MikeLigalig.com

St. Maria Goretti
(1890-1902)


One of the largest crowds ever assembled for a canonizationâ€"250,000â€"symbolized the reaction of millions touched by the simple story of Maria Goretti.
She was the daughter of a poor Italian tenant farmer, had no chance to go to school, never learned to read or write. When she made her First Communion not long before her death at age 12, she was one of the larger and somewhat backward members of the class.

On a hot afternoon in July, Maria was sitting at the top of the stairs of her house, mending a shirt. She was not quite 12 years old, but physically mature. A cart stopped outside, and a neighbor, Alessandro, 18 years old, ran up the stairs. He seized her and pulled her into a bedroom. She struggled and tried to call for help. “No, God does not wish it," she cried out. "It is a sin. You would go to hell for it.” Alessandro began striking at her blindly with a long dagger.

She was taken to a hospital. Her last hours were marked by the usual simple compassion of the goodâ€"concern about where her mother would sleep, forgiveness of her murderer (she had been in fear of him, but did not say anything lest she cause trouble to his family) and her devout welcoming of Viaticum, her last Holy Communion. She died about 24 hours after the attack.

Her murderer was sentenced to 30 years in prison. For a long time he was unrepentant and surly. One night he had a dream or vision of Maria, gathering flowers and offering them to him. His life changed. When he was released after 27 years, his first act was to go to beg the forgiveness of Maria’s mother.

Devotion to the young martyr grew, miracles were worked, and in less than half a century she was canonized. At her beatification in 1947, her mother (then 82), two sisters and a brother appeared with Pope Pius XII on the balcony of St. Peter’s. Three years later, at her canonization, a 66-year-old Alessandro Serenelli knelt among the quarter-million people and cried tears of joy.




Comment:

Maria may have had trouble with catechism, but she had no trouble with faith. God's will was holiness, decency, respect for one's body, absolute obedience, total trust. In a complex world, her faith was simple: It is a privilege to be loved by God, and to love himâ€"at any cost.


Quote:

"Even if she had not been a martyr, she would still have been a saint, so holy was her everyday life" (Cardinal Salotti).


Patron Saint of:

Catholic youth
Girls
Teenagers
Youth

The Gift of Reconciliation    

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of the sacrament of reconciliation, where the redemption Jesus Christ won on the cross is applied to our personal sins. 

Ang akong mahinomdoman, kita naanad nga adunay pahalipay bisan ginagmay.Tinood madako o magamay kon adunay ihatag makalipay man jud, apan karong panahona, angin sa kabagho-an sa atong sekuridad, magkaopliki ka sa imong mga bagahe, mang hinaut lang ta nga sabton sa mga mangamusta.
Ang problema kay ang matagaan ipanabih pa jud. Samot nga mangabot ang uban kay masina man.

Yes.

Today July 5,2010 is a great day for me. Christopher recieved the sacrament of confirmation.  Last year as we got a letter from our dioscese that he is invited to prepare for this, he refused to do so. He asked me what good is it for? I told him that as a catholic this is a sacrament  which signifies that he is a soldier of Christ. The rest will come  to him as enlightenment.
Dinhe kay dili man pogson ang bata kay 16, aduna na silay katongod nga modesisyon. Maayo gani kay natambagan ni Mayumi ug mao pod ang iyang ina-on sa kumpil. Here are some photos taken;



before the mass

PAL from LA to MNL nga tag $600

This is great!  For my trip with Cathay Pacific I paid 1,070 Euro, peak season karon. Kon in-ana ka barato ang pamasahe maka-uli jud ko ug 2x sa usa ka tuig.

ikaw ni Vistabel sa Avatar? Himosman diay ka jamo! 

Pordoy si Ondoy Diego!

lami unta kini siya buhatong polotan, unsa maajo man manag-na! Lipay ang mga Aleman!

world wide web and internet flourished because of sharing, this is an ideal practice.

St. Anthony Zaccaria
(1502-1539)

At the same time that Martin Luther was attacking abuses in the Church, a reformation within the Church was already being attempted. Among the early movers of the Counter-Reformation was Anthony Zaccaria. His mother became a widow at 18 and devoted herself to the spiritual education of her son. He received a medical doctorate at 22 and, while working among the poor of his native Cremona in Italy, was attracted to the religious apostolate. He renounced his rights to any future inheritance, worked as a catechist and was ordained a priest at the age of 26. Called to Milan in a few years, he laid the foundations of three religious congregations, one for men and one for women, plus an association of married couples. Their aim was the reform of the decadent society of their day, beginning with the clergy, religious and lay people.
Greatly inspired by St. Paul (his congregation is named the Barnabites, after the companion of that saint), Anthony preached with great vigor in church and street, conducted popular missions and was not ashamed of doing public penance.

He encouraged such innovations as the collaboration of the laity in the apostolate, frequent Communion, the Forty Hours devotion and the ringing of church bells at 3:00 p.m. on Fridays.

His holiness moved many to reform their lives but, as with all saints, it also moved many to oppose him. Twice his community had to undergo official religious investigation, and twice it was exonerated.

While on a mission of peace, he became seriously ill and was brought home for a visit to his mother. He died at Cremona at the age of 36.




Comment:

The austerity of Anthony's spirituality and the Pauline ardor of his preaching would probably "turn off" many people today. When even some psychiatrists complain at the lack of a sense of sin, it may be time to tell ourselves that not all evil is explained by emotional disorder, subconscious and unconscious drives, parental influence and so on. The old-time "hell and damnation" mission sermons have given way to positive, encouraging, biblical homilies. We do indeed need assurance of forgiveness, relief from existential anxiety and future shock. But we still need prophets to stand up and tell us, "If we say 'We are without sin,' we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:.


Quote:

''I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths" (2 Timothy 4:1-4).

Unashamed of God   

Dear God, how often we are tempted to push you into the background because we’re afraid of standing out in a crowd, afraid of how it will look. And yet what opportunities to bring people to you could be had if only we would be bold. 

one of our forum member is a victim Alayman, Eli Bitnacor, lisod siya kontakon karon.

porbiday Inday ang mga calories!!!

Are still wearing your beard? Pag bantay kay kusion ka sa mga chicks!

pls text this numbers in bohol,

00639187690123

I´m scheduled to come home, kining tinabua-an mao jud ang akong kabalak-an, kay lisud mag gojod sa daku nga maleta plus ang security control dinhe ngilo jamo.

Ang mamarayeg imbitahon na lang nakoug paniudto sa balay.

mga nilalang sa Bohol, magkita kita diay kita? Si Anne naa na sa Mansasa!

St. Thomas the Apostle

Poor Thomas! He made one remark and has been branded as “Doubting Thomas” ever since. But if he doubted, he also believed. He made what is certainly the most explicit statement of faith in the New Testament: “My Lord and My God!” (see John 20:24-28) and, in so expressing his faith, gave Christians a prayer that will be said till the end of time. He also occasioned a compliment from Jesus to all later Christians: “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” (John 20:29).
Thomas should be equally well known for his courage. Perhaps what he said was impetuousâ€"since he ran, like the rest, at the showdownâ€"but he can scarcely have been insincere when he expressed his willingness to die with Jesus. The occasion was when Jesus proposed to go to Bethany after Lazarus had died. Since Bethany was near Jerusalem, this meant walking into the very midst of his enemies and to almost certain death. Realizing this, Thomas said to the other apostles, “Let us also go to die with him” (John 11:16b).



