Si Ellen Page, ang kanyang "Coming Out" Moment, at ang Tunay na Pagpapakatotoo

Cue music!

Sorry, hindi tungkol kay Ellen Adarna ang post na ito. Ellen Page po. Hindi Ellen Adarna. Pero basahin niyo na rin.

Si Ellen Page

Ipinagdiriwang ng marami ang isa na namang pag-amin ng artista na siya tomboy. Si Ellen Page. Ito ang Coming Out Moment niya:

Nagkaroon ako ng girlfriend dati. Naging kami, nag-break kami, pero naging magkaibigan din naman pagtapos ng aming break-up. Pero nung magsimula akong maging active sa pro-life advocacy, in-unfriend niya ako sa Facebook, block, at di na kinausap kailanman. Ang huli naming usapan:

Ex: Plastic ka.
Me: Bakit? Dahil sa pagiging pro-life ko?
Ex: Oo, magpakatotoo ka. Kilala kita. Hindi ka ganyan. Ayoko sa plastic.

Given that I have a jaded past, isang nakaraan na puno ng kahihiyan at kasalanan - hindi na ba ako pwedeng magbago?

Ang pananaw niya sa akin ay ang pananaw ng lipunan tungkol dito sa isyu ng homosexuality. Papupurihan ka kapag umamin kang bakla/tomboy ka. Ewan ko lang ha, pero pulpol na pag-iisip ito. Ano ba dapat ang dapat mas matimbang? Ang pag-amin ng kasalanan at kahinaan, o ang pagsisikap na magbagong-buhay?

Of course, sasabihin nila na wala namang masama sa pagiging bakla o ang magmahal ng kapwa lalaki o babae. Let's discuss that next time.

Sa akin lang, napakaraming mga babae at lalaki dyan na naturingang bading o tomboy, pero nagsusumikap mamuhay ng malinis ang puso. They try to live chaste lives and not give in to their desires. Nakakalungkot lang na mas binibigyan ng pansin ngayon ang pag-amin ng kabadingan kasi ito daw ay pagiging totoo sa sarili, pero yung nagbabagong buhay ay tinatawag nilang plastic. Ipokrito.

Ganito na ba talaga tayo kababaw mag-isip ngayon?

Ang tunay na honest at totoo sa sarili, sa aking pananaw, ay hindi lamang yung umaamin sa kanyang mga kasalanan, kundi 'yung taong nagsisikap na baguhin ang kanyang buhay. Pwede kang magkaroon ng "coming out" moment mo, pero hangga't di ka nagbabago, walang saysay yun.

Summer Rain

photo courtesy of the robin rice gallery

I peered through the blinds of my hotel room. The rain kept pouring, and people below are all trying to get to some nearby shed to seek refuge from the downpour, save for some frolicking kids. I have been seeking respite from the blizzard I just left in Chicago, only to arrive in wet, wet Manila, with an unexpected rain shower in March. I downed my scotch and felt that warm feeling in my gut, if only for a few moments.

I looked at my watch and it said three-thirty in the afternoon. Half an hour to go. I looked at the mirror and adjusted my tie for the third time in 5 minutes. Somehow, I can’t make my tie quite as good as she did. After adjusting my tie for the last time, I hurried towards the elevator. 

Hopefully I can catch a cab and I won’t run late.

I am going to meet Alice today. It’s an appointment and a date I couldn't beg off from even if I wanted to.  It’s been years since we last talked, and when she phoned me a week ago to set up this meeting, I knew I just had to be here, by hook or by crook.

Alice has been my best friend since elementary. She has been my everything since she first saved my life one bloody day back in 5th grade. I had just gotten into a big fist fight with this guy, Rick, who was and always be an asshole. My polo was disheveled, blood oozing from my nose and staining my clothes. If our teachers saw me like that, it would have been the end of me – being the prolific troublemaker that I was, I knew I was skating on thin ice even before I got into that huge fight with Rick. Alice saved my life that day. She broke up our fight, the bell rang, lunch break was over, and she saw me like she saw a dead man walking. Without a moment’s hesitation she dragged me into the nearby drinking fountain, peeked left and right down the corridor to make sure nobody saw us, got her hanky, damped it with water, and began taking away the blood stains from my polo, as hurriedly as she could. She wiped away the blood from my nose, arranged the collars of my polo, and did everything to make sure I looked nothing like a gladiator fresh from the coliseum.

