Ilonggo Ambassador Ausan invited as guest at historic Dhaka poetry festival

 

“Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.”

— William Wordsworth

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

PHILIPPINE Ambassador to Bangladesh, Atty. Leo Tito L. Ausan Jr., has been invited as guest poet in the 36th National Poetry Festival at Hakim Chattar adjacent to Dhaka University Central Library on February 1-2.

Ausan, an Ilonggo poet and former professor at the Central Philippine University (CPU) in Iloilo City, Philippines, will join with poets from Argentina, Nepal, Germany, Iraq, Philippines and other countries would participate in the festival.

His participation as “guest poet” was confirmed in an official invitation dated January 28, 2024 sent by Dr. Muhammad Samad, president

of Jatiya Kabita Parishad (National Poetry Council) of Bangladesh and secretary general Tarik Sujat.

Samad and Sujat assured to provide Ausan’s “local hospitality from 1^st February to 2^nd February 2024 in Bangladesh with humble effort.”

‘Jatiya Kabita Parishad’ disclosed the event’s information at a press conference held on the 2nd floor of the Teacher-Student Centre building of the university on January 28.

Reading a statement Sujat said, “We have continuously talked about dictatorship, communalism, fundamentalism, war crimes trial and the trial of Bangabandhu’s killers. Born from the spark of betrayal of poets, this festival has evolved from a national into an international festival. Poets of Bangladesh have always stood for progress.”

He added: “For almost three and a half decades, the struggling poets of different countries and languages of the world have spoken shoulder to shoulder with us about the liberation of people in this festival. We have managed to turn this festival into a gathering of poetry.”

Samad, who presided over the conference, highlighted the historical context of the National Poetry Festival saying, “It’s not possible for today’s generation to imagine how poetry originated in Dhaka University campus. However, we got support from people. Journalists, writers, and publishers all supported us.”

 

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More than 400 Bangladeshi poets and sixteen foreign poets were scheduled to participate in the event otherwise known as 36th Jatiya Kabita Utsab 2024.

Poet Nirmalendu Goon was scheduled to inaugurate the two-day festival, organized by Jatiya Kabita Parishad, at 10 o’clock am on February 1.

The event would feature recitations, songs, seminars, discussions and others.

Poets Aslam Sunny, Dilara Hafiz and Shihab Sarkar, among others, spoke at the press conference.

‘More than 400 Bangladeshi poets will participate in the festival. Ten poets from five countries will attend the festival’s opening ceremony,’ said Muhammad Samad.

‘Six poets from four countries will join the festival virtually from Cairo International Book Fair at the closing day,’ he added.

This year’s festival has been dedicated to the late Asad Chowdhury, Mohammad Rafiq, Jahidul Haque, Bulbul Mahalanobish and Hanif Khan.

The name of the winner of Jatiya Kabita Parishad Puraskar will be announced at the closing ceremony.

The festival originally began in 1987 with a view to raising voices through poems against dictatorship and tyranny.

The festival will end on February 2.

 

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WELCOME THE WIND. Many products can cause air pollution to build up in our home, including modern cleaners, which contain strong chemicals. Let’s make sure to ventilate our home well, ensuring a through-flow of air to help reduce pollution levels and encourage good ventilation.

SUCCESS. The first and most important step toward success is feeling that we can succeed. That’s the secret of success.

LOOK AFTER OUR BUTT. It is estimated that a third of all smoked cigarettes end up as litter. Let us make sure that our cigarette has been put out properly and we dispose of the butt in a waste can or designated area.

ACTIVE SEX. We burn about 200 calories during 30 minutes of active sex.

HEART PRINTS. Whatever our hands touch, we leave fingerprints; as we touch, we leave fingerprints; as we touch, we leave our identity. Wherever we go today, may God help us leave heart prints of compassion and kindness. And if someone should say “I felt your touch”, may that one sense God’s love touch through us.

ACCOMPLISHMENT. To accomplish great things, we must not only ACT, but also DREAM, not only PLAN, but also BELIEVE.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

Our real worries and sadness

 

“Nobody trusts anyone in authority today. It is one of the main features of our age. Wherever you look, there are lying politicians, crooked bankers, corrupt police officers, cheating journalists and double-dealing media barons, sinister children’s entertainers, rotten and greedy energy companies, and out-of-control security services.”

—Adam Curtis

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WHIRLING with excitement and amusement, a 68-year-old Filipino-American friend shared to me a “news” January 29 afternoon that Philippine comedian and entertainment host Willie Revillame “will run for senator in 2025.”

He described the story as “big” news in the Philippines after the Marcos-Duterte drug addiction fisticuffs.

The friend was astonished when I replied with a mild grin: “And you consider it as news?”

“That’s not news,” I hollered. “That’s a normal happening in the Philippines.”

His facial expression drastically changed as he muttered, “Oh yes, I got what you mean.”    

