SC 53/ Pitkin Oil Exploration and the Ancestral Domains of Occidental Mindoro Mangyans

To begin with

The beehive is stirred up once again when people from Provincial Government of Occidental Mindoro publicly announced just recently that Pitkin Petroleum Inc. is bound to start exploration drilling on the fourth quarter of this year.

In August 7, 2014, Gov. Mario Gene J. Mendiola sent his provincial legal officer Atty. Dan Restor and PGO-SAMARICA OIC Jun Norella to witness a tripartite meeting among the Petroleum (Phils.) or Pitkin, the Department of Energy (DOE), and the National Commission for the Indigenous People (NCIP). Apparently, what they have discussed is the conduct of Field-Based Investigation which is actually a pre-requisite to the Free Prior and Informed Consent or FPIC. I have a lot of friends who support the oil exploration project who are allied with the “Dream Team”, the political faction of Cong. Josephine Ramirez-Sato and Gov. Mendiola, and I hope we will remain friends respecting each other’s opinion despite of our opposing stand on Service Contract  (SC) 53 in particular and its impact on the lives and culture of the Mangyans in the aspect of the indigenous peoples’ (IPs) right to self-determination, among others, stipulated in the Indigenous People’s Rights Act or IPRA, also known as RA 8371.

But this writer restricts himself to some point in presenting this issue. All he intends to do for now is to give verifiable information by way of retrospect, to the best of his knowledge with the goal of educating our people about it that for sure would have impact in our lives as citizens of our province, especially the Mangyans. Further, it is not his intention to expound his own opinion on the matter.

Not yet.

SC 53 and Pitkin in a nutshell

Based on its Project Description released on October 2013, a total of 224,000 hectares of land and sea areas in selected southern municipalities of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, particularly in Bulalacao, Magsaysay, San Jose, Rizal, Calintaan and Sablayan. It is a non-commercial fossil mining project. The exploration is consists of core drilling/sampling, exploration (drilling/testing); feasibility studies; geo-scientific, physical survey, gravity survey, and similar activities; seismic survey; and similar activities that according to the company, “with no significant earth moving activities, etc…”  

Pitkin is registered in Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) since March 19 2008 as “Pitkin Petroleum (Philippines) Ltd”. The change of its corporate name was approved on November 9, 2009 and the Department of Energy awarded the Service Contract (SC 53) to Pitkin on June 11, 2008 by the virtue of the Deed of Assignment from the Laxmi Organic Industries, Ltd. Regional Office  No. IV-B of the Department of Natural Resources or DENR already issued a Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC) for the activities under SC 53. Their office address: Suite 2101, Equitable Bank Tower, Paseo de Roxas Avenue, Makati City, Philippines. Pitkin Petroleum Inc. PLC is a United Kingdom-based oil and gas exploration company.

And since it is a foreign company, under Presidential Decree (PD) 87 or the “Oil Exploration and Development Act of 1972” also known as the “Service Contract Law”, among other perks and incentives, the service contractors are exempted from paying tariff duties on all machinery and materials imported for their oil operations and they do not pay taxes whatsoever. They are exempted from all taxes except income tax but the latter is in fact shouldered by the government. Are the authorities have already weighted its pros and cons with regards to cultural, social and economic impacts to our brothers and sisters in upland communities and not just the lowlanders? Just asking.

Oil exploration and Occidental Mindoro’s long-lingering power crisis

Gov. Mendiola and Cong. Sato, indeed, have been pushing no doubt for a geothermal project as part of the solution to the almost a two-decade long power crisis in the province. The debacle is mainly due to the one-sided Energy Conversion Agreement (ECA) between our electric cooperative and the Island Power Corporation (IPC), a independent power producer believed to be owned by former congressman/governor Jose T. Villarosa. With this, the National Power Corporation (NPC) and other power industry players are expected to join the fray in the coming years for the power generation prospects. The provincial LGU is expecting that in 10-15 years time the power crises will be over for, with the help of the oil exploration project, a power plant, though no specific details have been given, using natural gas would be utilized in consonance with RA 9513 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008. The exploration project is expected to augment the Naujan geothermal plant by the Emerging Power Inc. or EPI. EPI is a Mindoro-based power company which is about to operate a 45 megawatt geo-thermal power plant in said town of Oriental Mindoro. Is EPI in reality owned by a consortium of political personalities in the island? That I do not know.

The Power Supply Agreement (PSA) between Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) and EPI was signed last February 28, 2014 in San Jose. Aside from Cong. Sato and the top officials of OMECO led by GM Alfred A. Dantis and board president Melito C. Pasol, EPI’s executive president Alfredo C. Guanzon and Cong. Rey Umali of the second district of Oriental Mindoro who chairs the House committee on energy were present on the signing of the OMECO-EPI PSA.

In retrospect, it was March 6, 2010 when Mr. Froilan A. Tampico, president and chief executive officer of the National Power Corporation (NPC) wrote to the late and then energy secretary Angelo T. Reyes revealed that Pitkin Petroleum discovered natural gas instead of oil in their previous exploration in the southern part of Occidental Mindoro. Specifically, in a Pitkin report that year, they revealed that they have drilled natural gas which they call Progreso A1X. The oil company even proposed the NPC to lease in due time natural gas generators to replace the leased diesel generators and use the natural gas from the Progreso discovery as fuel. El Progreso, where apparently they initially discovered natural gas, is a sitio of Brgy. San Isidro (Canwaling) in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. They presented it to then Gov. Sato and then Vice Gov. Mendiola and apparently Pitkin got the two political leaders’ approval then, at least in principle, of the oil exploration project.

Pitkin Petroleum PLC believes that there is less 50% carbon emissions from natural gas compared to diesel. Also it claimed that natural gas is indigenous to Mindoro eliminating the need to buy and import diesel from other countries. It would also be much cheaper for NPC to use natural gas compared to diesel thereby reducing generation costs, they say.

Perhaps, with all of these justifications falling into place, the Provincial Government of Occidental Mindoro began to think of discussing the merits of converting an indigenous resource of natural gas to electrical power for the benefit of our residents. Armed with the noble intention and will to give the DOE and Pitkin an all out nod and go-signal to the oil exploration project which is not bad after all at hindsight, the provincial government is now with Pitkin on SC 53 mandated exploration. In fact, there were Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC )hearings  in Naujan and San Jose held last week where parties are hopeful to submit pertinent documents soon.

With this damning power crisis, who in his right mind would oppose such efforts toward affordable and sustainable electric power in this part of Tamarawlandia? Anyone, IP or non-IP, who would oppose this would be forever doomed in Hades!

