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MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980

ISSN–1655-3853 • ENERO 16 - 22, 2009 • VOL. 30, NO. 03 • 8 PAHINA • P10.00

KAKAIBANG IBON — Buong layang lumilipad angblack-faced spoonbill na ito sa papawirin ng may32,000-ektaryang Candaba Swamp kung saan nama-malagi ang iba pang uri ng ibon kapag panahon ng

sus. Ang press conference sa Candaba, Pampangahinggil sa census ay dinaluhan ni Environment Secre-tary Lito Atienza (inset, itaas). — REY STA. ANA ng WILD BIRD CLUB

OF THE PHILIPPINES at PETER ALAGOS ng CENTRAL LUZON BUSINESS WEEK

taglamig sa ibayong dagat. Ang black-faced spoonbillat ang pied avocet (inset, ibaba) ay ang dalawang dipangkaraniwang uri ng waterbird na namataankaugnay ng katatapos lamang na Asian waterbird cen-

2 di pangkaraniwang uring ibon namataansa Candaba

Basahin ang ulat sa pahina 5

‘And then they came for me’MADUGO at marahas ang simula ng taong 2009 parasa mga mamamahayag.

Si Lasantha Wickrematunge, ang punong patnugotng pahayagang The Sunday Leader sa Sri Lanka, aypinagbabaril sa kanyang kotse noong Enero 8.

Ang pamamaslang kay Wickrematunge na itinu-turing na pangunahing press freedom campaigner sakanyang bansa ay nakapukaw sa pansin at damdaminng buong mundo dahil sa paglabas ng sinulat niyangobituaryo para sa kanyang sarili na may pamagat na“And then they came for me.”

Ito ay inilathala ng The Sunday Leader bilangeditoryal dahil sa kahilingan ni Wickrematunge nailalathala iyon kapag siya ay napaslang.

Basahin sa wikang Ingles ang “editorial from thegrave” sa pahina 4 at 5.

Taunang Census: Bumaba angbilang ng mga dayuhang ibon

Carmela Espanola at Mike Lu ng Wild Bird Club of thePhilippines (WBCP). — KUHA NI JUN OSANO, WBCP

NI DINO BALABO

CANDABA, Pampanga —Bumaba ang bilang ng mgaibon sa Candaba Swamp sabayang ito batay sa resultang isinagawang censusnitong Enero 17 kumparanoong nakaraang taon.

Masaya namang ibina-lita ng Wild Bird Club ofthe Philippines (WBCP) nanakakita sila ng dalawang“rare species” o di pangka-raniwang uri ng ibon saCandaba Swamp. (Basahinang kaugnay na balita saPahina 5.)

Binigyang diin ngWBCP ang kahalagahan ngpangangalaga sa “habitat”o tirahan ng mga ibon nakinabibilangan ng mgawaterbird at migratorybird upang mapanatilingligtas ang bansa sa kina-tatakutang sakit na bird fluna kumitil na sa buhay ngmahigit 100 katao saibayong dagat.

Iginiit pa ng samahan naisa rin itong paraan upangmaiwasan ang mga insi-

dente ng pagsalpok ng mgaibon sa eroplano, katuladng nangyari sa Amerikakung saan ay bumagsak angUS Airways Flight 1549 saHudson River sa New Yorknoong Enero 14. (Basahinang kaugnay na balita sapahinang ito.)

Ayon kay Michael Lu,pangulo ng WBCP, umabotlamang sa 12,613 ang na-bilang nilang mga ibon saCandaba Swamp kumparasa 17,000 naitala noongnakaraang taon.

Ang Candaba Swamp ayisa sa limang wetland sanc-tuary na pinamamalagianng mga dayong ibon saGitnang Luzon.

Ang apat pang wetlandsa rehiyon ay matatagpuansa Lungsod ng Balanga saBataan, Macabebe sa Pam-panga, Paitan Lake at Pan-tabangan Dam sa NuevaEcija.

Sinabi ni Lu na isa samga dahilan ng pagbaba ngbilang ng mga ibon saCandaba Swamp ay angmaagang pagtatanim ng

mga magsasaka ng palay samga kalapit na bukirin.“Medyo nabulabog angmga ibon, pero hindi na-man sila masyadong la-layo,” ani Lu.

Iginiit niya na ang pag-kasira ng tirahan ng mgaibon ay isa rin sa mga da-

hilan.Ipinaliwanag naman

nina Environment Secre-tary Lito Atienza at MayorJerry Pelayo ng bayang itona isa sa mga dahilan ngpagkasira ng tirahan ngmga ibon ay ang polusyon.

sundan sa pahina 8

WBWBCPCP: Pangalagaan: Pangalagaanang tirahan ng ibonang tirahan ng ibonCANDABA, Pampanga — May kaugnayan ba angpagkasira ng tirahan o “habitat” ng mga ibon atang pagsalpok nila sa mga eroplano katulad ngnangyari sa US Airways Flight 1549 na sumadsadHudson River sa New York noong Enero 14?

Mayroon.Kaya’t iginiit ni Michael Lu, pangulo ng Wild

Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP), ang pana-wagan sa pangangalaga sa mga tirahan ng mgawaterbird, ang grupo ng mga ibong kinabibilanganng mga migratory o dayong ibon at mga ibong diumaalis sa bansa tulad ng mga pato.

Sa pakikipanayam ng Mabuhay kay Lu nitongEnero 17, sinabi niya na lubhang mahalaga angpagpapanatili ng mga tirahan ng mga ibon.

Ito ay hindi lamang upang maiwasan angpagkalat ng sakit na bird flu na kumitil na ngbuhay ng maraming tao sa ibayong dagat, sa halipay upang maiwasan din ang mga insidente ng mgatinatawag na bird strike o pagsalpok ng mga ibonsa makina ng mga lumilipad na eroplano namaaaring maging dahilan ng pagbagsak nito.

Ayon kay Lu, ang wetland o latian na katuladng Candaba Swamp ay natural na tirahan ng mgawaterbird.

“Parang sa NLEX ’yan. Wetlands serve as refu-eling stations of migratory birds, kaya kapag nasira’yung habitat, they are forced to fly longer and some-times kung saan-saan na sila napupunta just tofeed,” aniya.

Sinabi ng dating pangulo ng WBCP na masmakabubuting manatili ang mga ibon sa kanilang

sundan sa pahina 8

2 MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980 ENERO 16 - 22, 2009

EDITORIALAlfredo M. Roxas, Jose Romulo Q. Pavia, JoseGerardo Q. Pavia, Joey N. Pavia , Jose Visitacion Q.Pavia, Carminia L. Pavia, Perfecto Raymundo Jr.,Dino Balabo

PRODUCTIONJose Antonio Q. Pavia, Jose Ricardo Q. Pavia,Mark F. Mata, Maricel P. Dayag

PHOTOGRAPHY / ARTEden Uy, Allan Peñaredondo, Joseph Ryan S.Pavia

BUSINESS / ADMINISTRATIONLoreto Q. Pavia, Marilyn L. Ramirez, Peñaflor Crystal,J. Victorina P. Vergara, Cecile S. Pavia, LuisFrancisco, Domingo Ungria, Harold T. Raymundo,Jennifer T. Raymundo, Rhoderick T. Raymundo

CIRCULATIONRobert T. Raymundo, Armando M. Arellano,Jess Camaro, Fred Lopez

The Mabuhay is published weekly by theMABUHAY COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES —DTI Permit No. 00075266, March 6, 2006 to March6, 2011, Malolos, Bulacan.

The Mabuhay is entered as Second Class MailMatter at the San Fernando, Pampanga Post Officeon April 30, 1987 under Permit No. 490; and asThird Class Mail Matter at the Manila Central PostOffice under permit No. 1281-99-NCR dated Nov.15, 1999. ISSN 1655-3853

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MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980

Jose L. PaviaPublisher/Editor

Perfecto V. RaymundoAssociate Editor

Anthony L. PaviaManaging Editor

e-mailmabuhaynews25@yahoo.com

EDITORYAL

Paalala lang!HINDI lamang pagbilang sa mga ibon ang layunin ng isinagawang AsianWaterbird Census sa Candaba Swamp noong Sabado, Enero 17. Sahalip, isa iyong paalala sa patuloy na pag-iingat ng bawat isa laban sakinatatakutang sakit na bird flu at pangangalaga ng kalikasan.

Ayon sa mga opisyal, malaki ang kaugnayan ng pangangalaga ngkalikasan sa posibilidad ng pagkalat ng sakit na bird flu. Sinabi ni MichaelLu ng Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, makabubuting manatili ang mgaibon sa Candaba Swamp na nagsisilbing pansamantalang tahanan ngmga ito bawat taon, upang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng sakit.

Binigyang diin niya na kapag nasira ang Candaba Swamp dahil sapolusyon, mamamatay ang mga organismo doon kabilang ang mgasuso at isda na pagkain ng mga ibon. At kapag nawalan ng pagkain,magsisialis ang mga ibon upang humanap ng makakain sa ibang lugar,kaya’t tataas ang posibilidad na magkaroon ng bird flu.

Inayunan naman ito ni Mayor Jerry Pelayo ng Candaba, Pampangana nagsabing nilabanan nila ang pagpapatapon ng maruming tubigmula sa mga babuyan sa San Miguel, Bulacan ilang taon na ang naka-karaan upang mapigil ang polusyon sa swamp at manatili doon ang mgasuso at isda na pagkain ng ibon.

Iginiit pa ni Pelayo na sinadya nilang huwag palagyan ng kuryenteang nasabing lugar upang hindi maengganyo ang mga tao na manirahandoon, nang sa gayon ay hindi mabulabog ang mga ibon at magsialis.

Di lang kalikasan kundi tao mismoNGUNIT hindi lamang mga ibong gala ang dapat ingatan sa atingpangangalaga sa kalikasan, kundi pati ang mga mamamayan mismo. Itoang malinaw na mensahe ng paghahayag ng Mabuhay sa operasyonng Ming Hong Trading, ang planta na nagsusunog ng lumang gulong sabayan ng Norzagaray, Bulacan na inireklamo ng mga residente doon.

Batay sa huling balitang inilathala ng Mabuhay, tumigil na angMing Hong ngunit hindi pa alam ng pamahalaang lokal kung paano itopapapanagutin sa mga nilabag na batas noong nagdaang taon.

Ang sabi ni Mayor Feliciano Legazpi ng Norzagaray, Bulacan aydapat ang mga mamamayan ang magsampa ng kaso laban sa MingHong upang panagutan ang mga paglabag nito sa batas.

Para sa pahayagang Mabuhay, ito ay isang kabalintunaan.Tayo ay nabubuhay sa ilalim ng pamahalaang inilalarawan bilang

“representative democracy” na ang prinsipyo ay kinakatawan angmamamayan ng mga opisyal na kanilang ibinoto.

Kung pahayag ni Mayor Legazpi ang pagbabasehan, maitatanongnatin sa ating mga sarili, bakit pa natin sila ibinoto at ano halaga ngpagiging kinatawan nila?

Bukod dito, hindi ba’t ang mga halal na opisyal ay sumumpa nasila’y tutupad sa tungkulin kung saan ay kanilang ipatutupad ang batasat bibigyang proteksyon ang mamamayang kanilang nasasakupan?

Sa diwang ito, mas higit na nakakahugis ang mga katagang “der-eliction of duty” na karaniwang nababanggit ng mga opisyal na bumaba-tikos sa kapwa opisyal.

Paalala lang kaibigan! Kung ang mga taong binigyan natin ngkapangyarihan na kumatawan sa atin ay ayaw kumilos dahil hindi alamang gagawin o dahil sa natatakot, mas makabubuting tayo na mismoang kumilos at isangtabi natin sila sa susunod na halalan.

