Sin commends Kapatiran

Jaime L. Cardinal Sin has commended and congratulated the officers and members of the newly- organized Kapatiran sa Pangka-lahatang Kabutihan (Kapatiran), a nonviolent political movement. In a message congratulating Kapatiran officers and members, he said: "Man’s salvation is integral and wholistic. Redemption is not just for the soul but for the body as well. It is for this reason that the Church cooperates with organizations like yours who endeavor to promote the common good."

The cardinal lamented the "now growing tendency to eliminate God in our endeavors. There is room for everything and everybody except God." He warned that this attitude will not bear lasting fruits. "History is our greatest teacher on this. In vain do builders labor, if God is not with them."

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Kapatiran was organized by ordinary citizens and lay faithful, its membership open to all regardless of religion, economic and social status. Its objectives are: 1) to promote good citizenship through character development and value formation; 2) to promote a consistent ethic of life; 3) to introduce a new kind of politics; 4) to promote a responsible two-party system with a party platform comprising specific policy objectives, and 5) to field local and national candidates who are morally-upright, with academic qualifications and experience.

Kapatiran’s officers and trustees are: Peter-Paul S. Bautista, Ricardo Bolipata, Manuel K. Dayrit (vice-president), Jesus de la Fuente, Dean de la Paz, Romulo del Rosario, Rodolfo E. Dula, Baltazar N. Endriga, Mario E. Ongkiko (president), Reynaldo "Nandy" Pacheco (chairman); Metodio Palaypay, Isabel B. Pilar (treasurer) and Adrian Sison (secretary-general). Interested parties may call Kapatiran by tel. 8191624, fax 8192978, or e-mail, [email protected].

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Mandy Navasero, photographer-cum-public relations executive and former PAL flight stewardess, is rooting for the Association of Former Flight Attendants of PAL’s raffle project in order to raise funds for the AFFP Foundation’s numerous projects. A priority project is assisting retired flight attendants who are out of work, and another is setting up a scholarship for the dependents of these retirees who are encountering financial and health difficulties.

According to Mandy, the foundation is raffling off a brand-new Toyota Revo van. It has printed 6,000 raffle tickets prized at P300 each. The raffle draw will be on December 7, 7 p.m, at the PAL In-Flight Service Grounds, NAIA, Pasay City. Apart from the Revo are prizes such as a Phillips 29" colored TV, for second prize; Prize refrigerator at 11 cu., five standing electric fans and a special prize which is a family portrait by Mandy Navasero. They are available at Magnum Greenbelt 2; Pravda Bar at Reposo Street, Makati City, CORK-Rockwell, and Mandy Navasero Studio at 1935 Dominga Street, Pasay City. One may call Ruth Mangahas at the PAL In-Flight Center, 5221905.

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Artists Baidy Mendoza and Nina Libatique have created what they call the IYO line of perfumes and matching health oils. These will be launched in a celebration dubbed as "Bravo Filipino" at the Liongoren Gallery (111 New York St., Cubao, Quezon City), this afternoon at 4 o’clock.

The IYO perfumes and matching floral essences are derived and blended from a harvest of Philippine blooms, such as sampaguita, jasmine, ilang-ilang, rosal, rose and calamansi, each blend meant to capture the allure and mystique of the Filipino maiden or swain.

The perfume fete coincides with a group exhibit of recent artworks by Esther Alcaneses, Remy Boquiren, Emmanuel Cordova, Shiela Tiongco, Arlene Villaver and Inna Naanep-Vitasa. The works portray tropical flora and blooms that go into the making of IYO perfumes.

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Being a herbalist and organic farmer, I’m plugging the OPTA Organic Lifestyle Weekend Market in front of the Banco de Oro Building on Vargas-ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong. Entering its fourth weekend, the market has been drawing housewives and male executives who are sold on eating only organically-grown products. The market is the first of its kind in Metro Manila, i.e. it sells foodstuff that doesn’t use chemical preservatives, fertilizers and pesticides.

If you are starting a herb garden, you can start with such herbs as basil, tarragon, mint, oregano and chives – from pots sold at the market. You may try growing a scented herb garden with pots of tanglad and pandan, marigold and roses. There are pots of the fast-growing pako fern (this is hard to find but which is grown like wild in the Visayas), pancit-pancitan and talinum – which were once considered weeds but which are actually full of nutrients and you can make into scrumptious salads. You can use talinum for a nice salad and tea, would you believe.

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My email address: [email protected]