“Hay, you are very lucky to have someone like me as your president.” She said that with that sort of frown you’d get from your mom when she realizes you haven’t cleaned your room yet. “Now go back to the classroom NOW!”

I hurried back to the classroom, without looking back, and before that week was over, we were friends. We were the best of friends by the time we graduated from elementary.

The bellhop managed to get me a cab driven by Joey, the smarmiest cab driver around. We hadn't even passed by the block yet and he was talking to me like we were buddies or something. He talked so much that he didn’t notice my empty stare out the window as a grey, old Manila passed us by. I ended some of his sentences with the customary and polite “uh-uh” and “yeah” but my thoughts were solely on Alice.

By the time we hit high school, and boy bands started ruling the airwaves (I had a special fondness though for one-hit wonders Sugar Ray) we were so close that people thought we were a couple. Even our parents did. But no, we stuck to that cheesy tag, “more than friends but less than lovers” coined by that generation. Ah, the birth of MU. But I had the hots for this girl on the other class, Sally. I just had to tell Alice about my everlasting love for Sally. I did that one time during lunch.

“You have a crush on Sally? Hahahaha!” She was trying to both remain feminine and not to spill the food from her mouth. She failed on both. The way she laughed, I sensed that she knew something about her that I didn't. I grudgingly shoved the last piece of my cold pork chop down my throat.  

“What’s wrong with having a crush on her? She’s perfect. You know how she looks like when her long, brown hair catches wind, and she still looks immaculate? I gave her that look – that serious look I was fond of giving her to indicate that either I am in deep crap or am desperate for a sheet of intermediate paper.

“Oh, alright. I will help you out.” Alice said, and I felt like I won the lottery. I gave her a smack on the cheek, like we were used to doing, and ran off to play basketball with my friends.

 The next few days were devoted for meticulously planning OPERATION 214. Sally is to be my date on prom night, or else, it’s the end of the world for me. A week after, Sally and Alice were already hitting it off like long-lost best buddies, and as planned, Alice built me up for Sally like I was Brad Pitt, Michael Jordan, and Einstein all in one person. The pieces were falling into place. However, the day I was going to ask her to be my date on the prom, I somehow lost my balls. I was sweating and shaking like crazy. I dragged Alice into one corner of the school corridor told her I couldn't do it.

“What do you mean you couldn't do it? She said, exasperated. “All the weeks of planning will be for nothing if you don’t do your thing!”

“But, but, but...” I was stammering bad even before Sally was in front of me. I also didn't sleep a wink the night before. “But what if she says no?”

The look on Alice’s face told me she understood that this means the world to me. She gave me hug, and a smack on the cheek, and told me that everything will be alright, as she was used to doing. Somehow, I was always at peace in her arms – only that it took me 15 years to realize it. She disengaged from our warm embrace, fixed my hair and my collar, and said, winking, “You WILL be alright.”

At that moment, someone bumped into me from behind, and before I knew it, I was picking up books and notebooks and apologizing. When I looked up, it was Sally.

My memories with Sally are all a blur to me, except for prom night, when Sally and I were slow-dancing on the floor, and I saw in one of the tables, Alice, who gave me a smile and a thumbs up. I smiled back. Thanks Alice. Thank you so much.

Our cab stopped at one intersection in Taft Avenue. There was a long procession of people in front of us. and I stared at my watch. Five minutes to go. Come on. Move it. At the end of the procession was a hearse. Call me heartless but I was relieved to see the end of it. My cab sped away, knowing that I have to catch an appointment at four.

Alice was always there for me, even though I could hardly say I was there for her. He made sure I dressed up on my thesis defense, and fixed my tie on my first interview. She was there to support me whenever my exes got tired of me and left me. She wasn't a crying shoulder, because I hardly cried, but she was always there. She was always there to celebrate my victories too. One time I drank so hard after getting promoted, and I woke up on my bed the morning after. I immediately knew that it was Alice, and when I turned my heavy head towards the dresser, I saw a glass of water and some medicine. Alice has done this once or twice before, and I couldn't imagine any of my friends doing this for me. Alice grew inside me, all these years. That fateful day when I fought Rick, that was fate leading me to Alice. She is everything to me – a friend, a confidant, a drinking buddy.