“Willie Revillame becoming a senator or even vice president—and to some extent—president in the Philippines isn’t news,” I snapped back. “What’s news is if the likes of (the late former Comelec chair) Haydee Yorac, a Yale University graduate; Chel Diokno, and other brilliant and competent Filipino public servants will win in a senatorial contest in the field of Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, Robin Padilla, Manny Pacquiao, Jinggoy Estrada, and other clowns and film stuntmen who dominate the elections in the Philippines. This isn’t only news; it’s blockbuster headline story in any media platform.”

I told my Fil-Am friend that the electoral system in the Philippines is so sick that it requires an immediate surgery if the country will survive the “invasion of the worst kind” in public office in the next 20 to 30 years and even beyond.

Ray Davies once said, “Money and corruption are ruining the land, crooked politicians betray the working man, pocketing the profits and treating us like sheep, and we’re tired of hearing promises that we know they’ll never keep.”

 

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“If Willie Revillame will win and other showbiz and entertainment personalities like KaladKaren will also become senators, what do you think will happen to the Philippines?” my Fil-Am friend asked. “We will become the laughingstock of the world?”

“Your guess is as good as mind,” I retorted. “But that’s not my main concern and worries. We can elect all the deranged, hooligans, gorillas, and other barbarians into public office and that’s none of the business of other people around the world. What’s worrying and sickening is we waste the taxpayers’ money for the mediocre and incompetent who are elected to higher public offices like the Senate and House of Representatives.”

I added: “What the Philippine legislature needs is quality legislation. We elect our senators and representatives to legislate laws—good and quality laws with lasting benefits for the Filipinos today and in the future.”

“We elect the lawmakers not because they will win the Famas awards for best actors and best actresses. We elect them not to win a world boxing title, participate in more coup d’etat like Gringo Honasan and Antonio Trillanes IV, and teach basketball and tango.”

I further emphasized: “We spend millions of pesos for their salaries, pelfs, and other privileges; as well as the salaries, allowances, and other expenses in their district offices and staff while they perform miserably and scandalously.”

“You are right,” he answered. “In committee hearings, they just play with their mustaches, fall to sleep, shout at guest speakers, and ask irrelevant and nonsense questions. Aside from being incompetent and not qualified for the legislative job, they also steal the people’s money.”

 

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LET’S GO NONTOXIC. Let’s request a nontoxic environment in our child’s school. Cleaning products, lawn care, teaching supplies and paint can all be switched for more environmentally friendly versions.

LET’S THROW THE LICE. Head lice are becoming resistant to chemical shampoos designed to kill them. In addition, if we use them, we’re flushing insecticides down our drain. Let’s make a conditioning rinse with our usual conditioner, vinegar, and tea tree oil, then comb through thoroughly once a week until the lice are gone.

LET’S GET ARTY. Let’s encourage our children’s school to recycle paper they use in the art room. For every ton of paper we reuse, 17 trees are spared.

HAND WASH HEROES. It has been estimated that 4 percent of domestic waste consists of used disposable diapers. One of the best choices we can make to reduce landfill and help the environment is to use washable diapers instead.

DUST UP A STORM. Instead of throwing away old T-shirts and letting the material go to waste, let’s tear them up and use instead of store-bought dusters. We will have a never- ending supply of rags for cleaning and wiping up, and they can simply be washed and reused time and time again!

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

Marcos, Duterte can’t deal with anger

 

“What is it about me that you hate so much?” a man asked his wife six months into his sobriety. “Everything!” she replied with a glare.

–Anonymous Quote

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

CAN former Philippine President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte and ally-turned-nemesis President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. deal with anger?

The answer is obvious. They can’t. They refuse. They weren’t taught how to deal with it?

Their anger, already at fever pitch based on heavy swapping of charges of illegal substance addiction, is a manifestation they have been swallowed by mankind’s most destructive emotion.

And because they are in the field of politics, the civilized world’s dirtiest battlefield, they are expected to throw more mud at each other in the next weeks, month, and even years to come before the next presidential election, where Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Carpio-Duterte, is rumored to tangle versus Mr. Marcos’ first cousin, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

In her book, Codependent No More: How to stop controlling others and start caring for yourself, Melody Beattie describes anger as “may be a commonplace emotion, but it is tough to deal with.”

Most of us haven’t been taught how to deal with anger, because people show us how they deal with anger; they don’t teach us. And most people show us inappropriate ways to deal with anger because they’re not sure either, Beattie suggests.

According to her, people may give us good advice.

“Be angry, but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” “Don’t seek revenge.” Many of us can’t adhere to these mandates, she says. Some of us think they mean: “Don’t be angry.” Many of us aren’t sure what we believe about anger, adds Beattie.

Some of us believe lies about anger.

She warns that repressed anger, like other repressed emotions, causes problems.