Comment:

Thomas shares the lot of Peter the impetuous, James and John, the “sons of thunder,” Philip and his foolish request to see the Fatherâ€"indeed all the apostles in their weakness and lack of understanding. We must not exaggerate these facts, however, for Christ did not pick worthless men. But their human weakness again points up the fact that holiness is a gift of God, not a human creation; it is given to ordinary men and women with weaknesses; it is God who gradually transforms the weaknesses into the image of Christ, the courageous, trusting and loving one.


Quote:

“...[P]rompted by the Holy Spirit, the Church must walk the same road which Christ walked: a road of poverty and obedience, of service and self-sacrifice to the death.... For thus did all the apostles walk in hope. On behalf of Christ's Body, which is the Church, they supplied what was wanting in the sufferings of Christ by their own trials and sufferings (see Colossians 1:24)” (Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity, 5).


Patron Saint of:

Architects
Construction workers
Cooks

Lord, Help Me in My Daily Struggles   

Lord, help me to vanquish my quick-trigger impatience, to contain my often unhealthy curiosity and my inordinately unbridled imagination, my readiness to speak badly of others, and pull down the walls of my pride and haughtiness. 

THIS IS A HOAX FOR THE PURPOSE OF IDENTITY THEFT.

DELETE THE MESSAGE RIGHT AWAY.

--- On Fri, 7/2/10, Yahoo-account-service-us <my-login-request@cc.yahoo-inc.com> wrote:

From: Yahoo-account-service-us <my-login-request@cc.yahoo-inc.com>
Subject: Confirmation Account!!!!!!
To: account-services@yahoo.com
Date: Friday, July 2, 2010, 6:17 PM






Accounts,Yahoo would shut down all unused Accounts,You will have to confirm your E-mail by fill in your login info below after clicking the reply botton or your Account will be suspended within one week for security reasons.

CONFIRM YOUR IDENTITY. VERIFY YOUR FREE YAHOOACCOUNT NOW !!!


* Username: ...............................

* Password: ................................

* Date of Birth: ............................

* Occupation:................................

* Country of Residence:................................

After following the instructions in the sheet, your account will not be interrupted and will continue as normal. Thanks for your attention to this request. We apologize for any inconvenience.


Warning!!!  Account owner that refuses to update his or her account before two weeks of receiving this warning will lose his or her account permanently.

Paul the Octopus Picks Germany to Beat Argentina
Paul, an octopus in Germany, has made international headlines with his perfect record predicting the outcome of Germany's World Cup matches. On Tuesday, the cephalopod chose the national squad to defeat Argentina on Saturday. But it could be a tight game.

Game over, Argentina -- Paul has picked Germany.
Paul has gained a sizable following in Germany by amassing a perfect 4-0 record in calling Germany's World Cup clashes. First, he tipped Germany to beat Australia, and then followed it up by correctly predicting Serbia's upset over Germany. Paul went on to call a German win against Ghana and made waves across the English Channel when he foresaw Germany taking down England. 

Paul deliberated over the match for more than an hour. He swam instantly to the German box, perhaps initially swayed by Germany's 4-1 victory over England on Sunday. But then struck by indecision, Paul pulled back and laboriously mulled over the prospects of Argentina's creativity and star power versus Germany's devastating counterattack and speed.


Finally, Paul wrapped his eight legs around the German box, plucked out the mussel and threw his weight behind the Mannschaft.

"Paul just has a good instinct for football," Tanja Munzig, the aquarium's spokeswoman, told the Associated Press after Paul gave Germany the nod over England last week. "From where he gets his forecasts, we cannot say for sure. This will remain his secret." Der Spiegel

BQN, asa man ang maayo?

Hoy badlongon oroy kining bata-a!

Mao lagi, lipay ko bisan sa radyo ra ko naminaw. Gikasab-an ko sa akong boss kay molaban kono ko sa Germany, da oroy ni-uli  hinoon undertime kay init jamo. Nitiwas ko ug tan-aw tevee sa balay.

Congrats Doy! Viva Oranje!

silot nga ispirituhanon.

How to quantify this? Please don´t forget God is merciful and forgiving, sad to say this is an earthly justice imposed on him, but the psychological pain and devastations is immeasurable.

This is truly a welcome sight because it brings joy, spring is here after long cold winter nights. Thanks for this thread.

our genes manipulates our biological clock.

St. Oliver Plunkett
(1629-1681)

The name of today's saint is especially familiar to the Irish and the Englishâ€"and with good reason. The English martyred Oliver Plunkett for defending the faith in his native Ireland during a period of severe persecution.
Born in County Meath in 1629, he studied for the priesthood in Rome and was ordained there in 1654. After some years of teaching and service to the poor of Rome he was appointed Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland. Four years later, in 1673, a new wave of anti-Catholic persecution began, forcing Archbishop Plunkett to do his pastoral work in secrecy and disguise and to live in hiding. Meanwhile, many of his priests were sent into exile; schools were closed; Church services had to be held in secret and convents and seminaries were suppressed. As archbishop, he was viewed as ultimately responsible for any rebellion or political activity among his parishioners.

Archbishop Plunkett was arrested and imprisoned in Dublin Castle in 1679, but his trial was moved to London. After deliberating for 15 minutes, a jury found him guilty of fomenting revolt. He was hanged, drawn and quartered in July 1681.

Pope Paul VI canonized Oliver Plunkett in 1975.

True to Him   

Lord, help us to remember the pearl of great price your death on the cross has won for us, and help us to always be true to you. 

mohigda na ko, kadlawon na, I´ll collect my thoughts and will tell you ladies. sleep tight!

it is like i´m baring my soul, i´ll pm to those who are interested,  very  personal kini, & I want to respect the father of my chldren.

maminaw ka sa akong kaagi Day Wolfie?

Mao lagi Bedo, pahilbal-a palihug sila, si Alex kay konsehal man karon. Dis-a man ka ni graduate ug high-school?

This is an Update from previous email sent -- Complete list of Booth leaders -- tba's are filled ! pls contact your leader...
  submit your name, year graduated, contact number (email or tel).

Greetings to everyone,

Attached is my profile photo as seen on Facebook and the Yahoo Groups so you know your Event Planner for the SMA grand homecoming 2011.  My Filipino name is Luz Castrodes and American name is Anita Long,  I am one person so there is no more confusion.

I have discussed & confirmed with the Booth Leaders assigned for the general planning of the upcoming events.  They are the ones whom you need to be in contact with to know the details.  So here is the List of Booth Leaders and their email contacts.


