‘Tis the season…

“Tis the season to be jolly,” the familiar carol goes, and already, Christmas lanterns, lights and all the trappings of this season are coming alive in shopping malls and public places. Here in Cebu, the traditional tall lighted Christmas tree at Fuente Osmeña was being set up when I passed there last week. Media reports that a 100-foot-tall Christmas tree has already been put up in Manila. I still have to learn how high ours is at Fuente Osmeña.

But what a season it is: hot, humid and sweaty, alternating with showers and pouring rain within a day at times, and relieved by a few cooling nights. When it used to be cooler now in earlier years, before global warming finally came upon us. And this worldwide situation regarding the indeterminate weather, unsettling peace, crime, corruption-tainted governments, politics and people are now also upon us.

Last Wednesday, a constitutional crisis loomed when the former first couple was denied exit at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport due to conflicting decisions between the Supreme Court and the Department of Justice. The sensational Revilla-Bautista and Bella Ruby Santos cases are still pending juridical solutions, while President Aquino himself, who is on an international visit to further relations with heads of other nations, has even been critically considered in reports, among others, and he has rescheduled his international trip to face this situation. To quote columnist Neal Cruz in justifying Justice Secretary Leila de Lima in her decision, she was “only using her common sense.” “For someone supposed to be sick (wearing full regalia of neck and body braces in a wheelchair at her interrupted trip at NAIA), she has presented a… daunting itinerary abroad. How can someone so sick have all the energy to attend all those meetings?” You figure.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the recently concluded Pacquiao-Marquez fight, controversy in opinion still rages as daily reported by media. Personally, I had tensely watched the replay of the fight until the results were announced. I am no fan of the sport except in this case and a few other media-reported championship bouts of involving sports people popularized in the media. This time, as a Filipino, I naturally hoped for Pacquiao to win, even as I appreciated what a tough fight he faced with the supposed odds stacked against him. Whatever the technical aspects of the sport were, still the bone of critical contention, I think the judges’ decision was right, as supported by the technologically evaluated results.

Personally I agree with the Cebu Daily News editorial that Pacquiao “has nothing more to prove at this point; his place in the pantheon of the world’s greatest boxers had been assured… with 15 straight victories… and billions of dollars to leaven all that (latest) hard-won triumph.” And Newsday sports writer Marcus Henry’s painful question: “After that performance, you have to wonder… How many more fights does he have in him?” Personally, too, I think it is time for Paquiao to quit while still at the undisputed top of the heap, and turn his many more years and many other talents to other avenues, particularly, as of now, his task as congressman, perhaps providing even more sports training and facilities for the youth.

For more of the good news: The country’s Puerto Princesa underground river is now among the newly declared Seven Wonders of Nature, and this week, Lapu-Lapu City held a beautiful fluvial parade and began their novena to their patroness, Our Lady of the Rule whose feast day will be celebrated on Monday, Nov. 21st. Here in the city, over 250 youth leaders from the different parishes and covenanted communities of the Archdiocese of Cebu will hold the 5th Youth Congress on Nov. 25 to Nov. 27. While the archdiocese has also recently inaugurated a Youth Center near the Metropolitan Cebu Cathedral.

More on our youth, in the current Reading Month of November, culminating on the 25th with the “Araw ng Pagbasa,” attention now focuses on our Education Department. While many quarters still dispute the implementation of the new K-12, it is agreed that kindergarten is now necessarily important in the educational development of our children. More on the subject, CDN has this promotional slogan: Read More!

In sports, Cebuano athletes dominated in the recent Batang Pinoy 2011 leg held in Dumaguete City. They won with a total of 42 gold, 24 silver and 23 bronze medals in taekwondo, judo, swimming, badminton, table tennis and chess. Congratulations all youths involved in activities in the above-mentioned areas, religious as well as athletic, truly the “Hope of our Father/Motherland!”

Meanwhile, in our Cebu Women’s Network Kapihan over radio dyLA on Saturday last week, our topic that involved a spirited discussion was “Violence against women and children, and the 18 Days of Activism Against Violence campaign.” Discussed were the forms of violence concerned, including not only physical, but also sexual, psychological and economic abuse. Also on how they are committed, and most importantly, seven Philippine laws in numbered Republic Acts on violence against women and children.

The international 16 Days of Activism against Violence campaign runs from International Day on Nov. 25th through International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10th. This global campaign “mobilizes women around the world to organize marches and other events to arouse awareness of the violence facing women, unique in that it utilizes a human rights perspective, while remaining locally owned.” Here in the Philippines, the 16 days was made 18 days, adding two more days due to the rising incidence of cases of human trafficking in the country, particularly the still pending Ellah Joy Pique kidnapping and death involving Bella Ruby Santos and reported cyberporn cases.

Next week I hope to report on the Fashion ‘n Rhythm show at Marco Polo last night and the Celso Duazo art exhibit Homage – 2 opening today at the SM City Cebu Art Center, as well as other cultural activities of the week including the Hambin forum on holy relic last Sunday at the Cathedral Museum.

Till then, as always, may God continue to bless us, one and all!