My Tatay is a Spartan: A Celebration of Life amidst the Mayhem

MY TATAY IS A SPARTAN: 

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE AMIDST THE MAYHEM  

Jeromel N. Candido 

  

When super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) wreaked havoc in the Visayas in Central Philippines, our tatay (father) was in Baranggay San Isidro, Hernani, Eastern Samar, one of the devastated areas. Anxiety set in for no news, no words were received from tatay after the blackout, which completely cut any communication possible in the area. After nine days, on 18 November 2013, Monday, I received an unexpected call from tatay himself! At the time when hope was almost gone and tremendous apprehension ensued, he called and we talked for an hour as he imparted the details of his arduous ordeal and the challenges the survivors faced in the aftermath of the catastrophe.

According to tatay, Yolanda started hammering at 11:30 pm of 7 November 2013, Thursday. He used his cellphone to track the time. At 2:00 pm of the following day, our bahay kubo (nipa hut) was already blown away and ripped into pieces.  Miraculously, he got out in time and secured himself in our pigpen, which was made of concrete materials. With deadly winds that can reach up to 195 mph, even its roof was no match to Yolanda. Nevertheless, tatay got hold of our old "batya" (laundry basin). It was the only thing that shielded him at that moment. Try to get the picture of a Spartan’s shield from the film "300" that was used in protecting the body’s of soldiers while on defense mode... that's how big our battle “batya” is and that’s how resilient our tatay is. 

At 4:30 am of 9 November 2013, the situation changed from worse to worst: strong winds were whirling as if one is inside a washing machine that is spinning out of control. At 6:00 am, the wind reached its peak and sounded like crashing and rolling boulders that produced a horrible scream (just like in a horror movie). It was not just once that tatay asked himself, “Could this be the end?” At 10:00 am, the wind dwindled down; but the casualties that Yolanda left was far beyond words. Everything was gone in our farm: our bahay kubo, our crops and our livestock. It is as if everything was harvested in just a blink of an eye just like the online games Farmville and Hay Day. Our good ol’ pigpen stood still and sheltered tatay for the next nine days. 

At the brink of psychological breakdown, my tatay managed to cope up with the situation through prayers. On the fifth day after the typhoon, the relief operations of the government reached the place, handing the survivors a kilo of rice, a can of meat loaf, and a pack of instant pancit canton. It must have been a relief for the desperate survivors to have food. They must have been very grateful yet the operation only pushed through days after the typhoon. A survivor to survive such a situation must be extra resourceful. The noodle was good for only one serving and there was no regular ration. For nine days, my tatay endured having only coconuts to nourish and sustain him. There was no potable water so the coconut juice sufficed at that moment. Hopefully, the situation has improved.

He also related that there was a time when he was already confused, wandering blank and just snapped out of the bewilderment after hearing the voices of his family calling him. The people in San Isidro may have survived the wrath of Yolanda, but most of the survivors find it difficult to survive, or worst, have died trying to survive because of hunger and sickness. It was such "a very depressing scene", said tatay.

After a period of denial to what had happened to our farm, a sense of acceptance and gratitude for God’s gift of second life lingered. From Hernani, Eastern Samar, tatay decided to travel to Catbalogan, Samar where our nanay (mother), Mely, together with my family, was. My uncle Rey described a very emotional encounter of my parents. Saddened and still on the state of grief for we have a number of relatives who passed away in Tacloban City, Leyte, where Yolanda smashed everything and only few survived, we nevertheless still managed to celebrate for the return of our tatay. In spite of everything, I would say that, “God is good all the time and all the time God is good.” We should move forward, be positive and accept everything as a gift. God loves us very much no matter what. There is always a brighter side on this. Let us all trust in God’s mercy, grace and love. Amen.

