Cebu City | The Adobo Chronicles

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – In one weekend, the Philippines broke two Guinness World Records, bringing both prestige and jubilation to this country of 100 Million people.

First, the Central Philippines City of Cebu broke the current Guinness record for the largest single Zumba class, eclipsing the current record of 6,671 held by India. Cebu’s number reached a total of 8,232 participants.

Even before this rare distinction could sink in among the Filipinos, a Guinness World Records Adjudicator announced a second world record for the Philippines . The announcement was made from the Guinness headquarters in London that the Philippines is now home to the largest pork barrel in the world.

The Guinness announcement said that pork barrel — which refers to the use of taxpayer funds to pay for local politicians’ pet projects in their respective jurisdictions or localities – is common in almost all governments. However, the Philippines holds the record of the largest amount of pork barrel funds illegally expended by politicians anywhere in the world. Guinness added that the Philippine pork barrel record is unique because it involves almost all sectors of government — from the Office of the President to the Senate and House of Representatives to the Supreme Court and local governors and mayors. Even the Philippine Catholic Church has been implicated or benefited from the pork barrel scandal.

Guinness said that it would be very difficult for other countries to surpass the Philippine record.

Upon hearing of the news, President NoyNoy Aquino convened his cabinet for a celebratory gathering in Malacañang, the presidential palace, where San Miguel beer and the favorite sisig appetizer flowed all night.

Cebu City, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Nowhere else in the world is the principle of separation of church and state more evident than in the Philippines, a nation where more than three-quarters of its 100 Million population are Catholic. Or, maybe not.

Church leaders in Cebu are calling for the resignation of President Aquino. The group called the National Transformation Council said “the President had lost the moral ascendancy to lead the nation.” The group is led by Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal who alleged the President had violated the Constitution by corrupting Congress, intimidating the judiciary, taking over the Treasury, and perverting the impeachment process.

The group said once the President resigns, an alternative government consisting of men and women of integrity must be organized to avoid a political vacuum.

Asked by The Adobo Chronicles how the Catholic Church plans to help fill the void after Aquino steps down, Vidal says that until new elections are held, Manila’s Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle will act as interim president. In addition, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) should be designated as the interim Congress and that provincial governors and city mayors should be immediately replaced by Catholic parish priests and pastors.

To sustain the interim government, CBCP has proposed that Filipino taxpapers suspend all tax payments to th Bureau of Internal Revenue and instead contribute 10 to 15 percent of their income directly to the church through Sunday collection baskets.

We’re calling this a “moral descendancy from heaven, ” Vidal said.