At that point, I was convinced to add ‘soul-mate’ to the description.

Unlike others who had troulbe making the transition from best friend to girlfriend, I felt that everything would be natural between us. Everything that we have done in the past all led to this, and I was so sure that it was going to be her for the rest of my life. So one lazy afternoon in March I invited her for a stroll down our favorite place in UP. We have been going around in circles but it didn’t matter to her. I on the other hand felt butterflies in my gut and been going around in circles, trying to find the right words. Just as I was about to say it, we found ourselves under a heavy downpour, and ran towards the nearest big tree.

“Come on, say it!” She reminded me that I was about to say something.

“Nah, it can wait. I-I-I..”

She did what she did best to me: she held me in her arms and embraced me tightly. She looked right in to my eyes without letting me go. “What is it Miles?” she asked.

“I-love-you, Alice.” I said, as I was used to doing. We often exchanged I love yous because we were the best of friends – but now it is going to be different.

“Of course you do, and I love you too Miles. Now, tell me, what’s bugging you?” She persisted.

“You don’t understand Alice. I LOVE you.” I said, hoping she would get it. I can feel her warm body pressed against me even through our cold and wet clothes.

And in that moment she got it.

“Miles,” she was sobbing and fighting back tears. “I have always loved you, did you know that?”

“Of course you did...”

“You don’t understand Miles. I have ALWAYS. LOVED. You. And only you.” She said, and added, “I have waited for this moment my entire life...”

We looked into each other’s eyes and understood. For the first time, I kissed her lips, and she kissed me back. My life flashed before me at that moment. I held her in my arms, kissed her some more, and the afternoon melted in our embrace.

from xaxor.com

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Alice was fixing my tie as I was making a business call over my mobile phone. I was busy with business matters, and Alice was busy with me. As soon as I put down the phone, she looked into my eyes.

“You take care of yourself okay,” Alice worriedly said.

“I will.” I reassured her.

I kissed her on the cheek like I was used to doing, and said goodbye. She hugged me tightly just like old times and fought back tears. I disappered into the thick airport crowd. I was running late for my flight.

Thousands of feet in the air, I was thinking how unfair I had been to Alice all these years. She was always, and  damn I mean ALWAYS there for me, even though I can’t say I have been there for her. Well, maybe once or twice, but that was about it. Things didn't really work out right between us, and we both realized that sometimes love just isn't enough to convince people to stay in a relationship. I was beginning to make a name for myself in entrepreneurial circles, and she was beginning to give her whole heart to me. We broke up after two years, but she remained a very loyal and good friend to me, even though I have broken her heart.

That, to me, is the most painful thing I ever had to endure.

*****************************************************************************************

I buried myself with work and tried to forget all about her. The Windy City has a way of making me forget her, but not really. I was taking my time. They say time heals all wounds.

Until she phoned me last week. I was excited to see her, and despite my busy schedule I made sure I am there for her this time.

The cab stopped. I looked at the rear view mirror and adjusted my tie. It was time.

The rain had stopped.

I stepped out of the cab and handed Joey some dollar bills, way more than my taxi boundary was worth.

“I’d give you more if you wait for me,” I told Joey, as he nodded and said “yes! yes!” excitedly.

This is the most important day in Alice’s life, and I am just right in time. The bells pealed in San Agustin Church. It is time.

I went inside and sat down on the pews. I was lost in thought but I heard a familiar voice.

photo courtesy of
http://munchwaffle.files.wordpress.com/

“Miles...” Alice called out, her voice distinct from all the noise and the church organ being played. And there she was, totally beautiful in white. We glanced at each other for a second or so, then gave her a nod. She then continued to make her way towards the altar. What a lovely bride she is.

The rest of the ceremony was a blur to me. The only thing I noticed was how happy Alice looked. I know her. She couldn't fake that smile even if she wanted to.

