Marcus Antonius: Julius Caesar, III.ii.79-113 , Funus Bruti

Amici et Quirites prolesque Iuli , aures praebete;
Veni ad Caesarem sepeliendum, non ad laudandum.
Maleficia superstites maleficis,
Beneficia una cum ossibus eorum humata sunt.
Fiat sic Caesari. Brutus ille nobilis
Vobis dixit Caesarem avidum esse;
Quod si verum esset, grave esset crimen,
Cuius poenas graviter persolvit.
Hic Bruto ceterisque permittentibus,--
Qui enim vir honestus est;
Sic honesti sunt hi viri omnes,--
Veni ut funere Caesaris contioner.
Ille mihi erat amicus, mihi fidelis et aequus:
Quem vero vocavit Brutus avidum;
Et Brutus vir honestus est.
Multos captivos Romam duxit,
Quorum redemptiones aerarium impleverunt:
Num videtur Caesar ob hoc avidus?
Cum pauperes ploraverunt, flevit Caesar;
Aviditatem materiae durioris oportet esse.
Brutus autem illum avidum esse dicit.
Et Brutus vir honestus est.
Vidistis vos omnes me Lupercalibus
Ter coronam illi offerre,
Quam ter recusavit: eratne haec aviditas?
Brutus vero illum avidum esse dicit;
Qui re vera vir honestus est.
Loquor non ut quod dixit Brutus redarguam,
Sed adsum ut quod quidem scio loquar.
Vos omnes illum olim amavistis, non sine causa:
Quae causa vobis obstat quominus pro illo lugeatis?
O iudicium, ad belvas fugisti brutas,
Atque homines rationem perdiderunt.
Cor meum illic in sarcophago cum Caesare iacet,
Et dum mihi in mentem revertitur desinere debeo.

Mikey Arroyo: Partylist Representative

I have no information how and why Mikey Arroyo is the representative of security guards and tricycle drivers in the House of Representatives when the former presidential son, a multi-millionaire, does not understand the life of the sector he embodies.

I used to have friends driving tricycles and guarding banks. Their lifestyle is literally “isang kahig, isang tuka” (a hand-to-mouth existence). A single day of absence from work greatly affects the family budget for not all keep a piggy bank. And yes, they face risks in securing their posts 24/7 while the drivers have to endure all kind of weather if they want food on the table for their kids.

Risa Hontiveros in her quo warranto petition says that Mikey failed to submit documentary evidence that proves his links to the sector he claims to represent.

Let us wait and see how the case is resolved and how the Supreme Court decides. It is interesting to find out how Chief Justice Corona, an Arroyo midnight appointee, deliberate the case. Corona knows that the people will be closely watching him in handling the case.

Oh gush! Power is like nicotine that once it is tasted, the craving does not easily fade! -30-

Sen. Sotto Wants Drug Testing

The case besetting Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson has prompted Sen. Tito Sotto to challenge all incumbent local and national government officials to undergo voluntary drug test to make sure that they are not drug users. To set an example, the senator who rose to popularity with the Tito, Vic and Joey tandem specializing in toilet jokes said that he is willing to set an example by submitting himself to a drug test.

Sotto’s purpose is good but there is no urgency in subjecting government officials to undergo drug test although no one stops him in undergoing the test. 

Burning issues are still the numerous anomalies and scandals the Arroyo government dumped into the hands of the current administration which must be straightened out. To avoid being accused of grandstanding, Filipinos are more interested to hear Sen. Sotto’s share in finding the truth and the guilty on the irregularities Pres. Aquino mentioned in his state of the nation address. Better still, on his forte; he should prepare a privilege speech on how put dextrose on the dying local film industry and improve stale TV shows which mostly cater to the C and D audiences.

If and when the drug testing he fathers is viable, all showbiz personalities, big and small, must also be tested in addition to his target.

Sotto’s plan is merely to trim the branches instead of cutting the roots. What he should do is to study how to stop the production, distribution and importation of illegal drugs for good.

Last but not least, those in the government I believe, have the propriety to stay away from drugs either as a user or trafficker. That argument is weakened of course by the case of Rep. Singson now languishing in a Hongkong jail.

I wonder if he went through drug tests when he was in his heyday as slapstick specialist. -30-

Manny Pacquiao The Politician

Filipinos may now air a sigh of relief. Manny Pacquiao has delivered his first privilege speech in Congress. I am one of the many who is interested in reading the full transcript of his speech. Hopefully, I will get hold of it soon.

If my information on Pacquiao’s political evolution is accurate, he miserably lost in his first try in 2007 but elected in the recent polls to represent Sarangani province in the 15th Congress. He is also a bosom buddy of Gov. Chavit Singson of Ilocos Sur.

After his proclamation as a legislator, Mr. Pacquiao went to the University of the Philippines in Diliman, one of the best schools in the country, to be tutored on how the government functions and how he would discharge his role as a solon. Although Manny finished secondary via a special class, I honestly don’t know if the boxer-now-solon was able to understand the lecture of a Ph.D.-holder which could be in English, Tagalog or even in his native Bisaya.

And who can forget the day when Manny surprised then president-elect Noynoy Aquino at Times Street with a visit? Manny did not support Noynoy but his fellow billionaire Manny Villar. The press said that Mr. Aquino, although from a different political boat, politely received Pacquiao and bantered with him. Later on, Pacquiao bolted from Villar’s camp and switched his support to P-Noy.

Going back to his speech, Mr. Pacquiao assured “livelihood, first provincial hospital, employment and schools” to his constituents. Appears to have a well of funds not to mention his pork barrel, Manny can barely have the luxury to let his hands down for the rest of his term in helping his people in all their needs. He has a lot of chores to do aside from practicing how to punch with a lethal blow to keep the boxer in him sharp.

Will he be a good congressman? He answers:

"[M]y resounding answer is, with my heart in the right place, my work ethic, my discipline and my commitment to learn from wiser and more experienced people, yes I can be a good congressman".

Personally, that is nothing new. Every politician wants to impress in saying he “would serve with dignity and work hard for the welfare of constituents whom he owes the mandate”. That is a classical statement but it is sad that the silent majority in the country believes that most of their politicians are corrupt.

Let me stress that Manny Pacquiao did not steal his fortune. He earned it. What played in his mind when he entered into politics is difficult for me to decipher. Politics is not the only way to show sympathy and help. He can help perhaps even better and nobler if he works behind the scene tapping the private and religious sectors to funnel his help. In that way his magnanimity is not exclusive to his province mates but to the whole citizenry as well.

We know that a solon’s primary job is to legislate, to enact future laws and not just to vote in caucuses. With the immense help of his staff, Manny can present excellent bills. However, Filipinos are not stupid to believe that Manny will take the floor to engage in a debate with his peers explaining the merits of his bills and why they must be passed into a law.  It is not expected either that he will argue on the floor that the bills of his colleagues should not be enacted into  law after his aides explained him their defects and demerits.