The civil and church leaders’ unified response in support of the Mangyans

Prior to the discovery of the so-called Progreso A1X, then Gov Sato was also critical of certain Pitkin’s action. That was the time when the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose (AVSJ) called for the thorough examination of the project. The Social Services Commission (SSC) of AVSJ utilizing her mouth piece radio DZVT was all out in its information and education campaign aimed at Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) from Magsaysay to Sablayan. Nuns, priests, Mangyan tribal elders and leaders and BEC members in Vicariate Forane 1 and 2 (from Good Shepherd Parish in Magsaysay to San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish in Sablayan) were mobilized. The Taubuid leaders in Poypoy, Calintaan, even barricaded when drilling equipment were brought up to the mountains by Pitkin where a commotion between them happened. The Mangyans apparently sought the assistance of Gov. Sato to end further harm both on the side of the Tau-Buid Mangyan leaders and Pitkin workers. This prompted Gov. Sato to issue two letters dated March 23, 2010 addressed to energy secretary Angelo Reyes and Pitkin Petroleum PLC through its representative, Ms. Tessa Agravante. And I am posting it here in verbatim:

"Anent to my telephone conversation with Ms. Tessa Agravante, we reiterate our concern and dismay in the conduct of your oil/natural gas exploration in Sablayan. Reports have reached us that some of our Mangyans were hurt in the violent confrontation between opposing groups. We are likewise informed that you have not been granted any clearance/certification by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) that the Mangyans concerned have given their consent to your activities in the area.

At the onset of your activities, we made it clear that the interests of our Mangyans should be primordial concern and their rights are respected by you at all times.

In view thereof, you are hereby enjoined to suspend your/exploration in the area until all the issues are settled and the requisite clearances/permit are secured.”

On the part of AVSJ, after the Chrism Mass in 2010 where almost all of the priests of the AVSJ gathered, Bishop Antonio P. Palang, SVD,DD read his Circular No. 3 Series of 2010 re : Our Anti Mining Advocacy. Bishop Palang responded to Gov. Sato's request to Pitkin: "This will give us temporary lull. The ways of mining companies are deceiving which therefore demand that we continuously keep watch. I encourage our Basic Ecclesial Communities, alongside our tribal communities, to still be continuously vigilant despite this break." Those were the days when the hierarchy of our local church still has its grasp of her pastoral program, particularly the social action ministry. Those were the halcyon years when pro-environment activists-priest still around, specially the diocesan clergy. In this instance, both church and political leaders of the province considered the welfare of the Mangyans in confronting Pitkin’s oil exploration.

All we can do is to hope against hope that they still are.

Tau-Buid Mangyan’s “un-readiness “

The Tau-Buid Mangyans claimed that there was no legitimate FPIC process conducted in past. They lobbed a protest to the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and series of hearings were held in Manila.

The NCIP set a meeting between the Tau-Buid leaders and representative of Pitkin by virtue of a memorandum issued by NCIP commissioner Dionesia O. Banua and was followed by Hon. Kissack B. Gabaen, Presiding Regional Hearing Officer of NCIP Region IV. In September 19, 2013 at Bahay Alumni inside the University of the Philippines’ (UP) campus, it was agreed by both parties, the Fakasadian Mangagoyang Tau-Buid Daga, Inc. or FAMATODI and Pitkin that the project should undergo a truthful FPIC process.

Massive community consultations were conducted by the Tau-Buid Mangyans through hopping from one sitio to another in Calintaan and Sablayan regarding SC 53 in the whole month of December 2013 and finally on April 8, 2014, FAMATODI came up with official statement on the issue. In their Position Paper it is stated, “ang aming tribo ay wala pang kahandaan na tanggapin ang panukalang eksplorasyon ng Pitkin dahil hindi tinanggap ng mas nakararaming pamayanan o wala pang kahandaan at sa pahayag din ng mga hindi pa sibilisadong pamayanan ng aming tribo na ‘di nila tanggap ang panukalang proyekto ng Pitkin..” Peping Poyngon, its chair and the whole leadership of FAMATODI told this writer that they will firmly stand in what they believe in. They will oppose any attempt with regards to the impending operation of oil exploration inside their ancestral domain.

So, the Tau-Buid ethno-linguistic group of Mangyans not yet ready. What would the provincial government, the DOE and Pitkin would do? Would the Provincial Government aggressively assert it? Does it need to be a tussle of the IPs rights over their ancestral domain against the majority of the people’s right to basic social service specifically electricity? How would the people from a certain office of the provincial government helping the Mangyans consider this stand of our IPs?   

Municipality of Sablayan on oil exploration

In March 18, 2010, the Sangguniang Bayan of Sablayan headed by its presiding officer, then Vice-Mayor Eduardo B. Gadiano, through a committee meeting recommended to Pitkin that it should first secure Certificate of Pre-condition from the NCIP before they could resume their operations within the ancestral domain of the Tau-Buid Mangyans in their municipality.

But the Pitkin representatives who were invited in the meeting insisted that the MOA between DOE-Pitkin and the newly-organized groups of Tau-Buid Mangyans called AFTI, with the latter’s “Pahintulot” (“Permit to Operate’) is sufficient for them to resume their operation. FAMATODI, on the other hand alleged that AFTI was a group formed by Pitkin itself for the purpose and reportedly received an almost half a million peso worth of community projects from the petroleum company.

Earlier in February 12, 2010, in a letter signed by Masli Quilaman, Executive Director of NCIP said that there was no Certificate of Pre-condition issued by his office to Pitkin. While the Local Government of Sablayan under the current administration of Mayor Eduardo B. Gadiano, the multi-awarded municipality, has an existing General Ordinance No. 2007-GO03B, an ordinance for a 25-year mining moratorium there is also a parallel legislation, the Sablayan Environmental Code known as Municipal Ordinance No. 2008-003, where extractive activities including non-metallic resources are not included. Said ordinance was placed into effect since the tenure of then Mayor Godofredo B. Mintu, a political ally of Rep. Sato.

The present Gadiano administration respect the position of the Tao-Buid Mangyans, specifically FAMATODI stating that their sub-tribe is still unready to face the challenges of said exploration pushed by our incumbent political leaders.

Conclusion

The Mangyans, the poorest of the poor among us, the most marginalized of our people, must enjoy the rights enshrined in the IPRA and the concerned government agencies must assure that the FPIC process would be followed.

