Opinion

The appointment of Rep. Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez as the new Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will leave a vacuum in the third district with nine months left till the next election.But I am happy for Cong. Kiko as I know this appointment will ignite his passion for education and expand his initiatives like digital transformation beyond the third district and Negros to the entire country.I got to sit down with Cong Kiko a few weeks back when he guested at the induction of the Rotary Club of Silay. At that time, the TESDA position was already being talked about after several endorsements from education and civic groups named him as a potential new chief for the agency.You could an see he was excited with the idea and when he...

For four Sundays now, we have been reading from Chapter 6 of John’s gospel, wherein Jesus gives his discourse on the Eucharist. Earlier, Jesus identifies himself as the bread that comes down from heaven and satisfies man’s deepest hunger. Today he becomes more explicit in saying that the bread of life he will give is none other than his flesh.Naturally, this claim causes a heated discussion among his listeners. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” They become even more disturbed when Jesus adds, “"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink.”Jesus...

My classmate governors in Rotary Philippines planned a mini-reunion post our one-year term and we decided on Hanoi, Vietnam as our destination.  As the designated in-charge of travel, I solicited the help of Travel Lounge’s Sheila Saratan who created a package for us and she very well delivered as we came  home wanting for more. We arrived in Hanoi early morning and were brought straight to a Pho place upon request to have a taste of this Vietnamese soup with rice noodles, herbs and meat. It was a heavy breakfast but well worth it since Cebu Pacific does not offer even coffee on board their regional flights. I was used to flavoring  pho with the sweet-salty Hoisin sauce but in Hanoi, they only offer soy sauce and chili sauce for flavoring. It wasn’...

Elijah has just beaten the prophets of Baal in a contest which proves beyond doubt that Yahweh is the true God. The victory should have convinced the Israelites to return to God, but to Elijah’s frustration, they continue to follow Baal. Not only that, he now runs for his life since the vindictive queen Jezebel vows to pursue him to his death. Totally exhausted in body and in spirit, he sits under a solitary broom tree and bitterly laments, “Enough, Lord… Take my life for I am no better than my fathers.”Elijah gives up and lays himself to sleep while awaiting death. But God does not give up on Elijah. He sends his angel not once but twice to wake him up and provides him bread and water. Strengthened by the food, the prophet continues his journey for forty days and forty nights until he...

It was around 9 p.m. Sunday when my phone started buzzing and in almost all group chats I am in, the news was about Carlos Yulo making history by bagging two gold medals in the Paris Olympics.That second gold moved the Philippines up the ladder of bemedalled countries to 21 from 31st place out of 184 participating nations and that is something.I was quite woozy by then but couldn’t help searching for that moment of glory online and like many Filipinos, I shed a tear and felt pride when our National Anthem was played at the awarding ceremony.What makes Yulo’s story interesting was that prior to the Paris games, he got ditched by his Japanese coach and had to hop from one country to another to train alongside other gymnasts and learn from them.His perseverance will be rewarde...

My last column for DIGICAST NEGROS was over a year ago when I decided to take a hiatus from writing to concentrate on my task as Governor for our Rotary International District 3850. And rightly so as I had to go around Western Visayas all the way to the end of Western Mindanao in the province of Tawi-Tawi.For almost an entire year, I had very little time to follow the news as I was always on the road, thus when my term finally ended, I was surprised to hear of the various developments in our local politics.Just last week, we read up on a possible husband and wife tandem of Kabankalan Mayor Benjie Miranda and spouse, Divina, who will be up against two Zaycos - former governor and mayor Isidro Zayco and his nephew and current Vice Mayor Miggy Zayco.Of course it is not impossible ...

After witnessing the miracle of the multiplication of bread, the crowd want to make Jesus their king. Aware of their intention, Jesus escapes to the mountain. Later, when they finally find him across the lake, they ask him, “Rabbi, how did you get here?” Jesus replies, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life."The people want Jesus to be their king because they think he will make a perfect provider. With him as king, they will be assured of food security and social welfare. They see him like a free vendo machine or a magic lamp that can readily answer all their needs.Come to think of it, we too may have a similar attitu...

Once again, we are given a glimpse of the compassionate heart of Jesus in today’s gospel. Earlier Jesus gives up his much-needed rest to teach the crowd upon seeing them like sheep without a shepherd. Now, moved with the same pity, Jesus inquires from his apostles where to find food to feed the people. Philip argues against the possibility of buying food for a crowd of five thousand in the middle of a deserted place. Meanwhile, Andrew introduces a boy with five barley loaves of bread and two fish, although he himself is skeptical how the meager supply could help.Jesus then asks the people to recline on the grass as he takes the loaves in his hands, blesses and distributes them. He does likewise with the two fish. After everyone is filled and satisfied, Jesus asks his apostles to gather...

The apostles returned from their mission and reported all that they had done with great joy and enthusiasm. Jesus invited them to come to a quiet place to rest for “people were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat.”Reading this verse, I cannot help but think of our own priests who celebrate four to five Masses on Sundays, wake up in the middle of the night when called to anoint a dying patient or to exorcise a possessed. Some travel several kilometers on foot to attend to the needs of our far-flung communities. I remember one priest who literally drags himself to the altar and to the BEC’s on Sundays, when attacked by severe gout. One Holy Thursday during the Mass of the Last Supper, he crawled on the sanctuary from one apostle to another to wash a...

Jesus is rejected by his own people (last Sunday’s gospel). Amos is rejected by a people not his own (today’s first reading). Amos who hails from the kingdom of Judah is sent by God to prophesy in Israel, its rival kingdom. In the gospel, Jesus sends his apostles on mission, warning them beforehand that not everyone will welcome them or listen to them. Rejection seems to be the lot of every prophet.The irony is that the prophets are sent to bring God’s message of hope. In the Old Testament God’s message to his people is a one of salvation (often from their enemies). In the New Testament, it is the good news of the coming of the kingdom. What makes the people resistant to God’s message is what it requires - conversion. God’s message is a call to return to him who alone is salvation and ...