OFF-THE-AIR

DAGUPAN CITY — They belong to the opposite sides of the political fence. Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz is a vocal critic of the Arroyo administration, while Speaker Jose de Venecia is a staunch ally of President Arroyo.

But they don’t let their differing political beliefs destroy their personal relationship. In fact, even if Cruz led rallies here against the administration, the most recent one against Charter change, whose main architect was, incidentally, De Venecia, the two have exchanged pleasantries without pretense.

For a time, however, these two leaders had not been communicating with each other, especially at the height of the Cha-cha debate. Until they met and talked lengthily the other day, thanks to De Venecia’s wife, Gina, who had arranged the meeting that lasted for more than one hour.

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Five outstanding alumni – two bishops, one environment undersecretary, an international lawyer and a book author - all graduates of the Mary Help of Christians Seminary in Binmaley, Pangasinan were formally honored last December 30 at the MHCS Kabalens Annual Homecoming.

This was announced by Fr. Allan Morris Abuan, MHCS rector, who said the individual awards were duly signed by himself and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz. The awarding was held at the newly-refurbished MHCS chapel following a concelebrated mass for Batch ’81 (silver) and ’86 (porcelain) jubilarians with former Pangasinan Vice Gov. and now Lyceum Northwestern University President Gonzalo T. Duque, already an MHCS Fr. John Healy awardee, in attendance.

Among the five honorees are Bishop Renato Mayugba who now serves as auxiliary bishop of the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese, Bishop Marlo Peralta now serving as co-adjutor bishop in the Diocese of Alaminos, Environment Senior Undersecretary Francisco S. Bravo, New York-based lawyer Felix Q. Vinluan and book author and media executive Melandrew T. Velasco.

Both Bravo and Velasco are key officers of the newly-revived Kaluyagan Nen Palaris, a confederation of civic organizations in Pangasinan, Manila and overseas where they both serve as KNP president and secretary-general respectively.

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Barangay captains and officials in the city were feted to an evening of fun and entertainment during the well-attended Barangay Night held on December 27 at the City Plaza as part of the celebration of the 2006 Dagupan City Fiesta.

Taguig-Pateros congressman Alan Peter Cayetano, Mayor Benjamin Lim and fiesta hermana mayor councilor Maria Librada Reyna spearheaded the activity with the presence of some local executives, city councilors, department heads, special guests and the local media.

Among them were vice mayor Alvin Fernandez, councilors Teofilo Guadiz III, Joey Tamayo, Alex de Venecia, Vlad Mata, Michael Fernandez, Nick Aquino and Farah Decano.

In his speech, Cayetano expressed gratitude to Mayor Lim and Reyna for inviting him as the affair’s guest speaker.

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By Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.” (John 1:5)

This is a signal truth forwarded by the gospel reading during this Christmas day. It is an inspiring reminder for us during these dark and still darkening times in our dear country. It is a strong message of hope in these days of much despair, poverty and misery among us as a people.

Christmas means many different things to many different persons. But one distinct significance of Christmas is always the same and true: the birth anniversary of Christ as the incarnate light that guides us in our continuing search for truth, insistent pursuit of justice and constant longing for peace.

Christmas wherefore calls for our sincere gratitude to God the Father for sending his own Son to be our everlasting light and guide in our day-to-day living. Now when our own country is in one big socio-moral darkness basically due to odious and ominous politics, the more we need Christ to light our path to hope, unity and solidarity.

Sad but true, we have to admit that in our country during these trying times, there is too much lying, stealing and cheating, too much graft and corruption, too much greed for power and wealth, too much abuse of human rights and killing of human lives. In short, there is too much darkness in our midst—even during this Christmas season.

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LABRADOR, PANGASINAN – A century-old wooden image of the Virgin Mary has been stolen from the Catholic Church here, while another one was decapitated in a daring robbery in this sleepy coastal town.

Fr. Jim Sjeehy, parish priest here, said that he discovered the wooden image missing when he opened the church for the first mass at 5:30 this morning.

“The thieves may have come early dawn, when we were deep in our sleep,” Sjeehy, an Irish Columban, said.

“This could have only been done by people who are selfish and who do not fear God,” he said.

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A friend gave me a copy of the following prayer, which has been circulated among the Catholic faithfuls belonging to the Lingayen-Dagupan archdiocese headed by Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz.

Oh God, bless this nation in crisis.
Heal our country’s wounds.
Unite the Silent Majority who long for truth, justice, and peace.
Grant us the power and wisdom to fight for the common welfare.
Help us seal the door where evil dwells.
May light, love and grace restore God’s plan for us.
Amen.

It will be the height of stupidity if Malacanang orders the arrest of Dagupan-Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz and three other bishops. And I hope they won’t commit this big mistake because for sure this will be fatal to the administration. As they say, repression breeds daring. And if Bishop Cruz is jailed, Malacanang may just be creating a situation where the people’s lethargy and stupor are awakened.