True Greatness

TRUE GREATNESS

A Homily delivered on the Feast of St. Albert the Great at the UST Central Seminary

15 November 2013

Last November 10, we celebrated the feast of St. Pope Leo the Great. He is the first pope to be called “Great”. Imagine this great pope persuading the ferocious Attila the Hun in 452 to turn back from his invasion of Italy…and he succeeded. And today, we are celebrating another saint who is called “Great”…St. Albert the Great. He wasn’t a pope but he was considered the most learned man of his time. In fact, he was the teacher of someone whom many considered as the greatest theologian of all time, St. Thomas Aquinas.

A friend from Rome jokingly told me that if you want to be intelligent, study Philosophy; if you want to be holy, study Theology; but, if you want to be both holy and intelligent, study Canon Law because you cannot enroll in Canon Law unless you finish both Philosophy and Theology. Well, his statements are highly debatable…but St. Albert the Great is not just holy, he is not just intelligent…he is dubbed as the “wisest among the saints and the most saintly of the wise.”

And for all that I have said so far, I want to say that TRUE GREATNESS is not always something visible … it can be, but not necessarily. What do I mean? Well, what ultimately matters is not how the world, or even the church, perceives us but how God sees us. Jesus said that those who are great in the eyes of the world are those who are with power, those who make their influence felt…and He told His disciples that the greatest among them must be the servant of all. Then, He literally showed them how by washing their feet at the Last Supper and dying for them and for all of us on the cross. That is true greatness! St. Paul wrote: “If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing… Faith, hope, love remain, these three, [tria haec], but the greatest of this is love.” (1 Cor 13:1-3, 13)

I’ve been travelling around the country to facilitate the entrance examinations for the UST Central Seminary…and I’ve been meeting many great persons, your rectors, your deans of studies, your seminarians and other priests in your respective dioceses. I’ve been to Tandag and the newly ordained Fr. Alvin toured me around…I went to Capiz…and met my classmates who are doing great in their respective apostolate …I’ve been to Cebu and the seminarians even sang for me. Fr. Benny Tao is a great musician….I’ve been to Cagayan de Oro and I met Fr. Junbals and I was assisted by Sem. Quevedo who reminded me that CDO is peaceful melting pot of all cultures: Christians, Moslems, Lumads…that is why it is called the “City of Golden Friendship”…I went to Tagum…and during the celebration of the diaconate ordination, I looked at the faces of Rev. Lechido and Rev. Autida…and after the laying of hands, their faces glowed…I might be wrong in my perception but I felt it is the manifested grace that they just received. Next stop would be Bacolod, Dumaguete, Surigao, Vigan and Baguio. I know that I would be meeting great persons as well.

You know what I noticed, most of the Thomasian priests are serving as chancellors, formators, or deans of studies and all other important positions in their dioceses. Thomasian priests are competent and inspiring. In the future you will be put to those positions of greatness as well…Who knows? Sem. Vibar might be a chancellor…Sem. Laingo might be a formator…Sem. Palado might be the dean of studies…Sem. Janaban might be a monsignor…Sem. Sa-onoy might be Bishop S. Who knows?

You are formed today but we must always remember that to be truly GREAT…one must be humble in service and must always be in love, love that emanates from Christ, the true Source of greatness. With that, we invoke the teacher of St. Thomas…St. Albert the Great, pray for us!

Spicy Korean Food Trip

Spicy Korean Food Trip 

To celebrate Easter, my Filipino Dominican Brothers and I ate at Gainn Korean Restaurant in Rome last 8 April 2010 (Easter Thursday). Without thinking about it, it seems that we craved for spicy food. The food tastes great especially because it has been some time since we ate here. 

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Korean food is, in my opinion, healthier than Chinese food. It's more expensive but it's worth the try. The numerous side dishes really spiced it up. We ordered rice and I was the only one who ate two orders of rice! I must be really hungry.