So, are the people of Sarangani thumbs up in electing Mr. Pacquiao? What made them change their mind in electing him in his second try?

To what extent Sarangani develops while Manny is in office is to be seen. -30-

Linggo de Lingua Europa: Para Que?

“The EU's policy of multilingualism has been an important tool toward achieving economic competitiveness, growth and better jobs, promoting lifelong learning and intercultural dialogue and nurturing a space for EU’s political dialogue through multilingual communication with its almost 500 million citizens.

This weeklong celebration is a creative and dynamic way to encourage Filipino students and professionals to learn other EU languages especially relevant in these globalized times when being multilingual means fostering personal growth, enhancing skills, and promoting greater chances for mobility.”

The quote was lifted from one of the dailies on the celebration of the “Linggo de Lingua Europa”.

The article lays down the participation of schools and private organizations in promoting European languages as a tool for personal enhancement and a key for the country in fostering more fraternal diplomatic relations.

However, how sane is the move when the thrust of the government is the widespread use of Filipino? I have nothing against that. My concern is why is it that English, the other co-equal national language seemed to be frowned at when used and the speaker, a suspect afflicted with the so-called colonial mentality?

Many believe that the Philippines is one of the countries with most English speakers. That is another way of saying that the Philippines is one of the largest English-speaking countries.

That may be true if the English we mean is basic. There is a difference between reading about apples and Cinderella and in understanding the op-eds of newspapers.

Most of us from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi can give a fascinating answer in fluent English when asked “How are you?” but I honestly doubt if we can all sensibly explain globalization or global warming when asked.

Instead of promoting tough to learn languages such as French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and the much hated Spanish; why don’t they not graph a program that promotes written and oral English proficiency instead? Who cares to learn any of these Euro languages when English is spoken and understood in most part of Europe? How many have the luxury to pay a visit to Europe in the first place when most Filipinos have not yet visited other parts of the country due to monetary constraints?

I wish success for the affair although in my view it lacks practicality. -30-

Rep. Ronald V. Singson Case: A Lot of Questions

Now we know that Rep. Ronald V. Singson of the first district of Ilocos Sur, charged with possessing 26.1 grams of cocaine and two tablets of diazepam or Valium is locked up in Lai Chi Kok Correctional Institute since July 11 in Hongkong.

Reliable sources say that if Singson pleads guilty and is convicted, he may be sentenced from three to eight years plus fine or three years to life plus fine if pleads innocent but is convicted of the charge.

There are a lot of questions about the case to be asked.

First, why was there a news blackout from the day the younger Singson was collared in the former British colony till three or four days ago? Did the Philippine press intentionally do it?  Were they scared to drop the bombshell?

When the news hit the headlines, the elder Singson was initially in  a state of denial saying that they were in Mongolia.  That may be true but Mongolia is not Hongkong.   As the story develops, it is safe  now  to assume that the governor  was not honest in that statement.

How was the congressman able to pass the security area at the Manila airport with the illegal drugs in his possession? Did the authorities know his cocaine and Valium but they let him go anyway? Or are the airport authorities incompetent? What happened with the K-9 team with their sniffing dogs?

Didn't the Congressman know that what were in his pocket are illegal and that Hongkong is not the Philippines where cover up is possible because of who he is?

Congressman Singson said that he admitted culpability to let his companions proceed in their trip.Why  be dumb in admitting sin when you have nothing to do with it?

The Chinese authorities caught him with the illegal drugs in his possession. If Singson was clean; there was no reason for him to be detained. He cannot claim the evidence to be planted because they were found in his pocket and in his carry on luggage. Whether he admitted responsibility or not what were in his possession are proofs of guilt.

Rep. Singson arrived in Hongkong with an ordinary passport.  That means that he does not enjoy diplomatic immunity.  That could spell out more trouble for him.

Gov. Singson was saying that his son was duped into drugs. How could a solon and alumnus of prestigious schools such as Ateneo and La Salle have the puerile mind suggested by his father?

Apo (Mr.) Chavit has sincerely apologized to the nation and to his constituents in Ilocos Sur for the quagmire his son now immersed into but sounds very firm in letting the wheel of justice roll by not using his influence whatsoever to ease Roland’s predicament. Ordinary folks say that a son is always a son  that a  parent, although mentally ill,  still makes heaven and earth meet just to help his sibling in need. Does the wealthy governor mean that he does not care even if his son rots in jail?  If Apo Chavit helps; how, to what extent and in what form?  Hongkong is China and not the Philippines where Lady Justice can peep in her blindfold  to see the rich, influential and powerful. The Chinese don't care to punish their found-guilty officials by firing squad!

If convicted, who will represent the people of the first district of Ilocos Sur in the Lower House? Will he resign  if convicted and his erstwhile political nemesis Bertrand Ando Baterina takes his House seat or will there be special elections to choose his replacement? Will the lower House expel him? If convicted and released within the 15th Congress, will his colleagues discipline him? If so, how?  Would his conviction a ground for his  impeachment?

Once Rep. Singson served his sentence, do the Filipinos, his constituents in particular,  still trust him? What will he tell to the people  as a gesture of  contrition and how?  If given a chance to run for public office again, will he have the guts to run again?  Will the people vote for him again?

The possibility of a life sentence is great and who can imagine him surviving in prison probably with just noodles, rice buns (siopao), tea and occasional Chinese delicacies when in the country he can afford to  dine in five star hotels daily?  How did he get rich?  Your guess is as good as mine.

Everybody prays that justice will prevail but it is a fact that China has a long history of punishing the guilty regardless of who they are.

In the meantime, the questions are not to be answered but pondered upon.-30-

The Politics of Helping

The impulse to help the destitute drives a lot of Filipinos to enter politics as a gateway to tend the needy. What is absurd is the choice of politics as the preferred dominant path when there are other ways to help.

There is nothing wrong in helping. In fact, it is a Christian duty to ease the suffering of others by showing them compassion. The blessed and privileged must open their senses to the effects of excruciating poverty and do their share in alleviating human suffering.

During the campaign, I was not sure why Manny Pacquiao, Bro. Eddie Villanueva, the Marcoses, Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, Jinggoy and Erap Estrada, Tito Sotto and a lot more personalities from the showbiz chose politics. They have everything such as money, power, title and even influence. They have nothing more to prove and nothing more to aspire.  Theirs is a life where dreams are fulfilled beyond imagination. They can just fade away in the comfort of their mansions and wealth. Yet, they are back instead of giving  others a chance to serve as well.  Politics is addictive that once it is experienced, by all means, its hallucinating effect is difficult to let it go.

In fairness to some public servants, they are active behind the scene supporting non-government agencies and charities. Robin Hood followers are not left far behind in giving their share.

Opinions differ.

If I were a man of wealth, I would rather share my blessings by giving substantial and regular support to the Caritas and all the Dioceses and Archdioceses of the country and let them find out and decide how that help is disposed.

