Tough fight for CBCP

The CBCP’s fight against the passage of the RH bill has run into a big block as the Iglesia ni Cristo and protestant groups announced support for the RH bill.

Bishop Rodrigo Tano, president of the Philippine Association of Bible and Theological Schools, criticized the Catholic Church for asking parishioners to double their contributions during masses to fund its fight against the RH bill.

In another development, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal of Cebu called for an end to the dialogue with President Aquino saying it is futile since the President already announced his support for the bill at his UP Diliman graduation speech on Palm Sunday.

Informal TV surveys show 60 percent of respondents favor the RH bill. Fr. Larry Faraon, O.P. narrated this story that in a meeting of parish priests in a Southern Luzon province, he was shocked to hear the Bishop say to the priests “Huwag na kayo magdagdag ng anak” (don’t add any more children). The CBCP should conduct a seminar of natural family planning for its priests.  

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CLUELESS. . . The price of oil products have gone up by P9-10 since January. The Aquino Administration is still clueless on what to do. Now they say that another P1.2 billion will be added to the fuel subsidy initially given P450 million. Why is the price of unleaded gasoline at P56+ per liter with crude oil at $110/barrel when in August 2010 it was also at P56+ but the crude oil was at $143/barrel?

DOE Sec. Almendras announced that oil prices should go down because they are overpriced. So what do the oil companies do, they raised prices. Almendras also announced that the government would import and stockpile 50 million liters of diesel fuel, only to say a day later that it was having second thoughts.

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WHERE DID THE MONEY GO? President Aquino has issued an Executive Order allocating P8 billion from the Malampaya royalty fund for AFP modernization.

I recall Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile saying that then Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes could not account for the Malampaya fund collections estimated at P50 billion.

DOE Secretary Jose Rene Almendras must now reveal how much has been collected from that source and how the money was spent.

Even Palawan citizens are asking where did their share of the Malampaya fund go.

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BANAUE IMBAYAH FESTIVAL. . . President Joseph Erap Estrada and San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez were the guests of honor at the 10th triennial Imbayah (rice wine) festival in Banaue, Ifugao. Also present were Rep. JV Ejercito, Vice Mayor Francis Zamora and the City Council of San Juan.

Imbayah is being held to promote Preservation of the Ifugao Cultural Identity and Heritage. Incidentally, Banaue has been conferred “A World Heritage Site” BY UNESCO in 1995. It also aims to foster exchange between and among the Ifugaos, its lowland brothers and foreign as well as domestic tourists. It projects the true character and spirit of the Ifugao as reflected in his arts, songs, dances, and games and hopefully results in greater appreciation and recognition of an exotic and great people.

If you have not yet seen the famous rice terraces of Banaue, May is a good time to go because the weather is good. The roads have been improved and it takes six hours to reach Banawe thru Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya. The 90 room Banaue Hotel offers rates starting at P2,300 for a double room.

The occasion also saw the signing of a sisterhood agreement between Banaue and San Juan by Mayor Guia Gomez and Mayor Jerry Dalipog.

Witnessing the signing at the town plaza were Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr., a UP ’88 Masscom graduate, Governor Eugene Balitang, Vice Governor Pedro Mayam-O and Vice Mayor Fermin Haclao Jr.

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HOLY WEEK CRIMES. . . ABS-CBN Reporter Eric Dastas’ house robbed of P500,000 in cash and appliances in Imus, Cavite.

Movie star Jess Lapid’s house was robbed of P500,000 of valuables and appliances at Violago 2 Subdivision, Barangay Pasong Tamo, QC.

Edwin Ramos, GMA TV program coordinator was stabbed to death while trying to pacify quarreling neighbors in Malabon.

Burglars also looted the LTO offices in QC during the long weekend, taking P135,000 from one of the steel cabinets in the Plates Unit.

Diosdado Maningas, a jeepney barker was shot dead by a lone gunman in front of horrified passengers at West Bank road in Pasig City.

Noemi Silvestre, 53, was shot at close range in Barangay San Vicente, San Pedro, Laguna. Dave Dollete, 17, was shot dead in Pasay City on Easter Sunday.

Mayor Festo Riano Galang Jr. and two security aides narrowly escaped death in an ambush in Cajidiocon, Romblon.  

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DICTATOR . . . Employees of the Office of the Solicitor General are up in arms against Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz whom they consider greedy and incompetent, calling him a dictator.

They claim that Cadiz has cornered all the government offices/clients that pay the biggest allowances. They complain that having no litigation experience, it is not surprising that he lost cases at the Supreme Court, notably the Truth Commission case and the Sandiganbayan.

Employees are also objecting to the lavish preparations for the 110th anniversary to be held at the PICC where P1 million will be spent.

TIDBITS . . . The British government will spend $32 million for the security program of the Prince William-Kate Middleton wedding. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles will foot the $600,000 bill for the lunch and dinner for 1,900 guests. The Middletons will spend $434,000 for Kate’s wedding gown and the gowns of the bridal party.

We join the millions of Catholics who rejoice at Pope John Paul II’s beatification on May 1st.

Birthday greetings to Ylaysha, daughter of Claro Gosiaco.