                                                                           List of Booth Leaders


Booth 1   Class (1946-1960)        Theme         Tribute to Elvis Presley        Music (1950's)

           US Leaders   Sally Libres Felisan (felisansally@yahoo.com) Guind Leaders  Melicia Balo                   
                                Rachel Aciro Malinowski                                                           Leticia Bernaldez

                                                                  Class Pres remains the same per Batch

Booth 2   Class (1961-1970)        Theme  "The Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"      Music (1960's)

        US Leaders Jose (Pempe) Castro (tarsier53@aol.com) Guind  Divita Granada (dgranada9845@yahoo.com)
               Asst. Grace Olaer  (goa53@yahoo.com)                 Soledad Bernaldez-Liao (solidad_liao@yahoo.com)
           Europe Leader  Tess Bertumen (tewilms@aol.com)

                                                                  Class Pres remains the same per Batch

Booth 3       Class (1971-80)                     Theme   the Hawaiin Paradise           Music (hawaiin)

        US Leaders  Nehlie Libres Uy (ronehl87@yahoo.com)   Guind Lilian C. Abuzo (lilian_abuzo@yahoo.com)
               Asst. Virgie Bertumen Manansala (vernake@ca.rr.com)           Maryann Castrodes
           Saudi Leaders  Emman Bernaldez (emman@bemco-ipp.com) (emman50@yahoo.com)
               Asst. Forting Bernaldez (Fbernaldez@stc.com.sa)
                                                                     
                                                                 Class Pres remains the same per Batch

Booth 4       Class (1981-1985)             Theme  Tribute to Michael Jackson         Music (Pop Hits)
                                                                                                                               -
                      Leaders    Virgilio Bitancor (rocnatib2165@yahoo.com)    &    Lando Olano


                                                              Class Pres remains the same per Batch

Booth 5      Class (1986-1990)                Theme                 tba                                 Music (tba)


                Leaders  Fe Rolle (femagugat@yahoo.com)   &   Leonida Bitancor (indaynida2007@yahoo.com)
                       Saudi Leader Aldin Bitancor (aldin_bitancor@yahoo.com)    Guind leader Arlyn Tiu

                           
                                  Class Pres remains the same per Batch

Booth 6      Class (1991-1995)                   Theme  "Eraserheads"                       Music (techno)

                  Leaders  Brian Laga (brianlaga@yahoo.com,) &  Cristobal Permito Jr. (cpermito@brent.edu.ph)


                                                               Class Pres remains the same per Batch


Booth 7      Class (1996-2000)                   Theme   "Grease"                     Music (movie soundtrack)

                        Leaders        Juan Inigo (ashton_bench@yahoo.com)    &     Eva Olaer


                                                               Class Pres remains the same per Batch


Booth 8    Class (2001-2005)                     Theme                tba                                Music (tba)

                      Leaders       Mary Antonitte Peligrino      &       Trichie Mary Joy Madera


                                                           Class Pres remains the same per Batch

Booth 9     Class  (2006-2010)                    Theme                  tba                     Music (tba)
                       Music (tba)

                       Leaders       Renee Jane Tubig          &      Fernan Merc Recto       


                                                            Class Pres remains the same per Batch

Booth 10    Faculty members                   Theme                 tba                              Music (tba)

                       Leaders        Mr. Diony Castro                     &                             Ms. Felly Olaivar

Booth 11    Alumni Officers and SMA Staff     Alumni Pres.  Atty. Ondoy Granada

Booth 12  Sponsors and Guests (nonSMA grads)    Theme  Latin International     Music (Caribbean)
aribbe
                      Leader    Anita Luz Long (along33@verizon.net)
               Asst. Noel Castro (n.castro33@yahoo.com)  & Monaliza Betonio Castro (monabet820@yahoo.com)
     
       
                               "I remind  you to stir into flame the gift of God..."(Timothy 1:6)
              You are the salt of the earth. But what if salt goes flat? How can you restore its flavor?"(Mt 5:13)     
     

ANITA Luz LONG
Tel (760) 564-1248
along33@verizon.net

der Spiegel



Angela Merkel's government avoided disaster on Wednesday when their candidate Christian Wulff was elected German president after a third round of voting. The day of drama will, however, have inflicted lasting damage on Merkel and could spell the beginning of the end of her coalition.

Christian Wulff, Chancellor Angela Merkel's candidate for the post of president, won a third and final round of voting in the Federal Assembly on Wednesday but his failure in the first two rounds is likely to have done her lasting damage.


The election was billed as a test of her authority and rebels in her center-right coalition dealt her a stinging blow by refusing to hand Wulff the absolute majority he needed to win in the first two votes in a tense afternoon that will overshadow the rest of Merkel's term.

In the third round, Wulff only required a simple majority. But in the end, he won an absolute majority of 625 votes -- a result that voters had withheld all afternoon. Wulff's rival for the presidency, Joachim Gauck, a popular former civil rights activist from eastern Germany, got 494 votes.
Merkel needed Wulff to win to underscore her leadership following a steep decline in her popularity since her re-election last September due to acrimonious rifts in her coalition, criticism of her handling of the euro crisis and anger at an â,¬80 billion ($97 billion) austerity program that even some members of her own party regard as socially unjust

Best wishes on your next journey!

this is a wonderful topic, vey intelligent, more thread like this please!

Bl. Junipero Serra

Miguel Jose Serra was born on the island of Majorca on November 24, 1713, and took the name of Junipero when in 1730, he entered the Franciscan Order. Ordained in 1737, he taught philosophy and theology at the University of Padua until 1749.

At the age of thirty-seven, he landed in Mexico City on January 1, 1750, and spent the rest of his life working for the conversion of the peoples of the New World.

In 1768, Father Serra took over the missions of the Jesuits (who had been wrongly expelled by the government)in the Mexican province of Lower California and Upper California (modern day California). An indefatigable worker, Serra was in large part responsible for the foundation and spread of the Church on the West Coast of the United States when it was still mission territory.

He founded twenty-one missions and converted thousands of Indians. The converts were taught sound methods of agriculture, cattle raising, and arts and crafts.

Junipero was a dedicated religious and missionary. He was imbued with a penitential spirit and practiced austerity in sleep, eating, and other activities. On August 28, 1784, worn out by his apostolic labors, Father Serra was called to his eternal rest. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 25, 1988. His statue, representing the state of California, is in National Statuary Hall. His feast day is July 1.

Faithfulness to God   

Dear Lord, help us to worry not so much about being successful for you but about being faithful to you. 

100% korek ka Ondoy!

here is Germany paypal is not necessary, as long as you have a valid bank account. I bought e-giuitar for my son Ibanez for almost 700 Euro, that was last year.

TBTK has some good projects for sure kay bongga ang ilang mga parties and fund raising programs, they have the full support of local politicians in Tagbilaran City which is a great advantage.

CNN



Benigno Aquino III has been sworn in as president, the country's 15th, after winning election in May by a landslide. He secured more than 15 million votes, about 5.7 million more than his closest competitor, one-time president Joseph Estrada, in a vote viewed as a litmus test for the country's democracy. There were nine candidates in all.

At 50, he's a relatively youthful president. Critics say he's had a lackluster records as a congressman and senator. But supporters note there's been no question about his integrity, in a country where corruption is rife.

Like his mother, he had to be coaxed by friends and supporters into running.

But now, many Filipinos are noisily celebrating.

A public holiday has been declared for the inauguration, which took place at an oceanside park in Manila, filled by a sea of people. Many wore yellow and carried banners and Philippine flags, while others constantly fanned themselves in the heat. The inauguration also attracted dignitaries from throughout the region.

Aquino vows to fight corruption, and supporters say he'll provide a contrast to the unpopular Arroyo, who was often accused of turning a blind eye to it.

He'll only be able to serve for six years, under the reform introduced by his mother.

But Benigno Aquino already has made some waves, naming a retired Supreme Court chief justice to lead a truth commission that will look for graft and possibly prosecute Arroyo. He also promises to scrutinize the budget to make sure no funds are being lost to corruption.

And he's said he wants peace talks to end decades-long communist and Islamist insurgencies.

Despite big ambitions, Aquino, a bachelor, has a reputation for quiet modesty.

"Don't let me start out having an inflated sense of my own worth or my ego, not having my feet planted firmly on the ground," he said in April, "because I might succumb to the same temptations that those who are criticizing me have done."

ps

Best Wishes Noynoy!

moka-on gani ug puthaw kining mga taga TBTK, anha pako mobilib!

saksto si MdB ipatan-aw sa internist iyang thyroid glands.