Saint John Chrysostom (344-407), the golden mouthed

On September 13, we celebrate the memorial of Saint John Chrysostom (344-407), Bishop of Constantinople, and Doctor of the Church. The power of Saint John’s words, and the eloquence of his sermons earned him his name “Chrysostom”, which literally means “the golden mouthed.” His preaching must have been very precious as gold, a product of prayer, penance and study. His preaching must have been so enticing and appealing so much so that he attracted the attention of many, and eventually, his weekly Mass was drawing a congregation of up to one hundred thousand listeners!

What would St. John Chrysostom preach if he would be preaching in our country today? During his time, his preaching focused on the needs of the poor, and he advocated for great social change on the part of the rich and noble class. In our time, he would be probably preaching the same, against corruption in the government that is oppressing the poor. Saint John preached fully and completely, with unwavering faith, never swayed or discouraged by threats or politics. He even publicly reprimanded the emperor for wearing such fine clothing while many suffered in poverty, for which he was exiled. Upon return years later, he proceeded to ostracize the rich and noble classes for similar indulgences. His reply to threats of exile and banishment included: “Chrysostom fears only one thing — not exile, prison, poverty or death — but sin.” Do corrupt government officials fear sin, too?

Saint John wrote volumes of sermons, generally on the interpretation of Scriptural passages. His writings and quotations speak for themselves. And here’s what he preached to people whose prayers remain unanswered:

"We should not bear it with bad grace if the answer to our prayer is long delayed. Rather, let us because of this, show great patience and resignation. For [God] delays for this reason: that we may offer Him a fitting occasion of honoring us through His divine providence. Whether, therefore, we receive what we ask for, or do not receive it, let us still continue [to be] steadfast in prayer. For to fail in obtaining the desires of our heart, when God so wills it, is not worse than to receive it; for we know not as He does, what is profitable to us."

Primer on the Pork Barrel System in the Philippines*

The Pork Barrel system in the Philippines, often at the center of political controversy, has played a significant role in the country's political landscape. To understand its implications fully, it is essential to look at its origins, purpose, controversies, and eventual reforms.

Origins and Purpose of the Pork Barrel System

The term “pork barrel” originally comes from American political slang, symbolizing public funds set aside for localized projects intended to benefit a specific legislator’s constituents. In the Philippines, the Pork Barrel evolved into a formal allocation of government funds, known as the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). The idea behind this system was simple: provide legislators with access to funds that they can use to finance infrastructure, education, health care, and livelihood projects in their districts or constituencies.

On the surface, this system had a noble goal—to ensure that national resources are distributed to local communities, particularly those with specific needs that may not be addressed by larger, national programs. However, the execution of the pork barrel system revealed deep flaws that led to widespread abuse and corruption.

Controversies and Corruption

The pork barrel system, over the years, became a tool for patronage politics, with legislators directing funds toward projects that benefited their political allies or were used to secure votes. The lack of transparency and accountability opened the door to corruption, with public funds often being misused, funneled to ghost projects, or pocketed by corrupt officials.

One of the most significant scandals involving the pork barrel was the PDAF scam or Napoles scandal in 2013. Businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles was accused of masterminding a scheme where billions of pesos from the PDAF were funneled into fake NGOs, with a significant portion of the funds being distributed to corrupt politicians as kickbacks. This scandal triggered a national outcry and a demand for reforms in how government funds are allocated and spent.

Supreme Court Ruling and Reforms

In response to the public outrage and the exposure of rampant corruption, the Supreme Court of the Philippines declared the PDAF unconstitutional in November 2013. This landmark decision effectively abolished the traditional pork barrel system. However, this did not end the allocation of discretionary funds altogether. Some critics argue that while the PDAF was abolished, the concept of discretionary funds remains embedded in the national budget under different names and mechanisms.

To address the calls for transparency, reforms were introduced, such as the Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB) process, which aimed to involve local communities in identifying projects for funding. Despite these reforms, many Filipinos remain skeptical of the government’s commitment to eradicating corruption linked to pork barrel-like mechanisms.

The Debate on Pork Barrel: Necessary Evil or Tool for Development?

