in the Garden of Eden or out of the Garden of Eden or even applicable to us know in the digital age. So please, don't try to use "contextualism" when all you know is fundamentalism.

Lastly, I'd rather use my secular intelligence to perceive things than think parochial. A christian faith that is close-minded and fundamentalist is no better than the faith of Islamic jihadists. Talking about religious terrorists? Well, they are one and the same.

So, if you want to be wise and intelligent, as you want us to believe you are, open your minds to criticism and prove your worth. Otherwise, it is better to plant a kamote!

Subject:   Mr. A. Morales' Comments on Mr. Salvador Cerbito
Name:   Samarnon of Canada
Address:   Canada
Email:   samarnonk@yahoo.com
Date:   31 Jul 2009

First of all, Mr. Morales, I want you to know that I am not a religious zealot. I am a christian the Biblical way. To me, the Bible is holy and they are the words of God and should not be dragged in here. Much more that you will use it to show you eloquence and vocabulary. Not much with your analogies because I am not impressed at all.

I am reacting to your article not because you are being rude and sarcastic to Mr. Salvador Cerbito but because you are AGAIN wrong in your interpretation and analogy of the Holy Scriptures.

You quoted Genesis 1:28 and tried to interpret it wrongly. The multiplication, fruitfulness and replenishment are all meant to procreation and moving around the earth. You must remember that when God gave this commission to Adam and Eve, it was given before they fell into sin. Everything is being provided for by God during this time. That's why if you will to continue reading verses 29 and 30, you will see God's provision for them.

Again Mr. Morales I will say that you are interpreting the scriptures out of context.

If you will remember not long time ago you tried to use the same analogies on scriptures by trying to explain them using your secular intelligence (scroll back the messages in the Message Board). If I remember right, I gave you two strikes already using your own analogies. This time I guess you are already struck out so to speak. So I will suggest that you stay away from interpreting scriptures because I don't think you have the authority on this matter.

A wise man knows his limits. A person can be intelligent and not be wise.

Subject:   Salvador Cerbito's Ascerbic Comments
Name:   A. Morales
Email:
Date:   July 25, 2009

Salvador needs to caution his wanton ignorance of the issue on reproductive health with proper and balanced study of the facts surrounding the issue. He cloaks his ignorance with some articles that are patently biased against artificial contraceptives. Contraceptives are not per se evil as Salvador wants us to believe.

The article in itself said that some contraceptives could be carcinogenic but it did not say all or every contraceptive. Generalizations are erroneous and dangerous. Instead of Salvador preaching us about the evils of contraceptives, can he please provide us some practical solutions to the growing number of filipinos who do not have food to eat, roof over their heads, clothes over their bodies, and education inside their brains? It is easy to preach about abstinence as the only acceptable mode of birth control especially if preached by people who have vowed abstinence as a way of life. If sex is only for procreation as Salvador wants us to believe it is, then can he say how many kids does he have? Say if he only had 2 children or 1 child, can he say with firmness in his heart that he only had sex with his wife for 2 times or one time in his lifetime? Can you say that to people who are getting married that sex is only for procreation so if you want to have 1,2,3, or 12 kids that they should plan their sexual encounters carefully in the next 50 years of their married life?

Come on Salvador, the problem with those with myopic views is that they use biblical verses to suit their hidden biases without getting the message into their proper context. Gen.1 verse 22 says "And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth." Gen. 1 verse 28 says "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." Gen. 9 verse 1 agains says "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." And on Gen. 35 verse 11 "And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply." See the problem with those so called fundamentalist theologians is their emphasis on "Go and multiply" theology without first reading the basic premise that one must first be fruitful so he could go multiply and replenish the earth.

How can one be fruitful? Being fruitful is being useful. Having work, having income, doing something useful for the benefit of the society is being fruitful. When you simply multiply in numbers but do not increase your productivity or usefullness, then you are missing the point espoused by the Bible. Oftentimes we forget that the Bible also tells us to replenish the earth which means to say that we have to be good stewards of the earth's resources. Having so many kids that you can't afford to support so they could have decent and productive lives is not only an affront to the teachings of the Bible but also a violation of the very tenets of each person's right to life. What is life for human beings? Is it mere existence like that of the other animals? Right to life should be qualified to mean right to a decent life. When you see kids in Payatas eating garbage, when you see teenage moms use their babies to ask for alms in the streets, when you see people living under a bridge or shanties like rats, what kind of life are you talking about? If we are made in the image of God then we should uphold human dignity and decency.

And, abortion while generally should be discouraged or frowned upon should be allowed in extra-ordinary cases like incestuous pregnancies and pregnancies due to rapes. Instead of merely demonizing abortion, why can't Salvador and his fellow fundamentalists encourage adoption especially if the mother is not ready to care for her baby. To me, there is no hard and fast rule about life. I like the motto of the Disciples of Christ: "No law but love; No creed but Christ." When you focus more on letting the spirit of the biblical injunctions to live rather than allow the letters to kill the true intentions of the biblical passages then you are better guided and better equipped to decide.

I know that this comment can open a Pandora's box but I better said these now than allow some religious zealots to once more curtail the true meaning of the written words of God.

I am open for a rejoinder on this.

Subject:   RH Bill 5043
Name:   Salvador Cerbito
Address:   Punta Princesa, Cebu
Email:   salvador_ofm@yahoo.com
Telephone:   09215855552
Date:   07/21/09

Sa ngatanan nga mga kabugtuan sa Samar. Paglikay sa Panulay. An Yawa makamaratay panlimbong sa katawhan. Please read this article the truth about contraception and abortion before you support this bill.

Contraceptives Classified as Carcinogenic
8/12/2005

Scientific research demonstrates that some contraceptives cause cancer.

In a report issued on July 29, 2005, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a division of the World Health Organization (WHO), classified some contraceptives as carcinogenic to humans. Combination estrogen-progesterone contraceptives, which are the most commonly prescribed, have been found to cause breast, cervical, and liver cancer. In response to the scientific research on these drugs, the IARC has given these contraceptives the highest carcinogenic rating, the same classification given to asbestos and smoking tobacco.

However, while the IARC and WHO consistently recommend people avoid smoking and prolonged exposure to the sun (ultraviolet radiation is classified lower than these contraceptives), they do not recommend that women avoid these contraceptives. Instead, they recommend that “each woman who uses these hormonal products discuss the risks and benefits with her doctor, taking into consideration her personal circumstances.”

The medical community overall has been quick in the past to dismiss the dangers associated with contraceptive medicines. Contraceptive drugs are known to cause permanent infertility, heart attacks, and blood clotting. The recently released “day after” pill emergency contraceptive has also been linked to several deaths.

Medical risks aside, contraception has very serious moral and social consequences. As discussed in our FAITH FACT “Choose Life That You and Your Children May Live,” under no circumstances is the use of contraception morally permissible. This infallible teaching of the Catholic Church flows from the natural law as given to us by God. As such, the teaching applies to all men.

“Let the children come to me; do not hinder them. It is to just such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs” - Jesus Christ

This is a picture of Molech, the ancient idol of the Ammonites to which infants were sacrificed by being thrown into the flames.

CONTRACEPTION IS EVIL, ABORTION IS MURDER

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