“Sometimes our anger may leak out inappropriately,” she explains. “We scream at someone we didn’t intend to scream at. We wrinkle up our faces, curl our lips, and help people feel like they don’t want to be around us. We slam dishes around even though we can’t afford to break anything of material value because we’ve already lost so much.”

 

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Other times our anger may show its face in different ways, reveals Beattie, who stresses: “We may find ourselves not wanting, unable, or refusing to enjoy sex. We may find ourselves unable to enjoy anything. Then we add more self-hatred to our already heaping pile by wondering what is wrong with us and going on our hostile way.”

When people ask us what’s wrong, we tighten our jaw and say, “Nothing. I feel just fine, thank you.” We may even start doing little sneaky mean things or big sneaky mean things to get even with those we’re angry at, she warns.

“If anger is repressed long enough, it will ultimately do more than leak out. Unpleasant feelings are like weeds. They don’t go away when we ignore them; they grow wild and take over. Our angry feelings may one day come roaring out. We say things we don’t mean. Or, as usually happens, we may say what we really mean,” Beattie observes.

“We may lose control and unleash ourselves in a fighting, spitting, screeching, hair-pulling, dish-breaking rage. Or we may do something to hurt ourselves. Or the anger may harden into bitterness, hatred, contempt, revulsion, or resentment.”

Beattie says “we have every right to feel anger. We have every right to feel as angry as we feel. So do other people. But we also have a responsibility–primarily to ourselves–to deal with our anger appropriately.”

Dealing with repressed emotions will not happen overnight. Dealing with a significant amount of repressed anger may take time and effort. Dealing with new anger takes practice, she counsels.

 

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Beattie makes some suggestions for dealing with anger:

1. Address any myths we have subscribed to about anger.

2. Feel the emotion.

3. Acknowledge the thoughts that accompany the feeling.

4. Examine the thinking that goes with the feeling.

5. Make a responsible decision about what, if any, action we need to take.

6. Don’t let anger control us.

7. Openly and honestly discuss our anger, when it’s appropriate.

8. Take responsibility for our anger.

9. Talk to people we trust.

10. Burn off the anger energy.

11. Don’t beat ourselves or others for feeling angry.

12. Write letters we don’t intend to send.

13. Deal with guilt.

Once we start dealing with anger, Beattie says we may notice we feel angry most of the time. “That’s common,” he explains. “We’re like kids with a new toy. We’ll settle down with it. Be patient. We aren’t going to deal with it perfectly. No one does. We’ll make mistakes, but we’ll also learn from them. The reason we’re told not to seek revenge is because getting even is a common response to anger. If we’ve done or do some inappropriate things, deal with earned guilt and go on from there. Strive for progress.”

 

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She advises that “we need to be gentle with ourselves if we’ve been repressing loads of angry feelings. Things take time. We may need to be that angry for now. When we don’t need to be angry any more, we’ll quit feeling angry if we want to. If we think we might be stuck in anger, get professional help.”

Beattie continues: “Some people believe we never have to become angry; if we control our thinking and are appropriately detached; we will never react with or wallow around in anger. That’s probably true; however, I prefer to relax and see what happens, rather than guard myself rigidly.”

“I don’t believe that anger should become our focus in life, nor should we look for reasons to become angry to test ourselves. ‘It’s not good to be angry all the time,’ says counselor Esther Olson. It’s not healthy to act hostile. There is much more to life than anger. But it’s okay to feel anger when we need to.”

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

Cult of prayers

 

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

—Ave Maria prayer

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THE words of the Ave Maria, spoken daily by millions of Roman Catholics, summarize one of the most perplexing elements in the riddle of Roman Catholicism, the cult of prayers and veneration addressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The late Dr. Jaroslav Pelikan, who wrote The Riddle of Roman Catholicism on the eve of the Second Vatican Council and in the early phase of the Cold War, explained that other elements in that riddle may seem strange or even fascinating, “but the cult of the Blessed Virgin is downright repugnant to many non-Roman Christians.”

Non-Catholics look upon it as “a species or vestigial remnant of pre-Christian paganism,” Pelikan explained.

He noted that “they smile intolerantly” when they see or hear the invocation of the saints by the Roman Catholics or read notices in the “Personal” column of a metropolitan newspaper that say: “Thanks to St. Jude and the Blessed Virgin for obtaining an apartment for us.”

Pelikan observed that even those Protestants who look at the mass with respect rather than suspicion are caught short by the veneration of Mary.

 

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“In the eyes of many Protestant lay people this is surely the most obnoxious feature of Roman Catholicism,” Pelikan stressed. “Here, they say, you have to draw the line beyond which Christianity dare not go.” Protestant theology, too, sees in the cult of Mary, as it has climaxed now in the dogma of the Assumption, one of the chief barriers between Roman Catholics and Protestants.