There must not be an “all out yes” to any extractive industry coming to our fragile island, specially within the indigenous cultural communities, whether it is (mineral) mining or oil/gas exploration, whether it is under DENR or DOE. Government units and departments, especially NCIP should realize that the welfare of the people, especially the downtrodden, and our ecosystems will not be sacrificed in the altar of so-called progress or development. Without it, we will be swarmed by bees and suffer from their bites, so to speak. The police and the military, unless the actions of the Mangyans turned to violence and lawlessness is employed, armed agents of the state should keep themselves at a distance. To our people, especially those lowlanders, we have to scrutinize the project before we lob our “all out yes” to it without us understanding it thoroughly. Without considering our Mangyans, the first inhabitants of this island.  

Let us scrutinize it as meticulously as how the Mangyans harvest the sweetest honey from the beehive…
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(Next : The Service Contract Law and its Marcosian Roots and Common impacts of exploratory oil drilling)

Ang Salitang “Diyos” sa Vision Statement ng DepEd

Una, ibig kong ibahagi sa inyo kung ano ang vision statement ng Bayan ng  Sablayan : “Sablayan: Sentro ng ekonomiya at pulitika, mapayapa at ligtas na pamayanan, may saganang likas na yaman at mamamayang nananalig sa Dakilang Lumikha.” Pansininin ang huling apat na salita dito.

Ikalawa, ibig kong ibalita sa inyo na kamakailan lang, ayon sa isinulat ni Rei Lemuel Crizaldo ng NationWatch, inalis na ‘di umano ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon o DepEd (na pinamumunuan ni Bro. Armin Luistro, na isang mala-diyakono ‘yata), ang mga salitang “God-loving” sa kanila ring vision statement. Ipinapalagay sa ulat na bunsod umano ito ng pagigiit ng ilang grupo ng ateistang Pinoy na ito ay tanggalin dahil labag daw ito sa prinsipyo sa ating Saligang Batas na “Separation of Church and the State”, at kung anu-ano pang mga argumento’t punong kaisipan mula sa ilang kanluraning bansa.

Ang grupo ng mga ateistang ito sa totoo lang ay hindi naman talaga sagarang maituturing na ateista. Sila ay maaari lang galit sa mga kleriko at relihiyon, o mga dismayadong mananampalataya na hindi tanggap ang marami o lahat ng doktrina at dogma ng alinmang relehiyon at pananampalataya na dapat namang igalang at kilalanin ang pananaw nilang ito. Kabilang na yaong pinagsasabong imbes na pagtibayin ang kumplementasyon ng siyensya at pananampalataya o ang kilalanin ang ambag nito sa isa't-isa. Datapwa't aminin din natin na marami rin sa kanila ang mas makatao at matuwid kaysa sa atin. At ang atin ding hindi maka-Kristiyanong mga gawi, ang ating mga maling patakaran at kaisipan at gawi ng ilang lider ng Simbahan ay lalo pang nagpapahigpit sa pagkapit nila sa kawalan ng paniniwalang ito sa Maykapal.

Umalma sa pagbabagong ito ang maraming mga taga-kagawaran at pati na rin ang ilang relihiyoso, Katoliko man o Protestante, denominasyon at sekta. Lalo na sa mga social networking sites lalo na sa kanilang fan page sa Facebook bagama’t hanggang isinusulat ito ay wala pang opisyal na pahayag dito ang DepEd. Kung totoo nga ito, may dahilan tayong mabahala dahil baka nga naman dumating ng panahon ang isunod nila ay ang baklasin din sa ating Preamble  ang salitang “Almighty God”, ipagbawal ang mga relihiyosong simbolo at simbolismo sa mga tanggapan ng gobyerno, na ang pinaka-malapit ay ang pagpapa-alis na rin sa salitang “Maka-Diyos” na isa sa mga core values ng DepEd.

Bagama’t nababahala ay hindi dapat tayo sagarang maging affected o mangamba sa balitang ito. Maliit na bagay lang ito kung ako ang tatanungin. Igalang na lang natin ang pananaw na ito gayundin ang nasabing hakbang ng pamunuan ng kagawaran. Wala namang gaanong epekto ito sa mayoryang Kristiyanong Pilipino, hangga’t gumagawa sila ng mga bagay na ayon sa banal na disenyo at nasa ng Diyos, sa palagay ko lang. Alisin na nila ang lahat ng may salitang “Diyos” sa anumang mababasa mula sa gobyerno kung gusto nila. Bahala sila!

Pero bilang sundalo ni Kristo, dapat din nating ipagtanggol ang ating paniniwala sa pamamaraang itinuro ni Hesus sakaling hatakin nila tayo sa kanilang paniniwalang walang Diyos o alipustahin ang ating mga doktrina o kutyain ang anumang bagay na sa atin ay sagrado o banal.

Kung ang Facebook nga raw ay isang bansa sabi ni Ed Shefffer,- sa 400 milyon kataong naka-rehistro dito, ito na ang ika-tatlong pinaka-populated na bansa sa mundo. Hindi nga ba ito matatawag na prime missionary field o lugar at oportunidad kung saan tayo ay maaaring magpahayag o ipagtanggol ng lohikal o rasyunal ang ating mga pinaniniwalaan?

Hindi mababago ng balitang ito sa DepEd ang katotohanang hindi mababaklas ninuman ang Diyos sa ating pagkatao. At dito hindi magtatagumpay ang mga ateista. At ang katotohanang ito ang mas mahalaga lalo na kung isinasa-buhay natin ang ating pananampalataya.

Pero tiyak ko na walang papayag na taga-Sablayan (o kahit na aling bayan sa Kanlurang Mindoro kundi man sa buong Pilipinas) na tanggalin ninuman ang huling apat na salita sa vision statement nito. ..

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(Photo: Philippine Information Agency)

Ang Paglalakad sa Ibabaw ng Tubig at iba pang Kuwento

Marahil ay alam ninyo na may insekto na tinatawag na Water Strider o Gerridae at dahil sa kakayanan nitong lumakad sa ibabaw ng tubig ay tinatawag din itong Jesus Bug.

Pero bago yan, kung ako lang ay makagagawa ng isang Pinoy musical film kagaya nang Jesus Christ Superstar ng tukayo kong si Norman Jewison, ang awiting “Iisang Bangka Tayo” ng The Dawn palagay ko ang angkop na kanta na kakantahin ng gaganap na Hesus sa tagpo sa ating ebanghelyo ngayon (Mateo 14:22-33) na  naka-tuon sa dalawang pangyayari: tungkol sa paglalakad ni Hesus sa ibabaw ng tubig at ang apirmasyon ng mga alagad na siya nga ay Diyos.