I made my way out of the church the same time people did, in time for the ceremonial rice throwing. Somehow, in the confusion of the crowd, and with the groom and the bride thanking all well-wishers, I was able to push and shove my way in front of her.  There she was, right in front of me, on the happiest day of her life. I haven’t always been there for her; I would give up the world just to be where I am standing on right now.  I caught her eye, and held both her hands, and my life with her flashed before me – and time stopped. She embraced me like she was used to doing, and thanked me for being here.

“Join us for dinner, Miles.” She asked me.

“Nah, I've got a flight to catch. 6.30. Busy with work.” I shrugged my shoulders. I swear I could see her eyes glisten.

“Just like old times, huh Miles.” She said. That hurt, but yes it is true. She has never changed, and I never did.

I embraced her one last time, and whispered in to her ear: “Alice, you’re the best thing that happened to my life. You have been there all my life. Thank you...”

Before I could finish, our embrace was broken by the greetings of more well-wishers who also hugged her and congratulated her. Soon, I saw the groom.

“Miles, you remember Rick, right?” Yes, of course. How could I forget. He was and always be an asshole. I shook his hand and wished the couple well.

They made their way in the car, and the last thing I saw was Alice, and her lips telling me, “You take care of yourself okay...” She said that with that sort of expression you’d get from your mom when she realizes you haven’t cleaned your room yet.  I couldn't hear her because of the crowd of course. I just know.

I made my way back to the cab, and Joey was flashing this silly grin.

“where to, boss?”

“Airport. I am going back to Chicago.” I said, and sunk into my seat.

“Just like old times, sir?” He asked.

Just like old times. And the rain began to pour once again.

Some Questions I Wish RH Fans Could Answer

Barely a few days into the new year and the Pro RH camp has fired the first shot into this battle for lives. This time it came in the form of a simple PR from the Population Commission, which said that we will hit 100 million this year. Once again, mainstream and social media are abuzz with people clamoring that we need the RH law, which is now in Supreme Court Limbo following the SC's status quo ante order.

This is by no means an accident or a coincidence. The RH machinery makes sure that from time to time the media will report something about the RH law. Haven't you noticed? Last time around, it was the rising incidence of HIV cases. This time it's the population 'ballooning' to a hundred million. Next time I bet it will be about the rise in unwanted pregnancies. This well-oiled, and well-funded RH machinery will make sure that society will be saturated with news proclaiming the RH Gospel.

For the longest time the pro-life side has been touted by the anti-life side as religious fanatics whose faith rules over the intellect. In short: they think we're the stupid ones. Next time they remind you that you're stupid because you take the side of life, ask them to take time to answer these simple questions.

1. Exactly how many Filipinos does it take to say that we are really overpopulated? No one has been able to give me an exact number yet. Can you?

2. Would God create you if He knew there would not be enough food and resources to keep you alive? There's plenty for everyone's need, but not for everyone's greed. The poor remain poor and the rich remain rich because of greed. Lowering the population does nothing to address this problem of greed.

by Jess Abrera

3. Why are we trying to lower our population when the rest of the world is desperate to raise theirs?  A case of gaya-gaya, puto-maya? Countries like Japan, China, Singapore, France, Italy, and Russia are desperate to jack up their birth rates. Why are we imitating their folly? The demographic and economic implications are the same. If they're losing workforce because of too few babies born and too many old people around, it will happen to us too, if we put the breaks on our population.

4. If you're against PDAF, why aren't you against RH? So you went to Luneta and protested the unscrupulous spending of billions of taxpayer's money in things that did nothing to help the poor and advance us into progress. Tell me again how funding RH will give the poor access to basic things such as food, shelter, education, job opportunities, and skills training?

by Jess Abrera

5. Can you look at this, say out loud "we need 13.9 billion pesos to implement the RH law", and be at peace with yourself? 

That is a picture of the bunkhouses they're building as temporary shelters for Yolanda victims in Tacloban. Architect Jun Palafox said in an interview with Inquirer Radio:

“I can confirm they (bunkhouses) were substandard and undersized,”

International standards, he said, require bunkhouses to be at least 20 square meters and should have two bedrooms.