Pelikan said even sympathetic Protestant theologians felt constrained to warn in 1950:

While today the majority of the churches with tears of penitence confess before God that they share in the guilt of a divided Body of Christ, and in common prayer and serious scholarly effort seek to diminish the area of disagreement and increase the area of agreement…the Roman Church would increase the area of disagreement by a dogma of the Assumption. Creation of a dogma of the Assumption would be interpreted today in the midst of the efforts at closer relationships between the churches as a fundamental veto on the part of the Roman Church.

“Thus there is little sympathy for Roman Catholic Mariology outside the borders of the Roman communion,” stressed Pelikan, who died on May 13, 2006 after a battle with cancer at age 82.

 

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Calling Mary “holy” was originally a way of speaking not about Mary herself at all, but about Jesus Christ, suggested the one-time Lutheran professor of church history at Yale Divinity School.

Almost every reference to her in the earliest Christian literature is, in point, a reference to her son.

When Paul says that Christ was “born of woman,” he is saying nothing about Mary, but is asserting that our Lord was truly human. (See Gal. 4:4.)

Pelikan pointed out that even the narratives of Matthew and Luke, which tell of her conceiving without a man, are aimed at the glorification of Christ, not of Mary.

“Whatever else may be said about the idea of the virgin birth, it is a declaration about Jesus Christ,” wrote Pelikan. “It means that even in the circumstances of his humble birth Jesus manifested God’s power and freedom over the created world and its laws.”

He added: “To that power and freedom it points as a sign. Even without the sign of the virgin birth, the gospels of Mark and John and the epistles of Paul are able to speak of the power and the freedom of God in Christ.”

Pelikan explained that the sign loses its powers as a sign, its “significance,” when it is interpreted as merely an incredible happening or when it is taken as a key to the holiness of Mary.

“Mary and Pontius Pilate are the only two ordinary people mentioned in the Apostles’ Creed,” disclosed Pelikan. “Both are there as signs pointing to Jesus Christ—one to show his lordship even in infancy, the other to show his lordship even in death.”

Pelikan believed that “neither Mary nor Pilate is important as a figure in history except for the role each of them played in the career of our Lord.”

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

A state of mind

“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”

—Napoleon Hill

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

DINAGYANG Festival is not just an event, it has become a state of mind for most Ilonggos.

Wherever an Ilonggo lives around the world, he or she experiences a particular mindset or mood that is associated with or inspired by Dinagyang Festival, which has “globalized” Iloilo.

If Taj Mahal connotes New Delhi and Mardi Gras implies Rio de Janeiro, Dinagyang alludes to Iloilo.

It’s gratifying to think that if you are born and raised in Iloilo, you are part of the universal consciousness that is ensconced in the religious and cultural pneumatics.

With ideas and attitudes anchored on battlecry that nobody can stop them from doing what they want and what they will achieve, Ilonggos relish in the struggle, fight, and determination in everyday life.

An ideal llonggo state of mind fluctuates between thinking and engaged—whatever a current situation demands of it.

There isn’t a formula that dictates when we should be in one state and when we should be in the other, but much like dancing, we need to find a rhythm and delicately move as the situation or music requires.

Viva Senior Santo Nino!

 

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Appeal from Kansas City-based Ilonggo Marvin Salcedo, who hails from Sara, Iloilo: “Sen. Raffy Tulfo please help us in putting behind bars those who are accountable in the failed Ungka flyover construction. Or perhaps turn it over to Department of Tourism to turn it into a P680-M tourism project and promote it similar to Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy.

“Let us also support Kabataan Partylist Raoul Manuel in his call to investigate the anomalous Ungka flyover bridge. He is the only Ilonggo solon to initiate a congressional hearing regarding this highway robbery happening in front of Pavianhon and Ilonggo peoples’ eyes. The only lawmaker who has the balls, so to speak.

“What would be the best name to call the Ungka flyover if it will be turned over to Department of Tourism?”

 

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SAVING OUR PLANET. Let’s polish off watermarks. Instead of using chemical treatments for wood, or varnishes that contain air-polluting chemicals, let’s get rid of watermarks using a dry cloth. Let’s rub the mark with olive or almond oil or mix butter with cigarette ash to turn it brown, then polish.

SAVING OUR PLANET. Clean clothes with bleach. If we want to get rid of blood in our clothes without using bleach, let’s pour salt or cold club soda onto the stain and soak in cold water before washing. For a more stubborn stain, mix cornstarch, talcum powder, and a little water into a spreadable paste and apply; then allow to dry and brush away.

CLOSER. Close to us is not family but death.

The secrets of the universe, according to Eykis, are:

1. We must learn to cultivate our own garden.

2. The kingdom of heaven is within.

3. Everything in the universe is exactly as it should be.

4. It’s never too late to have a have a happy childhood.

5. Where I go, there I am!

6. Keep it simple.

7. These are the good old days.

8. You are perfect.

ANTHROPOMIMETIC MACHINES. No matter how closely a robot resembles a human on the outside, if we crack it open, the jumble of wires is unlikely to bear much resemblance to our insides. A group of European researchers aims to bridge that gap–its robot prototype is anthropomimetic, making it mimics the human form.