Ang mga pari at mananampalataya ba sa ating Simbahang lokal sa layunin at diwa ay nasa iisang bangka pa rin at hindi watak-watak sa pag-timon at pag-sagwan? O baka naman nasa gitna pa rin ng unos ang sitwasyon ng pagpapalaganap ng bokasyon ng pagpapari sa ating mga kabataang taal na taga-Kanlurang Mindoro. Huwag sana, pero baka naman kagaya ng naranasan ng mga alagad ay nabubuhay pa rin tayo sa kawalang-tiwala sa ating kakayahan. Baka naman nasa gitna pa rin ng unos ang ating bangka sa konteksto ng sitwasyon na aking kababanggit lang.

Simula noong unang panahon ng Kristiyanismo, ang bangka ay isa ng signipikanteng simbolo ng Simbahan. Katunayan, ang mga sinaunang pook-sambahan ay naka-disenyo na mistulang bangka at si Kristo ang ipinapakitang kapitan at timonero. Noong taong 2012-2013 ang logo ng Taon ng Pananampalatay o Year of Faith ay kakikitaan din, bukod sa krus, ng karikaturang hugis bangka.

Sa aking pagninilay bilang binyagan ay may paralelismo ang ating karanasan bilang Simbahang Naglalakbay sa eksena sa ating ebanghelyo ngayong Linggo : Umaasa tayo na huhupa ng tuluyan ang bagyong ito. Sapagkat habang walang inisyatiba ang mga namumuno sa atin na muling mamamalakaya ng mga kabataang upang maging paring diyosesano o buhayin muli ang ating seminaryo, patagal nang patagal ang panahong hihintayin natin para sa kaganapan nito. Kapag nagpatali tayo sa unos ay hinding-hindi susulong ang ministeryo ng bokasyon dito sa atin. Alam ito ng bawat matinong timonero at peskador kahit siya ay hindi gaanong matalino. Natatakot ba tayo gayong ang ating Banal na Timonero at Peskador ay paulit-ulit tayong binibilinan na, “Huwag kayong matakot!”?

Kung tayo ay nasa bangka pa ng takot at pagdududa, umahon na lang kaya tayo at lumakad sa ibabaw ng tubig, ituwid ang mga kahinaan na may pagtitiwala’t pananalig, kagaya ng paanyaya ni Hesus kay Pedro at sa paglaon ay i-affirm ang ating paniniwala na si Hesus nga ay Diyos? Kaya, halinang lumakad sa ibabaw ng tubig na naka-pokus sa layunin o kinabukasan at hindi sa kasalukuyang masaklap na kaganapan. O itungo ang ulo sa nagngangalit na alon sa ating paanan.

Sa pag-post ko nito, kagaya ng klasikong pelikula ni Norman Jewison, tiyak na aani rin ito ng kritisismo mula sa malawak na kawan ng elitistang Katoliko dito sa atin. At muli ay may mga mangungutya na hindi naman  pari o teologo at ni hindi nga alumnus ng  Catholic school ang Norman Novio na iyan para maging credible sa ganyang mga biblikal na pagninilay kaya hayun, dedma lang sila. Isa lang ang sa akin; Halos 20 taon din akong gumaod sa iisang bangka kalakbay ang mga Pamayanang Kristiyano at natuto sa kanila hanggang sa ako’y mapilitang lumabas at bagama’t noong una ay lubog ang moral, patuloy pa rin akong umaasa na ako'y unti-unting makalulutang o kaya ay makalalangoy kundi man matapang na makalalakad sa ibabaw ng tubig katulad ng Jesus Bug !

O kaya'y patunayan sa aking bawat “homilog” (Homily-like blog) ang tinuran ni tukayong Norman Jewison na, “I think you get better as you get older.”…

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(Photo : mylifeguardwalksonwater.wordpress.com)

Treasure Finders

Have you ever heard of treasure finders named Paul and Peter?

Well, I remember the times when some of my town folks were lured into treasure hunting. That was after Rogelio Roxas allegedly found the Golden Buddha in 1971. Many people even believe that some portions of Yamashita treasure were buried somewhere here in Occidental Mindoro waiting to be unearthed or already have already been taken. Certain rumor circulated in Lubang, just a year or two after Hiroo Onoda surrendered, that a couple of Japanese nationals allegedly stayed in the island for quite some time and suddenly vanished along with their digging tools.

The story of Roxas and the Golden Buddha and the two stories in our Gospel reading this Sunday, July 27, 2014, are in some ways similar. They are both about a man and they found something very precious and of great value. Be it treasure or pearl, as we can read from Matthew 13:44-46.

The first story tells us about a man, probably a farm tenant, cultivating or digging the field until he found something beyond expectation or by accident. He is not sure whether the previous land owner have forgotten about them or perhaps the owner is now gone. In no time he did realize that the treasure has been there for very long time. He knows that he found something precious and he must keep it.

The second parable is the same yet different. Our man did not find it accidentally. He had been searching for it for a long time until he finally got it. He, merchant as he is, was looking for something real and authentic. Indeed, he knows exactly that he is hunting for fine pearls.  

Know what did they do after finding those precious things? Whether by accident or by tedious hunt, they have the same reaction: selling all they had, giving up everything else in order to get the treasure or the pearl. Many of us may think, “WTF! Did they really give up everything just for some treasure?” We may think that they are nuts, but for them, what is more important is an eternal and perpetual Return of Investment or ROI!

Jesus’ opening words in both of the story is this: “The kingdom of heaven is like…” Jesus is trying to show us here what's the worth of the Kingdom of God and what it’s like being part of this kingdom. Tellingly, the two parables lead us in knowing that Jesus is our greatest treasure.

If you would allow me, I would like to call the first one Paul and the other one Peter. Paul, not unlike our first man, found Jesus unexpectedly and on the contrary, Peter was already familiar with the Son of God. Paul (nee Saul), a former exterminator of his future Lord’s followers, found the greatest treasure on the road to Damascus while Peter discovered Jesus, after venturing on many spirituality and religious beliefs, when he journey with Him through thick and thin and finally found his pearl of great price. Ergo, Paul and Peter were both treasure finders who gave all their “T”s,- Time, Treasure and Talent, to get those divine treasures and in the end transformed by their find.

Me? My transformation is still being uploaded for I am still a freebie trying to open my search engine to find for Jesus rather than be stumbled upon the net or Googled by Him.

I am still a murky scavenger in this social garbage heap hoping to be a transformed treasure finder. Just like the treasure hunters in my place way back then...