Kastigo BIENVENIDO A. RAMOS

Maling konsepto ng ekonomiyaKUNG totoo ang pagyayabang ngAdministrasyong Arroyo, lalo nang kanyang mga financial man-ager, na sa kabila ng pandaig-digang krisis sa pananalapi, angekonomiya ng Pilipinas ay nana-natiling matatag ay bakit pa-tuloy pang isinusulong ng naka-raraming mersenaryong tong-gresman ang Cha-cha — pagpa-palit o pagbabago sa konstitusyon— upang umano’y magpasok ngmga ‘repormang pang-ekono-miya’ sa kasalukuyang Saligam-batas?

Sa aminin o hindi ni Pangu-long Macapagal-Arroyo at ngkanyang mga financial manager,ang mga patakaran ng admi-nistrasyon, lalo na ang kaugnayng ekonomiya, ay anti-poor, atkontra sa interes ng mga Pilipino.

Sa ibang salita, ang ano mangpagsulong ng ekonomiya ay mganegosyante, pulitiko — mga ma-yayaman lang ang nakikinabang.At ang mga puhunang dayuhanat mga dayuhang institusyon sa

pananalapi — tulad ng WorldBank, Asian Development Bank,International Monetary Fund —na kinababaunan na sa utang ngPilipinas.

Ekonomiya ng kabalighuanANG totoo, ang sakripisyo ngnakararaming masa ng mahi-hirap na Pilipino ang pundasyonng katatagan ng ekonomiyangipinagyayabang ng Administras-yong Arroyo: ang E-VAT at angmay $17-bilyong remittance ngmga OFW.

Ang E-VAT ang dagdag nabuwis na sanhi ng patuloy na pag-hihirap ng mga Pilipino, saman-talang ang may $17-bilyong re-mittance ng mga OFW ay kitangtinutumbasan ng mga OFW ngdugo, pawis, buhay, dangal atkapurihan ng mga domestichelper, caregiver at kababaihangnagagahasa, pinagmamalupitanng mga among dayuhan.

Ang nakakalunos ay ang kaba-baihang nalinlang ng mga re-

cruiter at sapilitang pinagbebentang aliw at ginagawang sex slave.

Maling konsepto ng patakaranANG bulag na paniwalang angpagbibigay-luwag sa mga da-yuhan na makapag-angkin ngkapantay o higit pang karapatankaysa mga Pilipino sa kalakal,industriya at paglinang ng mgalikas na yaman ang dahilangumano’y nilalayon ng pagpipilitna isulong ang Cha-cha.

Halimbawang totoo ngang itoang layunin ng mga pilit na nag-susulong ng Cha-cha, hindi pa rinsapat ang mga ito upang ma-ganyak na dito mamuhunan angmga foreign investor. Bakit?

Ang inirereklamo ng mgadayuhang kapitalista, na hindinila itinatago, ay ang sobrang redtape sa gobyerno, sobrang ka-takawan sa tongpats, kickback,komisyon, at pagpapataas ngpresyo ng mga opisyal ng gob-yerno na nakikipagkasundo o

sundan sa pahina 6

Promdi DINO BALABO

Philippines’ most wantedPARANG telenovela ang buhay ngmga Pinoy. Walang patid angiskandalo sa gobyerno kaya’tmarami ang nawawalan ng ganaat respeto sa mga institusyon atmga taong kumakatawan sa mgaito.

Ngunit sa kabila ng mga is-kandalo, may mga taong namu-mukod tangi ang karakter tuladni Marines Major FerdinandMarcelino ng Philippine DrugEnforcement Agency (PDEA) nanagbulgar sa tangkaang panu-nuhol sa kaso ng Alabang Boys omga kabataang nasangkot sailegal na droga.

* * *Para sa kaalaman ng marami,

si Marcelino ay nagmula sa Ba-rangay Sta. Elena sa bayan ngHagonoy. Siya ay pang-11 sa 13magkakapatid.

Nagtapos si Major Marcelinobilang valedictorian sa Sta. ElenaElementary School; napabilang saTop 10 ng class 1988 ng St.Anne’s Catholic High School(SACHS); at Class 1994 sa Phil-ippine Military Academy (PMA)sa Baguio City.

* * *Dahil sa katapangan at pani-

nindigan, ipinagmamalaki si Ma-jor Marcelino ng kanyang pa-milya, mga guro sa SACHS,kaibigan at mga kababayan.

“Kailangan ng bansa ang mgataong katulad niya,” ani ng mgaguro ni Major Marcelino saSACHS. “Karangalan siya ngSACHS at ng bayan ng Hagonoy.”

* * *Totoo ang sinabi ng mga taga-

Hagonoy. Kailangan ng bansa angmga taong may paninindigantulad ni Marcelino, kaya’t maitu-turing siyang kabilang sa “Phil-ippines’ Most Wanted”.

Ito ay dahil na rin sa pananawng marami na ang karaniwan samga opisyal o taong kumaka-tawan sa gobyerno ngayon aysangkot sa korapsyon.

* * *Ngunit hindi lamang Pilipinas

ang nangangailangan ng mgataong matatapat at may pani-nindigan kundi buong mundo.

Dahil dito, nais ng Promdi naibahagi sa inyo ang sinulat ni J.Allan Petersen, na nakuha sa

internet, na may titulong, “Whatthe world needs”.

Ayon kay Petersen, “the worldneeds men who cannot be bought;whose word is their bond; who putcharacter above wealth; who pos-sess opinions and a will; who arelarger than their vocations; whodo not hesitate to take chances;who will not lose their individual-ity in a crowd; who will be as hon-est in small things as in greatthings; who will make no compro-mise with wrong; whose ambi-tions are not confined to their ownselfish desires; who will not saythey do it “because everybody doesit”; who are true to their friendsthrough good report and evil re-port, in adversity as well as inprosperity; who do not believe thatshrewdness, cunning, and hard-headedness are the best qualitiesfor winning success; who are notashamed or afraid to stand for thetruth when it is not unpopular, whocan say “no” with emphasis, al-though all the rest of the world says“yes!”

*** sundan sa pahina 6

Kakampi mo ang Batas ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO

Mga kontrata sa paggawaTANONG: Good evening, Sir.Naka-receive po ako ng letterngayon na nagde-demand mag-bayad ng mahigit P85,000 in 10days or they will take all legalaction necessary.

Napakalaking halaga po nitopara sa aking pamilya. Sanamatulungan ninyo po ako kungano ang dapat gawin.

Nagsimula po ako sa kumpan-yang ito noong May 2007 at nagAWOL noong August 2007. Basesa kontratang pinirmahan ko,meron akong binding contract natwo years kapalit ng trainings naibibigay nila and may fee nakailangan bayaran kung aalis akosa kumpanya ng mas maaga.

Tinanggap ko ang offer na itona umaasang mabibigyan ng ta-mang trainings. Subalit sa halosthree months ko, wala akong na-receive na maayos na trainingbukod sa pagbabasa online.

Inassign akong magtrabaho saisang project na walang formaltraining. Dahil sa hindi ako na-sisiyahan sa takbo ng career ko sakumpanya, naisipan kong umalis.At dahil wala ako pambayad sa

kontrata, nagdecide akong mag-AWOL.

Nung February 2008, nagpa-dala ng e-mail ang kumpanya napinagbabayad ako ng magihitP85,000 at may taong binigay silakung sakali gusto ko manghinging detalye ng computation.

Dahil sa napakalaki ng hala-gang hinihingi nila, nagpadala akong request for details sa taong itonoong February 19, 2008 andinulit ko ang request ng February23, 2008. Subalit, hanggang sangayon wala ako nareceive nasagot. Dahil dito, inisip ko nahindi na sila maghahabol tutalwala naman akong na-receive natrainings. Subalit ngayon, naka-receive ako ng sulat na nagde-demand na mag bayad in 10 daysfrom receipt of letter or “In theevent that you fail to comply withthis demand, we will be forced totake all legal action necessary andavailable to protect our interest in-cluding filing appropriate legalaction against you.”

Nakalagay sa naka-attach nacomputation, meron collectible saakin na negative 10 days VL na

halagang P10,849 at Overtimepay na halagang P96,870.

Sa pagkakatanda ko, dahil sawala pa akong 3 mos at hindi regu-lar, wala pa akong VL at lalo nanghindi nagbabayad ng OT pay angkumpanya. Nagpadala ako ulit nge-mail sa kanila para sabihin nawalang sumasagot sa e-mail re-quests ko nung February. Humi-hingi ako ng explanation kungpaano nacompute yung ganun col-lectible considering na walanaman ako nareceive na pay re-lated sa VL and lalo na sa OT.

Tanong ko po. Dapat ko pobang bayaran ang hinihingi nila?Ano po ang dapat kong gawin? Satotoo po, masyadong malakitalaga ito para sa pamilya ko.Hindi naman po maginhawabuhay namin. Kung kelangan kopo talaga magbayad dahil sakontrata, meron po bang pwedegawin para mabawasan ang hini-hingi nila? Sana po ay matulu-ngan ninyo ako at aking pamilya.Maraming salamat in advance.Sincerely, Cathy.

— cathyschan@yahoo.com sundan sa pahina 6

ENERO 16 - 22, 2009 MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980 3

Depthnews JUAN L. MERCADO

Weekend breather

Regarding Henry

HENRYLITO D. TACIO

Cebu Calling FR. ROY CIMAGALA

Good and evil reversed

RECENTLY, the Asian edition ofReader’s Digest featured a pro-file of Manny Pacquiao, the cur-rent World Boxing Council Light-weight Champion. Jim Plouffe,my editor-in-chief, asked himabout his childhood (which hespent in poverty in GeneralSantos City), how he reached thetop (he turned professional whenhe was only 16!), and what hewould do once he leaves the ringfor good (will he become a politi-cian?).

Although training and boxingtake so much of his time, he stillfinds time to be with his family,relax and study (he is a regularstudent at the Notre Dame ofDadiangas University). When hewas asked how he manages histime, Manny replied, “The mostimportant thing is discipline. Toget your dream you need disci-pline.”

It’s not enough to dream. Evenif you dream big and work hard,but if you have no discipline inwhatever you do, you are boundto fail. “No one achieves and sus-tains success without discipline,”wrote New York Times bestsell-ing author John C. Maxwell.

Manage your time well. Dothings that will advance your ca-reer instead of doing those thatwill destroy it. If there are jobsto be done, do them according towhat you have planned. Acceptworks which you can do and oncein a while act on those assign-ments which are impossible (butyou sure can do them!). But rec-ognize the fact that you are notsuper human. Don’t accept any-thing unless you will have timeto do them. Assess yourself be-fore committing anything.

In all you do, remember to ob-serve discipline. “Nothing of im-portance is ever achieved with-out discipline,” Bertrand Russell

says. “I feel myself sometimes notwholly in sympathy with somemodern educational theorists,because I think that they under-estimate the part that disciplineplays. But the discipline you havein your life should be one deter-mined by your own desires andyour own needs, not put upon youby society or authority.”

“Sa ikauunlad ng bayan,displina ang kailangan.” Thiswas one of the most often quotedlines during the New Society ini-tiated by then president Ferdi-nand E. Marcos. Literally, itmeans that to make our countrymove forward to greater heights,we need discipline.

If only Filipinos at that timefollowed that mantra, the Phil-ippines would have been alongwith Singapore now in terms ofprogress. During a leadershipconference, Singaporean PrimeMinister Lee Kuan Yew sharedhow he built his country fromnothing to where it is today. “Ashowcase of Asia without poverty,without the overcrowding, orspace,” observed one author.

To think barely a generationago Singapore was far worse thanmany of its peers. When Lee KuanYew first started to lead Sin-gapore, he asked his think tankto visit neighboring Asian coun-tries like the Philippines, Indo-nesia, Vietnam, Laos, and Cam-bodia, and figure out what theydon’t have. When his people re-turned, they gave him a unani-mous observation: they lackeddiscipline. So to differentiateSingapore from its neighbors, hedecided to build his country ondiscipline.