“Daughters should not be sleeping with their fathers or brothers, it’s a basic human requirement,” he explained.

“What I saw there was so inhumane.”

Palafox, who has worked with 38 other countries in rebuilding disaster-stricken areas, compared the bunkhouses that they built in Sri Lanka and Malaysia to the ones being built in Leyte.

“I’m reminded of the saying, `We build monuments for the dead but we can’t even provide decent housing for the living’,’’ he said by phone when interviewed by the Inquirer.

He added that the bunkhouses in Leyte have violated various laws in terms of building construction, saying that the spaces for the families are cramped and the materials used were fire hazards.

“Various international organizations confirmed that they (bunkhouses) are cramped and are fire hazards; there is no privacy; it violates the building code… I would not put my family there,” Palafox said. “How can you put a family of five into a six to nine square-meter room while the materials used were one-fourth plywood.”

Palafox also said that the roofing, which were made with  “dos aguas” galvanized iron sheets (two slopes) were the same materials that were blown away during the onslaught of “Yolanda.”

They used the same materials that were blown away in the storm, and they just repeated what was there in the first place,” Palafox said. “You don’t have to be an engineer or an architect to see it, it is a no brainer, maybe a first year Architecture student can tell you this is substandard,” he said.

This is how the government treats us. This is how the government treats the poor. No wonder the President and his cohorts have no shame in passing the RH law. Their idea of eradicating poverty is making poor people have less children, so they don't have to do the difficult work of finding real, long-term solutions to poverty and corruption. 

Pro RH friends, wake up! 

New Year's Resolutions All Catholics Should Fulfill

It's a few days into the new year, and we're still getting used to writing 2014 instead of 2013. But let me suggest some new year's resolution for us Catholics, that we may grow 'in wisdom and stature' just like the child Jesus. May we light this new year with the light of Christ, to illumine the path in these days of darkness.  "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven." (Mt. 5:16)

1.  I will go to the Holy Mass and participate more devoutly. This means I will ask everyone in my family to wear their Sunday Best for Sunday Mass. This means I will pay more attention to the homily, and let the priest know if his homily was good. This means I will discipline my younger children bear the rigors of silence, listening, and prayer - and not give them my iPad to play whenever they get bored. This means I will be more conscious of the real presence of the Lord in Holy Communion, and lining up for it in a prayer-like attitude.

Someone did not get the memo on proper attire for Mass. 

2.  I will go to confession more often. This means I take time out to reflect on the wrong I have done and the good I have failed to do more often. 

3. I will take time to nourish my soul with spiritual reading, like the Bible for starters. The Lives of the Saints, too. The Imitation of Christ. There are lots of spiritual books written by brilliant Catholic writers out there, and I will prefer them over wishy-washy self-help books from protestants and new agers. 

Rome Sweet Home, written by former protestants Scott and Kimberly Hahn,  is a must read for all Catholics,

4. I will use my common sense and not believe everything I see or hear on the internet, like that time when the Pope supposedly called for a Third Vatican Council, or that time when he allegedly abolished sin. It's one thing to have stupid articles in the internet, it's another to get swayed by them and believe in them. 

Yeah, right. 

5. I will expand my knowledge about the Catholic faith by attending seminars, fora, formation talks, retreats, and recollections that are being offered to us.

A seminar on the mass media and sex education offered by Pro-Life Philippines

6. I will sanctify my Facebook by posting articles, comments, statuses, videos, and pictures that lead my fellow Catholics closer to God, and bring them to a deeper understanding of our faith. 

7. I will defend sanctity of life in all its stages, marriage between one man and one woman, and the family as the foundation of our society. I will educate myself about the latest trends on the culture of death that threatens to destroy these three things we value, and will actively participate in their defense, whether through prayer, online posts and tweets, taking to the streets, or some other acceptable form of protest. 

8. I will take time to study at least basic apologetics and on how to answer Catholic FAQs, like "do Catholics worship images?' or "Do Catholics worship Mary?" and the like. 

9. I will do a better job teaching the faith to my children. They will learn the love of God from my own personal relationship with Jesus, and the love of neighbor through the love I have for my spouse. 

