Rizal. Na naman?

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

Hi there! It’s a new week. Nope, please don’t get offended by today’s title, just wanna catch your attention today.

First things first. The CKC - Jose Gomez Symphony Orchestra will be in Tacloban City tomorrow. They will have a concert at the Rizal Plaza at 7:00 pm.

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Yes! It’s another holiday. Monday holidays seem to be a prized commodity during the administration of PNoy (smile! It’s a new week), that’s on top of the (sad?) fact (or reality, whichever comes first) that most legal holidays this year fall on Sundays. Anyway, Rizal’s birthday would have been just that – another birthday if not for the holiday declaration. But then, are all Filipinos really aware why they are free to extend their sleep today and not engage in the normal Monday morning rush of things to do? I suppose the “no” will get a higher percentage; and let’s not even start discussing “Why Rizal?”

But then, at the end of the day, thanks to Rizal, or should I say thanks to his 150th birthday, it seems like we were reminded of the contribution only of Rizal, but all the men and women, our heroes who helped shape our nation and plot its destiny. As to where this destiny is currently leading us, that’s another issue.

Now, don’t say that recalling the past is not your thing (that is something unhealthy). The reason for today’s holiday and the days reserved Bonifacio, for National Heroes’ Day and yes, the holiday two Sundays ago, all these remind us that heroism will never be a thing of the past. It is going to be a constant struggle for the good over bad (what’s the other word for that?). And as one TV network had it, there is a hero in each of us who can make things happen.

Back to Rizal, if only we can do away with romanticizing Rizal so much that he seemed too ideal. I think I got that line from Soc Sci professor at U.P. many years ago. You know like making a big story out of Rizal throwing away his slipper after its pair accidentally fell off the boat. And that the boy Rizal supposedly did it thinking that another (poor) boy might be able to pick up the pair and use it, or so the story went. It could have been simply a case of throwing away something which is already useless. Okey, it’s one very trivial matter and I’m just quoting my professor (oops, it suddenly occurred to me, she must have been into Bonifacio, you that Rizal-Bonifacio debate of old).

Of course, there are many other aspects of Rizal which we need to take a look at; and I suppose there are as many aspects of Rizal which we will never understand. And there are better means to introduce Rizal the hero and the human being. And that explains why I have some of Ambet Ocampo’s books.

Now, as to the haircut, and the string of girlfriends . . .

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A week ago today, Mayor Ronald Aquino delivered his Independence Day message in front of the LGU employees. It was a call for unity and cooperation between the community and the LGU officials. Here are some parts of his speech:

“Nanu an karuyag sidngun sini nga selebrasyon? And batun san akun paki-ana mao an pagsering nga ini nga selebrasyon naghahatag sa atuin sin higayun agud makapamalandung san mga leksyon ug inspirasyon san atun mga bayani, nga apesar san kakulang san ira kusog, sira umato agud hikaplaghan an atun katalwasan.”

“I guess the lessons that can be had are best summed up in two words: unity and perseverance.”

“And what does the Independence Day make of us Filipinos? I guess questions can serve as answers to that question. Are we free from economic difficulties? Are we free from foreign domination? Can we move freely in a world characterized by free trade? And for us here in Calbayog and Samar, are we free from the image that Samareños are pictured to be, that of people who are hard-up in an underdeveloped land?”

“Kami nga iyo mga opisyales sa ciudad san Calbayog natoo nga an maupay nga ehemplo san ungod nga “independence” mao an katalwasan tikang san mga kakuri-an. Natu-o kami nga an amon pinakamaupay nga maipapadangat ngada san amon igkasi-Calbayognon san yana nga panahon sugad man san masunod pa nga henerasyon mao an usa nga ciudad nga progresibo, moderno, may-ada mga sementado nga sigad ngadto sa mga tay-aw nga barangay, ug labi na gud an pagkamay-ada kahimyangan."

“Ini nga mga larang matutuman la kun may-ada pagka-urosa. Pinaa-agi sini nga okasyon, akun guin hahangyu an atun pagka-urosa para san atun mahal nga ciudad san Calbayog.”

Mayor Aquino also quoted some lines from the 1998 Centennial Prayer:

“May we realize that the Independence Day celebration finds significance not only in the floats, the presentations and the costume, the parades and the ceremonies, but in the realization that freedom is best celebrated when we see all Filipinos free from the chains of economic difficulties, non-ownership and control of the tools of production especially land; and extreme political divisiveness.”

