Different perspectives on the SONA

from http://opinion.inquirer.net/

It's a marketplace of interpretations:

As PGMA views it (Text of the SONA)
SONA Clip
All lies... (Fr. Joe Dizon)
SONAmbulism (Manolo Quezon)
Glory be! (Blackshama)
State of the Kingdom Address 2008
SONA 2008: A Mother's Hope (A Parent's Reaction)
Sana (Conrado de Quiros)

God bless the Philippines

Darnel and Wheat

One of the oldest and most baffling questions of man is the presence and prevalence of evil in the world. The parable of the darnel and the wheat (the parable, the explanation by Jesus)attests to this – in the world, there is both good and evil. But in the end, the good will triumph and the evil will be destroyed.

At first glance, this comes as a strong warning. True enough. We are called not to side with evil, and instead be with the good. In the Star Wars parlance, we are called not to side with the dark side, but to be with the light.

But more than a warning, the parable is a message of hope – that no matter how seemingly the evil triumphs now, it will not be so for all eternity. Goodness will eventually win. God will triumph over evil. There is a song by the Jesuit Music Ministry entitled “Far Greater Love”. The lyrics put it well: Who would have known it would be, a history so torn with wars, the sky, seems grayer in our hearts. Who would have known life would be such a mystery, but the world is turning still, and our hearts yearn and believe that something is greater than our hearts. The storms of life may shake our ground but a greater peace still dwells in our hearts. Fear no harm, we are ruled by a far greater love. We’re never alone. All else may go wrong, still there will be a love far greater than our hearts.

This is at the core of the second encyclical of Benedict XVI, SPE SALVE – On Christian Hope. The Pope reminds us that in hope we are saved. And this hope is no other than Jesus Christ. The Christian should then not be fazed by difficulty, nor crushed by the trials of life. The Christian should trust that Jesus has won eternal life for us, and that is our destiny. But the Pope takes this further – he reminds us that hope is not only an attitude or internal disposition. It is to be “performative”.

Our lives should mirror the hope of a better life, of the triumph of goodness, of eternal life. Our life should not be a submission to the forces of life, but to be a witness of a hopeful struggling to do good and to overcome evil.

In the face of evils, Christians may not be silent, may not be complacent. Definitely, it would be a herculean task – real difficult and enormous. But we cannot, may not and should not disregard this task. Our life should not be a submission to the forces of life, but to be a witness of a hopeful struggling to do good and to overcome evil.

We begin with ourselves. In the final analysis, all evils of the world are rooted in acts of individuals. Repeated, condoned and unchecked, they took root and became structures of sin.

The fundamental challenge for us is to look into ourselves, and to confront the evil in us. We are to be discerning of what is good and what is evil. We are to be careful not to support the scheming of the evil, or in our careless disregard, be perpetuators of evil as well. We are to be, as the Gospel tells us, “innocent like doves, but smart like serpents” (Mt 10, 16). We should never be overconfident. We are to be always cautious. The Apostle Peter warns us, “Be sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith.” (1 Peter 5, 8-9)

There is a story about an old man giving an advice to his grandson. The old man told his grandson, “There are in each one of us two wolves struggling against each other – one good, the other evil.” The grandson anxiously asked, “Grandpa, who will prevail?” The reply came, “The one you feed.”

The words of St. Paul are a fitting reminder: Do not let evil defeat you. Instead, conquer evil with good. (Rom 12, 21)

System loss etc.

Received this through e-mail:

Pakibasa po ng malaman nyo electric bill natin!

Bilib ako sa commercial ni Juday, biro mo naipaliwanag niya in 30 sec ang masalimuot na system loss na yan..:)

Tama si Juday sa kanyang paliwanag ng system loss, pero kung tayo ang bibili ng yelo at ayaw talaga nating mabawasan ang yelong binili, siempre magdadala tayo ng styrofoam ice box o Coleman..

Ang tawag diyan ay increase the efficiency. Kung baga sa mga distribution utilities ayusin nila nang husto ang electrical network, pati na ang mga substation and step-down transformers para nagooperate sila sa maximum efficiencies. Kung lumang-luma na, palitan o di kaya imaintenance. Tapos, ireduce, at kung maaari ay alisin, ang mga administrative inefficiencies, tulad ng wrong meter readings, pilferage ! at kung ano ano pa...

At alam ba ninyo na hindi lang meralco ang nagpapasa ng system loss? Pati ang TRANSCO na government owned at siyang nag me maintain ng power grid. Balak ipasa or naipasa na ng TRANSCO ang 2.98% ng system loss nya sa meralco.. at shempre kanino pa ba naman iyan sisingilin ng meralco..

Ngayon alam na natin kung bakit natunaw ang yelong binili ni Juday.. pero part pa lamang yan ng equation kung bakit mataas ang singil ng ating koryente, kunin ang electric bill.. at heto ang component ng ating electric bill...