In a speech delivered during agraduation at the Silliman Uni-versity in Dumaguete, MenardoG. Jimenez, explained to the new

continued on page 7

What we need is discipline(From Thailand, a friend e-mailed:“You’ve brightened many week-ends for me by sharing jokes. Letme reciprocate.” Here is what thisfriend sent. Enjoy! – JLM)

FIVE surgeons were discussingthe types of people they preferredto operate on. “I like to see ac-countants on my operating table,”the first said. “Why? Becausewhen you open them up, every-thing inside is numbered.”

“Yeah, but you should try elec-tricians!,” says the second doctor.“Everything inside them is colorcoded.” That’s fine. But I stillthink librarians are the best,”chimes in the third. “Everythinginside them is in alphabeticalorder. “You know, I like construc-tion workers best,” says thefourth surgeon. Those guys al-ways understand when you havea few parts left over.”

But its was fifth surgeon whoshut them all up. “You’re allwrong. Politicians are the easiestto operate on,” he said. There’s noguts, no heart, no balls, no brainsand no spine, and the head and thearse are interchangeable.”

When people swap travel tales,they invariably include startlingjokes that crackle over theairplane’s public address system.Here are some, e-mailed by ourwell-travelled friend from Thai-land .

“Delta Airlines is pleased tohave some of the best flight at-tendants in the industry,” the pi-lot said in his welcome spiel.“Unfortunately, none of them areon this flight!”

Southwest Airlines does nothave assigned seating. You plunkdown where you want. And on thisflight, passengers apparently hada hard time choosing. “People,people! We’re not picking out fur-niture here,” the flight attendantannounced. “Just find a seat andget in it!”

And when everybody was fi-nally seated, the pre-flight in-structions came: “To fasten yourseat belt, insert the metal tab intothe buckle, and pull tight. Itworks just like every other seatbelt. And if you don’t know howto operate one, you probablyshouldn’t be out in public unsu-pervised.”

American Airlines, however,had an add-on for its instructionson emergency exits: “There maybe 50 ways to leave your lover.But there are only four ways outof this airplane.”

For sudden loss of cabin pres-sure, Garuda Airlines had thisguideline “Oxygen masks willdescend from the ceiling. Stopscreaming. Grab the mask, andpull it over your face. If you havea small child traveling with you,secure your mask before assist-ing with theirs. If you are travel-ing with more than one smallchild, pick your favorite.”

Prior to take off came theweather report from the cockpitof this Thai International 747flight. “Weather at our destina-tion is 50 degrees with some bro-ken clouds. But don’t worry.,We’ll try to have them fixed be-fore we arrive. Thank you. Andremember, nobody loves you, oryour money, more than Thai In-ternational.”

“Your seat cushions can beused for flotation,” Alitalia tellsit’s passengers. “In the event of

continued on page 7

WE have to be more aware of thistricky phenomenon, and moreadept as well in handling it well.This can be an abiding challengefor all of us.

I mean, what is good can be-come evil, and what is evil canbecome good. What is right canbecome wrong, and vice-versa.This phenomenon, actually verycommon, is iconized in the par-able of the Pharisee and thepublican. (cfr Lk 18,10-14)

The Pharisee was the epitomeof goodness and correctness. Hefasted twice a week, gave tithesof all what he possessed. But hisrighteousness converted hisprayer into a boast, and it simplyshowed he was separated fromGod.

The publican considered him-self the receptacle of all possiblemoral sewage. He could hardlylift up his eyes toward heaven.His prayer dripped with com-punction, but it reconciled himwith God.

We have to understand thatgood and evil is a matter ofwhether one is with God or not.Good is good because one is with

God. Evil is evil because he is notwith God. It’s as simple as that.

Our problem is that insteadof referring things — ourthoughts, words and actions —to God, we refer them only to ourown idea of what is good and evil.

Not much wrong there really.After all, all things we do have tobe referred to our own idea ofgood and evil. Except that it’s anidea that has been severed fromits proper source and basis — Godhimself.

In short, we make ourselvesour own God, our ultimate sourceof what is good and bad, what iscorrect and wrong. That’s wherethe problems come in, where thebugs and viruses enter to corruptour otherwise good idea.

That is why, everyday and veryoften during the day, we need tocheck whether our idea of goodand evil is still vitally linked withGod. We have to be wary with ourtendency to just flow in a certainroutine and inertia of goodnessthat has already deadened ourliving connection with God.

How many times have we ob-served people who are bright but

are proud and vain, wise but sar-castic, bursting with good inten-tions but painfully lacking incharity? They have become self-righteous.

There have been cases wherewe see objectively good qualities,like their high intelligence, su-perb eloquence, admirable workhabits, etc., ceasing to be a bless-ing but have become a curse tothem and to others.

These qualities have becomean occasion to dominate others,to so distort their proper use thatthey stop serving God and othersbut have become self-serving.They can even degenerate intosick obsessive-compulsive com-plexes (OC).

I like to think that the cur-rent American economic catastro-phe is a microcosm of this phe-nomenon. The Americans’ fron-tiersman spirit and entrepre-neurial ways have been misusedand have led them to where theyare now, since America ’s bodypolitic can only take so much.

What can happen is that whenwrongly grounded and directed,

continued on page 7

Ka Iking Reports

IKE SEÑERES

Modern farms

Forward to Basics FR. FRANCIS B. ONGKINGCO

The 3 o’clock habit

THE convergence of technologiesshould not only happen in the in-formation and communicationstechnologies, it should also hap-pen in agricultural and industrialtechnologies. For some reason, noone seems to be talking aboutautomating or computerizing ag-ricultural processes, but I thinkthat it is a logical and practicalidea to pursue.

I have written about the sub-ject of Process Logic Controllers(PLCs) before, but I think that itis time to again follow up on thistopic. Simply put, a PLC is thebrain of an automated system. Ina manner of speaking, a PLC couldbe likened to the engine of a ma-chine, being the one that runs theoperation of machineries.

This comparison is actuallyinexact, because a PLC actuallyhas a higher function than an en-gine, given the fact that a PLCcould run and automate the op-eration and the synchronizationof mechanical engines. To someextent, a PLC could be likened toa personal computer (PC) exceptfor the fact that a PLC has ahigher and more robust process-ing power than a PC. Adding tothe comparison, a PLC is morelike a server than a terminal.

In Israel, agricultural farmsare networked in such a way thatservers are able to deliver waterand liquid fertilizers to specificfarm sections, as the demand for

water is triggered by moisturesensors.

To some extent, this program-mable and addressable infrastruc-ture could be likened to the pro-grammable and addressable pro-cess of delivering video signals tocable television customers whoare ordering pay per view shows.

For some reasons, the purposeof irrigation systems in the Phil-ippines seems to be limited onlyto rice, which is really very lim-ited in purpose. When will ourgovernment planners ever reachthe consciousness that irrigationor water is also needed by fruits,vegetables, poultry, livestock andeven tree farms? In Thailand,they irrigate and water their co-conut which is a rather alien con-cept here.

Since the price of PVC pipeshave gone down, why don’t weshift our irrigation design to pipe-lines so that we could irrigatemore farms? In Israel, theypumped water 300 kilometersinland. Why can’t we do it here?

* * *E-mail iseneres@yahoo.com

or text me at +639293605140.Watch my TV show “KA IKINGLIVE” every Friday from 930 to1030 PM in Destiny Cable Chan-nel 3. Tune in to “KAPIT-BAYAN” in DWIZ 882 KHZ 5 to6 PM Mon to Fri. Join the Inter-Charity Network. Form your lo-cal chapter.

“MOM, would you like anotherglass of water?” Pablo asked hisbedridden mother.

“Yes, anak (son), … if youdon’t mind,” she tried speaking,but her body’s pain only allowedher to whisper to her son now.

Her words stabbed Pablo’sheart, as he felt that even at sucha stage in her cancer she contin-ued to shower him with affectionand understanding.

“Mom, you don’t have to saythat, you know that I’m ready…,” he stammered as he felt alump in his throat. He controlledhimself so as not to cry. It wouldonly make mom feel worse.

“But you haven’t taken din-ner yet, anak,” she whisperedwith a smile. It was just too muchfor Pablo. He could no longer con-trol the tears that fell andbounced off the bed’s newlychanged linens.

“Mom, I’m okay,” he sobbed.

“It’s time to take your painkill-ers. I will take dinner after-wards.”

“I’ll take the pills right away,”she replied, “so you can alreadyeat.”

Pablo was crying as he gentlyplaced a pill on her parchedtongue. He had to change the topicotherwise it will be anothersleepless night of conversationsbetween him and his mother. Hishands shook as he helped herdrink from a glass of water.

“Mom,” he wiped his eyes, “doyou know that I will be startingmy doctorate next year?”

“I told you so,” an evidentsmile formed on her lips after shemanaged to swallow the pill. “Re-member …,” she began speakingwith her eyes closed, as thoughshe was talking in her sleep.

“Mom, you don’t have to,”Pablo interrupted her.

“No, no …,” she gently waved

her hand towards her, asking himto listen.

“Okay, but remember …, youneed to sleep. Doctor’s orders!”Pablo tried to be firm and affec-tionate at the same time.

“Yes, yes…,” she tried to smileand cleared her throat a little.

“Some water?”“No, thank you.” She slowly

inhaled deeply. “I told you whenyou were in Grade 5, that I willnever give up on you … do youremember?”

“Kinnda,” Pablo replied.“What exactly did you mean bythat.

“Well, you started becomingrebellious at that age … [COUGH-ING] …” Pablo drew a glass ofwater to her lips. “I’m alright,anak … just my saliva.” Shesipped a bit of water. “Thankyou.”

“Remember?” she opened her continued on page 7

4 MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980 ENERO 16 - 22, 2009

And then they came for me(Editors note: Following is the edi-torial published by The SundayLeader of Sri Lanka after themurder of its editor-in-chiefLasantha Wickrematunge. Hewrote his own obituary for publi-cation on the event of his assassi-nation).

NO OTHER profession calls onits practitioners to lay down theirlives for their art save the armedforces and, in Sri Lanka, journal-ism. In the course of the past fewyears, the independent mediahave increasingly come under at-tack. Electronic and print-mediainstitutions have been burnt,bombed, sealed and coerced.Countless journalists have beenharassed, threatened and killed.It has been my honour to belongto all those categories and nowespecially the last.

I have been in the business ofjournalism a good long time. In-deed, 2009 will be The SundayLeader’s 15th year. Many thingshave changed in Sri Lanka dur-ing that time, and it does notneed me to tell you that thegreater part of that change hasbeen for the worse. We find our-selves in the midst of a civil warruthlessly prosecuted by protago-nists whose bloodlust knows nobounds. Terror, whether perpe-trated by terrorists or the state,has become the order of the day.Indeed, murder has become theprimary tool whereby the stateseeks to control the organs of lib-erty. Today it is the journalists,tomorrow it will be the judges.For neither group have the risksever been higher or the stakeslower.

Why then do we do it? I oftenwonder that. After all, I too am ahusband, and the father of threewonderful children. I too have re-sponsibilities and obligationsthat transcend my profession, beit the law or journalism. Is itworth the risk? Many people tellme it is not. Friends tell me torevert to the bar, and goodnessknows it offers a better and saferlivelihood. Others, including po-litical leaders on both sides, haveat various times sought to induceme to take to politics, going sofar as to offer me ministries ofmy choice. Diplomats, recogniz-ing the risk journalists face in Sri

Editor’s killing underscores perils of reporting in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, 52 was shot in the head and cheston his way to work by two men on motorcycles.

BY EMILY WAX

WASHINGTON POST FOREIGN SERVICE

NEW DELHI — Across South Asia, it hasbecome known as the letter from the grave.

Anticipating his own slaying, SriLankan journalist Lasantha Wickrematu-nge, 52, a fierce critic of his country’s gov-ernment, wrote an editorial called “AndThen They Came for Me,” a dramatic es-say to be printed in the event of his assas-sination.