HEAVY AND LIGHT. Heaviest weight is not elephant or iron but responsibility. Biggest is not the mountain or sun, but our lust and desire. Lightest is neither wind nor feathers, but not praying or delaying it.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

Last but not least

“Festivals are happy places, and you don’t really want to enjoy them on your own.”

—Christine and the Queens

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

BECAUSE it is held in the fourth weekend of the month of January each year, Iloilo City’s Dinagyang Festival (January 27-28 major events) is considered as the last—but not least—festival in relation to the celebration of the holy child Jesus, Senior Santo Niño, in the country’s Christian community.

But if the Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo and the Sinulog Festival in Cebu are considered to be the Wimbledon Open and US Open respectively, Dinagyang Festival is both the French Open and Australian Open because of the two major and dazzling highlights—the cultural presentation on Saturday and ati dance competition on Sunday.

When everyone else is tired and weary after rounding up all the other festivals with the same characteristics and cultural value in the month of January, Dinagyang Festival towers above the totem pole for tourists, marketing strategists, pilgrims, politicians, and media.

The two popular Visayan festivals in Kalibo and Cebu are unique with each other: Kalibo’s Ati-atihan highlights the ritual of the native dance while Cebu’s Sinulog focuses on the dance’s historical aspects.

The Dinagyang Festival has been known to be a dyed-in-the-wool cultural and religious celebration.

Although Dinagyang has its roots in the Ati-atihan festival that represents the Ilonggos’ link in our Christian faith, the Iloilo celebration also specifically pays tribute to the arrival of the Malay settlers in the country, including the notable barter of Panay Island from natives called Ati.

In terms of marketing, global impact, and number of activities lined up during the week-long celebration, Dinagyang Festival is considered to be the largest event held in honor of Senior Santo Niño.

 

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There should be no need for a religious or spiritual activity or celebration anywhere in the Philippine or around the globe to constantly remind us that we must love one another, respect each other, don’t gossip and foment intrigues, stop judging others, don’t envy, stop the irrational jealousy, be happy, and always make it a habit to pray.

With or without the religious festivals and religion’s valuable reminders, we are supposed to know what is right and wrong; what is evil and good.

If we are compelled to only practice these Christian virtues because of the homilies from religious leaders and the temporary euphoria brought by the religious festivals.

We become hypocrites after several weeks and months and back again to our moral and spiritual aberrations.

If we are spiritually and morally strong, we will always choose the right path and eschew wickedness even if Lucifer will be the one to lead and organize the bacchanalia. God bless us all.

 

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THE administrations of all the five previous Philippine presidents—Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III, Rodrigo Duterte—have failed in their malice-ridden bids to tamper with the Philippine Constitution.

The sixth administration, under Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., is bound to fail, at least according to the recent developments in the fresh move for people’s initiative for Charter change (Chacha) now that the senate has made its voice heard loudly.

Many Filipinos may be suckers to populist presidents and their antics, but majority of them still value the sacredness of the fundamental law of the land and they have been proven to be assertive and allergic to any attempt to amend, rearrange, distort, and “improve” it however strong is the justification put forward by prime movers in the Lower House.

We agree with former Comelec chair and constitutional expert Christian Monsod who said that in some of the attempts, “people saw selfish motives like a proposal to grant authoritarian powers to the president, sync the Bill of Rights with the Anti-Terrorism Act and allow elected officials to stay in power for as long as they want.”

The 1987 Constitution limits the president and vice president to a single six-year, non-renewable term.

After Marcos Sr., Arroyo was the longest serving president, staying in power for nine years but this was not the result of Chacha, but a Supreme Court ruling that allowed her to run for a regular six-year term as president after serving three years as replacement of Estrada following his ouster for massive corruption.

 

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY? More than 13,000 tech employees have been laid off so far this year, data shows, as the industry doubles down on investments in artificial intelligence, according to CNN.

On January 23, eBay’s CEO Jamie Iannone announced the company is cutting 1,000 positions, or about 9 percent of its full-time employees, citing the “challenging macroeconomic environment.” Meanwhile, Google CEO Sundar Pichai has warned employees to expect additional layoffs in the months to come as the tech giant reorients itself toward AI “and beyond.” Duolingo laid off around 10 percent of its contract workers as it moves toward a heavier reliance on artificial intelligence tools. Amazon has also cut hundreds of jobs this year, including at the game streaming platform Twitch.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

Spiritual approach

 

“It is forbidden to kill; therefore, all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.”

― Voltaire

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

ONCE the furor over the people’s initiative (PI) for Charter change (Cha-cha) will start to ebb, the news about the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its controversial mission in the Philippines will take centerstage next.

