DAGUPAN CITY–Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz warns that the composite possibility is that Presidential Proclamation 1017 "could ultimately bring down even the present holder of the presidential office".

Cruz, former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines, said that "eventually it could spell the undoing of the national future particularly in its political, economic and socio- ethical features".

To concretize the same truth, it could in effect anger more and more people, make these more resentful and engage in more dissenting moves productive of more disorder and conflict, he said.

" It would be possible that all could be eventually losers," he said.

The prelate said the content and extent of Proclamation 1017 depends much on the judgement call of the one holding the presidential office in the country. "And this is the key consideration on how in order or out of order is making the proclamation, how beneficial or disastrous it is for the
country as a whole –- young and old, rich and poor, educated and ignorant", he said.

He added that "even as of these days, there is a good number of thoughts that the proclamation is not altogether intended for its objective finality– but rather for the personal self-preservation of those in power and influence".

"While such thinking could be wrong, it is there and it appears to be making a headway among the thinking and the impoverished people as well," he said.

Cruz added,"One wonders who are those happy for Presidential Proclamation 1017–in conscience and in truth".

DAGUPAN CITY–Preemptive calibrated response and Executive Order 464, Presidential Proclamation 1017 and General Order No. 5–all these options have one composite common denominator: curtailment of human freedom, promotion of physical force, silencing of the truth, according to Lingayen- Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz.

Cruz said in a statement yesterday that, "They all undermine democratic space. Produce the scenario of fear and offend the intellectual faculty".

He said that those of age have lived and experienced exactly the same disturbing socio-political factors.

"They were either the prelude to or the remnants of martial law," the prelate said.

These however did not quash dissent but simply sent this underground, he said, adding that they neither made brave people cowards but instead prodded them to defiance to and derision for those responsible for such counter-
freedom enactments.
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DAGUPAN CITY–Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said EDSA I and EDSA 2 can be called a combined unfinished saga in the country.

Cruz said that, "They both proved something good-the power of truth plus the strength of righteousness. Yet both fell short of their core intent: the reform of Philippine politics vis-à-vis moral development of politicians".

He said that the saga is unfinished because EDSA I and EDSA 2 succeeded in removing the heads of unwanted governments. Yet it allowed their incarnate members to remain free to again regain power and again soil governance, he added.

He said EDSA I and EDSA 2 are both distinct phenomena in Philippine history. Even the global community took notice of these two singular events, he said. People power, prayer power, moral power or whatever the two EDSAs are called and known, they all have one fundamental common denominator—the Filipino moral psyche, he added.

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This is a feature story I wrote which appeared this week in Sunday Punch, Pangasinan’s leading newspaper.

Entitled “Hail to the First Filipino Braille International Awardee”, I find this story inspiring both to those with complete senses and to the visually-impaired or other persons with disabilities. I’d like to share this with you.

Kindly read on.

This totally blind woman, who graduated Magna Cum Laude in college and the first Filipino Braille International awardee, believes she is “stepping out of the dark into a world so bright” with the use of Braille and God.

Minnie Aveline Juan of San Carlos City, 21, said her mission is “simply to be of service to others in whatever way I can through my God-given talents and to inspire others.”

“It’s up to God on what and how exactly I would be able to use my talent ,” Juan told this writer during an interview inside her parents’ office at the Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation (VMUF) here. Her mother, Dr. Ma Lilia Posadas-Juan is the university president while her dad, Dr. Angelo Juan, is the vice president for administration. Both are medical doctors.

Full of life, Minnie, called as such for being born literally “mini” as she weighed only 2.2 pounds, prematurely born at six and a half months and had to stay inside an incubator for one month, said she is still thankful to God.

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There's no stopping the rescue and relief operations for the victims of the Southern Leyte tragedy. People from different races were there to help. I culled from Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop oscar Cruz' www.ovc.blogspot.com the foloowing statements he made today on this unimaginable nightmare. Here it is, please read on.

unity in tragedy

Humanity is one, as one it is meant to be by the Almighty. The difference of race, color and creed should not divide it but instead promote the truth of unity in diversity. The fact is that every human person is lessened in worth and dignity when humanity discriminates against itself, especially so when it goes to war with itself.

There are many observations made about the Southern Leyte tragedy. There are people looking for individuals to blame. There are others forwarding excuses or making rustications. Many however are mourning, praying, waiting with anxiety and pain. And rightly so. There is time for everything—in abundance and want, in hope and fear, in life and death.

There is a special concern for the school children engulfed in the tragedy. They barely began living. They simply want to learn. They are innocent. They are playful. Yet they are victims. They musts have cried much. They must have suffered much as well.

But from the loss of many lives, houses and other material possessions comes the sterling reality that in big calamities, humanity is one in responding. There emerges the crystal clear lesson that people of the world become one in facing catastrophic times.