Mga igsoon kini si baby Katelyn Grace Gulle Bermisa

my personal opinion;

the first Pinays who came here were nurses, medtech  and midwives, kadtong naulahi, came here in different ways. There is a sort of discriminations within this group. The first batch who came here  got some superiority complex and bol-anon nurses belongs to this.
This is the main reason why I´m not keen on this group, which doesn´t mean I feel inferior.  Bentaha na ang mag-amping.

First Martyrs of the See of Rome

June 30
64


The holy men and women are also called the “Protomartyrs of Rome.” They were accused of burning Rome by Nero , who burned Rome to cover his own crimes. Some martyrs were burned as living torches at evening banquets, some crucified, others were fed to wild animals. These martyrs died before Sts. Peter and Paul, and are called “disciples of the Apostles. . . whom the Holy Roman church sent to their Lord before the Apostles’ death.”

Seek Forgiveness in Others   

Recognizing the social nature of sin, Christians also should go to others they have offended to seek reconciliation. A revival of religion may be expected when Christians begin to confess their sins to one another. 

in my teen years in Paranaque, this is a common bayanihan.

This was assumed by my ex, because I was so concerned of taking care of our kids, housekeeping and job. I took extra time once a week and learned very slowly and with patient,  get acquainted with explorer, pictures and  private files. One by one I discover his new girlfriend and some pictures he stored which he titled unknown. The rest is history.

There was a heated discussion about the goal which was not recognized by the official referee. He got some assistants who had seen the goal. They are situated in an oblique position more than 25 meters away and the second assistant was more than 30 meters away. Kon mag-atobang  ka, sa imong perpective dili klaro nga solod ang bola. Kini tataw lang kon ang referee nia sa kilid sa goal gabarog.
They are planning (Fifa) to install a sensor inside the ball which registeres a valid goal, when should this be implemented is vague.

parehas rani nga nagyampongad sa Tubag Bohol!

Congratulations for being a mother & best wishes on your Birthday !

Sts. Peter and Paul
(d. 64 & 67)
 
Peter (d. 64?). St. Mark ends the first half of his Gospel with a triumphant climax. He has recorded doubt, misunderstanding and the opposition of many to Jesus. Now Peter makes his great confession of faith: "You are the Messiah" (Mark 8:29b). It was one of the many glorious moments in Peter's life, beginning with the day he was called from his nets along the Sea of Galilee to become a fisher of men for Jesus.
The New Testament clearly shows Peter as the leader of the apostles, chosen by Jesus to have a special relationship with him. With James and John he was privileged to witness the Transfiguration, the raising of a dead child to life and the agony in Gethsemane. His mother-in-law was cured by Jesus. He was sent with John to prepare for the last Passover before Jesus' death. His name is first on every list of apostles.

And to Peter only did Jesus say, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the nether world shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:17b-19).

But the Gospels prove their own trustworthiness by the unflattering details they include about Peter. He clearly had no public relations person. It is a great comfort for ordinary mortals to know that Peter also has his human weakness, even in the presence of Jesus.

He generously gave up all things, yet he can ask in childish self-regard, "What are we going to get for all this?" (see Matthew 19:27). He receives the full force of Christ's anger when he objects to the idea of a suffering Messiah: "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do" (Matthew 16:23b).

Peter is willing to accept Jesus' doctrine of forgiveness, but suggests a limit of seven times. He walks on the water in faith, but sinks in doubt. He refuses to let Jesus wash his feet, then wants his whole body cleansed. He swears at the Last Supper that he will never deny Jesus, and then swears to a servant maid that he has never known the man. He loyally resists the first attempt to arrest Jesus by cutting off Malchus's ear, but in the end he runs away with the others. In the depth of his sorrow, Jesus looks on him and forgives him, and he goes out and sheds bitter tears. The Risen Jesus told Peter to feed his lambs and his sheep (John 21:15-17).

Paul (d. 64?). If the most well-known preacher today suddenly began preaching that the United States should adopt Marxism and not rely on the Constitution, the angry reaction would help us understand Paul's life when he started preaching that Christ alone can save us. He had been the most Pharisaic of Pharisees, the most legalistic of Mosaic lawyers. Now he suddenly appears to other Jews as a heretical welcomer of Gentiles, a traitor and apostate.

Paul's central conviction was simple and absolute: Only God can save humanity. No human effortâ€"even the most scrupulous observance of lawâ€"can create a human good which we can bring to God as reparation for sin and payment for grace. To be saved from itself, from sin, from the devil and from death, humanity must open itself completely to the saving power of Jesus.

Paul never lost his love for his Jewish family, though he carried on a lifelong debate with them about the uselessness of the Law without Christ. He reminded the Gentiles that they were grafted on the parent stock of the Jews, who were still God's chosen people, the children of the promise.

In light of his preaching and teaching skills, Paul's name has surfaced (among others) as a possible patron of the Internet.




Comment:

We would probably go to confession to Peter sooner than to any of the other apostles. He is perhaps a more striking example of the simple fact of holiness. Jesus says to us as he said, in effect, to Peter: "It is not you who have chosen me, but I who have chosen you. Peter, it is not human wisdom that makes it possible for you to believe, but my Father's revelation. I, not you, build my Church." Paul's experience of the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus was the driving force that made him one of the most zealous, dynamic and courageous ambassadors of Christ the Church has ever had. But persecution, humiliation and weakness became his day-by-day carrying of the cross, material for further transformation. The dying Christ was in him; the living Christ was his life.

A Good Confession   

A good confession not only reconciles the individual with God and helps bring peace and order into his or her life but also “prepares the ground,” so to speak, for renewal. 

samok, gagilok-gilok!

Which one?

Tumpak, Indayon, simply feel young and pretty! God bless.

Asian women really looks young and its difficult to make a guess about the real age.

welcome funtango, this is an advertisement what you posted awhile ago. not good.

Day, ihapa nalang imong edad ug pa-atras!

Happy birthday Inday Sabina!

unsa mankining mga beauty , patisay tisay man, kana untang mananom ug gulay, we are having some illusions what beauty is, that´s why we never progress.

Multinational purchasing (global sourcing) companies would like to exercise their option to choose online suppliers by testing different online suppliers and scenarios;

Our company once choose Pinas but the quality of products produced was inferior and somewhat expensive so it was transferred to Shanghai.

St. Irenaeus
(130?-220)


The Church is fortunate that Irenaeus was involved in many of its controversies in the second century. He was a student, well trained, no doubt, with great patience in investigating, tremendously protective of apostolic teaching, but prompted more by a desire to win over his opponents than to prove them in error.
As bishop of Lyons he was especially concerned with the Gnostics, who took their name from the Greek word for “knowledge.” Claiming access to secret knowledge imparted by Jesus to only a few disciples, their teaching was attracting and confusing many Christians. After thoroughly investigating the various Gnostic sects and their “secret,” Irenaeus showed to what logical conclusions their tenets led. These he contrasted with the teaching of the apostles and the text of Holy Scripture, giving us, in five books, a system of theology of great importance to subsequent times. Moreover, his work, widely used and translated into Latin and Armenian, gradually ended the influence of the Gnostics.

The circumstances and details about his death, like those of his birth and early life in Asia Minor, are not at all clear.



Comment:

A deep and genuine concern for other people will remind us that the discovery of truth is not to be a victory for some and a defeat for others. Unless all can claim a share in that victory, truth itself will continue to be rejected by the losers, because it will be regarded as inseparable from the yoke of defeat. And so, confrontation, controversy and the like might yield to a genuine united search for God's truth and how it can best be served.