“May our yearly independence day celebration serve to tell us that the Filipino has only his fellowmen to share the glory and honor that he will reap out of the unity aimed for the betterment in all aspects of the life of the common man.”

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The Sister of Mary Consoltarix of the Eucharist will be celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Consolation today.

Bishop Isabelo Abarquez will preside over the Eucharistic Celebration at the Consoltatrix Monastery in Barangay San Policarpo at 9:00 a.m. today.

The Mass will also be offered in thanksgiving for the 25 years of religious life of Sister Mary Francis of the Paraclete, MCE.

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

Halad sa Pasko 2009

ayor Mel Sarmiento to speak at a UN Side Event on MDG

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

Hi there! Have you been following the news lately? Well, my apologies to our brothers in Mindanao who are suffering from flooding on top of the fighting between government troops and the rebels, it’s sad but news about your plight is not the order of the day. People, or should I say the powerful media entities (and I guess I have to include some of our lawmakers) are into the latest bomb or dud (depending upon which side of the political fence one is into) to hit the Senate - of course it’s none other than the latest Lacson expose.

Talking about the news. The big news is not exactly nice: Lehman Brothers has collapsed; and world economies held its breath. And the Philippines? Mareng Winnie said it best, that the fundamentals of the Philippine Economy are intact. On the other hand I’m still waiting if there would be some lawmakers or anybody who will give Arroyo the flak for the Lehman collapse. Well, already one lawmaker went on TV questioning why our economy should be tied to that of the U.S. I’m no economist, but I think there is something quite not right with that inquiry.

And hmm, they are into something new at the Senate. Just when I thought that the usual grandstanding err, investigation (where one gets free media mileage on TV) was the order of the day (what with the latest issue on insertion), some of the members of the upper chamber are into either a walkout or simply being out (on a boycott). Now that’s what I call reinventing (or should I say repackaging?).

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Mayor Mel Sarmiento is off to New York. He will be speaking as Philippine representative in the Side Event of the United Nations (UN) High-level Event on the Millennium Development Goals. The said side event will focus on Local Poverty Reduction and MDG Localization and for scaling up implementation to achieve MDGs.

For a short backgrounder. On September 25, 2008, a High-level Event (HLE) on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will be jointly convened by the (UN) Secretary-General and the President of the (UN) General Assembly to reaffirm existing commitments and evoke new ones needed to achieve the MDGs by 2015. The HLE will bring together Heads of States or Government, as well as leaders of the private sector and civil society.

The HLE takes particular note of the fact that while many developing countries are on track to achieve some of the MDGs, large disparities persist across and within countries.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE SIDE EVENT. The side event aims to share practical policy innovations amongst participants by highlighting challenges and key elements of success in scaling-up MDG localized interventions.

Over the years, some innovative local initiatives have been developed in different parts of the world to achieve the MDGs. However, these good practices and their key elements of success have not been shared widely for substantive discussions. Therefore, the side event will aim to:

• Facilitate the exchange of country case studies (good practices) along key elements of success on local poverty reduction and MDG localization/scaling up good practices;
• Promote strategic partnerships to effectively advocate for MDGs
• Promote policy innovation for reducing the national – local gap.

During the roundtable discussion, Mayor Sarmiento’s presentation will attempt to answer the following critical questions:

• What are the major challenges for policy alignment for MDG planning and implementation at national and local levels.
• How these challenges have been overcome?
• What are, in the country’s context, effective way to sensitize local government and parliamentarians on MDG?
• In sum, what are the key elements of success in bridging the gap between national and local levels in scaling up MDG implementations?

Other countries invited to the Side Event are Brazil, Uganda, Liberia, Rwanda, Vietnam and Kenya.

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A week ago today, Mayor Mel Sarmiento led the guests during the Farmers’ Field Day and FFS Graduation at the Calbayog City Jail. This is a part of the City’s Palayamanan Project. More details next issue.

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Condolence to the Sabenicio Family. Mr. Felicissimo “Isin” Sabenicio Sr., the former Municipal Mayor of Sto. Niño was laid to rest yesterday. He returned to his creator on September 8, 2008. He was 84.

