Tag Archives: Philippines

Politics, Religion

POPE FRANCIS EXCOMMUNICATES PHILIPPINES SOCIAL WELFARE SECRETARY DINKY SOLIMAN

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imageTHE VATICAN, Italy (The Adobo Chronicles) –  As she wiped her tears, Philippines Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman finally admitted on Tuesday that she had homeless people rounded up to put Manila in order for the visit of Pope Francis last month.

Soliman testified at a hearing of the Senate committee on social justice, welfare and rural development that was called to investigate persistent reports that she rounded up homeless people and  street children, sending  them on a paid vacation for the duration of the papal visit. She explained that the 100 families, or 427 individuals, living along Roxas Boulevard that traverses the cities of Manila, Pasay and Paranaque were brought to Chateau Royale resort in Batangas, south of the capital. It cost the government 4.75 Million Pesos.

Upon learning of the admission, Pope Francis immediately signed a pastoral document excommunicating Soliman from the Catholic Church.  As per tradition, excommunication bars a Catholic individual from receiving or participating in church sacraments, including, but not limited to, receiving Holy Communion or a church burial.

“I visited the Philippines to be with the poor, homeless, sick and down-trodden,” Francis said, “and it is unconscionable  that they were hidden from me just so the government will look good.”

The Pope promised to return to Manila for a private visit later this year to be with the children and homeless who were rounded up and hidden by Soliman.

Politics, Religion

WAITING FOR ‘DIVINE SIGNAL’ TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

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Duterte, next Peesident of the Philippines?
Duterte, next Peesident of the Philippines?

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Who says religion and politics don’t mix ?

In what appears to be the clearest indication of his openness to run for president of the Philippines in 2016, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte told constituents and supporters that there will be “swift and immediate reforms” should he become president.

Speaking before a crowd, Duterte also said he will rule with “common sense and a good heart” if God allows him to be the next leader of the country. “I am waiting for divine signal,” he added.

Duterte openly favors a federalist form of government much like in the United States in which certain powers are reserved for the national government as well as the states (provinces, in the case of the Philippines).

The mayor made headlines recently when, referring to the arrest of a suspected rice smuggler, he said, “If this guy would go to Davao and starts to unload (smuggled rice)… I will gladly kill him.”

Duterte was hoping that the divine signal would be personally delivered to him by Pope Francis who recently visited the Philippines.  Alas, no such signal came from the pope.

However, Duterte plans to travel to the Holy Land next month, along with other Filipino pilgrims. “Perhaps the signal is wating for me there,” he said.

 

International, Language, LGBT

BIG CHANGES COMING TO MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT NEXT YEAR

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Donald Trump with 2012 Miss Universe Olivia Carpo of the United States.
Donald Trump with 2012 Miss Universe Olivia Carpo of the United States.

DORAL, Florida (The Adobo Chronicles) – While the world is anticipating the final results of the 2014 Miss Universe Pageant now being held in Doral, Florida, Donald Trump has announced major changes in the international competition starting next year.

The business mogul and Miss Universe Pageant owner spoke with reporters tonight while he was busy assisting the 10 finalists put on their evening gowns in the dressing rooms.

Specifically, he announced three major changes:

1. The Miss Universe organization will now actively recruit transgender contestants to this international competition which originally only allowed contestants who were born women.

2. Because of the perennial outstanding performance in the pageant of contestans from Latin America (including Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia and Brazil), the pageant will adopt a new official language which will be used throughout the competition, from the preliminaries to the finals.  That language, of course, is Spanish.  Non-Spanish speaking contestants will still be allowed to engage the services of a language interpreter.

3. Trump will have to personally approve the final decision of the pageant’s panel of judges to ensure that his favorite contestants win the crown.  After all, he’s paying for it.

The LGBT community and Spanish-speaking countries immediately praised Trump’s new policies.  The government of the Philippines, meanwhile, has mandated the teaching of Spanish in schools and universities — from kindergarten through college, especially among women and girls to increase the country’s chances of winning more Miss Universe crowns.