Generation charge
Tax on Generation charge
Transmission charge
Tax on Transmission charge
System loss
Tax on System Loss
Distribution, Metering and Supply charges
Lifeline rate subsidies
Tax on distribution, metering and supply charges and lifeline rate
subsidies
Local franchise tax
Universal charges

I-add mo lahat yan at yan ang total electric bill mo... pero napansin nyo ba sa isang electric bill 5 tax ang babayaran natin?

Para lalo nating mapansin, ganito ang flow ng kuryente bago dumating sa bahay naten..

Ang napocor or IPP ang mag po produce ng koryente...bago pa makaalis ng planta ang koryente, magabayad na tayo ng tax na 51 cents /kwh.

Ang kuryenteng iyan ay padadaanin ngayon sa TRANSCO, papunta sa distribution utility natin gaya ng meralco.. Muli tayong bubuwisan ng gobyerno, this time 11 cents/kwh Pag nakarating sa meralco ang kuryente, muli sisingilin tayo ng buwis ng gobyerno, ng distribution tax at franchise tax...

At dahil magbabayad tayo ng system loss muli na naman tayong bubuwisan ng gobyerno... ng system loss tax..

At eto pa ang kwela sa lahat, after i total ang iyong electric charges.. papatawan kang muli ng tax.. t! his time yung 12% e-vat. Imagine 5 Tax na binayaran mo, yung tax na yun eh bubuwisan pang muli ng isa pang tax...

Ang alam ko po sa batas bawal ang double taxation... pero sa ginagawang ito ng gobyerno.. cguro naaayon na sa batas kase lampas na sa double eh (sarcastic lang po)

At upang madagdagan pa ang sama ng loob nating mga filipino... Ang napocor, ayon sa batas ay kinakailangan mag imbak ng supply ng coal na tatagal ng 5 taon.. pero ano ginagawa ng napocor... sasairin nila yung supply nila ng coal upang tumagal lamang ng isang taon, at dahil paubos na, mapipilitan silang mag conduct ng emergency purchase na di na dadaan sa bidding.. or kung dumaan man, dahil sa ikli ng time table, walang makakapag bid.

SO si napocor bibili ng coal, hindi sa lowest bidder, kundi sa kanilang preferred suplier.. ang masaya pa neto, anlaki na ng patong.. higit pa sa doble ng actual price ng coal sa market. Idagdag pa jan ang arkila ng mga barko na gagamitin sa pag tatransport ng coal... na shempre muling pagkakakitaan ng mga napocor
executives.. .

Sobra na nga pinapataw na tax sa atin ninanakawan pa tayo ng gobyerno natin..:( ansaya ng buhay sa pilipinas no?

God bless the Philippines.

Prayer during the Year of Jubilees, Ilocano

Kararag iti Tawen dagiti Jubileo

(makararag iti amin a Misa iti Tawen dagiti Jubileo)

Santissima Trinidad, Ama, Anak ken Espiritu Santo, gubbuayan ti amin a biag ken kinasanto
Daydayawendaka gapu iti panangitedmo kadakami ni San Pablo,
napinget nga Apostol ken martir gapu iti ayatna ken Kristo.

Kas iti panangpabilegmo ken San Pablo, ikkannakam met kadi ti naun-uneg a pammati, napadegdeg a namnama, ken gumilgil-ayab nga ayat para ken Kristo nga Apomi tapno kas ken San Pablo, maiwaragawagmi a sitatalged, “Saan nga siakon ti agbibiag, nu di ket ni Kristo ti agbibiag kaniak.”

Kas iti panangibaonmo kenkuana, tulongannakami nga agbalin nga apostoles nga agserbi iti Simbaan iti natarnaw a puso, mangsaksi iti kinapudno ken kinapintas daytoy a Simbaan,
iti baet ti kinasipnget ti tiempomi.

Agyamankami, Ama, Anak ken Espiritu Santo, Apo ti Pakasaritaanmi
Bayat iti panangrambakmi iti sagutmo a Simbaan Lokalmi, ti Nueva Segovia.

Bayat iti panagdaliasatmi kadagiti lawag ken sipnget ti biag-simbaanmi, dawatenmi nga akayennakami iti dalan ti panagbalbaliw, tapno maaddaankam ti napabaro a puso,
Ken nauneg a panagbalbaliw, tapno iti wagas ti panagbiagmi maiyannurot met laeng iti Ebanghelio
Ken tapno itrabahomi iti pannakawayawaya manipud iti basol ken dagiti istraktura ti basol a mangtaginayon ti kinapanglaw, pannanggundaway ken kinaawan ti hustisya.