Don Bosco teaching young boys catechism, as well as their craft for their work. 

10. I will go against the grain and run counter to the TV and selfie culture that we have as a society, and will teach my children to enjoy their childhood the old-fashioned way - through play, interaction, and fun learning experiences. 

Uh-oh. 

Happy New Year! God bless us this 2014! 

We're Creating a Monster

Every year, especially during Christmas season, the traffic gets worse, the malls are more packed, and we are driven by this unquenchable thirst for more purchases and items to buy.

photo courtesy of iremit.com.au

I see something sinister behind all this. Something is out of place.

I am aware that this season is traditionally the season to give gifts to our family, friends, co-workers, and just abut anyone. It is the season of giving - or at least it used to be. In our desire to give material gifts, are we spawning a monster feeding on our excessive consumerism?

For example, people were all up in arms when it was declared that prices of electricity will be going up. That meant that prices of basic goods are soon to follow up as well. You think that would deter people from going to the mall? Today, at the Mall of Asia, the crowd was so gargantuan you would think it was the feast of the Nazareno. What happened? I thought we were trying to save money because of the high prices of goods?

photo courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/Sanlakas14

Why were there so many people at the malls this season? It's like we're all zombies out there, with no other choice, no idea of what fun is outside of the mall. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB, my mentor from way back, has this to say about this mall culture:

Malls are now the only leveler in society. There is no exclusion, but inclusion. At malls no one knows if one lives in a shack, as everyone has smartphones, same dresses, and the same disheveled hair look. In the mall, everyone can more or less have the same thing, provided you pay, of course. No membership dues. No monthly consumables ... just plain and simple fun defined according to the rituals of the cathedrals of commerce.

Are we slowly veering away from the true spirit of Christmas and turning towards a consumerist, politically-correct, no-nonsense, "happy holidays" kind of season?

I have experienced the mad rush of Christmas shopping before. Several years back, it was different. It felt different. Back then, there was a spirit of rushing, a tone of necessity with the shopping. People want to get their shopping done so they could get back to the family ASAP and spend more time with them. The past few years, however, I have this feeling I cannot quite put my finger on. It's like we are slowly turning into mindless robots. Or animals. Animals driven by instinct to shop for more and more each year.

My feelings tell me that the more we participate in this consumerist culture, the more we miss out on Christmas itself; ironically, in our quest to buy more gifts, we are slowly forgetting that Christ's incarnation is one of the greatest gifts mankind has ever received.

I will not be surprised if we become like this a few years from now:

We Pinoys are proud that we have the happiest celebration of Christmas in all the world. That is going to change if we continue to feed this monster of consumerism. Call it cliche, but Christ really is the reason for the season, and the more we mindlessly buy things that will not make us happy, the more we are led away from the one true source of happiness itself.

Christmas IS Pro-Life

Many of us are aware of the Christmas story, which starts from the annunciation of the archangel Gabriel to Mary, the mother of Jesus. After some reflection, I found out that this Christmas story, which was told to us time and again when we were little children, and the very same Christmas story which I hope we are passing on to our children, and their children’s children – I found out that this story holds not one but several pro-life pointers for all of us to think about. Christmas is indeed pro-life. 

1. There is no room for Christ for those whose lives are full of worldly things. Have you ever heard of people saying something like, “I don’t want a baby because it gets in the way of the job I want.” Or something to that effect?

This is the queue to the gift-wrapping section. Every Christmas season. Every single year. 

Mary’s fiat – let it be done unto me as you say! – required a heart that was full of God’s grace, and less of our own selfish motives, and much less of this world’s empty promises of wealth, fame, and possessions. When Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem, it wasn’t that they didn’t find any place to stay. There were lots of places to stay, but not one person who was willing to open their doors for them. Eventually, they found someone who was willing to lend his own manger, a little act of generosity that went a long, long way for Joseph and Mary and Jesus, the infant.

2. Help, even as you need help yourself. 99% of us pro-lifers are people in need of some sort of assistance – financial, emotional, professional, etc .Mary went out of her way to help her cousin, Elizabeth, who was six months into her pregnancy, even as she was pregnant of her own child as well. God rewards those who make great effort to reach out to other people despite their own circumstances. For some of them, however, helping others and making a difference in their lives is a reward by itself.

