Peace

According to news reports, a demonstration was recently staged by the Bacolod diocese featuring Team Patay and Team Buhay propaganda banners. Just as the rally was underway, the heavens opened up and a heavy downpour dispersed the participants, leaving a lean crowd to continue with the meeting.

Following the same argument used by some of our religious leaders in explaining the calamities that have visited the country in recent times, perhaps the rain was the Lord’s way of expressing His displeasure over the politicking, the bickering, and the name-calling being carried out by his ministers. Perhaps it was a gentle reminder that religious leaders should join in efforts to unite the people rather than sow discord among the faithful.

We need voters who are able to make intelligent choices in the coming elections. Unfortunately, the great mass of our people are caught between an oligarchy that has the money and the influence to stay in power and a clergy that has barely moved out of the Middle Ages. Until there is a change in the mindset of these two powerful factions in our society, we shall continue to experience the same problems we have had from the time our nation achieved independence.

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During the past few weeks, the nation has been treated to a spate of attacks by NPA rebels taking advantage of the election period to fill up their coffers, mainly through the time-tested method of extortion from a public fearing for its safety.

Gingoog City Mayor Ruth Guingona, the wife of former Vice President Tito Guingona, was recently ambushed at a checkpoint manned by NPA rebels. Two of her bodyguards were killed. The NPA later apologized for their actions. How kind and gracious of them!

The convoy of Gov. Arturo Uy of Compostela Valley was stopped by NPA rebels, who pulled out and took hostage a policeman in the governor’s party. If they were thinking of a hostage, what better choice than the governor himself? Obviously the governor had friends among the attackers.

Last Friday, NPA rebels killed five soldiers and wounded two others, aside from burning the facilities of Philex Mining Corp. in southern Negros Occidental.

In the case of the Guingona ambush, Sen. TG Guingona III called on the NPA rebels to surrender those responsible for the attack on his mother. He did not ask the Armed Forces of the Philippines to pursue and capture the attackers. He is relying on the rebels to give up their men and subject them to our criminal justice system. What does this say about Guingona’s confidence in the military organization?

In the Compostela Valley hostaging, at the very least, one would be suspicious of the circumstances surrounding the incident. What actions have been taken to address these concerns?

The Negros Occidental attack sends a message that the “bayanihan” approach, while theoretically involving all elements of government, local as well as national, does not adequately address existing security problems in various communities.

In the face of all these violent incidents involving NPA elements, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin has advocated localized peace talks with communist rebels. At the national level, Alex Padilla, chief negotiator for the government, announced that it will no longer return to the negotiating table with the National Democratic Front (NDF) as he sees no progress in the peace process. It appears that the NDF is adopting the posture of one who has the upper hand and is capable of dictating the terms and conditions for peace. The rebels seem to forget that their leaders are in comfortable exile abroad. One should keep in mind the old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind.”

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The real good news (forget about ongoing election propaganda):

Five weeks after Fitch Ratings announced Manila’s elevation to investment-grade status, another credit watcher Standard & Poor’s gave the Philippines the same investment-grade rating of triple B minus (BBB-). Malacañang pointed out that the upgrade meant “lower borrowing costs translated to lower costs for hospitals, schools, and other vital structural improvements for the benefit of our people.”

Until President Aquino came along, no administration was able to bring about comparable investment-grade ratings from international credit agencies.

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The Department of Tourism announced that foreign tourist arrivals for the first quarter of 2013 reached 1.271 million, for a 10.76-percent growth from the 1.148 million in the same period last year. Monthly tourist arrivals have breached the 400,000 mark for four straight periods covering December, January, February, and March. Tourism officials reported that we are on track to reach 5.5 million arrivals for the year.

Foreign exchange earned from the tourism industry translates into more jobs for our people and greater strength for the economy.

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez must be commended for doing a terrific job.

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A few notes on Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World.”

Last April 24, Time magazine came out with its annual choices for the 100 most influential people in the world. For the second time in the 10 years of this list, a Filipino made it, this time in the “Leaders” category.

Noynoy Aquino, 53, president of the Philippines, was cited for “pushing through a reproductive rights law that many said was impossible in the fervently Catholic nation…. For his courage, he really should have the pet name the family gave his eldest sister Maria Elena: Ballsy.”

The first Filipino to make the list was Manny Pacquiao in 2009. He was included in the “Heroes and Icons” category. Former world heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis had this to say about Pacquiao: “Pound for pound, Manny Pacquiao is the best boxer in the world. [That was before he got knocked out by Juan Marquez in their fourth bout.] But even more important than holding that distinction, Manny has connected with the people of his home country the Philippines to the point where he is almost like a god.”

The write-up on P-Noy was done by Howard Chua-Eoan, the highest Filipino-American in the Time International organization. “Howie,” as he is known to family and friends, is news director of Time, a position he has occupied for more than 10 years. His recent articles were two cover stories on “The Once and Future Pope” and “Pope of the Americas.”

Howie is the nephew of House Speaker Sonny Belmonte and the late Betty Go-Belmonte. His mother Cecile is a younger sister of Betty.