•A3 Men in black: Year for
Priests highlights need
for holy ministers
Sex education undermines
parents’ roles – CBCP
IMPOSING lessons about sex on kids as young
as eleven is an attempt to wrest responsibil-
ity for bringing up children from parents, the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
said.
The bishops revived its opposition to the
proposed implementation of the integrated sex
education program for elementary and high
school students this school year.
Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, CBCP Media Office
director, was among those who immediately
reacted on the plan by the Department of Edu-
Sex education / A6
Church pins hope on Aquino
By Roy Lagarde
THE Catholic hierarchy is
counting on President-elect
Benigno Aquino III’s promise
of change.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP) president Bishop
Nereo Odchimar said the church will
rally behind the Aquino administration
if only for the good the country.
“We will pray for him as a president.
We will work together… wish him well
and cooperate with his ideals that we
could be in assistance not necessarily
compromising our beliefs and our con-
victions particularly in matters of faith
and morals,” Odchimar said.
The change former CBCP president and
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo wants
is for Aquino to eradicate the “rampant”
corruption in the government.
Lagdameo said he is hoping the Aqui-
no administration will give full consid-
eration to voices of the “majority—the
poor Filipinos.”
15th President
Aquino on June 9 was proclaimed by
Congress as the 15th President of the
Philippines.
The 50-year old Liberal Party (LP)
standard bearer is the first president
elected through nationwide automated
elections held last May 10.
Aquino, son of the country’s democ-
racy icon Cory Aquino, secured just
over 15.2 million votes, or nearly 42
percent of the total number cast.
Former president Joseph Estrada
of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP)
finished way far behind in second spot
with nearly 9.5 million votes.
Aquino / A6
Fight for ‘freedom of Bishops seek abolition of pork barrel
information’ continues
OFFICIALS of the Catholic hierarchy
vowed to make a renewed bid to push
the passage of the “freedom of informa-
tion” bill in the incoming Congress, say-
ing it could lead for good governance.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick
Pabillo’s remarks, made in an interview
with CBCPNews, came as the Lower
House failed on June 4 to ratify the bill
because of lack of quorum.
House Speaker Prospero Nograles
had earlier assured that Congress will
work on the ratification.
Various sectors and civil society
groups are supportive of the measure
that could allow wider public access to
information about government transac-
tions and public records in print, sound
and visual form.
Pabillo slammed the Congress, saying
many of its members again failed to put
the public interest ahead of their own in
setting aside the FOI bill.
“This 14th Congress lost the honor
to bequeath a landmark for our democ-
racy,” said Pabillo, who also chairs the
Catholic Bishops Conference’ of the
Philippines – National Secretariat for
Social Action.
www.youthpinoy.com
•B1 Today’s culture and
consecrated life
June 7 - 20, 2010 Vol. 14 No. 12
In this file photo, President-elect Benigno Aquino III presents a book about his mother, the country’s democracy icon Cory Aquino, to Archbishop
Antonio Ledesma during his courtesy call to the prelate at the Bishop's House in Cagayan de Oro City, January 30, 2010.
Pope thanks CBCP for ‘message of support’
POPE Benedict XVI has expressed his thanks for the “thoughtful
message of support” tendered to him by the Catholic Bishops Con-
ference of the Philippines (CBCP) over the news reports of sex abuse
scandals involving some members of the clergy.
The pope described the negative publicity aired in media over the
past few months as “purifying trials” which he believes will awaken
in all the faithful a deeper thirst for holiness and a more ardent love
of the Lord and his Church.
In a letter addressed to CBCP President and Tandag Bishop
Nereo P. Odchimar signed by the Secretariat of State’s Substitute
Archbishop Fernando Filoni, the Holy Father remains “confident
that, by contemplating the paschal mystery of Christ’s suffering,
death and resurrection during the Easter season, the whole Church
will be confirmed in faith and in ‘the great hope based upon God’s
promises that gives us courage and directs our action in good times
and bad’” (Spe Salvi, 35).
The letter dated April 22, 2010, which was later released to the
media, assured everyone of the Holy Father's “special remembrance
in prayers as he commends Bishop Odchimar and the clergy, reli-
gious and lay faithful of the Philippines to the loving intercession
CATHOLIC bishops called on the
incoming president to abolish the
country’s “biggest source” of funds for
Pabillo said he will push for the pas- corruption: pork barrel.
sage of the bill in the incoming 15th The bishops, in a radio interview,
Congress. said president-elect Benigno Aquino
For his part, Fr. Edu Gariguez, Nassa III should abolish the pork barrel and
executive secretary, said the church never allow any form of replacement
“mourns with the Filipino” the bypass- or compromise.
ing of the bill. By doing so, Sorsogon Bishop Arturo
“The failure of Congress to pass the Bastes said one bi g source of corruptible
bill is a shameless betrayal,” Gariguez public funds will be taken away.
added. Even if it removes only half of cor-
If passed into law, the bill would ruption, he said, it
require government agencies to make would already be a
available to the general public all in- huge achievement for
formation pertaining to official acts, Aquino who vowed
transactions and government research to abolish corruption,
data. which was his cam-
The law would also give flesh to a paign battle cry.
Constitutional provision, which guaran- “Pork barrel is real-
tees the people’s access to information ly a source of corrup-
on matters of public concern. tion (in Congress).
The FOI bill has been pending for a Their (lawmakers)
decade. Once the incoming Congress duty is to make laws
opens, the bill has to be re-filed and the and not rural devel-
legislative process approval goes back opment,” Bastes said
to the first step. over church-run Ra-
The Senate earlier approved the mea- dyo Veritas.
sure and called on the House to do the He said govern-
same so that it could finally become a ment money should
law. (Melo M. Acuna) be handled by the
www.cbcpnews.com
•C1 The CROSS
A Supplement Publication of KCFAPI
and the Order of the Knights of Columbus
Soaring prices of
commodities, education
make OFW pockets ‘ache’
FILIPINO migrant workers’ say their pockets
are already “aching” not only due to the increas-
ing prices of commodities but also the soaring
price of Philippine education.
“Tuition fee increases in both private and public
colleges and universities are adding to our already
heavy burden as prices of food, fuel, water and
electricity continue to rise while value of the US
dollars continue to decrease thus making it more
difficult for us to make ends meet,” laments John
Php 20.00 Prices / A6
Impose
moratorium on
mining—Nassa
SAVE the environment or lose up to
multimillion worth of revenues – as
well as thousands of jobs—from the
mining sector?
For an agency of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP),
the answer is simple: implement a mora-
torium on logging this year to allow the
government to clean up its act.
Such move, said Fr. Edwin Gariguez,
executive secretary of the CBCP’s
National Secretariat for Social Action
(Nassa), would also give the environ-
ment a breather from rampant environ-
ment deforestation.
Gariguez said moratorium means
taking a break from mining activities,
and “this we mean all mining opera-
tions,” he said.
“It should be stopped… mining
moratorium,” Gariguez said recently at
“The Forum,” a Catholic Church-based
media discussion.
© Bong D. Fabe
Review mining policy
And while the country is taking a
break from mining activities, he said
the government should also review its
policies about the industry.
“There should also be changes in the
mining policy,” said the priest who is
also working for Mangyan Mission, a
church-based non-government orga-
nization promoting the rights of the
indigenous communities.
According to him, the current na-
Moratorium / A6
of Mary, Mother of the Church as the Supreme Pontiff imparts his
Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of strength and peace in Jesus her
divine Son.”
Odchimar, in the name of the CBCP has sent the pope a letter of
support last April 8 expressing sadness over news reports against
the Holy Father and the Catholic Church in relation on the cases of
sexual abuses by some members of the clergy.
“On behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines,
I express our support and oneness with Your Holiness in your open
and firm commitment to combat such abuses,” Odchimar said.
The CBCP prays with everyone with faith and love for His Holi-
ness as Head Shepherd, as he leads the Church through this crisis,
he added.
Odchimar also mentioned the CBCP has “started to squarely
address this problem since the early 2000s by drafting its own
“Pastoral Guidelines on Sexual Abuses and Misconduct by the
Clergy.”
He said the protocol is being used by some dioceses concerned
ad experimentum while the final approval by the Holy See after its
second revision is being awaited. (Melo M. Acuna)
various and concerned agencies of the
government and not by the lawmakers.
Bastes said the “bad congressional tra-
Pabillo the church has long been ap-
pealing for the abolition of pork bar-
rel system because it had corrupted
dition” should be “forbidden forever.” legislators.
Pork barrel, formally known as He said it also paved the way for the
the Priority Development Assistance legislative branch to lose its indepen-
Fund (PDAF), is money taken from the dence from the executive branch.
national budget that funds projects of Traditionally, many lawmakers
senators or congressmen. from different political parties join
A congressman is entitled to P70 mil- the administration coalition after
lion in PDAF every year and a member elections to ensure that they got their
of the Senate, P200 million. pork barrel.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick “The congressmen should focus on
making laws because
that’s what they are
supposed to do,” said
Pabillo.
He said the power
that local governments
deserve must be given
to them because they
are supposed to im-
plement pet projects
like roads and school
buildings.
“That is the impor-
Illustration by Bladimer Usi
tant duties of the gov-
ernors and the mayors
and not of the senators
and congressmen,”
said Pabillo. (Roy
Lagarde/CBCPNews)
www.cbcpmedia.com
 World News
CBCP Monitor
A2 Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 - 20, 2010

Pope to Cyprus: Support

Mideast Christians
NICOSIA, Cyprus, June 5, 2010—Benedict XVI underlined the impor-
tance of supporting Christians in the Middle East during a meeting
with the Orthodox Archbishop Chrysostomos II of New Justiniana
and All Cyprus.
The Pope is in Cyprus until Sunday, when he will deliver the "in-
strumentum laboris" (working document) for the Special Assembly
for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, which will take place
in Rome in October.
Upon visiting the Orthodox archbishopric of Nicosia, Benedict
XVI expressed his gratitude to the Cypriot Orthodox Church, which
"through the clarity and openness of her contributions, has always
given to the work of the dialogue."
Since the 2006 election of Chrysostomos II, the Church has become

© www.tampabay.com
a leader in ecumenical efforts, as well as a promoter of interreli-

gious dialogue with Islam, due to Turkish presence on the divided
island.
"May the Holy Spirit guide and confirm this great ecclesial under-
taking," Benedict XVI added, "which aims at restoring full and visible
communion between the Churches of East and West, a communion
to be lived in fidelity to the Gospel and the apostolic tradition, esteem for the legitimate traditions of
East and West, and openness to the diversity of gifts by which the Spirit builds up the Church in unity,
holiness and peace."
Without specifically mentioning the nation's ongoing struggle with Turkey over the occupation of
the northern section of the island, the Pope expressed hope that the nation "will find the wisdom and
strength needed to work together for a just settlement of issues remaining to be resolved, to strive for
peace and reconciliation, and to build for future generations a society distinguished by respect for the
rights of all, including the inalienable rights to freedom of conscience and freedom of worship."
Turning his attention to the Holy Land, which he noted has traditionally included Cyprus, the
Pontiff said "the situation of continuing conflict in the Middle East must be a source of concern to
all Christ’s followers."
© www.tolerance.ca
"No one can remain indifferent," he continued, "to the need to support in every way possible the
Christians of that troubled region, so that its ancient Churches can live in peace and flourish. The
Christian communities of Cyprus can find a most fruitful area for ecumenical cooperation in praying
and working together for peace, reconciliation and stability in the lands blessed by the earthly presence
of the Prince of Peace."
Archbishop Chrysostomos II noted in his address to the Pope that "despite the small numbers of
its flock, the Church of Cyprus holds an eminent position in Orthodoxy and enjoys fraternal relations
with all the Churches."
"Indeed," he added, "as we enter the 21st century, which is the century of dialogue, approach and
mutual understanding, we are determined to continue this course, in the belief that this is the will of
the All-Merciful Lord." (Zenit)

Unity among Christians

possible, Pontiff affirms
PAPHOS, Cyprus, June 4, 2010—Unity among Christians is pos- Father noted the progress of ecumenism in recent years.
sible, especially between Catholics and the Orthodox Churches, He explained: "Just a hundred years ago, at the Edinburgh Mis-
says Benedict XVI. sionary Conference, the acute awareness that divisions between
The Pope said this during an ecumenical celebration at the archeo- Christians were an obstacle to the spread of the Gospel gave birth
© www.flickr.com/photos/directionstoorthodoxy

Pope Benedict XVI greets the Orthodox archbishop of Cyprus, Chrysostomos II
(L), on his arrival at the Vatican June 16, 2007.
logical area of the Church of Agia Kiriaki Chrysopolitiss, on the first
day of his three-day trip the majority-Orthodox island.
After the welcome ceremony at the International Airport of
Paphos, the Pontiff traveled directly to the Church of Agia Kiriaki
Chrysopolitiss to participate in an ecumenical celebration with Cy-
priot Orthodox Archbishop Chrysostomos II and other leaders of
Christian faiths, such as Armenians, Lutherans and Anglicans.
"The unity of all Christ’s disciples is a gift to be implored from the
Father in the hope that it will strengthen the witness to the Gospel in
today’s world," he said. "The Lord prayed for the holiness and unity
of his disciples precisely so that the world might believe."
During the open air event, which took place beside the Orthodox
church, also known as the Church of the Pillar of St. Paul, the Holy
to the modern ecumenical movement.
"Today we can be grateful to the Lord, who through his Spirit has
led us, especially in these last decades, to rediscover the rich apos-
tolic heritage shared by East and West, and in patient and sincere
dialogue to find ways of drawing closer to one another, overcoming
past controversies, and looking to a better future."
Benedict XVI called the church in Cyprus "a bridge between
East and West," and noted its contribution "this process of
reconciliation."
"The path leading to the goal of full communion will certainly not
be without its difficulties," he continued, "yet the Catholic Church
and the Orthodox Church of Cyprus are committed to advancing in
the way of dialogue and fraternal cooperation." (Zenit)

Pontiff laments murder of Bishop Padovese Day of prayers to follow

VATICAN CITY, June 5, 2010—Benedict The text continued: "He joins all of you in
XVI sent his condolences to the apostolic commending the noble soul of this beloved
ment to dialogue and reconciliation which
characterized his priestly life and episcopal
deadly Dhaka blaze
nuncio to Turkey for the death of Bishop pastor to the infinite mercy of God our ministry. DHAKA, June 4, 2010—The government of Bangladesh has
Luigi Padovese, who was stabbed to death Father and in giving thanks for the selfless "United with all who mourn Bishop declared Saturday a day of mourning with special prayers for
Thursday. witness to the Gospel and resolute commit- Padovese in the hope which draws its victims of one of the worst fires in Bangladesh’s history in which
The 63-year-old prelate, who was certainty from the resurrection, His more than 100 are reported dead.
the apostolic vicar in Anatolia and Holiness cordially imparts his apos- The blaze broke out on Thursday night in the Nimtali area,
president of the Turkish bishops' con- tolic blessing as a pledge of consola- one of Dhaka’s oldest districts.
ference, was murdered in Iskenderun, tion and strength in our Lord Jesus The death toll is continuing to rise.
Turkey, hours before he was to travel Christ." Deputy fire chief Abdur Rashid said 93 were confirmed dead
to Cyprus for the apostolic trip of Benedict XVI is in Cyprus through while Mohibul Haque, the deputy commissioner of Dhaka, put
Benedict XVI. Sunday, where he will present the the toll at 114.
Authorities charged the Capuchin "instrumentum laboris" (working The government requested everyone to hold special prayers at
bishop's driver with the murder, 26- document) for the Special Assembly mosques, temples, churches and pagodas, The Daily Star reported.
year-old Murat Altun, who is said to for the Middle East of the Synod of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the injured at the Dhaka
be mentally unstable. Bishops, which will take place in Rome Medical College Hospital (DMCH) this morning accompanied
The telegram, sent to Archbishop in October. by Health Minister AFM Ruhal Huq and other officials.
Antonio Lucibello on the Pope's behalf In comments Friday during a press The government has extended financial and other logistics sup-
© spazioblog.progettoculturale.it

by Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio
Bertone, said the Pontiff was "deeply
saddened by the murder" and asked
the archbishop to "convey [the Holy
Father's] heartfelt condolences and the
assurance of his closeness in prayer to
the bishops, priests, religious and lay
faithful of the Church in Turkey."
conference with journalists accompa- port for the burial of the victims and treatment of the injured.
nying him on his three-day trip, the The government has decided to grant 20,000 taka (US$282) for
Pope noted that Bishop Padovese had each victim’s family to meet immediate needs including burial
"contributed greatly" to the prepara- of the dead.
tion of the synod for the Middle East, President Zillur Rahman expressed profound shock at the loss
and also cautioned against confusing of life in the fire. He said today he was praying for the salva-
the incident with religion or politics. tion of the departed souls and also for the quick recovery of the
Bishop Luigi Padovese
(Zenit) injured. (UCAN)

Jesuits hope to spread the good news with manga

KOLKOTA, India, June 4, 2010—Kolkata Jesuits orga-
nized a recent workshop on the Japanese comic form
of manga drawing, which they say has potential as a
Bible-teaching tool.
The stylistic and attractive Japanese art form is “an excel-
lent means” to evangelize among illiterate Indians as it has
“enormous potential” to teach the Bible, said Father Joseph
Pymbellikunnel, director of Chitrabani (light and sound),
the communication center of Calcutta archdiocese.
Japanese use the art form to teach various topics, apart
from mere entertainment, said Japanese manga artist
Yukichi Yamamatsu who conducted the workshop.
He said he wanted Indians to explore ways to use the
Japanese art form for education.Manga can express easily
what words fail to communicate, he added.
The workshop is the first of its kind in India and the re-
sponse was “overwhelming,” said Indian artist Bharath
Murthy, who assisted in the program.
In India, only children read comics unlike in Japan
where all ages enjoy them, he added.
But it wasn’t just the style of drawing that was decid-
edly “un-Indian” about the workshop.
The 50-odd participants came to the sessions on time
and hardly talked or took lunch breaks during the six-
day program, Father Pymbellikunnel said.
“It was so alien to our Indian nature to see everyone,
including the youngest eight-year-old, working silently,
glued to their seats.” (UCAN)

HK faithful vows to keep up June 4 prayer rallies

HONG KONG, June 4, 2010—The Square, 21 years ago. and another sculpture dedicated
faithful in Hong Kong have turned The activist expects several hun- to the Tiananmen victims outside
out to mark the annual “June 4 Inci- dred Catholics will come for the a shopping mall. Police confiscated
dent” in several Church-run events rally in the early evening of the an- them for violating the “Places of
and vowed to continue their prayer niversary day. They will later join Public Entertainment Ordinance”
rally in the years to come. tens of thousands of other people at but returned them on June 1 follow-
“We will continue commemorat- the annual candlelit vigil despite the ing public outrage.
ing the June 4 Incident even in the local authority’s recent attempts to The police action was “premedi-
face of future restrictions,” said Lina keep a tight rein on events. tated and a ridiculous excuse,” Chan
Chan Lai-na, an organizer of the On May 29, the Hong Kong Alli- said.
Catholic-run prayer rally marking ance in Support of Patriotic Demo- Hong Kong and Macau, former
the crackdown on pro-democracy cratic Movements of China erected Western colonies, are the only two
protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen a “Goddess of Democracy” statue Prayer / A6
 News Features
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 - 20, 2010
A3

Men in black: Year for Priests

highlights need for holy ministers
VATICAN CITY, June 4, 2010—Catholics expect
a lot from their priests and Pope Benedict XVI
is no exception.
Some people might have thought the pope
convoked the June 2009-2010 Year for Priests as
a praise-fest for the church’s collared class, but
instead he highlighted the importance of priests
in the life of the church by exhorting them to live
up to their calling.
In hundreds of speeches throughout the year
and in a special three-part series during his
weekly general audiences in April and May,
Pope Benedict described the identity and mis-
sion of priests, asked Catholics to pray for their
ministers and asked the men in black not just to

be good priests, but to be holy.
The fact that the church’s handling of cases of
priestly sex abuse came to the fore in Ireland and
other European countries and then was back in
the news in North America made it impossible
during the Year for Priests for the pope or any-
one else to ignore that a problem existed, even
if it involved just a small portion of the world’s
priests.
But, a South African priest said, “it was good
that the abuse scandal came out this year. It is an opportunity to
recognize our sinfulness and the importance of our behavior.”
The priest, Father Stanley Masilompana from the Archdiocese of
Johannesburg, is studying in Rome and said that during the Year for
Priests, he has come to the Vatican each Friday to pray the rosary.
Each day, among the thousands of visitors to St. Peter’s Square,
there are dozens of priests such as Father Masilompana. Some come
on their own to pray, while others are leading pilgrim groups.
Father Masilompana said he thought some of the media coverage
of the sex abuse scandal was unfair, but “I still believe that if Christi-
anity is not persecuted, it loses its meaning; we get too self-sufficient
and think that God is not in charge.”
God being in charge was one of the key points Pope Benedict made
in his three audience talks on the ministry of priests.
Using the classical formulation of the “tria munera,” or three of-
fices and tasks of a priest—to teach, sanctify and govern—the pope
focused on how priests must allow Christ to act through them at
all times.
The teaching role, he said April 14, is to make present, amid “the
© www.wikimedia.org
confusion and bewilderment of our times, the light of God’s word,
the light that is Christ himself.”
“The priest does not teach his own ideas, a philosophy that he
himself has invented, that he has discovered or liked,” he said, but
“he proposes the truth that is Christ himself.”
The sanctifying role, he said May 5, involves putting people in
touch with God, who is “light, truth, pure love” and doing so espe-
cially by offering the sacraments.
“Each priest knows well that he is an instrument necessary to
God’s saving action, but also that he is always only an instrument.
This awareness must make priests humble and generous in the
administration of the sacraments,” the pope said.
The governing role, he said May 26, gets a bad rap in the modern
world because people have seen too many examples of the abuse of
power in governments and in relationships.
In the church, authority is a service of leadership “exercised not in
one’s own name, but in the name of Jesus Christ,” who acts through
priests to “guide, protect and correct his flock because he loves it
deeply,” the pope said.
© www.faceforwardcolumbusblog.com
Father Vernon Clark, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in
Cody, Wyoming, didn’t really have a lot to say about governing
when he was interviewed with a pilgrimage group in St. Peter’s
Square June 2.
Teaching through classes and homilies and sanctifying through
the celebration of the sacraments – especially the Eucharist and
reconciliation – are the two most common elements of his ministry,
he said.
“As for governance, if you are doing the other things well, then
you already are leading the people,” he said.
Father Clark, whose parish includes Yellowstone National Park,
said the cases of clerical sex abuse “break my heart.”
“It pierces my heart. It is a call to deepen our humility ... and to
give myself more and more to Jesus through my practice of chastity
and celibacy,” he said.
For Father Christopher Mathaha, a student from Klerksdorp, South
Africa, the Year for Priests was important.
“For once we find someone—the Holy Father—who says, ‘I care
about priests,’” he said. (CNS)

Pope Benedict to declare St. Jean Special Report

Jailed OFW in
Vianney Patron of all Priests Riyadh needs
ROME, June 2, 2010— The Congregation for Clergy has revealed signifi- to take place in Rome from June 9 -11, marking the final days of the special blood money to
save life
cant details about the upcoming International Meeting of Priests that will year.
be held in Rome next week. A Wednesday statement from the Vatican According to the prefect of the Vatican congregation, Cardinal Claudio
dicastery announced that the 9,000 priests are scheduled to attend and Hummes, the objective of the initiative is to highlight a “spiritual renewal,” a
that the Pope will proclaim St. Jean Vianney the Patron of all Priests at new beginning and not a “conclusion.” He also said he hopes closing events
ANTIPOLO CITY, May 30, 2010—A 30-year
the closing Mass. will lead to a “rediscovery of the grandeur of the sacrament that configures
old Filipino migrant worker in Saudi is in need
The Year for Priests was inaugurated by Pope Benedict XVI on June 19 of last to Christ, High Priest.”
of blood money in order to save his life.
year and will be closed Events along the course of the three days will include meditations, Masses
Joselito Zapanta, a native of Pampanga and
by him with a Mass in and a congress on the figure of the priest. Pope Benedict XVI will meet twice
a father of two little kids, was sentenced to
St. Peter’s Square on with all participants, first during a prayer vigil on Thursday evening and
death last April 14 for murdering his Sudanese
June 11. Last spring, he then at Mass on Friday morning.
landlord. He was also accused of theft. He is
defined the year-long The statement from the Congregation for Clergy announced that Thursday’s
now staying at the Malaiz Central Jail in the
initiative as a “time to vigil event will be broadcast from the Vatican simultaneously to Ars, France,
Saudi capital of Jeddah.
deepen the commitment the Cenacle in Jerusalem, the “Favelas” of Buenos Aires and Hollywood. The
In a statement sent to media by Migrante
of all priests to interior Pope is scheduled to make an address to all priests at this time.
chair Garry Martinez he said that the family is
© www.catholicnewsagency.com

renewal for the sake of More than 600 young musicians and singers from Italian institutions will
now in dire need to come up with the necessary
a more forceful and inci- perform at the vigil.
amount to save the head of their kin.
sive witness to the Gos- At the final Mass, which coincides with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart
Migrante and the Zapanta family are now
pel in today’s world.” of Jesus, the Holy Father will proclaim the Year's patron, St. Jean Vianney, the
demanding for a dialogue with the Department
A June 2 statement Patron of all Priests. St. Jean is currently only the patron of parish priests.
of Foreign Affairs in order to “clarify” the lat-
from the Vatican’s Con- In addition to the 9,000 priests from 91 countries that have registered for
ter’s plan about the fate of the OFW especially
gregation for Clergy the final meeting, seminarians, deacons, religious brothers and sisters and lay
that they have received news that the last day
detailed the events set faithful will also participate in the three-day event. (CNA/EWTN News)
of filing of appeal before the Saudi Appellate

New media must help people’s hearts

Court was on May 10.
“They must reveal their plans. It is matter of
life and death for Joselito,” Martinez said in a
message sent to this reporter.

be touched by Christ, pope says

VATICAN CITY, June 2, 2010—If Catholic commu-
nicators are to use new media effectively, they must
use it in ways that touch people's hearts and draw
them to living faith communities, Pope Benedict XVI
said in a long-distance greeting to people gathered
for a media convention in New Orleans.
He said that the family of Joselito wants to
participate on the efforts of saving the life of
their kin.
In a statement, Zapanta’s father Jesus said
his church to the attention of a wider public," the that they doubt the capability of the Macapa-
pope said. gal-Arroyo government, whose term is about
"If your mission is to be truly effective – if the to end June 30th, of helping his son escape his
words you proclaim are to touch hearts, engage death.
people's freedom and change their lives – you must “Hindi kami papayag na buong-buong ip-
draw them into an encounter with persons and agkatiwala ang buhay ng aking anak sa ating
© webtron.com.au

During his general audience in St. Peter's Square
June 2, the pope read his message to those attend-
ing the Catholic Media Convention June 2-4. The
convention is an annual joint gathering of the
Catholic Press Association and the Catholic Acad-
emy for Communication Arts Professionals.
The 2010 meeting focused on the theme "Spread-
ing the Good News – Byte by Byte," which "high-
lights the extraordinary potential of the new media
to bring the message of Christ and the teaching of
communities who witness to the grace of Christ
by their faith and their lives," he said.
The pope said he hoped conference participants
would come away with renewed enthusiasm for
the Gospel.
Before imparting his apostolic blessing to the
media professionals, the pope said that despite the
many challenges facing Catholic communicators
today, "never forget the promise of Christ, 'I am
with you always, to the close of the age.'"
Near the end of the audience, as the pope was
greeting pilgrim groups in different languages,
nine Italian military planes flew in formation over
St. Peter's Basilica and left bright red, white and
green smoke in their wake.
New media / A7
pamahalaan. Hindi na kami papayag na lagi na
lang paghintayin at paasahin sa mga balita na
madalang pa sa patak ng ulan kung dumating.
Gusto naming maging aktibong kalahok, gusto
naming matiyak na magagawa ang lahat para
mailigtas ang buhay ng aking anak,” Mang
Jesus stated.
The saga of Joselito’s plight
Just like any other parent and husband, Jo-
selito had decided to leave the country to work

