Private Schools Urge ‘Clear Guidelines‘ For Conduct of Drug Testing
(News condensed from CBCP Monitor, Vol.13 No. 4, February 16 – March 1, 2009, by Roy Lagarde – News Editor)
by Armando A. Suñe
Catholic schools are in favor of the government plan for random drug testing to be conducted in both public and private schools in the country.
But the Catholic Educators Association in the Philippines (CEAP) along with other private schools wants the government to provide strict and clear guidelines in the conduct of drug testing in all high schools and tertiary levels.
I
n a statement, the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) said that while the drug testing is worthy of support there are still facets that need concern.
The educators said authorities have to assure the anxious public that it has set in place safeguards to prevent negligence or malice aimed at incriminating students.
The group cited the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 which provides that “students of secondary and tertiary schools shall, pursuant to the related rules and regulations as contained in the school’s student handbook and with notice to the parents, undergo random drug testing, the expenses of which will be borne by the government.”
“Hence, in the interest of safeguarding the rights of its students from being violated in the process, clear implementing guidelines should be created in consultation with school officials and be discussed with appropriate stakeholders,” it added.
And while the COCOPEA acknowledges the value of the random drug testing, they said that the government’s campaign against illegal drugs should “substantively focus on the drug pushers and not the victims – such as the students.”
Reflecting on the issue, it should prove prudent indeed for the government to issue “definite and clear guidelines”, in consultation with the private and public education sector, in order to forestall possible confusion, finger-pointing, blaming, and, to put it optimistically, to ensure the honest success of the random drug-testing campaign.
The drug-use problem in our country is an issue too dangerous to be left aside. It is like a Pandora’s Box which, if left unchecked and curtailed, will open a plethora of more problems detrimental to our country – an illegal-drugs-trade-fueled economy, weakened and lessened able-bodied labor force, loss of moral values, breakdown of family life, and decreasing importance of personal religious affiliations. In fact, some of these problems have already begun to take root beyond our comfortable knowledge.
Jose Rizal was right after all when he said, “The youth is the fair hope of the fatherland.” A drug-crazed generation in our youth sector would certainly hamper our quest for a better Philippines. Anyone among us doesn’t need to look far to witness the destructive effects of drugs on the victimized person.
The random drug-testing program of the government doesn’t have to go awry and unsuccessful because of poor and hasty planning. We commend and are one with the COCOPEA in calling awareness towards the urgent need for such “clear guidelines” to be issued and implemented by the government. As private citizens of our country, we join in the well-meaning call for the transparent pro-active response of the government authorities concerned. After all, as Ninoy Aquino said, “The Filipino is worth dying for,” and all the efforts of both the private sector and government should have no other motive than the honest and sincere delivery of the welfare needs of our people.
Showing posts with label Philippine News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philippine News. Show all posts
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
“A Part” of but never “Apart” from the World
“A Part” of but never “Apart” from the World
A Way of Looking at the Spirituality of Stewardship
by Joseph Sylvester Pampliega
In a seminar-workshop on the Spirituality of Stewardship (Buhay-Katiwala) last February 13, 2009 held at the Our Lady of the Reparatrix Center, Tagaytay City, attended by over 100 participants from 18 dioceses and 4 Episcopal Commissions, the head of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), our beloved Archbishop, Angel Lagdameo, challenged the secretaries of the Episcopal Commissions to develop a “comprehensive theology of stewardship” as decreed by PCP II.
As stated in Article 31, Section 1 of the PCP II decrees, “The Church, through the initiatives of CBCP, should develop a comprehensive theology of stewardship and, in the light of this theology, should make ecology a special concern of the social action apostolate down to the parochial level, with the end in view of making everyone a true steward of God’s creation.” Following through with this decree, he said, “Each one of us, each one of you, may consider himself/herself as steward,” furthering stressing that as stewards, “one is not the absolute owner or master of himself and possessions, nor the world of nature and of grace…that everything has been received as gift and talent from God.”
The decree of PCP II on Stewardship focuses on ecology, to which Archbishop Lagdameo qualifies as both a “gift” and a “talent” from God. It is from this perspective that we see ourselves – human beings – not merely an “overseer,” who is “apart” from the world but that, we are “a part” of the world. As Larry L. Rasmussen puts it in his book “Earth Community, Earth Ethics,” (2005, 9) “[Ecology] Nature is not what is around us or where we live in, but the reason we are alive at all; nature is the reason each and every society and culture that ever existed did so.” Rasmussen further elaborates that “society and nature [ecology] together – that is, earth – is a community, without an exit.”
