Vidals advises Manzano: Pray for good health

CEBU, Philippines - Like other candidates who visited him, Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal advised Lakas-Kampi vice presidential candidate Edu Manzano to pray for good health.

Manzano and Vidal met and talked for around 20 minutes inside the Cardinal’s office although it was not clear what topics they discussed.

But when Vidal left his office he jokingly told the media: “I asked Edu game ka na ba?” Manzano used to host the hit gameshow “Game Ka Na Ba” over ABS-CBN.

The cardinal also thanked Edu for his visit yesterday morning.

Manzano, in turn, also thanked Cardinal Vidal for giving him time.

“Maayo kaayo ikasulti si Cardinal Vidal,” said Manzano, although he also declined to reveal what they talked about.

Last Saturday it was presidential aspirant Manuel Villar and his senatorial slate who came calling on Cardinal Vidal.

Meanwhile, Manzano said with the menacing dry spell and water shortage, the national government should offer cash rewards of up to P500,000 each to small farmers who practice water and soil conservation.

“The government should provide incentives to tillers of three to five hectares of land who consciously carry out sound conservation practices while cultivating their farms,” Manzano said.

At present, Manzano lamented that numerous farming villages along major waterways are rapidly losing land as well as potential income to unchecked soil degradation.

The cash rewards would augment in a big way the income of farming households, and help ease rural poverty and hunger while protecting the environment, Manzano pointed out.

“More important, the rewards will heighten awareness of the need for environment-friendly farming practices,” he said. — Jose P. Sollano/BRP (THE FREEMAN)