Human Rights groups to file Morong 43 case in UN Rights Council

ANTIPOLO CITY, May 30, 2010—Hu-
man rights watchdog Karapatan and
the Ecumenical Voice for Peace and
Human Rights (Ecumenical Voice)
are set to go to the United Nations’
Human Rights Council headquarters
in Geneva, Switzerland to formally
file their complaint against the gov-
ernment and state forces, in line with
the case of the 43 health workers who
were arrested while in training in Mo-
rong, Rizal last February 5th.
Rev. Fr. Rex B. Reyes Jr., secretary-
general of the National Council of
Churches of the Philippines (NCCP)
and one of the conveners of the
Ecumenical voice in a statement said,
they will again bring to the attention
abroad to provide his family food, clothing,
shelter and other necessities.
In a fact sheet provided by the Migrante’s
Migrants’ Assistance Center, it says that he
of the international community the there were 1,191 victims of extrajudi- violations. But even if the numbers left Manila for Riyadh on October 14, 2008
persistent and continuing viola- cial killings, 205 victims of enforced decreased there was no let-up in the to work as a tile setter. It was the Al-Ahram
tions to human rights under Oplan disappearances; 1,028 victims of violations, with impunity becoming International Group Services Inc., with offices
Bantay Laya, or the anti-insurgency torture; and hundreds of thousands more brazen as in the cases of the at Rms. 1, 2, 302 & 106, Jalandoni Bldg., 1444
campaign crafted by the Macapagal- of people forcibly evacuated and Ampatuan massacre and the illegal Mabini Street, in Ermita, Manila that helped
Arroyo adminstration upon its as- displaced in rural areas as a result of arrest and torture of the Morong 43. him land a job there.
sumption to office in 2001. military operations—all are but part Whenever there is a lull in the pres- However, fate seemed to be cruel to Jo-
The pastor also said the nine-year of the implementation of the OBL. sure the number of violations shoots selito.
reign of Mrs. Arroyo is “marked as “These [numbers] represent the up again,” Reyes further explained. Not receiving his salary for six months, he
the worst in terms of adherence to scale and magnitude of the brutal The members of the delegation hope had decided to run away from his previous
human rights instrumentalities.” impact of the OBL under a so-called and pray that the UNHRC will press employer and tried applying for other jobs.
“With the implementation of OBL, democratic rule. The culture of im- the Philippine government to adhere Luckily, he was helped by his fellow Filipinos
the most vicious counterinsurgency punity that characterized this assault to the human rights instrumentalities to get part-time jobs in order to sustain himself
program in recent memory, her gov- on human dignity is second to none and immediately stop the human and send a little money to his family in Mexico,
ernment tops the scale of human rights in recent years. When there is strong rights violations in the Philippines. Pampanga.
violators in the country’s history since local and international pressure the Reyes also said that having gone On May 25, 2009 Joselito had been able to
the martial law years,” he said. Arroyo government is forced to “de- through the recently held national Jailed / A6
Based on the records of Karapatan, escalate” the number of human rights Morong / A6
A4
EDITORIAL
Truth can wait—but not forever
OBJECTIVE truth has some features that liars and thieves,
frauds, grafters and other vicious characters cannot ignore—
knowing fully well that their corrupt and corrupting legacy
adversely affects not only themselves but their descendants
as well. Even if they are six feet below the ground, their gross
and scandalous misdeeds, continue to haunt them still.
Truth can wait—but not forever. The rather well known big
crooks and villains in the present Philippines society, especially
those supposedly occupying high and sensitive offices in
government can be and are being exonerated one by one from
their heinous sins against the good and welfare of the Filipinos
in general. The more powerful and influential they have been
in the past decade or so, the more covetous and greedy they
became, and more above the law they tend to remain.
The over-all result of a decadent governance will not only go
down history albeit shamefully but will scar the lives of people
in terms of deep-seated social ills that will take long time to
heal. The eroded dignity of a person and a depreciated basic
human right are but a few consequences of a bad political
leadership.
But again, it would be a huge folly for those concerned in
the socio-political and pursuant economic degradation of the
country to even but think that they could get away with it all
now or ever. Whether they subscribe to it or not, sooner or
later, their distorted value system and consequent sick actuation
pattern will eventually face and succumb to the fearsome force
of truth, and thereby bow down to the imperative of justice.
The nature of truth thus stands: One can easily deny it, readily
hide it or even dare trample it. But there it remains and stays.
And eventually it demolishes falsehood and deceit—so too the
liars and deceivers. The essence of justice thus works as well:
one can escape it now, hide from it later, but not free from it
forever. Ultimately, as justice guides the way of the innocent,
so too does justice in due time, bags in the guilty and takes
them away from decent society.
As it is often said: The higher one is the harder one falls! This
is so true for those who shamelessly betray the people’s trust,
who nonchalantly pocket people’s money, who avidly keep
what is not theirs. In the same way, the more deception and
hypocrisy certain individuals live by and live with the less hope
they have in eventually living in peace and ease.
Irresponsible Mining
THE Philippine Mining Industry has a poor record of
community accountability. Over the years, mining companies
have systematically engaged in the rape of Mother Earth and
left a legacy of impoverished communities and environmental
despolation.
In a Statement of Concern on the Mining Act of 1995, we called
attention to the quotation from the Book of Numbers: Do not
defile the land where you live and where I dwell (Num 35:34).
Today we ask ourselves whether we are going to repeat in the
21st century the mistakes we made in the past.
Thus far, the country has already identified 23 priority mining
project, which is estimated to encroach 60% of protected areas
and about 1/3 of ancestral lands. With very little regard for
long-term development goals, most mining projects issued
Environmental Compliance Certificate without securing the
Free Prior and Informed Consent of the affected communities.
Uncontrolled and poorly regulated extraction and exploitation
of mineral resources have threatened other resources. The
Mining Act itself encourages the exploitation of our land by
granting priority access rights to water and timber. Provisions
such as these make it easier for the communities to slowly be
eased out of their land. The expansion of sites granted with
mining permits and clearances eat considerable portions of
land devoted to agriculture.
We should be reminded that the Church’s mission includes
offering people an opportunity not to have more but to be
more by awakening their conscience through the Gospel. We
should learn from our Indigenous Filipinos who mangled their
forests in a sustainable way for hundreds and thousands of
years. Alternatives such as agro-forestry and ecotourism can
still provide jobs and food without endangering our lives and
environment.
The Church joins in the collective and continuous call against
the uncontrollable plunder of our natural resources. Above all, it
calls on a moratorium on mining activities until the government
and the mining companies learn to uphold the right of the
indigenous peoples, compensate the affected communities for
past damages, and ensure responsible mining practices.
Upholding the Sanctity of Life, 20
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ISSN 1908-2940
Opinion CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 - 20, 2010
Illustration by Bladimer Usi
Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo, O.M.I. Peace in Southern
Mindanao: Beyond the
Perspectives Rhetoric, Hope
CHRISTIAN politicians generally have a skewed view of the peace and Mar Roxas. The rhetoric was strident and shrill. No Christian
process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation politician dared to go on a limb to defend the present peace talks for
Front. Their view reflects that of the great majority of Christians all fear of losing Christian votes. The rhetoric has successfully glossed
over the country. It consists of the following: over the truth, despite some clear presentation of the government
(1) The ill-fated MOA-AD sacrificed national sovereignty and position by the GRP group.
territorial integrity for the sake of peace; Under the Noynoy Aquino regime, will the peace process progress
(2) The present peace negotiation between the GRP panel and the despite the election campaign rhetoric? There are signs of hope:
MILF is a repeat of the same; (1) Instead of biding his time and even before he takes his oath
(3) Like the previous peace talks, the present attempt is character- of office, the president-elect has chosen his primary peace nego-
ized by lack of consultation and transparency;
(4) Any “midnight” signing must be forestalled;
tiator;
(2) Ging Deles, a person-oriented but hardworking technocrat
(5) The fundamental solution to the conflict in southern Mind- basically known for her peace advocacy, is familiar with the peace-
anao is not a peace agreement, but a comprehensive no-nonsense conflict terrain in southern Mindanao.
economic development program. These are signs of good will and good intention on the part of the
Such a view, no matter how skewed and incorrect, has been used incoming chief executive.
in the election campaign by politicians at the local and national level On the part of the MILF, that it has reportedly established a com-
as an issue to gain votes from Christians in Mindanao. At the national mon ground with the MNLF is promising. I also hope that the wisdom
level among the more prominent were Senators Noynoy Aquino Perspectives / A5
Sr. Mary Pilar Verzosa, RGS
Serving life,
saving lives Love Life
OUT of town trips to visit Family and Life enjoying the unique Ilonggo hospitality, I a temporary situation in their life and they
Programs, Pro-life Chapters, counseling left with peace in my heart that the seeds I could now leave behind as they can begin
Centers for Women and Children, or my very planted on child and sexual abuse preven- anew and move on. It broke my heart to hear
own Good Shepherd Convents is always an tion and healing will bear fruit in the action the stories of the 12 and 13 year-olds relate
inspiring and joyful experience. plans they discussed that day. their experiences in the bars and brothels, en-
It was great to visit once again the Dioc- Another very fulfilling trip I had a couple of slaved by the pimps and pressured by their
esan Family and Life Center in Bacolod last months ago was to Cebu City. My real desti- own parents to send cash for their family
week. Mrs. Rose Tan, who recently retired nation was to Toledo City, an hour away from needs. But I found reassurance in knowing
as the Family and Life Coordinator after 30 Cebu City – for the Blessing of the pastoral how they persevere to return to school or
years of service, organized a seminar for me Counseling Center for Women and Children learn livelihood skills under the loving care
on Counseling Battered Women and Victims in Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. This is one of of the sisters.
of Sexual Abuse. As usual, it was a very the ten model centers that the CBCP-Office on In downtown Cebu City, another sister
animated and well attended group, with Women helped to set up this past year. The was running a Welcome House – a drop-in
over 60 participants from the parishes in the other centers are in Baguio City, Angeles City, center for the women still in prostitution and
diocese. Most of them had attended trainings Novaliches, QC, Plaridel Bulacan, Kalookan who had not made up their mind to totally
on basic counseling given by CEFAM or City, Parañaque City, Cagayan de Oro City get out of the “trade” due to various reasons.
other resource persons so my task was only and Digos, Davao del Sur. As with all these The sister patiently talks to them whenever
to share with them the specific approaches of centers, I felt the commitment and enthusiasm they visit, explains to them the rehabilitation
counseling the abused, based on my experi- of the trained staff and volunteers, thanks to program available and offers them alterna-
ence in our Good Shepherd crisis shelters. the encouragement of their respective bishops tives. She knows that it is not easy for the
I was impressed at the parish workers’ ca- and parish priests. girls to turn away from the “easy money”
pacity to conduct pre-marriage counseling. While in Cebu City, I visited our Good that prostitution provides, especially when
Their parish priests give them full trust and Shepherd mission areas. There was the Re- the family is in such dire need of finances.
confidence in the marriage validation pro- habilitation Home for girls and women who At the age of 81, Sr. Marcia still continues
cess for couple applicants. Bacolod Diocese have opted to get out of prostitution. Note: her work with street children in the market
set up their own Institute on Family and Life we call those in our shelters “prostituted area of Carbon, Cebu City. She has been send-
accredited as a college degree course as it is women” and not “prostitutes”—to empha- ing hundreds of children to school by solicit-
attached to De La Salle University. Besides size that what they had gone through was Love life / A5
Bishop Broderick Pabillo Challenges to the
Church in Philippine
Panaghoy Politics Today!
ON May 21 of this year Pope Benedict XVI met the participants of the we can just imagine the chaos that could have resulted.
24th Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity who were Our lay people are good in non-partisan election duties during
meeting in Rome to discuss on the theme: “Witnesses to Christ in the elections. This is already good, but not yet enough. We also need non-
political community.” In his talk he told them, among other things…”It partisan volunteers to monitor the performance of the elected officials
is up to the lay faithful to show – in their personal and family life, in after the elections. In general this is not yet being done. Many fora
social cultural and political life – that the faith enables them to read real- were organized before elections during which the candidates were
ity in a new and profound way, and to transform it… It is also the duty asked what their programs would be. Many covenant signings were
of the laity to participate actively in political life, in a manner coherent inked with different groups to ensure that the candidates would their
with the teaching of the Church, bringing their well-founded reasoning election promises to the people. But after the elections nobody follows
and great ideals into the democratic debate, and into the search for a these up. So the elected candidates are not exacted the accountabilities
broad consensus among everyone who cares about the defence of life that they have promised. We need lay people who are as aggressive in
and freedom, the protection of truth and the good of the family, solidar- asking for accountabilities as they were in monitoring the elections.
ity with the needy, and the vital search for the common good”. He also Christians as good citizens are called not only for non-partisan duties
said that although the “technical formation of politicians” is not part of though. Partisan politics is also a call of the faith. We need good Chris-
the Church’s mission, she reserves the right to “pass moral judgment in tians who bear witness to Christ as good politicians. There are already
those matters which regard public order when the fundamental rights attempts of good Christians who join the electoral contests because of
of the person or the salvation of souls require it”. their faith. Unfortunately though their efforts are not supported enough
What the Holy Father said remains a great challenge to the Phil- by the electorate who up to now are still not wise enough to go be-
ippine Church. We are challenged to have lay people who actively yond name-recall, and worse, not good enough not to have their votes
participate in political life. In a way this is already being done. In the bought. So while we call on people to be active in partisan politics we
last elections of May 10 we have seen the fielding of church volunteers too should do more as Church to educate our people on their political
in the hundreds of thousands all over the country. They contributed duties. No good people will be elected unless the general population
in no small degree to the “success” of the elections in spite of the poor exercises their votes in a moral manner. Yes, in a moral manner, since
organization and limitations of the COMELEC. Church volunteers to vote for a bad or incompetent person is to do harm to the common
directed the people to their precincts, helped monitor the conduct of good, and to sell one’s vote is to sell the country!
the elections, and even assisted and taught the members of the Board of The educated middle class cannot understand why people can-
Election Inspectors (BEIs) their duties. Without the Church volunteers Panaghoy / A6
 CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 - 20, 2010
Fr. Roy Cimagala
Candidly Speaking
WE are now ending the Year for Priests launched by Pope Benedict
XVI last year on the occasion of the 150th death anniversary of the
patron for priests, St. John Mary Vianney.
The year-long event was envisioned “to encourage priests in the
striving for spiritual perfection on which, above all, the effectiveness
of their ministry depends.”
And true enough, all through the year many programs of pertinent
activities were carried out in dioceses and parishes. In our country,
the highlight I think was the holding of the 5-day National Congress
for the Clergy last January. I am sure many fruits have been reaped
with this celebration, though they may elude direct and clear ac-
counting. It’s almost impossible to put into words, much less into
numbers, these effects that mainly are spiritual and pastoral in
character. But they certainly are there.
Even the negative events that, I must say, were made to erupt as
if to embarrass the Church and especially the Pope, were good oc-
casions to clarify certain issues.
Yes, issues there always will be. These are no new things that should
surprise us. They are part and parcel of our human condition that
never disappears even if one is already consecrated into a sublime
spiritual and supernatural office such as what the priesthood is.
Just look at Jesus Christ, the son of God who became man to be our
savior. He being God must be all-knowing and yet he chose among
the apostles, who were the people closest to him in his redemptive
work, Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
God opens himself to all the possibilities contained in the freedom
of man, including its misuse and abuse. But he knows how to derive
good from evil. He is not frustrated by the sinfulness of men, even
of those supposedly very close to him.
This is how we should look at the issues regarding priests and
priesthood in general. The power, goodness and mercy of God, which
we should try to imitate, are not meant to rationalize our mistakes.
Rather, they are meant to occasion a deeper and more extensive
purification and renewal.
And so it’s not a matter of rethinking the nature of priesthood,
which is already written in stone, carved in granite. It’s more of
reengineering our attitudes and ways of living the priesthood.
D & E Votes—the
Opinion
Reengineering the
priesthood?
This reengineering, being subjective and set for Christ’s infinite
ways, will always require continuing improvement. This duty will
be endless, coterminous with nothing less than life itself. May we
never say ‘enough’ in exerting the suitable effort.
As of the moment, I am happy that the Holy Father not only went
through a rigorous review of the nature and ministry of the priest-
hood, but also pointed out concrete problematic areas that still beset
the world of priests and bishops.
This he did most especially when he had to explain and ask for
mercy and understanding, on behalf of those concerned, for the
many scandals involving some clerics. Think of the cases in Ireland
and Germany and the States.
He was forthright in admitting the mistakes of Church personali-
ties as well as the defects in Church life and structure, including cer-
tain aspects of the priestly culture. This is a welcome development,
since many Church officials are rather evasive about these issues,
perhaps also because of some good reasons.
To me, another enriching data that came as a result of these scan-
dals springs from the area of psychology. I am quite familiar with the
spiritual and theological underpinnings of the issues, but certainly
these issues also have a strong psychological aspect that urgently
needs to be addressed.
I recently read two articles by psychologists with some exposure to
priestly problems and these introduced me to the concept of “emo-
tion deficit.” This may not be a major issue, but I believe it can hold
a crucial role in the way the priestly problems evolve.
If left ignored and unattended, it can be the small stone, mentioned
in the Bible, which can crash the magnificent image made of pre-
cious metals except for the feet that were made of clay, an image of
our human condition.
I think it’s time we give due attention to this aspect, even if in the
over-all scheme of priestly life and ministry, it only plays a minor
role. The continuing formation for priests should include this as an
integral part that should not be lightly considered.
Besides, the structure and culture of the priestly environment
should reinforce the need to satisfy this requirement for normal, let
alone, priestly, life.
Jose B. Lugay
A5
Abp. Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ, DD
Pastoral Companion
Two Bishops-Elect
LAST February, over the space of a fortnight, we received in
Cagayan de Oro the announcements from the Vatican of two
bishops-elect coming from our archdiocese – a most unusual
occurrence that was met with much joy and thanksgiving. The
two priests were actually working in neighboring parishes on the
extensive upland area of Cagayan de Oro, comprising practically
half of the city’s land area.
Fr. Jose Cabantan was parish priest of Lumbia, which includes
the airport, the city jail, and a House of Hope for the mentally
sick. The parish itself, including the sub-parish of Taglimao, has
32 kapilyas scattered among twelve rural barangays that used to
be a logging area. Now that the trees are gone, another “inva-
sion” is taking place in the guise of small-scale and medium-scale
mining operators. Most destructive of all these operations is the
unabated hydraulic flush mining that continues to color Iponan
River reddish-brown even during the dry season.
Conserving the environment was one advocacy that preoc-
cupied Fr. Joe as the Social Action Director of the archdiocese.
Under his coordination were several “ad extra” ministries – i.e.,
social action services directed to anyone in need, and not only
to Catholics. These ministries included: Sustainable Agriculture,
Enterprise Development, Good Governance, Women’s Desk, Mi-
grant Workers, Prison Inmates, Social Communications, several
orphanages and a home for the elderly.
Lumbia Parish also became a training ground for seminarians
from St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. They would spend
their weekends there to help form Basic Ecclesial Communities
under the guidance of Fr. Joe who was also teaching on weekdays
at the seminary. With a licentiate from Loyola School of Theology,
Fr. Joe as professor-cum-parish priest was able to make Lumbia
parish the social laboratory for future pastors, steeped in the
social teachings of the Church.
Before entering the seminary himself, Fr. Joe had been working
as a chemical engineer. He also taught science subjects briefly
at his alma mater high school run by the RVM sisters in Lagon-
glong, Misamis Oriental. Upon entering San Jose de Mindanao
College Seminary, he took philosophy courses at Xavier Univer-

winning determinant
POPULARITY and name-recall were the
two factors that placed four movie actors,
a husband of a popular movie actress, the
son of a past president and veteran senators
to the top 12 winners in the senatorial slate.
Months before the May 10 election, media
exposed most of the candidates to a forum
to answer questions of long-held concerns of
governance that has caused grinding poverty
in this country. These questions ranged from
the lack of support for agricultural produc-
tion, the poor educational system, the lack of
health facilities and the expensive medicines,
the smuggling of goods that compete with
our own, the inability of government to
prevent disasters in the violent changes of
the earth’s climatic conditions and others.
Our local media did its part to educate the
potential voters who among the running
candidates are knowledgeable and experi-
enced and therefore qualified to be voted
upon for the lofty positions of congressmen
and senators.
While the students of the well-known
schools supported the candidacy of the
“models of good governance for local gov-
Ambassador Henrietta T. de Villa
ernment”, the election results showed that
these governance models were appallingly
repudiated by the moneyed candidates. It
would seem that voters did not care to vote
for models of good governance if the price
was right. The D and E voters called the shots
in the provinces. With the buying of votes by
rich politicians, icons of integrity like Gover-
nor Ed Panlilio and Governor Grace Padaca
did not have the chance to win again. It is
one thing to know what democracy is and
it is another to know what thwarts the good
tenets of democracy, where the voice of the
people is corrupted by the wiliness of politi-
cians who brazenly destroy the opportunity
of the poor to support the common good and
the nation’s welfare.
Before the next election, especially the
coming barangay election, the good citizens
of this Nature-blessed country should take
effort to change the culture and values of
the poor electorate so that true democracy
will prevail. If we do not want to remain
among the top 10 most corrupt countries in
Asia, we must elect knowledgeable leaders
that have the moral integrity to know the
Laiko Lampstand
difference between what is legal and what
is moral. Our elected law makers must not
be composed only of power-holders, power
brokers and vote buyers who do not even at-
tend the sessions in Congress to pass laws as
recently shown by the 14th Congress where
the Freedom for Information Act was not
voted upon due to lack of quorum.
Those who manage advocacy groups
for good governance must now face the
task of converting voters, primarily the D
and E voters, from sellers of votes to vot-
ing for those who can improve the state of
the nation. The advocacy groups’ primary
objective is to change the values of voters
so that they will refuse selling of their votes
to the moneyed politician. It is pitting con-
science against money. Only the spiritual
approach—the evangelization of Christians
for social transformation—which will effect
radical change in the prevailing electoral
system in the Philippines. This is the role
of the laity, hence the catechized laity
should learn more about their duties and
responsibilities in the political maturation
of this country.
sity. He then joined the first batch of theology students for St.
John Vianney Theological Seminary, founded by the bishops of
Northeastern Mindanao in 1985. Fr. Joe thus becomes the first
alumnus of SJVTS to be raised to the episcopacy, coinciding with
the seminary’s silver anniversary this year. He is also the first
diocesan priest from Cagayan de Oro to become a bishop.
In his 20 years with the Oro clergy, Fr. Joe came to be respected
as a natural leader. With his height, he would usually play center
for the Oro clergy basketball team. In his unassuming way, he
took up various parish posts in Catarman, Lumbia and other
places. He was elected for a term as President of the Society of
St. John Vianney, a voluntary association of Oro diocesan priests
for mutual support and spiritual growth after the example the
patron of all priests. Over the past three years, I appointed him
one of three Vicars-General in the archdiocese with the task of
coordinating the various social action activities.
One of the lasting legacies left behind by Fr. Joe in Lumbia will
be the nearly-completed formation center using the Interlocking
Compressed Earth Block (ICEB) technology, which he picked up
from a housing foundation in San Carlos diocese. This technol-
ogy uses a mixture mostly of limestone with cement to produce
low-cost building materials that are durable and also pleasing to
the eyes. Other parish priests are beginning to adopt this technol-
ogy for building their chapels through bayanihan labor.
Another form of bayanihan spirit was adopted by Fr. Vilsom
Basso, the second bishop-elect, in building up the kapilya com-
munities in his chaplaincy of Dansolihon. This is an area compris-
ing five barangays that was carved out from Lumbia Parish. The
building block used by Fr. Vilsom was an 84-page catechetical
booklet entitled, “Ngano man? Ang mga pangutana sa mga
kristianos!” (“Why? Questions raised by Christians!”)
Despite his being a Brazilian missionary, who first had to learn
the local language, Fr. Vilsom was able to produce his catechetical