Reflecting upon these words, from the challenge of Archbishop Lagdameo and the insights of Rasmussen, I would imagine myself standing at the center of fertile green fields, carpeted by flowers of different kinds and colors, surrounded by a parade of mountains with towering trees covering them, seeing flocks of birds flying back and forth the blue skies, herds or packs of animals playing around, as the wind slowly brushing off my skin, cooling it — this is a view that I am in a “home” (oikos+logos=ecology) and much of it demands from me, being their right, too, to take care of these “gifts” or “talents” (“treasures” that God wanted multiplied like that of the “Parable of the Talents”). This is the meaning of what God commanded us to do, “to subdue the earth,” to be responsible of our “home” for our sake because we are “a part” of it. Their life means our life, too. And come to think of it, it is irreversible; we could not say, “my life” or “our life” means the life of Mother Earth. To morbidly put it, our deaths – collectively - would not mean the death of Mother Earth, but the death of Mother Earth means our death — and this is what Rasmussen has qualified as “a community without an exit;” we will surely go where Mother Earth, our “home,” goes.
To inspire and challenge us all further, he continues, “The Spirituality of Stewardship would then be an overarching value that will provide other related values such as cooperation, co-responsibility, partnership, collaboration, interdependence, solidarity, servanthood and subsidiarity…Through you, individually and collectively, the Philippine Church will be in a state of stewardship…This you will do together with the priests, religious and other lay people and of course, with the bishops, who are the primary stewards in their respective local churches.”
It is from this that, Archbishop Lagdameo said, “we must use them [Earth, Ecology, “home,” Mother Earth, “Kalibutan,” etc.] as grateful, accountable and responsible persons, in accordance with the intention or plan of the Divine Owner, to promote the common good and to establish the reign of God in the hearts of men.”
A Way of Looking at the Spirituality of Stewardship
by Joseph Sylvester Pampliega
In a seminar-workshop on the Spirituality of Stewardship (Buhay-Katiwala) last February 13, 2009 held at the Our Lady of the Reparatrix Center, Tagaytay City, attended by over 100 participants from 18 dioceses and 4 Episcopal Commissions, the head of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), our beloved Archbishop, Angel Lagdameo, challenged the secretaries of the Episcopal Commissions to develop a “comprehensive theology of stewardship” as decreed by PCP II.
As stated in Article 31, Section 1 of the PCP II decrees, “The Church, through the initiatives of CBCP, should develop a comprehensive theology of stewardship and, in the light of this theology, should make ecology a special concern of the social action apostolate down to the parochial level, with the end in view of making everyone a true steward of God’s creation.” Following through with this decree, he said, “Each one of us, each one of you, may consider himself/herself as steward,” furthering stressing that as stewards, “one is not the absolute owner or master of himself and possessions, nor the world of nature and of grace…that everything has been received as gift and talent from God.”
The decree of PCP II on Stewardship focuses on ecology, to which Archbishop Lagdameo qualifies as both a “gift” and a “talent” from God. It is from this perspective that we see ourselves – human beings – not merely an “overseer,” who is “apart” from the world but that, we are “a part” of the world. As Larry L. Rasmussen puts it in his book “Earth Community, Earth Ethics,” (2005, 9) “[Ecology] Nature is not what is around us or where we live in, but the reason we are alive at all; nature is the reason each and every society and culture that ever existed did so.” Rasmussen further elaborates that “society and nature [ecology] together – that is, earth – is a community, without an exit.”
Reflecting upon these words, from the challenge of Archbishop Lagdameo and the insights of Rasmussen, I would imagine myself standing at the center of fertile green fields, carpeted by flowers of different kinds and colors, surrounded by a parade of mountains with towering trees covering them, seeing flocks of birds flying back and forth the blue skies, herds or packs of animals playing around, as the wind slowly brushing off my skin, cooling it — this is a view that I am in a “home” (oikos+logos=ecology) and much of it demands from me, being their right, too, to take care of these “gifts” or “talents” (“treasures” that God wanted multiplied like that of the “Parable of the Talents”). This is the meaning of what God commanded us to do, “to subdue the earth,” to be responsible of our “home” for our sake because we are “a part” of it. Their life means our life, too. And come to think of it, it is irreversible; we could not say, “my life” or “our life” means the life of Mother Earth. To morbidly put it, our deaths – collectively - would not mean the death of Mother Earth, but the death of Mother Earth means our death — and this is what Rasmussen has qualified as “a community without an exit;” we will surely go where Mother Earth, our “home,” goes.
