To be or not to be
That is what is in the minds of most of us in this season, with regular classes and graduations over in a critical pre-election year, and one of the hottest summers in years now upon us. Thankfully, the Lenten season is ending with Holy Week next week, opening with Palm Sunday, then the solemnity of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, climaxing on Easter Sunday. One Holy Week activity besides the preaching of the Seven Last Words on Good Friday is the annual Buhing Kalbaryo now an annual Cebuano presentation, directed by Archie Modequillo, who years earlier also directed a non-commercial Cebuano indie movie. A former dyLA colleague, I understand Archie will depict Judas a little differently from the traditional concept of him, a concept that was the theme of a novel I read years ago, and which Archie also must have also read, “I, Judas”. Meanwhile, Montebelllo’s Zelia Borromeo has sent me an advance notice that Easter Sunday at Montebello will be Fun Day, starting with morning Mass and followed by a traditional Easter Egg Hunt, a lot of games and prizes.
Meanwhile, last Monday was the Solemnity of the Annunciation, commemorating the maternity of Mary, the Blessed Virgin, and the Incarnation of Jesus, the Son of God.
Significantly this week, Pope Benedict XVI made his first pastoral visit to Mexico, followed by his visit to Cuba. Mexico is Spanish-speaking Latin America’s most Roman Catholic country. It is from Mexico, primarily through its galleon trade with the Philippines, that we learned more of our Catholic faith and even folk traditions. Mexico’s influence on our culture is still evident in our religious fiestas, architecture (the use of adobe blocks in our early houses during the Spanish regime) costumes (the kimona), and fruits (avocado) as well as our singkamas among others.
After winning over Mexico, the Pope also visited Cuba, celebrating Mass in the Revolution Plaza in Havana attended by over 200,000 Cubans defying the heat of the sun. He also received from Cuba President Raul Castro a sculpture of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, Cuba’s patron, remarkable in that Cuba had been officially atheist until 1992.
Meanwhile, the controversial Corona impeachment trial ,which has had many, including myself, glued to the live TV coverage for over a month now, is on hold until May.
History-wise, the 67th anniversary last Monday of the landing of Filipinos and American forces in Talisay, which paved the way for the liberation of Cebu from the Japanese invaders, was commemorated with a reenactment of the event there and wreath-laying activities. Hopefully, the reportedly mutilated life-size statues of Filipinos and Americans in a monument at the park near the landing site has already been repaired before the event last Monday. What happened to the required maintenance of historical monuments? Sad.
Also regarding memorable, even historical and cultural, structures in Cebu City, there is the old still standing Gotiaoco Building near the City Hall, which some officials think should be demolished, but which some civic and commercial groups have rallied to be restored and converted into a historical and still relevantly useful establishment. Thanks to them!
March is still Women’s Month, but media continues to report cases of violence, including murder against women and children. This month is also Anti-Rabies Awareness Month and thankfully, community, civic and medical groups are actively involved in anti-rabies information and inoculation campaigns. This month is also Fire Prevention Month (even if we have already been having almost daily fires even before up to March) and recent weeks have, for a change, have “left” the crowded squatter areas, many now already “cleared up and out” by successive fires, to devastate now the huge shopping malls in Manila. While here in Cebu, the Metropolitan Cebu Water District and SM City Cebu set up last March 22nd an exhibit showcasing the century-old Buhisan Dam and Fuente Osmeña, which turned 100 years old last month. It ran up till yesterday. March this year should also have been commemorated as Good News – Bad News Month?
With regular classes resuming in June, the then to-be implemented K-12 educational system and language used in instruction continue to be controversial. And throw in the Reproductive Health Bill for more controversy! Personally, and as a former teacher, I have always wondered what has/had been done or prepared for regarding curricular content and teacher/instructor training and preparations have been done for K-12.
Language for instruction has also been thankfully been taken up and continues to be viewed and reviewed by educators and concerned media practitioners. As a former teacher/instructor and media person, I agree with Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Randy David’s opinion about the return to the mother tongue and a New York Times News Service item on two tongues being better than one, both in education and general communication. However, I must confess that in the new/modern technology I continue to be overwhelmed and “lost,” shame on me! Having left off writing my columns in long hand, I turned to the typewriter, but when my children introduced me to using the computer, and now, my laptop, I still rely on the young ones, my grandchildren in the States and my family helpers’ tech-savvy high school and soon-to-be daughters to troubleshoot and e-mail for me!
More to share with you week after next, since there will be no Cebu Daily News issue on Good Friday next week.
Till then, may God continue to bless us one and all in these Lenten days, and in advance, a Happy and Blessed Easter to you all!