Unassuming politicians in a country like the Philippines, perceived as one of the most corrupt in the world cannot run away from being a suspect as a crook. And why would a citizen of good standing immerses himself in the dirty game of politics before he helps when there are many noble ways to do?

Politics corrupts because of the allure of its power and wealth.

“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” (Chinese proverb) -30-

(My) Footprints in the Sand

At a point in my life where I became conscious of my powerlessness, down on my knees but not defeated, I was led to browse religious entries in the Facebook. I was stuck to this very beautiful poem although I already read it before.

The thought of being alone, uncared for, forgotten; nowhere to go and none to lean on to cry is a terrifying feeling. Just like the author of the Footprint, I sometimes question God.

Yet, I am confident that these sufferings, deprivations, loneliness, aloneness, despair, fear and feeling of abandonment will pass through. The merciful Lord will show me His magnanimity.

Still far from Him, once He recognizes me, I will run as fast as I can; embrace Him and sob like a child.

“I am tired and alone. I need your comfort, peace, mercy and help!”

Patting my back swaying me left to right like a prodigal son, “Upon the palms of my hands I have written your name; your walls are ever before me. (Is. 49-16) . . . Keep still, be at peace and know that I am God! You have suffered too much my son, sit with me and take a rest; forget the past. You are now in my hands!”

Footprints in the Sand

One night a man had a dream.

He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, You said that once I decided to follow you, You would walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed You most You would leave me."

Sex Education (at Home): A Personal Experience

Decades ago when I was growing up, taboo abound when it comes to discussing sex at home. Apparently these days, not much has changed especially in the countryside.

It is my understanding that talking sex at home was refrained out of modesty if not respect on the idea that sex is sacred. My parents, born in the 10’s, who both worked in the government can copiously share opinions on prevalent issues but as an elementary boy, when I asked my Mom how a woman gets pregnant, she replied, “just like what dogs do to get pregnant.”

With no further questions asked, I understood what she meant while Dad chuckled, “You’ll know when you are a man.”

Indeed, I and my sister learned sex from academic books when we were young adults. We have no regrets in not learning it from our parents. She is now happily married with three kids while I have two.

Currently, a bunch of opposing opinions on sex education is everywhere in the country as played up by the government’s intent to include sex in the elementary and secondary curricula.

The Catholic Church says that it is the duty of parents to teach sex to their kids to which we agree.

Thus, in response . . .

I and my wife didn’t like to hand down to our kids how we learned sex when we were at their age. We were open, honest and serious in discussing sex with them but we are choosy with words and not the method which is direct.

Some parents in the past have tight lips when it comes to sex probably because they (falsely) deem as dirty or distasteful or even disrespectful  to modesty. That attitude is still around somewhere but me and my wife prefer to be candid.

When our eldest in her early teens became very conscious of her anatomical development, her Mom said that it is time for her to wear a bra for support “to make her feel more comfortable” for  they continue to develop until her early 20s. “After marriage when you become a mother like me, you nurse your baby with them”.

Months passed.

One evening, when our girl was taking showers, she suddenly screamed loud. Fearing the worst, gripping a baseball bat, I rushed at the bathroom asking if she was okay. “I’m scared; I’m bleeding.” She said sheepishly.  As if a jackpot winner, I rushed to my wife telling that “Joanne” is already a woman! A little bit annoyed, disturbed from taking a bed rest, I pulled “Shelly’s” hand and led her to the bathroom muttering. My wife told our brand new lady that there is nothing to worry about for it is normal for girls at her age to have the “bleeding” and said, “Joanne, you are now a lady!”

The following day, I went to the market to buy ingredients for my favorite recipes intended to celebrate Joanne’s coming of age.

After the desserts I told Joanne that she is already a woman and if she has sex, she can get pregnant. In contrast to her expression when I heard her screaming, Joanne was smiling and upbeat. She could have related her incident to her classmates ahead of her who shared their “experience” as well. I graphically described Joanne what sexual intercourse is adding that “some parents may consider what I’m doing to you now as thumbs down probably because of the way sex is done or out of false sense of modesty but make no mistake that sex is good and even an obligation of a husband and wife.” Further, I said that sex is exclusively the right of married couples. Warning her to take care of herself, “one single drop of sperm can  make you pregnant because just one cell out of millions is enough for conception."

Shelly echoed emphasizing that she has to take care of herself. “Finish your school, get a job then find the right man to marry. You and your husband will enjoy sex because it is a gift and it is beautiful!”

It was the first chapter in informing our kids with  the biology of procreation. “Joby”, our boy three years younger, will have his turn but with an easier subject matter. Telling kids about sex is not a one-time deal but in progress as the need arises. Sex is not simply a matter of physical and anatomical issues.  Equally important but more complex to explain are its moral and spiritual facets.

Joanne is on her advanced pregnancy. She phoned us yesterday that she can hardly wait to see her first baby due this October 18.

Shelly and I are as eager as our daughter to see a brand new family member but . . .

. . . Ah! That spells out our age that is closely guarded! -30-

Language in Philippine Schools

Here we go again on language issue.

This time in Philippine public schools on what medium of instruction is advantageous for the elementary pupils in their first three to four years in school to be academically dynamic.

The Philippines is slightly larger than the State of Arizona. Distributed in the 7,000-island archipelago are 120 to 175 languages according to Wikipedia.

One of the dominant proposals is for a child to be instructed in his first years in school with his mother tongue. The idea behind is the belief that children can communicate or relate better with what they learn if instructed with their house language.

I lack credentials to discuss that professionally. I believe, however, that language is NOT the issue but the quality of teachers and method of teaching have the final say in determining the intellectual progress of a child.

In my other articles, I mentioned the case of the Rosary College (now, St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur) and Divine Word College of Vigan, both private schools.

In the Rosary, from preparatory, toddlers were taught in English and as they progress in years, they were urged to speak the language of Mr. Shakespeare in the campus. In fact, a lot of middle-income families, not only from Vigan but from neighboring towns of San Vicente, Sta. Catalina, Caoayan, Bantay, San Ildefonso and even Santa or Cabugao wanted their children to enroll to St. Paul because of the English language.

To the best of my knowledge, St. Paul and Divine produced the better (if not the best) crop of students who passed their doors into the new world.

In public schools (Ilocos Sur), pupils were taught in Ilocano, the language of the province. In fairness to them and to their instructors, they also produced excellent products. The difference is, although I cannot present a scientific data, the English-instructed were more successful. Since English during my years long ago was the official language in public functions here in the province, it was easy to spot who were from private schools. They have a different academic mien which I must confess with apology --- better.

There is a point I want to say here. Filipino language proponents, leftists and nationalists, point out that it does not necessarily follow that an English fluent is smart to which I agree.

But the story does not end there. English fluency exposes the student to a wider learning. Most textbooks are still in English and it also the language of the internet and of the  world.  It is a mystery that Filipinos are fenced with their national language when the Chinese, Japanese, South Koreans and other Asian neighbors are learning English.