Cha-cha will come and go; ICC will come and hold accountable abusive and sadistic leaders even if they are shielded and tolerated by their successors.

ICC, in the forefront of probe on the death of an estimated 6,000 Filipinos during the Duterte regime’s brutal war against illegal drugs, investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.

ICC’s possible resurgence was manifested by the recent tense exchanges between President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa whether Malacanang will allow the ICC to recognize its presence in the country.

To calm down the nervous Senator Bato, Mr. Marcos immediately declared: “I do not recognize the jurisdiction of ICC in the Philippines. I consider this as a threat to our sovereignty. Therefore, the Philippine government, will not lift a finger to help any investigation that the ICC conducts. However, as ordinary people, they can come and visit the Philippines.”

Despite Mr. Marcos Jr’s solid stand, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said a warrant of arrest might soon be issued against Mr. Duterte and his former henchman, the neophyte senator Bato.

 

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Let’s approach the problem from the spiritual point of view. My 70-year-old chess rival in Queens has suggested that in order for the controversy on EJK or extra-judicial killings in the Philippines to be resolved, Filipinos should embrace the religion of Janism.

“Master Sam”, an Indian-American, said followers of this ancient religion wouldn’t even hurt a fly–literally.

He was saddened by reports that thousands of suspected Filipino drug addicts and traffickers of illegal substance “have been murdered like animals” in the streets and inside their houses in raids since a “no non-sense” battle against illegal drugs was launched in the Philippines during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016 to 2022.

Handpicked by President Duterte to “cleanse the country with criminal elements,” Bato dela Rosa, then the PNP chief, denied the PNP had initiated the mass killings insisting “we adhered to the due process and respected the human rights of the suspects.”

Janism is one of India’s three ancient religions, along with Buddhism and Hinduism.

“Master Sam” said because of this religion, he could not even get mad at chess hustlers in the park who had been bilking him.

“I’m a peaceful person,” he said. “When I beat you in a chess match once, I felt I humiliated you (referring to me) in front of your friends. When it was your turn to beat me (eight times in another meeting), I felt it was necessary to compliment you and tell people around that you are a better chess player,”

“Master Sam,” who once lost $1,500 to Filipino chess hustlers at the Queen’s Elmhurst Park, played blitz matches with yours truly without any bet.

 

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Despite the fact that it has only a few million adherents and is confined almost entirely in Southern India, Janism’s philosophy of non-violence has spread throughout the world, according to “Master Sam.”

To Janists, he said, the world is divided into the living (or the soul) and the non-living.

They believe that the soul is invaded by karmic matter, or negative passions, that can dominate people’s lives. These include violence, greed, anger, and self-indulgence.

This karma reportedly bonds to the soul and impedes the search for perfect understanding and peace.

To reach the heavenly stage, “Master Sam” said Janists must stop the inflow of bad karma and shed the karmic matter that has already bonded to their souls.

Once this has been accomplished, he explained, they reach moksha or a level of pure understanding where the soul is liberated from all earthly matter.

Master Sam said achieving this heavenly stage is quite an ordeal. An individual must spend 12 years as a Janist monk and go through eight reincarnations in order to get there.

Along the way, each must also adhere to the Three Jewels of Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct.

More extreme worshippers deny themselves even the most basic of life’s pleasures by fasting and wearing only the simplest clothing.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

 

Don’t lose a child in Dinagyang

 

“At the end of the day, the goals are simple: safety and security.”

—Jodi Rell

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

ONE of the best executive orders by a sitting city mayor in Iloilo City intended for the Dinagyang Festival was signed by Atty. Geronimo “Jerry” Treñas on January 22, 2024.

I have known the Dinagyang Festival; what it is all about; how it is prepared, managed, celebrated, venerated and promoted since the 70s as a resident of Iloilo City in the City Proper since birth.

I have witnessed scores of children wailing, waggling frenziedly and getting hurt after being left behind accidentally in the sidewalks and roads by adult companions or parents and couldn’t immediately locate them.  

But it’s the first time that a city mayor has emphasized the need to safeguard our children who may be brought by their parents and/or guardians to the festival or tarry in the crowded venues of the festival activities unaccompanied by any adult.

It’s the first time that the parents are being seriously exhorted in a city hall fiat to ensure the safety and security of their children who might be physically present in downtown, City Proper during the festival and the revelry that will ensue.

 

-o0o-

 

In an Executive Order No. 010 Series of 2024 “Providing for safety and security measures to be implemented during the 2024 Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City,” Treñas “adopted” or zeroed in on the Iloilo City Police Office’s child safety guidelines.