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(Photo: The Clipart Wizard)

GlenDAP

Right before typhoon Glenda hit the country at around 6:00 in the afternoon last Monday, President Benigno Aquino III delivered a televised speech defending the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). Glenda crossed the Bataan-Zambales area Wednesday afternoon before exiting to the West Philippine Sea later in the day. Many municipalities were submerged with flood especially the coastal barangays and those near riverbanks. Classes at all levels were suspended and major thoroughfares across Occidental Mindoro were cut. Low-lying areas in San Jose are submerged with water. All over the country, Glenda has left at least 38 people dead with initial reports indicating damage to infrastructure and agriculture could be extensive.

No less than Occidental Mindoro Representative Josephine Ramirez-Sato, a staunch Aquino ally was, according to reports,  personally invited by the President to witness to the Chief Executive’s airing of 14-page, 23- minute speech. As one of her constituents, I am deeply honored seeing her with the president along with few selected officials and personalities personally handpicked by the president.

But while there are groups who believe that Aquino is liable for culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for authorizing the creation of DAP where key provisions of which have been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, the president’s local political supporters are right behind him in justifying his handling of the 149 billion DAP.

Upon seeing Congresswoman Ramirez-Sato on television right there when PNoy delivered his speech, these questions suddenly came to mind: Does the president, like in his home province Tarlac, have a pet project here in Occidental Mindoro under DAP? If yes, what and where specifically are those projects? Our people would be very happy if somebody from the concerned offices would educate us on this. Budget secretary Florencio Abad and even President Aquino himself claims that the DAP was designed to stimulate the economy but the people of Occidental Mindoro have no idea how it worked here, how we are benefiting or about to benefit from it or how it would help our local economy.

Pardon me but the first thing that came to my mind last Monday when the president speak about DAP is not the boosting of local economy here in Occidental Mindoro. What I immediately realized are the big allocations of money and transfer of funds among government agencies and the freezing of millions of pesos of money in some institutions’ coffer. Like the payment by the Bureau of Customs of its P2.8 billion debts to the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. and the payment by DepEd of its P4.1 billion debts to the Government Service Insurance System or GSIS, among others. My brain maybe selective but that’s how it worked that night.

While I believe that there’s nothing wrong with using the savings of the executive department to stimulate economy (assuming that Malacanan people are not lying and in good faith) the so-called power of the purse or the national budget belongs solely to the Congress. And being a veteran legislator, our representative definitely knows that. Any realignment of budget to other projects not provided in the General Appropriations Act or GAA should still pass through Congress in the form of supplemental budget.

They, the Aquino supporters here in my place, said that DAP and PDAF are different. They say, “Sa PDAF ni Napoles may kurapsyon. May mga pulitiko at mga bogus na NGO na nakinabang, samantalang sa DAP naman ay walang pandarambong na nangyari. Hindi naman kumita dito si Abad at si PNoy!” Sorry but I am into opinion that the DAP and PDAF  are one and the same in terms of demonstrated lack of respect for public funds, social and government institutions and the Constitution. Remember, not all unethical acts and scandals are categorized as corruption!

But I am not into PNoy’s impeachment, to make myself clear. For me, it’s just a waste of time and resources since impeachment is just a political process and in the end it is only the politicians, its main players, would play the numbers game. On the other hand, I am also not in favor of the filing of TRO against the recent Supreme Court’s ruling on DAP for it would result to more constitutional and legal vacuum if not chaos. But I’ll reserve that for another blog entry.

Now that typhoon Glenda is gone, DAP is expected to storm the nation if the president and his supporters overly assert it…

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(Photo: Rappler)

Of The Lover’s Dictionary and Loom Bands

I was in Manila for an official travel when my daughter Anawim (or Shida) who just graduated from college last March asked me to buy her a book. She texted me while I was at SM North. After receiving her text message I went straight ahead to National Bookstore’s customer service booth and inquired about “The Lover’s Dictionary” written by David Levithan. The clerk who was sitting in front of the computer looked at me and threw me an intriguing smile. At the corner of my eye, I saw the cashier standing nearby giggling at us. The one facing the computer monitor then called somebody through the intercom and said, still smiling, “So may stock pa. Dadalhin mo ba dito o siya ang pupunta diyan sa puwesto mo?”  The one at the end of the line probably asked how s/he could identify me so the woman at the customer service retorted, “Lalake. Hindiii…. May edad na!” I did not hear what the response was over the intercom but there’s a sudden burst of laughter which I hear from point-blank range. Sensing that the ladies see “The Lover’s Dictionary” as material for young-adult readers and not for a middle-aged man like me, I told the customer care woman with an explaining smile, “Hindi po sa akin ‘yan. Sa anak ko. Pinabili lang.” Without a word and the smile in her face now gone, she entertained another client next to me. To cut the long story short, I got my book and said my thank you. She smiled again but it’s different this time. It has, as I can feel it, being daughter of her father herself, a drop of admiration.

Here’s another story: While in a passenger’s van on my way to Sablayan for work last Monday, I noticed the lady sitting beside me, aged 25 or so, looked at the rubber accessory at my right wrist then turned her eyes to mine and again, just like the women at the National Book Store at SM North, she threw me very a silent but intriguing smile. Probably she thinks that I am either crazy or already experiencing second childhood. Wearing loom band is a fad today among children and teenagers that’s why some of my friends keep teasing me about the bracelet I am wearing for almost a week now. But I am not giving a heck and I will wear my loom band as long as I like. Sophia (or Pipay) my youngest, 10 years of age, crafted it herself and gave it to me as a gift the day I was celebrating my 22^nd year of marrying her mother. Tellingly, I even stumbled upon Philippine News Central a picture of Pope Francis wearing loom band bracelets, reportedly given by poor neighborhood kids during an audience at the Vatican. Ako pa kaya!

This latest craze was invented by a father named Cheong Choon Ng in 2011 reportedly to impress his kids. So, loom band’s origin can be rooted in a relationship among family members, so to speak. 

Lover’s dictionary and loom band. Parenting for me, is sort of a dictionary that gives meaning to little things, book or bracelet, banding them together in a loom called Love….  

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(Photo; Squido Craft) 

Time Out for Richard Rorty

Our concerns for electric power in Occidental Mindoro is not only a complex and multidimensional issue and judging from the recent posts and comments from respected opinion writers in on-line discussion threads, this misunderstanding pushes us all at the verge of disunity. The energy problem each day (especially during night time) already devastated us and our common dream for a concerted attempt to solve this crisis which started only-God-knows when.

Nasty words flew from all angles and directions but no matter how intelligent, rational, logical and sane they are, they are empty to me. In the sincerity of my silence (meaning not involving in these exchanges, which I think the most rational thing to do in the middle all of those unfriendly gestures), I took part in the recent initiatives towards the realization of our common goal for a sustained, reliable and affordable electricity for our locality. But making public what we do now would be premature. We intend to announce it at the right and proper time and venue. Please bear with us.

