donation equals salvation?

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

Hi there! It’s another week. And let me start off with what’s in everyone’s (well, almost everyone) mouth these days: the economic crunch. Bailout is the order of the day. In the U.S. of A., big companies are requesting for billions more after the billions of taxpayer money that they have received earlier. AIG for one is requesting for an additional 35 billion bucks after the 135 billion bucks or so it got earlier from the U.S. government. And Jay Leno was quick to give AIG a new meaning: And It’s Gone.

Talking about the economic crunch. Word has it that certain parishes (or maybe it’s just a parish) in Samar (okey, the diocese of Calbayog) are about to increase their rates (or whatever you call the fees you pay the church for the “salvation” of your soul). Alas, even the assurance of a chance to go to heaven is affected by the economic crunch, that’s on top of the usual do-good-to-your-fellowmen-and-give-donations-and-you-go-to-heaven stuff that we were taught in Sunday school. Oops, did I say donation?

And Nude Protests? Oblation run in U.P. is one thing (It’s been years and I still can’t forgive myself for missing these runs during my U.P. days), naked guys in the corridors of the campus (why do they have to cover their faces?) supposedly to express freedom has been a fixture of university life (at least in U.P.). Anyway, what happens when nude guys start running in a busy street in the University belt? Why not, it’s something to see nude guys roaming in the city streets. Seriously, I don’t think it’s going over the limit (it occurred to me, how is that different from above the limit?). The said protest which was done with nude guys carrying placards against TFI would not have made it to the news if it was done in the usual (wholesome, if I may add) manner. Now that’s what I call being resourceful, which in some instance translates to ma-gimmick

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Responsible Parenting Movement. Last Thursday, the City Government of Calbayog became the first Local Government Unit in Region 8 to enter into an agreement with the Commission on Population for the localized implementation of the Responsible Parenting Movement (RPM).
The Memorandum of Agreement was signed in simple ceremonies at the City Mayor’s Office.

The MOA signatories were Mayor Mel Sarmiento and Commission on Population RO-8 OIC, Elnora Pulma. The MOA signing was followed by the ceremonial turn-over to the LGU of a check amounting to more than 1.6 million pesos from the Commission on Population. That money will be used for the implementation of the program in Calbayog.

RPM will be promoted through “Barangay Classes” among resident couples. For the year 2009, the program is aiming for 1,700 couples from various barangays in Calbayog. Its lead implementing agency is the Population Office and will be supported by the City Social Welfare and Development Office, the City Health Office and the City Agriculture Office.

RPM is in compliance with the directives of President Gloria Arroyo. It advocates the natural family planning program and is one that says a 100% no to artificial contraceptives.

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The Calbayog City Pilot Material Recovery Facility (MRF) will be formally turned-over tomorrow. Mayor Mel Sarmiento and Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino will lead local officials and Department Managers in the ceremony. Expected to represent JICA Philippines are Makato Iwashi and Takashio Goto. The facility is located in Barangay Payahan and was made possible through a grant from JICA. The other event for the day is the Ecological Solid Waste Management Technical Training.

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Belated birthday greetings: Jinjin Aguilar – Cinco (March 6), Liza Cui-Cajusay and Msgr. Jun Cinco (March 7).

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While surfing the net last week, I came across a “very interesting” website and I saw this line supposedly taken from the epitaph of one Leonard Matlovich. This is the line I’d like to leave you with today: “When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men; and a discharge for loving one.”

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This is it for now. Have a nice week everyone! Ciao!