On Jan. 8, the father of three was shotin the head and chest on his way to workby two men on motorcycles. The editorial,published the following Sunday, has high-lighted how dangerous reporting in SriLanka has become. Critics cite a growingpattern of intimidation by the govern-ment, especially during a recent push towipe out the separatist Liberation Tigersof Tamil Eelam, or Tamil Tigers, in a warthat has persisted for more than two de-cades, one of the world’s longest-runningconflicts.

“Murder has become the primary toolwhereby the state seeks to control the or-gans of liberty,” Wickrematunge wrote inthe self-penned obituary published in theSunday Leader, the newspaper that he andhis brother founded 15 years ago. “Todayit is the journalists, tomorrow it will bethe judges. For neither group have therisks ever been higher or the stakes lower.”

Sri Lanka is one of the world’s mostdangerous places for reporters, humanrights groups say. In the past two years, atleast eight journalists have been killed,according to the Committee to ProtectJournalists. Wickrematunge was killedtwo days after an attack on the country’slargest private television station, MBCNetworks, by 15 masked gunmen withgrenades. In late September, there was a

grenade attack on the family home of J.C.Weliamuna, a prominent human rights ad-vocate and executive director of Transpar-ency International Sri Lanka, an indepen-dent watchdog group.

Journalism was a “call of conscience,”Wickrematunge wrote in his essay. “Noother profession calls on its practitionersto lay down their lives for their art savethe armed forces and, in Sri Lanka, jour-nalism,” the essay began. “In the courseof the past few years, the independent me-dia have increasingly come under attack.Electronic and print-media institutionshave been burnt, bombed, sealed and co-erced. Countless journalists have been ha-rassed, threatened and killed. It has beenmy honor to belong to all those categoriesand now especially the last.”

“There’s now a climate of total impu-nity since there hasn’t been a single suc-cessful prosecution of any of these deathsor attacks,” said Jehan Perera, a closefriend of Wickrematunge’s who workswith the independent National PeaceCouncil of Sri Lanka in Colombo, the capi-tal. “We all wondered how long LasanthaWickramatunga could survive. We thoughtthat as long as he was still with us therewas still some space for dissent and fordemocracy. With his assassination, thatspace closes completely.”

Wickrematunge pushed for that spaceto be opened. In a country where the gov-ernment has been accused of widespreadcorruption, he once obtained the credit-card details of a minister, proving that hisbills were being illegally paid for by a for-eign corporation hoping to invest on thelush island. Wickrematunge received nu-merous death threats throughout his ca-reer and was known for encouragingyounger journalists to report on the war,

continued on page 5

Lanka, have offered me safe pas-sage and the right of residence intheir countries. Whatever else Imay have been stuck for, I havenot been stuck for choice.

But there is a calling that isyet above high office, fame, lucreand security. It is the call of con-science.

The Sunday Leader has beena controversial newspaper be-cause we say it like we see it:whether it be a spade, a thief or amurderer, we call it by thatname. We do not hide behind eu-phemism. The investigative ar-ticles we print are supported bydocumentary evidence thanks tothe public-spiritedness of citi-zens who at great risk to them-selves pass on this material to us.We have exposed scandal afterscandal, and never once in these15 years has anyone proved uswrong or successfully prosecutedus.

The free media serve as a mir-ror in which the public can seeitself sans mascara and stylinggel. From us you learn the stateof your nation, and especially itsmanagement by the people youelected to give your children abetter future. Sometimes the im-age you see in that mirror is not apleasant one. But while you maygrumble in the privacy of yourarmchair, the journalists whohold the mirror up to you do sopublicly and at great risk tothemselves. That is our calling,and we do not shirk it.

Every newspaper has its angle,and we do not hide the fact thatwe have ours. Our commitmentis to see Sri Lanka as a transpar-ent, secular, liberal democracy.Think about those words, for theyeach has profound meaning.Transparent because governmentmust be openly accountable tothe people and never abuse theirtrust. Secular because in a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural societysuch as ours, secularism offers theonly common ground by which wemight all be united. Liberal be-cause we recognise that all hu-man beings are created different,and we need to accept others forwhat they are and not what wewould like them to be. And demo-cratic... well, if you need me toexplain why that is important,you’d best stop buying this pa-

per.The Sunday Leader has never

sought safety by unquestioninglyarticulating the majority view.Let’s face it, that is the way tosell newspapers. On the contrary,as our opinion pieces over theyears amply demonstrate, we of-ten voice ideas that many peoplefind distasteful. For example, wehave consistently espoused theview that while separatist terror-ism must be eradicated, it ismore important to address theroot causes of terrorism, andurged government to view SriLanka’s ethnic strife in the con-text of history and not throughthe telescope of terrorism. Wehave also agitated against stateterrorism in the so-called waragainst terror, and made no se-cret of our horror that Sri Lankais the only country in the worldroutinely to bomb its own citi-zens. For these views we havebeen labelled traitors, and if thisbe treachery, we wear that labelproudly.

Many people suspect that TheSunday Leader has a politicalagenda: it does not. If we appearmore critical of the governmentthan of the opposition it is onlybecause we believe that - prayexcuse cricketing argot - there isno point in bowling to the field-ing side. Remember that for thefew years of our existence inwhich the UNP was in office, we

proved to be the biggest thorn inits flesh, exposing excess and cor-ruption wherever it occurred. In-deed, the steady stream of em-barrassing expos‚s we publishedmay well have served to precipi-tate the downfall of that govern-ment.

Neither should our distastefor the war be interpreted tomean that we support the Tigers.The LTTE are among the mostruthless and bloodthirstyorganisations ever to have in-fested the planet. There is no gain-saying that it must be eradicated.But to do so by violating therights of Tamil citizens, bomb-ing and shooting them merci-lessly, is not only wrong butshames the Sinhalese, whoseclaim to be custodians of thedhamma is forever called intoquestion by this savagery, muchof which is unknown to the pub-lic because of censorship.

What is more, a military occu-pation of the country’s north andeast will require the Tamilpeople of those regions to liveeternally as second-class citizens,deprived of all self respect. Donot imagine that you can placatethem by showering “develop-ment” and “reconstruction” onthem in the post-war era. Thewounds of war will scar them for-ever, and you will also have aneven more bitter and hatefulDiaspora to contend with. A prob-lem amenable to a political solu-tion will thus become a festeringwound that will yield strife forall eternity. If I seem angry andfrustrated, it is only because mostof my countrymen - and all of thegovernment - cannot see thiswriting so plainly on the wall.

It is well known that I was ontwo occasions brutally assaulted,while on another my house wassprayed with machine-gun fire.Despite the government’s sanc-timonious assurances, there wasnever a serious police inquiry intothe perpetrators of these attacks,and the attackers were never ap-prehended. In all these cases, Ihave reason to believe the attackswere inspired by the government.When finally I am killed, it willbe the government that kills me.

The irony in this is that, un-known to most of the public,Mahinda and I have been friends

for more than a quarter century.Indeed, I suspect that I am oneof the few people remaining whoroutinely addresses him by hisfirst name and uses the familiarSinhala address oya when talk-ing to him. Although I do not at-tend the meetings he periodicallyholds for newspaper editors,hardly a month passes when wedo not meet, privately or with afew close friends present, late atnight at President’s House.There we swap yarns, discuss poli-tics and joke about the good olddays. A few remarks to him wouldtherefore be in order here.

Mahinda, when you finallyfought your way to the SLFPpresidential nomination in 2005,nowhere were you welcomedmore warmly than in this column.Indeed, we broke with a decadeof tradition by referring to youthroughout by your first name.So well known were your com-mitments to human rights andliberal values that we usheredyou in like a breath of fresh air.Then, through an act of folly, yougot yourself involved in the Help-ing Hambantota scandal. It wasafter a lot of soul-searching thatwe broke the story, at the sametime urging you to return themoney. By the time you did soseveral weeks later, a great blowhad been struck to your reputa-tion. It is one you are still tryingto live down.

You have told me yourself thatyou were not greedy for the presi-dency. You did not have to han-ker after it: it fell into your lap.You have told me that your sonsare your greatest joy, and that youlove spending time with them,leaving your brothers to operatethe machinery of state. Now, it isclear to all who will see that thatmachinery has operated so wellthat my sons and daughter do notthemselves have a father.

In the wake of my death Iknow you will make all the usualsanctimonious noises and callupon thepolice to hold a swift andthorough inquiry. But like all theinquiries you have ordered in thepast, nothing will come of thisone, too. For truth be told, weboth know who will be behindmy death, but dare not call hisname. Not just my life, but yours

continued on page 5

Boch, kailangan ba natin ihingi ng permiso sa Washington Post para sa paglathala natin? Forwarded ito ni Ben Cal. -- Mark

Slain Sri Lankan journalistLasantha Wickrematunge

ENERO 16 - 22, 2009 MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980 5

And then theycame for me

continued from page 4too, depends on it.

Sadly, for all the dreams you had for our country inyour younger days, in just three years you have re-duced it to rubble. In the name of patriotism you havetrampled on human rights, nurtured unbridled cor-ruption and squandered public money like no otherPresident before you. Indeed, your conduct has beenlike a small child suddenly let loose in a toyshop. Thatanalogy is perhaps inapt because no child could havecaused so much blood to be spilled on this land as youhave, or trampled on the rights of its citizens as youdo. Although you are now so drunk with power thatyou cannot see it, you will come to regret your sonshaving so rich an inheritance of blood. It can only bringtragedy. As for me, it is with a clear conscience that Igo to meet my Maker. I wish, when your time finallycomes, you could do the same. I wish.

I have not travelled this journey aloneAs for me, I have the satisfaction of knowing that I

walked tall and bowed to no man. And I have nottravelled this journey alone. Fellow journalists in otherbranches of the media walked with me: most of themare now dead, imprisoned without trial or exiled infar-off lands. Others walk in the shadow of death thatyour Presidency has cast on the freedoms for whichyou once fought so hard. You will never be allowed toforget that my death took place under your watch. Asanguished as I know you will be, I also know that youwill have no choice but to protect my killers: you willsee to it that the guilty one is never convicted. Youhave no choice. I feel sorry for you, and Shiranthi willhave a long time to spend on her knees when next shegoes for Confession for it is not just her owns sinswhich she must confess, but those of her extendedfamily that keeps you in office.

As for the readers of The Sunday Leader, what canI say but Thank You for supporting our mission. Wehave espoused unpopular causes, stood up for thosetoo feeble to stand up for themselves, locked hornswith the high and mighty so swollen with power thatthey have forgotten their roots, exposed corruptionand the waste of your hard-earned tax rupees, andmade sure that whatever the propaganda of the day,you were allowed to hear a contrary view. For this I -and my family - have now paid the price that I havelong known I will one day have to pay. I am - and havealways been - ready for that. I have done nothing toprevent this outcome: no security, no precautions. Iwant my murderer to know that I am not a cowardlike he is, hiding behind human shields while con-demning thousands of innocents to death. What am Iamong so many? It has long been written that my lifewould be taken, and by whom. All that remains to bewritten is when.

I did not fight this fight aloneThat The Sunday Leader will continue fighting

the good fight, too, is written. For I did not fight thisfight alone. Many more of us have to be - and will be -killed before The Leader is laid to rest. I hope myassassination will be seen not as a defeat of freedombut an inspiration for those who survive to step uptheir efforts. Indeed, I hope that it will help galvaniseforces that will usher in a new era of human liberty inour beloved motherland. I also hope it will open theeyes of your President to the fact that however manyare slaughtered in the name of patriotism, the humanspirit will endure and flourish. Not all the Rajapaksescombined can kill that.