Repentance and Renewal are Essential   

For us Catholics, as well as other Christians, the danger of "triumphalism" lurks. It is a false pride based upon our belief that we belong to God’s chosen people of the new covenant and resulting in the idea that we really don’t need repentance and renewal. 

we need frogs to check the balance of nature. sila ang mokaon sa harmful larvae of mosquitos. Mao nga nidagsa ang malaria ug dengue kay daghang lamok.

Mas istrikto dinhe sa cosmetics for babys so I use baby shampoo. Fresh aloevera leaf once  a week to refresh my face let it dry for 15 minutes. I use Max Fator, as foundation, the rest are lidliner, lips stick etc from body shop. Eucerin is a very good choice. Swerte lang ko kay normal ang akong panit. Mogamit ko ug tawas.

I do hope that the president elect will strive hard to retrieve the money from the Marcos clan for projects alleviating poverty.

nag-lugaw ko, gamay asin, gatunga mi ni Chris.

Maureen Rice



Research by Bionsen, a natural deodorant company, found that the average woman's daily grooming and make-up routine means she 'hosts' a staggering 515 different synthetic chemicals on her body every single day.

Many of those are also used in products such as household cleaners, and have been linked to a number of health problems from allergies and skin sensitivity to more serious hormonal disturbances, fertility problems and even cancer.

Parabens, for example, which are designed to preserve the shelf-life of your cosmetics, are one of the most widely used preservatives in the world, and are found in shampoos, hair gels, shaving gels and body lotions. But their use is becoming increasingly controversial - a range of different studies has linked them to serious health problems including breast cancer, as well as fertility issues in men.

Research from the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine suggests that some parabens we had previously presumed to be safe, such as Methylparaben, may mutate and become toxic when exposed to sunlight, causing premature skin ageing and an increased risk of skin cancer.

Methylparabens are found in more than 16,000 products, including moisturisers and toothpastes. Cosmetic producers have always defended their use of parabens on the grounds that they can't be absorbed into the body.

But many leading researchers disagree, including Dr Barbara Olioso, an independent professional chemist, who says: 'Research shows that between 20 and 60 per cent of parabens may be absorbed into the body.'

hilom ang among karsada, mga silingan nationalistic jamo,  dia ang ebidensya;
Hoefen street, Wuppertal Germany.

dili man ko tig-tan aw ug tv, apan gabii, dihay extensive survey among sports enthusiasts to train and take vitamin pills ( of course there was a control grop) it was a surprise that those who took vit pills got muscle pains.
At the other survey in the UK, those who took vitamin pills had shortened their lives.

Those who propagate to take vitamins ( nutrionists, doctors and professors) were mostly working for the big multinationals like BASF and Roche.

so the rule is go for foods in its natural form.

same sex marriage gitogot kana dinhe, apan dili sa katoliko nga simbahan.

Have you tried telling how you feel towards them, that you deserved some respect?

A documentary film was shown in German tv refuting the good effects of taking vitamin pills.

While the most popular supplements were cod liver oil and multivitamins, it's sales of 'mega-dose' vitamin and mineral products that are growing fastest, with some manufacturers reporting an increase of more than 20 per cent in the last three years. Colin Brennan

That we need vitamins is not in dispute. Vitamins are a small group of substances that are essential in tiny quantities for growth and development. Most of them cannot be manufactured by the body and must come from our diet.

The apples contained many other naturally occurring chemicals in addition to vitamin C, including antioxidants called flavanoids and polyphenols that are thought to protect against cancer.

This meant that eating a small apple (100g) gave an antioxidant effect equivalent to taking 1500mg of vitamin C â€" and you'd have to take a mega-dose supplement to achieve that.

Dietitians, nutritionists and other experts are all agreed that apart from small groups of people in special medical circumstances, most of us don't need to take vitamins or food supplements. We can get what we need from a balanced diet.

‘It has been discovered that these foods contain far more than the classic vitamins and minerals we all know about. They contain many other plant substances, known as phytochemicals, which can’t be put in a bottle or made into a pill.’

mahimo mag-request ug technical advice, somebody must go to the office and make a proper request, this is a good functioning government agency.

bitaw asa naman si Alay?

kining kapobrehon dili malikayan apan ang kapobrehon nga ang naka-angin dili sakto nga pagdala sa gobyerno ug pangawkaw sa sapi para sa katawhan ambot kon unsa nalang ang tawag ni-ana.
The missing 35 million US Dollars from the Japanese government as reparation pay is enough to finish infrastuctures in our country.

The national, historical city of Dunhuang is a renowned tourist city famous for the Mogao Caves.
In ancient times, Dunhuang was the center of trade between China and its western neighbors. At that time, it was the most westerly frontier military garrison in China. With the flourishing of trade along the Silk Road, Dunhuang was prompted to become the most open area in international trade in Chinese history. It provided the only access westward for the Chinese Empire and eastward for western nationalities. Today, as a reminder of this historical area, we are left with the Mogao Caves, Yangguan Pass, Yumenguan Pass and many wonderful Chinese poems depicting the time. Although what remains of the two Passes are crumbling walls, one can still experience the atmosphere of that time while visiting in person.

Rolf Gross
A romantic view, the Silk Road in the early morning light. Silk does no longer pass this way, it has been replaced by cotton, which is the main industry in Dunhuang.


Trees watered by a brook coming from the hills gave the desert travelers shade and shelter. It now hides the buildings of the Dunhuang Institute.


fotos Rolf Gross


fotos Rolf Gross


An early depiction of Buddha's Paranirvana â€" the historical Buddha's death The distress of his disciples who at later times assume grotesk expressions â€" highly un-Chinese! â€" is accomplished by very effective, mininmal, abstract means. Cave 428, Nothern Zou, around 560 AD.

ps
there are more on this pls ceck Google Rolf Gross Dunhuang.

pijong bugsay, aron dili ka makasalah!  Mike is right , this is photoshop. Parehas kadak-a ang ilang mammary glands! Ang mga bagong tubo dako na kaajo ug mg dughan. I can´t  imagine uniform ang ilang boobs.

Wow,  what a truth!   

We are producing excellent graduates. I met an Indian ( he comes from India and I call him Bombay which he said is derogatory) a doctor of medicine from Divine Word Uni Tacloban City, he worked for HIV research program in Europe, he is now assigned in CDC Atlanta.
I also met a German dentist who finished her studies in Centro Escolar University in Manila.

There is a Philippine Carabao center in Lomangog Ubay and this project is not really new. Dr Caro the head of the said office had been telling time and again about this advantage. They process milk into cheese for longer storage and Belle, adunay alpine goats, although carabao milk is preferred.
Adunay itanom nga grass kosog motobo . maoy sabsaban sa mga kabaw. Ang Alpine goats i-pang disperse sa different barangays for more food sustainability.
Unsa man ang mga locals tapolan mag farming.
Ang mga hayop de rasa aron kosog mutobo. Ang mga baka gikan sa Australia, carabao gikan sa Bangladesh (?) ang mga kanding gikan sab sa gawas. Dako ang gkatabang sa laing mga nasud aron ang programa nga food sufficiency mag-malamposon.

This sounds an advantage because of its portability but it is also a delicate laptop, mabusdak gamay mayabag ang screen.

kinsay may dool niya? Si linday ug si Jan-jan diay, please call her and tell her our happiness that she made it. Hinaut pa nga maayo ang iyang pagpanganak, kay ang swinging moods ( mag baylo ang iyang mga hormones) sahi kana sa depression.