In Letter A (Safety Measures for the General Public) of Section 3 on Permissible Activities; Prohibitions of the Executive Order, Treñas stressed the following:

-Set a meeting place for a child to go when he/she gets lost;

-Use identification cards, bracelets, o tags with contact information;

-Make sure the child knows his/her name and parent’s contact information;

-Pair each child with a friend or sibling;

-Wear bright colors to be easily seen in the crowd;

-Bring a recent photo of the child. Keep a good watch on the child and hold hands in crowded places;

-Teach the child about “stranger danger” and remind him/her to NOT to talk or go with strangers; and

-Identify and teach the child to go to the nearest police assistance desk.

 

-o0o-

 

SIGNS OF LIFE. One manifestation of possible life in a certain planet is the presence of micro organisms. Scientists have reportedly found a micro organism in planet Mars. 

Was Mars inhabited by living creatures millions if not billions of years ago? How about in Jupiter, Saturn, among other planets in and outside the Solar System not yet explored by human beings from planet Earth?

Those who condemn the person who rejects an organized religion should study Plato’s “Allegory of the cave”

The evolution of human thought is among homo sapien’s best contributions to civilization.

COUGAR PHILOSOPHER. Ayn Rand, author of “Atlas Shrugged”, was reportedly a cougar like Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of Europe’s most powerful women, Elizabeth I, Catherine II, and Mae West.

“Who are you?” was the first question Sophie Amundsen got from an anonymous letter sender in the New York Times bestseller “Sophies’s World”, a novel about the history of philosophy, written by Jostein Gaarder, author of “The Solitaire Mystery”

 SEX education is a broad term used to describe education about human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and other aspects of human sexual behavior. Common avenues for sex education are parents or caregivers, school programs, and public health campaigns.

YOUNG GENERAL. George Washington was only 18 when he was appointed general of the Continental Army, and was the only U.S. president who didn’t live in the White House… The FBI seized at least six more classified documents from President Biden’s Delaware home on Saturday, the president’s personal lawyer said. FBI agents searched the home for almost 13 hours and walked out with “six items consisting of documents with classification markings and surrounding materials,” attorney Bob Bauer told reporters.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

Iloilo blackout threat: A game of musical chairs

 

“Without electricity, the air would rot.”

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WE are confident the Department of Energy (DoE) is on top of the situation to ensure that the final stages of the Dinagyang Festival 2024 this week won’t be sabotaged by veiled threats of a possible power outage owing to the “precautionary” announcement made recently by the country’s favorite whipping boy, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

The national government should not and cannot abandon the Ilonggos during their most important and emotional moments while celebrating the festival’s major events.

The atmosphere this week calls for a festive, relaxed, and serene moments as the venerated fluvial parade, among other most valued and sacred programs are scheduled to unravel.

Joy, hope, happiness, stability; not fear, panic, and uncertainty.

The last thing that will happen is to interrupt the proceedings and all the other remaining activities before and during the festival highlights on January 27 and 28.

There should be no place for the game of the musical chairs during the big cultural and religious festival in Iloilo City, which is being monitored by people from all over the world.

It will be instant Armageddon if NGCP and other authorized players in the country’s power industry will uncork—or fail to prevent the opening of—a pandora box that will result in massive blackout. God forbid.

It will be difficult for the Ilonggos to forgive and forget.

 

-o0o-

   

This was NGCP’s advisory on January 17, 2024 that made many blood pressures to shoot up:

Unscheduled power interruption in Negros and Panay sub-grid at 6:48PM due to the unplanned outage of PEDC Unit 3 (121.11MW) at 6:44PM.

The unresolved internal issues of the remaining major power plants (PEDC Units 1 and 2, and PCPC) that precipitated the January 2 incident, qualify as a significant threat to system security following a credible N-1 event, and justifies manual intervention by the System Operator NGCP under Philippine Grid Code Section 6.2.3.4.

In order to preserve the integrity of the transmission system, NGCP implemented manual load dropping. 퐏퐨퐰퐞퐫 퐢퐧 퐚퐟퐟퐞퐜퐭퐞퐝 퐞퐥퐞퐜퐭퐫퐢퐜 퐜퐨퐨퐩퐞퐫퐚퐭퐢퐯퐞퐬/퐝퐢퐬퐭퐫퐢퐛퐮퐭퐢퐨퐧 퐮퐭퐢퐥퐢퐭퐢퐞퐬 퐡퐚퐯퐞 퐚퐥퐫퐞퐚퐝퐲 퐛퐞퐞퐧 퐫퐞퐬퐭퐨퐫퐞퐝 퐚퐬 퐨퐟 ퟕ:ퟎퟕ퐏퐌.

However, following DOE and ERC instructions, another MLD may be implemented in the event of the tripping of another large plant in the Panay sub-grid.

The DoE was quick to assure the public on January 20 there would be stable power supply in Panay despite this advisory from the NGCP of a possible outage due to “unresolved internal issues” of a power plant supplying electricity to the area.

DoE Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said in a media forum NGCP’s advisory was just a precautionary measure and should not cause alarm.