Consider that a family from Cebu, totally Ilocano illiterate, settles in Vigan. How could the children learn in a public school if Ilocano is the medium?

I am also against the establishment of Tagalog (the national language) as the medium of public instruction. Tagalog students have more advantage than those who are not Tagalog.

Why not English?

It is sad that most Filipinos look in a different way about the English language. Our eccentricity drives us to believe that English is a vestige of colonial mentality and it must be thrashed out. Jose Rizal indeed said that he who does not love his mother tongue is compared to a rotten fish. It should not be forgotten, may I stress, that Rizal wrote only a few in Tagalog.  Most were in Spanish, his lingua franca.

The government should instead study measures to improve the quality of teachers and the curricula in all levels to satisfy the academic craving of Filipinos. -30-

Vicente Ruelos, A Friend Forever

Vicky Ruelos

San Vicente Ilocos Sur

On Your Passing Away Anniversary
This Is Your Poem

BENCH ALONG THE WAY

"There is a hidden secret place

Where burdens can't abide

No weariness is found there

And troubles fall aside

As if an old friend seemed to know

That we would pass this way

A place to rest has been prepared

A bench along the way

Nestled in the glory

Of a peaceful, quiet place

Where sunlight settles softly

Upon the water's face

I"m resting there, awaiting now

The joyful, happy day

When I see you round the floral bend

Near the bench along the way"

_______________

The poem is not my original.  I sincerely apologize to its author whose name I honestly misplaced.

Gun Possession and Filipinos

The unabated wave of killing in the country makes us think on the practicality of possessing a gun for self-defense and to protect properties. I am not keen of a Philippine law that entitles its citizens to rightfully posses a gun. After undergoing some processing, gun club members whose passion is target shooting can legally own a gun although some say that joining such clubs merely serves as a cover to have a gun. In the United States, any one can purchase a gun so long as  s/he passes a background check to prevent weapons into the wrong hands. Here in the country, it is unbelievable that gun dealers  and the government have realistic program in determining whether a gun buyer is a law-abiding citizen or a criminal.

Reports, if they are to be believed, say that there are roughly one million loose firearms in the country. Most of these are in the hands of criminals, felons, potential criminals, goons, rebels, terrorists and other lawless elements.

Filipinos are hot-tempered people. Fist fights if not death results by simply singing Frank Sinatra’s masterpiece “My Way” in karaoke bars. The mere unintentional eye to eye contact of strangers can result the same with no apparent reason or provocation.

The streets of the country are very dangerous.

Threatened by armed scalawags and bad eggs, why can't law-abiding citizens of this country defend themselves and their properties?  Why should the former have weapons instead of the latter?

The idea of imposing a total gun ban after the elections hit the headlines during the campaign period but Pres. Aquino, a master marksman and gun enthusiast sneered at the idea.

I find it all right for Filipinos in the streets to have the basic right to carry unconcealed and unloaded gun  with ammunition attached to the belt “exclusively” for self-defense. What if people have a  holstered gun in Araneta or Makati commercial center? That’s not an issue if there is a law entitling Filipinos to carry a weapon. But what if there will be more crimes? I don’t see it that way because  in an equal balance of terror, i.e. both are armed; both parties are scared of the other although I am not discounting the possibility of crimes but surely in a lesser amount. Almost everyday, killings are in the news. In these cases close to100% of the victims are unarmed.

If and when that happens, the legal system must be fair and square in locking the culprits in jail and then they can throw away the key into the sea.  A credible method checking the background of a gun buyer must be established and rules in possessing a weapon must strictly be enforced equally. -30-

RP Presidential Elections Compared With the US'

As the world kept watch the stunning election of Sen. Barack Obama as the 44th US President, Filipinos were struck with awe and disbelief with the political maturity of the American electoral process and the speed of the counting of elections returns.

In a traditional concession speech; after his defeat, Sen. McCain graciously said in part “I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.”

For his part, the youthful Chicago senator in savoring his victory said in part, “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you: We as a people will get there.”

In contrast, the dire reality in the Philippines is not even close to what the world has witnessed  in the last US presidential polls as peaceful and well-organized process. Here, does anyone remember a time when there were no assassinations and violence during election campaigns? No intimidation and all tricks from Pandora’s Box?

Prevalent hearsays indicate that come 2010, voting machines will be in use in the country to facilitate an early and quick projection of winners. That is a good starting point to curtail if not to get rid of fraud assuming that everything is fair and square in using the machine. However, who can forget the one Filipino student who wrote a thesis on computer virus years ago? He was also the one who authored one of the most devastating computer viruses in history that paralyzed global computer traffic sending some US military establishments to their feet. Since most if not all of the candidates are millionaires if not billionaires, they can easily afford to hack voting machines and overturn elections results by hiring unscrupulous talents to do the job for their evil self-interest. It is an open secret that “everything is possible” in this country.

During the campaign, Americans were barraged with roadmaps and blueprints on what each presidential candidate intends to accomplish as President thereby giving the electorate a fair chance to weigh the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonists. Executive willingness and other fortuitous factors remain to be seen whether campaign promises are delivered or abnegated. In any political exercise, campaign promises are the hope of the governed long immersed in an unpopular administration unresponsive on the writings of the wall. The citizenry not only deserve a better government and leaders but are entitled to them in an ever-changing environment and world order.

While flat-forms are also heard when candidates do their political sorties here, ingredients of arrogance and mud-slinging are sine qua non. I am not saying that mud-slinging was totally absent in the last US polls. For wearing a $150,000 regalia, Mrs. Palin was scoffed only to say later that that was furnished by the Republican organization. Mr. Obama was also erroneously branded as cuddling with “terrorists” because of his past association with radicals in the 60s. His place of birth (citizenship?) was also in question although he was born in Hawaii. He was also said to belong to the Muslim faith, a faith sneered by many Americans since 9-11. How could a Senator in the US Senate be branded and ridiculed as such? Even if Mr. Obama, a Christian, for the sake of argument, is a Muslim; is the White House exclusively for Christians? The United States is a secular state and the freedom of worship is guaranteed by their Constitution.

Here, anyone can run for President. The most interesting personality last elections were Mr. Victor Wood without mentioning the good-looking movie idol, Fernando Poe, Jr.

In the Philippines, issues affecting the livelihood of the people and the country are only secondary if not tertiary. The best qualifications of a Philippine politician are not educational attainment, meritorious achievements, integrity and acumen but his/her looks and/or possession of “3Gs”. For this reason, we missed excellent Presidents that we never had in the persons of Sen. Raul Manglapus, Sen. Jovito Salonga and Sen. Raul Roco --- all intellectuals with tested political integrity. Instead of delving pressing issues confronting us we instead resort into mud if not dung slinging to the delight of others as they do in watching toilet films.. These are signs of immaturity. In the States, what is expected from elected officials is for them to make the system work for their country and people. Here, the system must work for the personal aggrandizement of officials.