People often ask me why I take such risks and tellme it is a matter of time before I am bumped off. Ofcourse I know that: it is inevitable. But if we do notspeak out now, there will be no one left to speak forthose who cannot, whether they be ethnic minorities,the disadvantaged or the persecuted. An example thathas inspired me throughout my career in journalismhas been that of the German theologian, MartinNiem”ller. In his youth he was an anti-Semite and anadmirer of Hitler. As Nazism took hold in Germany,however, he saw Nazism for what it was: it was notjust the Jews Hitler sought to extirpate, it was justabout anyone with an alternate point of view.Niem”ller spoke out, and for his trouble was incarcer-ated in the Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentrationcamps from 1937 to 1945, and very nearly executed.While incarcerated, Niem”ller wrote a poem that, fromthe first time I read it in my teenage years, stuckhauntingly in my mind:

First they came for the Jews and I did not speak outbecause I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists and I did notspeak out because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists and I did notspeak out because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me and there was no one left tospeak out for me.

Do not take that commitment for grantedIf you remember nothing else, remember this: The

Leader is there for you, be you Sinhalese, Tamil, Mus-lim, low-caste, homosexual, dissident or disabled. Itsstaff will fight on, unbowed and unafraid, with thecourage to which you have become accustomed. Donot take that commitment for granted. Let there beno doubt that whatever sacrifices we journalists make,they are not made for our own glory or enrichment:they are made for you. Whether you deserve their sac-rifice is another matter. As for me, God knows I tried.

Editor’s killing underscoresperils of reporting in Sri Lanka

continued from page 4which has killed 70,000people and forced as manyas half a million from theirhomes. He also worked as afreelance reporter for Timemagazine and hosted a na-tional talk show on MBC.

Paris-based mediawatchdog Reporters With-out Borders has blamed SriLanka’s government forthe veteran editor’s deathand said officials had “in-cited hatred against him.”The Bush administrationhas condemned the death,as have many media andhuman rights groups.

Sri Lankan PresidentMahinda Rajapaksa hasstrongly denied any gov-ernment involvement andsaid the killers, still atlarge, will be brought tojustice. He condemned thedeath and ordered an inves-tigation, calling Wickrema-tunge “a close friend” and“courageous journalist.”The two men had beenclose for nearly 25 years.

“This heinous crimepoints to the grave dangersfaced by . . . our country andthe existence of forces thatwill go to the furthest ex-tremes in using terror andcriminality to damage oursocial fabric and bring dis-repute to the country,”Rajapaksa said.

Wickrematunge had re-cently become a critic ofRajapaksa’s government,which he deemed cagey,corrupt and abusive of civilrights.

“Sadly, for all the

dreams you had for ourcountry in your youngerdays, in just three years youhave reduced it to rubble,”he wrote. “In the name ofpatriotism you havetrampled on human rights,nurtured unbridled cor-ruption and squanderedpublic money like no otherpresident before you.”

“Although you are nowso drunk with power thatyou cannot see it, you willcome to regret your sonshaving so rich an inherit-ance of blood. It can onlybring tragedy,” the edito-rial continued. “As for me,it is with a clear consciencethat I go to meet my Maker.I wish, when your time fi-nally comes, you could dothe same. I wish.”

Wickrematunge ex-posed the government’sagreement to buy MiGfighter jets from Russia. Healso encouraged objectivecoverage of the war, even asthe government seemedintent on forcing journal-ists to pick sides, leavinglittle room for neutralityby branding any reportercritical of the governmentand its military a rebelsympathizer.

After a 2002 cease-firewas broken, hopes wereshattered that peace couldhelp this nation of 20 mil-lion people — renowned forits surfing beaches, palmtrees and highland teaplantations — lift its vil-lages out of poverty. In-stead, the war has turnedthe country into a maze of

military checkpoints,where government troopssearch travelers and theirluggage.

The war has divided andweakened society, reignit-ing long-standing ethnictensions between the ma-jority Sinhalese, who arepredominantly Buddhist,and the minority Tamils,who are mainly Hindus andChristians. The Tamil Ti-gers, or LTTE, say they arefighting for a separateTamil homeland. But theyhave been accused of wide-spread human rights viola-tions and of forcible re-cruitment.

There has been renewedmomentum on both sidesto win the war. More than32,000 young Sinhalesemen have joined the SriLankan army, which hasbeen attacking rebelstrongholds to crush theuprising by next year.

Aid groups in the regionsay hundreds of Tamil Ti-gers and civilians have diedover the past few months.But the assertions cannotbe independently verifiedbecause the governmentdoes not permit journalistsnear the front lines.

The Tamil Tigers, con-sidered a terrorist organi-zation by the UnitedStates, has responded witha campaign of suicidebombings against civiliansin urban areas; one suchbombing killed a top gov-ernment official and aformer Olympian. At thesame time, the government

has been accused of viola-tions of the civil rights ofTamils, including allegedlycarrying out false arrests,abductions and disappear-ances.

Wickrematunge, who isSinhalese, was known forhis fearless criticism ofboth players in the conflict:the Tamil rebels and themostly Sinhalese govern-ment.

“The LTTE are amongthe most ruthless andbloodthirsty organiza-tions ever to have infestedthe planet,” he wrote.“There is no gainsayingthat it must be eradicated.But to do so by violatingthe rights of Tamil citi-zens, bombing and shoot-ing them mercilessly, isnot only wrong butshames the Sinhalese.”

Writing a guest columnin his newspaper, his wife,Sonali Samarasinghe, saidshe had been particularlyafraid the morning he waskilled. The couple noticedthey were being followed,she wrote, and he insistedthat she take a separatecar to the office. “Tenminutes after we parted Igot the call I had alwaysdreaded. My fingers hur-riedly slid over my phonedigits as I hastened to callhim, more in hope thananything else. In my hasteI pressed a wrong button.On the screen appeared amessage I had receivedfrom Lasantha just hoursbefore: ‘Wifey,’ it said, ‘Ilove you.’”

2 di pangkaraniwang ibonnamataan sa Candaba

NI DINO BALABO

CANDABA, Pampanga —Dalawang dipangkaraniwang uri ngwaterbird ang namataan sakauna-unahang pagkaka-taon sa Candaba Swamp sakatatapos na census ng mgaibon na isinagawa ng De-partment of Environmentand Natural Resources(DENR) at Wild Birds Clubof the Philippines (WBCP).

Ito ang “black-facedspoonbill”at ang “pied av-ocet” na nakita nitongEnero 17 sa unang pagka-kataon sa Candaba Swamp.

Ayon kay Michael Lu,pangulo ng WBCP, angblack faced spoonbill ayhuling opisyal na namataansa Manila Bay noong taong1914, samantalang angpied avocet naman ay hu-ling namataan sa lalawiganng Cavite noong 2006.

Gayunpaman, sinabi niLu na may mga ulat angilang kasapi ng WBCP namay namataan ding mgablack-faced spoonbill saBatanes at Palawan sa mganagdaang taon.

Ayon naman kay Car-mela Española, isang biolo-gist mula sa University ofthe Philippines, ang dala-wang ibon ay nagmula saTsina at karaniwang nag-lalagi sa panahon ng tag-lamig sa Taiwan.

Posible talagang ma-lamig sa Taiwan kaya’tlumipat ang mga ito saPilipinas, ani Española.

Ang iba pang mga ibonna nakita sa isinagawangAsian waterbird census aymga egret, eastern marsh,Philippine mallard, orien-tal hobby at common king-fisher.

Naitala sa katatapos nacensus na isinagawa saCandaba Swamp ang12,613 waterbird na masmababa sa naitalang bilangna 17,000 waterbird sacensus noong nakaraangtaon .

Ipinaliwanag ni Espa-ñola na mga waterbird angkanilang ginagamit bilang

pantukoy sa mga ibongbinilang dahil magkaka-sama sa grupong ito angmga migratory o dayongibon at mga ibongnananatili o hindi umaalissa bansa katulad ng mgaPhilippine mallard o mgapato na kalahi ng mgapaitluging itik.

Ayon pa kay Española,

ang layunin ng naturangcensus ay para matukoykung tumataas o bumababaang bilang ng mgawaterbird na namamalagisa Candaba Swamp at mgakatulad na wetland o latiansa iba pang bahagi ng bansakung panahon ng tag-lamigsa ibayong dagat.

LALO pang hinigpitan ang pagbabawal sa pagpapastol ng itik ngayon sa mga bukiringmalapit sa Candaba Swamp sa pagitan ng Bulacan at Pampanga dahil sa resulta ngpag-aaral ng Food ang Agriculture Organization (FAO) na nagpapakita ng batayan nadahil sa pagpapastol ng itik sa mga bukid na pinamamalagian ng mga dayong ibonay malaki ang posibilidad na mahawa sa bird flu. Tulad ng nakagawian sa Thailand atVietnam, ang mga itik sa Gitnang Luzon ay karaniwang pinapastol sa bukiringginapasan upang manginain ng mga nalaglag na butil ng palay tulad ng larawang itona nakunan sa bayan ng Balagtas. — Boy Cruz

6 MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980 ENERO 16 - 22, 2009

Buhay Pinoy

MANDY CENTENO

Project JonJonCart & LoanJOin na sa Negosyo ... JOin Na sa KabuhayanIto’y nauukol sa Youth Initiated ProgramBilang negosyante’t paghahanapbuhayPagkakalooban, utang na puhunan.

Mga kabataang, hangad magnegosyoSa Kabuhayan Center, titipunin ditoAt sasailalim, pagsasanay itoGagabayan sila sa negosyong gusto.

Matapos magsanay, pagkakaloobanNg ‘Kabuhayan Loan, pesos twenty thousand’Ito’y “non-interest” na pagpapautangMagsisilbing “‘savings, mobilization fund”.

Ang “Kabuhayan Cart” ibibgay itoPiling indibidwal, pagtitinda’y gustoGawa ng “K Centers”, ang mga produktoAt mga kumpanyang kabalikat dito.

Sila ay ang Wellmade, CDO FoodsphereAng tanyag na Nestle, Coca-Cola BottlersIlalako nila sa mataong lugarPinakamalapit itong pamilihan.

Ang FEED School naman ay itatalagaFuture Entrepreurs Educ. & Dev’t. talagaMga benepisyaryo, mag-aaral silaKapag nakatapos, may katibayan pa.

Pinangungunahan ang proyektong itoNg tanging tanggapan, ito ay PYSEACOPinamumunuan, Gng. Beth AlonzoTESDA ang katuwang, DTI, DOST at PCEDO.

Pitong Pilot Centers dito sa BulacanSa San Ildefonso, pamahalaang bayanGASIBUL, Malolos, Bayan ng BulakanPlaridel, Balagtas, Guiguinto, San Jose Del Monte man.

Gob. Jon-jon Mendoza, hangad matulunganMga kabataang, hindi nag-aaralSa pagnenegosyo’y pakikinabanganIto’y “PROJECT JONJON”, mahalagang tunay.

SAGOT: Cathy, maraming salamatsa e-mail na ito. Sa ilalim ng CivilCode of the Philippines, ang kontratao kasunduan sa magkabilang panigay batas sa kanilang pagitan na dapatnilang sundin. Kung hindi susunodang sinuman sa kanila sa kasunduan,maaaring magsampa ng kaso angagrabiyadong tao, upang pilitin angpagtupad sa kasunduan, o di kaya ayhilingin sa hukuman ang pagpa-pabalewala nito dahil hindi natumutupad sa mga nakasaad dito angkabilang panig. Anuman ang kahi-lingang gagawin ng agrabiyadongpartido sa kasunduan, maaari siyanghumingi ng danyos perhuwisiyos atbayad sa abogado.

Sa kasong ito, maliwanag na na-agrabiyado ang kompanya sapagkatmayroon itong pinanghahawakangkasunduan na ang manggagawa,matapos ang pagsasanay, ay hindi aalissa trabaho ng dalawang taon.

