Opinion

As we near the end of the Church’s calendar, the liturgical readings deal more and more with eschatological themes (death, judgment, heaven and hell). Even the feasts we celebrate in this closing month (All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day and Christ the King) take on the same tenor.Thus, today’s readings speak of the said themes and the doctrine of the resurrection, in particular. The first reading tells the story of the heroic sons of an equally heroic mother who readily submit themselves to horrific torture and eventual death in the hands of the evil king “with the hope God gives of being raised up by him.” No amount of suffering can break their faith in God and their confidence in his promise that they will find life beyond death.In the gospel, the Sadducees, who do not believe in t...

I have invited Fr. Marvin Labasan, one of our young priests (ordained 2 months ago) to take my column for this Sunday. I thank him for graciously accepting, and here it is.ZacchaeusWhat is it that you desire the most?One of our natural human capacities is to desire. Human desire is varied and multiple. Some desire wealth; others fame, good health, a better future or a trusted companion. Someone may just wish to have the latest cellphone unit or a child may simply want to have a burger or a candy. All of these things, from our little wants to our grandest longings, spring from our deep yearning that needs to be fulfilled or a thirst that needs to be quenched.However, while human desires are varied and innumerable, they are nevertheless directed towards one thing, namely, hap...

Last week, the Clergy of the Diocese of Bacolod gathered in the mountains of Murcia for our annual retreat. It was a much-anticipated event since for the past two years we have been deprived of this cherished gathering by the pandemic. Consequently, it turned to be an exuberantly joyful family reunion. But more importantly, it was a privileged encounter with God in creation (our venue was nature at its best), in our moments of personal prayer and in our faith-sharing sessions with brother priests.The theme of our retreat was communion, with a focus on our relationships as a presbyterium. Our retreat facilitator developed the theme in the context of power. It was interesting to see our relationships with one another and with our people in the ministry in this particular perspective. It ...

Today’s liturgical readings center on prayer. Their message is simple and clear: God answers prayer.Last week, I brought a group of seminarians to Our Lady’s Shrine in Simala. Personally, I always have mixed feelings whenever I visit the place. Among other things, I feel uneasy and somewhat disturbed to see the blatant and bustling business activities regarding religious articles. One thing, however, never fails to impress me in Simala - the faith of the countless pilgrims that come. Such faith is clearly visible in the faces of those who are deeply absorbed in prayer as they light their (colored) candles. I believe people keep coming to the shrine because their prayers are heard. The endless rows of testimonies of healing and favors posted on the walls of the church powerfully attest ...

Two main events happened in Bacolod that keep the smiles coming - the reopening of the iconic Christmas Village by Bamboo Tonogbanua which never ceases to amaze me and the grand opening of the huge and beautiful McDonalds in The Upper East, Megaworld which has since drawn long lines of customers who want to experience this new attraction in our city.It’s actually three if you will count the opening of the Majica exhibit in the art district this coming weekend but that’s another story to tell.Bamboo Tonogbanua (3rd from left) with (l-r) Bing and Chart Motus and Antonio Tejado.Bamboo’s Christmas Village has always been a must-see in our family when everyone comes home for the holidays. Kids and adults alike will marvel at the miniature figures that Bamboo has creatively displayed...

Gratitude is a virtue that comes natural to us, Filipinos. We have been born into a culture that deeply values every gift received which in turn obliges us to return the favor in whatever form. Thus, our word for gratitude is utang na loob, utang kabubot-on, or utang kabalaslan. When practiced properly and sincerely, this virtue can only enrich our heart and deepen our relationships.Unfortunately, however, today’s culture of entitlement greatly challenges this virtue and threatens it towards extinction. Many people, especially the young, think that they deserve everything in life. They make demands and claims that everything is their right. They forget that everything is a gift. That “all is grace.” St. Paul asks his Christians, “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you di...

I’ve never been a fan of billiards but because of work, I had to do the rounds in the 1st Mayor Albee Benitez MassKara Billiards Tournament that ran for 5-days at the SM City North Atrium.Every time the legendary world champion, Efren “Bata” Reyes played, the atrium was packed to the hilt. Billiards’ luminaries like Francisco “Django” Bustamente, Jerico Banares, Anton Raga and Dennis Orcullo also have their own followers who watched their games.Boy wonder, 15-year old AJ Manas became the talk of the town after eliminating the legendary Efren “Bata” Reyes in the 64-player knock out round.*Ronnie Baldonado photoBut one by one, the legends fell and the most talked about elimination was that of Reyes who was crushed by a 15-year old boy wonder, AJ Manas, from Antipolo with a score ...

It’s been a busy week in Bacolod with guests already coming in droves to participate and witness the MassKara Festival. After two years of missing out on one of the popular festivals in the country due to the pandemic, organizers are bent on making this as the grandest MassKara ever and they expect at least 200,000 visitors during the highlights of the MassKara which is on October 21-23.For us residents, road closures and rerouting are probably going to give us headaches and cause inconveniences but this festival will spell revenue for the city and the province as well and so, let us put our best foot forward and make our visitors feel welcome with our warm smiles.Charlie Co and Barry Cervantes explain their concept to me of “Soaring High: The Power of Imagination,” an installation...

It was my first time to visit Pangasinan upon the invitation of Governor Ann Lorenzana of Rotary International District 3790 that covers the provinces of Tarlac all the way to Baguio, as one of their speakers in their Public Image Seminar.We left Manila early in the morning and what used to be a 6-hour drive became a breeze through the NLEX. The drive was picturesque and we were hoping to stop in some spots but unfortunately, we lost our way somewhere in Tarlac and barely made it in time for the training which was held at the Sison Auditorium in Lingayen, just adjacent to their impressive government center.I am in my second year as a member of the Rotary Public Image Committee (RPIC) in the Philippines and last year, because of the pandemic, most of my invitations were for virtual ...

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has submitted its proposal for the 2023 General Appropriations Act to Congress, and it outlines thematic priority thrusts for next year's annual budget.Out of its P24.1 billion proposed allocation for 2023, the DENR prioritizes its Enhanced National Greening Program having the highest budget amounting to about P2.49 billion. This proposed budget has been recently posted on the official Twitter account of the DENR. The NGP has been implemented for over a decade and while it has been noted to have successfully reforested certain parts of our denuded timberlands, it received a number of criticisms.Foremost issue raised by some scientists and conservationists is the widespread use of exotic species in reforestation that are not in any...