The debate over the pork barrel system continues. Proponents argue that it provides legislators with the means to directly respond to the needs of their constituents, especially in regions that may be overlooked by national programs. They argue that without these discretionary funds, many local projects in far-flung areas would remain underfunded or ignored.

On the other hand, critics highlight the system’s inherent flaws, pointing to its susceptibility to abuse, corruption, and the perpetuation of patronage politics. They argue that a more centralized and transparent budgeting system, with greater oversight and public participation, is needed to ensure that funds are used for the public good, rather than for political gain.

Moving Forward

The abolition of the PDAF marked a significant milestone in the fight against corruption, but the challenges in reforming the Philippine budgeting process persist. As long as there are mechanisms that allow for discretionary spending with minimal accountability, the potential for abuse remains.

For citizens, staying informed and engaged in budget processes and calling for greater transparency and accountability at all levels of government are crucial in ensuring that public funds are used for their intended purposes—serving the needs of the people, especially the most vulnerable sectors.

The pork barrel issue underscores the need for a continuous commitment to good governance and vigilance. While reforms have been introduced, the journey toward a transparent and corruption-free budget system is ongoing.

Conclusion

The pork barrel system in the Philippines reflects both the challenges and complexities of governance in a developing democracy. Its abolition is a reminder that citizens have the power to demand accountability, but it also calls for sustained efforts in reforming how public funds are managed. Only through continued transparency, civic engagement, and political will can the Philippines move closer to a government that truly works for the welfare of its people.

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CBCP President on the People’s Initiative Against Pork Barrel

Rightly appalled by what they perceive as the unjust use of public funds through the pork-barrel system, some citizens have taken the constitutional step of initiating anti-pork-barrel measures through a people’s initiative.

We fully support any moral, peaceful, and lawful measures that our citizens take to curb corruption and prevent the irresponsible use of public funds. In fact, many members of the clergy and lay leaders are at the forefront of these initiatives.

Despite the widespread perception that pork-barrel funds have led to grave irresponsibility by those who had access to them—and despite a definitive ruling by the Supreme Court declaring such funds unconstitutional—there are reported attempts to perpetuate the system through the appropriation of lump sums in the national budget under various pretexts.

We, therefore, fully endorse the people’s initiative aimed at legislating the prohibition of funds made available to officials for their exclusive discretion. We also express our displeasure at the practice of classifying significant amounts of public money as 'intelligence funds,' which places them beyond the scope of audit and accountability.

“You cannot serve both God and money.” We choose to serve God and cannot condone the idolization of money, especially when it manifests in unfettered access to the people’s money.

August 8, 2014

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS, D.D.

Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan

President, CBCP

Only in Jesus

ONLY IN JESUS

The Official Theme of the Philippine Conference on the New Evangelization

Words & Music by Fr. Carlo Magno Marcelo

www.pcne.com.ph

I

In this age, where a call can just take a second to reach home

In this age, where some homes reach the sky.

Yet my neighbor just beside me never really feels at home

And the homeless just become like sand in our eye.

Where are we heading right now?

How can we move to a meaningful life?

II

In this age where the wounds of empty promises abound

In this age where true service means so much.

Credibility, integrity are the holy signs of love.

And their voices are heard all over the land.

Who can be that love for us

showing as the beauty and value of life?

Refrain:

Only in Jesus do we move

Only in Jesus we are changed

Only in Jesus’ love, we can heal the world's pains.

Let His life tell the story:

Love that conquers sin and shame.

Come and see, share the myst'ry!

Now it's our mission to reveal to all His face.

Only in Jesus, all things are made new,

Only in Jesus

III

In this age, where the young are eager and ready to give all

In this age, where everyone can lend a hand.

Yes a voice down deep inside us tell us the world can be a home

where dialogue and sharing makes us one!

Look there’s a sign above giving direction to the fullness of life.

[Repeat Refrain]

Bridge:

Can you hear His voice.

Go forth, share the Good News!

[Repeat Refrain]