St. Cyril of Alexandria
(376?-444)
Saints are not born with halos around their heads. Cyril, recognized as a great teacher of the Church, began his career as archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt, with impulsive, often violent, actions. He pillaged and closed the churches of the Novatian heretics, participated in the deposing of St. John Chrysostom (September 13) and confiscated Jewish property, expelling the Jews from Alexandria in retaliation for their attacks on Christians.
Cyril’s importance for theology and Church history lies in his championing the cause of orthodoxy against the heresy of Nestorius.

The controversy centered around the two natures in Christ. Nestorius would not agree to the title “God-bearer” for Mary. He preferred “Christ-bearer,” saying there are two distinct persons in Christ (divine and human) joined only by a moral union. He said Mary was not the mother of God but only of the man Christ, whose humanity was only a temple of God. Nestorianism implied that the humanity of Christ was a mere disguise.

Presiding as the pope’s representative at the Council of Ephesus (431), Cyril condemned Nestorianism and proclaimed Mary truly the “God-bearer” (the mother of the one Person who is truly God and truly human). In the confusion that followed, Cyril was deposed and imprisoned for three months, after which he was welcomed back to Alexandria as a second Athanasius (the champion against Arianism).

Besides needing to soften some of his opposition to those who had sided with Nestorius, Cyril had difficulties with some of his own allies, who thought he had gone too far, sacrificing not only language but orthodoxy. Until his death, his policy of moderation kept his extreme partisans under control. On his deathbed, despite pressure, he refused to condemn the teacher of Nestorius.




Comment:

Lives of the saints are valuable not only for the virtue they reveal but also for the less admirable qualities that also appear. Holiness is a gift of God to us as human beings. Life is a process. We respond to God's gift, but sometimes with a lot of zigzagging. If Cyril had been more patient and diplomatic, the Nestorian Church might not have risen and maintained power so long. But even saints must grow out of immaturity, narrowness and selfishness. It is because theyâ€"and weâ€"do grow, that we are truly saints, persons who live the life of God.


Quote:

Cyril's theme: "Only if it is one and the same Christ who is consubstantial with the Father and with men can he save us, for the meeting ground between God and man is the flesh of Christ. Only if this is God's own flesh can man come into contact with Christ's divinity through his humanity. Because of our kinship with the Word made flesh we are sons of God. The Eucharist consummates our kinship with the word, our communion with the Father, our sharing in the divine natureâ€"there is very real contact between our body and that of the Word" (New Catholic Encyclopedia).

Repentance   

To repent is to acknowledge one’s weakness and one’s failure to live the gospel of Christ fully. 

I have read such news plus photos, this is mostly done during winter time, when commuters are wearing warm winter clothes, this makes them bulky.

telegraph.co.uk



REUTERS

Oliver Fricker, 32, crimes alarmed Singapore officials because he and a British friend were able to break into a subway system believed to be a potential terrorist target.

Singapore has launched an international hunt for the 29-year-old Briton, Lloyd Dane Alexander, who allegedly planned the act but left the city-state before he could be caught, leaving Fricker to face the consequences alone.


Prosecutors said the pair spray-painted the words "McKoy" and "Banos" on two carriages in the early hours of May 17 - the signature of train vandals whose elaborate works are celebrated in YouTube videos and websites.

Fricker was about to return to Switzerland when he was arrested on May 25, and his employer, Zurich-based Comit AG, which specialises in software for the financial industry, confirmed he had been suspended from work.

Damning evidence, including emails ordering paint, photographs and a wire cutter used to cut through the fence of a train depot, left Fricker with little choice but to plead guilty in the hope of getting a more lenient sentence.

The prosecution said his laptop computer contained 53 images and one video file of vandalised trains.

Prosecutors said Fricker and Alexander became friends after meeting in Australia in 1997 and the vandalism took place when Alexander visited Singapore as a tourist.

Vandalism is punishable by up to three years in jail or a maximum fine of 2,000 Singapore dollars (£963), plus three to eight strokes of a wooden cane, a punishment dating from British colonial rule.

For trespassing into a protected area, Fricker faces two years in jail or a fine of 1,000 dollars, or both.

Singapore considers the intrusion a serious offence because its MRT subway system is believed to be the target of Islamic extremists.

"There are security implications for this, that somebody was able to penetrate a depot unnoticed and then commit damage," said John Harrison, a homeland security expert with the Singapore's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

Singapore's vandalism laws became global news in 1994 when an American teenager, Michael Fay, was caned for damaging cars and public property despite appeals for clemency from the US government.

May 25, 2010

Bongbong is now a Senator, Imelda is Governor of Ilocos Norte and Imee is in Congress.  The MARCOSES are back in full force thanks to our "despicable amnesia" as aptly described by the eminent writer, F. Sionil Jose.


Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. - George Santayana 

You remain responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.â€" Antoine de Saint-Exupery



 

December 1991

The Central Bank had accumulated losses of Php324 billion in the Special Accounts.

November 30, 1992

The Central Bank; losses were Php561 billion and climbing. Cuisia asked that the CB be restructured. Sen. Romulo asked to see the 1983 audit of the international reserves. He couldn't get a copy. It was "restricted".

January 05, 1993

Imelda didn't show up for the scheduled signing of a new PCGG agreement. She kept vacillating on the terms and conditions - demanding she be allowed to travel abroad for thirty-three days to confer with bank officials in Switzerland , Austria , Hong Kong and Morocco to work out the transfer of the frozen funds.

Actually she was hoping a guy she had authorized, J..T.Calderon, would be able to move the funds just as the order was lifted, before the government had a chance to transfer them to Manila . When the government discovered the authority, all negotiations with Imelda were halted and her requests for travel suspended.

August 10, 1993

Georges Philippe, a Swiss lawyer of Imelda, wrote today a confidential letter to the Marcoses' old Swiss lawyer, Bruno de Preux, who handled almost all of the Marcos family's hidden accounts in Switzerland . Philippe requested de Preux for the status of:

A $750 million account with United Mizrahi Bank in Zurich;

Various currency and gold deposits at the Union Bank of Switzerland, at Kloten airport and at Credit Suisse;

A $356 million account (now in escrow and worth almost $600 million) which was being claimed by the PCGG.

1994

The human rights jury awarded the victims $1.2 billion in exemplary damages, then $766.4 million in compensatory damages a year after that, for a total of $1.964 billion. Two days after, another $7.3 million was awarded to twenty-one Filipinos in a separate lawsuit.

1995

The US Supreme Court upheld the $1.2 billion judgment.

March 29, 1995

The Swiss Parliament passed a law (an amendment to a previous act) that removed the need for a final judgment of criminal conviction of the accused (such as the Marcoses) in the case of criminally acquired assets which could now therefore be returned to claimants (such as the Philippine government) by Swiss court order.

July 1996

In part because of the torture of Roger Roxas, $22 billion was awarded to his Golden Budha Corporation.

December 10, 1997

The Swiss Supreme Court promulgated a landmark decision that took into account the March 1995 Swiss Parliament act and the fact that new criminal cases had been filed against Imelda Marcos. The court held that there was no need for any criminal proceeding; that a civil or administrative proceeding would suffice, and the Marcos Swiss deposits which had been "criminally acquired" can be returned to the Philippines in deference to the final judgment of the Philippine court as to the ownership of these deposits.

The Swiss court also announced that the interest and reputation of Switzerland was at stake if it would become a haven for money launderers laundering money obtained by crime. Therefore, in the case of the Marcos deposits, because "the illegal source of the assets in this case cannot be doubted" the Swiss court ordered that the money be returned to the Philippines to be held in escrow account in the PNB to await the judgment of the Sandiganbayan in the forfeiture case.

