A lonely Christmas...

Reprinted from The Asian Journal, December 25,2008

Has your Christmas always been merry and bright? Gathering 'round the Christmas tree, unwrapping surprise gifts, partaking of the traditional vigil Mass and Media Noche -- very few things are as special and joyous as Christmas!

Yet, to others not as fortunate, the season may not be as joyous. In various parts of the world, violence and terror, rather than peace and goodwill, prevail. In other areas of the globe, children go to bed without receiving a single Christmas toy, without food in their bellies. As we gather warmly near fireplaces and in the company of friends, others huddle in cold sidewalks or under musty bridges, with homeless strangers.

Like most of you, reading this email, I have been blessed to have my family around to enjoy the commemoration of Christ's birth. I remember experiencing only one particularly lonely Christmas. It was the year, after graduating from medical school, when I interned at the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Quezon City. I had been on duty the days preceding Christmas eve and could not fly home to Cebu in time for the holidays.

At the time, I was staying at my sister's place in the city, near the Araneta Coliseum. My sister had left to join her in-laws outside of Manila a few days earlier, so I found myself all alone that Christmas Eve.

I walked towards the Coliseum mall to do some last minute shopping. Already, stores were closing though a few restaurants remained open. I remember going into one of the restaurants, to eat alone at a corner table, watching passersby hurrying home for Christmas dinner. I had all the time in the world and no one to spend it with.

If anything, that experience of a lonely Christmas, gave me an insight into how terrible it can be to be all alone during this merriest of seasons. It is not surprising that the ERs get packed and that many lonely folks get sick and die during the holidays.

A week or two ago, I received in the mail a "Christmas Gift Catalogue" from a charitable organization. A20$9 gift would feed a malnourished child for a week. A $15 donation would provide for school supplies or a month's tuition so a child can learn to read and write. $75 would provide for care, shelter, and rehabilitation for a child enslaved in a sweatshop or forced to serve as a child soldier. $100 would provide temporary shelter for victims of natural disasters. The variety of charitable projects was astounding.

You must have heard of Gawad Kalinga. The organization aims to build decent housing in numerous slum districts in the Philippines. The cost of building a "Benetton House" - so called because these colorful homes are painted according to availability of donated paint -- has increased to P85,000 but the project has been a resounding success. A CEO in the Philippines has reportedly pledged to donate a house a month until he dies. Naturally, many in the organization are praying that he live a long and productive life.

In addition to giving our friends and families the usual gifts this Christmas, perhaps we can find time to serve in a soup kitchen for the homeless. Or send a check to a charitable organization. How wonderful it would be to know that in our small way, we kept a homeless person from experiencing a lonely and hungry Christmas or gave a family the experience of celebrating Christmas in a place they could truly call home.

The Perils of Capitalism

Reprinted from The Asian Journal, November 28, 2008


You turn on the TV and The Dow Jones Industrial falls 445 points or 5.6%. You read the morning papers and note that California's unemployment rate has risen to 8.2%, the third highest in the nation -- 1.5 million Californians are out of work. You check the Internet and realize that $8.3 trillion of Wall St. wealth has evaporated in 13 months.

The big three automakers - General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler -- are in trouble. Financial institutions, such as CitiGroup, JPMorgan Chase, etc. are in disarray, despite the $700 billion government bailout. The subprime housing meltdown has frozen the credit market and consumer spending has screeched to a halt.

The financial crisis has reverberated across the globe. Even the European market is slumping. Japan, Australia, and New Zealand are down 3%. The red-hot economies in Asia and Latin America have cooled down. The Philippine peso has inflated to P 50 vis-a-vis the weakening dollar.

What happened? Was it the billions funneled into the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? The lack of regulation and oversight of complex financial transactions? Laissez-faire capitalism? The hunger for more and more profit? Human greed?

Laissez-faire capitalism -- the liberal economic ideology which limits government intervention to the minimum - originated in 17th century France. In 1774, the French terminology for a hands-off business model was introduced to the English-speaking world in "Principles of Trade", a book authored by George Whatley and Benjamin Franklin. The concept influenced British economy in the 18th century and later found a home in the United States at the Chicago School of Economics.

Hong Kong, particularly before its 1997 release from British colonial rule back to the People's Republic of China, is touted as the prime example of laissez-faire capitalism. Its liberal economic system is thought to be the reason for its rapid economic growth in half a century.

The other free economies of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Singapore, etc., are not exactly free of government intervention. Yet their heretofore robust economies are relatively "laissez-faire", so that a progressive economy is considered identical to unbridled capitalism.

Today's economic disaster brings to mind the wisdom of Pope John Paul II. Karol Wojtyla vigorously criticized the Communist economic system as not only atheistic, but dehumanizing. He had experienced the Communist way of life firsthand in his native Poland and knew how flawed a state run economy was.

Yet, before and during his Pontificate, this staunch anti-Communist, warned against the perils of Capitalism. Pope John Paul understood that just as Karl Marx's utopia was undermined by an unethical politburo, so was capitalism in danger because of unchecked human greed.

Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical "Sollicitudo Rei Socialis", criticized the "all consuming desire for profit and the thirst for power at any price with the intention of imposing one's will upon others, which are opposed to the will of God and the good of neighbor." He warned against economic systems that lacked solidarity with the rest of the world. He was critical of economies that disregarded the scriptural and Catholic vision of love for neighbor and "a preferential option for the poor."

The Pope compared economics of self-interest (laissez-faire capitalism) to the story of the rich man and the beggar in the Gospel of St. Luke. Due to the global implication of modern-day economics, we need to take into consideration and to "embrace the immense multitudes of the hungry, the needy, the homeless, those without medical care and, above all, those without hope of a better future. It is impossible not to take account of the existence of these realities. To ignore them would mean becoming like the "rich man" who pretended not to know the beggar Lazarus lying at his gate (cf. Luke 16:19-31).

In 1987, the Holy Father warned, in "Laborem Exercens", that the maquiladora system, or the outsourcing of jobs to secure the lowest salaries possible, carried the seeds of grave injustices. The Pope found it necessary to reiterate the traditional principle of Christian social doctrine: the goods of this world are intended for all people to enjoy. The rich must not take advantage of the poor.

Capitalism may not have rejected religion, as Communism did, but it made the dollar its religion. Capitalism does encourage individual research and creativeness, yet trickle down economics, which was championed in the Reagan Era, has today been found wanting.

The economic pendulum has to swing back to the middle. Otherwise, just as the Berlin Wall fell, Wall St. will. Is President-elect Barach Obama's wealth redistribution plan the answer? Perhaps, but only if such a socialistic national policy will not foster a lazy welfare nation dependent on a few and/or the government to attend to its needs.

This may be an opportunity for hard-working and productive Filipinos in the United States, familiar and comfortable with the idea of the Bayanihan spirit, of working in cooperation with others, to lead the way into a responsible, kinder, more generous capitalism. ###

The Sarah Palin Factor

Reprinted from The Asian Journal


As the presidential election gets closer and the race tighter, it is to be expected that the campaign rhetoric gets even hotter. Tactics from the extreme wings of both the Republican and Democratic parties (which hardly represent mainstream America) get downright nastier. The democratic process of electing the most powerful political leader, indeed, is a mess -- though it remains the best system we've got.

Yet, since Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin was nominated Vice Presidential candidate by the Republican Party, no campaign in recent memory has exhibited more nasty, bitter, or personalized attacks.

American culture idolizes beauty, success, and gutsiness -- traits that Gov. Palin is not short on. And in the framework of male dominance in politics and the slow evolution of women's suffrage, one would think that the appearance of Sarah Palin on the national stage would be met with cheers, rather than jeers.

Yet, the opposite has happened, particularly in the media. Except for Fox News Network, television and print conglomerates have joined forces to demonize Governor Palin. Cleverly disguised fair and balanced interviews are conducted to catch Palin off guard, so that edited video clips can be replayed ad infinitum over the internet. The goal, it appears, is not to find out what Gov. Palin thinks of the issues but to portray her as either clueless or incompetent.

The most popular and accomplished governor of Alaska has clearly been treated differently from such female politicians as Hillary Clinton, Geraldine Ferraro, Dianne Feinstein, or even Linda Lingle.

Which begs the question: Why is a charismatic politician whose accomplishments as a maverick mayor and governor merit a whooping 80+% approval rating in her home state, who is happily married and raises a Down Syndrome child, incessantly portrayed as inexperienced or lacking in intelligence?

The answer is not that Governor Sarah Palin is ugly, has a low IQ, or is unethical. Nor is she oblivious to geopolitical realities or ignorant of energy demands and conservation. The answer -- the big elephant in the room -- is that Palin clearly expresses her stance on abortion, is openly pro-life, and does not hide her Christian faith under a bushel.

And that is something that the liberal advocates in media and entertainment -- whether it's Katie Couric or Barbara Walters or Barbara Streisand or Whoopi Goldberg -- get apoplectic about.

If Governor Sarah Palin is elected Vice President, she (with John McCain) will be a formidable force in moving the Supreme Court to the right and eventually overturning Roe v. Wade.

"A President Obama or a President McCain will likely be handed an opportunity to affect the makeup of the Supreme Court that is unprecedented in our history," comments Wendy Long, chief counsel for the Judicial Confirmation Network.