The cost of doing good

Faith and Fire
THE PPCRV for Elections 2010 went through being, in the words honorary awards from several Popes, no less), asked me. Second, I
of Scripture, “fire tried gold”. We sought CHAMP—Clean Honest looked at the political landscape and was saddened. Could something
Accurate Meaningful Peaceful—Elections in the 10 May 2010 Au- be done? After many sleepless nights working with and for PPCRV, I
tomated Election System. In terms of work, in terms of trials, and still do not know the answer. But I am fiercely glad that I tried. And
in all these seeking and living the Truth, it was all about essentially I won’t stop trying, Ms Cunanan, even in the face of journalists who
“putting on Christ”—Christ who taught, Christ who went about toy with my name and my hopes and dreams.
doing good. “Secondly, you did the many men and women of PPCRV a great
It has been quite a while since my last column appeared here disservice when you wrote that I ran the PPCRV during the last
in CBCP Monitor. I wish to reprint below a letter to the Editor of elections. PPCRV is so much bigger than me. It is so much bigger
Philippine Daily Inquirer (June 3, 2010) by my daughter, Ana de than any one person. It is the combined selflessness of hundreds of
Villa Singson, the National Media and Communications Director of thousands of heroic people who toiled in the field, some of whom
PPCRV. This encapsulates what PPCRV went through, what burdens got slapped and spat at as they tried to calm down frayed tempers in
our elections and what ails our society. the long lines during May 10. I played a bit role. And I am humbled
“I write in response to Belinda Cunanan’s column dated 1 June by colleagues who worked with me in the PPCRV Command Center,
2010 , wherein she wrote: ‘By the way, how true is the rumor that many of them still sleepless until now, all of them volunteers like
Ambassador Henrietta De Villa, PPCRV Chairperson’s daughter, myself.
Ana de Villa-Singson, who actually ran the PPCRV during the last “Lastly, how sad that this is what journalism has come to. That you
elections, has a PR office that has Comelec among its clients. If true, slurred my name by couching your insinuations as a question and
this would be a clear case of conflict of interest, casting doubt on with an escape clause that you would be happy to print my denial.
the credibility of PPCRV pronouncements. I would be delighted to This is more than a denial. It is a sad commentary about what the
publish her denial.’ printed word, with its strength and might, has devolved into. Has
“This is my response. it come to this? That you can casually and callously imply that I
“There are 3 points I would like to respond to: Primarily, any jour- am in the payroll of Comelec, when a journalist of your supposed
nalist with a minimum level of integrity, skill and dedication to “truth caliber could so easily have checked her facts first. But there would
in journalism” would have easily discovered that I do not have a PR have been no story then, would there? So much easier for you to
company, nor am I connected with any company. I am a stay at home publish then retract. Is this the caliber of journalism that your long
mother and proud of it. Yes, once, several years back I was deep in career in journalism has yielded?
the corporate world heading the marketing and sales departments of ‘It is a sad indictment of our times when people who toil with no
some of the largest companies in the Philippines. But motherhood expectation of reward nor recognition, who toil only in pursuit of
came along and after a career so filled with blessings, I sought to “pay a country more ideal, are scourged for it. Is it so difficult to recog-
forward.” I taught. I started livelihood projects. And I put my heart and nize true and simple good intentions? And if it is, then how many
soul in PPCRV. First, because my mother, our PPCRV chair, whom well-intentioned men and women will stand up for what is good
you called “sainted” with double speech but whom I call sainted in and what is right if they, who seek nothing, are left with less than
the true sense of the word (she has a history of accomplishments and nothing but a spoiled and tattered name?”
Perspectives / A4
of the late Chairman Hashim Salamat who closely to the bidding of principals who guided by them;
wanted, I believe, to establish peace within the have expressed mistrust regarding previ- (3) Be open to the principle of self-deter-
parameters of what he realized as irreversible ous peace talks and even tried to discredit mination and probe how such a guiding
historical and geographical developments them in favor of economic development. It principle could be implemented in fidelity
would continue to influence the Bangsa Moro would seem that there is a wall of negative to the spirit of the Constitution while tran-
leaders who carry on his legacy. perceptions and feelings that the primary scending or amending its letter;
But the pitfalls regarding the peace process negotiator might have to break through. (4) Consult the people and political deci-
are legion. The incoming Congress (Senate Her courage to stand up for her convictions sion makers whenever necessary and always
and House) is filled with personalities that is a great asset. be transparent;
generally opposed the MOA-AD. The temp- My unsolicited advice to the next GRP (5) In the face of possible provocations, be
tation is strong for the incoming administra- peace panel would be the following: persevering, patient and resolute until a fair
tion to start from zero and not to follow in (1) Be open to the positive gains of pre- and just final peace agreement is done;
the footsteps of a peace negotiation that it vious negotiations and do not start from (6) Both groups in the peace process are
perceives not only as a “failure” but also a ground zero; believers in the one true God of Peace; while
“betrayal” of the Constitution. The primary (2) Internalize the results of the wide con- working for peace, do not forget to pray for
government negotiator might want to hew sultations that have been conducted and be peace.
librito wholly in Bisaya. This consists of 25 concise chapters filled
with biblical quotations and short explanations. Each chapter
title starts with a basic question: “Why is it important to pray?
...Why is there Baptism? ...Why are there saints? ...Why do we
go on mission?” A low-cost librito (worth P20 in price) in every
home was the strategy of Fr. Basso. And it has indeed helped
catechize all the Catholic households in his area. When I joined
their fiesta celebration in honor of Señor Jesus Nazareno last
year, I could feel the fervor of the parishioners’ participation,
starting with the songs composed by Fr. Vilsom himself with a
Brazilian beat and culminating with the confirmation rites for
two kapilya communities.
Fr. Vilsom is a Priest of the Sacred Heart (SCJ). Before his
assignment over the past two years in Cagayan de Oro, he
was briefly stationed in Kumalarang Parish in Ipil Prelature.
However, he had to be pulled out because of the kidnapping of
Fr. Giancarlo Bossi, PIME, in nearby Payao. Before coming to
the Philippines, Fr. Vilsom spent 16 years working in mission
stations in the north-eastern part of Brazil and four years in the
nationwide Youth Ministry of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference
of Brazil. His new appointment will bring him back to Brazil as
Bishop of Caxias, Maranhào.
diocese covers 35,000 square kilometers, equivalent to one
third of the island of Mindanao. “It is a challenging missionary
area,” remarks the 50-year old Fr. Vilsom, “and I consider it an
opportunity to serve the people, especially the poor.” His epis-
copal motto is “Ecce venio, Domine” (“Here I am, Lord”), which
summarizes for him his motivation for accepting this unexpected
assignment: humility, simplicity and service.
On the other hand, the 53-year old Fr. Joe chose as his episco-
pal motto the title of Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical, “Spe salvi
sumus” (“In hope we are saved”). It is a reminder of the whole
of creation-environment groaning in pain, awaiting the fulness
of God’s redemption.
Fr. Jose Cabantan was ordained Bishop on April 30, 2010, in
Cagayan de Oro and installed on May 15 as Bishop of Malaybalay
consisting of 45 parishes. Fr. Vilsom Basso was ordained bishop
on May 30 in Tuparendi, Rio do Sul, in southern Brazil. He will
be installed as Bishop of Caxias on June 19.
Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese has lost two faithful servant-
priests from its ranks. But the universal Church has gained two
new bishops in different parts of the world. May God’s provi-
dence always be with them in their new-found sees.
Love life / A4
ing scholarships, conducting feeding programs, and even building a
shelter for them right there in the market area and another one in the
Good Shepherd compound in Banawa Hills. In the same compound,
there is also the Maternity Home for unwed mothers while another
Sister is involved in the Center for Overseas Workers.
In the face of so much flak that the Catholic Church receives,
accused as being uncaring about the situation of poverty in our
country, falsely claimed as due to overpopulation, the above ser-
vices are living testimonies that the Church is indeed a mother who
reaches out for the least, the lost and last. Indeed, lives are saved
and each life is served.
 Local News
CBCP Monitor
A6 Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 - 20, 2010

Pick people who are pro-poor, pro-environment for

cabinet positions, Aquino urged Bishop chides
ENVIRONMENTALISTS are urging President-apparent Benigno
Aquino to choose people with integrity, who have a committed heart
for the poor and a pro-environment stance for Cabinet positions.
A network of environmental groups led by EcoWaste coalition, a
P10M budget for
Aquino has earlier committed to “turn around the environmental
blight, congestion and decay afflicting our cities” by introducing alter-
native urban planning developments “where people of varying income
levels are integrated in productive, healthy and safe communities.”

Independence Day rites

waste and pollution watchdog had earlier provided Aquino with a Eileen Sison, NGO Representative to the National Solid Waste
set of criteria to consider in his choice of environment secretary. Management Commission, said Aquino’s presidency should have
But the groups said all Cabinet officials, and not only the environ- “ecological resource recovery and protection” as one of its pillars.
ment secretary, should possess the qualities of “indubitable integrity, "The cleansing of our country should not be limited to sweeping
indefatigable leadership, unstinting political will and above all, corruption away, but also cleansing our country of policies and A CATHOLIC bishop chided a Malaca-
faithfulness to ecological values”. practices that encourage a throw-away culture,” she said. ñang plan to spend P10 million for the
Aquino, during the election campaign, has entered into a social In a pre-election survey jointly conducted by EcoWaste Coalition Independence Day rites and flaunt the
contract with the people by promising to put a stop at corruption, and Greenpeace, Aquino revealed his environmental plans among achievements of the Arroyo adminis-
poverty and environmental destruction. them a bill delineating “forest lines in the country, as a clear basis tration.
Roy Alvarez, president of EcoWaste Coalition said Aquino’s social for the crafting of a comprehensive national land use policy,” and Kalookan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez
contract can be realized only if he will appoint people who have the drawing clear policies to address climate change. said the allocated budget is too expen-
same perspective as he has. But the environmental network said Aquino needs all the support sive amid widespread poverty in the
“We hope that Noynoy will be able to assemble the best, bright- he can get to push his agenda to reality. country and the global economic crisis.
est and greenest Cabinet with a committed heart for the poor who “To be able to carry out his environmental plans, Noynoy will require a “Where will the P10 million be spent?
will work in sync to release the people from poverty, reverse the green-minded Cabinet who will work hand-in-hand to strengthen and ac- If it is only for pomp, this may be too
unimpeded destruction of our natural environment, combat toxic complish his green agenda with the indispensable support and participa- much in view of the poverty situation,”
pollution and mitigate climate change,” Alvarez said. tion of the Filipino people,” the EcoWaste Coalition said. (CBCPNews) Iñiguez said.
Aquino / A1
He also rejected the use of a hefty
amount for the occasion to also showcase
Estrada’s running mate Makati City Mayor against outgoing President Gloria Arroyo. not just a president of the Christian majority,
the accomplishments of the Arroyo administration.
Jejomar Binay won as vice president in a closed The archbishop added he is hoping that but also a president for Muslim Mindanao,”
Iñiguez, who chairs the CBCP’s Public Affairs Committee, said
fight with LP bet Sen. Manuel Roxas II. the Aquino administration will be able to the PCID said in a statement.
the real essence of 112th Independence Day celebration on June
Binay posted 14, 084, 879 votes against the assign “honest people” in government. Another group of Muslim young people
12 should be observed instead of using it for political ends.
13, 440, 127 votes of Roxas. “I wish the Filipinos will rally behind the belonging to another NGO expressed opti-
A Malacañang official said the part of the P10 million allocated
“The people have spoken, so as the good Aquino administration. I hope he will keep mism that an Aquino presidency will be able
budget will be used for the grand fireworks display and an 11-
citizens of the Philippines we are wishing them alive the principles that his parents have to finally make Mindanao “a land of peace
float parade.
well and we have to rally behind them and pray lived and died for,” Lagdameo said. and progress.”
Presidential Management Staff head Elena Bautista-Horn said
for them for their success and for the bright The United Youth for Peace and Develop-
a civic-military parade will also be staged on the afternoon to
future of our country,” said Odchimar. President for Muslim Mindanao ment (UNYPAD), a Moro organization pur-
show off Arroyo’s achievements.
In Mindanao, a peace non-government suing Muslim self-determination through
She said that the huge budget is needed “for the people” to
‘Unexpected’ organization (NGO) called on the newly- the promotion of justice, equality, freedom
ensure that the whole nation will enjoy the celebration.” (CB-
For Lagdameo, the Aquino-Binay pair proclaimed chief executive to also give prior- and economic prosperity for the marginal-
CPNews)
is “unexpected” but “we still congratulate ity to the peace and order situation there. ized Muslim sectors of society, said that
them for winning the elections.” The peace and development NGO Phil- Aquino has what it takes to make Mindanao
“We hope that they will be true and faith- ippine Council for Islam and Democracy peaceful and progressive.
Jailed / A3
ful to their election promises, especially in (PCID) expressed the hope of Filipino Mus- “[Aquino is] a man of peace [who] will be
fighting corruption in government and al- lims that the Aquino administration “will not able to transform Mindanao from its present communicate with his family telling them to wait for his remittance
leviating poverty,” Lagdameo said. ignore the issues of our Muslim brothers and state as ‘land of war’ into ‘land of peace and to come. That was the last time they heard from Joselito.
Aquino has vowed to fight corruption and sisters that were basically ignored during progress’,” said Rahib Kudto, UNYPAD The fact sheet also stated that the family had tried to contact Jo-
restore good governance. He has said he would the campaign.” national president. (with reports from Bong selito via his mobile phone but the phone was turned off.
start probes into allegations of corruption “We hope that President Aquino becomes, D. Fabe) It was on June that they received the news from an unidentified
friend of Joselito that he was in jail for murdering his Sudanese
Moratorium / A1 landlord.
tional policy favors foreign corporations prioritizing the uncontrolled The country’s proven mineral reserves have revitalized global Based on the family’s own account of their conversation with Jo-
entry of investment, undermining the environment and the rights interest in the extractive industries in the country. selito’s pal, he told them that Joselito accidentally killed the Sudanese
and well-being of the affected communities. Geological studies show that up to 7.1 billion tons of metals could because of self-defense. Joselito’s friend said that it was the Sudanese
still be extracted and another 51 billion tons of non-metallic miner- who had first beaten Joselito to death because of the refusal of the
Appeal for Aquino als can be mined. latter to give the payment for his rent, since it was not due yet.
Gariguez called on the next administration of President Benigno As of 2008, more than half a million hectares of Philippine lands
“Noynoy” Aquino III to seriously consider their appeal if only to have been turned over by the government to the control of mining Back and forth
bring long-term development for the country. companies to keep the local economy afloat with multimillion worth Upon receiving the information, the family immediately went to
“This is our call for President Noynoy. This is a big problem and of revenues and generate jobs. the local DFA office in Clark Field, Pampanga but they were referred
it’s not true that mining brought development to communities where The CBCP advocated strongly for issues such as the country’s to the State agency’s office in Pasay City.
there is mining operations,” he said. current mining policy. But the DFA headquarters told them to go back to the Clark Field
The priest said the policy of the outgoing Arroyo administration Its many recommendations, however, have been ignored while office for their case was filed there. However, the Clark office again
was so different that it “risked” the environment. the government’s broken promises, said Gariguez have multiplied told them to go back to the national headquarters.
“They put the lives of many people at risk,” he said. which included “the promise of real development.” (CBCPNews) It was only on July 2009 when the family had been able to speak
with Atty. Milet Flores of the DFA main office. The lawyer told them
Panaghoy / A4 that she is the one who will be handling the case of Zapanta.
not understand the simple logic that to sell to encourage good and upright Christians to government. Let us not just be watchers at a In order to be enlightened with Joselito’s case, the family had
one’s vote is to sell one’s dignity. Indeed it is serve God and country as good politicians. distance what this new government can do. Let demanded Flores to provide them copies of the police report from
a great crime to the country, but for people But most of all, we do our best to influence us participate closely in the renewal of society. Jeddah but the latter told them that it was impossible for her to
who barely survive, 500 pesos is 500 pesos, Philippine politics to exert the political will to Some do this by being part of the government. provide the documents that time.
how much more a thousand, or even three craft and execute pro-poor laws and to create Others by direct support while still others as
thousand pesos! Who can resist his amount a structure in Philippine society that can lift vigilant critics. There is a role for all in a de- DFA failed to inform family
of money when it means a meal for a week, people out of the captivity of poverty, which is mocracy. What we should avoid is the I-don’t- Months had passed and there were no updates from the DFA.
and even a month for the family? The point is, the fertile ground of political manipulation. care-less attitude, which the Church, both as It was Joselito himself who had called Migrante Mid-East, via John
we can never have a good and wise electorate All of the above challenges are challenges clergy and lay, should fight against. Hope is Leonard Monterona—Migrante’s coordinator there—to inform them
unless we bring people out of dire poverty! It to the Church. When we speak of Church, we not a wait-and- see outlook. Hope is a call to about his case. That was on March 10, 2010.
is poverty, in fact, simple survival, not igno- speak of the People of God. Among the People action, that we do what we hope for! “I immediately informed the [Philippine] Embassy officials here
rance much less moral depravity, that push of God there are different roles. The Popes re- to help Joselito,” says Monterona in an email.
people to sell their votes. So it is pointless to mind us time and again that it is the role of the Morong / A3 Five days after, it was the family who communicated with the
rant why people sell their votes when we do lay faithful to bear witness to Christ in politics election, they hope that UNHRC will help Migrante National Office in Quezon City.
not do anything to reduce and eradicate pov- and to transform politics. In the country at the push the new Philippine government un- Martinez told this reporter that after the documentation process,
erty! Poverty eradication does not only mean moment the expectation is that the hierarchy der President-apparent Benigno “Noynoy” he and his staff, together with the family had immediately went to
handing money to the poor. It means creating should do this. Yes indeed, the hierarchy has its Aquino III to fulfill his promise to prosecute the DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Af-
structures and setting up and implementing role to play in political transformation. Its role President Macapagal-Arroyo, accord justice fairs (OUMWA) to personally inquire about the developments of
laws that uplift the poor and fight corruption! though is indirect, not by directly entering into to the victims of human rights violations, end Joselito’s case as well as to provide them the copies of the reports
In a way, consciously or unconsciously, there the political arena but in inspiring, teaching, political repression, discontinue the OBL as from the Saudi Police.
is a grand scheme to keep people poor from enabling the lay faithful to do this. Here, we a policy and never embark on any similar “But the DFA has declined our request,” Martinez said.
our traditional politicians. They do not really priests and bishops, have our own culpabil- policy, and address the roots of the insur-
exert the political will to uplift the people ity. We have not done enough to encourage gency, namely poverty and injustice. Late reply, slow actions
from poverty since people of their kind— and support our lay faithful in this mission. Meanwhile, members of the delegation that When Migrante had already mediating for the case, then the office
traditional politicians—flourish when people In fact we have not educated our people that will visit UN are Fr. Rex Reyes, Jr. (General of Flores finally had a contact with the family.
are held captive by poverty. They cannot eas- they cannot be good Christians unless they Secretary, NCCP), Ms. Marie Hilao-Enriquez “It was on March 22, the family had been able to have an audi-
ily buy and fool people when the people are are good citizens, and to be a good citizen in (Chairperson, Karapatan), Atty. Edre Olalia ence with Atty. Flores. Again, Atty. Flores had assured them that
free enough to choose. a democracy is to participate actively in the (Acting Secretary General, National Union of DFA will be providing US$10,000, as Joselito’s legal defense fund.
This is the challenge for the Church in the affairs of society. Democracy is a participative People's Lawyers), Mr. Jigs Clamor (Deputy But according to Joselito himself, on the days of his hearing, there
political sphere. Yes, we continue to give politi- form of government, hence we cannot be good Secretary General, Karapatan and husband were no lawyers provided. Only two interpreters were provided to
cal education. We continue to recruit people citizens in a democratic form of government if of Dr. Merry Clamor of the Morong 43), and Joselito,” Martinez said.
to do non-partisan monitoring of politicians we do not participate in it. Atty. Carlos Zarate (Secretary General, Union of On April 14, the death sentence against Joselito was released by
during and outside of elections. We continue People are hopeful now that we have a new Peoples' Lawyers in Mindanao). (CBCPNews) the Court of First Instance, giving the accused until May 1st to ap-
peal his case.
Prices / A1 Sex education / A1 On April 15, Joselito’s family rushed to the DFA to ask for the
Leonard Monterona, Migrante Middle East regional coordinator. cation (DepEd). formal report over the court’s decision; the DFA, once again, had
Monterona explained that domestic helpers and construction Quitorio stressed that the primary responsibility for raising chil- declined the request. However, someone in the OUMWA told the
workers in the Middle Eastern countries only receive a gross monthly dren lies with parents and guardians. family that the May 1st due date for appeal is not true and that they
salary of US$250 (P11,550) to $450 (P20,790). He clarified that while schools may be entrusted with the formal edu- must just return to Clark field office to get the updates.
These salary rates, says Monterona, did not even equate the cost cation of children, the total responsibility still remains with parents. On the next day, the DFA had issued a statement refuting Joselito’s
of daily living in Metro Manila of P917 ($19.84). “The position of the CBCP even before is that it (sex education) claim that he was not provided a lawyer.
“If we will compute the current salary rates of an overseas Filipino should be left to parents especially if we are talking about children Again, there were no words from the DFA until May 12th, when
worker parent vis-à-vis the cost of daily living in Manila, it is P6,720 who are underage,” Quitorio said at a forum in Manila recently. Joselito’s father personally sought an audience with OUMWA chief
($145.55) short. And what makes us wearier is the news that there are He added that children should not be taught of things that are not Esteban Conejos, who assured the old man that they will forward
around 300 schools or universities that will pump up their tuition fee suited to them especially in schools. the information to the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh. But they
rates by seven to 15 percent. This means that many OFW parents will not The education department on Monday is determined to include must look first for the address and contact information of murdered
be able to send their children to school, or if they want to, they will need sex education in the basic curriculum. Sudanese.
to have an extra job to augment their meager salaries. However, this will According to DepEd Secretary Mona Valisno said the proposal On May 19 Maurice Tiempo from the DFA office called Jesus
make [a] toll to their health and well-being,” Monterona explained. includes going down to the elementary level. Zapanta and told him that they don’t have any update yet from the
However, there is a worst case scenario, Monterona furthered. “We will pursue with its implementation because we really need last April 29 appeal. (Noel Sales Barcelona)
“Usually, it is the father or the mother who leaves the country this,” Valisno said.
to work abroad. But if this is the case, the remaining parent will The measure, she said, is important to avoid unwanted pregnancies Prayer / A2
be forced to leave the country to work, too. This is no good! This and curb the spread of sex-related diseases which, she added, have now Chinese cities that can openly discuss and commemorate the June
weakens the family ties. On the other hand, while the parents are reached an alarming level because of lack of knowledge on the matter. 4 Incident. The Alliance organizes a candlelit vigil to commemorate
away, the burden of taking care of the children will be transferred But the DepEd chief said they will talk with the Catholic hierarchy it every year.
to the aging grandparents. This too, is no good,” he said. first—barely two weeks before the opening of classes—and make Hong Kong diocese holds commemoration Masses at different par-
Because of this, migrant workers are now urging incoming Presi- them understand their side. ishes from May 25 to June 2. Mass attendees have slightly increased
dent Benigno C. Aquino III to come up with concrete solutions to And in what could be a preview of their discussion with the over the years, according to Chan, who is also executive secretary
the economic problems of the country as well as to create jobs here DepEd, Quitorio said the church is concerned on where the focus of the diocese’s Justice and Peace Commission.
that can sustain the Filipino salary. of the sex education to be implemented would be. The prayer rally lets participants pray, reflect, repent and sing
“If he can do this, then there will be no parents that will be forced He noted that the sex education being pushed in the past focused hymns. They also pray for the victims’ parents, human-rights activ-
leave their children to work abroad just to feed them, clothe them more on the physical aspect instead of being about the values sur- ists and jailed dissidents in mainland China.
and send them to school,” he said. rounding it. According to Chinese authorities 241 people died and 7,000 were
Meanwhile, Monterona said that they are supporting the call of the “Students should be taught of the proper sex education… not injured in the 1989 crackdown on the pro-democracy protesters.
National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) on imposing sexuality that is focused on the physical aspect, but as a sacred gift The Chinese Red Cross disputes the claim saying 2,000-3,000 people
a tuition fee hike moratorium. (Noel Sales Barcelona) from God,” said Quitorio. (CBCPNews) died. (UCAN)
 Diocesan News
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 - 20, 2010
A7

Briefing Lucena launches

Election heroes to be honored
LIPA CITY— Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles will preside
over a Thanksgiving Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral on
June 13 to honor the heroes of the May 10 elections. “We will
thank God for the generally peaceful and credible elections in
the province,” Arguelles said. He said the polls avoided large-
scale cheating and poll-related violence. (Fr. Nonie Dolor)
Most gov’t buildings in Region 10 unfriendly to PWDs
OPOL, Misamis Oriental—Only 50 percent of government-
owned buildings and structures and only 25 percent of private
buildings and structures in Region X have complied with the
Accessibility Law. Arch. Richard Tan of the United Architects of
the Philippines, there is a lack of awareness in the general public
about the law. “We can’t do anything about the old buildings,
but 90 percent of the designs of new buildings are fully compli-
ant with the Accessibility Law,” he said. (Bong D. Fabe)
Youth group to DepEd: Strictly implement ‘No Fee’ rule
ANTIPOLO CITY—Militant student group, League of Filipino
Students asked the Department of Education to ensure that
public elementary and secondary schools will implement the
book on diocese
LUCENA CITY—The Diocese of Lucena has
launched a coffee table book detailing the historical
account of its territorial foundation at the Diocesan
Pastoral Center on May 27.
Authored by Fr. Renato Pareja, the book titled “Lu-
cena, the Story of a Diocese” traces the establishment
of the diocese from being a part of the Archdiocese of
Caceres and later as a suffragan of the Archdiocese
of Lipa in 1910.
Lucena Bishop Emilio Marquez, who celebrated
the Holy Mass prior to the launching, said Pareja was
sent to Spain and Mexico to do careful research on
the history of the diocese.
“The book is something we could be proud of be-
cause of its clear historical details,” Marquez said.
The book describes the beginning of evangelization

“No Collection Policy” as students enroll for school year 2010-
11. LFS chairperson Terry Ridon said they are closely watching
the DepEd to make sure that the agency will be “true” to its
words that it will strictly prohibit school officials in collecting
fees to enrollees. (Noel Sales Barcelona)
Aquino urged to pick a person of integrity as
environment secretary
CALOOCAN CITY—Kalookan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez
called on presumptive president-elect Benigno Aquino to ap-
point a new environment secretary of unquestionable integrity.
“We are optimistic that Aquino will pick the best person who
can lead and shepherd the department towards the path of
environmental stewardship, renewal and justice to serve the
common good and not only the selfish interest of a few,” he
said. (CBCPNews)
Oil price regulation a challenge for Aquino— women
think-tank
Contributed photo
of the province by the Augustinians who settled in
the towns of Lucban, Sariaya and Pagbilao. They were
succeeded by the Franciscans who started an aggres-
sive evangelization of the whole province of Quezon
(then known as Tayabas), the bishop explained. Lucena Bishop Emilio Marquez signs one of the coffeetable books (inset) on the historical development
He said Fr. Pareja mapped out these details in his of the diocese, launched on May 27 at the Diocesan Pastoral Center.
research highlighting the early accomplishments of the Franciscans. a licentiate in Sacred Scriptures, besides being a “good writer”, the
The research began in October 10-17, 2004 during the 48th Eucha- bishop said.
ristic Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, according to the prelate. The book also pays tribute to Lucena’s first bishop, Msgr. Alfredo
Marquez said it was his predecessor Bishop Profugo who began Maria Aranda Obviar who was appointed apostolic administrator
the spadework in publishing a coffee table book. on November 4, 1950. Obviar was later named Bishop of Lucena on
“Bishop Profugo envisioned a history of the diocese to be launched June 21, 1959. He retired at age 87 on September 25, 1976.
in 2000, the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese of Lucena, but it was not Then Coadjutor Bishop Jose Tomas Sanchez succeeded Bishop
realized because he gave the work to a lay person who failed to Obviar on September 25, 1976 while Lucena City-born Bishop Ruben
deliver,” the prelate said. T. Profugo was named third Bishop of Lucena on May 15, 1982.
Marquez said it was his idea that the history of the diocese should Bishop Marquez was appointed fourth Bishop of Lucena on May
be written from the perspective of a priest rather than that of a lay- 4, 2002.
man “because the priest knows the ins and outs of the diocese.” The Diocese of Lucena has an initial inventory of 1,000 copies of its cof-
Fr. Rene Pareja is a scholar who has a doctorate in Theology and fee table book reasonably priced at P1, 800 a piece. (Melo M. Acuna)

CDO archbishop appeals to

ANTIPOLO CITY—The regulation of the local oil prices will be
one of the greatest challenges for President-apparent Benigno
Aquino III, says Center for Women’s Resources. CWR Data
Alert, citing the latest statistics from the Energy Department
stated that from January 2010, local pump prices for diesel and

lawmakers’ ‘sense of good and right’

gasoline had jumped nine times causing the prices of basic
commodities such as food and other utilities as well as other
services to soar, while the purchasing power of the Philippine
peso continued to decrease. (CBCPNews)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— Strongly react- Archbishop Antonio J. the passage of the FOI Bill.
New media / A3 ing to Congress’ move to “open and close” Ledesma, SJ The FOI Bill was due for ratification by
The air force team, known as the "Frecce Tricolore" ("Tricolor the session on May 31, Archbishop Antonio the House on Feb. 3, but remained unap-
Arrows"), made a special pass over the Vatican in homage to the J. Ledesma has appealed to the lawmakers’ proved due to a lack of quorum among
pope, according to Vatican Radio. The pope waved and smiled as “sense of what is good and right” and urged lawmakers.
he looked overhead. them to ratify the Freedom of Information The bill upholds the constitutional right
The planes were performing nearby as part of a national celebration (FOI) bill before it is too late. of full disclosure of government transac-
of the holiday marking the birth of the Italian republic in 1946. Speaking in Cebuano during his homily tions of interest to the public. This includes
During his main audience talk, the pope focused on St. Thomas on May 30, Ledesma stressed that the FOI information on administration, budget and
Aquinas, whose life and writings "have always been revered as an is a “very important legislative measure” expenditure, and management of the defense
outstanding model for theologians." as it will “help in installing a transparent and law enforcement agencies.
At a time when it was thought that "faith should surrender itself government.” Speaker Prospero Nograles, however, said
before reason," St. Thomas believed there was a natural harmony “Akong hangyo ug ako nagalaom nga ip- plenary deliberation on the FOI Bill will be
between faith and reason, the pope said. asar na ang labing importanteng balaodnon was immediately suspended by Majority done on Friday’s session. (Congress failed
The saint "created a new synthesis" between faith and reason, aron ipakita ang kamatuoran ug kaangayan Floor Leader Defensor. Both Cong. Guin- to ratify the bill on Friday, the last day of
which influenced cultures for centuries afterward; he taught that alang sa atong nasud (I am urging and hop- gona and I tried to be recognized and raised session, for lack of quorum–eds.)
faith that is opposed to rationality was not true faith, and that reason ing that they pass this very important law a point of order, but the microphone was The Senate has recently passed a resolu-
that was not compatible with faith was not real reason. for the sake of truth and equality in our turned off,” she said. tion urging the House of Representatives to
During the audience, Pope Benedict also asked for prayers for country),” he said. “Maybe GMA does not want to be trans- ratify the bicameral conference committee
his trip to Cyprus June 4-6. He said he hoped the visit would bear parent and accountable in the continuation report on the FOI Bill before adjourning
much "spiritual fruit for the dear Christian communities in the ‘Open-close’ session of her political career,” she added. sine die.
Middle East." (CNS) Congress resumed session on May 31 only Such underhanded tactics by the major-
to close it just seconds after it was opened, ity in Congress, to which Mrs. Arroyo was FOI Bill a basic human right
May They Be One Bible Campaign said Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel.
In a mobile phone conversation with this
elected in her home province of Pampanga,
was resorted to by those who do not want
The FOI, according to the senators, is im-
portant in order to “bring forth a law that
From Missalettes to Bibles reporter, Hontiveros-Baraquel said that to give an account of themselves to their will empower our people and contribute
when Majority Floor Leader Arthur Defensor constituents who elected them to be rep- decisively to the transformation of our gov-
For many Catholics residing in the urban areas, the mis- moved to close the just opened session, she resentatives of the people, said Rep. Rufus ernance landscape.”
salette is the most convenient way to get acquainted with the
Word of God. A pamphlet handed to them at the beginning of and Rep. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III imme- Rodriguez in a previous talk. Ledesma said in a position paper emailed
Sunday mass, the missalette serves as a program guide to diately raise a point of order only to find out Rodriguez, who failed to attend last Mon- to lawmakers that “transparency becomes
what will happen in the celebration. Yet for some, especially that they were not heard because the floor’s day’s session because of a prior commitment, the core issue of the Filipinos’ struggle” for
those living in remote areas, this might be the only way to get acquainted with the Word microphone was turned off. said he will be the first to stand when Con- good governance, which is precisely what
of God. Such was the case with St. Dominic Parish in San Carlos City, Pangasinan. The
parishioners were using the missalette as their only copy of the Scriptures until the May “The Speaker opened the session which gress resumes session on June 4 (Friday) for the FOI Bill is all about. (Bong D. Fabe)
They Be One Bible Campaign was introduced to them by Bishop Renato Mayugba. St.