Dahil ang manggagawa ay umalisng wala sa panahon, nalabag niya angkasunduan at dahil diyan, siya aymaaaring pagbayarin ng danyosperhuwisiyos, pati na ang mga gas-tusin sa abogado. Ganundin, maaaringipasoli sa kanya ang halaga ng pag-sasanay na pinasok niya, batay sanaunang kasunduan sa kompanya.

Sa isyu ng mga sinasabing overtimeat VL pays, na hindi naman talagaibinayad, kailangang maging ma-liwanag na ito nga ang hinahabol atpinababayaran. Magagawang liwa-nagin ang lahat ng ito sa pama-magitan ng isang pormal na sulatmula sa manggagawa o mula sakanyang abogado.

Citizenship – kailan ikinasalang magulang ng isang tao

TANONG: Hello po ... Hoping you thebest in everyday life ... Ask ko po sincemy parents are Chinese citizens. Peroang nanay ko po ay Filipina. Kayalang po ng ikasal sila ng father kongChinese, naging Chinese na rin siya.Am I right? So kung ganon po angscenario Chinese citizen din po ako.Kasi nang kunin ko ang birth certifi-cate ko Chinese ang nakalagay. Kahitpo ba mag-asawa ako ng Filipino stillChinese citizen pa rin ako? Halim-bawa po ba na kumuha ako ng pass-port tapos ang malalagay na citizen-ship ko e Chinese. Kung lumabas baako ng Pilipinas, makakabalik ba uliako dito kapag Chinese ang naka-lagay? I’m confused po kasi? Morepower po uli sa inyo and thank you somuch ...

— jotardz_0752@yahoo.com

SAGOT: Maraming salamat po sae-mail na ito. Ang sagot sa mgatanong dito ay nakasalalay sa kungkailan nag-asawa ang tatay na Chi-nese at ang nanay na Pilipino. Ayonkasi sa mga umiiral na batas, kasamana ang naunang 1935 Constitutionat 1973 Constitution, kung ang isangbanyagang lalaki ay ikakasal sa isangPilipina noong mga panahong umi-iral ang 1935 Constitution (mula1935 hanggang 1973) at ang 1973Constitution (1973 hanggang 1987),ang citizenship ng tatay ang susundinng nanay, at maging ng kanilangmagiging anak. Kaya lamang, sailalim ng mga batas na ito, kaila-ngang maging maliwanag na legal angpagkakasal ng banyagang lalaki at ngasawang Pilipina. Kung hindi silakasal ng legal, at basta na lamang silanagsama, walang bisa ang mga Sali-gang Batas na binanggit natin. Dahildiyan, aanyayahan namin kayo saaming tanggapan upang mapag-usapan ang isyung ito.

Mga lending companykailangang magrehistro

TANONG: Ako po si Josef BryanPlazam, 20 years old, na gustongmagsimula ng isang money lendingbusiness sa aming lugar. Ano po baang mga legal na paraan sa pag-papa-utang na kailangan ko po na ma-laman? Lubos na gumagalang ...

— fire_fly_fourteen@yahoo.comSAGOT: Josef Bryan Plaza, ma-

raming salamat sa e-mail na ito.Batay sa mga alituntuning ipinaiiralng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, angisang lending company ay dapatpagmamay-ari ng isang natural bornFilipino, o ng kompanyang kontro-lado ng mga Pilipino. Kailangan dingrehistrado ang tao o ang kompanyangnagnanasang maging lending com-pany sa mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan,kagaya ng Bureau of Domestic Tradeng Department of Trade and Indus-try, Securities and Exchange Com-mission, at maging sa Bureau of In-ternal Revenue at, siyempre, saBangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Ga-nundin, kailangang mabigyan angmga ito ng mga kaukulang businesspermit at license ng mga pama-halaang lokal kung saan sila nag-nanais na magnegosyo.

Mga magsasakang di nagbibigay ngbahagi ng ani sa may-ari ng lupa

TANONG: Happy New Year! Ako poay may gustong isangguni at linawintungkol sa nagsasaka sa lupain ngaking tiyahin na namayapa na. Bago

Upang higit na magkaroon ng kahulugan ang mga sinabini Petersen, isa-isa nating baligtarin at tagalugin angkanyang mensahe.

Sa halip na sabihin nating “kailangan natin,” anggamitin nating salita ay “iwaksi, ibasura, o kaya’y huwagiboto.”

* * *Hindi kailangan ng mundo ang mga taong nababayaran

o tumatanggap ng suhol, kaya’t ibasura natin sila.Huwag nating iboto ang mga taong ang inuuna ay

negosyo, hindi serbisyo sa tao; na laging nag-aatubilingmagdesisyon dahil ang laging iniisip ay pamumulitika.Ibasura natin ang mga taong walang political will.

* * *Ibasura natin ang mga taong walang sariling opinyon

at paninindigan, na kailangan pa ang dikta ng kanilangpamilya bago magdesisyon para sa kapakanan ng taongbayan.

Huwag nating iboto ang mga taong walang puso obokasyon sa paglilingkod, na kaya lamang pumasok sapulitika ay inutusan ng kapamilya.

* * *Iwaksi natin ang mga taong walang kusang palo, laging

naghihintay ng utos kaya’t nasasayang ang mga pag-kakataon sa pag-unlad.

Ibasura natin ang mga taong parang hunyango na kapagnasama sa maraming tao ay nawawala ang sarilingpagkakakilanlan, na natutulad sa hipon na walang gulugodat laging nagpapatangay sa agos.

* * *Huwag iboto ang mga taong hindi mapagkakatiwalaan

sa halagang P5, o kaya’y P500,000 o kaya’y sa P2 bilyon.Iwaksi natin ang mga taong nakikipagkutsaba sa mga

maling gawain; na ang ambisyon ay nakapaloob lamangsa kanilang pansariling interes.

* * *Ibasura natin ang mga taong gumagaya sa gawang

masama, at idinadahilan pa na maging ang ibang tao aygumagawa din ng ganoon.

Iwaksi natin ang mga taong kaibigan lamang kapagmaganda ang sitwasyon, ngunit iiwanan ka kapag maiipitang kanilang interes.

* * *Iwaksi natin ang mga taong naniniwala sa pang-

gugulang sa kapwa upang sila ay magtagumpay.Huwag nating iboto ang mga taong takot manindigan

sa katotohanan dahil wala siyang kasama, at hindimakapagpahayag ng pagtutol sa mga kamaliang nakikitasa kanyang paligid.

* * *Sa madaling salita, mga kaibigan, mag-isip at magsuri tayo.Huwag tayong magpahikayat sa matatamis na pangako

at malalambing na pananalita.

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Promdi mula sa pahina 2

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Kakampi mo ang Batas mula sa pahina 2

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Kastigo mula sa pahina 2

nag-aalok ng proyekto sa mga da-yuhang investor.

Idagdag pa rito ang naghaharinganarkiya — papalubhang krimina-lidad, kidnapping, bank robbery,insureksiyon ng MILF, NPA, at mgalost command ng mga ito.

Ito ang dalawang problemangdapat munang lutasin ng Adminis-trasyong Arroyo (o ng iba pang admi-

nistrasyon) upang maakit ang mgadayuhang mamumuhunan: ang gra-beng katiwalian sa gobyerno at angpambansang kaayusan at katahi-mikan.

Kailan man ay hindi maaakit angsino mang foreign investor na mag-negosyo sa isang bansang hati-hatiang mamamayan, laganap ang krimi-nalidad at nakakarami ang tiwaling

Bayan muna ang isipin bago ang sarili!

LUNGSOD NG MALOLOS — Nagingmatagumpay ang ginanap na paripa ngParokya ng Sta. Isabel sa lungsod naito noong ika-28 ng Disyembre, 2008.

Ang programa ay ginanap sa Kum-bento sa ganap na ika-1:00 ng hapon.Si P. Fernando B. Cenon, Parochial Vicar,ang namuno sa panimulang panalangin.Ito ay sinundan ng awiting pang-kalahatan na “Ang Pasko ay Sumapit”.

Sa pambungad na pananalita ngKura Paroko P. Proceso E. Espiritu,tauspuso niyang pinasalamatan anglahat ng dumalo sa pagtitipon na ito athigit sa lahat , ang mga tumangkilik saparipang nabanggit.

Ipinaliwanag niya na ang malilikomsa pagkakataong ito ay iuukol sapagpapagawa ng “Ermita”, o muntingkapilya sa Kampo Santo ng parokya.

Ang bubong sa pook na ito ay butas-butas na, samantalang ang mga posteat ibang tabla ay inaanay na. Lubhangmahalaga na maipagawa ito sa lalongmadaling panahon upang sa daratingna tag-ulan ay hindi mangabasa angsinumang makikipaglibing at namata-

yan na titingin sa huling pagkakataonsa kanilang minamahal na pumanaw.

“Magkakaroon ng angkop na altardito na mapagmimisahan sa panahonna kailangan. Ang paligid nito ay sisi-nupin at lalagyan ng kaukulang harango pinakabakod upang ang mga hayoptulad ng kambing ay hindi maka-pasok” wika pa ni P. Pros.

Sina P. Fer at Tagapangulo ng Luponsa Paghubog Rolan Marcelo ang nanga-siwa sa paripa. Sa pagitan ng pagbolaay may mga natatanging bilang naipinamalas. May mga batang nagsi-sayaw, umawit, tumugtog ng violin atpag-awit ng Sta. Isabel Choir sa pag-kumpas ni Gng. Susan B. Dela Cruz.

Ang nagsipagwagi sa pampalubag-loob na gantimpalang 10 cellphone aysina Annie Santos, ticket No. 4353, so-licitor – Barangay Balite; ChristianEspiritu, No. 11104, solicitor – P. Pros;Irene Corbito, No. 5691, solicitor – Sis.Godang Bulaong; Yolanda Morales, No.9326, solicitor – Barangay Santor;Armando Del Rosario, No. 7206, so-licitor – Barangay Santor; Jun Balila,

No. 4243, solicitor – Barangay Balite;Ester Robles, No. 1407, solicitor –Barangay Mabolo; Marciana Magpayo,No. 757, solicitor – Barangay Dakila;Agatona Santiago, No. 5747, solicitor– Sis. Godang at Florencio Bernabe, No.7051, solicitor – Apostolado ng Pana-langin.

Ang nagkamit ng ikatlong gan-timpla na “desktop computer w/printer” ay si Olympia Junio, No. 356,solicitor – Barangay Dakila.

Si Blandes Vergara, No. 10574 angnagkamit ng ikalawang premyo na“laptop w/ printer” at ang solicitor ayang Legion of Mary.

Ang pangunahing gantimpala na“Mio motor” ay nakuha ni AldrinBaradas na may bilang ng ticket na8321 at ang solicitor ay ang BarangayLook 2nd.

Mahigit 50 ang nagsiuwi na maybitbit pang bag ng mga grocery naipinamigay sa huling bahagi ng paripasa pagsisikap ng Legion of Mary at ibapang samahang pangsimbahan. —Mandy Centeno

Tagumpay ang paripa para sa Ermita

siya yumao, may nagprisintang da-ting naglilingkod sa pagka-pulis. Angproblema po ay tuwing anihan, hindisiya nagbibigay ng tamang bahagi saani. Maaari po ba siya mapaalis sapagiging magsasaka? Umaasa po akosa inyong tulong at katugunan.Maraming salamat po at pagpalainkayo ng Maykapal.

— lynn_acejas@yahoo.comSAGOT: Maraming salamat po sa

e-mail na ito. Sa ilalim ng mgaumiiral na batas sa agraryo, ang isangmagsasakang hindi nakakatupad sakanyang mga tungkulin ay maaaringpaalisin sa pagsasaka. Ang isa sa mgatungkulin na ito ay ang pagbabayadng regular ng mga buwis sa lupa nananggagaling sa mga ani. Kung mayani, kailangang bigyan ang may-aring lupa, o ang kanyang mga tagapag-mana, ng bahagi ng ani. Kung hindinagbibigay ang magsasaka ng bahaging ani na para sa may-ari, maaariitong sipain mula sa lupa, pero sapamamagitan lamang ng kautusan ngkaukulang hukuman sa agraryo (nangayon ay tinatawag na Departmentof Agrarian Reform AdjudicationBoard). Dahil diyan, ang sinumangnagnanais magpaalis ng magsasakadahil hindi na ito nakakaganap sakanyang tungkulin ay kailangangmagsampa muna ng kaso ng pag-papaalis.