During the first term of the next administration, there could be two or three openings in the Supreme Court. Justices John Paul Stevens, 88, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 75, and perhaps David Souter, 69, may retire in the next four years.

Today's Supreme Court is split on constitutional issues, with four conservatives (Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Antonin Scalia, and Clarence Thomas), four liberals (John Paul Stevens, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David H. Souter, and Stephen G. Breyer), and one moderate (Anthony M. Kennedy).

Whether it is publicly admitted or not, rejection of a litmus test nothwithstanding, religion is a factor, particularly on constitutional matters relating to abortion and church-and-state separation. The four conservative justices are Roman Catholics (Roberts, Alito, Scalia, and Thomas). President George Bush successfully pushed for the confirmation of Roberts and Alito. Kennedy, the moderate independent, is also Roman Catholic.

On the liberal end of the spectrum, Ginsburg and Breyer are Jewish; Souter is Episcopalian and Stevens is Protestant.

If Stevens, who at age 88 is the second-oldest justice in the court's history, steps down, a McCain-Palin administration will likely nominate a conservative judge who will nudge the court to the conservative right. An Obama-Biden administration, on the other hand, will nominate a liberal "judicial activist", tugging the court to the left.

The very real possibility of McCain and Palin nominating conservative judges who will eventually overturn, or at least erode, Roe v. Wade is the greatest fear of liberal pro-abortion advocates. This explains the intensity of hatred and vile directed towards Gov. Sarah Palin. She has become a conservative lighting rod, protecting the rights of the unborn and the disabled, and taking the hit from abortionists.

As voters, we can change and push back the pro-abortion media onslaught. We can elect to office a Mc-Cain/Palin pro-life team that can reform the Supreme Court's composition and finally stop the indiscriminate killing of innocent lives.

In the same manner, let's vote YES on Prop 4 (Sarah's Law) so that a responsible adult family member (parent or legal guardian) is appropriately notified 48 hours before an abortion is performed on a minor (under the age of 18). After all, a physician or nurse is not allowed to treat or even dispense an aspirin pill to minors without parental notification.

Restore Traditional Marriage - Vote YES on Proposition 8

In less than a month, we will be trekking to the polls to decide if we prefer Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin to manage the country, or have Democrats Barach Obama and Joe Biden do it for us.

This choice has serious implications on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic recession, healthcare, taxation, and immigration. It will also move the United States as a society toward conservative or liberal policies in social and moral issues.

In California, we will be offered several initiatives to vote on. The more critical propositions will be Prop 4 and Prop 8.

Proposition 8 states: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

This measure contains the same terminology in Proposition 22 which was approved in 2000 by 61% of California voters. It was overturned by four liberal San Francisco-based judges in a 4-3 decision.

Here we go again, waging a familiar battle for traditional family values. We may just throw our hands up in the air and not bother. But, it is critical that we vote for this measure and gather community support to restore the definition of marriage.

Voting "YES" on Proposition 8 will accomplish three things:

1) It will restore the traditional and common-sense definition of marriage.

2) It will overturn the decision of four activist judges who ignored the majority decision of voters in 2000.

3) It will protect our children from being taught in California public schools that same-sex or gay marriage is not different from the traditional marriage between a man and a woman.

With an amendment of the state constitution in place, the State Supreme Court cannot declare Prop 8 unconstitutional as it did with Prop 22 which had been added as a regular statute to the California Family Code.

We cannot afford not to pass this measure on November 4, 2008. If Proposition 8 is defeated, marriage in the State of California will be regarded as nothing more than a no-frills contractual relationship between adults. The sanctity and sacredness of marriage, which has been at the heart of society since time immemorial, will be relegated to the dustbin of history.

The Catholic Church and other faith traditions view marriage as instituted by God, as the faithful, loving, permanent and exclusive covenant between a man and a woman. In traditional marriage, husband and wife vow to love each other, "for richer or poorer, in sickness or in health, 'till death do us part." Husband and wife take on the task of bringing children into the world, raising, educating and caring for them. Traditional marriage, not same-sex marriage, is the ideal setting for children to be raised.

Proposition 8 is about preserving marriage as an ideal. It does not insult, attack, or discriminate against homosexuals. Voting yes to Prop 8 will not eliminate any rights or benefits enjoyed by gay and lesbian domestic partners because California Law (Family Code 297.5) ensures that "domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections and benefits as married spouses."

If Proposition 8 is not passed, the consequences will be far reaching. For one, state law requires teachers to instruct children as early as kindergarten about marriage (Education Code 51890). Teachers will be required to teach our children that there is no difference between traditional marriage and "gay marriage." Churches which teach and advocate traditional marriage and family values may be sued for discrimination.

Register to vote. Endorse Prop 8 and tell your family and friends about this important measure. During the recent Vice Presidential debate, both Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden fully supported traditional marriage while endorsing tolerance toward homosexuals and respect for the civil rights of gays and lesbians, as the majority of Californians do.

Proposition 8 is supported by national and state pro-family organizations. For more information, please visit www.ProtectMarriage.com or call (916) 446-2956.

Olympics, Philippine Style

The Summer Olympics are over, I know. Life is back to normal -- at least, we have reverted to our nocturnal routines, catching up on sleep, and not reporting to work in the morning like zombies. Life is back to normal -- at least for us mere mortals, though perhaps not for Beijing celebrities like aqua man Michael Phelps and diminutive dynamo Shawn Johnson.

What struck me most about the Beijing Olympics was not the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies which the Chinese put up -- nor its government's ability to sugar coat human rights abuses (which reminded me of Imelda's whitewashing of slum districts to hide gross poverty from visiting dignitaries). I was mostly bothered by the story which Philstar and The Asian News carried: Lucio Offers P1M for Olympic Gold. Filipino athletes were being offered millions of pesos for bringing home Olympic medals. A memorandum of agreement had been entered into by business tycoon Lucio Tan and Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuango, which in effect would pay any gold-winning athlete in the Olympics P7 million.

Later reports indicate that the total award had ballooned to P9.5 million ($214,000) as other donors joined the bandwagon. I can imagine the handshaking and back patting which must have taken place at Lucio Tan's Century Park Hotel, where officials must have congratulated themselves for a job well done.

Republic Act 9164 offers P5 million for a gold medal, P2.5 for silver, and P1 million for bronze. Funds from government coffers, plus Philippine Airlines' P1 M, Microsoft-Philippines' P1 M, Jimmy Ong's P1 M, Manny Pacquiao's million and another half a million pesos from the Philippine Sports Writers Association come up to impressive monetary awards for our Filipino athletes. A gasoline company even came up with a year's free supply of gasoline and oil for winning Olympians and their coaches.

That's a lot of mullah. But there is something wrong in the picture. Firstly, the Olympics are intended for amateur athletes. Monetary awards are not part of the Olympics mission statement. Of course, in this day and age, it's naive to think that Phelps, Johnson, and other Olympic medalists are not going to be the recipients of lucrative endorsements. And one can argue that with the mix of amateur and professional athletes participating in the games, the line between unpaid amateurs and paid professionals have blurred. So why deprive our 15 Filipino participating athletes a shot at good fortune?

But the point really is, the Olympics cannot be won by last minute efforts. There are no shortcuts in these arduous tests of human endurance, skill, strength and performance every four years. Our fifteen Filipino athletes who competed in boxing, diving, swimming, weightlifting, shooting, archery, and taekwondo in Beijing should have been given the money four years before the beginning of the games so they could train properly for their respective events.

Is it any wonder, that after all these years, as the news story points out "no Filipino in the history of the Olympics has ever won a gold medal."? Since the 1924 Paris Olympics, the Philippines has won a measly total of 9 medals -- 7 bronze medals and 2 silvers. The Philippines has the distinction of being the country with the most medals except for gold.

Five of the nine medals won (and the two silver medals) have been in boxing. Anthony Villanueva won the silver medal for boxing (featherweight division) in Tokyo in 1964. Mansueto Velasco, fighting in the light flyweight division, won the second silver in Atlanta in 1996. The four bronze medals won outside of boxing were in swimming, in the 400 meter breaststroke (Amsterdam, 1928), the high jump (Los Angeles, 1932), the 200 meter breaststroke (Los Angeles, 1932), and the 400 meter hurdles (Berlin, 1936).

Does the United States, which brings home more medals than any country in the world, sign memorandum of agreements to entice its athletes to win? Do government officials and business tycoons meet the press to publicly offer monetary rewards for Olympians? No, money and resources are put into the rigorous training and long-term development of athletes years before the games begin. Endorsements are mere icing on the cake.

The Philippine government and its sports officials do not get it. You do not harvest unless you plant. And you cannot plant unless you prepare the soil properly. Instead of offering millions of pesos at the podium or the end of the line, they should put their money to good use by building adequate sports facilities, funding athletic programs, hiring good coaches, supporting promising athletes, etc., several years before the start of the Olympics. Failing to do the basic things, then glibly offering monetary rewards at the last minute is an exercise in futility and unproductive, self-serving publicity.

There is no reason that Philippine athletes, given the facilities to train, proper coaching, adequate nutrition, preparation, training, etc. will not perform spectacularly in future Olympics. We just need to put in the time, effort, and resources. We will not see the results we want, unless we put in the hard work. That is one lesson we, Filipinos, need to keep in mind.

And one lesson that does not apply only to sports, either.

Wisdom - where to find it?