Group urges DepEd to keep campuses from lead pollution

Dominic parish priest Fr. Winston Estrada said his strategy to reach the Catholic faithful
in his area since 1996 has been to form Bible sharing groups called Basic Ecclesial Com-
munities (BEC). But due to poverty, most of his parishioners would have to be content with
Scripture passages found in the missalette. In November of 2009, 200 Pangasinense
Bibles were distributed to parishioners as part of the MTBO campaign. Successive dis- QUEZON CITY— A waste and expose the Brigada Eskwela vol- “To reduce lead pollution dur- avoid donating paint materials
tributions handed out 700 additional Pangasinense MTBO Bibles. The Bible distributions
have resulted in more fruit-
pollution watchdog called on unteers and the students them- ing the back-to-school clean up, that are not lead-free.
ful BEC programs. To date, the Department of Education selves to toxic pollutants.” leaded paint in good condition Meanwhile, the pollution
St. Dominic Parish has 50 (DepEd) and the Brigada Esk- “While repainting schools should be left undisturbed and watchdog said President-appar-
BEC’s wherein more than wela collaborators to keep the with leaded paint can, in time, should not be sanded or burned ent Benigno Aquino III expressed
30 communities are actively
participating. With more
school campuses free from lead pose hazards to children’s health off,” they said. his support for the elimination of
people wanting to learn pollution. from chipping or flaking sur- Delay in physical and mental lead in paint to promote the health
more about God’s Word, the Eco Waste Coalition is cur- faces,” he added. development, lower IQ levels, and safety of Filipino children.
parish was happily pressed rently focusing on the improper He also noted that the non- shortened attention spans, and “Health experts explain that
into creating the weekly removal of old leaded paint from toxic makeover of schools will increased behavioral problems children are more in danger of
Parochial Bible Study, com-
prising the leaders of the school walls, doors and win- be of big help for the students to among children are some of the being exposed to lead because the
different BEC’s. dows, and the use of lead paint attain a clean, healthy and safe effects of lead exposure, accord- toxic substance is easily absorbed
in repainting the areas. environment. ing to the group. by their still developing bodies.
No. of Dioceses participating in the Bible Campaign – 69 out of 86 Dioceses According to Manny Calonzo The group then advised the They also called on private Their budding tissues and organs
Bible Distribution (Jan 2010 - May 31, 2010)
Total Bibles distributed up to May 31, 2010: 61,330 cps. (Jan - 10,369; Feb. - 14,472; of Eco Waste Coalition, “the use of water-based plastic paints, companies and other charitable are likewise more sensitive to
Mar. -13,343; April - 13,540; May - 9,606) improper scraping, sanding which generally have low lead organizations that plan to spon- the harmful effects of lead,” the
Parishes/Communities served: 219 churches or burning of leaded paint can contents. sor school repainting jobs to group said. (Kate Laceda)
Bibles Distributed by Languages - Tagalog (17,178 cps.); Cebuano (16,442 cps.); Eng-
lish (8,928 cps.); Ilocano (7,890 cps.); Hiligaynon (4,425 cps.); Pangasinense (3,411
cps.); Bicol (3,056 cps)
MTBO Bibles in Pampango and Samarenyo will be available starting July, 2010

Target Coverage of Bible Distribution for April-June 2010 (based on orders received):
Quezon City, Malolos, Alaminos, Urdaneta, San Jose Nueva Ecija, Manila, Tuguega-
rao, Butuan City, Legazpi, Dumaguete, Naval, San Fernando Pampanga, Borongan
Eastern Samar, Nueva Segovia
Total Bible Distribution: (Jan 2009 - May 31, 2010): 167,108 cps

Target No. of Bibles for Distribution for 2010: 200,000 cps.

Total Funds Needed for Printing and Transport of Bibles in 2010: P30M

Praise Item Support the May They Be One

Praise God for the warm response of about
300 parish leaders, educators and
catechists who attended the May They
Be One Bible campaign presentation
and Bible lecture given by Honorary
Translation Consultant of the Philippine
Bible Society Bishop Daniel Arichea at
De la Salle University, Taft in May dur-
ing their Summer Institute on Sacred
Scriptures 2010.
Please Pray
That the Lord will continue to open doors
of schools/universities so that many
more students will have an active and
continuing involvement in the MTBO
Bible distribution, formation and
fundraising.
Bible Campaign and help bring
God’s Word to more Filipino homes.
Your contribution of at least P150/
month will enable poor families
to have their own Bibles they can
read, study and pray. For more
Campaign info: visit, email or call
ECBA – Fr. Oscar Alunday, 470
Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Mla.
Telefax no. 5279386; ecba_cbcp@
yahoo.com; www.ecba-cbcp.com;
PBS-Mrs. Perry Cartera/Mrs. Juliet
Rivera at 890 UN Ave., Ermita
Mla.; perry@bible.org.ph;juliet@
bible.org.ph; www.bible.org..ph Tel.
nos. 5215785/5267777 loc. 600,
Fax No. 5215803; 09178590019
/09156727492 /09182802775
 A8 People, Facts & Places CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 - 20, 2010

Kalookan
Diocese honors
priests’ parents
WITH Vatican preparing the closing of the year-long celebration of
the Year for Priests, the Diocese of Kalookan recently paid tribute
to the parents of priests for being part in the formation of pastors
working in the Lord’s vineyard.
Coinciding with Bishop Deogracias Iniguez Jr.’s silver jubilee in
the episcopacy and his mother Emilia’s 93rd birthday, the diocese
presented plaques of appreciation to the parents of about 35 priests
working within the Diocese of Kalookan, guest priests and priests
from the diocese currently working in other dioceses and religious
© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media
already allowed priests to marry,” Rustia said.
He added the news was for priests aged 85 years old and above
and should have parental consent.
“In short, the simple message was ‘forget it’ because married
life is not for priests because your faithfulness is anchored on the
faithfulness of Christ,” he explained.
He underscored the value of parents in the formation of their
children, some of whom have become priests.
“Where would we be without our parents?” he asked the con-

Bishop Deogracias Iniguez Jr. gives holy communion to her mother Emilia during a
Mass celebrating his silver jubilee in the episcopacy and his mother’s 93rd birthday.
congregations.
In his homily, Fr. Teofilo Rustia, a classmate of Bishop Iñiguez
at the San Carlos Seminary, said the affair is a fitting tribute to the
priests’ parents as the Year of the Clergy draws to a close.
He said the Year of the Clergy was made more meaningful with
the Second National Congress of the Clergy with Fr. Raniero Can-
talamesa, the papal household retreat master.
“Fr. Cantalamesa told American priests gathered before the Second
National Congress of the Clergy in Manila that the Holy Father has
gregation.
Rustia said he has been orphaned early in life and had the pleasure
to have a mother in the person of Bishop Iñiguez’s mother Emilia
who turned 93 years old today.
“She regularly visited us in the seminary and brought us food-
stuff,” he recalled.
The priests and their parents had special photo sessions and were
treated to an early lunch at Manila Grand Opera Hotel along Rizal
Avenue and Doroteo Jose at Sta. Cruz district. (CBCPNews)

Cardinal leads recognition ceremony

for urban poor scholars
MANILA Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales
led the recognition ceremony for urban poor scholars
of the Caritas Manila with a Eucharistic celebration.
The ceremony was held last May 29, 2010 at the
Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila.
The Youth Servant Leadership Education Pro-
gram (YSLEP) is a scholarship program of Caritas
Manila.
According to Fr. Anton Pascual, Executive Direc-
tor of Caritas Manila, there are over 5,000 scholars
annually, with priority being given to the children
of the poorest of the poor among the urban poor
sector of Metro Manila.
“Under YSLEP, equal attention is given to
leadership formation together with scholarship
assistance. Excellence in knowledge, skills and
attitude is emphasized,” he said.
Programs being given to scholars as well as their
parents and guardians are the regular formation
anchored on the Catholic social teachings, preven-
tive health education and livelihood skills training
program.
A total of 897 scholars graduated in this program
this year. There were 129 graduates from the el-
ementary level, 448 in high school, 274 in college
and 46 graduates from the vocational courses.
(Kate Laceda) Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales

Zamboanga launches Priests-

Ulama-Pastors forum
RESOLVED in its mission to promote a
culture of dialogue for Christians and Mus-
lims to live with one another in a spirit of
understanding, respect and acceptance, the
Archdiocese of Zamboanga has established
a forum consisting of priests, pastors and
ulamas.
© www.silsilahdialogue.com
Markings
Zamboanga Archbishop Romulo G. Valles other groups that have similar orientation. CELEBRATED. Brother Gil-
expressed his appreciation of the initiative, With promotion of dialogue as its specific bert Billena, O’Carm and
saying he is happy of the project as he met mission, the forum will be directed by three Brother Clyde Salitrero,
with the priests, pastors and ulamas at the convenors that will represent the Catholic O’Carm, solemn profession
of Religious vows among
Sacred Heart Center on May 28. Church, Islam and other Christian denomi- the Order of the Brothers of
“Your involvement in this group expresses nation. the Blessed Virgin Mary of
our common commitment to inter-religious Additional three members will come from Mount Carmel, May 22, 2010
dialogue. This is part of the each faith group to make up the PUPF core at Titus Brandsma Center,
mission of the Catholic Church group of twelve. The The Silsilah Dialogue New Manila, Quezon City. Fr.
Artemio Jusayan, O’Carm,
and I emphasized it when I ar- Movement, an association that promotes Commissary General of the
rived in Zamboanga City and “deeper understanding between Muslims Order, presided the thanks-
considered it as a key area in and Christians,” acts as the group’s secre- giving Mass. Brother Gilbert

my program,” Valles said. tariat. is a native of Balingoan, Misamis Oriental while Brother Clyde hails from
Tubigon, Bohol.
The Priests-Ulama-Pastors The formation of the PUPF is seen as sig-
Forum (PUPF) is being formed nificant step in the promotion of dialogue CELEBRATED. Fr. Carlito Ruiz Garcia, silver jubilee of sacerdotal ordination
in the same spirit as the Bishops- and in consolidating “linkages with other at the Christ the King Parish, Kabacan, Cotabato, May 31, 2010. The 50
Ulama conference on the Min- groups, institutions and movements in Zam- year old priest was ordained in 1985 and currently the pastor of Christ the
King Parish. Kidapawan Bishop Romulo de la Cruz said the homily in his
danao level. However, PUPF boanga City that have programs of interfaith thanksgiving Mass which was attended by close to a thousand people.
is autonomous of BUC and of dialogue.” (Pinky Barrientos, FSP)
CELEBRATED. Sr. Fely de la Cruz, SPC, Sr. Edna

Uphold prison voting rights, CBCP

Lopes, SPC, Sr. Judith Bapor, SPC, Sr. Myrna Bor-
romeo, SPC, Sr. Joseline Lasala, SPC, Sr. Teresita
Baricau, SPC, Sr. Veneranda Santos, SPC, Sr. Marie
Ann Adoracion, SPC and Sr. Marie-Madeleine Michel

exec tells incoming gov’t

A CBCP official has called on the
incoming administration and the
next Congress to guarantee the
voting rights of prisoners.
“We call on the next administra-
tion and the next congress to review
the laws governing our election
and ensure that the prisoner vot-
ing right is upheld,” said Rodolfo
Diamante, Executive Secretary
of the Episcopal Commission on
Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC) of
the Catholic Bishops Conference
of the Philippines (CBCP).
SPC; silver jubilee of religious profession among the
Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres. Rev. Fr. Ramon Maria
Luza Bautista, SJ celebrated the thanksgiving Mass
held at the Our Lady of Chartres Convent in Antipolo
City on May 1, 2010.
Diamante praised the Commis- to votes” he said.
CONFERRED. Dr. Merle Gilda J. Ramores
sion on Elections (COMELEC), The prison commission be- with Papal Honor “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice”
Commission on Human Rights lieved the right to suffrage of the by Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, His Ex-
(CHR) and the Bureau of Jail Man- detainees and prisoners must be cellency Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams,
agement and Penology (BJMP) for respected and this must not be during a concelebrated Mass on May 1,
2010, feast of St. Joseph the Worker, at the
the formation of the voting system taken from them. Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity. The award
that permitted prisoners to exer- Diamante also applauded the was conferred to Dr. Ramores in recognition
cise their right to suffrage. “concerned government agen- Rudy Diamante, CPCP-ECPPC of her service to health and well-being of the
“We laud the COMELEC, cies” for acting fast in processing Executive Secretary people in the local Church of Daet. A testi-
monial dinner on the same day of conferral
CHR and BJMP for the es- the voting system of the prison- front in supporting the promo- was hosted in her name by the Couples of
tablishment of a mechanism ers which made them actively tion and enhancement of the Christ at the Villa Mila Resort and Confer-
which allows the detention participate in the recent national dignity and human rights of ence Center in Daet, Camarines Norte.
prisoners, to exercise their and local elections. persons deprived of their liber-
DIED. Sr. Aurora Caspe, SPC, May 10, 2010.
constitutional right and duty ECPPC has been in the fore- ties. (CBCPNews)

ILO grant to benefit poor OFW families CBCP office co-launches theology
THE International Labor Organization (ILO)
program on migration
awarded some P4 million pesos in what has been
described as “innovation grant” to Pioneer Life, Inc.
in support of its project Pamilyang OFW Savers
and Wellness Club. Pioneer Life Inc. was one of 18
grantees from more than 200 applicants.
The Pamilyang OFW Savers and Wellness Club
was organized through the auspices of the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal
Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and
Itinerant People (ECMI) to encourage workers and
their families to wisely manage their finances.
The program encourages each family to develop
the habit of saving and build enough savings
to allow for the early return of OFWs to their
families.
ECMI Executive Secretary Fr. Edwin Corros said
the project is part of the reintegration program
which the Catholic Church has established for
OFWs.
“The government for a time has not introduced a
doable reintegration program,” he explained dur-
ing the launching of the Micro-Insurance Grant at
Pioneer House in Makati at midday Wednesday.
Launched in July 2009, the OFW Savers and
Wellness Clunb are found in six dioceses with over
900 members. The members are entitled to benefits
such as participation in financial literacy work-
shops, high interest rates on their savings, personal
accident insurance, cash burial assistance, life insur- THE Episcopal Commission for aspects of migration more thor- least 2 years of college (or its equiva-
ance and privileges from industrial partners. the Pastoral Care on Migrants oughly for the benefit of concrete lent) and a basic theology course or
Pioneer Life’s CEO Lorenzo Chan said his and Itinerant People (ECMI) of pastoral service for migrants. “Exodus” certificate and such.
company believes introducing financial literacy the Catholic Bishops Conference Compulsory courses of theo- Organizers said the Certificate
workshops across the country would raise the of the Philippines (CBCP) is co- logical specialization could also in Pastoral Care of Migrants can
people’s awareness on the importance of saving launching a theology program on be programmed for this purpose be taken in one semester (five
for the future. migration with the Loyola School (EMCC, 71). months) and requires five migra-
ILO Director Linda Wirth said a common cop- of Theology and the Scalabrini The course will include the tion theology subjects.
ing strategy for people in times of emergency is Migration Center on June 2010. introduction of the theologies “The Certificate program re-
to borrow money. She explained this is because The theology program is being of migration, management of quires a passing grade in all five
about 80% of the world’s population do not have introduced in response to the in- pastoral programs in migration, migration theology subjects as
social security and has created the niche for micro- struction of the Vatican document migration and justice, and the listed. Three courses are compul-
insurance. Erga Migrantes Caritas Christi pastoral care of migrants. sory (MTP 01, 03, 04) while two
“Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has ex- advising Episcopal conferences of Resource persons are Emman- subjects shall be chosen among the
tended assistance to develop innovations to help mapping a theology program on uel de Guzman, PhD; Fr. Edwin four elective courses. All courses
millions of people across the globe,” Wirth said migration that would help those Corros, CS, Fr. Graziano Battistel- are open to auditors,” they said.
while lauding the project jointly launched by Pio- ministering to migrants deepen la, CS, and Fr. Nilo Tanalega, SJ. The three institutions will
neer Life and the CBCP-ECMI. their pastoral orientation. To qualify, the organizers said, issue the Certificate in Pastoral
Director Wirth, who is leaving the International The Egra Migrantes Caritas the student must have the neces- Care of Migrants.
Labor Organization after over 20 years, said mi- Christi states that Episcopal Con- sary requirement like personal Migration is a growing phe-
grant workers’ reintegration remains to be their ferences will entrust to Catholic letter of application or letter of nomenon in Asia and has been
top priority and how to translate economic growth university faculties in their territo- recommendation from superior or an important aspect of the re-
with more gainful employment. (CBCPNews) ries the task of studying the various bishop or official of institution, at gion’s landscape. (CBCPNews)