Reflecting on the current negative exchanges between my Facebook friends compels me to write this piece. The exchanges made me realize that the will to be objective certainly WILL always remain subjective. Even the most sincere and truthful witness or whistle blower under oath cannot set aside his or her biases in his/her statement. We as netizens have our own biases over issues especially those that can be rooted to politics and politicians. This is no doubt can rightly be considered a political issue for it concerns public welfare that involves our rights as consumers and whether we like it or not, it involves political personages. So it must be elevated from emotional to gut level discussions. As posters in discussion threads, we all risk out commitment to objectivity and we must always expect response from others, be it positive or negative. It is very easy to accept this fact.

Their recent exchanges were full of wisdom, yes, but devoid of taste, to say the least. This includes some comments from the readers when they join the fray. They are like medicines in bacteria-infected vessels, so to speak.

Nobody has the complete grasp and conclusion of this problem that caused the frequent power outages resulting to economic and productivity losses and missed opportunities and untold misery and insecurities of the citizenry. The “whole truth and nothing but the truth” in whatever issue, will always be elusive and no single person or group can claim that s/he has it all.

So, this discussion about power problem in our province cannot be treated as a singular event. This is connected to all other socio-political dimensions: legal, personal, physical and technical. Be it moral and even spiritual. Though relying only from my background as a former church worker, I am into opinion that our friends and acquaintances judge our spiritual growth and worth not only on how we respond to approvals or agreements, but also on refutations and disbelief, both coming from our friends or enemies. The words we use and the tone we set. Intentionally or not, one cannot afford to be a fool who always endears himself to evil structures and systems and the devils who are the roots of this hellish debacle that we are experiencing. We must not fall to the temptation of evil,- the grand great snatcher and concealer of truth and half truths, the grand master of divide and rule tactics. By muddling the issue, by misdirection, we serve, knowingly or otherwise, as Devil’s acolyte.

We have to work together for Richard M. Rorty once said, “One cannot be irresponsible toward a community of which one does not think of oneself as a member.”  I believe too that overly finding or stressing the truth here is not of vital importance. Rorty, my “newly found” philosopher once said, “Insistence on the existence or the importance of truth seems to me empty, at least by comparison to insistence on the need of freedom." Our utmost need in this particular case is no other than freedom from power crisis, personal differences are just peripheries! 

  

Rest assured that this will be my first and last reaction on the heated arguments between my friends that saddened me. Hope they’ll put an end to this word war soon.

This is just a sort of request for perpetual time out from a teammate who just read Rorty's thoughts...

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(Photo: olponeline.org.)

A Reply to Fr. Dick

Last week, Fr. Dick Guillermo, a friend and a compadre (He's one of my Sophia's godfathers), wrote a very meaningful albeit long overdue reflection on the present thorny journey of our local church, the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose (AVSJ). I have read his piece from his Facebook Wall and it’s called “An Appeal on Father’s Day”. The author, a diocesan clergy, firmly and courageously breaking his “deafening silence” and publicly revealed, though not naming names, that a priest, I assume the present Vicar General, filed a case before the Prosecutor’s Office, against two of his fellow clergy in our diocese and Fr. Dick calling it an “insane” move!

He recalled from his memory the initiatives they have done to extinguish the small fire before becoming beyond control. To my mind, in almost four centuries of existence of Catholicism in the Philippines, there was never been an instance such as this. A priest brought to a civil court a case against his brother priest(s). The young priest from Mamburao aptly posed urgent questions and challenges for our reflection and consequent action as people of God:  “So where will AVSJ heading to? Perhaps what is happening now is more than enough reason to despair, to give up and to lose hope. After all, where can we find the solution? We all have been hurt and healing is nowhere to be seen. The future is dark, sunrise is not yet coming.” I am writing this as another reflection aside from the reflections I wrote since 2011, about the burning or DZVT and the Chancery Building and the close shop of the Saint Joseph College Seminary (SJCS) and every sad memories about the Social Action Center/Social Services Commission where I worked as a lay employee and spent half of my life in the pastoral program that once sustained me and my family, both materially and spiritually.

I firmly believe that the laity is part of this insanity, as what Fr. Dick calls it. This is in no way only about the priests involved in the case. We the laity are sinning by spreading around rumors that cannot be verified by records or facts. The influential and the powerful in our midst want to keep the Church out of social-political concerns. Majority of the church-goers prefer to be generous to celebrity and healing priests over our homegrown fathers and the fate of vocation of our very own seminarians.

Now more than ever, let us anchor ourselves to our theological method or Theology Spiral of See- Judge- Act which is a useful way of working to ensure the balance between reflection and action. I am inviting every member of the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) and mandated religious organizations, personally and in the silence of our actions to reflect, stand and act on this issue to settle all of these through dialogue. If the laity is part of this problem, we are truly also part of the solution. Or, as I have said, we will be the doomed flock of Zechariah. To be silent in this present predicament makes us midwives to what the devils have bore upon us!

I am inviting you all to first reflect on these essential questions: What sort of message does it send to the fallen away Catholics who are already overly suspicious and skeptical whenever there is wind of anything adverse either brewing or potentially brewing within the Catholic Church?  And more importantly, what sort of message does this send to Jesus, Who, in fact is our Church? But let not be passive. Let us reprove and expose them in gentle but gallant manner (Ephesians 5:11). If I could be of help in whatever concerted action in the future, I am just a PM away.

To end this entry, allow me to echo Fr. Dick's hard as steel words: “I appeal for prayers and understanding. I appeal for reason. I appeal for change.” Amen and ditto…

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(Photo: Grabbed without permission from JD Guillermo’s FB account)

  

The (Mega) Voice

A young boy from Sablayan named Mega Frandio Oane (You Tube erroneously listed his family name as “Dane”) participated in The Voice Kids Philippines aired over ABS-CBN Channel 2 last night. Mega was not able to spin the seats of the judges-mentors namely, Lea Salonga, Bamboo and Sarah Geronimo. With the right choice of song, the little boy, they say, could have won the competition. But he succeeded by having a great fighting spirit to follow the footsteps of Jireh Lim, another homegrown talent, the original composer of “Buko”, the song Oane have rendered during the show's blind audition. No matter what, the people of Sablayan, the tourism capital of Occidental Mindoro, is so proud of you Mega. Keep on trying and we pray that next time you’ll land on the big, mega, league!

But all roads lead to Rome they say.