So don't forget to send me some gifts! :) just kidding

3. Heart of Gold, Will of Steel. Mary must have had the courage of a thousand men to allow herself to be the mother of Christ. She could imagine how her future husband would reject her and break up with her. She could imagine the backlash of her society with her being pregnant without having a husband – a sin punishable by stoning to death. But she went through with it, having total faith and confidence in the providence and ways of God.

Nowadays, being a pro-lifer means being very unpopular, going against the whims and caprices of this anti-life society. Argentinian feminists burned an effigy of Pope Francis, who stood firm on his pro-life, anti-abortion stand. If they could do that to the pope, imagine what the world can do to us, ordinary pro-lifers. The pro-life advocacy ain’t for the soft-spoken and for the mild-mannered. The advocacy requires all of us brandish wills of steel.

In Argentina, these men barricaded themselves in front of a Cathedral that these angry feminists
targeted to vandalize, following Pope Francis' statement against abortion. These men are awesome! 

4. Pro-life, Pro-poor. A lot of skeptics ask us: Why don’t you ask your God why are there rich people who have more than enough wealth to last until their grandchildren’s children, and why are there poor people who don’t even have enough to buy their own meal? If I were God, however, I would ask mankind the same thing. I gave you all the material blessings you will ever need. Why be greedy about it to the point that you have more and others have less?

Even the infant Jesus did not escape this poverty. He was born in a manger, in a place more suited for animals than human beings. This is God’s way of reminding us of two things:

a. Our priority in our advocacy should be to  promote the culture of life, family, and marriage especially to the poor, who are the main targets of the anti-life movement. The RH law was intended especially for the poor to have access to contraceptives. Ironically, they struggle to have access to a lot of things, like food, clean water, shelter, education, and jobs, and here comes the government telling them that these contraceptives provided to them ‘empower’ them, especially their women. What a twisted, confused world we live in!

b. Christ tells us that there is dignity in being alive. Period. Dignity is afforded to both the rich and the poor, no matter how the former tries to rob the latter of it. There are two groups of rich people: the ones who make a system that will make them rich people richer, and the poor poorer; the other group of rich people are being paid by the first group to sustain this corrupt system. An example of this is the RH law, which purportedly was passed to address the needs of women and the poor, but in reality pays lip service to them by failing to address the real root of their problems.

On the other hand, there are groups of people on the opposite end of the pendulum who think that wealth is all the poor needs. I had this discussion with an atheist a few weeks ago, and he said that the Vatican should sell its riches and give it to the poor; moreover, the Church should stop collecting from the poor during masses. I told him of personal encounters I had with the poor, who, despite their poverty, have no qualms giving much of the little they have for the Church. I told this atheist that it would be insulting for these poor folk to tell them not to give to the Church.

Makes sense, right? 

Part of our work as pro-lifers is to uphold the dignity that the poor have in themselves, and to fight the corrupt systems that deny the poor of their rights.

5. Wisdom that comes from Christ’s Light – The Three Wise Men are some of the most mysterious characters in the Bible. We do not know where they came from, we do not know whether they knew each other prior to their journey towards the infant Christ, we do not know how they came to know about his birth. We do not even know why they were called wise men, but this we do know: they tried to follow that bright star that lead them to the infant Christ, the light that came from God Himself, and by this they deserve to be called wise.

This is the same light that made them aware of King Herod’s ulterior motive of finding baby Jesus and having him killed, and the same light that prompted them to go back to their homeland through a different way. Our encounter with Christ should lead us towards a similar change of heart. We should turn our backs against evil and wrongdoing and turn towards the Light of Christ.This is perhaps the best gift we can give to God this Christmas – that  our lives may be shining lights that all point towards Christ.

Merry Christmas to you, your family, and to the people you love. 

Gays and Lesbians are People, First and Foremost

Yes, you read it right.

I am not against any person, regardless if he is straight or gay. Or whatever.

I have friends who are effeminate, and some who are gay. Christ tells me to love everyone, so I love them all, including the gay ones.