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 – 20, 2010
Today’s culture and
consecrated life
By Archbishop Orlando B.
Quevedo, O.M.I.
Introduction
Culture is a pervasive reality. It
impacts all dimensions of life, social,
economic, political, and religious. We
are born into it, we grow and work
in it, we live and die in it. We cannot
escape it. There is no human reality that
is culture-free.
Born into a culture and formed in
it, we are influenced by various other
cultures for better or for worse. As a
human-divine institution the Church
both influences and is also influenced by
peoples and their cultures. With its own
Gospel culture the Church interplays
dynamically with the culture of a people
in whose midst it is deeply inserted.
The call to consecrated life, formation
in consecrated life, the living of the
evangelical counsels, community life,
spirituality and mission are all impacted
by culture. For this reason the present
seminar is important and necessary.
Looking at the topics to be discussed,
it would seem best for me to provide
a description of today’s culture, from
which the various speakers could start.
Surely there will be some overlapping
but there is some benefit from a certain
degree of repetition.
What is “Today’s Culture”?
In this presentation the analogical
term, “culture” is used to mean
generally a “a way of life” or a set of
values, attitudes, beliefs, customs and
practices that are shared by a group and
distinguishes it from another. Culture
is transmitted from one generation
to another through language, rituals,
institutions (e.g., family, schools), laws,
art, and tools of social communication.
It can refer, among other things, to a
certain social group (e.g., the culture
of the poor, of the elite), nationality
or race (Thai culture, Indian culture,
Chinese culture), ethnic group (dalit
culture, adivasi culture, the culture
of the dominant group), or age group
(youth culture). In fact arguably there
is a certain culture of consecrated life
based on values, beliefs, and practices
commonly held.
Other than the question of culture in
general, the further question is what is
today’s Asian culture?
We are faced with the fact that Asia
is characterized by a rich variety, a
brilliant mosaic, of ancient cultures
and languages, Malay, Indian, Chinese,
Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Myanmar,
etc., each with its own recorded and
unrecorded historical roots in time
immemorial. Moreover, there have
been many inter-cultural developments
through trade and commerce, conquest,
migration, marriage, mass media,
education. While a particular culture
may be dominant in one country, it might
in fact exhibit such intercultural mix.
In addition today cultural observers
speak of an emerging global culture
that emanates from the West and is
increasingly bearing upon traditional
Asian cultures through the process of
economic globalization and the rapid
advances of technology and science.
Pastoral Concerns
When speaking of today’s Asian
culture, we take all these observations
into account. They speak of cultural
heterogeneity in Asia.
Positive Characteristics of “Asian”
Culture
Given the rich kaleidoscope of Asian
cultures, can we speak of an Asian
culture? At the macro-level it is possible
to observe commonalities which one
could label as Asian cultural values.
Reflecting deeply through the years
on Asian cultures in its dialogue with
the various cultures and peoples, the
Church has identified various cultural
characteristics generally common to
Asians.
In 1998 at the Special Assembly of the
Synod of Bishops for Asia, the Asian
Bishops spoke about such cultural
commonalities which Pope John Paul II’s
post-synodal exhortation echoes:
The people of Asia take pride in their
religious and cultural values, such
as love of silence and contemplation,
simplicity, harmony, detachment,
non-violence, the spirit of hard work,
discipline, frugal living, the thirst for
learning and philosophical enquiry.
They hold dear the values of respect
for life, compassion for all beings,
closeness to nature, filial piety towards
parents, elders and ancestors, and a
highly developed sense of community.
In particular they hold the family to be
a vital source of strength, a closely knit
community with a powerful sense of
solidarity. Asian peoples are known
for their spirit of religious tolerance and
peaceful co-existence….Many people,
especially the young, experience a deep
thirst for spiritual values….
All of this indicates an innate spiritual
insight and moral wisdom in the Asian soul,
and it is the core around which a growing
sense of “being Asian” is built. This “being
Asian” is best discovered and affirmed not
in confrontation and opposition, but in the
spirit of complementarity and harmony
[Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia in Asia, 1998,
no. 6].
Cultural Values that Foster Consecrated
Life
From the above we perceive cultural
values that can promote consecrated life
in Asia, from vocation discernment to
formation, from the living of evangelical
counsels to spirituality and mission.
A sense of the sacred still prevails
among Asian peoples. We point to the
finger of God in the significant events
of our lives. We are not afraid to speak
openly of God and his mysterious
ways. We go to holy places and shrines,
visit churches, mosques, and temples
for worship, or for temporary refuge,
silence, solitude from the busyness of
life. We are deeply appreciative of men
and women of God-experience. The
sense of the divine is deeply ingrained
in our Asian cultural psyche. This is
certainly a major reason for the steady
increase of vocations in Asia, both to the
priestly and religious life.
Perhaps it is our poverty as a continent
that promotes frugality, simplicity, hard
work, and dependence on God. But
certainly such cultural values correspond
quite well with the faith and trust in God
that the evangelical counsels of poverty,
chastity, and obedience express.
The Asian sense of community with
its corollary values of complementarity
and harmony rather than individualistic
assertion and confrontation finds
realization in the community life of
consecrated persons. Close-knit family
relationships, filial piety and respect
for elders would likewise promote
relationships in the formation process
as well as harmony within the religious
community. One can cite folklore and
stories among Asian peoples of the close
relationship between teacher, guro and
disciple.
CulturalValuesthatHinderConsecrated
Life
Yet in Asian cultures we also find
values, traditions and practices that
are anti-Gospel and hinder the living
of consecrated life.
As a preliminary remark, what the
Asian Bishops observed some 23 years
ago in the 1986 FABC Plenary Assembly
in Tokyo on the Laity and reiterated at
the 2004 FABC Plenary Assembly in
Korea on the Asian family would have to
be very seriously considered in relation
to consecrated life in Asia. The Asian
Bishops observed:
Perhaps the greatest challenge to the
Church in Asia is that posed by the Asian
family. The Asian family is the cellular
receptacle of all of Asia’s problems,
poverty, repression, exploitation and
degradation, divisions and conflicts.
The family is directly affected by the
religious, political, economic, social
and cultural problems of Asia, by the
problems relating to women, health,
work, business, education, etc. [For
All the Peoples of Asia, 1992, p. 184;
Final Document, 2004 FABC Plenary
Assembly, The Asian Family towards a
Culture of Integral Life,” no. 48].
Close family relationships, we know,
are ambivalent. They can be a driving
force for great personal sacrifice on
behalf of the family, as in the case
of migrant workers, many of whom
work under contracts and in working
conditions that could rightly be called
“new slaveries.” But such close-knit
family relationships are also often at the
root of intermittent violence between
families and clans. They are likewise the
reason for endemic corruption in Asian
societies, where the family comes first
before the public good.
In the context of poverty, families
can look at consecrated life as a step-
up in the social mobility. Vocational
motivation can be quite problematic.
The concern for family can also become
an overwhelming source of tension for
a member of the community. In the
close-knit Asian family we in the priestly
and consecrated life do not seem really
able to “leave father, mother, brother or
sister” for the new family of faith. We
still seem to be primarily attached to our
family by blood.
It is also true that Asia is characterized
by the great social and economic
distances between the rich and the great
majority of the people who are poor.
Those who are called to consecrated life
bring with them a culture of the poor
and a culture of the rich. Friendships,
and perhaps cliques, in consecrated
life are often based on ethnic terms
and economic class. Surely the tasks
of formation and building community
would have to take these divergent
cultures into consideration.
In many Asian cultures patriarchy
as a social attitude that considers men
as superior and women as subservient
has far reaching attitudinal effects. This
is true for social life in general as well
as for priestly and religious life. [As I
observed at the recent Second Special
Assembly of the Synod of Bishops
for Africa last month, patriarchy is
probably less general in Asia than in
the African continent. But the problem
in both continents remains serious].
Formation in consecrated life can react
to patriarchy by overemphasizing the
opposite behavior. A balanced gender
formation can provide a vibrant, healthy
and dynamic sense of equality in dignity
and complementarity in men and
women in consecrated life.
An Emerging Global Culture?
Reflecting on today’s pastoral
challenges various church assemblies
in Asia have pointed at a present
social and cultural phenomenon—the
emergence of a global culture. Thus
the FABC Plenary Assembly in Korea
in 2004 observed:
Of even greater significance, economic
globalization is also bringing cultural
globalization in its wake. Since the
middle of the 20th century Western
secularism has been strongly influencing
Asian societies. But at no time has
the secularizing process, now with
a significant post-modern spirit of
individualistic sense of freedom, been
more rapid and effective in reshaping
the value systems of Asian families
than in the last two decades of the 20th
century. The bearers of this change are
economics… and the on-going revolution
in mass global communication that has
truly made the world a global village
[Final Document, no. 21].
What is this cultural phenomenon
which we might call a post-modern
culture?
It is an off-shoot, even a reaction,
to the modern spirit. The modern
spirit developed among European
intellectuals, like Voltaire, in the 17th
and 18th centuries. This was the era
of the Enlightenment and scientific
revolution. It proclaimed the primacy
of human reason and rejected religious
faith and authority. It denied divine
revelation or “God’s metanarrative”.
The philosopher, Rene Descartes,
sought absolute certitude through
reason immune from faith. Armed
with reason and science, Modernism
rejected “traditional” religious beliefs.
It asserted a “metanarrative of human
scientific progress.”
But in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries came the philosophies of
Karl Marx and Friedrich Nietzsche.
They rejected all “metanarratives” as
absolutely universal whether that of
human reason or that of religious faith.
They were skeptical about social and
moral norms. Kant’s “Critique of Pure
Reason” was really a critique of the
claims of objective truth in the Age of
B1
© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media
Reason. Other philosophers like Martin
Heidegger exalted personal subjectivity
rather than objectivity.
The emerging global technological
culture exhibits the world view of the
postmodern spirit. It rejects objective
truth and gives primacy to personal
subjectivity. It professes incredulity to all
metanarratives that claim absolute truth.
It believes that truth is of the moment
and in time will change. It believes as
true only in what the self interprets and
constructs, i.e., in personal narratives.
It is individualistic. Therefore truth is
relative. Hence, pluralism regarding
truth is a “dogma” of postmodernism.
Someone has called this type of pluralism
as an ideology of “whateverism.”
I admit that this is a simplified
way, perhaps even simplistic way, of
considering the post-modern spirit.
There are indeed many positive
things that it has contributed. “It is
bringing into Asia a greater awareness
of individual dignity, autonomy, and
human rights so characteristic of the
West. It creates and promotes global
solidarity almost instantaneously in
times of great disaster. It has made
knowledge of the world and of the
human person to grow by leaps and
bounds. The application and sharing
of that knowledge has generally and
significantly improved human life”
[2004 FABC Plenary Assembly, Final
Document, no. 22].
I would also add that the postmodern
spirit has highlighted the importance
and necessity of personal historicity,
personal narratives, and subjective
experience, including feelings, in integral
human growth towards maturity in
Christ. In a course on spiritual direction
that I once attended it was important
for me to know the place of feelings in
discerning the movement of the Holy
Spirit in my own life.
Impact of Postmodern Culture on
Values
It has been observed that the emerging
global culture is uprooting families
from their traditional cultures. Neo-
liberalism, materialism, secularism,
consumerism are being brought into
the sanctuaries of homes even in the
grassroots through local TV and radio
programs “that ape the media programs
served by the West whose values and
portrayal of family and life gradually
become normative for viewers and
listeners” [Ibid.. no. 24].
We can see also see how cinema
and the lives and loves of the rich and
famous add to the trivialization and
subsequently the rejection of values once
held sacred regarding love, marriage,
family and permanent commitments.
Tools of social communication that
are meant to enhance communication
become hindrances to unity. They
disturb the discipline that harmonious
community living requires. They are
“wants” that become “needs.” Simplicity
and frugality are jeopardized. Silence,
solitude and the sense of the sacred are
disturbed by the ubiquity of instruments
of social communication.
The emerging global culture is
likewise creating a new kind of poor,
Today / B2
 B2
After a Church is attacked
(Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina
Apostolorum university, answers the following queries:)
Q: There was a bomb blast last year in our cathedral at
Kathmandu. In it, three people died and several were injured.
In all probability, one died on the spot (inside the church). We
did clean up the place after the police had done their job, and
we had Mass celebrated the following day. Now, there was
doubt in the minds of some of our old Catholics. At least one of
them told me that after a murder takes place in the church, it is
desecrated (because of the murder); therefore, before celebrating
Mass and other sacraments in the building, the church needs
to be re-dedicated. The person told me that that was “the rule
before.” I personally had not come across a situation like this
before, and I did not know whether any rule existed either. Could
you please explain whether there are some rules or regulations
with regard to this?—P.P., Kathmandu, Nepal
A: This topic is dealt with in the Code of Canon Law and in
the Ceremonial of Bishops. Canons 1211-1112 touch upon the
violation of sacred places.
“CAN. 1211 Sacred places are violated by gravely injurious
actions done in them with scandal to the faithful, actions which,
in the judgment of the local ordinary, are so grave and contrary
to the holiness of the place that it is not permitted to carry on
worship in them until the damage is repaired by a penitential
rite according to the norm of the liturgical books.
“Can. 1212 Sacred places lose their dedication or blessing if
they have been destroyed in large part, or have been turned
over permanently to profane use by decree of the competent
ordinary or in fact.”
To this must be added the norms of the Ceremonial of Bishops,
Nos. 1070-1092, which describes the public prayers to be made
after the desecration of a church.
First, it specifies further the nature of the crimes that can
desecrate a church as those that “do grave dishonor to sacred
mysteries, especially to the eucharistic species, and are
committed to show contempt for the Church, or are crimes
that are serious offenses against the dignity of the person and
society.”
It continues: “A church, therefore, is desecrated by actions
that are gravely injurious in themselves and a cause of scandal
to the faithful.”
The situation in Kathmandu clearly fulfills all the conditions
for a desecration.
Reparation for the desecration is to be carried out with a
penitential rite celebrated as soon as possible. Until that time,
no sacred rite may be celebrated in the church. Preaching
to prepare for the penitential rite may be carried out. The
people are encouraged to avail themselves of the sacrament of
reconciliation, which should be celebrated in another church.
To symbolize penance, the Ceremonial recommends: “The altar
of the church should be stripped bare and all customary signs
of joy and gladness should be put away, for example, lights
flowers, and other such articles.”
It is fitting that the bishop presides at the rite of reparation,
which may be either a celebration of the Eucharist or a Liturgy
of the Word as circumstances suggest. It may be celebrated on
any day except the Easter triduum, Sundays and solemnities,
but may be celebrated on the vigil of a Sunday. The Mass of
reparation is the preferred mode.
The most suitable Mass formula may be chosen; for example:
the votive Mass of the holy Eucharist (in cases of profanation
of the Blessed Sacrament) or for promoting harmony in the
case of violent clashes.
There are several forms of carrying out the rite. One is a
procession of the people from a nearby church or another
suitable place during which prayer and the litany of the saints
is sung, including the patron of the desecrated church and
other prayers found in the Roman ritual. If a procession is not
possible, then the people gather in the church and the bishop
and other ministers enter from the sacristy.
On entering the church, the bishop along with concelebrants
and other ministers goes to the chair without reverencing the
altar. He then blesses water, and after a moment of silent prayer
sprinkles the altar. He may also sprinkle the people and the
walls. Returning to the chair, and with hands joined, he invites
those present to pray. After a brief silent prayer, the bishop
recites the opening prayer with hands outstretched.
The readings usually come from the Mass for the forgiveness
of sins, unless other more suitable readings are chosen.
Appropriate general intercessions are prayed only if the litany
of the saints has not been used. After this, the deacon and other
ministers place the altar cloth and the other usual elements upon
the altar and may place flowers around it. The procession of the
gifts follows the bishop receiving them at the chair.
When everything is ready, the bishop goes to the altar and
kisses it and the Mass continues in the usual manner.
In the case of desecration of the Eucharist, the concluding rites
of Mass are replaced by exposition, adoration and Benediction
of the Blessed Sacrament.
If there is only a celebration of the Word, then everything is
done as above, until after the homily. A prayer of intercession
asking for God’s mercy is carried out. The altar is then dressed
and decorated by the ministers or the faithful. The bishop then
approaches the altar, and kisses and incenses it. He subsequently
introduces the Our Father, followed by a suitable closing prayer
and the blessing.
When the Ceremonial of Bishops was published, the official
rite of reparation was not yet promulgated. However, the
elements provided in the Ceremonial and described above
suffice for the preparation of an adequate celebration.
Today / B1
those who, in the language of Pope John Paul II, “who do not
know” – the poverty of knowledge, of technological knowledge
and of access to that knowledge. Poor countries and poor families
are further marginalized by this new form of poverty.
Conclusion
Such is presently the post-modern world into which Asia is entering
at a rapid pace. It has been developing for more than a century. It
is materialist, secularist, individualistic, and relativist. It disdains
authoritative religious and moral norms. What is necessary is not
absolute moral or doctrinal truth. Truth is that which people believe
in as rooted in subjective experience.
A religious thinker (I don’t remember who) has said that we live
chronologically in a postmodern world, but as Catholics we are not
postmodern in the pejorative sense described above. We do believe
in God’s metanarrative, in absolute truths, in objective truth learned
by reason and faith, in the “traditional” values of marriage, family
and permanent commitments.
This brings us to the reminder that Jesus gave at the Last Supper.
We are in this world but we are not of this world.
(This piece was delivered by Most Rev. Orlando B. Quevedo, Archbishop
of Cotabato and Secretary General of the Federation of Asian Bishops’
Conferences (FABC), during the FABC-OCL Seminar in Hua Hin,
Thailand, November 17, 2009.)
Updates
Canonical process for
alleged sexual abuse of
minors by clerics (Part 2)
By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D.
OF late the Catholic Church, and especially
Pope Benedict XVI, has come under bitter
criticism by the secular press regarding its
handling of allegations of sexual abuse of
minors by priests in several countries (notably
in the U.S., Ireland, England and Germany).
The accusations can be summarized into
three: (1) that the Church has no clear-cut
procedure for handling such allegations; (2)
that the Church has a policy of being secretive
about such cases, tending to protect the erring
clerics more than the aggrieved parties; (3)
that the Church conceals such allegations
from the civil authorities.
In the previous issue of CBCP Monitor, we
had answered all three accusations in part,
when we tackled the procedure to be followed
by the ecclesiastical authority─either the
diocesan Bishop or a religious Superior─upon
hearing of an alleged sexual abuse of minors
by a cleric, i.e., the preliminary investigation
and the transmission of the preliminary
findings to the Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith (CDF). Let us now look in detail
at the ensuing canonical process to resolve
such allegations.
The Canonical Process to resolve Allegations
of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Clerics
1st Stage: The Instruction of the Case.
The canonical process─more technically
called a written contentious process─is
similar to the criminal trials that take place
in some European countries, which follow a
different legal tradition from the Philippines.
Because of this, the canon law trial will not
appear similar to those we might be familiar
with in Philippine civil courts (which
follow what is called an oral or summary
contentious process). The main difference
is that in the latter, the initial stage─which
is the so-called instruction of the case or the
gathering of evidence─is compressed into
oral trials wherein all the evidence (including
witnesses) are simultaneously presented
before all the parties to the case; in the
former, the witnesses are cited individually
by the tribunal to make their depositions in
private.
An ecclesiastical tribunal─the same one
that normally handles marriage nullity
cases─hears the case. It is composed of a
panel of three judges. The accused has a
canon lawyer, called an advocate, to assist
in his defense. The prosecutor is referred to
as the promoter of justice.
Witnesses, including possible victims, are
called to testify. The judges, rather than the
canon lawyers, question the witnesses singly
and in private. Other forms of evidence are
gathered, such as letters that might have
been written. Everything is taken down in
writing by the tribunal notary, and the actae
are made available to both the accused and
his advocate, for possible corrections.
2nd and 3rd Stages: The Arguments and the
Judgment
After this the defense canon lawyer and the
promoter of justice submit written arguments
of their sides of the case. The judges then
review the arguments and evidence carefully,
deliberate together, and issue a judgment
(verdict). If the finding is for guilt, the judges
also impose a penalty (see below for types of
Church penalties).
4th Stage: Automatic Elevation to the CDF
and Possible Appeal.
Once the diocesan tribunal issues its
decision, the decision goes to the CDF. Both
the verdict (whether for or against guilt)
and penalty (if the verdict is for guilt) may
be appealed by either the accused or the
promoter of justice of either the diocese or
the CDF. If no appeal is lodged within a
certain time frame, the sentence is final. If
an appeal is lodged, another hearing of the
case will take place by an appellate panel of
judges. This may occur again at the CDF, or,
with authorization of the CDF, at the diocesan
or local level.
The CDF has its own supreme tribunal. The
Pope himself does not sit personally as a judge
on the tribunal of the CDF. He has several
judicial courts or tribunals that administer
justice: the CDF tribunal, the Roman Rota
and the Apostolic Signature. The decision of
the CDF─or any of the other tribunals of the
Holy See─in an appeal of a judicial sentence
of this matter is final.
Alternative Procedure: An Administrative
Penal Process.
In cases where the evidence of the possible
commission of sexual abuse is stronger,
the CDF might authorize what is called an
administrative penal process. Here, unlike
a judicial trial, the bishop himself makes
the decision regarding the charges brought
against the accused. He considers the evidence
with the help of two persons called assessors.
They are experts in canon law or some other
discipline necessary for a thorough evaluation
of the evidence. The accused also has the
opportunity to offer a defence. The bishop then
issues a decree with his decision and suggested
penalty (if he finds for guilt). This decree is
also sent to the CDF for confirmation and the
accused has the right to seek reconsideration
of the outcome.
Canonical Penalties for Crimes of Sexual
Abuse of Minors
Catholic Church Law provides a range
of penalties for different crimes. For the
sexual abuse of minors it provides for a just
penalty that may include dismissal from the
clerical state.
Immediate and Permanent Withdrawal from
all Public Ministry
Contrary to the accusations in the mass
media, the Essential Norms provides that
in every case where a cleric admits to or is
found guilty of the sexual abuse of minors he
is immediately and permanently withdrawn
from all public ministry. Nor may he present
himself as a priest or deacon.
Thus, even if a member of the clergy is
eventually not dismissed from the clerical
state for having committed the crime of the
sexual abuse of minors, his public ministry is
still fully restricted in the light of the gravity
of the offense committed.
In a very small subset of cases, where
the guilt of the cleric is beyond doubt, the
CDF may ask the Pope to directly impose
a penalty... This might occur, for instance,
when the priest himself has confessed to
this or has been found guilty of the crime in
a civil court of law. In the gravest cases, the
CDF may request that the Pope to dismiss
the cleric ex officio, that is, without a prior
trial or any other type of formal legal process.
In such cases, the Pope himself issues a
decree dismissing the priest or deacon from
the clerical state. There is no appeal of this
decision by the cleric.
Other Possible Canonical Penalties and
Penances
1) Dismissal from the Clerical State. Within
the range of canonical penalties provided
in Church Law is the dismissal from the
clerical state. This is a permanent penalty
imposed in response to the commission of
an ecclesiastical crime. The legal status of the
priest or deacon changes, so that he now has
the status of a lay person, not a cleric. Hence, a
priest dismissed from the clerical state may no
longer exercise priestly ministry (including
saying Mass), present himself as a priest, use
the title Father or Reverend, hold pastoral
and teaching positions in the Church, and
receive the income he did as a cleric.
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 – 20, 2010
www.flickr.com
2) Suspension. Suspension of a member
of the clergy is also a penalty imposed for
violation of a criminal law. The effects of
it are similar to dismissal from the clerical
state inasmuch as the priest or deacon is
not permitted to function in public ministry.
However, suspension does not remove the
cleric from the clerical state. He remains
a member of the clergy even if he is not
exercising any functions associated with
it. Additionally, whereas dismissal is a
permanent penalty, suspension is not. It
is imposed so long as the reasons for its
imposition remain. To offer one example,
if a priest is suspended due to illegitimate
behavior with a minor, the suspension
remains in force, but would be lifted if the
allegations are withdrawn or proven false.
3) Canonical Penance. The Essential Norms
recognize that there might be cases where a
priest or deacon has either admitted to a past
act of abuse or has been found guilty of one,
but dismissal from the clerical state does not
occur. This could happen, for instance, when
a priest is seriously ill or of advanced age. So
a life of prayer and penance is imposed on
the priest instead. In these cases, too, he is
forbidden from all public ministry and from
otherwise presenting himself as a priest. He
is expected to dedicate his life to praying for
victims and repenting of his past offenses.
In this way, the Church seeks even here to
prevent any future abuse and to repair the
injustice that has already taken place.
Other Scenarios
1) Acquittal of the accused cleric. The
presumption is that the cleric will be
returned to the ministry if he is not found
guilty. However, the outcome in a specific
case depends on several factors that are
particular to each case. It might turn out
that even though a priest or deacon is not
proven to have abused minors, other issues
surrounding his ministry or behaviour might
have arisen during the investigation that
cause concern for the bishop. This might
involve, for instance, unacceptable boundary
violations or improper behaviour with adults.
These situations would need to be addressed
before the priest or deacon is returned to
public ministry.
2) Cases where a priest or deacon is falsely
accused of sexual abuse. Not all accusations
brought to the ecclesiastical authorities
turn out to be true. In all cases, a thorough
investigation is made to ascertain the truth
of the allegation. The rights of everyone
must be respected during this phase. If this
process determines that the accusation was
false, the good reputation of the cleric needs
to be repaired. The Essential Norms state that
every step possible must be made to restore
the good name of those who have been falsely
accused and whose good reputation might
have been illegitimately harmed.
Conclusion: Confidentiality vs. Secrecy
A final word on the accusation of secrecy
is in order. The word secret as applied to the
canonical process we have just described is a
literal translation of the Latin word secretum.
The better translation would be “confidential.”
Church law does require that formal trials and
other processes that lead to the imposition of
penalties be dealt with confidentially. This is
meant to protect the accused, the witnesses,
and the integrity of the Church process. For
instance, general members of the public are not
admitted to the court proceedings. Although
these proceedings are confidential, that does
not forbid or even discourage anyone from
reporting the underlying allegations to civil
authorities. In fact, the opposite is true when
it comes to the sexual abuse of minors. The
Essential Norms strictly mandate that bishops
follow civil reporting laws, and that they
advise a person of his or her right to make a
report to public authorities and support the
person in doing so.

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 – 20, 2010
Our Lady of Guadalupe in Makati elevated to National Shrine
By Melo Acuña
WITH nearly six decades as parish
church serving the spiritual needs of
thousands of residents from Guadalupe
Viejo, Guadalupe Nuevo, Pinagkaisahan
and Fort Bonifacio, the Archdiocesan
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is
now a national landmark as it was
formally proclaimed a national shrine
by His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal
Rosales at a 5:00 p.m. concelebrated Mass
on May 31, 2010.
Rich historical heritage
It was during the 16th century when
Features
the Guadalupe district of Makati was
formed into a barrio named in honor of
the Patroness of the first Spanish settlers
under the jurisdiction of Sts. Peter and
Paul parish.
The shrine is conveniently located
at 1923 Orense St., Guadalupe Nuevo
in Makati City. It is also known as the
Patroness of the Pro-Life Movement
from the unborn to the sick, aging,
disabled and many others.
After the Second World War, the
word “Nuevo” was introduced into
the district’s original name. It was also
during this time that Guadalupe Estate
Incorporated donated two lots for the
newest parish church established on
November 23, 1951 when then Manila
Archbishop Gabriel M. Reyes presided
over its erection.
The Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe
was taken from the Parish of Sts. Peter
and Paul with about 8,000 parishioners
from four barangays.
The oldest image of Our Lady of
Guadalupe was donated by the Unson,
Paredes and Garcia families of Quezon
City and Sampaloc, Manila originally
placed at San Nicolas Chapel.
On December 12, 1951, the Feast of Our
Lady of Guadalupe, Manila Auxiliary
Bishop Vicente P. Reyes installed its first
parish priest, Fr. Guillermo Tello.
However, after nearly 20 years, on
March 24, 1971, the new boundaries of
Our Lady of Guadalupe parish were
established with Pasig River to the north,
Guingua St., Barangay Pinagkaisahan
and Forbes Park to the south, the civil
boundaries of Barangay West Rembo
and Barangay North Side Makati to the
east and Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue
to the west.
The parish priest and now Pasig
Bishop Francisco C. San Diego petitioned
for the elevation of the church into a
shrine during his watch from November
10, 1971 to July 31, 1981.
It was Manila Archbishop Jaime L.
Cardinal Sin who blessed then newly-
constructed parish rectory in time for the
B3
silver jubilee of the Guadalupe parish in
October 10, 1976.
Credit should also be given to
Msgr. Severino Anatalio who, in
1984, established the Guadalupe Basic
Ecclesial Communities and introduced
the 12 noon Mass devotion which has
already become a tradition.
It was Msgr. Vicente R. Dacuycuy who
submitted the formal petition for the
elevation of the parish church into an
archdiocesan shrine from 1988 to 1991.
OnDecember11,1994thereconstructed
altar was consecrated, blessed and
dedicated along with the newly-
constructed parish office, the “Tepeyac”
Elevated / B4

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe located at 1923 Orense St. Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City was formally
proclaimed especially for the USAD-O (Unborn, Sick, Aging, Disabled and many Others, whose lives are threatened) by His
Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales last May 31, 2010. (Contributed Photo)

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

National Shrines in the Philippines
1. National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage
Antipolo City

2. National Shrine of Divina Pastora

Gapan, Nueva Ecija

3. Peñafrancia Basilica Minore and National Shrine

Naga City

4. National Shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (Sto.

Domingo/La Naval); Quezon Ave., Quezon City

5. National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette

Biga, Silang Cavite

6. National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima

Valenzuela, Metro, Manila

7. National Shrine of St. Anne

www.facebook.com

Hagonoy, Bulacan

8. National Shrine of the Divine Mercy

Sta. Rosa, Marilao, Bulacan

By Adrian Tambuyat, O.P.
IN recognition of the
approval of the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP) the
Archdiocesan Shrine of
Our Lady of Guadalupe
was formally declared
National Shrine on the
May 31, 2010. Coinciding
with the event was the
installation of its new
Pastor, Rev. Fr. Roderick
L. Castro. The declaration
follows the approval
given by the Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of
the Philippines of its
elevation to a national
shrine.
Manifestation of the Lady
“A great sign appeared in the
sky, a Woman clothed with the
sun, with the moon under her
feet, and on her head, a crown
of twelve stars” (Revelation 12:1)
Among the many titles attributed
to the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
(Our Lady of Guadalupe) is one
of the most prominent name.
Our Lady of Guadalupe in the
Northwest of Mexico City to Juan
Diego, a poor Aztec and asked
him have a chapel built in her
honor on the site.
Juan Diego reported this
message to the Bishop who did
not believe his story and instead,
asked for proof. One time, the
Lady told Juan Diego to gather
roses (even if it was in the dead of
winter) in a cloak and bring it to
the Bishop. Juan Diego brought
the flowers to the Bishop. When
the Bishop opened the mantle,
they saw the image of the Lady
which appeared to Juan Diego.
The devotion to our Lady
of Guadalupe soon became
widespread with miracles and
conversions testified to by
the huge number of pilgrims
worldwide, who visit her Shrine
in Mexico.
The Genesis
Predominantly, the Philippines
is familiar with the devotion to
our Lady of Guadalupe, Msgr.
Salvador Jose, attached priest of
the National Shrine of Our Lady
of Guadalupe, said and even
emphasized that in the provisions
of the Papal Bull of 1935, Our
Lady of Guadalupe was declared
the “Principal Patroness of the
Philippine Islands”.
Msgr. Jose recalled the
beginnings of the National
Shrine. From the 16th Century,
the Guadalupe district in Makati
City was formed into a barrio
after the Patroness of the early
Spanish settlers. After World
War II, the word “Nuevo” in
reference to the present location
of the National Shrine was
coined. On November 23, 1951,
the parish of the Our Lady of
Guadalupe was erected by Most
Rev. Gabriel M. Reyes, D.D., who
was the Archbishop of Manila
that time. It was carved out
from the parish of Sts. Peter and
Paul for the 8,000 inhabitants of
Guadalupe Nuevo, Guadalupe
Viejo, Pinagkaisahan and Fort
Bonifacio.
The oldest image of our Lady
of Guadalupe was generously
donated by the Unsons, Paredes
and Garcia’s of Quezon City and
of Sampaloc. Most Rev. Vicente
P. Reyes, D.D. Auxiliary Bishop
of Manila installed Rev. Fr.
Guillermo V. Tello as the first
appointed Parish Priest. Between
a decade, November 10, 1971 to
July 31, 1981 Rev. Fr. Francisco
Guadalupe / B7
9. Minor Basilica and National Shrine of the Black Nazarene
Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila
10. San Sebastian Minor Basilica (National Shrine of Our Lady
of Mt. Carmel); Plaza del Carmen, Quiapo, Manila
11. National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels
San Miguel, Manila
12. National Shrine of the Sacred Heart
San Antonio Village, Makati City
13. National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City
14. National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help
Baclaran, Parañaque
15. National Shrine of the Miraculous Medal
Posadas Subd., Sucat, Muntinlupa City
16. National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians
Better Living Subd., Parañaque
17. National Shrine of Nuestra Sra. Virgen dela Regla
Lapu-lapu City
 Features
CBCP Monitor
B4 Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 – 20, 2010

Election 2010:
Fraught with Allegations of Automated Fraud
By Linda Valenzona
WHEN the Philippines
government decided to embrace
computerized voting for the 2010
presidential, congressional and
local elections, the international
community looked on with
considerable interest. Would
May 10 mark a turning point in
the struggling Asian democracy
and produce, for once,
undisputed results? (http://
www.economist.com/world/
asia/displaystory.cfm?story_
id=16068922)
Authoritative and stable
government is essential to the
country’s struggle to attract
foreign investment, develop
economically and lift a large
number of its people out of
poverty.
But an electronic revolution
in one giant stride? For a
population of 50 million voters
spread over 7,100 islands where
radio communication is often
unreliable? It was always going
to be a big task. As a risk
assessment carried out by Pacific
Strategies and Assessment late
last year warned, “there is no
official record of any country in
the world transitioning from a
pure manual to a full automated
elections system in one electoral
exercise.”
Quite the contrary. Electronic
covert fraud that was already
at work months ahead of the
election.
The contract to provide the
hardware and software for the
AES was awarded, under very
suspicious circumstances, to
the lowest bidder, Smartmatic,
a Venezuelan company who
also handled the election of
Hugo Chavez. This was not an
encouraging start.
The counting machine (precinct
counting optical scan, or PCOS)
the possibility that the PCOS close supervision of a citizen’s 2010: just another questionable various precincts were properly
machines could be programmed watchdog to ensure that remote election configured. This would not have
to for example count a vote for access would not be used to In the absence of overt been a tall order. The Philippines
Teodoro or Villar as a vote for endanger the sanctity of our evidence of cheating Filipinos has a strong IT industry and the
Aquino. vote. This kind of watchdog work were euphoric over how quickly normal Filipino civic mindedness
Secondly, there was the fact was, again, out of the league of the votes were counted. But what would have allowed us to gather
that the program was contained PPCRV. is clearly emerging is that the a strong team. Many of us
in removable flash cards. In a The fourth possible weakness official count is the product of who are IT literate could have
May 3, 2010 testing of 350 PCOS is to be found in the data a flawed process and the data volunteered for this type of work
machines done by Comelec the transmission process. Due to is irreparably tainted with the at the precinct level.
PCOS cards used were found its archipelagic geography and possibility of fraud. The fact of the matter is that
to be corrupted. Hence a few high mountain ranges in several Since Comelec has destroyed the integrity of the 2010 election
days before the election it was islands, radio communication is the flash cards, errors can only be results will always remain
decided that the flash cards for a major problem in many of the uncovered through comparison questionable in the absence of an
independent third party for this
oversight work before, during
and after the election process,
notwithstanding Comelec and
Smartmatic demonstrations to
the contrary.
The bicameral group
mandated to canvass election
results has been at it for the
past two weeks, a task that in
the past used to be completed
in a matter of days. Complaints
of irregularities delaying the
process have been given the
standard answer—complaints
have to be filed at the Presidential
Electoral Tribunal.
Would there be any way of
getting an accurate count at this
point? Presuming that the ballots
that were scanned by the 77,600
PCOS machines all over the
country were safeguarded from
tampering one possible solution
is to equip the PCOS machines
with flash cards certified to

© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

voting has been plagued
with problems in the most
developed countries of the
world, and just a week before
the Philippines elections
the government appointed
Commission on Elections,
or Comelec, was frantically
installing new memory cards in
every one of more than 70,000
counting machines at polling
stations because of an alleged
glitch. (http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Electronic_
voting#Documented_
problems)
Nevertheless, Filipinos pinned
their hopes on the new election
system with the expectation that
a quick count would minimize
the fraud that bedeviled past
was produced in China.
On the software side, the
program for reading, counting
and transmitting the data as
well as printing out election
returns was to be in a removable
flash card. To undertake an
independent review of the
entire program Comelec hired
SysTest Lab, a Denver company
discredited by the US National
Institute of Standards and
Technology as conducting tests
be configured with the right
program and rescan the ballots
contained in these machines.
An army of computers should
not make this to difficult to
accomplish. But if the election
winners are allowed to be sworn
in before this validation process
the entire 76,300 PCOS machines, is ever undertaken it is not likely
already distributed to all the that government will have the
polling places, were corrupted political will to undertake this
and needed to be replaced. Lo validation.
and behold, the next day they
were available for delivery to If Aquino really wants ‘people
the polling places in the different power’…
islands of the Archipelago. Aquino promised a “People
Of course, there was no time Power” uprising if he was
to conduct an independent “cheated” in the election. Many
examination to check what kind of us believe that the people have
of software was configured on been cheated, but stirring up
the new cards, so the whole civic unrest and protest against
© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

elections. So it is not surprising
that euphoria over the speed of
the results has led, three weeks
later, to a state of denial over the
possibility of massive cheating,
in spite of evidence pointing to
that unhappy conclusion.
A process flawed from the
start
In January 2007 Congress
passed legislation setting up
Comelec with the mandate to put
in place an Automated Election
System (AES). This involved
feeding the ballot into a machine
that would scan the ballot, count
without “properly documented
and validated tests methods”. As
of this printing SysTest Lab has
still to release its systems review
to the public.
process is open to question.
Was it possible that the 350
machines tested on May 3 were
intentionally corrupted so that
the hurried replacement with
rural places in the Philippines.
The difficulty is not insuperable,
however. One could set up a
center in a high altitude place
such as Antipolo using machines
equipped with powerful signals
that could easily intercept
transmission of election results
from the provincial PCOS
machines with weaker signals.
© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media
this highly suspect election is
neither desirable at this point
nor likely to happen. Too many
of our people are not IT literate
enough to appreciate the depth
and the breadth of what has
happened. We have viewed the
of a manual count of the ballots present civil unrest in Thailand
cast with the encrypted data and we would not wish that on
in the PCOS machines. At this our country.
point in time the only document The failure lies in our
that would be free from error government institutions.
is the ballot cast by the voters. If indeed allegations of
In previous non-automated election fraud on this scale
elections civic watchdogs made a did indeed happen it could
big fuss to ensure the sacredness only have happened with the
of the ballot boxes—guarding collaboration of Comelec and

it and then transmit the results to
the Comelec operations center
where the consolidation takes
place.
Unbeknown to the naïve
and trusting voters Comelec’s
program was set up for massive
election fraud. Past elections
have been marked by citizen
volunteers determined to
protect their vote. This time
around Comelec accredited
the Parish Pastoral Council
for Responsible Voting
(PPCRV) under former Vatican
ambassador Tita de Villa to
supervise the process. But
the PPCRV which functioned
effectively under the old system
was out of its league and
completely unprepared for the
Opportunities for cheating
Not satisfied with the SysTest
Labreviewagroupofindependent
IT professionals requested to
undertake their own review.
Limited time and Comelec
restrictions made it difficult
to fully evaluate the source
codes (the human language
used to design the program).
Completely disheartened,
these IT professionals walked
out. Hence we can’t discard
Such interception could be
used for dishonest purposes. It
is known, for example, that an
additional 22,000 PCOS machines
were imported from China by
private parties aside from the
Comelec. Further, Comelec had
ruled that a digital signature
cards preconfigured for cheating was not needed from the election
would be possible? There is inspectors manning the PCOS
now no way of answering these machines. This set the stage
questions because Comelec has for clandestine, high altitude
since destroyed all the cards. This PCOS machines to intercept
type of cheating would be beyond weaker signals of genuine PCOS
the powers of observation of machines from the rural areas. A
PPCRV. videotaped interview of an alleged
A third possible way of whistleblower, nicknamed koala
cheating is the remote access bear, a derisive reference to his
that Smartmatic had to the facial disguise, seems to point to
PCOS machines. These machines the use of this fourth option for
should have been under the rigging the election results.
them with their lives if necessary. the authorities in the present
We don’t know if this was done in administration. But then what
this election because we were all is equally disappointing is the
carried away with the quickness unconscionable acquiescence
of the count. of the election winners in
Wisdom by hindsight tells spite of the growing evidence
us that while the PPCRV was of fraud. If nothing is done
effective for the old fashioned to investigate these matters
manual count, doing oversight thoroughly the cloud of doubt
work over the AES was hanging over the Aquino
simply out of their league. The Administ rat ion will b e a
citizens’ watchdog should have major handicap to its efforts to
consisted of a strong team of IT achieve good governance.
professionals who would audit Inspiteofthedireconsequences
the entire election process and of opening this election can of
ensure the integrity of the count worms, to keep our mouths
of our ballots. closed is to run the risk of
Citizens groups at the polling institutionalizing election fraud.
places should have been equipped Filipinos find themselves once
with the wherewithal to ensure again between the devil and the
that the PCOS Flash Cards in deep blue sea.

Elevated / B3
Garden now known as “Tepeyac” Hall
and the Adoration chapel during Fr.
Alberto G. Salonga, Jr.
His Eminence Jaime L. Cardinal Sin
signed the Decree of Establishment
of the Confraternity of Our Lady of
Guadalupe within the Archdiocese of
Manila under the spiritual direction
of Msgr. Salonga on July 15, 1997. The
charismatic prelate also turned-over
the pilgrim image of Our Lady of
Guadalupe.
From June 1988 to August 2, 2000, the
new constitution and by-laws of Our
Lady of Guadalupe through intense
pastoral formation for Christ-centered
community committed to integral
evangelization through pro-active
lay involvement was made under
the leadership of Msgr. Daniel Sta.
Maria. The monsignor also established
the Physical Therapy clinic along
with dental and medical capabilities.
Researches were pursued to strengthen
its formal petition for shrinehood.
Msgr. Salvador R. Jose was appointed
Archdiocesan Director for the Promotion
of the Devotion of Our Lady of
Guadalupe on March 6, 2001.
On Mama Mary’s birthday in 2001,
the parishioners led by Bro. Rodolfo Lat
presented the formal letter of petition
to His Eminence Jaime L. Cardinal Sin
for the declaration of the Archdiocesan
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
With just over two months, on
November 13, 2001 a favorable response
came from the Ministry of Liturgical
Affairs entitled Obligatory Memorial
of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the
Philippines which was followed by
another favorable reply from the Roman
Catholic Archbishop of Manila on July
9, 2002. Incidentally, it was on July
31, 2002 that Blessed Juan Diego was
canonized.
The Decree of Erection of the
Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of
Guadalupe along with the appointment
of the parish priest as rector and
parochial vicar Fr. Clodorico Bagabaldo
as vice rector was released on August
15, 2002.
During the Holy Year of the Rosary,
the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of
Guadalupe was designated as pilgrim
church on February 12, 2003.
On May 7, 2003, Cardinal Sin’s appeal
“Imploring the Help of Our Lady of A follow-up letter was sent to the new
Guadalupe in this Special Time of CBCP President and Jaro Archbishop Angel
Need as the World Battles “SARS” was N. Lagdameo on September 15, 2005.
released. The requirements for approval were
Before the month ended, on May 22, submitted to the Episcopal Commission
2003, a circular letter lifting the Oratio on Liturgy on June 10, 2008. The
Imperata (Obligatory Prayer) against commission then was chaired by Bishop
“SARS” through the intercession of Our Romulo Valles.
Lady of Guadalupe was sent to all parishes Over a year ago, Fr. Edwin Mercado
in the Archdiocese of Manila because the was installed as new rector/parish priest
threat to Filipinos has ceased. of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady
of Guadalupe.
National Shrinehood On January 8, 2010, another letter to
On April 5, 2004, a petition was the new CBCP President and Tandag
sent to then CBCP President and Bishop Nereo P. Odchimar was sent by
Davao Archbishop Fernando R. Msgr. Salvador Jose, endorsed by Fr.
Capalla requesting the elevation of Mercado and was received on January
the archdiocesan shrine into a national 14, 2010.
shrine. During its Plenary Assembly,
In June 2004, the Episcopal Commission specifically on January 23, 2010, the
on Canon Law chaired by Bishop petition was approved by the Catholic
Leonardo Medroso appointed Msgr. Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
Romulo Vergara to lead the investigative The Decree of Establishment of the
committee which had meetings and National Shrine of Guadalupe was
inquiries. signed by Bishop Odchimar on February
On August 9, 2004, the petition letter 5, 2010 and was formally announced
supporting the original petition of the over CBCP News in its story titled
Archdiocesan Shrine of Guadalupe was “Two Archdiocesan Shrines elevated to
sent by the Rector. National Shrines” with the Archdiocesan
Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus.
In his Decree of Establishment,
Bishop Odchimar said with the formal
petition of the Christian community of
the archdiocesan shrine and with the
formal endorsement by the Archdiocese
of Manila, “considering the provisions
of Canons 1230, 1231 and 1234, and
responding to the unanimous approval
made by the Catholic Bishops Conference
of the Philippines on the occasion of
its 100th Plenary Assembly held on
January 23, 2010” and following the
review and consequent approval by
the Episcopal Commissions on Canon
Law and on Liturgy on January 22,
2010 of the statutes of the said shrine
in accordance with Canon 1232 CIC, he
has favorably approved the elevation of
the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of
Guadalupe into a national shrine.
Fr. Roderick L. Castro was appointed
the shrine’s new parish priest and rector
last May 1, 2010 and formally installed
in time for the formal Proclamation
of the national Shrine of Our Lady of
Guadalupe by His Eminence Gaudencio
B. Cardinal Rosales, the Roman Catholic
Archbishop of Manila on May 31, 2010.

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 – 20, 2010
Philippine Church Leaders’ Statement
for Just Peace in Palestine
“Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
WE church leaders in the
Philippines express our great
shock and indignation at the
act of terrorism perpetrated
by the apartheid state of Israel
on hundreds of international
peace activists aboard the
Mavi Marmara, the flagship
of Gaza Freedom Flotilla, a
six-vessel fleet carrying 10,000
tons of humanitarian aid to the
blockaded Gaza Strip.
We condemn the
disproportionate use of lethal
force by Israeli naval commandos
that killed at least ten and injured
dozens of civilians armed only
with sticks and metal bars and
a tenacious resolve to deliver
relief supplies to the besieged
people of Gaza.
We demand the immediate
release of the more than 480
foreign activists seized from the
raid who are now being held by
Israeli authorities in a prison
in the southern Israeli city of
Beersheba.
This incident is a stark
reminder that the Israeli
blockade on Gaza—backed
by the United States and the
European Union—can no longer
continue. During this World
Week for Peace in Palestine-
Israel being convened by the
World Council of Churches, we
join faith-based and civil society
groups around the world in
calling on the Israeli government
to end the isolation of Gaza and
the collective punishment of its
1.5 million residents.
It is now more than 60 years
since the partition of Palestine
hardened into a permanent
nightmare for Palestinians. It’s
been more than 40 years since
Israel’s forcible occupation of
East Jerusalem, the West Bank
and Gaza. Just peace in Palestine
is long overdue.
It’s time to end Israel’s illegal
occupation of Palestinian
lands. It’s time for Israel to stop
bulldozing Palestinian homes
and to urgently implement
a freeze on all settlement
construction as a first step
towards the dismantlement of
all settlements.
It’stimetoendthedispossession
of the Palestinian people and
the violation of their human
rights and dignity. It’s time for
Palestinians to exercise their
right to self-determination.
It’s time for Palestinians who
have been refugees for 60 years
to have the right of return to
their homes.
It’s time to do away with
apartheid and double standards.
The Separation Barrier is a grave
breach of international and
humanitarian law, and must be
Deuteronomy 16:20, ESV
removed from occupied territory.
It’s time to stop discrimination,
segregation and restrictions on
movement.
It’s time to stop the recent
Israeli military order that will
categorize tens of thousands of
Palestinians living in the West Bank
as “infiltrators” – ostensibly because
they lack the proper permits – and
give military officers sweeping
control over their deportation.
This order regarding “Prevention
of Infiltration” (Amendment No.
2) issued by the Israeli military
authorities must be revoked now.
It’s time for healing to begin in
the land called holy. Jerusalem
must be an open, inclusive
and shared city in terms of
sovereignty and citizenship. The
rights of its communities must
be guaranteed Muslim, Jewish
and Christian, Palestinian and
Israeli—including access to Holy
Places and freedom of worship.
Now is the time for each
one of us to speak out and act,
fulfilling our Christian vocation
as peacemakers. IT’S TIME FOR
FREEDOM FROM OPPRESSION
AND OCCUPATION.
3 June 2010
Signed by the following church
leaders and individuals:
(SGD) Bishop Deogracias
Iniguez Philippines Sabug, Jr.
Co-Chairperson, Ecumenical
Bishops Forum & Chairperson,
Episcopal Commission on Public
Affairs Bishop Emeritus, United Church
Catholic Bishops Conference of
the Philippines
(SGD) Rev. Fr. Rex R.B.
Reyes, Jr.
General Secretary
National Council of Churches in
the Philippines
(SGD) Bishop Nathanael
Lazaro Crismo Promotions of Church Peoples
Chairperson, National Council
of Churches in the Philippines
& General Superintendent
Iglesia Evangelica Methodista En
Las Islas Filipinas (IEMELIF)
(SGD) The Most Rev.
Edward P. Malecdan
Prime Bishop
Epi sco pa l Ch u r ch in t h e
Philippines
(SGD) The Most Rev.
Godofredo David
Supreme Bishop Agustin-Capus
Iglesia Filipina Independiente Program Officer
(SGD) Bishop Ephraim
Fajutagana
General Secretary
Statements
B5
www.flickr.com
Iglesia Filipina Independiente Executive Secretary
Clearing the
Fellowship of the Least Coin-
( S G D ) B ishop R e u el International
Norman O. Marigza
General Secretary ( S G D ) R e v . F r . E ra h
United Church of Christ in the Cabillas
Smoke
Philippines Iglesia Filipina Independiente
( S G D ) B ishop S olito ( S G D ) R e v . M an u el
Toquero Rapisura
United Methodist Church & Central United Methodist
Co-Chairperson Ecumencial Church Despite the euphoria over a relatively credible, orderly
Bishops Forum and peaceful election, many complaints of irregularities and
(SGD) Rev. Fr. Antonio fraud have surfaced, including that of a shadowy character
(SGD) Bishop Elmer M. Tayco nicknamed after a marsupial. These have been highlighted
Bolocon Iglesia Filipina Independiente by a congressional hearing despite the COMELEC’s brushing
Executive Secretary them aside as isolated and baseless. And, notwithstanding
Ecumenical Bishops Forum & (SGD) Rev. Fr. Dionito the PPCRV pronouncement to the contrary, this “smoke”
Bishop Emeritus, United Church Cabillas continues to thicken to the point of threatening to delay the
of Christ in the Philippines Iglesia Filipina Independiente proclamation of the President and VP-elect and negating the
supposed gains of the P7B fully automated elections.
(SGD) Bishop Warlito ( S G D ) R e v . F r . E doi While the COMELEC is now complaining that all this smoke
Baldomero Ruazol fanned by the congressional hearing is delaying their work,
Iglesia Filipina Independiente Iglesia Filipina Independiente there is actually one very proficient, scientific, and legal way
to clear this smoke: the random manual audit.
( S G D ) B ishop R oel ( S G D ) R e v . M arisol If the random sampling is statistically sound, this can prove
Mendoza Villalon or disprove any allegations of fraud and irregularities, and
United Church of Christ in the United Methodist Church will put to rest rumors that the CF cards can be programmed
Philippines remotely or confirmed reports of CF cards found where they
(SGD) Dr. Ferdinand should not be.
( S G D ) B ishop B ert Anno If a manual canvass of the ballots from the randomly selected
Calang President, Union Theological machines are compared with what was printed, transmitted,
Iglesia Filipina Independiente Seminary received, and tallied by the servers, as stipulated in the election
& Chairperson, In-Peace law for the automated election, then it can be ascertained with
Mindanao ( S G D ) R e v . D ionisio a certain statistical level of confidence, whether there really
Sanchez were errors in the printing of the COCs or not. There may even
(SGD) Bishop Elorde M. United Church of Christ in the be no need to check the accuracy of the transmission vs. the
Sambat Philippines printed COCs as the PPCRV has already certified that there
North Luzon Jurisdiction are insignificant irregularities in this area.
United Church of Christ in the (SGD) Prof. Fructuoso If the random manual audit is done as mandated by law,
this would clear the air! In fact, the most efficient way this
Co-Convenor could have been done was for the BEIs to have done it right
(SGD) Bishop Gabriel Philippine Solidarity for Just after they had printed and transmitted the results. If this was
Garol Peace in Palestine not done in front of all the poll watchers right after the voting,
this can still be done by independent and competent groups
of Christ in the Philippines (SGD) Ms. Carmencita within each province.
Karagdag If COMELEC insists on doing it themselves, they should
(SGD) Bishop Lito Cruz Coordinator, Peace for Life do it in the presence of authorized poll watchers and other
Iglesia Filipina Independiente independent groups. There is not that many of clustered
(SDG) Rev. Kenneth V. precincts that will be checked as there’s supposed to be only
( S G D ) S r . A ngelita Aguilera five randomly selected clustered precincts per congressional
Navarro UNIDA district. By doing this, the credibility of the elections can
ICM actually be confirmed once and for all and there won’t be
(SGD) Mr. Nardy Sabino any need to investigate each and every allegation, protest
(SGD) Ms. Phoebe Gamata General Secretary or complaint unless the irregularity has to do with illegally
prepared ballots/votes or even voters’ lists.
Program Director, Board of Response Once the smoke clears, the whole nation can now move
Christian Education forward to reconciliation, rebuilding and real development
United Methodist Church (SGD) Ms. Norma P. for the common good. The tasks at hand are formidable and
Dollaga this smoke needs to be cleared now before it further thickens.
(SGD) Sr. R osario General Secretary Or else, the result may be too cloudy for comfort, with no
Battung KASIMBAYAN clear directions.
RGS Hence, (1) the congressional canvass and proclamation of
(SGD) Miss Ofelia A. the president and VP should proceed without delay; (2) this
(SGD) Ms. N orma Cantor RMA should clear the air of all the local irregularities; (3)
Dollaga Ecumenical Bishops Forum the P7B exercise should be fully audited and evaluated for
General Secretary effectiveness or even possible fraud.
KASIMBAYAN M iss J o h anna M ay
Cantor- de La Cruz FOR DILAAB, this 26th day of May 2010,
( S G D ) M s . I ris A nn National Council of Church in
the Phils. DR. TONY J. PINEDA
PhD, Industrial and Systems Engineering
KONTAK Phils. And other individuals who have
signed the statement but have FR. CARMELO O. DIOLA
( S G D ) M s . C ora z on their signatures to be attached Overall Coordinating Steward
Tabing-Reyes still.
 Ref lections
CBCP Monitor
B6 Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 – 20, 2010

Treasuring forgiveness
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Lk 7:36-8:3 or 7:36-50) June 13, 2010
By Fr. Joseph Pellegrino

TODAY’S first reading, from 2 Samuel 12, concludes

the detailed story of David and Bathsheba. The story
is long, the conclusion is short. The story begins in
chapter 11. The army is out fighting a war against
the Ammonites and besieging their city of Rabbah.
David had remained home in Jerusalem. After what
was probably a long afternoon dinner, and following
a nice nap, David took a stroll on the roof of his
castle. Don’t think of roof as we normally use the
term. Think of a flat roof with a parapet, perfect for
David and his guards to see what was happening
in the neighborhood. Off in the distance David saw
a beautiful woman taking a bath in her yard. The
woman must have thought that she was bathing in
private, but there was a peeping Tom, or at least a
peeping David looking down.
David finds out that the woman the Israelites into a trap. They
is married to Uriah, one of his started a skirmish and then ran
officers out fighting the war. David back to the city gates.
sins against God and against the The Israelites followed, with
officer. Perhaps no one other Uriah leading the attack. As
than God would have known, he got close to the city walls,
except the woman got pregnant. the Israelites, fell back leaving
Now David compounds the Uriah alone, an easy target for
sin. If sin is not repented, then the archers on the city wall.
one sin always leads to another Uriah was killed. After learning
and another. Most of the time about the death of Uriah, David
sin grows exponentially. David married Bathsheba. So he was
tries to cover up the situation guilty of adultery and murder.
by calling Uriah home from He thought he had gotten away

www.angiebring.files.wordpress.com
the war and sending him to his
wife. Only, Uriah is too loyal to
David. He remains on guard to
protect the king. After trying
this twice, David gives up and
sends an order that Uriah should
be killed during in battle. That
was easy to do. At one point the
Ammonites left their city to draw
with it, except that God saw what
was happening. He sent the
prophet Nathan to David who
told him a story about a poor man
who had a pet lamb and a rich
man with numerous flocks who
had needed to prepare a feast.
The rich man stole the poor
Forgiveness / B7

Bo Sanchez
SOULFOOD
God will meet you where you are
I’M taking post-graduate courses in Theology to remind me of
how ignorant I really am. You see, I love listening to my brilliant
professors speak high-tech “theologese”.
But I guess it’s not just for me. I can’t write straight with
big, heavy-duty words, quoting stuff from super-duper
theologians. And still win.
theologians.
That work to me is just a little bit less difficult than doing advanced
Trigonometry. But I recall one time when I took a shot at it. I started
pounding on the keyboard, “Some contemporary approaches
to spirituality convey paradigmatic alterations from traditional
soteriology, rooted in modern biblical hermeneutics...”
Ugh... It was pure torture. (I offered my sufferings for the
conversion of the world. And I bet you’d do that too if I wrote that
way, hmm?)
But in all this, I’ve learned something quite glorious:
God is flexible.
He is made of rubber.
Fr. Francis Ongkingco
Bishop Pat Alo
ENCOUNTERS
He can stoop down to hallow, lazy brains like mine.
And He can also meet the best and sharpest minds of big-time
He can be wise to the wise.
And simple to the simple.
Gamaliel’s proposition
I’ve realized that God will meet us where we are.
He can be very tender to you if you need an embrace.
WE know of secret societies covertly militating
He can be firm to you if you need some spanking. against Church teachings on faith and morals. They
He can be terribly awesome when you need a miracle. ought to be reminded to check twice on their policies
He can be painfully quiet when He wants you to trust Him. and actuations, and endeavor to delve deeper in
He will be what you need him to be. the search for truth and the lessons of history.
(Note: Not “want” Him to be. I said, “need” Him to be.) All the Church does is to communicate truth and
Question: What do you really need right now? goodness according to the mind of God. Yes, Truth
Believe me.
He knows about it more than you do.
is interchangeable with reality. As Philosophy attest
So let Him meet you where you are. the principle, Contra factum non valet argumentum
And let Him love you, right there. (translated: Arguments are no better than the fact
itself). That is why in the Catholic Church. miracles,
history and facts are being accurately documented
because we are trying our best to give the truth to

WHATEVER our people, with sufficient witnesses to support

allegations or statements.
We have heard of sinful lapses in our own ranks.
But that is only to prove the point that, human as

Accidental parents we are, without God’s grace we are all prone to

ALEX’S dad was carefully backing up the
family car. Getting the car out of their narrow
quasi garden-garage was quite tricky. Her
dad glanced at the rearview mirror and was
shocked to see Alex standing behind the car
waving at him. He immediately turned off
the engine.
“Alex, do you know that it’s dangerous to
stay behind a car when it’s backing up.”
“I know daddy, but you were going back
slowly,” she said.
“But it’s still dangerous. Do you realize
that some parents have killed their children
without knowing they’re behind the car?”
he said trying not to lose his cool.
“Really?” Alex’s face showed like she
understood the great harm that could
happen.
Then after a few seconds, the little girl
asked, “Daddy, do they kill their kids
accidentally or do they do it on purpose?”
***
An accident is some mishap that occurs
without our intending it to happen to us or
others. What is more unfortunate, however,
are disasters that could have been avoided
if we had been more watchful, foreseeing
and diligent.
Something similar happens in the case of
raising children today. Parents are naturally
concerned with keeping them from harm’s
way as they grow up. But they can sometimes
overprotect their children and later on regret
how such artificial cares have prevented
their children’s mature and responsible
development. Children grow up becoming
nightmares because parents have focused
more on the accidental needs of their kids
rather than on the substantial ones.
There are many types of accidental parents
who raise their children into different type
of protective environments. Sadly, good
intentions when taken to their extremes can
instill the wrong attitudes in a child’s mind
and behavior. Here are a few of them:
a) Straightjackets. These are parents
we might call “control freaks”. This is
characterized by the over-exercise of
authority, and wanting that it be respected
by the child at all costs. Even though showing
one’s authority is good, its hard and cold
application instills fear, lose of confidence
and even rebellion.
b) “Askthmatics”. Unlike straightjackets,
these types of parents seem to find it hard to
personally exert authority, instead they prefer
to pass the burden of decisions to one another.
Thus, “why don’t you ask dad or mom.” It is also
manifested in children when they cannot make
personal decisions without always asking their
parents’ permission, even in the most trivial
things when they should already learned to be
more independent and responsible.
c) Pulitzer Awardees. These are parents
who have already written an award winning
novel for their children. Their ultimate joy is
nothing less than having this novel become a
reality in their child’s life and choices. Thus,
they become frustrated and angry when the
child chooses a path different from their
expectations.
d) Anesthetics. Fear of making their
children experience the sufferings they have
gone through life leads some parents to
shield them esthetically from almost every
possible obstacle or trial. Naturally, children
become soft, spoiled, and even emotionally
immature.
e) Multiple choices. Giving children
incentives can be helpful and fun. But not
every aspect of the child’s life ought to be
driven by material incentives (i.e. money, a
new gadget if they get good grades, etc.). This
commit sin. We can always reecho St. Paul’s thankful
expression of gratitude to God—“It is by the grace
of God that I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10).
Why I mention here in the title Gamaliel’s
may make it hard for children to naturally
foster the development of virtue in their intervention is because we know of secret societies
character and decisions. or people who maliciously or ignorantly oppose
f) Fault-finding Buddies. The parents’ Church teachings in the faith and morals. You know,
desire to form their children in right and if you study or remember history, it oftentimes
wrong can sometimes take the extreme side repeats itself. It had been commented sometime
of only seeing the faults and mistakes of ago: “Those who do not remember history will
their kids. Like straightjackets, authority if
repeat the mistakes of history.”
overemphasized, and children can end up
insecure, feeling misunderstood, and even “But one of them, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a
effeminate. teacher of the Law highly respected by the people,
g) Tele-novelist. Unlike Pulitzer awardees stood up in the Sanhedrin. He ordered the men to be
who have plotted out everything, tele- taken outside for a few minutes and then he spoke to
novelist seek opportunities where their child the assembly. ‘Fellow Israelites, consider well what
can shine as star-achievers (i.e. academics, you intend to do to these men. For some time ago
sports, competitions, etc.) Unconsciously,
Theudas came forward, claiming to be somebody
these parents project themselves through
their children’s success. This can lead to and about four hundred men joined him. But he
neglecting the affective and emotional needs was killed and all his followers were dispersed or
of their children. disappeared. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared
Accidental parents, undoubtedly like at the time of the census and persuaded many
all parents, possess good intentions for people to follow him. But he too perished and his
looking after their children but they do so whole following was scattered. So, in this present
in a superficial manner. This stems from the
case, I advise you to have nothing to do with these
unwanted experience of a two-sided fear:
the prior imagined fear of not wanting to men. Leave them alone. If their project or activity
see what their children may suffer; and not is of human origin, it will destroy itself. If, on the
coping with the real fear of seeing their kids other hand, it is from God, you will not be able
suffering (i.e. illness, failures, mistakes, etc.). to destroy it and you may indeed find yourselves
In order to avoid these two fears within and fighting against God.’ The Council let themselves
without themselves, parents tend to rear kids be persuaded. They called in the apostles and had
in a “comfort bubble.”
them whipped, and ordered them not to speak
All extreme parental methods and
approaches are nothing more than the again of Jesus Savior. Then they set them free. The
overemphasis of a particular good we want apostles went out from the Council rejoicing that
our children to grow in. Parents, therefore, they were considered worthy to suffer disgrace for
must exercise moderation and discernment the sake of the Name. Day after day, both in the
–especially in prayer and reflection– so that Temple and in people’s homes, they continued to
their children grow and develop in a well- teach and to proclaim that Jesus was the Messiah”
rounded atmosphere of a family nurturing
(Acts 5:34-42).
all the virtues, respectful of each child’s
character, personality, and independence.
 Social Concerns
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 – 20, 2010
B7

