Tag Archives: Philippines

Religion

IN THE U.S., SAINTHOOD FOR JUNIPERO SERRA; IN THE PHILIPPINES, POPE FRANCIS URGED TO CANONIZE THIRD FILIPINO SAINT

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Pope Francis in Washington, D.C. (Photo: CNN)
Pope Francis in Washington, D.C. (Photo: CNN)

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles®) – Visiting Pope Francis will canonize Franciscan friar Junípero Serra in Washington, D.C. today — the first to be granted sainthood on U.S. soil.

Serra’s sainthood comes with huge controversy.  The founder of California’s first mission in San Diego in 1769 is seen by many as largely responsible for the enslavement, malnutrition and introduction of diseases, resulting in the deaths of 62,000 indigenous Californians.

In letters attributed to Serra himself, the Spanish friar considered the indigenous population to be “barbarous pagans,” and that only Catholicism could save them from evil.

Across the Pacific ocean, the Philippine Catholic Church is urging Pope Francis to fast-track the canonization of their hope for a third Filipino saint, in addition to Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod.

Members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) are encouraged by the canonization of Junípero Serra and are urging the Pope to make another Spanish friar the third Filipino saint.

This friar has, for centuries, been a familiar figure in Philippine history and is largely responsible for the Christianization of Filipino natives (called Indios) back in the 1500’s. His name is Dámaso Verdolagas, more popularly known as Padre Dámaso.

Readers can learn more about the life of Padre Dámaso by reading the novel Noli Me Tangere, authored by Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero.

Economy, Government, Politics, Religion

VICE PRESIDENT BINAY PROPOSES ONE-CHILD POLICY FOR PHILIPPINES

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imageMANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles®)  – Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay who, according to the latest polls, has slipped to third place among the three declared presidential candidates — behind the Aquino Administration’s bet Mar Roxas and Senator Grace Poe who remains in first place — has proposed a major shift in Philippine policy.

Diverting his campaign strategy away from personal attacks and more on issues important to the Filipino people, Binay today unveiled his bold proposal to address the problem of overpopulation and poverty in this nation of 100 Million people.

Speaking to reporters at an impromptu press conference at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City, Binay said that if elected president, he will propose and implement a one-child policy for the Philippines, similar to that put in place by China in 1978.

China’s policy is aimed at alleviating social, economic and environmental problems in this country of over a billion people.

Binay, a devout Catholic, is confident that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) will support his plan, as long as it doesn’t involve any means of artificial birth control.

In  justifying his proposal, Binay cited the fact the U.S. State of California is bigger in land size than the entire Philippines, and yet the Filipino population is  almost three times that of California (see illustration).

The vice president is proposing a fine of one hundred thousand pesos or a prison term of one year for both parents who would violate the one-child policy. Unmarried parents would pay double the fine  or would suffer a two-year prison term.

“It’s about time we solved the problem of overpopulation in our country once and for all,” Binay said.

 

 

International, Military

U.S. TO PHILIPPINES: “DON’T ACT LIKE A PRODIGAL SON!”

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Subic Bay
Subic Bay

SUBIC BAY, Philippines  (The Adobo Chronicles® ) — Almost twenty five years ago, the Philippines expelled the United States from Subic Naval Base in Olongapo City, then the largest overseas outpost of the American military.  Riding on nationalistic and anti-colonial sentiments of the Filipinos, lawmakers closed the base and promised that Uncle Sam’s armed forces would never ever occupy and control any part of the country again.

Fast forward to 2015: the Philippines is embroiled in a major territorial dispute with giant China which has laid claim to a vast expanse of the sea west of the archipelago. It has asked the U.S. government for hundreds of millions of dollars to fund and strengthen its own military, one of the weakest in Asia, so as to be able to deal with aggressive threats from China. But so far, the Obama administration has snubbed the request because it worries that the political corruption in the Philippines could  all but divert the resources into some unauthorized use.

The Philippines is also contemplating on reopening Subic to the U.S. military.

Republican members of the U.S. Congress’ Armed Services Committee are not keen on financially or militarily supporting the Philippines either, saying that the Asian country is acting like a “prodigal son.” The congressmen said : “They kicked us out when it was convenient for them, and now they want us back because it is convenient for them.”

Since the term of President Aquino is up in 2016, it will  be up to his successor to convince the United States on the merits of reopening Subic Bay and providing hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to the Philippines.

Most Filipinos –who are devout Catholics —  are confident that just like in the biblical account of the prodigal son, the U.S. will eventually welcome back the Philippines with open arms, or in this case, the Philippines will welcome back the U.S. military to Subic Bay.