On Weddings and Funerals (pa rin)

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

Hi there! It’s another week. First the good news (at least for the Cory fan in me), a survey by the SWS found out that 60% of Filipinos trust Cory Aquino. Need I say more? That’s what you get for getting out of the office not on overtime. It just occurred to me, Gen. Ramos also got out of office “on time”. Well he’s a different story. Back to Cory, hers was not the most perfect presidency (remember her saying that Ninoy pitied whoever was to succeed Marcos?), but certainly Cory Aquino left office with her integrity intact.

So Congress is in recess. Know what, suddenly the news became boring. I never thought that I will miss the circus, err, the excitement that is the imbestigasyon sa senado.

Talking about surveys. I got this from yahoo news, a survey was made among hotel employees and tour operators to check among other things, the tourists who are most arrogant, tight-fisted, or simply unlikable. And who made it on top of the list? The French (their pizzazz and glamour notwithstanding). But in fairness to our French friends, I don’t think this speaks of the whole Republique Francais. Anyway, the survey also tried to find out who the most generous tipsters are: the Japanese (tourists, before you forget).

And what about surveys on the local front? Forget about the figures of the presidentiables, it is bound to rise (all of them) as the election season gets nearer (with or without advocacy ADs. Oops, me and my mouth!)

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As I have promised in my column last Friday, I am featuring the complete text of the “Statement of Condemnation on the series of killings in the City of Calbayog and in the Municipality of Gandara.” The said statement was dated July 3, 2009 and signed by Calbayog Bishop Isabelo Abarquez. It was read in all the masses at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral two Sundays ago (July 5, 2009):

“The Diocese of Calbayog through the Justice and Peace Desk of the Social Action Center strongly condemns the series of killings happening in the City of Calbayog and in the Municipality of Gandara, Samar”

“The Diocese of Calbayog does not tolerate any form of repression especially through extra judicial killings. The right to life is a gift for everybody and no one has the right to take it. The wheel of justice is the proper venue for resolution of any case”.

“We therefore call on the proper authorities to conduct a thorough and speedy investigation on the series of killings and bring into the bar of justice the ones responsible”.
“We extend forth our sincerest and deepest sympathy to the family, relatives and friends of the victims.”

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As it turned out, the PNP leadership has already done something about the situation. As reported in July 7, 2009 edition of this paper, the PNP regional office has deployed two platoons of police troops taken from the Police Regional Mobile Group (PRMG) that will help augment the PNP forces in Samar province to immediately stop the criminalities in the area.

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LGU Calbayog events. Last Friday, Calbayog City hosted a symposium dubbed "Enhancing Communities' Capacity to Confront Extreme Geo-Meteorological Events at the Core of Climate Change".
Mayor Mel Sarmiento was on hand to deliver the Welcome Remarks; and a talk on "Local Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change".
The following were the topics to be presented in the event:
- Climate Change-Related Extreme Weather Conditions by Mr. Nathaniel Cruz, OIC for Operations and Services, PAGASA.
- Climate change-Related Extreme Geological Events by Dr. Rodolfo Tamayo, Jr., Associate Professor, NIGS-UP.
- Philippine Climate Change Initiatives (Climate Change Financial Issues and Technology Transfer) by Ms. Gerarda Asuncion Merilo, Senior Environmental Specialist, DENR.
- Science and Technology Intervention on Climate Change by Engr. Albert Mariño, Sr. Science Research Specialist, PCIERD.
The event which was held at the TTMIST-AVR was organized by the National Institute of Geological Sciences-University of the Philippines (NIGS-UP); Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration-Dep't of Science and Technology (PAGASA-DOST); and the Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development-Dep't of Science and Technology (PCIERD-DOST).

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On Saturday, Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino led some SP members and the Calbayog PNP representatives in the Orientation workshop for the new members of the Civilian Auxiliary Traffic Enforcement Group (CATEG) and the Civilian Police Auxiliary Group (CPAG).
25 CATEG and CPAG members attended the said orientation which was held at the GSP Function Hall. Also present were Councilors Ina Rabuya, Sonny Salurio, Ver Porlares and Jonas Montealto who chairs the SP Committee on Peace and Order.

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The LGU in partnership with DILG Calbayog and JICA hosted the Barangay Summit on Solid Waste Management last Thursday. A good number of Punong Barangay made it to the event which was held at the TTMIST-AVR. Also on hand were the City Officials led by Mayor Mel Sarmiento, and representatives from JICA, EMB-DENR, DepEd, DILG and the NSWNC.

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In town last week was Philippine Ambassador to Turkey, Pedro “Nonoy” Chan. He paid a courtesy call on the City Mayor and tendered a dinner for some friends. Ambassador Chan happens to be one of the benefactors of the CKC-Jose Gomez Orchestra. He spent a few moments with the group when he chanced upon them rehearsing at the CKC chapel.

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This is it for now. Let me give you something to think about this week. It’s from the book “Denial of the Soul” by M. Scott Peck: “BLASPHEMY (the greatest sin of all) of which only an overtly religious can be guilty of, is the use of sweet religious language to cloak irreligious behavior. It is the failure even to attempt to integrate one's way of life with one's proclaimed theology.”

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Have a nice week everyone! Ciao!