Browsing through a bookstore, surfing the internet, or watching TV gets us bombarded with all sorts of messages. We are told -- mirroring Benjamin Franklin’s adage -- how to be “healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

We are told which foods to eat, which diets to follow, which exercises to take. We are told what to do to earn more dollars, how to get a good job, invest in lucrative stocks, save money on taxes, how to retire rich and worry-free. We are told which bestsellers and magazines to read, what seminars to attend, what movies to see, what sports to watch, what cars to drive, where to buy a nice house, where to travel, ad infinitum.

Numerous modern sages seem bent on ensuring our success, welfare and happiness. But are they really interested in our well being or in merely loosening our wallets and purses?

If you open your Old Testament, you will see the first five books (the Pentateuch) - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Then you will see the Historical Books, followed by the Poetical and Wisdom Books. Canonically, the three Wisdom Books are: Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. The Psalms, the Song of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus or the Book of Sirach, the Book of Tobit and others are not strictly “Wisdom Literature” but they do contain “wisdom motifs” and, therefore, are worth studying and extracting timeless wisdom from.

Anyway, it is interesting to survey what is out there in popular media offering us wise advice and compare them to wisdom sayings that have stood the test of time. Below are selections from the first eleven of the thirty-one chapters of the Book of Proverbs, written in the pre-exilic era, about 7000 years ago. Enjoy reading them and, if you like, “write them on the tablet of your heart.” (Proverbs 3.3)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. – Prov 1.7

Search for it (wisdom) as for hidden treasures … Prov 2.4

Therefore walk in the way of the good, and keep to the paths of the just. – Prov 2.20

My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you. – Prov 3.1-2

Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. – Prov 3.3

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. – Prov 3,7

Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. Prov. 3.9-10

My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. – Prov 3.12

Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding…nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. – Prov 3.13-16

(Wisdom) is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy. – Prov 3.18

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it” – when you have it with you. – Prov 3.27-28

Do not quarrel with anyone without cause, when no harm has been done to you. – Prov 3.30

Do not envy the violent and do not choose any of their ways – Prov 3.31

The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the abode of the righteous. – Prov 3.33

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evildoers. – Prov 4.14

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure. – Prov 4.25-26

For the lips of a loose woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword….keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house…Prov 5.3-8

Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. May her breasts satisfy you at all times; may you be intoxicated always by her love. – Prov 5.18-19

Go to the ant…consider its ways, and be wise…it prepares its food in summer, and gathers its sustenance in harvest...When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want, like an armed warrior. – Prov 6.6-11

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that hurry to run to evil, a lying witness who testifies falsely, and one who sows discord in a family. – Prov 6.16-19

Can fire be carried in the bosom without burning one’s clothes? Or can one walk on hot coals without scorching the feet? So is he who sleeps with his neighbor’s wife…Prov 6.27-29

Whoever finds (wisdom) finds life and obtains favor from the Lord…all who hate (wisdom) love death. – Prov 8.35

Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight. – Prov 9.6

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. – Prov 9.10

A wise child makes a glad father, but a foolish child is a mother’s grief. Prov 10.1

Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. Prov 10.2

A child who gathers in summer is prudent, but a child who sleeps in harvest brings shame. Prov 10.5

The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. Prov. 10.7

The wise of heart will heed commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. Prov. 10.8

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out. Prov 10.9

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Prov. 10.11

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. Prov. 10.12

The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin. Prov. 10.16

Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but one who rejects a rebuke goes astray. Prov. 10.17

When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but the prudent are restrained in speech. Prov. 10.19

The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense. Prov. 10.21

When the tempest passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are established forever. Prov. 10.25

Like vinegar to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes, so are the lazy to their employers. Prov. 10.26

The hope of the righteous ends in gladness, but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing. Prov. 10.28

The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright, but destruction for evildoers. Prov. 10.29

A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but an accurate weight is his delight. Prov. 11.1

When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble. Prov. 11.2

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Prov. 11.3

The righteousness of the upright saves them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their schemes. Prov. 11.6

Whoever belittles another lacks sense, but an intelligent person remains silent. Prov. 11.12

A gossip goes about telling secrets, but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence. Prov. 11.13

Where there is no guidance, a nation falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. Prov. 11.14

To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble, but there is safety in refusing to do so. Prov. 11.15

A gracious woman gets honor, but she who hates virtue is covered with shame. Prov. 11.16

The wicked earn no real gain, but those who sow righteousness get a true reward. Prov. 11.18

Crooked minds are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight. Prov. 11.20

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without good sense. Prov. 11.22

Some give freely, yet grow all the richer; others withhold what is due, and only suffer want. Prov. 11.24

A generous person will be enriched, and one who gives water will get water. Prov. 11.25

The people curse those who hold back grain, but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it. Prov. 11.26

Those who trust in their riches will wither, but the righteous will flourish like green leaves. Prov. 11.28

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, but violence takes lives away. Prov. 11.30

Moonlit Beach

Moonlit Beach




Late at night
I strain my eyes to see
A deep blue canopy
Stretched beyond sand and sea…


A friendly southwest breeze
Tickles my furrowed brow
Choirs of shimmering waves
Serenade the ancient seawall


My sweetheart by my side
My cares all but forgotten
I stroll the moonlit beach
Soft sand beneath my feet


A million stars beckon
Laparillas jewel the sea
Fishermen await daybreak’s
Cold elusive catch


Late at night I smell
The sweet saltiness of the sea
A lingering mango moon
Fades on veils of silvery clouds


On a magic carpet I glide
To a time, moonlit summers past
My soul swims in tranquility
My heart sings a timeless melody


I stroll the moonlit beach
Angels in heaven above
Friends on earth below
I am a child once more…




2008 copyright by Ed Gamboa. All rights reserved.

Breast Cancer Treatments

Breast Cancer Treatments
In the last article, we briefly alluded to the staging of breast cancer. Staging (I to IV) is important because early stage breast cancer can be successfully treated, even curable, while late stage cancer is difficult to treat. Thus, the importance of annual mammography cannot be overemphasized. Every woman over the age of 40 must get an annual mammogram (no excuses!) because the incidence of breast cancer rises dramatically at middle age.

If breast cancer is detected early by mammography -- that is, before the tumor has spread out to other areas of the breast or other regions of the body, such as lymph nodes, bones, liver, brain, etc., the tumor can be easily excised or removed completely by surgery.

Cancer is early when it is still "in situ" (in its place). It is late when it has become "invasive or infiltrating", i.e., the tumor has broken through the ducts and lobules of the breast to spread via the blood stream and lymphatics to other areas.

In situ cancer is easily treated with surgical excision (called "lumpectomy") without removing the entire breast. Even bigger cancers can now be removed in a limited way, or treated "conservatively" as opposed to "radically", as long as radiation is performed after surgery. Nevertheless, modified radical mastectomy is still considered the gold standard of treatment, until, perhaps, the advent of comprehensive genetic oncology (genetic treatment of cancer).

Dr. William S. Halsted, the father of American Surgery, developed the surgical treatment for breast cancer in New York and was the first to perform a radical mastectomy in 1882. For almost the next century, Halsted's operation became the standard treatment for breast cancer. In 1978, Dr. Bernard Fisher, from the University of Pittsburg, published a study which showed that lumpectomy (or limited breast resection) coupled with radiation therapy was as effective as total radical mastectomy. This led to a change in how breast cancer is currently treated. In the 1990s, sentinel node biopsy was developed to refine the removal of axillary nodes which determines whether cancer is localized or already spread out to the lymph glands.

Depending on the biological behavior of the cancer, its size, hormone dependence, etc., there is now an array of treatment modalities available.

When a tumor is detected by mammogram (remember, most breast cancers present as painless lesions), a choice can be made between a needle biopsy with ultrasound or stereotactic guidance (with the patient awake) or an open biopsy in the operating room under anesthesia (with the patient asleep).

The tissue that is sampled is then sent to pathology for a series of tests. Pathologists will examine the tissue under the microscope to determine if the lesion is cancer (malignant) or if it is not (benign fatty tissue, fibroadenoma, cyst, etc.). If the biopsy is positive for cancer, the patient can discuss with her surgeon the necessity of removing only a portion of the breast or removing the entire breast (with or without plastic surgery reconstruction).

If a limited resection is the choice, the patient will have to undergo radiation as well to guarantee that microscopic cancer cells, outside of the area of resection, are eradicated. If the entire breast is removed and the axillary nodes are found to be clean or free of cancer cells, no further treatment aside from hormonal treatment, such as the antiestrogen Tamoxifen, may be necessary. However, if the axillary lymph nodes are positive, adjuvant chemotherapy might be beneficial, regardless of the side effects.

Chemotherapy, which is started only after the surgical wound has healed, usually requires placement of a MediPort or access chamber into the subclavian vein so that powerful drugs such as clyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil adriamycin, etc. can be safely administered for 3-6 months. External beam radiation for 5-7 weeks might also be necessary. Internal radiation or brachytherapy is an option. The latter involves low-dose or high dose implantation of radioactive substances.

Other treatments are put in place depending on whether the cancer is estrogen postive, progesterone positive or if there is overexpression or amplification of HER2/neu gene ( 15-20% of breast cancers) which is associated with a worse prognosis and higher recurrence rate. The monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) may be effective in these aggressive types of breast cancer.

