Last-ditch efforts

From Hong Kong, Bishop Efren Tendero texted me to say that he is not endorsing a particular candidate, and that the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, of which he is head, has a non-partisan policy. His message reads: "I’m in Hong Kong and received so many texts about your column today (May 1, 2004). Please note that I am not endorsing any presidential candidate in the 2004 elections as the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches has a non-partisan policy and as a member of the NAMFREL National Council, I am non-aligned. We are doing a non-partisan voters’ education."

A welcome move is the signing of a coalition agreement between Sen. Gregorio Honasan, national chairman and president and the Philippine Guardians Brotherhood, and Speaker Jose de Venecia, Lakas CMD (Christian-Muslim Democrats), supporting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s program for good governance and for free, honest, transparent, credible and non-violent elections in next week’s presidential elections.

Honasan, chair of the senate committee on peace, unification and reconciliation, and founder of the reform-driven rightist officers group RAM, hailed The Government of National Unity proposed by Ms. Arroyo and de Venecia that aims to bring into public service the brightest and best of the political parties, party-list groups and civil society "to unify the country and propel it toward economic recovery and modernization."

A vital feature in the agreement is the support of both groups of the proposed shift to a parliamentary federal government, which is advanced by President Arroyo and de Venecia, as "a major step toward reforming governance in the country and bringing genuine progress to the outlying regions."

A tireless group supporting President Arroyo’s candidacy is Kagabay ni Gloria, a group of more than 10,000 card-bearing professional, civic-minded and grassroots women members. Very visible among its leaders are Mely Nicolas and Evelyn Kilayko, whose campaign is buoyed up by the active participation in their special programs by Mely’s sister, Loida Nicolas Lewis. Loida is considered the most wealthy Filipino-American in the United States, and she shares her formula for success in her talks here and abroad. Watch and listen to her on Cito Beltran’s Straight Talk this afternoon, from 1-2 o’clock over ANC, Channel 21.

Senatorial candidate Heherson T. Alvarez is batting for the creation of a Philippine Cancer Institute to provide a comprehensive health care for poor cancer victims but operated through a public-private partnership. He says cancer is now the nation’s second cause of death, trailing heart disease. Reports from the Department of Health claim that cancer incidence has been rapidly increasing to 31 cases for every 100,000 Filipinos in 1974 to 72 cases/100,000 in 1994, with an average of 53 new cancer cases each year. The former senator’s wife, Cecille, is currently struggling against breast cancer.

Heherson said if he is re-elected to the Senate, he will push for a Philippine Cancer Act to expand the existing Philippine Cancer Institute which is currently attached to the Philippine General Hospital, into a separate, autonomous entity. He will use his Countrywide Development Fund as seed money to set up the institute.

"We need a comprehensive health law that can provide a holistic, scientifically coordinated and humanitarian approach to prevent and addresses the killer diseases afflicting all Filipinos, rich or poor," he says. In this connection, he proposes to introduce a "chemotherapy now, pay later plan" for indigent patients who need immediate treatment."

The Mindanao Research Institute is sponsoring on May 6 a forum on the theme, "Madrasah Education: Nurturing Spirituality and Peace, not Radicalism and Terrorism," at the La Dolce Fontana/O.B. Montessori auditorium in Greenhills, San Juan. Explaining the forum’s rationale, Prof. Taha M. Basman, MRI president and UNECO commissioner, says the Madrasah is "the foundation of education for every Muslim individual. The Muslim child’s character is shaped by the ideals and values nurtured by the Madrasah in his tender years. Unfortunately, current realities resulting from the government’s policy on terrorism, have painted a negative picture of the Madrasah."

The forum will have for speakers, Salipada Tamano, former secretary of education of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao; Amb. Preciosa Soliven, secretary general, UNESCO Philippines; Zamzamin Ampatuan, executive director, Office of Muslim Affairs; and Manaros Boransing, DepEd undersecretary.

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