Presidential elections is around two years away but this early, we hear “presidentiables” and probably soon, we hear the anointed one of Mrs. Arroyo as her successor. We see if we are dumb to accept Mrs. Arroyo’s “manok” or be intellectually rebellious by emulating the American pattern in choosing officials based from issues that make the country move forward and now backward.

“Change” has come to America although it is too soon to spell out what change could that be. In the Philippines, change came in 1986 right in EDSA and again in 2001 but we preferred to go to our old ways. Change can come again in 2010 and hopefully, like the Vietnamese who suffered the venomous fangs of war but now a country to watch for economic miracle, we learn lesson from them that we suffered a lot and enough from our idiocy and stubbornness and the only logical measure for us to rise from the dirt is to change.

When change knocks, are we ready to open the door or slam it?-30-

(Written days after the last US Presidential elections.)

"Wangwang" (Siren) and P-Noy

We understand P-Noy (Pres. Aquino) in declining to use siren when commuting from Times St. to the presidential Palace and elsewhere where his presence is needed. He practices what he preaches. He regards himself as an ordinary citizen. There is nothing wrong with that but as head of the State; the Presidential Security Command should advice the president to reconsider his stand for his safety. Wherever he is stopped by the red light, the presidential caravan is easily identified including his white Toyota SUV where he is believed to be in. I pray that his SUV is bombproof. Stopping in the middle of the road exposes the president to unknown dangers --- a thing Filipinos surely don’t like!

I am confident that Filipinos have nothing to say if he starts installing siren in his car and his car escorts. We should not wait, God forbids, for untoward incident before P-Noy realizes that when in the streets, he must travel fast without delay but safely.

It's time for P-Noy must accept the reality that he is a president and the most powerful Filipino tasked for instituting the rebirth of the country.

That should enthuse him to practice what he preaches in some other ways except in using a siren, a privilege he is entitled to. -30-

¡Felicitaciones a España!

¡Felicitaciones a España y a los Españoles 

por ganando la corona de la Cupa Mundial!

Desde nosostros en Filipinas

que lo aman el deporte como Vds.

Lo vemos tambien en Brasil en 2014.

A Lucky Priest!

Recently, I received an e-mail from a friend abroad written in Italian. An occasional glimpse to an English-Italian and Italian-English dictionary helps me a lot in fully understanding the language although I have enough working knowledge on it. “Anunciata” (not her real name) is fluent in English but she insists in practicing my floundering Italian.

She was telling an anecdote about the outgoing rector in their parish. Let me share it.

“Fr. Giovanni” (not his real name), after finishing his term has to be given another assignment to another place. Weeks before he left, he thanked the parishioners he served for years and asked for their prayers. Claiming that some of his parishioners were pushing in asking for what gift he would want, Fr. Giovanni wished for a down payment for a new car. (Wow!) He got five times of what he expected and there were also gifts for his beloved dog “Canis”.

Anunciata who has a lot of Filipino friends says that upon learning the story, her friends from Manila, Ilocos Sur and Iloilo had their eyebrows raised shaking their heads.

What the Filipinos cannot relate to is the fact that Fr. Giovanni has his own family where to seek help instead of the parishioners he was about to leave behind. To punctuate the story, he is a religious priest and has a vow of poverty. The money he received, my friend said, is enough down payment for a new top of the line German car.

Now my word . . .

If Fr. Giovanni meets a homeless Gypsy in Rome and asks for €100, would the priest hand over the amount if he has? What happened to his vow of poverty? In cases like that to my understanding, their religious congregation takes care of the car and all the needs of the priest/brother of their (religious) order.

Anyway, let the Fr. Giovanni and his dog “Canis” enjoy their gifts! -30-

Impending Environmental Disaster in Ilocos Sur?

There is a major story of a local newspaper published here in Vigan saying the Chinese have interest in exploring the possibility of mining the gold, copper, iron, sandstone, gravel and limestone reserves of the province.

If the Chinese are permitted to do business with Ilocos Sur, the local and municipal governments must be transparent and honest with the deal by informing the people the details of the proposed project including its profitability and the X factors.

Assuming that gold is mined in Cervantes, is the upland municipality entitled to a percentage for its economy or totally owns the cost of their gold? Will the provincial government count the total profit first and then equally distribute it to each municipality? How are revenues determined and how do municipalities get their paycheck share?

Before anything else, the people of Ilocos Sur must first be consulted if they are ready to face the possible environmental consequences of the proposed business transaction. They must also be informed on the financial aspect of the deal with, again, total transparency and honesty.

The possibility of ecological disaster is real when minerals along the sea and in the mountains are extracted. Excessive mining of iron along the shoreline softens its bed prompting the sea to get closer to inhabited areas. Trees are cut before digging is introduced. When rain season comes, landslides, flash flood and erosion bring suffering to the people. Bodies of water in the area are likely to be polluted like the Banaoang River where people are advised to refrain from fishing because of hazardous chemicals contaminating its water from mining corporations in the Mountain Provinces.

Before the transaction between the Chinese and Ilocos Sur is approved, will the Church remain silent in not fighting for the people whose habitats are possible to be ruined if not flattened? Will the New People’s Army holster their guns or rise in arms like what their comrades do in other parts of the country where mining displaces families and wipes out villages? With thorough understanding of the pros and cons, will the upland municipalities of Ilocos Sur welcome the miners? If they don't, who can apply a break to the deal?

Improving the provincial economy is good but the inevitable dire consequences of the deal must be studied with care and acumen. -30-

Summer Dress Code in the Church

Tropical heat in the Philippines converts the country into a natural oven with temperatures reaching mid 30s Centigrade. Unknown to some, parts of the United States such as  in Sacramento, Phoenix and Las Vegas or even New Jersey, the thermometer reaches 40s. Summer in the US means a lot of barbecue parties, swimming and malling to escape the unbearable heat.

It is a common scene in the States, Canada or England to see men in slippers or light sandals in the mall or in the street with boxer shorts, plain t-shirt, (if they are not topless) a backpack, a baseball cap and the ubiquitous cell phone or portable music player.

Ladies especially teens and young adult prowl in short shorts, slippers or beach sandals, plain t-shirt or tank, a book to read, a backpack, a cell phone or iPod. Along the river or in the beach, they are in a one-piece bathing suit or a bikini for the splash. In some places, ladies are in shorts and a bikini top even in taking the bus or sauntering in the mall.

There is nothing wrong with these accepted country norms. What is wrong and totally unacceptable is the total disrespect of the dignity and sanctity of the Eucharist when these people go to Mass with inappropriate attire like the mentioned earlier.

Before meeting dignitaries like a head of state, king, queen or even the pope, there is a prescribed dress code before an ordinary individual can shake their hands or join them in a dinner in their official residence.

What Catholics do not get or refuse to understand is one basic element of the faith that the physical Church is the house of God and the Eucharist is a meal where Christ is physically and spiritually present in the transubstantiated bread and wine to be consumed.