The take home message is that breast cancer comes in many forms and can be treated in a variety of ways. The most important message to women in their 40s is: get your yearly mammogram.

###

Breast Cancer 101

Greetings from the Philippines!

Just before Lucie and I left El Centro for an emergency trip to Cebu City, I was invited to lecture on breast cancer to a cancer support grassroots organization.

Breast cancer incidence in the United States is an alarming 90 per 100,000 women. The take home message of my Saturday morning talk was: get a baseline mammogram. At age 40 and above, an annual mammogram can save your life. Regular mammography is the single most effective method of breast cancer surveillance.

While the incidence is highest in the United States and Western Europe where lifetime risk is 12% but lower in Asia and third world countries, carcinoma of the breast is the most common cancer among women worldwide.

Lowest incidence is in 20-24 year old women. However, breast cancer increases with age. 95% of new cases are diagnosed in 40 year old women and older. Median age is 61 years.

The statistics which I presented to the group of cancer survivors and supporters hit close to home this time. A day before our return flight to Southern California, my aunt called to say she had noticed a breast lump. I was very concerned, knowing that breast cancer most commonly manifests as a painless mass.

We brought her to the local hospital where a quick mammogram showed a suspicious 3 centimeter spiculated lesion. A core needle biopsy, done under local anesthesia with ultrasound guidance, confirmed invasive cancer on the frozen section microscopic slides.

We postponed our return flight. With another local surgeon, Dr. Spanky Tablante, who had relocated to the Philippines after practicing twenty years in Virginia, we performed a standard mastectomy with axillary node dissection. My 81-yr-old aunt is recuperating well as I write this and should be back home by the time you read this article.

The operating suite at Perpetual Succour Hospital in Cebu City may not have the latest gadgets we have at our disposal in the United States. For instance, we operated without a harmonic (bloodless) scalpel. But, during the entire two and a half hours of surgery, the Chief of Cardiology, Dr. Victor Gonzalez, was seated next to the Chief Anesthesiologist, Dr. Enricoso, constantly monitoring my aunt's vital signs. We certainly don't have that kind of personalized luxury in California!

Again, it is important to emphasize the need for yearly clinical examination and mammography. Early breast cancer cannot be felt. It is usually not painful. But a good mammogram should detect a suspicious lesion 85-90% of the time. In cases of dense or fibrocystic breasts, physicians may order an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) which increases detection rate by an additional 5-10%. Soon, digital mammography will be readily available, which will make detection of very tiny and early stage cancers even more accurate.

Several factors are known to put women at risk of developing breast cancer. Increasing age, as mentioned, is one. As one gets older, the risk increases. At age 20 - 24, only 1.4 per 100,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. At age 75-79, the incidence rises to 465 per 100,000.

A first degree relative with breast cancer, delayed childbearing, fewer children, late age at first full term pregnancy (>30 years), early menarche (<12>55 years), high dose radiation to the chest, obesity, use of contraceptive pills and hormone replacement therapy are all known risk factors.

Patients with a history of endometrial, ovarian, and colon cancer are also at risk. Mothers that do not breast feed are at higher risk than the average population. Women who are found to have atypical ductal or lobular hyperplasia (by mammography and biopsy) are at risk for developing breast cancer.

Bottom line is that all women should be vigilant. Monthly self breast examination is a worthwhile practice. A woman should be familiar with changes in her breast and should learn to detect thickening, swelling, redness, nipple inversion, discharge and skin erosion. Once noticed, she should not delay in bringing this to the attention of her physician.

In addition to self examination and regular mammography, avoiding rapid weight gain and obesity is important. Regular physical activity and exercise is known to cut down the rate of breast cancer, in addition to improving general health.

Minimize alcohol intake. Two alcoholic drinks a day increases cancer risk by 21%. Hormonal therapy should be taken with caution. Discuss thoroughly with your physician the risks involved before taking hormones as contraceptive pills or menopausal supplements.

In the next article, I will discuss the current standard treatment of breast cancer.

Pathways

PATHWAYS

When I was the only child
By the shore I played, I cried
Until then I could not see
Pathways cleared ahead for me
Just the wide and open sea...

In my daring, reckless youth
Yes! At last, I found the truth!
One straight road, one golden gate
Brash, assured I could not wait
Eager captain of my fate...

As I aged, less certain -- wiser (?)
Sinews weaker, eyesight fainter
Over seas and mountains -- faraway
I had traveled, knowing not the way
Weary, tired -- with nothing left to say...

Ah, the sea at last had left me
Flighty roads too faint for me to see
Yet, afar, two crisscrossed pathways
Always seemed to beckon, always
There -- even through the darkest days...

Someone all along had charted
Aimless, clueless I had traveled
Broken, battle-scarred but gladdened
I had struggled endlessly in time
Soaring through eternity -- Divine!



Copyright 2008 by Ed Gamboa. All rights reserved.

Virtuous Healers: Models of Faith in Medicine

Coming Out Soon!
From St. Anthony Messenger Press











What can we learn about healing from such Catholic leaders as Mother Teresa, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Dr. Gianna Beretta Molla, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Dr. Adrienne von Speyr, and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin? What might they teach us about such traditional healing virtues as compassion and kindness, integrity and ethics, patience and tolerance, humility and temperance?

With health care on everyone's agenda, Doctor Ed Gamboa encourages us to explore anew and recommit to the traditional ideals and enduring virtues that make medicine and the practice of healing more than a job. Using life stories of heroic men and women who served as physicians, nurses and hospital attendants, or who were involved in medicine and caring for the sick, Gamboa provides inspiration and prayerful reflection for anyone working in the health and medical fields today.

ISBN-10: 0-86716-693-2

Previous Item #: B6932

978-0-86716-693-4

Item #: B16693

Price: $15.95

St. Anthony Messenger Press Online Catalog

1-800.488.0488

Also available at your nearest bookstore, on www.Amazon.com
and www.bn.com., and other book internet websites.

New Filipino Nuncio

Papal Nuncio Archbishop-elect Barney Auza, Dr. Lucie Noel Gamboa, Dr. Ed Gamboa, inside the Vatican, at site of First Christian Martyrs.
Papal Nuncio. Papal Nuncio Archbishop-elect Barney Auza, Dr. Lucie Noel Gamboa, Dr. Ed Gamboa, inside the Vatican, at site of First Christian Martyrs.

Whether it's Ramiele Malubay showing Ryan, Paula, Simon, and Randy how a Filipina can sing on American Idol, or Arnel Pineda belting a song as the new lead vocalist of Journey, we celebrate -- and with justifiable pride and joy -- every time a Filipino or Filipina hits the international scene. Our nation of 90 million rarely gets the recognition it deserves. Shifted from center on the world stage, we are grateful for any spotlight out there.

Well, this month we really hit it big!

On May 8, 2008, the Vatican announced to the whole world that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, had appointed Reverend Monsignor Bernardito C. Auza, of the diocese of Talibon, Bohol, as Titular Archbishop of Suacia and Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti. Holding the rank of ambassador, the Nuncio is the diplomatic representative of the Holy See in countries with diplomatic relations with the Holy See. The Apostolic Nuncio has the double mandate of representing the Holy Father to the State to which he is accredited, and to the Catholic Church in that country.

Only the fourth Filipino nuncio in our history, Msgr. Barney, as he is fondly called, had, only two years ago, been appointed First Counsellor of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York. The appointment was good news to Msgr. Barney's many friends and family (some of whom reside in San Diego), but it was hardly a surprise. Msgr. Barney, who speaks fluent Italian, French, Spanish, in addition to English, Tagalog and his native Bisaya, is an intellectual powerhouse. In addition to his diplomatic experience, Msgr. Barney is also, in the words of Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines secretary general Msgr. Juanito Figura, "friendly and approachable". His rise in the Catholic Church hierarchy is well-deserved.

Born in Balintawak, Talibon, Bohol, on June 10, 1959, 48-year-old Msgr. Barney is the eight of twelve children of parents Meliton Garcia Auza and Magdalena Polestico Cleopas. After preliminary education in Talibon, he entered the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Tagbilaran City. He then enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, where he obtained his Licentiate in Philosophy in 1981, Licentiate in Theology in 1986 and Masters in Education also in 1986. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1985, in California.

Msgr. Barney was sent to the University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in Rome, where he obtained a Licentiate in Canon Law in 1989 and a Doctorate in Sacred Theology in 1990, and to the Vatican Diplomatic School (Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica), where he finished his diplomatic and linguistic studies in that same year.

Thereafter, he served as secretary to the apostolic Nunciature in Madagascar and Mauritius (1990-1993) and in Bulgaria (1993-1996). He was appointed counsellor in Albania in 1997 and then served as charge d' affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in London. From 1999 to 2006, Msgr. Barney worked as counsellor at the Section for Relations with States (the “Foreign Ministry” of the Holy See) of the Secretariat State, in the Vatican. He worked at the Holy See Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York from the summer of 2006 until his appointment as Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti. The highlight of his New York experience was the recent visit of the His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the United Nations and New York on April 18-20, 2008.

Msgr. Barney Auza is the fourth nuncio from the Philippines. The first Filipino nuncio is Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla of Cebu City who was named by the late Pope John Paul II (the Great) as nuncio to Panama in December 17,1990. Archbishop Padilla currently serves as apostolic nuncio to Korea and Mongolia.