In Italy, the mega nun Sr. Cristina Scuccia topped her country’s version of The Voice last Friday in her rendition of “Flash Dance…What a Feeling”, that clinched her victory among the final four competitors during the four-hour finale. Watch her rendition of the song HERE. The 25-year old nun who sing and dance garnered a convincing 62% of the votes but not without some negative reactions from some quarters even from Catholic circles.

While Mega Frandio Oane is a son of the owner of Mega Pinoy Beach Resort in Sablayan, Suor Cristina became a novice in 2009 and reportedly worked for two years with poor children in Brazil before formally joining the order although she still has to take her final vows.

Of her wearing of habit and crucifix during the show, some viewers and fans raised concerns and question whether such exhibitionism is appropriate for a nun. Critical viewers see it as a gimmick to win attention and ultimately win the contest. I will leave it at that. When asked what’s up next, she said to the reporters: "I will go back to my priorities – prayer, waking up early in the morning, school service. That's fundamental for me to be able to begin something new later on." Sister Cristina was born and raised in Sicily.

But singing nuns are not new in the entertainment field (or call it “dimension” if you wish). There was once a song about Saint Dominic that made it to the mainstream musical world. I was singing the song when I was 8 or so but it was only 10 years later I did realize that it is actually an inspirational or religious song. It even outsold Elvis Presley during its stay on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is entitled “Dominique”. “Dominique" is a 1963 French language popular song, written and performed by Jeanine Deckers of Belgium, better known as Sœur Sourire or The Singing Nun. So, Jeanine Deckers was the original sin,..err, singing nun.

To every great artist, this is the mega truth: Our talents are gifts from God.

Win or lose….

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(Photo: SBS.Com)

Donaire-Vetyeka : Lutong Macau

Bagama’t umiskor ng Unanimous Technical Decision sa ikalimang round ang ating kababayang si Nonito Donaire para sa WBA Feather Weight Title kontra kay Simpiwe Vetyeka na isang South African, napanalunan ng una ang kanyang ikaanim sa apat na weight class sa boksing. Dalawang bagay ang nalagpasan ng The Filipino Flash kagabi: ang mga suntok at pang-uulo at below the belt punches ni Vetyeka at ang kapalpakan ng reperi ng laban na si Luis Pabon, isang taga-Puerto Rico. Ginanap ang laban sa The Venetian Macao sa Macao, China.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ito para sa inyo. Pero para sa akin, Lutong Macau ang labang ito. Ang kusinero kumbaga, na nag-spoil ng brooth ay walang iba kundi si Luis Pabon.

Ano ba ang “Lutong Macau” sa diksiyunaryo ng karaniwang Pinoy lalo na yaong mahihilig sa isports? Ito sa matuling sabi ay ang resulta ng isang laban o kumpetisyon na ang kinalabasan ay hindi mula sa performance ng isa o dalawang manlalaro o koponan. Dayaan kumbaga na maaring sinasadya o hindi, may dahilan man o wala. Dalawa lang ang malinaw: ang resulta nito ay kontrobersyal at ang mga manunood, ang fans, ang tunay na talunan sa mga labang Lutong Macau.

Bago pa man ang Donaire-Vetyeka, ito palang si Luis Pabon ay may rekord na ng mga paglabag sa dalawang mortal sins na magagawa ng isang referee: ang manood na parang isang ordinary spectator sa labang kanyang inu-officiate at i-break ang isang aksyong hindi naman dapat na i-break. Yung tipo bang nakukumutan ka ng absentmindedness habang ginagawa ang tungkulin. In short, lack of concentration. Imagine, tatlong head butt at isang low blow kay Donaire at isang knock down (dahil sa pagsaklay ni Vetyeka sa ring) ang hindi tinawagan ni Pabon!

Akalain ninyo, sa labanang Marco Huck-Alexander Povetkin sa isang heavy weight fight noong Pebrero 25, 2012, kabaliktaran sa kanyang mga non-call sa Macau kagabi, sa Huck-Povetkin match naman ay para siyang nagpapapuri at kahit hindi pa man dapat na mai-break ang isang tagpo ay pumagitna na kaagad ito. Hayun, ang nangyari, nasapul siya sa isang punto ng isang ligaw na suntok at mabuti naman ay hindi solido ang tumama sa kanya. Nangyayari lamang ang mga kapalpakang ganito kung papagitna ka sa dalawang boksingerong nagtatangkang manuntok o nagsusuntukan na hindi naman dapat kang mamagitan.

Bago pa man ang Donaire-Vetyeka sa Macau, may isang isinulat si Pabon tungkol sa pag-rereperi na mababasa natin DITO. Sabi niya, “Many times we see situations during the fight that may lead to wrong decisions or involuntary mistakes. A good example is when a referee doesn’t see a head-butt or illegal blow.” Baka ito nga ang nangyari sa kanyang pag-o-officiate sa laban kagabi ni Donaire.

Pero dagdag ni Pabon, “This can happen to anybody, but this excuse cannot be used as an easy way out when we make mistakes. Although we are not God, we must try hard to avoid mistakes at all costs. This can only be accomplished with concentration. I say this, because when the referee does not see something during the fight, he simply says “I did not see it”, “I am human”. This is unacceptable…” Unacceptable nga para sa akin ang mga non-call ni Pabon.

Bagama’t ligtas na naman si Donaire at wala namang aksidenteng nangyari sa Macau, kahit Lutong Macau ito ay patatawarin ko na si Pabon. Tutal nanalo naman kahit papaano si Nonito at may malaking posibilidad pa ang rematch.

Pero sa totoo lang, sa mga kapalpakang ganito ko na mi-miss ang husay ni Richard Steele…

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(Photo : eastsideboxing.com)

  

Napulot Kay Napoles

Ito ang una kong pagdutdot sa key board na may kinalaman sa kaso ni Janet Lim-Napoles. Hindi ako gaanong intresado na isulat ito dahil wala (pa?) namang taga-Kanlurang Mindoro ang nadadawit dito. Pero baka may kamay ng invisible magicians sa likod ng sarswelang ito na hindi natin alam mula sa itaas. May mga bagay akong napulot kay Napoles, sa totoo lang.

Kapwa tauhan lang malamang sina Napoles at si Ben Hur Luy na sa isa nilang act ay inilaglag ng una ang huli. Isang malaking sunog na ito ngayon na nagsimula sa munting alipatong pumaimbulog sa basura ng personal na alitan ng dalawa. Sa paglabas ng Napolist kamakailan, para itong wrecking ball na umindayog at kumaldag sa house, senate at natural sa buong bansa. Idagdag pa natin ang  ”intermission number” na patutsada ni Senador Miriam Defensor-Santiago sa kasarian ni Ping Lacson na hindi ko alam kung ano ang kinalaman sa Pork Scam o pambababoy!