Of course, the bishop is not afraid. He calls it an honor that he does not deserve. Here is his statement:

It is a big pity that the Administration appears to be overrating my little self—together with the three other bishops in the country. We four are said to be in the “order of battle” of the government. Among other things, I was told that we could be picked up anytime by authorities concerned and thereafter charged for machinating to overthrow the present Administration.

Needless to say, such a thinking and option appear to be making me much more than what I really am. It seems desirous of giving me an honor I do not in anyway deserve. To arrest, jail and penalize me for sedition, treason or the rebellion could be worthy of entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.

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Posted In: GMA, Governance, Politics, Religion, bishop oscar cruz, state of emergency, 1017

Archbishop Oscar Cruz was in his usual high-spirited self when we –Yolly, Eva, Ding and I — chanced on him at his official residence in the city last Tuesday.

We were actually very lucky to see him there at that time because ever since the Senate investigation on jueteng began, he has been spending most of his time in Manila, being the major jueteng whistle blower and the custodian of vital witnesses.

The archbishop let out a loud laugh when we asked him about Jaime Aquino. “Don’t hate him. Just forgive him,” he told us. Then he laughed again.

When we asked him for updates on the on-going Senate hearings, he said he also wants it to stop now, but not because Malacanang wants it but because it is the natural course that the hearing has to take. Malacanang should not dictate on the Senate, he says.

The archbishop could not hide his apprehension for the safety of his witnesses. The safehouse, where one of them was kept, was shot at, leaving ugly and terrifying bullet holes in its ceiling. The other witnesses, he says, continue to get death threats and pressures from all sides just to silence them.

He had wished all the pressures and death threats be directed to him instead. After all, he smiles, “I’m already old.”

But what saddens him is that despite the hearings, consequently stopping jueteng operations in the entire Luzon, the betting has not stopped. The archbishop says new varieties of the numbers game have emerged, such as EZ2, loteng and letreng.

EZ2, which he says is being run now in many Pangasinan towns, is supposedly legal, being operated by the Philippine Gaming Corporation. Loteng, of course, operates very much like jueteng; and letreng, a new one, uses the letters of the alphabet.

“This won’t stop,” he says of the numbers game. And he is right because Filipinos are said to be the most creative people. Like what leading commentator Orly Navarro observed, Filipinos can even play Lucky 9 using the pages of a book!

The archbishop’s only consolation now, if at all, is that he was able to show to the whole nation the evils of gambling “no matter how legal it is.”

As he had said: “Gambling foments greed for the money of others. It promotes indolence, it cultivates dependence on luck. It seeks quick fortune that never comes. It despises toil and industry that bring productivity.

“It deceives the many poor and ignorant—making them more miserable and desperate. It intervenes in the electoral process of the country—undermining free and honest elections. It corrupts governance—staining local officials and public servants.

“Jueteng equals money. Money equals power. Power makes jueteng lords invisible and untouchable. Their big and influential beneficiaries have to see to it that they remain unconfronted, unchallenged, unchained. Otherwise, the moment even but one of them talks—how much jueteng payolas go to whom—not a few of those in high offices and with lofty titles fall flat on their faces.

“It is time to put period to the history of jueteng in the country. The people have enough crosses to bear. The authorities have their hands full of social ills to resolve. Get jueteng out of the way—now!”

Amen.

ENDNOTES: Last Saturday, Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez was inducted president of the Rotary Club of Dagupan at the Dagupan City astrodome… On the same day, Mayor Benjie Lim left for the US to promote city tourism and to invite Dagupenos there to this year’s Pawil Dagupan. He will be accompanied by Councilor Nick Aquino… Finally, on July 13, the 4th Pangasinan Trade and Cultural Mission to Washington State leaves for Seattle. The delegation will be headed by Armi Bangsal-Lorica.

QUICK QUOTE: Man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for? — Robert Browning

I was at the National Press Club in Manila when I learned that Jaime Aquino held a press conference right at the headquarters of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, to announce, among others, that Archbishop Oscar Cruz is a gay and that he “sexually molested” him when he was 18.

At first, I could not believe that Jaime did it. But then, knowing the man, his stunt should not come to me as a surprise anymore: he has done it before; he did it now; he will do it again.

As a case in point, Laoac Mayor Gregorio Tabayoyong pointed to Jaime as the one who engineered the filing of rape charges against the poor mayor and six of his policemen at about this time last year. The woman, of course, turned out later to be non-existent.

Broadcasters Allan Sison and Rannie Manaois also point to Jaime as the mastermind in the filing of the hold-upping cases they are now facing in Villasis.

And who can forget Jaime for his story four years ago in a tabloid, where he listed the names of Pangasinan media practitioners (including this writer) who are supposed to be in the jueteng payola?