Dawatenmi ta iturongnakam iti dalan ti pannakapabaro, tapno ikomitmi ti aminmi a mangitrabaho iti panagbalin dagiti istraktura ti basol nga istraktura ti grasya ken pannakawayawaya

Ken tapno itrabahomi ti pannakapabaro ti istraktura ti Simbaan ken Kagimongan tapno iwardasda ti pudno a kinatan-ok ti tao, agserbida iti pagimbagan ti amin, ken idiayada kadagiti tattao ti parabur ti pagarian ti Dios – biag nga awan pagkuranganna.

Dawatenmi ta pabilgennakami a mangikomit manen ti aminmi iti napabaro a panangiwaragawag ti Naimbag a Damag babaen ti napabaro a katesismo, iti naisangsangayan a wagas para kadagiti agtutubo ken babaen kadagiti nadumaduma a sangal ti media, babaen ti napabaro a panagrukbak, ken babaen ti napabaro nga apostolado para iti kagimongan, social action.

Dawatenmi ta idalannakam nga agmisyon iti kagimongan, ken kadagiti kakabsat a saan pay a nakaam-ammo ken Apo Jesus, wenno nakurang pay ti panakammoda kenkuana, wenno kadagiti saan pay a nalitup ti pannakaikamengda iti Simbaan a binuangayna.

Manangaasi nga Ama, idumogmi dagiti ulomi a sibababawi bayat iti panangikompesar ken panangsangomi iti kinamanagbasolmi, kasta met iti kinamanagbasol dagiti istraktura a dakami met laeng ti nangipasdek – sapasap a kinapanglaw, nakillo a politika, bumabbaba a moralidad, ken saan a napauneg a relihiyon.

Espiritu ti Ayat, padegdegem kadakami ti gagar ken tibker ti pammati, pagbalinennakam a pudpudno a Simbaan Lokal, ket isagutmo kadakami ti napabaro a gagar a mangitungpal iti misyon ti napabaro a panangiwaragawag ti Naimbag a Damag.

Managayat a Jesus, italekmi kenka amin a gandatmi tapno agbalin kam a napudpudno a senyal ken instrumento ti Pagariam bayat iti panangtuntonmi ti grasya daytoy a tawen ti Jubileo, baben ti panangibabaet ni San Pablo, Apostol kadagiti Gentil, ken ti panangkadkadwa ti Inam a ni Maria, Apo Caridad, isu nga intedmo kadakam nga Inami.

Daydayawendaka Dios Ama, Dios Anak, ken Dios Espiritu Santo ita ken ti agnanayon. Amen.

"Let us be on our way"

Archbishop Ernesto Salgado invites us all to a pilgrimage to the St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral during the duration of this Pauline Year.

Remember that on the eve of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul in 2007, Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed a special Pauline Jubilee Year commemorating the bimillenium of the birth of the Apostles to the Gentiles. He then called for a series of liturgical, cultural and ecumenical events as well as pastoral and social initiatives. In addition, he also asked that special attention should be made to penitential pilgrimages to the tomb of the Apostle, as well as in places and churches dedicated to St. Paul.

In response, the Archdiocese has set up a year long celebration. Last June 28, 2008, the celebrations were officially launched, and the pilgrimages declared open with the opening of the Jubilee door at the Cathedral.

The Holy Father, through the Apostolic Penitentiary has granted a plenary indulgence for pilgrims to the Cathedral during the Jubilee Year. This is if the pilgrims come with the right intention of seeking God's mercy through the intercession of St. Paul, performing acts of piety (the usual requisites of confession and prayer for the Pope, and prayers to St. Paul) and following the spirit of the Jubilee - conversion, renewal, evangelization and mission.

A plenary indulgence is the total remission of punishment due to sin already forgiven in confession.

Masterpiece

Masterpiece - this was how one described Manny Pacquiao's amazing display last Sunday. The country was ecstatic at this awesome victory.

For many, it was a welcome relief from the plagues of social and personal life. One even said, that it was like forgetting one's problems even just for that moment - momentary bliss. And after that, return to difficult life. Another said, that it was an encouragement to continue battling against life's vicissitudes, and an assurance that in the end, we will get a knockout victory.

I agree. But I was disturbed looking at the bloodied face of Diaz.

Does it have to take another person bloodied and slumped on the canvass to claim victory? Does it have to take for many to be exploited, manipulated, overcome for one to succeed and be rich? Does it always have to be homo homini lupus for one to be victorious - wolf to other men? Does it have to be always a battle for the survival of the fittest?

No, I do not dislike Manny Pacquiao. He stands for the Filipino spirit of determination and passion for greatness. But I am worried of the culture that feeds even in sports like this - one of violence against the other.

Violence is as old as humanity. Even the Bible attests to this - remember the story of Cain and Abel. But violence is not the basic instinct of man. Life is. Goodness is.

If we are to overcome and knockout, not other people, but personal and social maladies. If we are to seek victory, not at the expense of other people.