* * *BATAS NG DIYOS: “… Ngunit

muling lumalakas ang mga nag-titiwala at umaasa sa Panginoon.Lilipad silang parang may mgapakpak ng agila, tatakbo sila ngunitdi sila mapapagod, lalakad silangunit di sila mahahapo …” (Isaias40:31)

* * *PAALALA: Maaari po kayong tuma-wag sa aming mga landline, (02) 994-68-05, (02) 433-75-49 at (02) 433-75-53, o di kaya ay sa aming mga cell-phone, 0917-984-24-68 at 0919-609-64-89. O sumulat sa aming address:18 D Mahiyain cor Mapagkawanggawa,Teachers Village, Diliman, Quezon City.O mag-email sa website na ito:www.batasnews.com, o sa batas-mauricio@yahoo.com.

* * *PARTY LIST: Maaari na po kayongmaging kasapi ng BATAS Party List, oang Bagong Alyansang Tagapagtaguyodng Adhikaing Sambayanan. Ipadala poang inyong mga pangalan at kum-pletong address sa parehong mga ad-dress at telepono sa itaas.

opisyal na umuugit sa isang bulok nagobyerno.

Sa maling konsepto ng ekono-miyang ipinagyayabang ng Admi-nistrasyong Arroyo, ang malamang namaganyak na magsiparito ay mgasindikato ng krimen, terorista,espiya, pedophile, smuggler at mgaeksperto sa drug at human traffick-ing!

ENERO 16 - 22, 2009 MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980 7

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Regarding Henry from page 3

graduates what discipline is really allabout: “This meant that if Singaporepromised something to its people, toits foreign investors, and to othercountries, it will be fulfilled. A disci-plined country and a disciplinedpeople — that’s what he built Sin-gapore on.”

Do you think Filipinos are a disci-plined people? Allow me give you myown experience. It happened in 2000when I went to the United States forthe first time. While at the NinoyAquino International Airport, I wassurprised to see passengers (mostlyforeigners) forming a queue whileboarding.

It was a different story when I re-turned home. We were at the Detroitairport and there were so many pas-sengers, mostly Filipinos and balik-bayans. When it was time for board-ing, all passengers rushed towards thetwo attendants collecting the tickets.“Sir, we are boarding only those from

51 to 65,” the attendant explained.“And yours is 24C.” The male pas-senger replied, “But I came here first.So, allow me to board first then!”There were others who joined thebandwagon. It was a total chaos.

We were still in the United Statesbut I was reminded of the scene thathappened to me while boarding fromDavao to Manila. Passengers wererude, unmanageable, drastic andwithout discipline. I don’t want tobe nasty here, but can we act in a civi-lized manner when we are not in ourown country?

If we can’t be a well-disciplinedcountry, can each of us acquire self-discipline? Frederick the Great ofPrussia was walking on the outskirtsof Berlin when he encountered a veryold man proceeding in the oppositedirection. “Who are you?” askedFrederick.

“I am the king,” the old man re-plied. Frederick laughed when he

heard the answer. “If you are a king,over what kingdom do you reign?”Proudly, the old man replied, “Overmyself.” This illustration remindsme of the classic Jack Paar line,“Looking back, my life seems to beone long obstacle course, with me asthe chief obstacle.” In order words, ifyou lack discipline, you may be yourworst problem!

I have known a lot of people whohave great talents but never go far.The reason: they lack self-discipline.Author H. Jackson Brown Jr. oncepointed out, “Talent without disci-pline is like an octopus on rollerskates. There’s plenty of movement,but you never know if it’s going to beforward, backwards, or sideways.”

Four-time Oscar winnerKatharine Hepburn said it bluntly,“Without discipline, there’s no lifeat all.”

— For comments, write me athenrytacio@gmail.com

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Forward to Basics from page 3

eyes and gazed lovingly at her son.Pablo could only remember too

well. His mother wanted him to re-ceive the best education. She in-vested time, money and effort to tu-tor him and train him. But insteadof taking advantage of all these, herebelled and took the opposite roadtowards bad companions and theirvices.

He started smoking, drinkingand stealing. He flunked his sub-jects and was suspended after be-ing caught cheating in some majorexams. Later years involved drugsand gang wars. He had completelyclosed the loving chapter his motherstarted in order to begin an entirelyopposite and chaotic one of his own.

Pablo, however, recalled that hismother did not react angrily to-wards his bad behavior. Instead,she continued to patiently remindhim of her dreams about him, hisfuture and a successful life. But hebrushed these aside and continuedhis wayward life.

One day, while Pablo was wait-

ing for a friend, his mother said,“Pablo, can you come to the roomfor a second? I have something totell you.” Thinking it was just oneof her usual dream chats, he triedto give an excuse that he was doingsomething. But in the end, he wasstill drawn to her room.

“Anak, please take a seat,” sheled him to a nearby stool. “I havebeen wanting to tell you, and I wantyou to be strong …” It was the firsttime his mother ever spoke to himin this way.

“I have cancer, and the doctorssay I don’t have much time to live.”This, however, only made Pablorebel even more. But his mother, tohis surprise, remained calm andsteadfast in her conviction that hewould change for the better.

* * *“Yes, mom, I remember,” he re-

plied as he adjusted her pillow.“And would you like to know how

it happened?” she managed to givehim a mischievous childish wink.

“Yes, ,” he said, “but promise me

that you’ll sleep after your bedtimestory.”

“Of course, but let’s see whomanages to sleep after this,” shegiggled softly.

“So how did you do it?”“I didn’t … God did.”“Oh, right. I almost forgot,” he

sighed.“He did it through me … I re-

solved … ever since you were caughtcheating … I would get up every 3a.m. and on my knees I begged ourLord for your conversion.”

“Every …,” Pablo couldn’t be-lieve what she said.

“Yes,” she caressed his cheek. “Ev-eryday, anak ...,” she started to sob.

“Why are you crying,” Pabloasked.

“Because God is so good!” shewhispered and slowly dozed off.

* * *That night his mother slept

soundly in God’s arms, while theson was sleepless, pondering, pray-ing about God’s goodness and amother’s unconditional love.

Deed of Extrajudicial Settlement of the Estate of theDeceased Sotero Antonio Y Matias With Assignment,

Waiver, Renunciation and QuitclaimNotice is hereby given that the estate of the deceased Sotero AntonioY Matias who died intestate on May 6, 2001 at #55 Aquarius Street,Phase 3-B, Sto. Niño, City of Meycauayan left two (2) parcels ofregistered land covered and embraced by 1.) Transfer Certificate ofTitle No. T-250954 (M) Registry of Deeds of Bulacan, MeycauayanBranch 2.) Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-225994 (M) Registry ofDeeds of Bulacan, Meycauayan Branch was extrajudicially settledamong legitimate heirs with assignment, waiver, renunciation andquitclaim as per Doc. No. 355; Page No. 72; Book No. 01; Series of2008 of the Notary Public of Atty. Joel Amos P. Alejandro.

Mabuhay: January 9, 16 & 23 2008

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )ANGELES CITY ) S.S.

AFFIDAVIT OF LOSSI, ROMEO M. RIVERA, of legal age, Filipino Citizen, married and a

resident of 208 Muzon St., Balibago Angeles City after having beenduly sworn to in accordance with law, do hereby depose and state:

That I am a holder/possessor of a stock certificate (1) class “D”share in Fontana Resort and Country Club, Money, pieces of Jewelryand other documents;

That on December 23, 2007, at around midnight within the pre-mises of our house in Balibago, Angeles City my said stock certifi-cate (1) class “D” share in Fontana Resort and Country Club, Money,pieces of Jewelry and other documents was stole and by unidentifiedindividual, within the vicinity of our house in Angeles City, Pampangaand despite diligent effor t exerted in the search thereof the samecould no longer be found/located.

That for legal intents and purpose I considered it as stolen.That I am executing this affidavit to attest to the truth and fact of

my foregoing statement and more particularly to show to the properauthority that my said stock certificate (1) class “D” share in FontanaResort and Country Club, Money, pieces of Jewelry’s and otherdocuments was stolen. It is likewise being executed for such otherpurpose/s that it may serve under the premises.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed my signature this9th day of January, 2009 in Angeles City.

ROMEO M. RIVERAAffiant

SUBCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me in the City of Angeles,this 9th day of January, 2009, personally known to me, who is thesame person who personally signed before me the foregoing affidavitand acknowledged that she executed the same.

JERRY PERICONotary Public

Until December 2009Commission No. 2007-161

IBP OR NO. 763928/1-5-09/PAMPPTR NO. 0200987/ 1-5-09/ A.C.

Attorney’s Roll No. 406271097 Apt. 9, Sugay Bldg., Mc-Arthur

Hiway Balibago, Angeles City

Doc. No. 37;Page No. 71;Book No. XXX;Series of 2009.

Mabuhay: January 9, 16 & 23 2008

PASSENGERS

ANG TANGING INANIYONG LAHAT

BEDTIME STORIES

LOVE ME AGAIN

SHOWING ONJANUARY 15, 2009

ONWARDSsubject to change without prior notice

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENTOF ESTATE

NOTICE is hereby given that the estate of the deceased Lina Mo-rales-Pabalan who died intestate in Angeles City on February 19,1977 and Alberto Pabalan who died intestate also in Angeles City onAugust 24, 1984, left a real property covered by TCT No. 20984-Rcontaining an area of TWENTY THOUSAND (20,000) SQUARE METERS,more or less. Whereas, the above-described property had alreadybeen subdivided and the only remaining portion of the same containsonly five hundred (500) square meters and is now identified asSurvey No. Lot 6-A-1, which is more particularly described as fol-lows; to wit: Survey No. Lot 6-A-1; Property Location: Rosanna St.,Mt. View, Balibago, Angeles City; Street/Extent: Subic Subdivision;Boundaries: North–450,451; East–458; South–Rosanna St., West–431 was extra-judicially settled among their Heirs as per Doc. No.1745; Page No. 40; Book No.LX; Series of 2008 of the Notary Publicof Atty. Willie B. Rivera.

Mabuhay: January 16, 23 & 30, 2009

an emergency water landing, pleaseuse it and paddle to shore. You cantake them home afterwards — withour compliments.”

This Continental Airlines flight,however, had very “senior” flight at-tendants. “Ladies and gentlemen,we’ve reached cruising altitude,” thepilot said. “We’ll be turning downcabin lights. This is for your comfort.It should also enhance the appear-ance of your flight attendants.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, if youwish to smoke, the smoking sectionon this airplane is on the wing,” Ma-laysia Airlines says. “And if you canlight ’em, you can smoke ’em.”

After a very rough landing, thefirst officer stood at the door to smileat exiting passengers and say:“Thanks for flying Saudi Airlines.”The last passenger was an old ladywith a cane. “Sir, do you mind if I askyou a question?” she asked. “Why, no,Ma’am,” the pilot replied. “What is

it?” The little old lady asked: “Didwe land? Or were we shot down?”

Overheard on a Cathay Pacificflight that just landed after a roughwindy flight. “Ladies and Gentle-men, welcome to Hong Kong. Pleaseremain in your seats with your seatbelts fastened while the Captaintaxis what’s left of our airplane tothe gate!”