Love, however, rejoices in the truth, as St. Paul says. So as I love these friends of mine, I have to offer them the truth: homosexual sex is a grave sin. I love the sinner but despise the sin.

So let me make it clear that I am not against gay people. I am just against homosexual sex and same-sex marriage.

With that out of the way, I would also like to say that the LGBT agenda - the movement to normalize and to accept non-homosexual relations - has taken root even here in our relatively conservative country. And this is a very aggressive agenda. It is right under our noses and yet beyond the sights of most people except the most discerning. The shadow of the agenda looms over the horizon, and if we are not careful, we will see the downward spiral of society's morality and our capability to judge what is wrong and what is right.

For decades, we have been slowly brainwashed to accept homosexual relations. From the media to the news to legislation - the LGBT agenda is systematic well calculated. For instance - haven't you noticed that almost all our Pinoy-made movies and TV shows feature a gay or lesbian person? While people might say that these shows only show what is our current reality, we also have to realize that casting a gay character or two  in almost every show we watch is a subtle way of promoting the agenda.

Ladies, would you use this restroom? 

Today, the Philippine Daily Inquirer posted this:

3 gay students make difference in Zamboanga City standoff

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Momar Javier already accepted his fate that he was “going to die” while being held hostage by Moro National Liberation Front MNLF) forces in Zamboanga City in early September.

“But we needed to do something,” said Javier, 20, a student of Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST).

Javier is one of three young gay men who came out with their best during the worst of times.

Together with Peter Jupiter Galvez and Ram Mahusay, Javier provided food, water and laughter for the other hostages held by the MNLF forces for more than three weeks.

The MNLF forces entered the city, claiming they were instructed to march and hold a rally in front of City Hall where they will declare the independence of the Bangsamoro Republic. Their presence caused panic among residents and armed response from police and government soldiers, leading to a three-week standoff.

Fr. Michael Ufana, the parish priest of Saint Joseph Church, said the gay youngsters took care of his 70-year-old father Isidoro.

“At the height of captivity, these gay students offered comfort to my family. They gave their papag (bed) to my father and sister. They slept on the cold, dirty floor,” Ufana told the Inquirer.

Isidoro said Javier carried the priest whenever the hostages were moved from house to house during the fighting. “I carried him on my back because he could no longer walk,” Javier said in Filipino.

Galvez, 20, was the hostages’ “water girl.” His main responsibility was to provide water for cooking, drinking and for the MNLF men’s morning coffee.

The full story can be read here. 

I have to say that I admire them for their bravery and their heroism. Not too many people have that kind of courage and selflessness that these young ones have manifested. 

But wait a minute. 

Why does the writer of this article have to emphasize that the three are gay? 

Why does the writer refer to Galvez as "water girl"? 

I smell a spin here. 

Momar Javier, Peter Galvez, and Ram Mahusay are people. Gays and lesbians are people, first and foremost. Their heroism came from their capacity for courage and love, not from their sexual preference. Mentioning that they are gays is irrelevant, unless the writer wanted to make a point (or if the three specifically asked the writer to mention them as gays). Shall every other writer from now on write like this? 

 "Heterosexual Police Shoots Down Martilyo Gang Member"

"2 Gays Dead in Deadly Collision at EDSA"

"Palace Honors 30 Heterosexual and 10 Homosexual Athletes"

See how stupid it sounds?

Is this another spin to promote the LGBT agenda? I would say yes. Do correct me if I am wrong, but the word GAY is only used in a headline or in an article if the person referred to by that article is indeed gay AND is somehow connected to the promotion of gay rights. 

Let's commend these young men for their heroic deeds. The past few weeks we have had nothing but mostly bad news, and their heroism is a welcome respite from all the news about murders and accidents and tragedies and politics. However, we as Catholics and God-fearing Christians have to make a firm stand against the LGBT agenda that seeks to skew our children's view on homosexual relationships and unions. 

Yes, the Boy Scouts of America are now allowing Gay boys. 

My heart goes out to all of those who carry the cross of same-sex attraction. May the Gospel and the teachings of the Church fill you not with despair but with hope and charity, and may you always offer your sufferings up to Christ, who bore the weight of our sins and suffered at the hands of men too.