There may have been other people that Jaime had victimized. He used his paper, the Northern Star, for “demolition jobs” by publishing black propaganda using fictitious bylines. Of course, he made big money out of it and he may be the only Pangasinan newsman now with the most number of libel cases.

As I watched Jaime that day in a late night television newscast, he looked like a pathetic and a confused clown acting before an angry mob. And as he spoke about his supposed “romantic relations” with the archbishop, the more that he gave himself away, with his nose doing a Pinocchio.

Jaime’s show came to a drastic end when Archbishop Cruz suddenly appeared in the news conference and Jaime did not even recognize him!

Poor guy. He should have studied his script well. Or his director(s) should have rehearsed him many times over until he’s ready for the act. At least, by doing a perfect act, he could have convinced the whole nation that he was a credible clown.

ENDNOTES: The city government is now manned by high school students, as part of Dagupan City’s 58th anniversary celebration. This is the second year of the Ogogaw ya Malingkor program, where students are selected to assume as the city’s mayor, vice mayor, councilors and department heads. This experience should provide them good training on leadership… While in Manila, I had an opportunity to meet former Gov. Oscar Orbos. We were both so happy to see each other again and we updated each other on the country’s political situation. Well, he’s not returning to Pangasinan politics anymore.

QUICK QUOTE: True, we love life, not because we are used to living, but because we are used to loving. There is always some madness in love, but there is also always some reason in madness. — Friedrich Nietzsche

The Holy Week is the last week of Lent, or the week that immediately precedes Easter Sunday. To us Christians, this is a time to commemorate and enact the Passion and death of Jesus Christ through various observances and services of worship.

To enable us to have more time for spiritual reflection during these important Christian holidays, Malacanang has announced that Holy Wednesday and Black Saturday are non-working holidays, giving government personnel a five-day vacation that will culminate on Easter Sunday.

Unfortunately, to many, the Holy Week is just another long vacation. As early as this afternoon, for sure, long queues of vehicles, including government-owned, would be rushing to Baguio City or to the beaches of Pangasinan and La Union.

In most towns in the country, the Holy Week, like Christmas, is a time for reunions because it is usually at this time of the year when family members and friends working in faraway places come home for vacation.

But even while the faithful take time out to pray and meditate, with this prevailing scenario, the essence of the Holy Week is hardly felt. Hardly will anyone remember anymore its spiritual dimension. Hardly will anyone remember that the Holy Week is the commemoration of Christ’s death and suffering.

According to the Christian Resource Institute (CRI), a global and ecumenical ministry dedicated to providing biblical and theological resources for growing Christians, Holy Week commemorations call us “to move behind the joyful celebrations of Palm Sunday and Easter, and focus on the suffering, humiliation, and death that is part of Holy Week.”

“It is important to place the hope of the Resurrection, the promise of newness and life, against the background of death and endings,” the CRI said.

“It is only in walking through the shadows and darkness of Holy Week and Good Friday, only in realizing the horror and magnitude of sin and its consequences in the world incarnated in the dying Jesus on the cross, only in contemplating the ending and despair that the disciples felt on Holy Saturday, that we can truly understand the light and hope of Sunday morning!” it added.

*****

Officials of the National Transmission Corp. (Transco) and Digital Telecommunications Inc. (Digitel) could not hide their displeasure over the continuing pilferage of their lines, causing millions of pesos worth of lost opportunities during power shutdowns and Internet downtimes.

These thieves simply climb the poles, cut the wires and sell these to junkshops for a fast buck.

These thieves must be very brave. They know that transmission lines have high voltage and it could cost their lives at the slightest mistake. The same is true with Digitel distribution lines, which are installed in high poles.

But what is making these pilferers bolder and more daring is the fact that they can easily run away with their crime because they have yet to see a wire thief sentenced and sent to jail. Or junkshop owners for that matter, who patronize the stolen items.

Maybe, we now should look at wire pilferage in terms of its economic implications. When a Digitel line is cut, think of the millions of pesos worth of opportunities lost, the phone and online transactions that are stopped. When a Transco transmission line is stolen, think of the power outage and its immediate impact on the economy of affected areas.

But coupled with stiffer penalties, there should also be citizens’ awareness and participation in this endeavor. The people should be made to understand it is not Transco or Digitel that is losing to wire pilferers but the country, and consequently, they, as its citizens, who are the big losers.

This way, maybe, they become more concerned and aware of their responsibilities and protective of these precious wires.

ENDNOTES: With people flocking to the Bonuan Beach this Holy Week, concerned city authorities should stop some unscrupulous beach shed owners from imposing exorbitant rental fees to beachgoers and to ensure that prices of softdrinks and other commodities are not grossly overpriced. Finally, let us tell our visitors to bring home with them their trash. Maybe we can encourage this by distributing to them free trash bags.

QUOTE: Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. — W.W. Ziege