Next to airplane p.a. chatter, traveltales also include attention-gettingsign boards. These ones were gatheredby a travel buff:

“If at first you don’t succeed, sky-diving is not for you,” says an airportcafeteria. “Money isn’t everything.But it sure keeps the kids in touch,”a car bumper sticker proclaims.“Learn from your parents’ mistake,”says another sticker. “Use birth con-trol.”

“Ninety-nine percent of all law-yers give the rest a bad name,” claimsgraffiti scrawled outside a court-

house. “Artificial Intelligence is nomatch for natural stupidity,” saysanother. And the top-notcher on abasketball court: “It’s not whetheryou win or lose but how you place theblame.”

And finally comes what my friendcalls the “cleanest e-mail joke thatI’ve come across in a long while.” Thetitle is: “How to Tell the Sex of a Fly.

A woman walked into the kitchento find her husband stalking aroundwith a fly swatter. “What are you do-ing?” she asked. “Hunting flies,” heresponded.

“Oh. And have you killed any,” sheasked. “”Sure. Three males and twofemales,” he replied. Intrigued, sheasked: “But how can you tell themapart?” His reply: “Simple. Threewere on a beer can and two were onthe telephone.”

— juan_mercado@prime.net.ph

Huwag magkalat sa lansangan,bayan mo’y hindi basurahan!

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Depthnews from page 3

what made one rise, could also make him fall. Like a personwho over-eats, it will have diarrhea. Like one who over-works, it will succumb to fatigue. The organism will find away to signal its sickness and correct it.

Even the supposedly good and holy people, like priests,nuns, bishops, etc., can misuse their status, covering theirmalice with a façade of sanctity and goodness. These arethe most dangerous scoundrels, since the anti-Christ canlook and act like Christ!

For all that, we should not be completely pessimistic.There’s always a way to recover, and convert what is wrongand bad into something good, a source of genuine great-ness.

Let’s always remember Christ’s words: “There shallbe joy in heaven upon one sinner who does penance, morethan upon ninety-nine just who need no penance.” (Lk15,5)

All that is needed is to say sorry to our Lord from thebottom of our heart. And what was bad can mutate intosomething good again. Let’s always learn the lessons thatthe lives of St. Paul and St. Augustine give us.

So, while we should be serious in our efforts to beconsistently good and holy, let’s also learn to relax. There’salways hope. In the end, God not only has the first word.He also has the last. Evil always longs for the good fromwhich it fled.

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Cebu Calling from page 3

Bumaba ang bilangng dayuhang ibon

MALINIS NA — Ipinagmalaki ni Candaba,Pampanga Mayor Jerry Pelayo (kaliwa) na isasa mga bunga ng kanilang paglaban sa mgamaruming tubig na dumadaloy mula sa mgababuyan sa San Miguel, Bulacan patungo saCandaba Swamp ay ang pananatili doon ngmga dayong ibon upang manginain. Sinabi niyana dahil sa kanilang kampanya laban sa

mula sa pahina 1Ayon kay Secretary Atienza,

kapag nasira ng polusyon angtirahan ng mga ibon, nagkaka-matay ang mga isda, suso at ibapang organismong nakakain doonng mga ibon, kaya’t nagsisialisang mga ito.

Inayunan ito ni Mayor Pelayo,ngunit ipinagmalaki niya nanapigil na nila ang polusyon saCandaba Swamp dahil nilabanannila ang mga babuyan sa SanMiguel, Bulacan kung saan angmaruming tubig ay dating duma-daloy sa latian ng Candaba.

“Naglagay na sila ng mga wa-ter treatment facility kaya napi-gil na ang polusyon at meron nauling mga suso at isdang naka-kain ang mga ibon,” ani Pelayo.

Sinabi rin ng alkalde na si-nadya niyang huwag palagyan nglinya ng kuryente ang malakingbahagi ng Barangay Simang kungsaan matatagpuan ang kanyangrest house na nagsisilbing view-ing area sa kanyang palaisdaangngayon ay sangtuwaryo na ng mgaibon.

Ayon kay Pelayo, iyon ay isanghakbang upang huwag dumamiang mga bahay at maninirahansa nasabing lugar na magiging

dahilan upang magambala angmga ibong namamalagi doon.

Ang mga dayong ibon nanagmumula sa malalamig nabansa sa hilagang Asya tulad ngTsina, Japan at Korea ay karani-wang lumilipad patawid ngdagat papuntang Pilipinas kungbuwan ng Oktubre at namama-lagi sa bansa hanggang sa buwanng Marso.

Ito ay upang makaiwas sila salamig ng niyebe na hatid ngpanahon ng tag-lamig sa mganasabing bansa.

Ayon sa mga dalubhasa, angmga dayong ibong ay natural car-rier ng sakit na bird flu kaya pi-nagbabawalan ang paghuli atpagkain sa mga ito.

Ipinaliwanag naman ni Car-mela Española, isang biologistmula sa University of the Philip-pines, na kasama sa isinagawangcensus na ang layunin nito ayupang matukoy kung nababa-wasan o nadadagdagan ang bilangng mga dayong ibon.

“Mas maganda yung alamnatin ang bilang nila para mala-man natin ang trend,” aniya atsinabing kung nababawasan angbilang ay may posibilidad nasanhi iyon ng sakit na bird flu,

ngunit sinabi rin niya na posiblering nabulabog lamang.

Bukod sa pagbibilang sa ibonnagsagawa rin ang mga kagawadng DENR at mga kasapi ng WBCPng pagtatanong sa mga residentekung may nakita silang mgapatay na ibon sa paligid ngCandaba Swamp.

Ayon sa WBCP, walang naki-tang patay na ibon ang mgaresidente sa paligid ng latian samga nagdaang buwan, na nanga-ngahulugan na walang insidenteng bird flu.

Sa kasalukuyan, ang Pilipinasay kabilang ng tatlong bansa saTimog Silangang Asya na nana-natiling ligtas mula sa bird flu.Ang Singapore at Brunei Daru-salaam ay “bird flu free” rin.

Kaugnay pa rin ng isinagawangbird census, sinabi ng WBCP nanakakita sila sa unang pag-kakataon ng black face spoon billat pied avocet, ang dalawang uring ibong mula sa Tsina na mada-lang makita sa Pilipinas.

Nakita rin sa Candaba Swampsa katatapos na census ang iba’tibang uri ng ibong tulad ng egret(tagak), eastern marsh, Philip-pine mallard, oriental hobby atmga common kingfisher.

MabuhayLINGGUHANG PILIPINO MULA PA NOONG 1980

VOL. XXX, NO. 03 • ENERO 16 - 22, 2009 • PAGE 8

polusyon nagbalik na ang mga suso at isda salatian na ngayon ay nakakain ng mga dayongibon. Nakamasid naman si Environment Sec-retary Lito Atienza (kanan) na dumalo rin saisinagawang press conference sa Candabanoong Enero 17 kaugnay ng taunang AsianWaterbird Census. — PETER ALAGOS NG CENTRAL

LUZON BUSINESS WEEK

WBCP: PWBCP: Pangalagaanangalagaanang tirahan ng ibonang tirahan ng ibon

mula sa pahina 1tirahang latian at iyon ay magagawa kungmapapangalagaan ang mga ito.

“Kung maraming nakakain ang mgawaterbird sa mga wetland, they will stay thereat hindi na sila pupunta sa malapit sa mgaairport,” sabi ni Lu.

Sa kasalukuyan ay may apat pang wetlandsa Gitnang Luzon bukod sa Candaba Swamp,at tatlong aiport o paliparan ng eroplano.

Ayon kay Rogelio Trinidad ng Protected Ar-eas Wildlife and Coastal Management Zone saGitnang Luzon, ang wetlands sa rehiyon aymatatagpuan sa lungsod ng Balanga sa Bataan,Pantabangan Dam at Paitan Lake na parehongmatatagpuan sa Nueva Ecija, at ang Macabebewetlands sa baybayin ng Pampanga.

Ang mga paliparan naman ng eroplano sarehiyon ay matatagpuan sa Subic Bay Freeportsa Zambales, sa Plaridel, Bulacan, at ang

Diosdado Macapagal International Airport saClark Freeport Zone sa Pampanga.

Matatandaan na noong Enero 15 aybumagsak ang US Airways Flight 1549 saHudson River sa New York ilang minutomatapos lumipad mula sa di kalayuang LaGuardia Airport.

Batay sa ulat, walang namatay sa 115kataong sakay ng eroplano. Sinabi rin sa ulatna ang dahilan ng pagbasak ng Flight 1549 aybird strike o nahigop ng makina ng eroplanoang mga ibon.

Batay naman sa ulat ng Philippine Star,ang bird strike ay hindi delikado kung sakatawan lamang ng eroplano sasalpok ang mgaibon, ngunit kung mahihigop ang mga ito ngmakina ay maaaring magkaroon ng problema.

Sinabi pa sa ulat na 15 ang naitalanginsidente ng bird strike sa Manila Interna-tional Airport sa nagdaang taon. — Dino Balabo

Ika-29 na anibersaryonamin ngayong Enero

NGAYONG buwan ng Enero ang aming ika-29 naanibersaryo. Sa nakalipas na 29 na taon ay maramingpagsubok at hirap ang aming hinarap at dinaanan, atkami’y nagtamo rin ng mga tagumpay na ang pinaka-matamis ay ang karanasang makapaglingkod sa amingabot kaya sa mambabasa at sa sambayanang amingsinumpaang pagsisilbihan.

Salamat. Maraming salamat sa lahat.Unang-una na sa Panginoon; pangalawa, sa aming

mambabasa at tagapagtaguyod.Parang kahapon lamang, ’ika nga. Subalit, kung

tutuusin, mahaba’t tunay na naging makasaysayan ang29 na taong nalagas sa tangkay ng panahon mula noongisinilang ang Mabuhay.

Ang kauna-unahang sipi ng aming lingguhangpahayagan ay inilathala noong ika-20 ng Enero 1980.Buhat noon hanggang ngayon, tuloy-tuloy ang paglabasng Mabuhay — sa awa ng Maykapal, sa pagsisikapng patnugutan, palimbagan, mga tauhan sa pagkalapng anunsiyo at pagpapakalat, at iba pang mgakasamahan na ang ilan ay sumakabilang buhay na, ilangpiling kaibigan tulad ni Ka Doroy Valencia na sumagipsa amin sa oras ng kagipitan, mga mahal sa buhay atkapamilya, at siyempre sa pagtangkilik ng mgamambabasa.

Muli, maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat!At sa pagpapatuloy ng aming pagtahak sa larangan

ng pamamahayag ngayong taong 2009, hayaan ninyongulitin namin ang aming sinabi sa araw ng amingpagsilang noong 1980.

“Ang simulain naming ito ay batay sa paniniwalangang Mabuhay ay bahagi ng sambayanan. Kaya sainyong tulong ... ang tagumpay ng Mabuhay aytagumpay ng mamamayan at ng bayan.

“Kasama sa adhikaing ito ang nasang magsasagawang maraming pagbabago sa pamamahayag ... (upangito ay) maging makatarungan at kapaki-pakinabang samamamayan at bayan ...

“Sa pamamagitan ng unang bilang ng Mabuhay,hayaan ninyong ilahad namin sa inyo ang aming pusoat iabot namin ang aming kamay, kung kami nga’y magi-ging karapat-dapat.”

Ang pagsapit ng bagong taon ay hudyat din ngpagsisimula ng panibagong taon sa aming pama-mahayag.

At sa tulong ng lahat ng tumatangkilik saMabuhay at sa kahalagahan ng malayangpamamahayag, umaasa kami na maidaraos namin angisang pagdiriwang na angkop sa kaarawan ng isanglingguhang peryodiko na nakabuo ng 29 taongpaglilingkod sa mambabasa, sambayanan at Maykapal.

Maraming salamat muli.Mabuhay po kayo at nawa’y maging mapayapa at

masagana ang taong 2009.

Ang kauna-unahang sipi ng Mabuhay na inilimbagnoong ika-20 ng Enero 1980.