Triennial awards finalists: Bringing new hope!

You may dislike them for being bull-headed in trying to end the term of Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) by demanding her resignation or via People's Power revolt. But when Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago came up with her "revelation" allegedly coming from a relative of Senate President Franklin Drilon that Tita Cory and Sen. Drilon conspired to have the President removed from office even if it meant assassinating her, I say that this story is nothing but pure hearsay or hogwash, which would be thrown out of any court of law.

But then, didn't we say so many times here before that the Senate is a place where rumor or fantasy almost becomes a reality and in the end, becomes the subject of a Senate Investigation purportedly under the guise called "in aid of legislation?" Now as Pres. Arroyo says, the Senate has gone into another investigation "in aid of destabilization!"

I'd advise National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Chief Director Reynaldo Wycoco not to conduct any investigation on this issue, firstly because, it is pure hearsay and secondly, the person spreading this rumor could be suffering from mental distress! I may no longer respect Tita Cory Aquino or Sen. Franklin Drilon; however, I do not believe that they would go so far as to include assassinating the President as part of a plot to get her out of Malacañang. This story has become so far-fetched it is no longer credible.

If there's any group who are out to remove the President by violent means, it is only the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and their armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA) who have been doing this for the past 30 years, killing innocent people all in the name of their Godless ideology. But I don't fault the Presidential Security Group (PSG) for not taking this yarn so lightly; after all, they already failed in protecting even the President's telephone conversations from the prying eyes of destabilizers.

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Didn't we write it here a few weeks ago that Freedom of Speech has its responsibilities, that you cannot shout out what you want in the middle of the street as you would be violating our traffic laws and interfere with the rights of other people? It is for this reason why I always insisted that these people should be allowed to express their freedom in areas like the Freedom Park or in Plaza Independencia where they don't need to secure any Mayor's permits. The problem though is that too many people literally took that freedom and became illegal vendors in Freedom Park.

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Now for the good news! Last Friday morning, I huffed over to the Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center to attend the forum and Interaction with finalists for the Third Triennial Awards by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) for exemplary individual and outstanding institutions in the Visayas and Mindanao. The Triennial Awards were established to give recognition to individuals and institution that commit themselves to building a more humane, equitable and caring society.

The program honors the men and women who through their efforts in bringing about hope and chance for the better the lives of the less-privileged, which reflects the philanthropic, humanitarian and holistic ideals of Don Ramon and Don Eduardo Aboitiz. RAFI presented the finalists for the Triennial Awards last Friday.

Amongst the finalists, there's Marge dela Cruz, a UP Professor in Visayas-Tacloban who shared her knowledge in marine biology with the fishermen in Eastern Samar. Hadja Bainon Karon, a Cabinet secretary of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao who has championed women's rights and founded the United Mindanawan Bansamaro Women Multi-Purpose Cooperative who resisted pressure from powerful politicians.

Mayor Ramon Piang Sr. is a rare political gem who improved governance and instilled accountability in the people of Upi. Domingo Tadena is known for his work as Deputy Director of the Eagle Foundation Conservation Breeding program who helped hatched "Pagasa" an eagle bred in captivity. Then there's Fr. Robert Leyson a strong advocate of tri-people movement that recognizes multi-cultural (Christian, Muslim and Lumad) aggrupations. The various outstanding finalists for institutions is the Lihok Pilipina Foundation, Inc. Save Mindanao Volunteers, Inc. Mahitana Foundation, Inc. Brokenshire Integrated Health Ministries, Inc. and Maharlika Charity Foundation, Inc. To my mind, they're all winners!

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