The second nuncio is Archbishop Adolfo Yllana of Naga City, appointed December 13, 2001, and currently nuncio to Pakistan. The third is Archbishop Francisco Padilla, younger brother of the first nuncio, appointed Titular Archbishop of Nebbio on April 1, 2006, and presently the nuncio to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Msgr. Barney Auza's ordination as Archbishop is scheduled to be held at St. Peter's Basilica, in the Vatican, on July 3, 2008 at 5 pm. The ordination will be conferred by His Eminence the Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, with as co-consecrators His Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and Archbishop Francesco Monterisi, Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops. It will be an event many will cherish.

Lucie and I first met Msgr. Barney in Rome in the summer of 1990 when Fr. Roque "Khing" Vano introduced us. He was then a young priest, who had just finished his degree in Canon Law and was embarking on a diplomatic career.

Msgr. Barney showed us the City of Rome and the Vatican that tourists rarely see, such as the site of the First Martyrs. Through the years, he has made it possible for us to obtain Papal audiences and special events at the Vatican, such as the beatification of Pedro Calungsud. Through his rise in the Church, Msgr. Barney has remained as friendly and approachable as his peers have attested.

On one occasion, when my sister Susan had trouble getting transportation to the Leonardo da Vinci - Fiumicino airport in Rome, Msgr. Barney was there first thing in the morning to personally drive her so she would not miss her flight.

It is a joy to see a great Filipino priest ascend the steps to higher office, where he surely will influence for the good the lives of many.

Congratulations to Archbishop Barney Auza !!!

Pan de Sal Cruise

At 24 knots, the 91,000-ton Celebrity Constellation, with 2,400 plus passengers and 941 crew members on board, cruised the Baltic Sea towards St. Petersburg. Thanks to Flor Rodriguez and her staff at Travel Best in National City, who so ably organized the 14-day Scandinavian trip, forty-seven Filipino-Americans from San Diego went the way of 11th century seafaring Vikings.



In two weeks, these lucky San Diegans traveled 3,294 nautical miles, docking at historic ports for a day or two. They visited Oslo, Copenhagen, Warnemunde, Tallin, St. Petersburg, Helsinki and Stockholm, while succumbing to the allure of a wide open sea.



It was a memorable trip for various reasons, one of which was sitting down for dinner each evening at the elegant San Marco restaurant on Deck 4 to select from a first rate menu. The unique culinary experience was particularly special because of the basket of hot pan de sal which the Filipino kitchen crew baked daily for its beloved Filipino patrons.



Pan de sal was served at specific tables occupied by Filipino guests. Soon, other passengers learned of the distinctive bread. Crew members of other nationalities -- from Bulgaria, Honduras, Jamaica,etc. --- also acquired a taste of the mildly sweet Filipino bread.



The generous kitchen crew made homemade pan de sal which was tastier than commercially baked bread, if a bit sweeter. Appreciative of the special treat, we requested a copy of the "secret" pan de sal recipe and the hospitable crew obliged.



The Celebrity Constellation's (exclusive) delicious pan de sal was made out of:



10 lbs flour

16 oz sugar

3 oz salt

3 lbs butter

5 lbs bread crumbs

5 lbs milk

5 lbs eggs

15 oz yeast



Filipinos, undoubtedly, are making their significant contribution to the rapidly rising industry of cruise vacations (in the last decade, cruise lines have doubled their fleets and the business is expected to triple by 2009). Of the 900 plus crew members, 300 or a third, were Filipinos. Our kababayans ran the kitchen (the chief pastry chef was Filipino); they attended to diners as waiters and maitre' d; they populated the guest relations counter, patiently taking care of complaints and dutifully exchanging foreign currency; they assisted at the gangway, assisting passengers on and off the ship; they maintained the engine room and handled the ventilation system, plumbing, desalinization, etc. -- they were literally everywhere, from bow to stern, on all eleven decks.



For a company that is headquartered in Miami and employing an international crew recruited from 60 countries worldwide ((the master captain was Greek), the extent of Filipino involvement is phenomenal. One obvious reason is that Filipinos, in addition to fluency in English, provide friendly customer service. They work hard, are uncomplaining, and resilient. Recruitment agencies in the Philippines facilitate the steady supply of Filipino workers for cruise line companies.



Life at sea, despite free board and lodging and other perks, can be difficult, particularly with regards to strained family relationships. Contracts vary from 3-9 months. Filipinos usually sign up for 6-month contracts.



Base pay is a lowly $50/month for the average stateroom steward, cabin attendant or housekeeper. They rely on gratuities from passengers but are guaranteed $900/month, particularly during dry dock days when the ship is empty.



Still, it is job that entails sacrifice. Cruises go back to back so the crew hardly enjoys days or holidays off. However, the stewards admit that work on a cruise ship is preferable to scrounging for irregular jobs back home in the Philippines. Furthermore, they consider their working conditions to be better than those of overseas workers in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Middle East.



I wish the 14-day cruise could have been extended. It was a wonderful vacation and an eye-opening experience for both Filipino passengers and their kababayan crew members.

TAKE COURAGE !

Pope Benedict XVI spoke on a wide range of subjects during his recent visit to the U. S. The Holy Father discussed the responsibility of developed countries vis-a-vis the third world. He enjoined us to welcome poor immigrants to our shores. He apologized to the victims of the scandal which has shaken the Catholic church in America.

The successor of St. Peter came across - to Catholics and non-Catholics alike - as kind, honest, sincere, and erudite. It was impressive that he wrote the

speeches himself. Given his many years of academic experience, that should not have been too much of a surprise.

In Yonkers, New York, Pope Benedict delivered a special message to 26,000 young men and women gathered at St Joseph's Seminary and College. It was a message which may well apply to all of us, young and old alike, and senior citizens too!

Pointing to the lives of six saints, the Holy Father remarked that we too can
certainly aspire to, if not achieve, that kind of life and attain to that level
of holiness.

He noted that "Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Saint
John Neumann, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, and Padre Felix Varela (are) ...six ordinary men and women who grew up to lead extraordinary lives.....each responded to the Lord's call to a life of charity and each served Him here, in the alleys, streets and suburbs of New York.....what a remarkably diverse grouo they are: poor and rich, lay men and women - one a wealthy wife and mother - priests and sisters, immigrants from afar, the daughter of a Mohawk warrior father and Algonquin mother, another a Haitian slave, and a Cuban intellectual. ......

Any one of us could be among them, for there is no stereotype to this group, no single mold. Yet a closer look reveals that there are common elements. Inflamed with the love of Jesus, their lives became remarkable journeys of hope. .....

For each there was an act of abandonment to God, in the confidence that He is the final destination of every pilgrim.....

Through orphanages, schools and hospitals, by befriending the poor, the sick and the marginalized, and through the compelling witness that comes from walking humbly in the footsteps of Jesus, these six people laid open the way of faith, hope and charity to countless individuals....."

Sainthood for us, frail ordinary mortals? Was Pope Benedict kidding? Was the Holy Father just trying to be nice and to make us feel better about ourselves?

Apparently not. The Pope was reiterating a message that dates back to Apostolic times. A message that has faded through the centuries so that Vatican II and Pope John Paul the Great, dusting it off, have put it back on center stage.

The call to holiness is God's invitation to each and everyone of us. It is not
an exclusuve invitation that is reserved only to bishops and priests, to nuns
and monks and deacons.

Admittedly, it is no cakewalk. The ascent to Mt Carmel, as the great theologian and mystic, St John of the Cross calls the spiritual journey to which all of us are encouraged to take is the hardest trip to embark on.

However, Pope Benedict, echoing the spirit of Vatican II, says that it comes
down to one simple task and one thing only:: Follow Christ!

Training to become a saint does not necessarily mean traveling to India
and working in the slums of Calcutta, as Mother Teresa did. Nor does it strictly obligate you to offer your life in exchange for one condemned to execution, as St Maximilian Kolbe did.

Each of us are invited to seek our own unique pathway back home to our heavenly Father and Creator. Spiritual writers point to the life of St Therese, "the little flower" as a model of this challenging quest.

As Therese studied the lives of the saints, she wondered how she could ever
duplicate their heroic achievements. She was "a small speck of sand" compared to the lofty mountains that martyrs and selfless missionaries appeared to be.

Since she was too small and to weak to make the arduous climb, Therese asked God to carry her. The "little way of spirituality" which St Therese describes in her autobiography, "The Story of a Soul" not only made "the ordinary Carmelite nun" one of the Doctors of the Church, but also one of the greatest saints in modern times.

Therefore, it is understandable for Pope Benedict XVI to say to the youth gathered in New York:: " Take courage! Fix your gaze on the saints.....Let your imaginations soar freely along the limitless expanse of the horizons of Christian discipleship".

Rethinking Iraq

As San Diegans, with families and friends inextricably linked to the military, we may prefer not to ponder much about the situation in Iraq beyond “staying the course”, wishing for President George W. Bush to finally declare: “mission accomplished”.

Yet, after 4,000 plus deaths and more than a hundred thousand casualties since the war began March 19, 2003 – not to mention the estimated 1.2 million Iraqis killed, including innocent women and children (a study published in Lancet, the well respected British medical journal, documented 600,000 Iraqi deaths as of July 2006) – isn't it time for each one of us to rethink the situation there?