Kahit ang mga lehitimong CSO at NGO na tunay na tumutulong sa mga mahihirap ay nadamay sa kasong ito ni Napoles. May mga makikitid pa nga ang utak na nagsasabing buwagin na lang ang lahat ng NGO at CSO sa bansa. Marami sa atin ang mga ekstremistang pulpol na hindi nag-iisip na kung gagawin ito ay matutunaw ang hindi pa man lang natin naisasabuhay na prinsipyo ng participatory governance at responsible citizenship na tanging ang mga tunay, legal at responsableng mga CSO at NGO, mga kooperatiba, asosasyon, samahan, ang mas mabisang daluyan.

Sa gitna ng isang mahika, ang mga nanonood at tila napaparalisa sa tuwa at mangha. Nawawalan na ng pakialam halos sa mga nangyayari sa labas ng sirkus o sa tunay na nagyayari sa lipunan. Sa gitna ng palabas ng madyikero, nalalayo na tayo sa reyalidad ng mga mas importanteng bagay kagaya ng pagkabansot ng agrikultura, krisis sa enerhiya lalo na sa Mindanao, pambu-bully ng Tsina at iba pa. Isa lang ang tiyak. Maipapasa sa mga susunod na lider sa pambansang antas ang iskandalong ito. Asa pa tayo. Sa kupad ng gulong ng hustisya sa bansang ito.

Ang mahika sa esensya ay sining ng panlilinlang. Ga-hibla lang ang pagitan ng isang mahikero at ng magaling na magnanakaw, bagama’t ang layon ng una ay mag-entertain habang ang huli ay kumita ng limpak-limpak na salapi mula sa baluti o sa pinagpaguran ng iba. Gamit ang posisyon sa gobyerno at maging samahang pribado. Ito ang muling natutunan ko kay Napoles.

Ilang araw lang, kapag papalapit na ang 2016, ay iigting ang turuan, kampihan at sisihan ng mga pulitikong mayayaman. Sila-sila. Oposisyon at administrasyon, kabilang ang mga taga-hubog ng pampublikong opinyon sa ating gitna. Mga kolumnista, brodkaster o mga kawani ng media (na umano ay may ilang sangkot din) at maging kahit yung basta may kompyuter lang at marunong dumutdot. Na gagatungan naman ng mga media network na ang tanging layunin lamang ay ang pagtaas ng rating at audience share. Ang iskandalo ay asahang magbibigay-anghang sa putaheng nakahain sa ating pampulitikang hapag na sarap na sarap tayong lantakan.

Nilalagyan lang ni Napoles ng sabaw ng pusit ang dalisay na tubig sa tapayan para guluhin at lituhin ang tao lalo na ang paglilitis. Mistula itong bazooka sa kamay ng sundalong piniringan ang sarili. Matutukan na ang matutukan. Matamaan na ang matamaan basta mailigtas lang sarili. Tayo naman na mga mamamayan, hindi pa man kinakalabit ang gatilyo ng bazooka  ay flame thrower na ng pangkalahatang akusasyon ang ating ibinuga. Sweeping assault tayo kagaya rin ng ginawang pag-aakusa ng aleng nahihiga raw sa bath tub ng kuwarta.

Tellingly, sa iskandalong ito ay marami sa atin ang kagyat na naging hukom kahit wala pa mang pormal na paglilitis sa mga taong nasa mga listahan ay hinatulan na natin kaagad. Pinarusahan, inuyam at inalipusta. Pero hindi naman natin masisisi ang sambayanan lalo na ang pigilin ang kanilang ngitngit.

Mga hukom na agad tayo na ang gavel ay ang mga daliri at ang anvil ay ang keypad…

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(Photo: www.mb.com.)

(I)Lotion

Mag-iisang linggo na ang nakalipas ngunit talagang hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala na makikita niya ng personal si Marian Rivera at si Paolo Avelino na dati ay sa telebisyon lang niya napapanood. Hindi niya makakalimutan ang gabing iyon na kanyang pinakahihintay ng buong taon. Kahit halos mapitpit siya sa pakikipagsiksikan, salyahan, balyahan sa libu-libong tao na nasa plaza noon para lang masilayan, mapiktyuran, mahawakan at malapitan ang mga artista. Ewan ko kung may pakialam siya kung ano ang okasyon noong gabing iyon. Ke birtdey, ke Barangay Day. Ke ano pa!

Pero wala siyang pakialam kung magkano at saan kinuha ang pinanggastos para sa palabas. Lalong wala rin siyang pakialam sa kung bakit ganoon kalambot kumembot si Enchong Dee. Masama bang humanga sa tulad nina Erich Gonzales at Julia Montes na nagagandahan dahil sa kanilang kaputian?

May mga pagkakataon pa nga na nasusumpungan niya ang sarili na naka-dungaw sa bintana, nakatingin sa malayo, haplos ang brasong sunog sa araw, kasabay ang buntong-hininga ng panghihinayang.

Nasa harap siya ng salamin ngayon, nagpapahid ng malapot na likido sa mukha na nabili ng kanyang kapatid na babaeng mas bata sa kanya sa isang parmasya sa San Jose noong piyesta. Pampapaputi raw ito. Mag-iisang linggo na niyang ginagawa ang ritwal nang palihim bago matulog. Expoliating cream yata ang tawag sa laman ng maliit na plastik na kanister na iyon. Maksipil daw yun. Kuskos, hala, kuskos!

Maaga siyang matutulog. May pitas pa sila ng mais bukas. Sisiguraduhin niyang mata lang niya ang tatamaan ng sikat ng araw bukas. Kasama niya ang iba pang mga tinedyer sa kanilang baryo na tulad niya ay tumigil na rin sa pag-aaral. Sila ay kagaya rin niyang kung hindi man nangangarap na maging artista ay mga kaluluwang umaasa na sa isang taon ay makakakita uli ng artista. Pero nanalangin na huwag naman halos umagahin na sa paghihintay ang mga manonood bago sila palabasin. Hindi siya nag-iisa. Marami sila. Libu-libo. Sana naman daw ay artista na lang at wala nang mga pulitiko o kung sinu-sino sa paligid man o sa ibabaw ng entablado.

O kahit na meron pa, basta sana may artista uli sa isang taon. Kahit na ano ang pa ang ipalagay natin, wala siyang pakialam.

Biglang may humawi ng kurtina ng kanyang silid. Pasigaw na asik ng kanyang kapatid, “Kuya, ano ba? Ba’t kinuha mo na naman ‘yung losyon ko?”…

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(Photo grabbed without permission from Tasker Master’s FB Wall)