The Poor and Urban Poor Associates

Photos from www.flickr.com

(CBCP – A Statement on the Nation’s educated over 350,000 families in are members of the Koalisyon ng mga
By Denis Murphy
Housing Problem, 2007). The poor are housing rights matters and assisted Organisadong Samahan sa Maynila
not guilty of wrongdoing; they are the 600 communities in eviction crises. (KOSMA), which hopes to be city-wide
EVERYDAY about five million poor people wake up in Metro victims. It has helped near 85,000 families, to in three years, and have a powerful voice
In the same letter, the bishops spell relocate in-city, or at least remain as in what happens in the city.
Manila to lives of bitter poverty. Each person will have Php 20 out the rights of the poor. “Our urban they were, or find better relocation than In Baseco, KABALIKAT made a
for his or her food that day. In school there may be 80 children poor people, as human beings and government originally offered. It has structural map of 10,000 houses and
in the class and few text books. The father of the family probably children of God, have basic human been responsible for almost 800 stories took a census of all the families. This
cannot find work everyday. The mother works also, but still the rights to clean and inexpensive water, that have appeared in Manila Dailies, 150 data enabled 240 families who lost
decent houses, communities free of TV stories and 1000 radio interviews. their homes in a fire to swiftly return
average family income in these poor areas is well below Php stagnant, disease-ridden water, and Unless the people themselves act, the to their land, which in the meanwhile
10,000 a month which is the poverty line. The families have little uncollected garbage. They have a right situation will not change. has been surveyed and divided into
or no money for medicine. to security of tenure, to be free of a UPA helps the poor gain the power to lots by Kabalikat’s architects. The land
constant threat of eviction and fire, and influence the decision-making processes can be titled in the future. The KOSMA
On top of all these problems poor are here in Metro Manila because very importantly, they have a right to that affect their lives. That is what is coalition met with Mayor Alfredo Lim
government people go to these poor there is no work in the rural areas. They organize themselves to seek solutions meant by “People’s Power”. before elections and convinced him to
families and tell them they must get out come here to Manila to survive. They to their problems in a democratic and a Some of the accomplishments: In the stop all evictions in Tondo. In return,
of their homes because the government live in dirty, run down slums because non-violent manner.” Tondo Area UPA won inexpensive piped the people promised to vote for him. The
is intending to demolish their houses. they lack money to rent a better and UPA tries to help the poor gain their water arrangements that have benefited mayor has so far kept his promise.
Thousand of families a year are evicted legal place. The Church has recognized rights and dignity by assisting them to some 5,000 families. This provides UPA attempts to build the habit of
to far off places where there is no work, the poor are innocent in these matters. come together to organize their own families average savings of P300-P600 per critical thinking among the poor and
or they are simply left in the streets. The bishops have written: “Any person associations in which they can analyze month, saving the community about P3 give them the skills to work for their
Urban Poor Associates (UPA) has or family that, without any direct fault their problems, find solutions and act million every month. UPA has organized own betterment. The urban poor must
worked for 20 years to help urban poor on his or her part, does not have suitable together for a better life. in the Tondo areas a people’s federation increase. The NGOs, such as, UPA, must
people face these problems. The urban housing is the victim of an injustice.” Since it started in 1992 UPA has of 27 community organizations. They decrease.

Guadalupe / B3 Forgiveness / B6

C. San Diego, now the Bishop
of Pasig, began to petition to
have the Parish of Our Lady of
Guadalupe declared a Shrine.
In time the Guadalupe Catholic
School was founded by Msgr.
Severino Anatalio who also
established Guadalupe Basic
Ecclesial Communities and
started the 12 noon mass devotion
which has become a significant
devotion in the Parish.
On January 8, 2010, Msgr.
Jose as endorsed by Rev. Fr.
Edwin Mercado, petitioned
CBCP President Bishop Nereo
Odchimar, for the shrine’s
elevation to National status.
From the Womb to the Tomb
“Even before I formed you
in the womb, I knew you; even
before you were born I had set
you apart” (Jeremiah 1:5) thus
said the Lord to the Prophet
Jeremiah. During the time
that Our Lady of Guadalupe
appeared in Mexico, the former
was dominated by pagan
practices, such as using human
beings as sacrificial offerings
to idols. This is not new for
pagans; even from the time of
the patriarchs, sacrificial death
already existed (Jeremiah 56:9.)
The Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe
is portrayed as the Protector
of Life “from the womb to the
tomb” as Msgr. Jose said.
In this regard, the National
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
has been the Devotional Center
of Pro-life advocates. They
take their advocacies under the
maternal guidance of the Blessed
Virgin Mary under the title of
“Lady of Guadalupe” with an
emphasis to the Unborn, Sick,
Disabled, and Others “USADO”
as they name it. Pro-life advocates
and supporters expressed joy
at the erection of Philippines
National Shrine in honor of
our Lady of Guadalupe. The
National Shrine was approved to
promote the Value and Sanctity
of Life, a great challenge for the
Church in the face of secular and
political initiatives contrary to the
promotion of a culture life such
as the RH Bill.
The National Shrine of Our
Lady of Guadalupe caters to
all who value life. The Blessed
Mother said in one of her
apparitions in Mexico, “Am I not
here, I who am your mother? So,
have no fear … no distress.”
Indeed, the devotion to the
Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, is our
safe refuge as well as our protection
against anti-life advocacy, as
scripture says, “I hear a cry as of
a woman in Labor, anguish as of
one giving birth the first time. It
is the cry of the daughter of Zion,
gasping for breath with hands out-
stretched: ‘woe is me! I am fainting
amidst a band of murderers.”
(Jeremiah 4:31)
Getting towards another level
To declare a parish church a
National Shrine is indeed a great
honor, but the process entails
several steps and requirements.
First, it has to be already a Diocesan
Shrine (or Archdiocesan Shrine).
It is reserved to the Bishop of the
diocese to pronounce a parish
as a Diocesan or Archdiocesan
Shrine. The Parish Church must
be above other churches when
it comes to worship, Christian
formation and Social Services.
When all these demands are
met, the Priests together with the
Parish Council, Parishioners and
frequent church-goers should
petition the Bishop to canonically
elevate the church into a Diocesan
Shrine.
After several years, when
devotion has grown deemed and
it is possible, the faithful involved
in the Shrine may apply for its
elevation to National level to the
Catholic Bishops Conference of
the Philippines (CBCP). Msgr.
Jose stated how intense the inquiry
would be before declaring a church
National Shrine. He said, as in
their case, its application will pass
through a lengthy investigation
by three Commissions of CBCP;
namely the Commission on Canon
Law, where the application will
pass through a legal consultation,
the Commission on Liturgy, which
will scrutinize the frequency
of the shrine in rendering
liturgical services, and lastly,
the Commission on Doctrine,
to ensure the conformity of the
shrine’s devotional practices to
the teachings of the Universal
Church.
The National Shrine of our
Lady of Guadalupe was declared
an Archdiocesan Shrine by the
late Jaime Cardinal Sin on August
15, 2002. On April 5, 2004, the
petition to elevate the shrine
into National Level was made
to Bishop Fernando Capalla of
Davao, then CBCP President.
Bishop Leonardo Medroso, head
of the Episcopal Commission
on Canon Law assigned Msgr.
Romulo Vergara to head the
investigative committee. On
January 23, 2010 the CBCP
approved the petition. The
following month, February 5,
2010, the decree of establishment
of the National Shrine of Our
Lady of Guadalupe was signed
by the CBCP President Bishop
Nereo P. Odchimar.
The Pastor
“I dedicated myself into the
priestly service of the gospel in
order to present the gentiles to
God as an acceptable offering”,
thus said Apostle Paul in his letter
to Roman Christians. Concurrent
with the declaration of the said
church into National Shrine,
will be the installation of its new
Rector and Parish Priest, Rev.
Fr. Roderick Castro. Fr. Erick, as
he is called, took up his priestly
formation at San Jose Seminary
and was ordained by the Cardinal
Sin at EDSA Shrine on March 15,
1999. Before his assignment as
the Rector of the National Shrine,
he served as the Assistant Parish
Priest of San Fernando de Dilao
Parish in Paco Manila from 1999-
2000, and parish priest of Mary,
Mirror of Justice Parish from
2000-2010. He also has served
also as the Youth Minister in
Makati District.
Quo Vadis?
Upon the elevation of the
Shrine, challenges await the
shrine’s administration. Msgr.
Jose said that the primary thing
to face is to enable the Shrine to be
a church that welcomes and cater
to pilgrims in particular with life
issues from womb to tomb.
“Mary is the Mother of Jesus,
of Christians; she is a type and
model of the Church,” said Msgr.
Jose. “In the womb of the Mother
Church, all are taken care of,”
he added.
Fr. Erick however, pointed
on the adjustments he is about
to take, adjustment from a
small parish to not only a large
parish but to a National Shrine.
“Attracting more and more
pilgrim devotees, not only in the
archdiocese from other dioceses
is the bigger challenge I would
have to take.”
Amidst the complexity of
administering a shrine, Fr. Erick,
by God’s grace, is ready to face
what lies ahead in order to
promote the devotion to our Lady
especially pro-life advocacies.
man’s lamb and turned it into
lamb stew. “What should be
done?” Nathan asked David.
David, got on his high horse, or
camel, or whatever, and declared
that the man deserved to die and
should pay fourfold for what
he had done. Then Nathan hit
him with the zinger, “You are
that man. God has made you
king over Saul. He has given
you wealth and victory over
your enemies. But you have
despised the Lord by stealing
the wife of one of your servants
and having him killed by the
enemy. That is where today’s
first reading begins. Nathan tells
David that he will be punished
with strife within his home and
with a shameful defeat before
his enemies. As detailed as the
story is, the conclusion is quick.
David simply says, “I have
sinned against the Lord.” Nathan
answers, “God has forgiven
you. You shall not die.” I am
struck that after the immensity
of David’s sin, because he is
sorry and seeks forgiveness, he is
quickly forgiven by the Lord.
A similar situation is presented
in the Gospel reading. The
woman who anoints Jesus in
Simon the Pharisee’s house is a
known sinner. Perhaps, she was
a prostitute. Maybe she was just a
loose woman. Certainly she was
someone of such a low reputation
that people avoided her. They
were afraid that any contact
with her would cause the sin to
rub off on them. They would be
unclean. Like the children they
believed that if they came in
contact with her they’d get her
“cooties”. They really did; only
they called it ritual impurity. And
here, this woman was touching
Jesus, kissing his feet, anointing
him. Her actions were those of a
person seeking forgiveness. Jesus
forgave her immediately, no
matter how bad she had been.
He does the same for us. He
does the same for those who have
We need to forgive them. Quite
often we hear stories about
people who would rather die
than forgive someone. Maybe
there is someone in each of
our pasts who has hurt us and
sought forgiveness and whom
we have walked away from
rather than be reconciled to. We
have an exigency to forgive. Jesus
gives life. Hatred kills. He has
forgiven us, and offered his life.
We need to accept his life and
forgive others. “Forgive us our
trespasses, our sins, as we forgive
those who trespass, sin, against
us, is more than a rote conclusion
to the Our Father. Those words
contain the fundamental action
of the Christian: forgive and
love for we have been forgiven
and loved.
God’s forgiveness is offered
not just to us and to those whom
we know who have hurt us, but
also to those whom we don’t
really know but whom we rather
avoid. Perhaps they appear to
be in the underbelly of polite
society. Maybe they are people
who have come to the Lord for
forgiveness. Maybe they are
people who need us to lead them
to forgiveness. We are not called
to arrogance. We are called to
holiness. We are not called to
put ourselves above others, as
though we are so spiritually
superior to others. None of us
have experienced the events of
another’s life that led him or her
to embrace a life of immorality.
We are not called to look down
on anyone. We are not called to
arrogance. But we are called to
holiness, to be separate for the
Lord. And we are called to lead
others to the Lord. What Jesus
is saying to us in the Gospel is
that we should avoid sin, but
not avoid the sinner. If we are
arrogant, if we carry ourselves
as superior to others in any way,
why would they want to join us?
The arrogant cannot obey the
Lord’s command to evangelize,

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hurt us, and He does the same for
those whom, in our arrogance,
we would rather avoid.
spread the Gospel. We need to
be kind and courteous to people
who may be choosing sin in
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and have asked for forgiveness. forgiveness, people of Light.
 B8
After ten years of battling in
another land, Robin Longstride
(Russell Crowe) returns to
England with of his friends, Alan
A’Dale, Will Scarlett and Little
John. Along the way, they steal
the armor of slain knights while
Robin promises the dying Sir
Robert Loxley to return a sword
to his father in Nottingham.
They board an English ship
under the guise of noblemen
and Robin assumes the identity
of Loxley. He is chosen to inform
the Royal family of the death
of King Richard the Lionheart
and to witness the coronation
of his younger brother, King
John (Oscar Isaac). However,
King John is cruel, arrogant
and shows no concern for his
people. He demands steep taxes
and assigns Sir Godfrey (Mark
Strong) to collect from his
northern kingdom unknowing
that the later is a traitor and
agent of the French King. Godfrey
causes the civil unrest from the
people and divides England in
time for the French invasion.
Meanwhile, Robin continues to
impersonate Loxley to prevent
the crown to take over the
family’s lands. Loxley’s widow,
Lady Marion (Cate Blanchet)
initially distrusts his motives
but warms up to him when she
sees how Robin recovers grains
for the town people. When the
French invade, Robin and the
English Barons fight for their
country and succeed in subduing
the French when Robin kills
Godfrey with an arrow shot
from a distance. However, King
John mistakenly assumes that the
French surrendered to Robin and
MAC en COLET
Buhay Parokya
Moral Assessment
 Abhorrent
 Disturbing
 Acceptable
 Wholesome
 Exemplary
perceives him as a threat to his
crown. He declares Robin to be an
outlaw and forces him and him,
Lady Marion and his friends to
retreat to the Sherwood Forest
and form the Merry Men.
Audience should commend
the efforts of the filmmakers
to create a backstory for a well
known legend. Regardless of
some historical discrepancies, the
film progresses quite effectively.
However, the presentation gets
muddled up between trying
too hard to fit fantasy into
history and into a popular myth
resulting to a disappointingly
lifeless action sequence. Crowe
lacks the nimbleness of Robin
Hood. He is too brawny and
serious for the image of a high
spirited outlaw who steals for
the poor. The director invested
heavily on the battle scenes and
stripped off the humor from the
characters. It would have hurt
to see them smile and crack a
joke once in awhile. What comes
welcome though is the portrayal
of Lady Marion as a tough and
independent girl instead of the
usual damsel in distress. She
represents the modern woman
who will fight for what she wants
and what is right.
The story of Robin Hood
always brings to questions the
role of vigilante heroes. Are they
excused to do one bad deed in
exchange for a good one? Are
they excused of the consequences
of stealing if they are to give their
loot to another person in need?
Christian teachings explicitly
disapprove of this. One cannot
offset a bad deed with a good one.
In the same way, that a rich man’s
Entertainment CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 – 20, 2010
Technical Assessment
 Poor
 Below average
 Average
 Above average
 E
xcellent
Title: Robin Hood
Cast: Russell Crowe, Cate
Blanchett, Max von Sy-
dow, William Hurt
Director: Ridley Scott
Producers: Russell Crowe,
Brian Grazer, Ridley Scott
Screenwriter: Brian Helgeland
Music: Marc Streitenfeld
Editor: Pietro Scalia
Genre: Action/ Drama
Cinematography: John Ma-
thieson
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Location: UK
Running Time: 140 mins.
Technical Assessment: 
½
Moral Assessment: 
CINEMA Rating: For viewers
14 and above
charity works will not exonerate
his cheating of his customers
and employees, the Robin Hood
syndrome, so common in Filipino
movie action movies, does not
excuse the use rudeness, violence
and deviousness to help the poor
and needy.
On the other hand, Ridley’s
Robin Hood tackles themes on
good governance, commitment
and service to country and the
fight against corruption and
oppression. One can see how
at any given time, citizens will
always fight for their country
and home.
Some scenes hinting on
church leaders’ oppression,
violence and some sexual
innuedos might offend the
more sensitive audiences. The
movie is recommended for
older teenagers with parental
guidance.
Ni Bladimer Usi Title: Shrek Forever After
Cast: (voices of) Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Mur-
phy, Antonio Banderas,Walt Dohrn
Director: Mike Mitchel
Producers: Teresa Cheng, Gina Shay
Screenwriters: Josh Klausner, Darren Lemke
Music: Harry Gregson-Williams
Editor: David Teller
Genre: Animation/ Comedy
Cinematography: Yong Duk Jhun
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Running Time: 94 mins.
Technical Assessment:  ½
Moral Assessment: 
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above
After having rescued his true love from the tower, Shrek
Look for the images of (Mike Myers) now lives a happy life with wife Princess Fiona
Pieta, Grotto and Candles. (Cameron Diaz) and three kids. But then Shrek gets bored of
(Illustration by Bladimer Usi) the routine of his supposedly blissful family life: raising kids,
putting up with tourists wanting to see his swamp, keeping
the household running smoothly. Shrek misses his good old
ogre days when he is feared by most and dreaded by many
that he almost blew it up in his kids’ first birthday party. He
tries to get away from the scene at a moment and along the way
he meets Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn), a dealer of deception.
Beleaguered, Shrek signs a contract with him that promises
a day where he can relive his good old ogre days and away
from all his worries in exchange for a meaningless day in his
childhood. What Shrek did not know is that the meaningless
day would be the day he was born. Thus, everything he has
previously done would be void, including the very important
day when he rescued Princess Fiona. Now he has to find a way
to get his life, family and true love back.
The fourth and last installment of Shrek series, Forever
After caps the overall achievement of the franchise. The film
is a fitting farewell that has explored all the possibilities of
Shrek’s hyper-narrative with branches of stories coming from
various fairy tale inspirations. Shrek Forever After still has
the old charm audiences fell in love with. Although the ogre
hero’s concern has matured and evolved in time, it still has its
usual touch and charisma to audiences both young and old.
It is apparent that the voice actors have become comfortable
with their characters and their work comes out effortlessly.
The 3D technology has enhanced even further the film’s solid
storytelling. Even without 3D, the film can still pull it through
given the detailed craftsmanship at work in the film from
conceptualization to scripting to post-production. Fans of
Shrek will never be disappointed with Forever After although
they have to bear in mind that it cannot be compared with the
achievement of Shrek I simply because, everything there in the
original is fresh and new. As time goes by, it is understandable
that Shrek’s story and character is no longer new but it does
not mean that it has run out of surprises.
In Forever After, Shrek undergoes a stage in life called the
midlife crisis. It is a stage wherein a person questions the
essence of his existence and searches for the meaning of life.
It is also a tricky stage because one would tend to look beyond
instead of looking within. Shrek happens to look beyond his
present state, thus, chooses to wonder what life may have been
instead of looking forward to the life in store ahead. The price
of such decision to relive the past had cost him a great deal – his
love, family and friends, and his entire life. Shrek sums up the
film’s message in his one line: “I didn’t know what I had until
it was gone.” It is but human nature to want more and wonder
what life would have become if circumstances are different,
but then, such should not be a hindrance to appreciate and be
grateful for what one has at the present moment. Parenting,
raising a family and doing household chores are never easy
but the rewards at the end of the day are all worth it. Life
happily ever after could be just in fairy tales for in real life,
hardships and trials would always be part of life. This is one
important moral that is always present in Shrek series. And
finding one’s true love is just as challenging as keeping it.
However, such themes may be too much for the very young
and considering some violence and adult contextual humor
in the film, CINEMA recommends Shrek Forever After for
audiences 14 years old and above.
 CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 - 20, 2010
C1

The Cross
A Supplement Publication of KCFAPI
and the Order of the Knights of Columbus
MACE Insurance Agency, Inc. Board of Directors, Officers, employees and soliciting associates during its 30th Anniversary Celebration held at Casino Español in Manila last May 20, 2010.

Mace marks 30 years of

non-life insurance service
THE MACE Insurance Agency Inc. has celebrated
the 30th anniversary of its non-life insurance service,
which KCFAPI President, Mr. Antonio Borromeo
tagged as having p rovided lifetime support for
Brother Knights and their families.
Addressing the ceremony on May 20 at the Casa Español in
Manila, KCFAPI President Borromeo recognized the achieve-
ments of the non-life insurance service, which was established in
May 20, 1980.
MACE President Antonio T. Yulo attributed the success of
the service to its low premium rates, fast claims processing and
additional benefits at no extra cost.
“After 30 years, we have continuously improved our sales
performance,” Yulo said. “MACE has reached a higher level of non-
life service to our brother knights and their families and friends.”
“We have also fostered our business relationship with our
insurance principals, which resulted to a more relaxed policy in
adjudications of non-life insurance claim,” he said.
MACE Insurance Agency, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of
the KCFAPI (Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the
Philippines, Inc.)
‘We can do more’
Representing local and foreign non-life insurance companies,
MACE continues to provide protection such as fire, motor car,
medical and personal accident insurance for Brother Knights and
their families.
In 1992, the agency launched its product line: the KC Home
Protector, the KC Car Shield, and the KC Health Care.
“We can do more of this vision of KCFAPI. We can do this by
becoming more active, aggressive and service oriented in serving
the needs of our Brother Knights,” said Yulo.
“If we will continue to join hands, and get it together,” he
added.
Amid adversities in the insurance industry throughout the
years, MACE remains committed to fraternal service as its
resources continued to expand from P109,603 in 1980 to P8.19
million in 2009.
Its total stockholders’ equity maintained its increasing trend
totaling P4.94 million in 2009 from P54, 876 three decades ago.
And despite anxieties among consumers brought about by
troubled global financial institutions, the agency posted a net
income of P900,423 in 2009 or a 23% increase from previous year’s
P731, 811.
MACE declared the biggest cash dividend in 2009.
Recognition
The 30th anniversary celebration of MACE was opened with
a Thanksgiving Mass presided by Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III,
KCFAPI chaplain.
In his homily, Quitorio, who is also serving as the CBCP media
affairs director, challenged the Brother Knights to “evangelize” the
insurance system and secular business.
The celebration was also highlighted by the giving of awards to
the agency’s living incorporators and past chairmen.
Those living incorporators who were given recognition were
Isagani Tolentino and Msgr. Francisco Tantoco, Past Chairmen
Arsenio Lopez, Arsenio Narciso, and Albert Lim. Except for Lopez
who was present to receive his award, the others had representatives
to receive the honor.
Yulo also expressed his gratitude to all those who contributed to
the success of MACE.
“We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the board of
directors, officers and staff, soliciting agents, patrons and insurance
principals and KCFAPI and its board of trustees for their support,
guidance and trust to the company,” he said.
He also said that “it has been a privilege and honor to serve as an
integral part of dedicated professionals who continually strive to
provide protection to member Knights and their families.”
Meanwhile, a loyalty award was also granted to Basil Occeño,
Manager of MACE Insurance, for his 27 years of service.
Currently, the MACE Board of Directors is composed of Chairman
Patricio J. Vera, Vice Chairman Dionisio R. Esteban, Jr., President
Antonio T. Yulo, Corporate Secretary Rene V. Sarmiento, Treasurer
Pascual C. Carbero, and Directors Danilo A. Sanchez and Lucenito
N. Tagle. (KCFAPI News)

Presidential
Challenge Club
ends May 31
THE Presidential Challenge Club of
the Knights of Columbus Fraternal
Association of the Philippines, Inc
(KCFAPI) has recently ended last May
31, 2010.
The Presidential Challenge Club
is an incentive program of KCFAPI
intended for Fraternal Counselors who
were able to attain the Annual Awards
Qualification as of May 31.
Qualified candidates are those who
have attained the retention ratio of
85% prior to the attaining target for the
Annual awards.
The winners of the incentive program
will be awarded with the Presidential
Ring.
The aspirants were Ma. Teresa G. Dela
Mota, Reynaldo Q. Segismundo, Eduardo
V. Cruz, Teofilo A. Samson, Danilo M.
Tullao, Angelito T. Lat, Hugo M. Goce,
Jr., Amado S. Miranda, Bonifacio M.
Morales, Luis F. Ferrer, Lauro Evangelista The Officers of Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI) paid a courtesy call to CBCP President and Bishop of
and Ronando M. Rodriguez. Tandag, His Excellency Most Rev. Nereo P. Odchimar, D.D., last May 13, 2010 at the CBCP Office in Manila.
As of now, the office has yet to release KCFAPI President, Mr. Antonio B. Borromeo, took the opportunity to welcome His Excellency as member of the Founder Members Committee
(FMC) of KCFAPI. Mr. Borromeo likewise briefed Bishop Odchimar on the role of CBCP President’s membership to the FMC.
the winners of the incentive program. In photo are: (R-L) KCFAPI Spiritual Director Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio III, Executive Vice President Ma. Theresa G. Curia, CBCP President Most
The incentive drive was launched last Rev. Nereo P. Odchimar, D.D., KCFAPI President Antonio B. Borromeo, Treasurer Antonio T. Yulo, Executive Secretary Annie M. Nicolas, CBCP Asst.
January 2010. (KCFAPI News) Secretary General & Asst. Treasurer Msgr. Joselito C. Asis.