When formal dress is required in meeting dignitaries, why not have one in meeting the Creator inside His house?

The tepidness of faith and respect results in seeing ladies inside the Church in shorts (some are short shorts or above the knee), plain t-shirt with slippers or summer footwear. Some prefer a backless dress with spaghetti straps or a tank with low neckline.  Some wear a night dress look alike, a strapless /sleeveless and others don a summer fashion exposing the cleavage.

A number of men are seen in tennis shoes, slippers or beach sandals sport an athletic shorts if not a boxer paired with a sleeveless shirt.

Gone were the years when women wear a veil (South Korean Catholics still use it.) and “decent” dress  while  the opposite sex with their long sleeves or barong when they go to Mass. I remember that as a young boy, on Saturday afternoons, my Mom used to remind me to prepare for my Sunday’s best attire for the following morning and not just be contented with clothing I regularly use in going downtown.

It is true that God never requires us to buy “Sunday’s best attire” in going to the Eucharist when there are more burning issues to be met. What is enough is to wear a clean, even if old, and decent dress to show respect and honor to God and never to the churchgoers.  Once more the Church is not a place for socials but a place to be intimate with Christ.

I have no qualms when one in a "street" dress going to a barbecue party or to the mall  before or after Mass drops in the Church for a few minute to pray but women must exercise a good judgment in their sense of modesty.

Summer is not a license to strip off the Church and the Mass the sanctity they possess and rightfully deserve or in general, all places of worship and their sacred rituals. -30-

The Aquino Presidency So Far

Pres. Noynoy Aquino is in office for a week. I say; so far, so good. Throngs of those who did not vote for the bachelor head of state has been endeared to him because of his humility, simplicity and incorruptibility.

Friends abroad expressed their surprise that P-Noy (Pres. Aquino) refuses his privilege to use siren to beat the traffic. Instead, just like any ordinary Filipino, he stops on reds at the risk of his life. I am not in favor of him doing that for his safety. I pray that Mary whom he has a great devotion to will keep him from any harm. The Aquino family has suffered too much in serving the country.

Newspapers say that he is very accommodating to the nosy press. In his first official press conference as president, he was very candid and direct to the point. Others who are concerned with the security of the country, me included, say that he is too “transparent” or open.

His young administration shows a will to close controversial issues of the Arroyo government through the creation of a Truth Commission that investigates corruption charges and other anomalies presumably done before he took office. On how successful is this, let’s give it a chance.

I should not fail to mention that since the President obeys traffic rules in an overpopulated city, he has been late in his appointments. He must do something with that and move on to change the so-called “Filipino time” into punctuality.

Another black eye of the infant Aquino administration is the early pesky relationship between the press and his cabinet. When Education Secretary Armin Luistro had an ambush interview, he turned grouchy. That prompted the Palace to require cabinet members and technocrats to undergo training on how to deal with the press.

Dealing with the press is not complicated. All they want to ask for is truth or facts aside from opinions --- nothing else.

Presidential sisters Pinky and Balsy left today for Hongkong. Immigration authorities in Manila offered to facilitate their exit but they refused special privilege. They preferred to toe the line, take off their shoes like the rest and undergo other security procedures before boarding their plane. The Aquino children have not changed. I first saw them in the limelight when their Dad Ninoy was murdered, they were humble and in low key. They are still are today.

At this early, P-Noy has a clear vision to make the country a better. He looks determined to fulfill all his campaign promises.

May he never change and may he have the wisdom and will to finally change the country for the better.

This we all hope and pray for fervently! -30-

Journalists' Dangerous Trade

One the leading dailies say that Ilocos and Davao are the two most dangerous places for journalists to work. The correspondent may have been goaded to write the story because of the recent spate of murder of press people from North to South. Most of the victims are in the broadcast industry of the Amplitude Modulation (AM) band who occasionally deliver biting commentaries on what they perceive in their area as newsworthy that seriously affect the people.

To stop further damage on the already-mudded name of the culprits supposedly guilty of graft and corruption, illegal logging, illegal gambling and the like, “loquacious” radio anchors are silenced permanently to end their stories.

It’s baloney to believe some op-eds saying that the Philippines has the freest press in Asia. They sometimes fail to mention that media practitioners are under the constant threat of extinction whenever listeners, mostly politicians and the powerful, are irritated with what they hear from the airwaves.

This is not only a sort of prior restraint and intimidation but the total prevention of the dissemination of facts and the curtailment of freedom of speech and of the press guaranteed by the Constitution.

Arlon Serdenia, Ilocos chair of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) disclosed that he was to conduct seminars on basic reporting and ethics understandably to train media practitioners to be more professional and efficient.

I totally agree with Mr. Serdenia. Better still, broadcasters especially in the AM band must be required to have finished an academic course in Broadcasting if not a Mass Communications degree. I must concede that there are talents who learned their craft not from a university but through diligent and unceasing reading of broadcasting materials. These are also open in accepting suggestions and FAQ responses from competent men and women in the trade

Unlike in swimming that you have to swim to learn it, it’s dangerous to learn how to broadcast by broadcasting and merely rely on guts and instinct.

I knew announcers who fall under that category. Decades of working inside the announcer’s booth does not guarantee the prevention of a blunder which may even be subject to prosecution as in the case of libel or defamation. Issues and sentiments are diversified. They come at the spur of the moment.

There was a radio anchor in the province who could have directly presented facts instead of sensationalizing an issue. After asking the side of the accused (as in the case of malversation), he shuttles to get the side of the accuser. In the ensuing clash of opinions between the protagonists, the broadcaster (second year high school drop out in the early 60s) squeezes in his reckless opinion and makes stupid commentary to the delight of his audience. As a result, the rating of the station that mostly caters to the “bakya” (C and D audience) crowd surges.

I almost fell from my chair one breakfast when I heard him translate “NN is expected to be in hot water because of strong and damaging evidence against him.” He translated “hot water” literally instead of its figurative sense.

Admitting that “some of our colleagues work with the politicians or some under the politicians’ payroll to augment their living,” Serdenia stopped in saying that some in the press may write or print issues that damage the adversary of politicians or they can print and broadcast op-eds that praise or elevate their political masters who regularly dole them out “cigarette money” into a god.

Serdenia should also consider giving lectures on the basics like what news is, news gathering and presentation aside from ethics and laws affecting the profession. Not all that is heard in the provinces are called “news”. Radio stations in their format must clearly define what philosophy they adhere to in educating, informing and entertaining their target audience.

In other words, broadcasting is not merely saying blah blah blahs. Little knowledge is dangerous. Rather, broadcasters or press people must also possess sufficient background on the journalism code of ethics and other existing laws aside from being well-informed on current events not only in the country but around the globe.

That saves lives!-30-

Voter Education in Philippine Schools

Philippine public education,  already considered as so-so if not mediocre, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) plans to include “voter education, including acceptance of electoral defeat, in public schools nationwide.”

