oh Kris!

(This column appears in today's edition of the Leyte-Samar Daily Express)

Hi there! It’s midweek. First things first. It’s all systems go got tomorrow’s big affair in Calbayog City. Msgr. Isabelo Abarquez will be installed as the new bishop of the Diocese of Calbayog. His installation rites will be held at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral at 10 in the morning. This will be followed by a Testimonial Luncheon at the TTMIST Hall. Ricardo Cardinal Vidal is expected to be in town for the event, together with at least 31 bishops and 500 priests from Cebu, Palo and Catarman.

As you read this, a motorcade that will bring Msgr. Abarquez to Calbayog City will have commenced at San Juanico Bridge. As per advice from the organizers, the motorcade is expected at arrive in Calbayog City at around 4:00 pm today. Students from various schools will participate in a standing parade to welcome the new bishop.

At around 7pm tonight, the bishop will host a dinner at the spanking Centennial Pastoral Center for some officials and guests who are in town for the installation.

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Oh Kris! You did it again! You may love her or hate her, but when she bares her life’s details on TV, it’s always a national event (hmm, a new addition to our list of national stuff? You know, like national fruit, national bird, dance, etc.) Well, what with the RP as a nation of voyeurs? (my apologies) I guess that explains why a simpleng away-mag-asawa is always part of the news, if I may emphasize, on national TV. Scandals come and go, but surely, anything about Kris is bound to linger on and on.

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Last week, Charo Nabong emailed me her article entitled “People who made a difference in Samar in 2006”. That article paid tribute to some Samareños who did something good for Samar. The author gave me permission to feature that article in my column. Here’s the first part:

"Time magazine ushered in 2007 with a tribute to the Person of the Year (US) and an article about people who made a difference in our lives globally.

In Samar, my list of persons who have made a difference in the lives of Samarnons would include Mel Sarmiento, Cesar Aculan, Romeo Royandoyan, Angel Hobayan, Leonardo Medroso, Jose Palma, Mario Quijano, Renato Latorre, Don Mabulay, Coefredo Uy, Antonio Eduardo Nachura, and Ray Gaspay. My list is surely not a result of an exhaustive search, there may be more out there, but to me, these persons have done something beyond expectations that spelled a difference in the lives of Samarnons especially the poor farmers and fisherfolks, in this part of the world.

Cesar Aculan is the director of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Calbayog. Among the religious, titles like D.D., S.T.D., H.P. are earned for completing certain studies but Fr. Cesar has been conferred the title Sus.Ag. which is jokingly appended to his name by his religious colleagues for his untiring promotion and practice of Sustainable Agriculture among the farmers of Samar. Majority of the priests in Samar have embarked on beautifying their churches and convents, but Fr. Cesar took the "road less traveled", he organized trainings for farmers, established a demonstration farm, sourced materials and funding to make farming a sustainable and profitable venture and in the middle of these - provided refuge to the farmers and their families who were displaced by the silent war waged in Samar. Along with sustainable development, he has pushed for Peace and Development to secure a peaceful environment for development to prosper in Samar island.

Angel Hobayan, Leonardo Medroso, and Jose Palma were bishops in Samar island. Bishop Hobayan was bishop of the Diocese of Catarman before he retired in 2005; Bishop Medroso was bishop of the Diocese of Borongan before he was named Bishop of the Diocese of Bohol in November, 2006; and Bishop Palma was bishop of the Diocese of Calbayog before he was promoted Archbishop of Palo early last year. The formidable trio added their voices and support to the establishment of the Samar Island Natural Park and the people's stand against mining and logging in the island of Samar. When the DENR issued an order in 2005 lifting the logging moratorium in Samar island which allowed the San Jose Timber corporation to resume logging operations, the three bishops closed ranks again, this time with Bishop Trance of the Diocese of Catarman who had replaced Bishop Hobayan, to oppose the DENR order. Bishop Emeritus Hobayan came out of his retirement to testify in the Senate public hearing on the issue. The three bishops also initiated the formation of the Samar Island Development Council which later became the Samar Island Partnership for Peace and Development." (to be continued…)

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Oh Kris, again. As with other celebrities (famous and/or notorious), text messages abound about L’affair James. I got one last week.Let me end today’s column with that corny message: “eh ano kung may Hope c James? Ay sus! Dati naming may Phillip c Kris ah! Dapat kasi alam nila na Cigarette smoking s dangerous 2 ur health esp wen ur pregnant”.

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Have a nice week everyone! Ciao!