THE Yuletide spirit of peace and the Papal visit next month pushed the idea of pursuing peace with the Left. Even Jose Maria Sison himself is reportedly looking forward to meeting President Noynoy Aquino. Key officials in the president’s camp likewise confirm efforts to arrange a meeting between the two. If it happens at all, the meeting would go a long way in carving a clearer path towards achieving political settlement.
THE Yuletide spirit of peace and the Papal visit next month pushed the idea of pursuing peace with the Left. Even Jose Maria Sison himself is reportedly looking forward to meeting President Noynoy Aquino. Key officials in the president’s camp likewise confirm efforts to arrange a meeting between the two. If it happens at all, the meeting would go a long way in carving a clearer path towards achieving political settlement.
Should we give peace chance? I believe we should. However, pursuing peace treads on a path full of deadly obstacles and traps. This is particularly true in the Philippines where many on both sides still think and act in Cold War paradigms.
I thought about realizing youthful ideals for a peaceful political settlement way back in 1986. During the peace efforts in December 1986, I was on the side of the Cebu Provincial Government who was trying to establish communication lines with Left leaders in the province. Unfortunately, extremist forces succeeded in thwarting peace and pushed the Cory government to “unsheathe the sword of war” and wage what was called “low intensity conflict.”
The peaceful people power uprising in 1986 inspired similar peaceful uprisings that ended the Cold War in Europe. Ironically, the Philippines regressed into a deadly Cold war at the grassroots.
Could a meeting between P-Noy and Joma thaw whatever remnants of the brutal LIC years? Could the son undo the war his mom unleashed?
Could Aquino and Sison do what a Nelson Mandela and then South African president F.W. de Klerk achieved in the early 1990s?
Perhaps, Pope Francis could help in making peace happen. But we Filipinos should be at the forefront in giving peace a chance.
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It seems some Leyte politicians are trying to float the idea of their joining lunch with Pope Francis in Palo, Leyte. Perhaps we should allow them.
After all, the Pope has an open mind about converting wayward folks. Let’s hope that these politicians are like Zacchaeus, who could still be converted. But I have more hope in achieving peace with the Left than converting politicians to abandon their corrupt ways.
But I could be wrong. There are actually politicians who are both “buotan” and achievers. May their tribe increase!
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House leaders should tape the mouth of Cebu City’s second district representative Bebot Abellanosa. While administration officials are saying the pork barrel is already a thing of the past, Cong. Abellanosa is crowing about the inclusion of P376 million in P-Noy’s P2.6 trillion budget to fund the congressman’s pet underpass project. Wa matagam sa paglambo sa kasong pangurakot tungod sa iyang scholarship project.
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A recent visit to my late father’s hometown was heart warming. While Naga City had its share of controversies especially when it comes to the environment, occasional visitors would be surprised by the changes being implemented by Mayor Val Chiong.
Aside from the SPC Power Corp. sponsored Public Library and Computer Laboratory, the mayor also inaugurated two clean comfort rooms that should make the spacious Saint Francis plaza a stopover for travellers to the south.
On the northern side of the plaza, more area was reclaimed. Mayor Chiong said an Olympic-size swimming pool will be built. He also shared his plan to realize the vision of building a pier to accommodate the requests of local firms especially Cemex.
An interesting plan involves the Balili beach that remains unproductive pending the resolution of an ongoing case. Mayor Chiong intends to buy the property where he intends to realize more development projects. Way to go, Mayor.
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The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) should stop the collection by shipping companies of the so-called port congestion fee. We know that a huge cause of the congestion is the insistence of these shipping companies on collecting demurrage fees for donations from abroad for Yolanda victims last year.
There are still several container vans containing donations that the consignees would prefer abandoning because the shipping lines would insist on their fees. These shipping firms are the ones making money of the disaster that hit the country.
(Follow @anol_cebu in Twitter)