To inspire and challenge us all further, he continues, “The Spirituality of Stewardship would then be an overarching value that will provide other related values such as cooperation, co-responsibility, partnership, collaboration, interdependence, solidarity, servanthood and subsidiarity…Through you, individually and collectively, the Philippine Church will be in a state of stewardship…This you will do together with the priests, religious and other lay people and of course, with the bishops, who are the primary stewards in their respective local churches.”
It is from this that, Archbishop Lagdameo said, “we must use them [Earth, Ecology, “home,” Mother Earth, “Kalibutan,” etc.] as grateful, accountable and responsible persons, in accordance with the intention or plan of the Divine Owner, to promote the common good and to establish the reign of God in the hearts of men.”
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Message of our Mother to the Ilonggos
The Church in the Philippines- February 15-21, 2009
Message of our Mother to the Ilonggos
(Taken from Panay News, Thursday, February 12, 2009; contributed by MAMO – Marian Associations, Movements, and Organizations
ILOILO City – The International Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima is arriving for the third time in the Archdiocese of Jaro today (February 12) at 5 p.m. During her visits, many graces are given to the faithful.
According to its official custodian, it takes about 10 years for the statue to return to the place it had visited, making Iloilo very special. The icon had been here in 2002 and 2003.
This means the Blessed Mother is calling all Filipinos, especially the Ilonggos, to do something special.
In his circular letter 230/25/2008, Jaro Archbishop Msgr. Angel Lagdameo wrote: “Let the parishioners be the Praying Army as our country faces the challenges or crises of our time.” The intention of this visit is for world peace, sanctification of the clergy and faithful of the archdiocese as we face the uncertain future.
Our patron, the “Our Lady of Candles”, based in Jaro, signifies the vocation of Iloilo which is to be the light of hope that would enkindle faith and love for our country and hopefully, the whole world as we enter into the greatest trials and darkness of all time.
For this reason, we are calling on all the parishioners to respond to the call of our Archbishop to offer prayers and penance during these days, February 12-14 – declared by our Archbishop as “Days of Prayer and Penance.”
The pilgrim statue will stay at the Jaro Cathedral up to the 14th of February, 10 a.m.
Iloilo, the Ilonggos and residents of the whole Archdiocese of Jaro, are indeed fortunate to be visited by Our Lady of Fatima through her miraculous icon. It is said that the face of this International Pilgrim Statue bears a striking likeness to the actual facial features of Our Blessed Virgin Mary as seen by the young Lucy when our Lady appeared to her and to Francesco and Jacinta at Fatima, in Portugal.
For this reason, this particular icon has been approved personally by Lucia herself for public veneration. What message does Our Lady’s third visit to Iloilo in so short a time - less than ten years, in fact - bring to us? Is she telling us to be more prayerful? Is she warning us of our defiant ways that have displeased her Son Jesus? Is she preparing Iloilo, the Ilonggos, and the entire Archdiocese of Jaro their future important role in her mission as the Immaculate Heart of Mary? Are we prepared to accept and assist in this mission for the triumph of Her Immaculate Heart.
Many stories have been read in the national dailies of statements made by both Fr. Stefano Gobbi and Sr. Lucia herself, when she was alive, about Our Lady telling them, separately, of the special role of Iloilo in her mission as the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Let us, then, Ilonggos, prepare for this role in our hearts and minds. Our Lady could be giving us this mission anytime soon.
So many difficulties are befalling us – typhoon Frank; the erratic weather conditions due to global-warming; the growing joblessness due to the on-going economic recession; the rampant and routine trend of mysterious murders in our local society; the drug problem; the disintegrating moral values and the permissiveness in society, media, and government; the routine government corruption; the decline of faith among lay people in some quarters; crisis in religious vocations; and secularization of the consecrated life in some congregations. Perhaps, Our Lady, seeing our helplessness in all these, has come to visit us personally all too soon, in behalf of her Son, Jesus, our Lord. Our Lady sees the urgency of this her 3rd visit to Iloilo. Shouldn’t we do our share by preparing our hearts and minds for her? We need to go to Confession; Jesus needs committed our hearts and hands for His Church, our Church. Do we see eager hands being raised and willing to assist?
with commentary by Armando A. Suñe
Message of our Mother to the Ilonggos
(Taken from Panay News, Thursday, February 12, 2009; contributed by MAMO – Marian Associations, Movements, and Organizations
ILOILO City – The International Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima is arriving for the third time in the Archdiocese of Jaro today (February 12) at 5 p.m. During her visits, many graces are given to the faithful.