What a sobering thought, an endearing consolation, a precious recall! One humanity having one human nature, living in one world, calling upon one God!

From the dead, the living learns. From the deep and dirty mud emerges a pure and inspiring message. Massive suffering, extreme pain and untimely deaths know no frontiers. They readily unite people. They actually prove that the world is still one in sentiments and concerns.

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For few days now, I’ve been thinking of what happened to Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte, in my native land of Philippines.

I saw footages from television network ABS-CBN about the tragedy. Life is really uncertain.

We haven’t recovered from the ULTRA stampede that killed more than 70 persons and injured several hundreds others after the victims, together with thousand others, converged in Ultra, Pasig City to get the chance to win handsome prizes. Poverty and (dole mentality, I must add), drove them there.

Then, came in just two weeks I guess, this Saint Bernard tragedy. Oh no, no more next please, Lord, I murmured while watching TV that night this incident was reported on TV.

Based on The Philippine STAR report today ( the paper which incidentally is where I contribute stories from Pangasinan), after more than 48 hours of digging into what is left of Barangay Guinsaugon here, everyone speaks in hushed tones, ears to the ground, hoping the slightest sound would signal that life still stirs under tons of mud.

I lifted some portions of the story written by Roberto Dejon. Please read on.

The search has been complicated by heavy rains, on top of the threat of another landslide from an adjacent mountain as well as the possibility that the rescuers themselves could get sucked into the soft, shifting mud.

Survivors of the tragedy had a tough time figuring out where their houses used to be since familiar landmarks have been also wiped out by Friday’s landslide.

Sketches of what the village used to look like didn’t help either the locals or the visiting rescuers.

Only 65 bodies have been recovered so far. Estimates of the number of people still buried range from 1,400 to between 2,000 and 3,000, and hopes are fading that any of them are still alive.

The military says up to 10 meters of mud — deeper in some places — has buried Barangay Guinsaugon, covering an area of nine square kilometers.

Let’s pray for these poor souls and for those who abuse Nature in order to gain financially. May the Holy Spirit open their minds and end their abuses. We have had so many lessons learned from Nature’s wrath.

DAGUPAN CITY–In the wake of massive street protest to mark the 20th anniversary of Edsa People Power revolution on Feb. 24 to press President Gloria Arroyo to resign, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said if any national upheaval eventually comes, the administration is simply asking for it.

Cruz said in a statement that "To allege that it is but a purely political move is delusion. To claim that it is simply an ideological plot is futile".

He said the present administration is courting danger. It continues to sing the economic gains of the country while more and more people become hungry, he said.

He added that it loudly boasts of a rosy vision for the nation yet more and more Filipinos leave the country for a better living abroad. There is either no work available her and now, or the available work is not worth taking, Cruz noted.

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DAGUPAN CITY–Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said a strong peso with a weak purchasing power is a big bad joke.

Cruz said in a statement that time and again the administration and its technocrats sing the ever increasing strength of the peso.

"Yet people who not live in Malacañang, big mansions
nor high rise condominiums but in simple houses if not under the bridges have been asking long since a simple question: if the peso is going strong, why does it buy less and less? If the peso is becoming valuable, why does it take so much of it to buy so little in the market," Cruz, former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, asked.

He said in the day to day living of the ordinary Filipino-and these are millions-the so called “strong peso” is in fact irrelevant. For all intents and purposes, let it be a “weak peso” provided it buys enough food and clothing, he said.

"A strong peso with a weak purchasing power is a big bad joke," he added.

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DAGUPAN CITY—Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Arturo Lomibao has called on all police chiefs in the country to be always on their toes as the Pasig City shabu tiangge (flea market) recently raided by the police might be also operating right in their very noses in their areas.

Lomibao told local newsmen here Sunday afternoon at the Bonuan Binloc residence of House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. here that,” It’s possible it also happens in other parts of the country”.

He described the incident where shabu was sold in tiangges very, very close to the police community precinct and government offices where addicts bought and consumed the illegal drugs in shanties as “incomprehensible, it’s unimaginable, it’s unthinkable to a have that kind of tiangge to exist in the neighborhood or in the heart of the city”.
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DAGUPAN CITY—For these 20 Aeta couples, love was indeed in the air when they exchanged “I dos” in a civil and Christian pre-Valentine’s wedding held in a mountainous area in sito Mabato, barangay Paete, San Narciso, Zambales last Saturday.

House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr, who acted as the ninong (godfather) of these katutubos, also known as lumads, told local newsmen here the other day that it was perhaps the first wedding rites held in this relatively new upland settlement.

“I asked them to give their bride a Valentine’s wedding, mag lips to lips naman sila,” de Venecia said. He described them as about four feet tall, kinky haired and dark skinned. Some of the couples had been living in together for many years already.

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