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I was blessed by children today. Two children, actually. A young girl, 10-year old Sophie, and a 3-month old baby boy, Matteo. Sometimes, one can’t contain oneself, by the joy these two pure souls may offer this poor, weak soul. Life can be so burdensome.
In the early 2000s, government soldiers brutally killed a couple, Expedito and Manuela Albarillo, in a surprise attack on their home in San Teodoro, Mindoro Oriental. Their bodies, mutilated by the intense gunfire, were dragged out of their house by the perpetrators, later identified as Philippine Army soldiers commanded by then Col. Jovito Palparan Jr.
This year marks the 13th year of Mary Jane’s detention on death row. And while there is no imminent threat of execution since she was granted a temporary reprieve by the Indonesian government in 2015 to allow her to testify against her traffickers in an ongoing legal case in the Philippines as a victim of human trafficking, Mary Jane does not deserve to be imprisoned for another single day.
It is a daunting task if we think of it without God in the equation. This call of God to discipleship today is not far more or far less formidable than in the time of the apostles. The contexts are very different but there is one constant: it is God who calls us to be laborers for his harvest. When the going gets tough, God will carry us on eagle’s wings. When faced with death, we know that it is life in God that awaits us.
Almost a year after taking office, the new administration hasn’t taken any perceptible step towards making decisive, positive changes in the country’s dismal human rights situation. This is a major long-festering national malaise that Ferdinand Marcos Jr. seems to be determined to ignore.
We are just pilgrims here on earth. We are all travelers. We are just passing through this world. Our worldly existence is very much finite. Our worldly existence could not overpower time.
Nearing the end of his first year in Malacañang, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has stayed silent about his stand on the continuing calls from peace advocates to resume negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, which his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, unilaterally terminated in November 2017.
The Gospel this week is another well known verse in John 3:16-18 that talks of how God so loved the world, God sent Jesus to die for our sins so that we may have eternal life. But John goes on in the following verses that are less familiar to many to say remind us that Jesus was sent to save the World not to condemn it.
In the very beginning, the Holy Spirit, who’s feast we celebrate today, was with the Creator of the universe, moving over His creation. As the 2nd person of the Trinity, Jesus was very much aware of this. Hence, he promised his disciples before He ascended to His Father, that He will send an advocate to be with them. The disciples did not understand this promised. Hence, they were filled with FEAR. They were scattered, discouraged, and some even did not see any point in staying together as ‘followers’ or believers.
Now playing out in a hitherto-neglected region of the world – but not that far from our own beleaguered corner – is the escalating tension between the United States and China.
The US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, nearly 75 years old now, is being dusted off in the light of “current and emerging threats” to the two countries – read: China’s increasing belligerence about Taiwan and its own maritime claims over almost the entire South China Sea.
One year after the elections, the Computer Professionals' Union takes a look at everything that's gone wrong in the automated elections system, and puts forward recommendations.
The protest of Masinloc fishers highlighted the lack of attention given to ordinary people as officials relish their token role in the geopolitical ‘game of thrones’ in the Asia-Pacific. On one hand, they are bullied by oversized Chinese vessels in our own territory; but they are also barred from fishing during Balikatan war games. Dynamite fishing has been outlawed yet US troops used a missile to blow up a warship in Zambales.
Many New Testament scholars agree that the Gospel of John is written for a beleaguered community torn from many sides. John’s community experience incessant harassment from their enemies. These enemies are (1) a well-established religious community and (2) a King who reads their loyalty swerving towards subversion. They earned their enemies because of their subversive belief that Jesus Christ was resurrected and now reigning from heaven. This theological belief has political implications that could spell life and death. This belief launches them into a political mission that directly offends the ruling elite.
Yesterday, the US and Philippine military forces formally ended their 18-day joint war games under the 38th version of the Balikatan. The various exercises, held in Northern and Central Luzon, involved more than 17,000 troops and live-firing of a variety of US modern weapons systems.
We need more testimonies and reports highlighting the lesser-known protests that contributed to the building of a formidable resistance to the dictatorship.
Compassion is but a concept, mercy is elusive, hope seems unattainable for our poor brothers and sisters, for those in the margins of our society, and it will remain so if we continue to allow ourselves to become agents of evil, to be the festering wounds on the body of Christ.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said those investments “will spur job creation and economic growth in local Philippine communities.” His enthusiasm may have exhilarated the current administration, especially the defense establishment. But to us, the Filipino people, one crucial issue remains unclear, even disturbing: how exactly or to what extent the American forces will use the EDCA sites.
Family reunions allowed us to catch up, reenact rituals of domestic living, and build new memories. Were they enough? For a child who sincerely wanted to express his love and gratitude, they were agonizingly inadequate.
“Kaya’t si Pedro at ang [isang] alagad ay nagpunta sa libingan. Kapwa sila tumakbo ngunit si Pedro’y naunahan ng kasamang alagad. Yumuko ito at sumilip sa loob. Nakita niyang nakalagay ang mga kayong lino, ngunit hindi siya pumasok” (Juan 20: 3-5).
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