The 5-year war (the second longest war in American history) may be waged by the armed services under orders of Washington, yet it is, despite the much publicized international coalition, solely (at least, primarily) an American war. We, as citizens of the United States, are flat out responsible for the war – and its long-ranging consequences.

There is much talk about the soaring prices of gasoline. Isn't it ironic that the raison d'etre for the war was to secure our national interest in the Middle East (termed Pax Americana in foreign policy parlance) and that a major cause for interest in the Middle East is oil, $5 trillion worth of this hydrocarbon commodity? Yet, the war has weakened the US dollar and driven the American economy into a recession. It is not hard to figure the math. In September 2002, the former White House economic advisor Lawrence Lindsey estimated the war to cost around $200 billion, or 2% of the GNP. The U.S. Congressional Budget Office pegged the cost of waging war at $6-9 billion a month and of maintaining an occupying military presence at $1-4 billion a month.

The combined Iraq Afghanistan wars are now estimated to cost $600-$800 billion (ten times more than was originally estimated by then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld) and is projected soon to reach a trillion dollar. Adding post war reconstruction, continuing foreign aid, long term medical care of the wounded and disabled, etc., the cost is projected to triple, as claimed in the book, The Three Trillion Dollar War, written by Nobel Prize winner (economics) Joseph Stiglitz and Linda Bilmes.

The original argument of course was that we could not afford to sit idly by while Saddam worked overtime to gather weapons of mass destruction and that dirty bombs from the splintered USSR were filtering into the back alleys of Islamic Jihadists. In the bitter aftermath of 911, who would risk the possibility of seeing our major cities blown to pieces? Who could comprehend the horrors of Disneyworld or a Superbowl stadium blasted to smithereens? Or millions of people dropping dead from drinking contaminated water? Then Secretary of State Colin Powell did make a compelling argument before the United Nations, pointing out that Iraq was capable of manufacturing not only chemical but insidious biological weapons.

Framed in the context of righting human rights abuses -- the noble and moral imperative of eliminating three decades of sadistic rule and mass graves -- then bolstered by the fear of a Middle East madman stockpiling an Armageddon arsenal of weapons while harboring Bin Ladin and Al-Qaeda, people rallied behind the American flag to confront the modern axis of evil forces. At the time, there were very few, if any dissenting voices. Having experienced first hand the abuses of a dictatorial regime under Marcos, Filipinos in particular felt the plight of oppressed Iraqis and the necessity of unleashing liberation forces from the democratic superpower house that was America.

One significant objection came from Pope John Paul II. But the Pontiff’s ailing voice was drowned in the frenzy to stop a potential nuclear holocaust.

It was difficult to understand why John Paul (the Great) was against the liberation of oppressed people. After all, the Holy Father lived under Communist oppression in Poland before assuming the chair of Peter.

Yet, didn't Pope John Paul's concerns about the war in Iraq turn out to be prophetic? No weapons of mass destruction were found. The US military combed every square inch and turned over every rock but found nothing, except a disheveled and emasculated dictator. Indeed, we effectively eliminated a strongman and his ilk, but is Iraq better off now? Moreover, are we, as a nation, better off? Is the international community better off?

Not to objective observers. Not to someone who was born and raised in Iraq and now practices in the U.S. as a physician. After morning rounds in the hospital, I often talk to him about the situation in Iraq -- what is publicized and what is not. Indeed, he thinks it was justified for American and allied forces to liberate his native country. But since we have metamorphosed from an invading to an occupying force, Iraq has groaned from one disaster to another.

Pope Benedict XVI did not specify Iraq nor did he denounce the United States when he addressed the United Nations on April 18th, on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, his message to the US and the world was clear and unequivocal. Brief excerpts of the Holy Father's message are worth pondering.

“As Pope John Paul II expressed it in 1995, the Organization (United Nations) should be “a moral centre where all the nations of the world feel at home and develop a shared awareness of being, as it were, a ‘family of nations’...

This is all the more necessary at a time when we experience the obvious paradox of a multilateral consensus that continues to be in crisis because it is still subordinated to the decisions of a few, whereas the world’s problems call for interventions in the form of collective action by the international community.

Indeed, questions of security, development goals, reduction of local and global inequalities, protection of the environment, of resources and of the climate, require all international leaders to act jointly and to show a readiness to work in good faith, respecting the law, and promoting solidarity with the weakest regions of the planet...

What is needed is a deeper search for ways of pre-emptying and managing conflicts by exploring every possible diplomatic avenue, and giving attention and encouragement to even the faintest sign of dialogue or desire for reconciliation...

When faced with new and insistent challenges, it is a mistake to fall back on a pragmatic approach, limited to determining “common ground”, minimal in content and weak in its effect.

The promotion of human rights remains the most effective strategy for eliminating inequalities between countries and social groups, and for increasing security. Indeed, the victims of hardship and despair, whose human dignity is violated with impunity, become easy prey to the call to violence, and they can then become violators of peace.....

Today...efforts need to be redoubled in the face of pressure to reinterpret the foundations of the Declaration (of Human Rights) and to compromise its inner unity so as to facilitate a move away from the protection of human dignity towards the satisfaction of simple interests, often particular interests...

Experience shows that legality often prevails over justice when the insistence upon rights makes them appear as the exclusive result of legislative enactments or normative decisions taken by the various agencies of those in power. When presented purely in terms of legality, rights risk becoming weak propositions divorced from the ethical and rational dimension which is their foundation and their goal...

My presence at this Assembly is a sign of esteem for the United Nations, and it is intended to express the hope that the Organization will increasingly serve as a sign of unity between States and an instrument of service to the entire human family.

Peace and Prosperity with God’s help!”

Indeed, it is time to rethink the war in Iraq.

Heralds of Hope

Which of Pope Benedict XVI's messages during his 5-day Apostolic Visit impressed you? Unless you are a sympathizer of Colorado's 6th District Congressman and ex-presidential candidate Tom Tancredo, who blasted the Holy Father for his plea of compassion for illegal immigrants, I imagine you would have found that Benedict's messages (which he wrote himself, giving papal speechwriters reprieve) made sense and that Tancredo's opposition to American multiculturalism and his relentless fight to halt all immigration, whether legal or otherwise, do not.

It is a shame that Tancredo is a grandson of Italian immigrants. You would have expected him to be kinder and gentler to immigrants -- honest, hardworking folks, who, like his grandparents, come to America to seek a better life for themselves and for their children. It is a shame too that he was born and raised a Catholic (he is now an Evangelical Presbyterian) and had forgotten that passage in the Old Testament when Abraham welcomed strangers to his abode and asked his wife Sarah to feed them (they turned out to be angels).

I don't know what made Tancredo hate foreigners with a vengeance. Among other things, he founded the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus in 1999 to advance his agenda, relegating the chairmanship in 2007 to San Diego's Brian Bilbray. If you recall, Tancredo is the bright guy who last year advocated bombing Mecca and Medina in response to an Islamic terrorist attack, prompting a media outrage.

Perhaps, spending an evening to watch the movie "Under the Same Moon" (La Misma Luna) might give Tancredo, Bilbray, Hunter and the Washington hardliners on immigration a glimpse of the hidden people they are so worried about. Nine-year-old Carlitos in Tijuana and his mother Rosario in Los Angeles will open our eyes to the plight of the poor and the stranger hidden in our midst.

It was proper that Pope Benedict delivered his plea for "the poor, the homeless, the stranger, the sick and all who suffer" at St. Patrick's Cathedral, in the heart of multicultural New York City, the nation's first capital, America's premier melting pot and immigration gateway. 36% of New York's current 8.2 million residents are foreign-born (10% are Asian).

"Gathered as we are in this historic cathedral", Pope Benedict observed, "how can we not think of the countless men and women who have gone before us, who labored for the growth of the Church in the United States, and left us a lasting legacy of faith and good works?".

"Dear brothers and sisters, in the finest traditions of the Church in this country, may you also be the first friend of the poor, the homeless, the stranger, the sick and all who suffer. Act as beacons of hope, casting the light of Christ upon the world...."

Pope Benedict, the erudite theologian, revealed himself to be a poet at heart. Pointing to the stained glass windows of the gothic cathedral, he remarked: "From the outside, those windows are dark, heavy, even dreary. But once one enters the church, they suddenly come alive; reflecting the light passing through them, they reveal all their splendor. Many writers -- here in America we can think of Nathaniel Hawthorne -- have used the image of stained glass to illustrate the mystery of the Church herself. It is only from the inside, from the experience of faith and ecclesial life, that we see the Church as she truly is: flooded with grace, resplendent in beauty, adorned by the manifold gifts of the Spirit. It follows that we, who live the life of grace within the Church's communion, are called to draw all people into this mystery of light."

"This is no easy task", the Holy Father admitted, "in a world which can tend to look at the Church, like those stained glass windows, "from the outside": a world which deeply senses a need for spirituality, yet finds it difficult to "enter into" the mystery of the Church. Even for those of us within, the light of faith can be dimmed by routine, and the splendor of the Church obscured by the sins and weaknesses of her members. It can be dimmed too, by the obstacles encountered in a society which sometimes seems to have forgotten God and to resent even the most elementary demands of Christian morality....In a word, it is not always easy to see the light of the Spirit all about us, the splendor of the Risen Lord illuminating our lives and instilling renewed hope in his victory over the world."

