Blessings amid trials in August
This week’s Bystandering started last Sunday with the successful annual triathlon event, the Ironman 70.3 Philippines. Media has reported warm appreciation by participants, especially the foreign, as well as out-of-town racers, for the Cebuanos’ hospitality.
Then Monday, August 6th, Cebu province observed its 444th Founding Anniversary with the theme, “Pagtambayayong Alang sa Kauswagan ug Kalamboan”, with a celebratory week of government, civic and cultural activities.
But in the afternoon, the country was shocked with the news that a powerful bomb exploded in Cotabato, initially killing at least six people and injuring 29 others, including policemen. The figures have soared since then. As I wrote this in midweek, the Senate was already deep in an inquiry regarding the tragedy. By the time you read this, details and probably possible perpetrators and their reasons may have come to light.
This week has already witnessed such tragedies, which seem to be happening more frequently now, so that we are almost not surprised anymore. Take ambushes, shootings, smuggling (recently, incredibly in a number of vans of cars, oil, and rice, among others!) trafficking, counterfeiting and some reportedly “scam-happy officials, solons and professionals… ‘hiding’ their financial statements” and outright plundering of public funds. And the “padrinos” pulling strings at the Bureau of Customs. Tragic, these matters.
Add to these, environmental events like floods caused by human carelessness with trash, and informal settlements (were they not called “squatters”?) clogging our waterways, forest fires caused by lightning and human carelessness, too. Also the landslides in both the city and town hilly areas, caused by the cutting of trees that hold back the soil, instead of it being loosened by our now frequent rains. Meanwhile in the cities, walls around our now modern housing developments crash down on people due to soil erosion. Al Gore’s prediction about the “inconvenient truth” of global warming is bearing down on us!
Last Sunday, August 4th, hordes unexpectedly crowded the Commission on Elections offices to register for the forthcoming Sanguniang Kabataan and barangay elections. Officials suspect many were brought in (hakot?) by some candidates. No extension has been allowed for the registration period. In the wake of all this, Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes has been angrily considering its “abolition.”
August is a month of special commemorations. It has been declared Nutrition and Breast Feeding Month. On Aug. 1st, the country observed the 4th death anniversary of the late president Corazon Aquino, with her son President Benigno Aquino III praying at the grave of his parents, Cory and Ninoy, at the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Paranaque City. The day was also the Feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorist Order.
Aug. 6th was the anniversary of the Bombing of Hiroshima 68 years ago, leading to the end of World War II in 1945. It was also the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord Jesus. Today, the 9th, a declared holiday, Eid’l Fitr marks the end of the Muslim observance of Ramadan, a month of sacrifice and purification, of fasting, praying and acting with kindness to the poor.
On international relations, the Pilippines and Vietnam have been invited to persuade the Association of South East Asian Nations to “take a giant step with China” regarding disputed waters, especially between the Philippines and China. While the United States has closed its embassies in Mid-eastern countries threatened by Al Qaeda. This is a developing news event.
On Tuesday last week, we held the first executive committee meeting of the Cebu Council of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) for the new triennium starting this year, under our new set of elected officials led by council president Ida Yting. It was held at our newly renovated board room at the GSP Headquarters in Banilad.
We considered the schedules of our Council Training School 2013 to update our troop leaders throughout Cebu province with various workshops, starting last Aug. 3rd through Oct. 26th. These will include “Lights, Camera, Action: Media Camp for GSP Planet Savers” regarding envionment, and the First National Gathering of Girl Scout representatives. Also deliberated on was a fund development project, memorializing of the GSP Diamond Jubilee Project, a yearbook on the theme, “Once a Girl Scout, Always a Girl Scout: Celebrating 75 Years of Service.” It is going to be a busy, productive year of service as well as fun for our girl scouts this year.
As it also is for our Cebu United Radio and TV Artists (Curta), Inc. during our monthly meeting last Aug. 6th. We considered plans for a fund-raising projecrt, primarily for the financial benefit of our members in their times of need. We concluded by wishing a dozen (yes, 12!) fellow August birthday celebrants with the traditional “Happy birthday” song and individual mini, birthday cakes for them. Our late Curta founder Emiliano Rizada, Jr. would have been the 13th birthday celebrant.
Do listen in tomorrow to the monthly radio program “Women’s Kapihan” which I will host at 2 to 3 p.m. on radio station dyLA. I will report on this and other developments in next week’s Bystander-ing.
In closing, do remember in your prayers the souls of the following recently departed friends, with condolences to their bereaved families: Britta Quisumbing, Pet Misa and Oscar Jereza Jr.
Until next week then, as always, May God continue to bless us, one and all!