If pushed through, as young as kindergarten kids are taught on the reality of winning and losing in elections.

That is another way of saying political sportsmanship.

COMELEC has more imperative issues to tend to instead of issuing foolish proposals. The elections arm of the government can use its time more productively in reviewing poll cheaters and other pressing issues that can transform their office into a more credible institution.

“Voter education” is just a tip of the iceberg. Does it mean that kids and high school students are taught on the worthlessness of electing incompetent  and corrupt candidates? Will these school goers study the details of electoral fraud, vote-buying, electoral terrorism and their social effects and how to stop them? Will they be taught that political dynasties thwart the opportunities of others to advance, develop and to serve as well?

Filipinos cannot easily accept a gracious defeat. Children playing "cara y cruz"*  might do a Bruce Lee or Muhammad Ali if they think that they are cheated or even in a clean loss.

How much more to millionaire and billionaire candidates who have a phalanx of bodyguards or goons that have political connections where everything is possible?

If the COMELEC pitch gets a green light, is there a possibility that we will be the envy of foreign countries in having an immaculately clean, credible, peaceful and sport elections?

Election anomalies have been here since the candidacy of Elpidio Quirino. Graft and corruption have been here for too long. Instead of being contained into an acceptable level, they are not abated. In fact they got worse during the administration of Pres. Arroyo.

When will we learn to bring out credible ideas for the common good  instead of grandstanding? -30-

*heads and tails game

You Cannot Write In Your Mother Tongue?

Aside from extreme poverty caused by massive graft and corruption, the Philippines is also known to have several dozens of languages. With the exception of Chinese and Arabic, Filipinos use the Latin alphabet. Thanks for the influence of the Spanish alphabet which trashed the original Filipino way of writing known as “baybayin”.

All Philippine languages are similarly written and pronounced  like Spanish, Classical Latin, Italian   (but Agno is still AG-NO and not AN-YO) and some  languages from the Malay family. The sound of each letter in words is heard but depending on the region there is no distinction between “f” and “p”, “e” and “i”, “b” and “v”.  Exceptions are "mga"  (indicates plurality) and "ng" (denotes possession).

There are a number of Filipinos who foolishly say that they are fluent in speaking their mother tongue,  say Ilocano,  but they claim that they cannot write it.

I don’t believe so.

People from South and Central America including Spain  and Italy who have zero Ilocano knowledge can write it if the words are dictated slowly and pronounced properly.  If alive, Cevantes, Cicero and Dante Alighieri can write Ilocano or any Philippine language from dictation.

“Innakto agarado inton bigat.” (I will go and plow the field tomorrow.)  That sentence could be written by one from Buenos Aires  or Milan as “Y(I)nnactó agarado intón vigát.” 

An Argentine or an Italian can read that sentence perfectly like Ilocanos do.

It is in Spanish orthography but when an Ilocano reads it, he can perfectly understand and pronounce the sentence correctly.  Kapampangan, Cebuano, Ilonggo, Tausug, Bicolano or Maranaw can also read the sample sentence but they cannot understand it.

How much more to a native of the Ilocos Region or Ilocanos in diaspora whose first language is Ilocano?

One’s inability to speak and write his mother tongue even for decades does not make him (totally) forget  his first language.  It is understandable that decades of not using the language prompts the speaker to search for the right word for the thought he wants to express.

My granddad lived in Manila for 60  straight years and never came back to Vigan.  Tagalog has been his lingua franca but during reunions,  his Ilocano was perfect and so with his Vigan accent.

It is impossible that a German who learned Tagalog living in Manila for 25 years will forget  to write in  German when he goes back to Hamburg.

As Filipinos, we have our fancies if not stupidities. Jose Rizal said before that anyone who does not love his native language is just like a stinking fish.

Well, that’s what we are!   We are good in putting masks on our faces.  Masks that mud or bastardize our identity. -30-

¡España Ganó Contra Paraguay!

Felicitaciones al equipo español ganando contra Paraguay en la Copa Mundial.  ¿Y luego? El proximo contrincante es Alemania lo que parece tan fuerte derrotando Argentina con 4-0 resultado.

¿España contra Alemania? Yo pienso que Alemania tiene la ventaja.

¡Suertes a todos!

"Kris, Don't Marry in the Church": Archbishop Cruz

-Archbishop Oscar Cruz, National Appellate Marriage Tribunal of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (NAMT-CBCP) chief in a recent statement over Catholic Church-run Radio Veritas  gave an  unsolicited advise to First Sister Kris Aquino not to marry again in the Catholic Church.

“The main reason,” Cruz said, “is that she is more for herself than for someone else like a spouse. Meaning to say, she is not someone who thinks of herself as a partner to somebody else so that the two of them become one. Marriage is partnership.”

If there is one that I appreciate about Kris, it is her beauty especially when she was in her teens. I am not her admirer but considering her past relationships and popularity as a role model if she is, Cruz is correct in indirectly saying that Ms. Aquino is difficult if not impossible to play the role of a wife, i.e. partner. Not one relationship that she entered into including her marriage with James Yap has been successful. It’s either all the gentlemen whom Kris was associated with are all irresponsible or puerile  or else, Kris is the guilty party.

We know that no marriage is made in heaven or even if there is, a husband and wife are still clothed with imperfection. Be it so does not mean that marital problems, big or small cannot be worked upon. If there is a will, there is a way.

Marriage according to Dr. Cruz, a Canon lawyer, is a partnership or companionship. One does not always have to give or to receive but practices the  two-way give-and-take canon.

Despite having everything, I am surprised why Kris is not successful  with Cupid.  After all, wealth and prestige cannot guarantee a blissful relationship. What matters is a commitment in keeping the marital vow that “for better or for worse,” till death do a couple part.  

Is it possible that the Aquino favorite daughter is a domineering wife if not dictatorial that no deserving gentleman is so far compatible with her if compatibility is not a fiction? Is Kris  a part or worse; source of the problem rather than a part of the solution of her marital woes?

Speculations are speculations and just like Archbishop Cruz, “I’m not pronouncing judgment on whether she is good or bad, or whether she is a sinner or a saint. No, I’m not doing that.”

It is a pity that Kris has no good fortune in terms of love but I believe that if she ponders upon seriously on what her president brother Noynoy said that "there cannot be right solutions without the corresponding correct identification of the problems,"  Kris has still to meet her knight in shining armor whom she can spend the rest of her life in the castle of true love and partnership. As a voracious reader, she should read Martin Buber’s “I and Thou” where inspirations are replete on how to be with others and how to treat others the way it should be.

James Yap, is commended in doing his best to save his marriage with Kris. He  is doing the right thing but regardless of his effort, two are always needed to tango.

For the sake of the marriage of Kris and James and the well-being  of the kids, it is high time that priest-friends of the Aquinos like Archbishop Soc Villegas and the Jesuit Catalino Arevalo give their invaluable pieces of advice to Kris and to both of them as husband and wife.

. . . If solicited of course.