"As heralds of hope...where God's grace has placed us", let us do our part to make Christ's message of love and compassion overcome the worldly rhetoric of hatred, "self-centeredness, greed, violence and cynicism (which) often seem to choke the fragile growth of grace in people's hearts".

Pope Benedict XVI Visits America

(April 15-20, 2008)

April 15, 2008. Pope Benedict XVI arrived today at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. President George Bush and First Lady Laura, accompanied by their daughter, Jenna, warmly welcomed the Holy Father, as he stepped off an Alitalia jetliner. Among the cheering crowd of well-wishers were hundreds of schoolchildren and Catholic parishioners as well as Apostolic Nuncio Pietro Sambi and church dignitaries. It was the first time that the President met a foreign dignitary at the airport.

This is Pope Benedict’s first official visit to the United States, his eight trip outside Italy. Speaking in Rome, before he embarked on this five-day Apostolic Visit, Pope Benedict expressed the wish that his pastoral visit would be “a special missionary experience (and) a time of spiritual renewal for America…”.

65 million Catholics in America await the pontiff’s visit. Though not known to be as charismatic as his predecessor Pope John Paul (the Great), Pope Benedict is widely recognized as an intellectual giant. Among knowledgeable theologians, Benedict XVI, the university professor and author of over twenty books, enjoys the well-earned reputation as a genius in theological matters.

The Pope will visit Washington and New York, bringing the message to Americans that “Christ (is) Our Hope”. “The intention behind my visit…is to reach out spiritually to all Catholics in the United States. At the same time, I earnestly hope that my presence among you will be seen as a fraternal gesture towards every ecclesial community, and a sign of friendship for members of other religious traditions and all men and women of good will. The risen Lord entrusted the Apostles and the Church with his Gospel of love and peace, and his intention in doing so was that the message should be passed on to all peoples”.

Pope Benedict will be celebrating his 81st birthday, April 16th, in Washington, DC, where he will hold an interfaith meeting with Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, and representatives of other religions.

In New York, the Pope will visit Ground Zero and celebrate Mass at Yankee Stadium. He will address the General Assembly of the United Nations, on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

”Following in the footsteps of my venerable predecessors, Paul VI and John Paul II, I shall come to United States of America as Pope for the first time, to proclaim this great truth: Jesus Christ is hope for men and women of every language, race, culture and social condition. Yes, Christ is the face of God present among us. Through him, our lives reach fullness, and together, both as individuals and peoples, we can become a family united by fraternal love, according to the eternal plan of God the Father.

I know how deeply rooted this Gospel message is in your country. I am coming to share it with you, in a series of celebrations and gatherings. I shall also bring the message of Christian hope to the great Assembly of the United Nations, to the representatives of all the peoples of the world. Indeed, the world has greater need of hope than ever: hope for peace, for justice, and for freedom, but this hope can never be fulfilled without obedience to the law of God, which Christ brought to fulfillment in the commandment to love one another.

Do to others as you would have them do to you, and avoid doing what you would not want them to do. This “golden rule” is given in the Bible, but it is valid for all people, including non-believers. It is the law written on the human heart; on this we can all agree, so that when we come to address other matters we can do so in a positive and constructive manner for the entire human community.

Dear brothers and sisters, dear friends in the United States, I am very much looking forward to being with you. I want you to know that, even if my itinerary is short, with just a few engagements, my heart is close to all of you, especially to the sick, the weak, and the lonely. I thank you once again for your prayerful support of my mission. I reach out to every one of you with affection, and I invoke upon you the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Que la Virgen María les acompañe y proteja. Que Dios les bendiga.

May God bless you all.”



Highlights of Pope Benedict XVII’s Pastoral Visit are as follows:

Washington, D.C. (April 15-17)

Tuesday, April 15 – Arrival at Andrews AFB, Maryland.

Reception at the White House.

Wednesday, April 16, 5:30 PM – Mass at Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Evening Prayer with 350 U.S. Bishops

Thursday, April 17 – 10:00 AM – Mass of the Holy Spirit, Nationals Park.

April 17 – Catholic University of America – meeting with heads of more than 200 Catholic colleges and universities and school superintendents of 195 Catholic dioceses, to discuss Catholic Education.

April 17 – Pope John Paul II Cultural Center – meeting with leaders of other religions.

New York (April 18-20)

Friday, April 18 – Address to the United Nations General Assembly

April 18, 6:00 PM – Ecumenical Prayer Service, Parish of St. Joseph, New York, N.Y.

Saturday, April 19, 9:15 AM, Mass for the Universal Church. St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York,

April 19, 4:30 PM – St. Joseph Seminary, Yonkers, New York – Meeting with Young Catholics and People with Disabilities

April 19, 5:00 PM – Rally and prayer service with Youth and Seminarians

Sunday, April 20, 9:30 AM – Prayer Service at Ground Zero

April 20, 2:30 PM – Mass at Yankee Stadium (Fifth Sunday of Easter), commemorating the Bicentennial Anniversaries of the Archdioceses of Baltimore, Boston, Louisville, New York, and Philadelphia

April 20 – Departure, JFK International.



For more information on the papal visit, link to http:www.uspapalvisit.org

or www.ewtn.com

The Sage

Poetry (or balak in the native tongue), as we all know, is a very ancient form of human expression. Epic, tragic, comic, dramatic or whimsical --- poems were often recited in public and popular verses passed verbally on from generation to generation. Any aspiring writer would try his or her hand at poetry if only to be subjected to the rigors of iambic or metrical discipline.

This century, however, has seen poetry gliding gently off its lofty pedestal. Compilations of poetic verses are still published and faithful readers remain, but the art form, which Edgar Allan Poe equated with the "rhythmical creation of beauty" is,alas, slowly fading.

To Percy Shelley poetry is nothing less than "the very image of life expressed in its eternal truth". "Prose consists of words in their best order", Samuel Taylor Coleridge noted, but "poetry consists of the best words in the best order".

In celebration of a fading art, hoping for its colorful resurgence, I put in my two cents worth.


The Sage


I read about a sage
who long ago declared:
"When I was young and knew it all
my lifelong passion writ in stone
was nothing less than this --
to see the world transformed!"

Such lofty, wondrous whims
Had we not dared pursue?

As I got old, the sage recalled:
"My sight befogged, my aim brought low
'twas not my goal to change the world,
persuading friends, directing kins.
But, caring for a flow'r or two
That surely would have made my day!"

Ah, isn't that so true?

As farther I advanced in years
Rare pearls of wisdom kindly shone
along my way, the sage proclaimed:
"My heart with boundless joy would sing
if my beloved spouse and grand kids too
perchance I could convert anew!"

But now I'm old and grey
the weary tired old sage laments:
"The Lord may take me back someday...
Oh, how my soul in light might soar
If at the very least I changed
No, not the world, not friend nor foe
but poor, decrepit me!"



(Copyright 2008 by Dr. Ed Gamboa. All rights reserved)

Guru of Medical Missions

Last week, on Good Friday, we commemorated one of the most tragic moments in history -- the passion and death of Jesus Christ. Last week, on that very same Friday, we also lost one of our own -- Dr. Ed Manaig.

Death always leaves a void in the heart. In Ed's case, it is a lingering void. We have lost an esteemed colleague, a dear friend, an extraordinary man.

Ed spent his life in the service of others -- seeing thousands of patients in his clinic and in the hospital, day in and day out, on weekdays and weekends. He spent his life caring for his family and caring for his friends. And caring for just about everyone. It is symbolic that in the end, Ed's heart failed. Because that was the part of him that worked the hardest.

Ed had many remarkable qualities. He was always cheerful, always smiling (even when overworked and overstressed), always ready to hold on to the karaoke and sing his heart out. And always ready to convince others to sing along with him. One of his striking successes, outside of medicine (for which he received numerous awards, such as Physician Hero in 2004 and Outstanding Filipino-American in 1999), was convincing Dr. Albert Valenzuela to sing "Edelweiss" late into the night everyone was asleep, on the balcony of the Paradise Hills resort. That was, without comparison, the most memorable night of our medical mission in the Visayas.

His greatest quality was his kindness and generosity. Back in 1988, when I left UCSD to start a practice and was in the process of buying a home and putting a down payment together, Ed quickly took his checkbook out and asked how much I needed. Just like that. And we hardly knew each other at the time.

I witnessed that generosity unmistakably shine in the medical missions to the Philippines and other countries that he and Estela painstakingly organized. Sometimes, people got a bit exasperated at Ed because he insisted on conducting clinics everyday and there was hardly time to rest in between. He knew that our schedule was tight. But he also reasoned, and rightly so, that there were many patients to see. Eight hundred to over a thousand patients would flock the free clinics daily, so Ed did not want to miss a beat.

During last year's medical mission, I saw him huffing and puffing, after a long day, at the clinic. Despite Estela's frequent reminders, he had forgotten to take his medications and he looked like he was in congestive heart failure. But that never deterred him. Early the next morning, he was ready for another free clinic. He told me it would be nice if he could just spend the rest of his life doing medical missions...just giving his time and effort for free.

"Guru of medical missions", Dr. Manny Sevilla aptly called him. Truly, Ed dedicated his life to his patients and to giving all to the poor. The many medical missions he organized and conducted in the Philippines and around the world will be a lasting legacy.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta says: "At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by 'I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in'...

In other words, we will be measured by how much we loved and helped others.

