Locsin's outburst and Noynoy's interpellation

CONGRESS JOINT SESSION HIGHLIGHTS LOCSIN AND NOYNOY: Two things need to be said about the Wednesday December 9, 2009 Joint Session of Congress seeking to determine whether the government’s declaration of martial law in Maguindanao should already be lifted or allowed to continue for a little more time.

One is that, Makati City Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr. may just have forfeited his chance to become a Supreme Court justice as he behaved like someone who does not mind showing his great anger in public especially to an opponent like Maguindanao Rep. Didagen Dilangalen.

Whether Locsin was aware of it or not, the television cameras caught him verbalizing a popular Filipino invective (“pu...g..i...m.”) against Dilangalen, even pounding a table as he was verbalizing, with matching bulging eyes, the invective, right after the Maguindanao lawmaker engaged him in a spirited discussion on the Congress floor about a legal issue.

Two is that, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III showed to all and sundry that speculations about his capacity to carry on an intelligent discussion on vital and important matters are just that, pure speculations, as he led lawmakers in grilling Malacanang officials on the propriety of declaring martial law in Maguindanao.

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LYNE ABANILLA, FILIPINO ICON FOR CHARITY WORK: Lyne Abanilla, the vice president for classified advertising of the Manila Bulletin, is fast shaping up as a Filipino icon for charity work in the mold of Mother Theresa of Calcutta, as far as helping the poor, the needy and the really destitute among Filipinos is concerned.

In her capacity as past district governor of Rotary International (RI) District 3810, incumbent and three-time chairman of the RI Public Resource Image Group for the Philippines and Indonesia, and as the executive director of the Physicians For Peace Philippines, Lyne is proving that helping and motivating others to help the less fortunate among us, despite hectic schedules and gargantuan work commitments, is a breeze.

Among her more recent work is collecting some Php718,100 from her own friends from Australia which will be used to buy educational supplies for distribution to school children in areas affected and severely damaged by recent typhoons.

Lyne wrote about this, thus:” Dear District Governors and PR Team: The `PANTAWID GUTOM’ activities initiated by the Public Image Resource Group and joined by many dedicated Rotarians from several clubs and with God's graces allowed us to serve not just one but many areas inundated and devastated by the typhoons, as well as the `Gamit Aral Bags’ (GA Bags) by the Rotary Club of Intramuros, generated a very positive response from our friends.

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AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS DONATE PHP.7 MILLION FOR USE OF PRE-SCHOOLERS: “Today, we are a recipient of a big donation P718,100.00 from my personal friends in Australia. Since we are done with `Pantawid Gutom’, the amount will be used to purchase over 4,500 GA Bags for distribution to several public schools affected by the typhoons.

“The GAMIT ARAL BAGS of school supplies and Hygiene kits will be distributed partly to the pre-schoolers of Gawad Kalinga, Grades 1 and 2 of public elementary schools in Benguet, Pangasinan, Taytay , Morong Rizal and Cavite. These are places affected by the typhoons but which we missed during the Pantawid Gutom activities.

“We may not be able to accommodate and serve more than what we wanted, but surely, these bags will give smiles to our recipients.

“You may recommend a Public School or a Gawad Kalinga in your area you may want to receive the GA Bags and hopefully Rotarians in the area can again join us in the distribution. Yours in Rotary service and friendship, Lyne A. Abanila...”

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LIFE OF JESUS RECOUNTED IN THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY: A keen study of the mysteries of the Holy Rosary will show that each of the mystery recited in praying it constitutes one important aspect of the life of Jesus.

In the Joyful Mysteries, for instance, what is recounted are the following events in the life of Christ: Annunciation, Visitation of Elizabeth by Mary, Birth of Christ, Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple, and Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple.

In the Mysteries of Light, we find the following: Baptism of Jesus, Wedding at Cana, Proclamation of the Kingdom of God, Transfiguration and Institution of the Holy Eucharist through the Last Supper.

The Sorrowful Mysteries narrate these events in the life of Jesus: Agony in the Garden, Scourging at the Pillar, Crowning of Jesus with Thorns, Carrying of the Cross, and Crucifixion and Death of Christ.

Finally, the Glorious Mysteries make an account of the Resurrection, the Ascention, Descent of the Holy Spirit, Assumption of Mary, and the Coronation of Mary as Queeon of Heaven and Earth.

Anyone who prays the Holy Rosary, therefore, gets to remember Jesus Christ and is reminded all over again of His status as our God and Savior.

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BATAS INTERNET RADIO: Please listen to BATAS INTERNET RADIO through four websites: www.batasradio.com, www.kakampimoangbatas.ning.com, www.batasmauricio.com, and www.eradioportal.com. We go on the air 24 hours a day, Mondays to Fridays.

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