A presentation Frame on the issuance of a special stamp to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of KCFAPI on September
9, 2008 was given to Mr. Brian V. Caufield of the Executive Office of the Supreme Knight, last April 12, 2010. The frame
will be displayed at the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven, Connecticut.
In this photo are: (L-R) KCFAPI Treasurer Antonio T. Yulo, Executive Vice President Ma. Theresa G. Curia, President
Antonio B. Borromeo, Supreme Office Communications Specialist Mr. Brian V. Caufield, Corporate Secretary & Luzon
Deputy Alonso L. Tan and KCFAPI Vice President for FBG Joseph P. Teodoro.
Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI) has been selected by the Educational
Committee of the Executive Development Academy (EDA) for its outstanding interest and concern in the training and
development of its human resources, thus contributing to the economic and social welfare progress of the country.
A Certificate was awarded by EDA on May 11, 2010 with the following receiving it: (L-R) KCFAPI Vice President for
FBG Joseph P. Teodoro, Keys Realty & Development Corp. Vice President - Finance & Admin., Riz S. Nicolas, KCFAPI
Executive Vice President Ma. Theresa G. Curia, EDA President Ma. Lenida T. Paderanga, KCFAPI President Antonio B.
Borromeo, Vice President Magdalene G. Flores, and Manager for Fraternal Benefits Services Gari M. San Sebastian.
 The Cross
CBCP Monitor
C2 Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 - 20, 2010

Chairman’s
Message
Patrocinio R. Bacay
EXISTING for thirty years, surely many
beneficiaries must have enjoyed the fruit
of MACE’s dedicated and committed work.
Their client’s satisfaction can be gauged by
the smooth operation of this agency. We
are looking forward to many more people
For Brother Knights by Brother Knights
President’s
Message
Antonio B. Borromeo
A F T E R
operating
seeking the good service that have been for more than 20 years, it became more relevant
enjoyed by others. for KCFAPI, being a life insurance provider, to
Congratulations on the 30th Anniversary go into non-life insurance to complement its life
of MACE Insurance Agency, Inc. Here is to insurance operations. And since our Certificate
more success. of Authority from the Insurance Commission
God Bless the Agency. is only for life insurance and not a Composite
Certificate, the decision to establish a non-life
general insurance agency was a no-brainer. Thus,
Mace Insurance Agency, Inc. was organized.
better coverages for lesser cost. Additionally,
Mace was instrumental in expediting, collating,
and following up losses incurred by its policy
holders. Mace used its experienced personnel
and expertise to talk to all its Principals with
regard to why certain claims are meritorious.
Today, many Insurance Principals are eager for
Mace to represent them.
Mace pledges to continue serving its clientele
for the next 30 years as a continuing service to all
its present and future clients. We are more than

THOSE WHO WE CALL

Mace Insurance Agency, Inc. celebrated its convinced that we have made the right decision
30th Anniversary last May 20, 2010. Mace was 30 years ago as Mace proves to be a strong and

FRATERNAL COUNSELORS
able to give to its various clients, in and out reputable non-life provider for our brother
of Knights of Columbus family, the benefit of knights, families, and friends.

A FRATERNAL counselor is a brother knight (sometimes a spouse
or child or parent of the brother knight) who was nominated by the
council and endorsed by an area manager to KCFAPI for official
accreditation as authorized person to explain the relevance of
insurance in our Order and to solicit applications for insurance
coverage from fellow members and family members.
The prospective fraternal counselor is invited to the fraternal
service training where he is oriented to the bedrock foundation of
our Order, i.e., the care of the widow and orphaned children of a
departed brother knight. During this initial training the fraternal
counselor is taught the various services that a life insurance coverage
can provide and the various KCFAPI plans that can cover every
financial need. These plans can provide family protection plan,
retirement program, educational fund, investment and savings
schemes to cover future undertakings. It is in the fraternal service
training that the fraternal counselor gets the basic instruction in the
theory and practices of life insurance underwriting.
Soon after the classroom seminar, the fraternal counselor is
engaged to an on-the-job training under the watchful supervision
of his area manager or team leader or fraternal benefits associate.
The area manager makes comments and suggestions about his sales
presentation. The fraternal counselor is advised to submit some 10
initial prospects to be visited in one month’s time. At least 2 of the
said visitations are supervised. Thereafter, the fraternal counselor
will be on minimal supervision but is required to attend monthly
meetings with other fraternal counselors in the same area.
A fraternal counselor devotes reasonable part of his time to visit
brother knights and family members for the purpose of explaining
to them the importance of owning a life insurance coverage and
KCFAPI as the sole provider of this need. A fraternal counselor
is required to submit a list of names of those brother knights and
family members whom he visited during the month. The fraternal
counselor is advised that he should be able to reach every member of
his council and their families. The more capable fraternal counselors
are given more councils and members to cover.
The work of a fraternal counselor is not an easy task. Experience
will show that only 1 out of 10 prospects eventually get an insurance
coverage. The reasons for not getting is manifold. The dominant
reason is the unavailability of the prospect to get insurance coverage
due to other financial priorities. There are those who have insurance
coverages even before they became members of the Knights of
Columbus. There are those who claim a not so happy experience
with insurance companies and agents whom they trusted before.
And there are also those who do not believe in insurance and prefer
other avenues to protect themselves. KCFAPI provides training to
face this reality and be able to explain to prospects that at the end of
the day it is still better to own a life insurance coverage than having
none at all.
Although the work of a fraternal counselor is challenging and
faced with a lot of difficulties, there are also positive opportunities
that one can enjoy.
1. The opportunity to serve brother knights and their families.
2. The opportunity to learn and experience the camaraderie with
other fraternal counsellors.
3. The opportunity to earn through basic allowance and incentive
programs offered by KCFAPI.
4. The opportunity to travel nationwide for awardees and for the
better performers the opportunity to see other asian cities.
If you are interested to serve brother knights and families in the
capacity as fraternal counselor please feel free to contact KCFAPI
Fraternal Benefits Group at 02-5272243 for details. (Joseph P.
Teodoro, Vice President – FBG)

KC Luzon to hold District Deputies’ meeting

THE Knights of Columbus Luzon
Jurisdiction recently announced the
schedule of the Organizational Meeting
of District Deputies for the Columbian
Year 2010-2011. The said meeting of
newly appointed and reappointed
District Deputies will be held at the
Makati Palace Suites in Makati City on
June 19-20, 2010.
Of the 221 District Deputies, 70 are
newly appointed. The rest will be
serving their 2nd and 3rd term and
a few on their 4th and last term. At
present, only four districts are yet to be
assigned with their new DD. A training
seminar will follow, which will cover
all aspects a DD needs to know in
TOKCA Winner Bro. Marteliano Alcontin (center) handing over the check representing KCFAPI’s conducting his office. His duties and
donation amounting to P10,000 to Saint Vincent Ferrer parish Priest Rev. Fr. Mariano Chia (left) obligations to the Supreme Office, the
and Council 10125 Grand Knight Bro. Virgilio Lucernas (right). The awarding of cash donation was Luzon Jurisdiction, the councils under
held last May 9, 2010 and was made under the name of Bro. Alcontin, being a TOKCA winner.
his districts will be emphasized by a
announced that a primer on freemasonry
will be given to all DDs as well as to all
Grand Knights and Chaplains under
their respective District.
Luzon Deputy Alonso L. Tan said that
the selection process of District Deputies
is not an easy task. They need to validate
all that is stated in the DD’s nominees
form. They need to ask the opinions of
other brother knights who might know the
nominee. He further stressed that assessing
documents of about 500 nominees is not
an easy task. It’s a very tedious, laborious
and time consuming process. They have
to evaluate them over and over and weigh
their decision to come up with the best
possible choice on each and every district
for the 221 District Deputies they need to
appoint and re-appoint.
State Secretary Arsenio Yap added
that it’s not a guessing game. It cannot
be done in an hour or in just one sitting.
The difficult part of it is when there are
not enough nominees and the nominee
does not seem to be able to live up to
expectation. But a decision must be
made just the same.
State Treasurer Joven Joaquin and State
Membership Director Joseph Teodoro
also stated that rules and deadlines must
be set in the selection process in order to
be fair to all concerned.
All four involved in the selection
process are confident of their choices,
as they have thoroughly scrutinized the
details and information on the nominees
form. They are looking forward to work
hand in hand with this new set of District
Deputies for the coming Columbian Year
2010-2011. (KC Luzon News)

Winners of Squires Soar 2010 Luzon Deputy attends Charter

battery of State Officers and Officials
experts on the topics assigned to them.
The financial obligations of the

Raffle Bonanza announced Presentation, Installation of Officers

THE list of the Squires’ Soar 2010 Raffle
Bonanza winners has been released by
the Knights of Columbus-Columbian
Squires.
The raffle was held last May 22, 2010
during the Summer Youth Camp in
Tayabas, Quezon. The revenues earned
from the raffle were used to defray the
expenses of the youth camp.
The winners are Frix Sardido of
Los Baños, Laguna, Boni Viquiera
of Quezon City, Willy Baligod from
Isabela and Ariel Dacillo of San Pedro,
Laguna.
Special prizes like Sony PSP, My
Phone TV81 Duo; Apple iPOD Shuffle
and Nokia N5130 have been granted to
the winners.
Jose Cuaresma, Chairman of the
Columbian Squires, then congratulated
the winners and asked for the continued
support of the Knights of Columbus
members to the youth organization. (KC
News/Columbian Squires)
councils both to the Supreme and the
Jurisdiction will also be given extra
emphasis to stress the importance
of being in good standing and the
important role the DDs will play on
this matter. They will be briefed on the
goals of the Jurisdiction particularly
on membership growth, new council
development, and council reactivation
as well as the formation of Columbian
Squires in their councils.
For the first time, a lecture on
Freemasonry will be part of the training
program with Msgr. Pedro Quitorio and
Msgr. Joselito Asis in the panel. It was
ALONSO L. Tan, Luzon Deputy,
witnessed the Charter Presentation and
1st Council Installation of Officers and
Directors of the Our Mother of Perpetual
Help Parish Council No. 14907.
The activity was held in Brgy. Ibabang
Bukal, Tayabas Quezon last May 19, 2010.
Tan was also the guest speaker during
the charter presentation and installation.
The event started with the welome
speech of Deputy Grand Knight Ruel
T. Eclarin which was followed by
the introduction of the dignitaries by
Advocate Marcelino J. Dy.
Grand Knight Juanito T. Paderes
gave a heartwarming and inspiring
speech while Community Service Direc-
tor Edilberto A. Obeña delivered his
closing remarks.
Paderes also facilitated the induction
Of Appointed Service Program
Committee. The activity ended with a
fraternal fellowship and entertainment.
(KC News)

Knights of Columbus The Knights of Columbus

Fraternal Association of the
Fraternal Association of the Philippines Inc., Philippines Inc., is an established
and progressive mutual benefits
an established mutual benefits association is currently looking for: association operating for 51 years,
Auditor has been highly committed to
provide mutual aid and assistance
Accounting Staff to its members and their immediate
families.
BC Holders’ Relations Office Staff
KC Fraternal firmly believes that
Customer Relations Assistant the continued progress and success
If you are dedicated, service-oriented, and have the promising potential to join us of the association depends to a great
extent on its human capital.
in our continuous drive to provide mutual aid, assistance and excellent service to
our members. Kindly send your comprehensive resume’ thru fax number 527-2244 KC Fraternal also believes that
through training and a host of other
or hand-carry resume’ with a 2x2 photo and transcript of records to: benefits if coupled with hard work, will
help employees and the association,
attain their goals and objectives.
In our continuous drive to provide
excellent service to our members,
we are currently on the look-out
for individuals with promising
LAYOUT BY LAURENCE JOHN R. MORALES

KC Family... Our Concern potentials. He must be dedicated,

service oriented, and willing to
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FRATERNAL undergo training.
ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC.
Our compensation and employee
Gen. Luna cor. Sta. Potenciana Sts., benefits are comparable, if not
Intramuros, Manila better than most companies of our
same size and nature of business.
You may also call 527 – 2223 local 202 for queries and look for Ms. Kristianne or Ms. April of HRCC.
 The Cross
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 - 20, 2010
C3

Received and Given

CHARITY is never a one-way street. It is not simply something that flows from the giver to the receiver.
With true charity, something is given, certainly, but something is also received.
In fact, anyone who has ever engaged in charitable work knows the truth of the words St. Paul
attributed to Christ in the Acts of the Apostles: “It is more blessed to give than
to receive” (Acts 20:35).
We see this theme in many places because it is so universally true. Anyone who
saw the recent Academy Award-winning film The Blind Side will remember the
moment when Leigh Anne Tuohy, the woman who took a homeless youth into
her own home, is told by her friends that she has done a great deal of good for
that young man.
She replies that the young man has done even greater good for her and her
family.
Every act of charity, in fact, is an opportunity to not only give, but also to receive.
I experienced this in a very special way this past April during a trip to Haiti.
There, fellow Knights and I distributed wheelchairs to those affected by the
devastating earthquake that struck in January.
Haiti—one of the poorest nations in the world—is still struggling to recover.
People who had little now have nothing. And those I met had lost even their
ability to move freely.
The scene of devastation was incredible. At a tent hospital run by the University
of Miami and Medishare in Port-au-Prince, we distributed the first of what will
ultimately be 1,000 wheelchairs to injured Haitians.
What struck me most was not the suffering or the terrible conditions, but the
joy that radiated from these injured, impoverished people. What we were giving
them was an expression of God’s love, and what we saw in them was God
himself—as Mother Teresa of Calcutta used to refer to Christ “in the distressing
disguise of the poor.”
First hand, on that trip, I also saw what Pope Benedict XVI discussed in his most
recent encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, when he wrote: “Charity is love received and given. It is ‘grace’
(cháris). ... Love comes down to us from the Son. It is creative love, through which we have our being;
it is redemptive love, through which we are recreated.
Love is revealed and made present by Christ (cf. Jn 13:1) and ‘poured into
our hearts through the Holy Spirit’ (Rom 5:5). As the objects of God’s love,
men and women become subjects of charity and are called to make themselves
instruments of grace so as to pour forth God’s charity and to weave networks
of charity” (5).
As an institution with charity as its first principle, the Knights of Columbus
strives always to be a “network of charity.” But we are giving what we have first
received. Love—caritas—is not a gift that originates with us.
As Pope Benedict noted: “Truth, and the love which it reveals, cannot be
produced: they can only be received as a gift.
Their ultimate source is not, and cannot be, mankind, but only God, who is
himself Truth and Love” (52). Love is a gift that we are first given by God, which
we return to him by our worship and way of living, and which we are called to
share with each other.
This is why Christ’s two commandments to us are to love God completely and to
love our neighbors as ourselves. This is why so many saints and blessed—Brother
Albert Chmielowski for one, Mother Teresa for another—chose to live with the
poor, to be close to “the least” of their brothers and sisters (cf. Mt 25:40).
They thereby chose to be closer to Christ himself and were better able to give
his love to others. This is the reason that as Knights we focus on a strong spiritual
life and a prominent place for charity.
In doing so, we can fulfill Christ’s two commandments: of loving God
completely, and of sharing his gift of love with our neighbor, whomever that
neighbor may be.
Vivat Jesus!

Hundreds
Luzon jurisdiction lauded for attend Summer
leading membership campaign
THE Knights of Columbus Luzon Jurisdiction has been recognized by the Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said this milestone is a “testament to
Youth Camp
HUNDREDS of Columbian Squires members have
participated in the recent Summer Youth Camp
organized by the Knights of Columbus-Columbian
Supreme Council for leading the membership campaign in the Philippines the high regard in which the Knights of Columbus is held among Catholic Squires.
this Columbian Year: July 1, 2009 to April 30, 2010. men everywhere.” The youth camp was held from May 19-22, 2010
In a report, the Luzon jurisdiction ranked the first among the three jurisdictions “We offer a unique opportunity to serve our Church and our communities as at the Tayabas East Central School (Campsite) in
in the Philippines with regards to the number of new members recruited. one of the most active service organizations anywhere in the world,” he added. Tayabas, Quezon.
Luzon got 7,669 new members recruited which is one-half of the total The Knights of Columbus membership continues a growth trend in which With the theme “Deepening Trust in God:
number of new members recruited in the whole Order, according to the the number of Knights has grown every year since 1973. Renewing our Courage,” the event was dubbed
report of the Knights of Columbus. Anderson also noted that the order joins other brother Knights in their unified as the “Squires Soar 2010” (Summer Outdoor
Meanwhile, the Knights of Columbus throughout the world posted its total endeavor to become better fathers, husbands, citizens and Catholics, along with Adventure, Advancement & Recollection).
active membership at 1.8 million as of April 30, 2010. their responsibilities as men of God. (KC News) Lucena bishop Emilio Marquez, presided the
opening Eucharistic Celebration while Luzon

TOKCA awardee holds testimonial dinner

Squires Prior, Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, III presided
the closing mass.
This activity aimed at promoting camaraderie
A TESTIMONIAL dinner was held for The Knights of Columbus through the Round Table of his family. among squires and counselors, creating quality time
Outstanding Knights of Columbus Awardee District Deputies of the Dioceses of Cabanatuan The affair was capped with the awarding of for reflection and opportunity for the discussion of
in the Business and Entrepreneurship field, and San Jose City. gifts to priests and chaplains by their respective the Squires Advancement Programs.
Bro. Reynaldo Borja Odulio. It was held at the Plaza Leticia in Cabanatuan Grand Knights. Luzon Deputy Alonso L. Tan, Squires Chairman
The dinner was prepared by the members of the City last April 30, 2010. According to them, the gifts served as a symbol that Jose Cuaresma, and District Deputy Ramon
Odulio was ranted KC is in solidarity with the Bishops and Priests. Sanchez were among those who witnessed and
the TOKCA Award “This is a fitting act of the members of the Order graced the youth’s activity.
for his service and to celebrate The Year of the Priests,” they said. District L56 under DD Fernando Labita hosted
commitment to (KCFAPI News) this year’s summer youth camp. (KC News)
his chosen field
of Business and
Entrepreneurship.
Testimonial
messages were
delivered by the
clergy, his friends,
business partners
and family.
Guests were the
two KC Priests,
Fr. Joel Cariaso and
Fr. Venes Matias, and
other priests from
Nueva Ecija, also
present in the occasion TOKCA winner Atty. Purisimo Buyco (center) together with Council 7745 Grand Knight Ricardo Suarez, Jr., District
are Bro. Odulio’s Deputy of District M-27, Joselito Enriquez and KCFAPI FBG Area Manager Efren Casupanan during the awarding of
TOKCA awardee Bro. Reynaldo B. Odulio handing over the check representing KCFAPI’s donation f r i e n d s f r o m t h e the checks to the parish and the said council amounting to P10,000.00 each. The event was held at Nuestra Sra. De
of P10,000 cash to Msgr. Elmer Mangalinao and his parish. Said donation is being given under La Asuncion at Bulacan, Bulacan last April 25, 2010.
the name of Bro. Odulio, being a TOKCA awardee. business sector and
 The Cross
CBCP Monitor
C4 Vol. 14 No. 12
June 7 - 20, 2010

KCFAPI sponsors
Annual Asian Trip
THE Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the
Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI) has sponsored the Annual Asian
Trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from May 27-29, 2010.
The delegates were the 2009 FC of the Year, Fr. Willmann
Knights of the Round Table (WKRT), 2009 Area Manager of
the Year, 2009 Runners-up and the Area Mangers who were
able to hit the 125% of the assigned target in 2009.
The spouses of the FC, Runners-up, and the family of the
AMs also joined the delegation. Among those are Lauro and
Cecilia Evangelista; Ray and Gertudis Charito Segismundo;
Bonifacio and Milagros Morales; Venancio and Alicia
Capiral; Eduardo and Bella Cruz; Amado and Oliver Miranda;
Teofilo and Erlinda Samson; as well as Edmundo and Maria
Teresa Dela Mota.
Efren and Veronica Casupanan as well as Elyn Mae
Casupanan also joined the party.
Other delegates were Joselito Guzman, Danilo Tullao,
Rosa Hernandez, Damaso Hernandez, Virgilio Matias, Hugo
Goce, Antonio Miguel Sanchez, Aurelio Caparas, Nonilon
Ayon, Victor and Irma Pulangco and Josefino and Perlita
Valencia.
Joseph P. Teodoro, Vice-President of Fraternal Benefits
Group and Gari San Sebastian, Manager of the Fraternal
Benefits Services Department joined the delegates. The delegates of the Annual Asian Trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam together with KCFAPI VP for
According to San Sebastian, this year’s Asian Trip had the Fraternal Benefits Group Joseph P. Teodoro and Manager for Fraternal Benefits Services Gari M. San
most qualified attendees. (KCFAPI News) Sebastian pose in one of their picture-taking sessions during their trip held from May 27-28, 2010.

A Fraternal Service Training (FST) for Eastern Visayas Fighters was held at Cebu Service Office
from May 21-22, 2010. This was conducted by Fraternal Benefits Associate Floralin Bohol and
Area Manager Bro. Eldito Nabong. Shown in photo are participants of the FST (standing from
left to right) are Wilfredo Conde, Area Manager Eldito Nabong, Vince Allan Davantes, Garry
Losorata, Anastacio Abad and Efren Bilbao, (seated from left to right) Jocelyn Nabong and
FBA Floralin Bohol.

Luzon Deputy attends Blessing of

‘Save the Unborn’ Monument
ALONSO L. Tan, Luzon Deputy,
attended the Blessing of the “Save the
Unborn” Monument held last May 16,
2010 in Sulipan, Apalit Pampanga.
The event was organized by the St.
Peter the Apostle Assembly ACN –
2832 Fourth Degree and the Ferdinand
Magellan Province District III – Central
Luzon.
The blessing was officiated by
Fr. Juan Danilo L. Dizon with honor
guards from Immaculate Conception
Council 11452; St. Peter Council 7749;
Holy Family Council 13776; and Sulipan
Council 14506.
The ribbon cutting was headed by
LD Tan, SK Ruel D. Tecson, Master of
the Fourth Degree and SK Angelito M.
Twaño, Faithful Navigator ACN 2832.
During the blessing, Twaño and
Tecson gave their inspiration message
while District Deputy Narciso M.
Maniacup gave his closing remarks.
SK Federico G. Espiritu, SK Jose
Manuel L. Puno and District Deputy
Danilo B. Bautista were also present in
the said activity. (KC News)

(From center left to center right) Angelito M. Twaño, Faithful Navigator

SICAP volunteer Mr. Coco Nadal during the SICAP Livelihood training which was held last May 31, ACN 2832; Fr. Juan Danilo L. Dizon; Ruel D. Tecson, Master of 4th
2010. Selected participants from Intramuros were taught how to prepare “creamy pork stew”. Degree; and Alonso L. Tan, Luzon Deputy posed for a picture taking
“Save the Unborn” Monument in Sulipan, Apalit Pampanga during the blessing.

6th Fr. George J. Willmann, S.J. Family Day & Mini-Olympics 2010 List of Winners
KNIGHTS of Columbus Luzon Jurisdiction, headed by Over-all Chairman Bro. Bonifacio B. Martinez held its annual sports activity dubbed as "6th Fr. George J. Willamnn, SJ Family Day and Mini Olympics
2010” last May 1, 2010 at Amoranto Sports Complex, Quezon City. Below is the summary of winners including the Over-all Champion.
Council Location Council Location Council Location
*100 METER DASH (Individual ) Male/Female Silver 13618 KALAWAAN, PASIG CITY *BADMINTON (Combination) MALE/FEMALE
Bronze 4265 CAVITE CITY
Male 10399 STO. NIÑO, MEYCAUAYAN, BULACAN Gold 10695 GEN T. DE LEON, VALENZUELA CITY
Gold 11847 MARCELO GREEN VILL., PARAÑAQUE *OBSTACLE COURSE Silver 6080 PROJECT 6, QUEZON CITY
Silver 5310 BRIXTON HILLS, QUEZON CITY Bronze 11990 FILINVEST HOMES, QUEZON CITY
Bronze Gold 5124 BALUT, TONDO, MANILA
Silver 14359 SAN SEBASTIAN COLLEGE, CAVITE CITY *3 POINTS SHOOT-OUT # 1. - 12 TO 17 Years Old
Female Bronze 13618 KALAWAAN, PASIG CITY
Gold 8922 FORT BONIFACIO, MAKATI CITY Gold 5124 BALUT, TONDO, MANILA
Silver 14359 SAN SEBASTIAN COLLEGE, CAVITE CITY Silver 10582 CALUMPIT, BULACAN
*THREADING RELAY
Bronze 13618 KALAWAAN, PASIG CITY Bronze no winner
Gold 13618 KALAWAAN, PASIG CITY
*200 METER DASH (Individual ) Male *3 POINTS SHOOT OUT # 2 - 18 Years Old
Silver 5124 BALUT, TONDO, MANILA
Bronze 1000 INTRAMUROS, MANILA
Gold 10399 STO. NIÑO, MEYCAUAYAN, BULACAN Gold 11847 MARCELO GREEN VILL., PARAÑAQUE
Silver 10582 CALUMPIT, BULACAN Silver 6080 PROJECT 6, QUEZON CITY
Bronze 11847 MARCELO GREEN VILL., PARAÑAQUE *PATINTERO TUBIGAN Bronze 6080 PROJECT 6, QUEZON CITY

*400 METER DASH (Individual ) Male Gold 11847 MARCELO GREEN VILL., PARAÑAQUE *VOLLEY BALL
Silver 7398 BALIC BALIC, SAMPALOC, MANILA
Gold 14359 SAN SEBASTIAN COLLEGE, CAVITE CITY Bronze 13332 CATMON, STA. MARIA, BULACAN Gold 14359 SAN SEBASTIAN COLLEGE, CAVITE CITY
Silver 13618 KALAWAAN, PASIG CITY Silver 1000 INTRAMUROS, MANILA
Bronze 11847 MARCELO GREEN VILL., PARAÑAQUE *TABLE TENNIS (Individual) MALE/FEMALE Bronze 8235 LAGRO, NOVALICHES, QUEZON CITY

*SACK RELAY (50X25) RELAY MALE/FEMALE Combination Male *KC HENYO-MALE/FEMALE

Gold 10695 GEN T. DE LEON, VALENZUELA CITY
Gold 14359 SAN SEBASTIAN COLLEGE, CAVITE CITY Silver 8254 PROJECT 4, QUEZON CITY Gold 8210 BINONDO, MANILA
Silver 1000 INTRAMUROS, MANILA Bronze 10548 INDANG, CAVITE Silver 13618 KALAWAAN, PASIG CITY
Bronze 11847 MARCELO GREEN VILL., PARAÑAQUE
Female OVER ALL CHAMPION
*EGG THROWING/CATCHING-MALE/FEMALE Combination Gold 8254 PROJECT 4, QUEZON CITY 13618 KALAWAAN, PASIG CITY
Silver 10582 CALUMPIT, BULACAN 14359 SAN SEBASTIAN COLLEGE, CAVITE CITY
Gold 1000 INTRAMUROS, MANILA Bronze none
Silver 14359 SAN SEBASTIAN COLLEGE, CAVITE CITY 2nd PLACE
Bronze 8210 BINONDO, MANILA *BADMINTON (Individual) MALE 1000 INTRAMUROS, MANILA
11847 MARCELO GREEN VILL., PARAÑAQUE
*TUG-OF-WAR Gold 8235 LAGRO, NOVALICHES, QUEZON CITY
Silver 13618 KALAWAAN, PASIG CITY 3rd PLACE
Gold 1000 INTRAMUROS, MANILA Bronze 10582 CALUMPIT, BULACAN 5124 BALUT, TONDO, MANILA