‘Moreno’s game plan obviously needs the strong support of Duterte followers.’
BEFORE he announced his candidacy for president, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno was a Duterte critic and occasionally spoke openly against corruption in Duterte’s administration.
Now, Moreno wants the President to be in his senatorial slate, saying he “will be honored and privileged” if Duterte agrees. His turnaround was something mysterious since there seemed to be no apparent reconciling source to explain his sudden change of heart.
Moreno’s game plan obviously needs the strong support of Duterte followers. People should not just be wary of the Manila mayor who probably doesn’t imagine himself as president of the country yet. Inside him, he knows better than to try to outdo the more immensely popular Joseph Estrada, whose trek to the presidency was gradual — from mayor, senator, vice president and then president. Isko’s rags-to-riches story may yet permeate an uncommon heroism uncommon in politics. Abangan!
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People often forget the miracle on Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ.
The world has not been a better place. “The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3 “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be without natural affection, truce breakers, abusive, disobedient to their parents, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, unholy, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, denying its power.”
The planet has not been short of those characters and most fill the churches every Sunday.
If only they have known and accepted the great sacrifice of our Lord and Savior in coming down to Earth to embrace and wield His real power to change their own lives,” to heal the sick, to bind up the broken-hearted, to cast out demons, to give shelter to the homeless,” to prosper in their work and have abundant lives.
They just know about God on His throne in heaven but do not know him.
Our profession of faith takes a new twist again as politicians, nearly side-by-side with statues of Christ and saints, vie for the attention of churchgoers.
This COVID crisis has set forth a pensive and somber tone for the most silent of all nights of Christmas since the Japanese occupation. Last year was particularly melancholic but otherwise joyful for the ninongs and ninangs who did not have to endure the dragnet traditionally erected by irrepressible and harassing godchildren.
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There are nameless children and their mothers who lost their loved ones in President Duterte’s ruthless drug war and the Christmas season only seeks to renew the pain and sorrow of about 15,000 families It is probably too much to ask the President, whose sense of empathy was just a fleeting faí§ade, to direct local officials to provide cash gifts or various forms of assistance to these families.
The President’s advisers may be anticipating the holiday gesture may not be welcomed by those left behind, especially if it is viewed as personally coming from him.