By the way, in January 17, 1975 a secret decree not made public until after the Edsa insurrection was signed by Marcos stating that in the event he became incapacitated or died, power would be turned over to Imelda. On June 7, 1975, in his own handwriting, Marcos amended the January 17th decree and clarified Imelda's role as chairperson of committee with presidential powers.

In February 1979, Imelda was named chairman of the cabinet committee, composed of all ministries, to launch the BLISS (Bagong Lipunan Sites and Services) program, an ambitious attempt to centralize control of all economic and social development. She assumed responsibility for the "11 needs of Man" codified in her ministry's multi-year Human Settlements Plan, 1978-2000. By 1986, the number of Filipinos living below the poverty line doubled from 18 million in 1965 to 35 million. And the ecological balance of the country had degraded from 75% to 27% forest cover remaining - with 39 million acres of forest falling victim to rampant logging. This was BLISS.

She was head of the Metro Manila Commission, which by year-end 1985 had managed to accumulate debts of Php 1.99 billion (which included $100 million in foreign loans) in its ten years of existence. Imelda had accomplished nothing and left the people embittered and even more disillusioned.

In September 1992 Marcos was found guilty of violating the human rights of 10,000 victims. The ruling occurred just after a judge found Imee Marcos-Manotoc guilty of the torture and murder of Archimedes Trajano, a 21 year old engineering student at Mapua who had the temerity to ask Imee after a speech she gave whether the Kabataang Barangay (a national youth group) "must be headed by the president's daughter?"

Imee and brother Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. have been active in the political scene.. Bongbong, who finished 3 terms as Ilocos Norte governor, is now running for Senator under Presidential bet, Manny Villar's senatorial slate. He's been quoted as saying that if given a chance, he'd like to run for President one day...(OMG). 

 

Is it true that Marcos propagated the Yamashita myth to hide the fact that he looted the Central Bank, that its gold bars were melted down and recast in odd-size bars to make them look old (how does gold look old, anyway?).
Marcos claimed that he "received the surrender of Gen. Yamashita" after a battle with his guerrilla outfit. History has recorded that Yamashita surrendered to Lt. Co. Aubrey Smith Kenworthy and that there was no battle. Yamashita's peaceful surrender had been arranged at least two weeks before the event.

In one entry in Marcos' diary he noted, "I often wonder what I will be remembered for in history. Scholar? Military hero…?" In a supreme irony, he did achieve what he so vainly sought - lasting fame - but not in the way he envisioned:

The largest human rights case in history - 10,000 victims.

Guinness Book of Records - the world's greatest thief.

The largest monetary award in history - $22 billion..

September 30, 1986

Questioned by Philippine and US lawyers about his hidden wealth, Marcos took the Fifth Amendment 197 times. Imelda followed suit - 200 times.

December 1989

An American jury found the Marcos estate liable for $15 million in the killing of anti-Marcos activists Gene Viernes and Silme Domingo. Manglapus, Psinakis, Gillego and other erstwhile exile oppositionists testified at the trial.

November 04, 1991 Today, a Sunday, the circus came to town. The Swiss Federal Tribunal had ruled the year before that the Philippine government must comply with the European Convention of Human Rights, especially due process. There had to be a lawsuit filed within one year. Thus, the solicitor general's office filed all sorts of cases against Imelda and the government had to allow her to return to answer the charges.

"I come home penniless," she tearfully said on arrival. She then repaired to her suite at the Philippine Plaza Hotel which cost $2,000 a day and rented sixty rooms for her entourage - American lawyers, American security guards and American PR firms.

February 1986

When Marcos departed the Philippines, the losses in the three Central Bank accounts surpassed Php 122 billion (more than $6 billion). The big bulk of losses was attributed to the RIR account mainly due to two items: forward cover and swap contracts. Forward cover referred to foreign exchange provided by the CB at a fixed exchange rate to importers of essential commodities. Swap contracts referred to CB's receiving foreign exchange from banks in exchange for pesos at the prevailing rate with a promise to deliver the foreign exchange back to them at an agreed future date.

There was no mention of losses due to CB transactions in gold or foreign exchange.
February 28, 1986

On this day, Jim Burke, security expert from the US Embassy, was tapping on the wooden paneling in Imelda's abandoned Malacanang bedroom when he heard a hollow sound. It was the walk-in vault. Inside were thirty-five suitcases secured with locks and tape. They contained a treasure trove of documents about Swiss bank accounts, New York real estate, foundations in Vaduz, and some notepaper on which Marcos had practiced his William Saunders signature. They also contained jewelry valued at some US$10.5 million.

March 16, 1986

Did Marcos steal any gold from the CB? The CB always refused to comment. Why?

Today the LA Times reported that 6.325 metric tons of gold was unaccounted for in the Central Bank. Between 1978, the year Marcos ordered all gold producers to sell only to the CB, and end 1984, the Bureau of Mines reported that 124,234 pounds of gold were refined.

But the CB reported receiving only 110,319 pounds during this same period. That left a difference of 13,915 pounds (6.325 metric tons).

March 1986

Jokingly referring to themselves as the Office of National Revenge, a vigilante team led by Charlie Avila and Linggoy Alcuaz received a tip in the morning that Marcos' daughter Imee had kept a private office in the suburb of Mandaluyong at 82 Edsa. They obtained a search warrant, then rushed to Camp Crame to pick up some soldiers. After devising a plan, they boarded four cars and drove to the premises, arriving around midnight. The soldiers scaled a fence and sealed off the area. Avila , Alcuaz, and their men moved in and found documents in cardboard boxes, desks, and filing cabinets. Gunfire could be heard outside but it didn't deter the search. The documents revealed the names of offshore companies and overseas investments of Marcos and his cronies - a late link in the paper trail that had been started abroad by the teams of Avila , Steve Psinakis, Sonny Alvarez, Raul Daza, Boni Gillego, and Raul Manglapus.

March 09, 1986

A Greek-American, Demetrios Roumeliotes, was stopped at the Manila International Airport before he could leave with eight large envelopes stuffed with jewelry that he admitted belonged to Imelda - valued at US$4.7 million.

March 15, 1986

Ernie Maceda, Minister of Natural Resources, revealed today that some 7 to 14 tons of Philippine gold are sold to the Binondo Central Bank annually and then smuggled to Sabah, Malaysia - this gold being part of some 20 tons produced by 200,000 panners all over the country. Maceda's query was whether part of the gold they produced was siphoned to the "invisible gold hoard of Ms. Imelda R. Marcos."

"We deliver to the Central Bank," the miners said. "If it happened (the siphoning), it happened in the Central Bank."

May 1979

The Marcos couple celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary in a party that cost $5,000,000.00 There was a silver carriage drawn by eight white horses.

November 23, 1978

A house was purchased at 4 Capshire Drive in Cherry Hill , New Jersey (actually near to Philadelphia where Bongbong was taking courses at that time) for use by servants and Bongbong's security detachment.

The Marcoses did not neglect their annual real estate purchase. During this year and next year, 1979, they purchased two properties - one at 3850 Princeton Pike, Princeton - a 13-acre estate for use by daughter Imee as she attended Princeton . The other was a house at 19 Pendleton Drive in Cherry Hill for use of Bongbong and under the name of Tristan Beplat, erstwhile head of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines .

April 1979

In two days in New York this month, Imelda spent $280,000 for a necklace wet with emeralds and diamonds; $18,500 for a yellow gold evening bag with one round cut diamond; $8,975.20 for 20-carat gold ear clips with twenty-four baguette diamonds; $8,438.10 for 18-carat gold ear clips with fifty-two tapered baguette diamonds; and $12,056.50 for 20 carat gold ear clips with diamonds. June 1980

For $1,577,000.00 in New York Imelda buys Webster Hotel on West 45th Street . She rewards Gen. Romeo Gatan as a limited partner.. Gatan arrested Ninoy at the beginning of Martial Law.

The insurgents' ranks grew by twenty percent a year.. Meritorious officers in the armed forces experienced low moral due to Marcos' penchant for promoting friends over more deserving officers.

February 16, 1986

In Fe's records of monies paid out during Marcos' last campaign, one unusually large item was authorized by "FL" (First Lady) and paid to Assemblyman Arturo Pacificador on this day. A few days later, two carloads of men drove into San Jose , the provincial capital of Antique. Evelio Javier, head of Aquino's campaign, was watching the votes being counted when the men opened fire and killed Evelio after he was still able to run through town but finally got cornered in a public toilet where he was gunned down in front of shocked townspeople. Pacificador was later convicted of the murder.

February 25, 1986

Marcos fled the Philippines leaving behind a foreign debt of $27 billion and a bureaucracy gone mad. "Cash advances" for the elections from the national treasury amounted to Php3.12 billion ($150 million). The Central Bank printed millions of peso bills, many with the same serial number. Sixty million pesos in newly printed bills were found in a vehicle owned by Imelda's brother Bejo in the Port Area of Manila, and another Php 100 million aboard the MV Legaspi also owned by Bejo Romualdez.

How massive and humongous a loot Marcos took can be deduced from the known losses he left behind.

The known losses he left at the Central Bank included $1.2 billion in missing reserves and $6 billion in the Special Accounts.

Imelda charged off most of her spending sprees to the PNB or Philippine National Bank which creatively wrote off her debts as "unresponded transfers". Ver also used PNB funds to finance his "intelligence" operations.

The known losses at the PNB amounted to Php72.1 billion. At the DBP, the losses Marcos left behind totaled Php85 billion; at the Philguarantee, it was Php6.2 billion ; and at the NIDC or National Investment and Development Corporation (NDC) - the losses amounted to Php 2.8 billion.

These losses were primarily due to cronyism - giving loans to cronies that had little or no collateral, whose corporations were undercapitalized, whose loan proceeds were not used for the avowed purpose, and where the practice of corporate layering was common, i.e. using two or more companies with the same incorporators and officers, whereby one company which gives the loan owns the company which obtains the loan, or similar arrangements. The cronies enjoyed their closeness to Marcos. With him they formed a Grand Coalition. They participated in the exercise of dictatorship. But Marcos owned them. The wealth of the cronies belonged to him.

Because of the free rides taken by Imelda, Marcos and the cronies, the Philippine Airlines was in debt by $13.8 billion.

The conservative Grand Total for losses Marcos left behind (and therefore the kind of loot he grabbed and hid) amounted to $17.1 billion.

The Central Bank, the PNB, and other financial institutions badly need an audit. The special review (not regular audit because there seems not to have been any - there are no records anyway) did not uncover Imelda's spending - her name never appeared - and Ver's intelligence fund.

The review gave no hint of theft or missing money, only "downward adjustments" and "proposed adjustments" to "deficiencies" and "shortages of money".

February 26, 1986

A few hours after the Marcos party landed in Honolulu , their luggage arrived - 300 crates on board a C-141 cargo jet. It took twenty-five customs officers five hours to tag the bags and identify the contents. The process was videotaped because of all the money and jewelry found inside.

There were 278 crates of jewelry and art worth an estimated US$5 million. Twenty-two crates contained more than Php27.7 million in newly minted currency, mostly hundred-peso denominations worth approximately US$1,270,000. 00 (It was illegal for anyone to depart the Philippines carrying more than Php500 in cash. )

There were other certificates of deposit from Philippine banks worth about US$1 million, five handguns, 154 videotapes, seventeen cassette tapes, and 2,068 pages of documents - all of which were impounded by Customs. The Marcos party was allowed to keep only US$300,000.00 in gold and $150,000.00 in bearer bonds that they brought in with their personal luggage because they declared them and broke no US customs laws.

There were 24 one-kilo gold bars fitted into a-20 $17,000 hand-tooled Gucci briefcase with a solid gold buckle and a plaque on it that read, "To Ferdinand Marcos, from Imelda, on the Occasion of our 24th Wedding Anniversary. "

Charlie Avila

We seem to have forgotten that once upon a time, not too long ago, there was this family, the Marcoses, comprised of Ferdinand (now deceased), Imelda (still gallivanting and traipsing the light fantastic in Manila and occasionally, kung maka lusot, overseas), and 3 children, including Ferdinand “Bongbong” Jr who’s now running, under Presidential candidate Manny Villar, in the SAME Senatorial slate as political activists (??) Liza Maza and Satur Ocampo.

Charlie Avila, who HAS NOT forgotten what the Marcoses did, reminds us, in his CHRONOLOGY OF THE MARCOS PLUNDER, that in…

September 1976

This month the Marcoses bought their first property in the U.S. - a condo in the exclusive Olympic Towers on Fifth Avenue in New York . Five months later they would also buy the three adjoining apartments, paying a total of $4,000,000.00 for the four and using Antonio Floirendo's company, The Adventures Limited in Hong Kong , as front for these purchases.

October 13, 1977

Today, after addressing the UN General Assembly, Imelda celebrated by going shopping and spending $384,000 including $50,000 for a platinum bracelet with rubies; $50,000 for a diamond bracelet; and $58,000 for a pin set with diamonds.

The day before, Vilma Bautista, one of her private secretaries, paid $18,500 for a gold pendant with diamonds and emeralds; $9,450 for a gold ring with diamonds and emeralds; and $4,800 for a gold and diamond necklace.

October 27, 1977

The Marcoses donated $1.5 million to Tufts University in Boston , endowing a professorial chair in East Asian and Pacific Studies at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. The students and professors discovered this and forced the school to reject the donation. To save face, the Marcoses were allowed to finance several seminars and lectures.

November 2, 1977

Still at her shopping spree, Imelda paid $450,000 for a gold necklace and bracelet with emeralds, rubies, and diamonds; $300,000 for a gold ring with emeralds and diamonds; and $300,000 for a gold pendant with diamonds, rubies, and thirty-nine emeralds.

July 1978

After a trip to Russia , Imelda arrived in New York and immediately warmed up for a shopping spree. She started with paying $193,320 for antiques, including $12,000 for a Ming Period side table; $24,000 for a pair of Georgian mahogany Gainsborough armchairs; $6,240 for a Sheraton double-sided writing desk; $11,600 for a George II wood side table with marble top - all in the name of the Philippine consulate to dodge New York sales tax.

That was merely for starters.

A week later she spent $2,181,000.00 in one day! This included $1,150,000 for a platinum and emerald bracelet with diamonds from Bulgari; $330,000 for a necklace with a ruby, diamonds, and emeralds; $300,000 for a ring with heart-shaped emeralds; $78,000 for 18-carat gold ear clips with diamonds; $300,000 for a pendant with canary diamonds, rubies and emeralds on a gold chain.

After New York, she dropped by Hong Kong where a Cartier representative admitted it was this Filipina, Imelda, who had put together the world's largest collection of gems - in 1978.

mao ni ang kasilyas noong alaw sa mga hari sa London, hundred years ago, ambot kon nigamit ba sila ug bonot!