The battle for clean water. A call for action.

Our rivers are drying up quickly.Climate change and diminishing water supply are now wreaking havoc to millions of people around the world. In Lucena City, the huge and growing population will cause water to be dirty and unsafe to drink. Several years from now, if we will not help LUPATA amd DENR, turning on the faucet and having water pours abundantly will be a distant memory in Lucena.
Our action should be decisive this year because bringing clean water to every home is key to break the cycle of misery and poverty. We should not allow the time our children will devout hours to fetch water because this will kill their interest in developing their skills and thinking of establishing their own business. Fetching water is some kind of slavery and it is already happening in Africa where females are tasked to haul water as far as 3 km from their home. They can not go to school and choose a better occupation. We should not allow this to happen.
For those who are based in Lucena, Pagbilao, Tayabas and Lucban I am challenging you to be part of an advocacy to protect our source of water.Call me 0919-278-9171, email lenra1967@yahoo.com. Let us make the first step.

Choosing a City Mayor

I am asked by a Knights of Columbus friend who will I vote for Lucena City Mayor. I did not answer quickly knowing that the present candidates never campaigned based on platforms (the usual thing in Lucena Politics)and we never experienced (never ever!) hearing them debating on critical issues. However I drafted my own criteria to elect one:

[ ] The true public servant (mayor) stands out because he has no personal agenda.
[ ] He lives for no reason other than to fulfill the will of the people – to serve the
public interest.
[ ] He wields no power other than the strength of his principles and the influencing
force of his character.

If nobody will pass the above criteria (woe to Lucena City!), I will rather abstain voting for Mayor.

Winners vs Losers

Winners seek answers to problems , losers see problems in every answers.
Winners are people who have plans, losers are people who have excuses.
Winners are those who see the difficult as possible, losers are those who see the possible as too difficult.
Winners tend to say “ What can I do for you?, losers tend to say “That is not my job”.
Winners make mistakes and say “ I was wrong”, losers make mistakes and say, “ It’s not my fault”.
Winners say “ This is good, but there must be something better”, losers say “ This is good because it’s the way it’s done before”.
My friend the tribe of winners are waiting for you, join the bandwagon!

SENATORS

The Senate of the Philippines after the EDSA 1 revolution was known for showmanship rather than substance. We can not hear anymore the thundering voices of Claro M. Recto and Jovito Salonga who made the Senate Hall as the bastion of quality debate and nationalistic laws.

This coming May election I am endorsing the following candidates.
May they make a difference:
1. ACOSTA, NEREUS JR. - Liberal Party
2. BAUTISTA, MARTIN - Liberal Party
3. DRILON, FRANKLIN - Liveral Party
4. HONTIVEROS, ANA - Liberal Party
5. LACSON, ALEXANDER - Liberal Party
6. MAZA, LISA - Independent
7. OCAMPO, SATUR - Bayan Muna
8. TAMANO, ADEL - Nacionalista Party

RETREAT

One benefit of working in a Catholic school is attending a yearly retreat.

This year I am so blessed to attend the 5-days Ignatian Lenten Retreat at the San Jose Seminary in Ateneo. Sr. Rose Lynn Doromal, DC, upon learning that one of her staff can not attend the retreat due to illness pitch me in as a replacement.

It was a very good time because it took some day off from home and work to engage God in quiet prayer and meditation. I reflected on the graces I received for the past year ( so many!), the problems and challenges ( equally many). The Ignatian retreat is distinct because I was provided a retreat director ( Emoy a former Jesuit seminarian) whom I meet each day for 1 hour to share fruits of my prayers.

It is spiritually uplifting especially when my feet were washed by Jesuit priests during the Holy Thursday mass and kissing the cross on Good Friday. On both occasion I felt the holy spirit descended on me.

Just in my 2nd day of retreat with the great help of being silent for more than 24 hours I realized that my strength is in General Management and Administration of a company, business or organization. This is what I am and doing it will make me happy.

On the third day I realized that in my life there is no accident. Everything that I possessed and every people that I met or will be met are part of chaotic events done by Unseen Hands. It is up to me to make it less chaotic.

During the Holy Saturday Vigil, which is the longest mass I attended because of 9 bible readings, 9 responsorial psalms all done by singing, transformed my view of the passion of Christ. From the candle lights procession up to the proclamation of Easter, I was overwhelmed on the power of a great Catholic tradition that can not be found in other denominations.

I will carry the images, the sacredness and the power of the Holy Triduum Lenten retreat until the end of my breath.

I am challenging my blog readers to experience it yourself. You may start by visiting www.cisphil.org.