 

-o0o-

 

As of this writing, winter storm continued to batter some areas in the East Coast. We have been advised to prepare and defend ourselves from possible spread of flu virus.

Not all of my friends have flu vaccines thus, to help avoid the flu virus, there are a number of things for us to do, as emphasized by health authorities here.

First and foremost, anyone can still get the flu vaccination. While some people who get vaccinated may still get sick, the flu vaccination prevents millions of influenza illnesses every season, according to health authorities.

In fact, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has recommended getting vaccinated every year as the best protection against catching the flu.

However, we have been warned not to rely on the vaccination alone when it comes to avoiding the flu virus.

There are several other things to do in order to keep ourselves as protected as possible:

—We must keep our hands clean by washing them regularly, especially if we have been out in a public place where there is likely to be a multitude of germs.

—We must disinfect our home by ensuring we’re properly disinfecting, regularly spraying and wiping the surfaces with disinfectant spray or disinfecting wipes.

—We must steer clear of anyone who is coughing or sneezing: Germs can potentially enter our body through the air we breathe. We must stay at least six feet away from anyone who is actively coughing or sneezing.

—We must get enough sleep: We must keep our immune system strong by ensuring that we are getting enough sleep each night.

—We must eat plenty of fruit and vegetables: We must give our immune system another boost by eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, packed with important vitamins.

—We must disinfect communal surfaces immediately after use: One of the best ways to try to avoid the flu is through disinfecting high traffic surfaces as regularly as possible, health experts said.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

Sorry, it isn’t a vindication

“Corruption happens because there is impunity. That’s the reason why corruption is widespread at all levels – from the person who asks for a bribe on the street to those who hold prominent positions.”

—Joao Lourenco

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IF Senator Jinggoy Estrada were Japanese, he would have committed a hara-kiri.

It’s a form of ritual suicide in Japan by defeated warriors (samurai). From the 17th to 19th centuries, hara-kiri was a form of death penalty, disguised as suicide, for accused individuals of Japan’s warrior class.

But Estrada is a Filipino, a traditional politician, who lives a privileged and glossy life.

Pinoy politicians have some of the most notorious reputations when it comes to dishonesty and corruption.

If you’re a Filipino politician (with due respect to the good ones) and happens to visit abroad, it’s difficult to admit who you are for fear of being sneered at.

A politician is different from a patriot. The former is synonymous to graft and corruption and grandstanding; the latter is synonymous to patriotism, probity, and incorruptibility.

I have plenty of politician “friends” in the Philippines who are dedicated and mission-oriented, but they are outnumbered by politicians who are disgraceful and dishonorable.  

Thus, Estrada could still manage to smile and hollered, “I’m vindicated” after being cleared January 19 by the Sandiganbayan 5^th Division for plunder in relation to the pork barrel scam.

 

-o0o-

 

Despite being sentenced by the same division to two to three years of imprisonment for indirect bribery and penalized with suspension of holding public office, public censure and perpetual special disqualification of the right to vote, Estrada thought he just won a Wimbledon tennis match by grinning from ear to ear while talking to reporters after the sentencing.

Being found guilty of one count of bribery and two counts of indirect bribery after allegedly pocketing P183 million in kickbacks from ghost projects masterminded by the “queen of pork barrel scam” Janet Napoles, is not a vindication.

The real meaning of vindication, according to Oxford, is a “proof that someone or something is right, reasonable, or justified.”

No, Jinggoy, you weren’t vindicated. You were found guilty and the reason why you weren’t delivered straight to the calaboose was because you availed an appeal in the higher court.

Estrada was sentenced to eight to nine years in prison for direct bribery and is ordered to pay a P3-million fine.

This isn’t a vindication.

 

-o0o-

 

SAVING OUR PLANET. Let’s de-scorch with milk. To remove iron scorches from colorfast clothing and fabrics, let’s gently simmer the scorched article in one cup soap flakes (or grated pure-Castile soap) and four pints of milk for 10 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly, allow to dry, and wash normally.

IF WE GRAB A CANDY BAR when we have PMS, we’re likely to recognize the hormonal connection. but what if it’s our credit card we’re reaching for? Turns out that spending may also be influenced by hormones.

No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek Him. — HEBREW 11:6.

What is impossible for man is possible for God — LUKE 18:27

I SUPPORT THE WELCOME CORPS. As an immigrant from the Philippines, I support the Welcome Corps commemorated January 19 by the Department of State, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services. Welcome Corps, a private sponsorship program that empowers everyday Americans to welcome refugees arriving through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), is now one year. Welcome Corps sponsors support refugees’ resettlement and integration as they build new lives in the United States. Through this service opportunity, more than 15,000 Americans have already applied to sponsor more than 7,000 refugees through the Welcome Corps, exceeding our mobilization goal for the program’s first year.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)