I think Ed does not have to worry about that. Ed and Estela's children - Melissa, Mellany, Paul Edward, and Michelle -- may find solace in the thought that their father, after all his seeking and traveling, will surely find himself in the loving arms of his Heavenly Father. As Charles Dickens wrote in 1859, "it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known".

Men of God

Mater Dolorosa Retreat House


If you missed setting aside time during Holy Week, don't feel too bad. There are always opportunities to set aside time for yourself, some time to reflect on your life's direction, some time to just sit back and think. Some time to spend in Sabbath or in retreat.

In the Philippines, at least in my youth, Holy Week was a national religious event, when people stopped working, closed stores and offices, spent time in church and in prayer. Holy Thursday was "Visita Iglesia" when we walked or drove from church to church, to visit the Blessed Sacrament exposed for adoration after evening Mass until midnight. Good Friday was spent at home, in silence, observing fast and abstinence, listening to the Seven Last Words ("Siete Palabras") preached from noon to three at the main Cathedral and broadcasted throughout the islands.

From Good Friday to early Easter Sunday, my parents did not allow us to open the radio or TV or watch the movies, except religious drama (The Ten Commandments, The Robe, Ben-Hur, The Greatest Story Ever Told, A Man for All Seasons, etc.) Good Friday was the annual family retreat day. Now, regrettably, I am told Filipinos are making Holy Week (Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday) a national vacation time, to spend in beaches and resorts -- much like the paganistic spring breaks we see in the United States and across the border.

In this day and age, our lives are indeed getting so busy, there is hardly time to step off the treadmill to check out if we are making any progress. How much time we spend on the phone, on emails, faxes, blackberries, video games, etc. is frightening. We go to fast food restaurants, or if we are home, we finish our meals quickly so we can attend to other things. We are surrounded by the vicissitudes of modern technology, bombarded by multimedia and repetitious advertisement. There's newspapers and magazines, radio and TV, movies, the Internet -- all competing for our diminishing time and short attention span. No wonder, we complain that we hardly have time. Particularly, time for ourselves -- to rest, to think, to meditate, to pray. Or simply to be.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, a former soldier, knew the importance of retreat, in ultimately achieving victory. Thus, he drafted the "Spiritual Exercises" and came up with the concept of a silent retreat. A special time to think, reflect -- take a step back in order to take two steps forward.

On April 4-6, a hundred men will gather at Mater Dolorosa Retreat House in Sierra Madre, a half hour drive from Los Angeles, two hours from San Diego, three hours from El Centro. From Friday afternoon to Sunday noon, these men of God, aged 15 to 85 will say the rosary, do the Stations of the Cross, read Scripture and holy books, attend Mass together, pray for each other, dine together in silence. They will also listen to Rev. Fr. Pat Brennan, head of the Passionist Community, and enjoy his unending stories and patented Irish jokes.

In 1740, St. Paul of the Cross founded a community dedicated to proclaiming Christ crucified and keeping the memory of His passion alive. Known as the Passionists, these dedicated disciples of St. Paul of the Cross specialize in holding retreats centered on the Passion of Christ. Thus, it is an experience to attend their traditional retreats around Holy Week.

The Passionists have been conducting retreats at Mater Dolorosa since 1932. They have hosted thousands of men and women to spend time with God at this sacred place, beside the San Gabriel Mountains. Retreats are held throughout the year, for men, women, married couples, high school students, etc. -- but retreats around Holy Week and Easter are extra special.

A weekend retreat typically starts with retreatants arriving Friday afternoon, partaking of a welcome supper followed by evening conference and prayer service. Saturday morning starts early at 7 AM with prayer, breakfast, conferences, followed with other devotions and time in the afternoon for Penance Service. There is ample time for private spiritual direction and time to take walks around 80 acres of beautiful foothills and walking trails. Sunday concludes with Mass and Eucharist at noon.

This traditional weekend retreat is designed so people do not have to miss work, yet are able to spend worthwhile time, essentially experiencing what Fr. Tom Green likes to call "A Vacation with the Lord".

If interested in joining the men's retreat on April 4-6 at the Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, please email me at ed.gamboa@yahoo.com. You may check out Mater Dolorosa through their website www.materdolorosa.org. or call (626) 355-7188 for future events.

Another weekend gathering for men is the Benedictus Breakfast to be held on Saturday, March 29th, in Escondido at the California Center for the Arts. The meeting will start with breakfast at 8 AM. It promises to be a cool event. Philip Rivers, quarterback for the San Diego Chargers, will be the featured guest speaker. Named after Philip the Apostle, Philip Rivers is a very dedicated Catholic, regularly attending Mass with his wife, Tiffany, and their three children at St. Michael's Church in Poway. It will be worthwhile to hear him speak on how he balances his life as a family man and a professional athlete, how he keeps his spirituality growing, while getting out into the wide world of sports every weekend as a celebrity. His favorite scripture passage is from Galatians 6:9: "Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up".

You may reserve tickets for the event ($25 for adults, $20 for teens) by registering online at www.Benedictus1.com. Clergy are entitled to complementary tickets. Tickets will not be available at the door.

Happy Easter!

(Dr. Gamboa can be reached at ed.gamboa@yahoo.com)

Stars and Legends

(Francis “Mr. Clutch” Arnaiz, 56, despite not having played since migrating to the US two decades ago, still had the trademark spitfire quickness in him)





It was not LT leading the Chargers to a last-minute touchdown or Peavy clinching a playoff spot for the Padres – and, Tiger’s 24-foot clutch putt in the 18th hole to capture the Arnold Palmer Invitational, tying the legendary Ben Hogan with 64 career wins, could not have made it any sweeter.

No. It was Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao relentlessly pursuing another world championship on Saturday and Ron “Big J” Jaworski and the PBA legends coming alive at San Diego State University on Sunday, which made this weekend a memorable back-to-back treat for Filipino sports enthusiasts.

Pacquiao earned a split decision over Marquez in Las Vegas, putting the Philippines once more on center stage of the boxing world. Traffic may not have come to a standstill in Nevada or California, as they would have from Manila to General Santos, but when was the last time we heard “Bayang Magiliw” sang beautifully to millions around the world?

And what did we get to see on Sunday at the Peterson Stadium at San Diego State? A dream come true –- a reunion of the biggest basketball stars -- heads bowed together in prayer before the jump ball, then dribbling, passing, shooting, laying up and scoring, as if a quarter of a century had not elapsed.

Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez, 54, with 4 MVP awards and 18,000 career points, could still squeeze his lanky frame through a barricade. Abet “Pride of Camiguin” Guidaben, all time leader in total games played (1,081), still controlled the backboard. Bogs “Mr. Nice Guy” Adornado and Atoy “Fortune Cookie” Co, both 56, were as sharp with their perimeter shots as ever. Francis “Mr. Clutch” Arnaiz, 56, despite not having played since migrating to the US two decades ago, still had the trademark spitfire quickness in him and Manny “The Old Warrior” Paner, 58, was still, if a few pounds heavier, a rebounding presence.





The electrifying presence of so many basketball greats under one roof was matched only by their friendliness at the sidelines and off the court. Several times, before and after the games, and at half time, the players went out of their way to shake hands with adoring fans and have their pictures happily taken with them. They patiently signed autographs – on souvenir programs and shirts, on basketballs, shoes, and on whatever fans offered to take home as treasured souvenirs.

Atoy Co roamed the stadium during the last quarter, up and down bleachers, to kid around with fans. I was impressed that Ron Jaworski kept signing shirts and entertaining fans, even as he was busy coaching his team to a 99-87 victory. Manny Paner took the time to chat, even inviting us to call him up at the Bureau of Immigration in Manila where he currently works.

Led by Abe King, Jr., who was constantly joking with everyone around, every single player -- from the old guards (Jaworki, Paner, Co, Adornado, Cezar, Arnaiz, Victorino, Villamin, De La Cruz, etc.) to the youngest stars (Patrimonio, Magsanoc, Alvarez, Meneses, Lago, Bade, etc.) -- readily mingled with the crowd. These remarkable athletes showed us they were not only stars and legends; they proved to be true gentlemen as well.

The PBA Legends USA Foundation, under the leadership of Abe King, Jr. who now divides his time between Gig Harbor, Washington, and Hawai'i, has come up with a worthwhile project – a grand reunion tour of the Philippines’ greatest basketball players (to the delight of US based basketball fans) and a venue to raise funds for charitable and educational projects in the Philippines and in the USA. Since the Foundation is a 501C3 non-profit, tax-exempt corporation, individual and corporate donors may deduct their charitable contributions to the foundation.

We hope that the "brief shining moment" we experienced this weekend was the first of many more to come. We look forward to the return of the PBA stars to San Diego and to even more generous commercial and community support for this worthwhile endeavor. On his end, Abe King Jr. promised that his players would hit the gym and train even harder for next year’s event.

My thanks to Rev. Fr. Chris Kintanar, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Angels in Alpine, for making it possible for me to get a close up view of the PBA legends. Both Mon Fernandez and Manny Paner hail from Cebu and, many times in the past, I watched them play from afar. It was gratifying to shake their hands and reminisce about the Queen City of the South.

And thanks to the Asian Journal for publicizing the event. Otherwise, yours truly (and many other sports fans) would have missed a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Happy Easter to you all!

(Dr. Gamboa can be reached by email at ed.gamboa@yahoo.com)