According to its official custodian, it takes about 10 years for the statue to return to the place it had visited, making Iloilo very special. The icon had been here in 2002 and 2003.
This means the Blessed Mother is calling all Filipinos, especially the Ilonggos, to do something special.
In his circular letter 230/25/2008, Jaro Archbishop Msgr. Angel Lagdameo wrote: “Let the parishioners be the Praying Army as our country faces the challenges or crises of our time.” The intention of this visit is for world peace, sanctification of the clergy and faithful of the archdiocese as we face the uncertain future.
Our patron, the “Our Lady of Candles”, based in Jaro, signifies the vocation of Iloilo which is to be the light of hope that would enkindle faith and love for our country and hopefully, the whole world as we enter into the greatest trials and darkness of all time.
For this reason, we are calling on all the parishioners to respond to the call of our Archbishop to offer prayers and penance during these days, February 12-14 – declared by our Archbishop as “Days of Prayer and Penance.”
The pilgrim statue will stay at the Jaro Cathedral up to the 14th of February, 10 a.m.
Iloilo, the Ilonggos and residents of the whole Archdiocese of Jaro, are indeed fortunate to be visited by Our Lady of Fatima through her miraculous icon. It is said that the face of this International Pilgrim Statue bears a striking likeness to the actual facial features of Our Blessed Virgin Mary as seen by the young Lucy when our Lady appeared to her and to Francesco and Jacinta at Fatima, in Portugal.
For this reason, this particular icon has been approved personally by Lucia herself for public veneration. What message does Our Lady’s third visit to Iloilo in so short a time - less than ten years, in fact - bring to us? Is she telling us to be more prayerful? Is she warning us of our defiant ways that have displeased her Son Jesus? Is she preparing Iloilo, the Ilonggos, and the entire Archdiocese of Jaro their future important role in her mission as the Immaculate Heart of Mary? Are we prepared to accept and assist in this mission for the triumph of Her Immaculate Heart.
Many stories have been read in the national dailies of statements made by both Fr. Stefano Gobbi and Sr. Lucia herself, when she was alive, about Our Lady telling them, separately, of the special role of Iloilo in her mission as the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Let us, then, Ilonggos, prepare for this role in our hearts and minds. Our Lady could be giving us this mission anytime soon.
So many difficulties are befalling us – typhoon Frank; the erratic weather conditions due to global-warming; the growing joblessness due to the on-going economic recession; the rampant and routine trend of mysterious murders in our local society; the drug problem; the disintegrating moral values and the permissiveness in society, media, and government; the routine government corruption; the decline of faith among lay people in some quarters; crisis in religious vocations; and secularization of the consecrated life in some congregations. Perhaps, Our Lady, seeing our helplessness in all these, has come to visit us personally all too soon, in behalf of her Son, Jesus, our Lord. Our Lady sees the urgency of this her 3rd visit to Iloilo. Shouldn’t we do our share by preparing our hearts and minds for her? We need to go to Confession; Jesus needs committed our hearts and hands for His Church, our Church. Do we see eager hands being raised and willing to assist?
with commentary by Armando A. Suñe
Saturday, January 31, 2009
PHILIPPINES Devotees Pray To Santo Nino, Dance To Mark Feast Day
PHILIPPINES Devotees Pray To Santo Nino, Dance To Mark Feast Day
By John Francis Lagman
January 21, 2009
MANILA (UCAN) -- Erwin Gadia, 13, had one prayer to the Santo Nino (Holy Child) on the eve of the popular annual feast, "I wish all my goods sell." He sells colorful balloons at 25 pesos (US$0.53) each outside Santo Nino de Tondo Church. On a good day, he can earn 300 pesos, but some days he makes only a third of that. Whatever he earns, he gives half to his mother. He is third in a family of 12 children; dropped out of school after graduating from sixth grade "to help care for younger siblings." He starts work at 4 a.m., blowing up 100 balloons, and gets home around 6 p.m., "ready for sleep."
On the day before the Santo Nino fiesta, he looked forward to eating adobo, a local stew of chicken and pork.
Some people living near the church, however, had no feast to look forward to.
Augustinian priests brought the ivory image of the Santo Nino to the country from Acapulco, Mexico, in 1572. The present church reportedly traces its origins to a structure built in the 1800s, after the original convent and church were damaged by wars and an earthquake. Stories of miracles occurring in the midst of wars and natural disasters have surrounded the church and Santo Nino image. During World War II (1939-1945), when its roof was reportedly set on fire, the parish priest was said to have safely evacuated people from the church while carrying the image.