Desde Vigan al Mundo en el Dia de Amistad Entre España y Filipinas

Primero, damos gracias al Dios que al fin, las noches oscuras que sufrimos bajo la presidencia de Sra. Arroyo  he volado a la infamia. La gente filipina con muchos enojos e impotencia he esperado por mucho tiempo este dia cuando el don de de la mañana llena de esperanza he venido a la patria otra vez.

La llegada de Sr. Benigno C Aquino, III como presidente de nuestro pais, los filipinos se sueñan con fortaleza que le guia y encabeza las filipinas al camino recto. Que nosostros despiertemos desde la maldicion de corrupcion y govierno mal.

Es tan temprano decir al este punto que la administracion Aquino sera exitoso. Nadie sabe el futuro o como los tiempos se van. Que sea, nosostros ciudadanos filipinos se unien por el exito de la patria y el Sr. Aquino.

Este parte del blog es para a los niños y niñas con ascendencia filipina en todas partes del mundo que es hora para Vds. a juntarnos en nuestras alegrias. Sobre todo, que les ofrecien rezas para la bienestar de nuestra patria.

Viva filipinas! Viva presidente Noynoy Aquino!  Que el Dios nos bendiga siempre! -30-

Is Tridentine Mass More Solemn?

Rome, after Vatican II, changed the way how a Catholic Mass is said from Latin (Tridentine Mass) to the vernacular  (Novus Ordo Missae) although the Council and Pope Paul VI did not outlaw the saying of the Latin Mass.

The last Vatican Council brought closer the Church to the faithful by allowing them to fully participate in her rituals in their respective languages. Vatican II, without changing Church doctrines, dogmas and teachings also fine-tuned  the Catholic Church in relation to and with the modern world.

I was able to catch the last years of pre-Vatican II and I  am fully familiar with the Latin Mass. The gestures of the officiating priest, except the daily readings and prayers were the same. The chasuble’s color changes depending upon the liturgical season or holidays. The faithful were in unison  like a marching military in kneeling, standing and sitting. From the “Introibo ad altare Dei” till the “Ite Misa est”, the priest does not change, add or subtract parts of the Mass.

That was the Mass Catholics had for four centuries regaled with Gregorian Chants.

I have no intention to demean the Mass or the clergy or even the Vatican but these days if one has a chance to fulfill his Sunday obligation in different parishes overseas, chances are he notices a lot of differences  on how priests offer the Mass. A keen churchgoer may also discover the alteration of prayers and salutations  (or short speech?) if the priest does not ad lib or pray straight from the heart without following the Sacramentary.

There are priests who start the Mass in front of the altar while some stand close to the tabernacle. One starts with the sign of the cross, a short greeting then proceeds to the penitentiary rite. Another starts with a lengthy greeting then the sign of the cross. Another priest may say “The Lord be with you” while one says “The Lord is with you.”

In some parishes, a brief introduction before each reading is done while in other parishes, the two readings and the Gospel are immediately said. What is the use of the introduction if the people are to listen and digest the readings?  Another observation on  the first reading, some readers start with "Thus says the Lord" for the Old Testament verse instead of "In those days" from the original Latin "In illo tempore".  For the reading of the New Testament, some lectors start with "Brothers and sisters" but Paul and companions as attested by the Bible did not start every sentence of their Epistles with that address.

While preaching, the priest leaves the lectern and goes forward over the communion rail closer to the congregation and freely moves (or roams?) from left to right, to and fro like a candidate delivering his campaign speech or in a manner where a matinee idol does his piece before a raucous teen-audience.  A more conservative priest prefers to stay before the lectern to preach and for me that is preferred  if not a must.

In the Creed, some parishes use the “we” pronoun instead of the accurate “I” from the original Latin “Credo” for "I" believe and not "Credimus" for "We" believe. Instead of saying “creator”, other parishes  say “maker”.

“To make” and “to create” are two different things. I can make a kite but I cannot make a “heaven and earth”. In substance, to create is to make something out from nothing. Only God has the power to do that. In Genesis, there is no passage saying that God needed any material to construct heaven and earth. After saying them, they came to be.

During Consecration, in the prayer, “He broke the bread . . ." the priest breaks the host. Most only do that after the “Agnus Dei”.

For the announcements, after the final prayer  and before the final blessing, a litany of messages is read. This is a not a part of the Mass. In no way that the faithful are obliged to listen to them. They can always be posted at bulletin boards or else, they can be said after the Mass. However, this is not a valid reason for anyone to leave the Church when the final blessing is not yet given. That is one of the most important parts of the Mass.

In the Latin Mass, the congregation does not mimic the priest in stretching his hands as he says “Dominus vobiscum” (The Lord be with you.) Today, some faithful also stretch their hands in response. After the priest says “Lift up your hearts”, the people race to raise their hands too. The higher, perhaps the better. In praying the Lord ’s Prayer, the faithful join hand in hand till the line “For the Kingdom, the power . . .” where they again raise their clasp hands.

These are not officially sanctioned by Rome or are required. Catholics mimicked their Charismatic brethren who started such gestures. I am not saying though that these are not good. They are just distractions  and unnecessary for I believe that an aura of solemnity and piety must always be present during Mass.

In a pre-1965 Mass, there were no Eucharistic ministers. These days, there are a lot and I believe that  some  distribute communion even if s/he is not in the state of grace. The ministers, some of them are women (and I am not against them because of their sex) who smile, make faces like slanting their head, nod two to three times before they give the sacred host. Some arc their body forward, raise the sacred host before giving.

For me, these are improper. There is no other reason in going to the Church other than to pray, and give praise to God. The Church is not a place for socials or  a place to show off one’s fancies.

Last but not least, some cantors exaggerate their singing prowess as if they are singing before an opera audience. They mangle the words to the point that they are incoherent.  Their poise when singing with complete hand, head and body gestures,  spiced with eye expressions  can match the theatrical performance of Hilda Koronel, Bella Flores or the best Hollywood stars.

How I wish that Latin Mass is regularly said in my parish in response to Banedict XVI’s Motu Propio that if the faithful asks for it (Tridentine Mass), they should not be failed.

That is to eradicate all the unnecessary gestures  and distractions invented with fancy and the possibility  that the priest goes beyond the line in offering the Mass  to the faithful  who are there to pray and praise God .  Never that  a priest should act as if he is in front of a camera and glaring lights while doing  a noontime/prime time TV variety show when officiating the Mass.

I am sure that there is a road map, i.e. Sacramentary, for priests to follow in saying the Mass and its prayers.  If alteration is allowed, what is the use of the forms and guidelines prescribed by Rome?  And how useful then is the Sacramentary?

It is my sincere belief that the Tridentine Mass is more solemn than the Novus Ordo Missae but the essence or substance of the two are exactly the same.  Should there be a regular (or even daily) Latin Mass in where I am, that should be a part of my ritual but I must say honestly that I am faithful to the Cathedra Petris. -30-