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

The World's Happiest Countries

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

Hi there! It’s Holy Wednesday. As expected, Sir Ducat is bound to live in oblivion after his 15 minutes of fame. That’s granting the he isn’t released and again indulge in his favorite pastime. If I may rephrase that quote said after the attempt on the life of the late Pope John Paul II, periodically we have adults, even old men and women held hostage, some even die as captives (remember the Achille Lauro incident; the bombing of hijacked planes somewhere in the Middle East in the ‘70s; and some OPEC ministers being held hostage during a conference, to name a few), but seldom, or never do we hear children as hostages. The Ducat incident was all a stunt – whether it was political, ego-tripping, publicity or whatever, you fill in the blank.

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It’s official, there will be at least 28 candidates who will run for the various elective posts in the local polls in Calbayog.

Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento of the Liberal Party and former solon Rudy Tuazon of the NP will square-off in the mayoralty race. Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino will run against Councilor Ariel Rosales in the Vice Mayoralty race.

The LP bets for the Calbayog District are: Ina Rabuya, Noel Sermense, Virgilio Porlares, Jimjim Uy, Julius Mancol and Danilo Bernate. They will face-off with NP’s Ann Sabi, Jojo Rosales, Martin Durmiendo, Glenn Mancol, Intoy Dean and Ogie Reyes.

For the Oquendo and Tinambacan Districts, the LP bets are Mon Uy, Nonoy Pasacas, Benjie Dean, Sonny Salurio, Onx Montealto, and Vergel Clemens. They will be running against NP’s Nestor Tamidles, Sylvan Ayong, Billy Martirez, Jocelyn Tan, Romy Durmiendo and Emmie Doroja.

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(at the risk of plagiarism) Let me share this interesting article which I got from businessweek.com: Rating Countries for the Happiness Factor, by Marina Kamenev. It’s a study pulled together from sources and surveys (which) found that good health care and education are as important as wealth to modern happiness.

Feeling sad? Researchers at Britain's University of Leicester reckon you might just be in the wrong country. According to Adrian White, an analytic social psychologist at Leicester who developed the first "World Map of Happiness," Denmark is the happiest nation in the world.White's research used a battery of statistical data, plus the subjective responses of 80,000 people worldwide, to map out well-being across 178 countries. Denmark and five other European countries, including Switzerland, Austria, and Iceland, came out in the top 10, while Zimbabwe and Burundi pulled up the bottom.

Not surprisingly, the countries that are happiest are those that are healthy, wealthy, and wise. "The most significant factors were health, the level of poverty, and access to basic education," White says. Population size also plays a role. Smaller countries with greater social cohesion and a stronger sense of national identity tended to score better, while those with the largest populations fared worse. China came in No. 82, India ranked 125, and Russia was 167. The U.S. came in at 23.

IT'S SUBJECTIVE. White's study, to be published later this year, was developed in part as a response to the British media's fascination with life satisfaction. A recent BBC survey concluded that 81% of Britain's population would rather the government make them happier than richer.Despite its often bleak weather, England ranked relatively happy at 41. "There is increasing political interest in using measures of happiness as a national indicator along with measures of wealth," White says. "We wanted to illustrate the effects of global poverty on subjective well-being to remind people that if they want to address unhappiness as an issue the need is greatest in other parts of the world." (to be continued…)

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Congratulations to the 33 grantees of the Mel Sarmiento Scholarship Program (MSSP) who recently graduated (from High School and College) from TTMIST and CKC.

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“Harin! Nasering pa daw ak!!” So exclaimed my mom upon reading about Bayan Muna being number one in the surveys. I suppose the same goes with a good number of voters who witnessed what Mr. Ocampo went through.

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This is it for now. Let me leave you with something to ponder upon this Holy Week. Here’s what I suppose is another way of understanding that well-known prayer Psalm 23:
The Lord is my Shepherd. That's Relationship!
I shall not want. That's Supply!
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. That's Rest!
He leadeth me beside the still waters. That's Refreshment!
He restoreth my soul. That's Healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness. That's Guidance!
For His name sake. That's Purpose!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. That's Testing!
I will fear no evil. That's Protection!
For Thou art with me. That's Faithfulness!
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. That's Discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. That's Hope!
Thou anointest my head with oil. That's Consecration!
My cup runneth over. That's Abundance!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. That's Blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord. That's Security!
Forever................ That's Eternity!

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Have a Holy Week everyone! Ciao!