On Jan. 18, Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Manila, who lives in the parish, led the 6 p.m. feast day Mass. He told UCA News before the Mass, "I do not know whether the image of Santo Nino in Tondo is miraculous or not, but people flocking around it shows it promotes their devotion."
The bishop wondered whether this reflects their hope of sharing in the Child Jesus' "greatness despite being small." This is the message of the Gospel, that "the great ones are not the rich or powerful, but the lowly people," he added. "I hope we 'great' and 'powerful' people also take the challenge to be great in God's eyes by humbling ourselves, by attending to small people, the poor, homeless, children and powerless," the prelate said.
He noted that the parishioners, who are "mostly very poor," are also "very religious." They place religious statues at street corners, organize processions frequently and flock to church with their children for Friday novena Masses.
The previous day, some devotees danced down Tondo's streets waving statues of the Santo Nino. In the bishop's view, they were praying by "using body language to express themselves to God."
In our country, the feast of the Sto. Niño is one of the most celebrated. Street dancing and merrymaking mark this event. The dance steps tell of how we became a Catholic nation, our struggles as a community, our religiosity and our thanksgiving for a successful undertaking, be it in harvest, in business, even in battle.
We are also reminded of our responsibility to take care of one another, especially, those who are small, the weak and the poor, the homeless and the powerless.
May our faith be like the faith of a child – trusting, humble, innocent, pure – for the kingdom of God belongs to such as them.
May our religiosity not stop in the streets when we dance but be attuned and live our lives according to the Father’s will.
With Commentary by Ma. Rosario R. Tejada
By John Francis Lagman
January 21, 2009
MANILA (UCAN) -- Erwin Gadia, 13, had one prayer to the Santo Nino (Holy Child) on the eve of the popular annual feast, "I wish all my goods sell." He sells colorful balloons at 25 pesos (US$0.53) each outside Santo Nino de Tondo Church. On a good day, he can earn 300 pesos, but some days he makes only a third of that. Whatever he earns, he gives half to his mother. He is third in a family of 12 children; dropped out of school after graduating from sixth grade "to help care for younger siblings." He starts work at 4 a.m., blowing up 100 balloons, and gets home around 6 p.m., "ready for sleep."
On the day before the Santo Nino fiesta, he looked forward to eating adobo, a local stew of chicken and pork.
Some people living near the church, however, had no feast to look forward to.
Augustinian priests brought the ivory image of the Santo Nino to the country from Acapulco, Mexico, in 1572. The present church reportedly traces its origins to a structure built in the 1800s, after the original convent and church were damaged by wars and an earthquake. Stories of miracles occurring in the midst of wars and natural disasters have surrounded the church and Santo Nino image. During World War II (1939-1945), when its roof was reportedly set on fire, the parish priest was said to have safely evacuated people from the church while carrying the image.
On Jan. 18, Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Manila, who lives in the parish, led the 6 p.m. feast day Mass. He told UCA News before the Mass, "I do not know whether the image of Santo Nino in Tondo is miraculous or not, but people flocking around it shows it promotes their devotion."
The bishop wondered whether this reflects their hope of sharing in the Child Jesus' "greatness despite being small." This is the message of the Gospel, that "the great ones are not the rich or powerful, but the lowly people," he added. "I hope we 'great' and 'powerful' people also take the challenge to be great in God's eyes by humbling ourselves, by attending to small people, the poor, homeless, children and powerless," the prelate said.
He noted that the parishioners, who are "mostly very poor," are also "very religious." They place religious statues at street corners, organize processions frequently and flock to church with their children for Friday novena Masses.
The previous day, some devotees danced down Tondo's streets waving statues of the Santo Nino. In the bishop's view, they were praying by "using body language to express themselves to God."
In our country, the feast of the Sto. Niño is one of the most celebrated. Street dancing and merrymaking mark this event. The dance steps tell of how we became a Catholic nation, our struggles as a community, our religiosity and our thanksgiving for a successful undertaking, be it in harvest, in business, even in battle.
We are also reminded of our responsibility to take care of one another, especially, those who are small, the weak and the poor, the homeless and the powerless.
May our faith be like the faith of a child – trusting, humble, innocent, pure – for the kingdom of God belongs to such as them.
May our religiosity not stop in the streets when we dance but be attuned and live our lives according to the Father’s will.
With Commentary by Ma. Rosario R. Tejada
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