Vol 39, No 2 • MAY 2005 Php 70.

00

IMPACT
ISSN 0300-4155
Asian Magazine for Human Transformation
Through Education, Social Advocacy and Evangelization
P.O. Box 2950, 1099 Manila, Philippines
©
Copyright 1974 by Social Impact Foundation, Inc.
“
Quote in the Act
“I still have a few more months to
drive some people crazy.”
Joseph Mussomeli, outgoing US Embassy Charge d’Affaires in
Manila, after reaping public criticisms lately for his controversial
remarks about Mindanao becoming another Afghanistan.

REMITTING ADDRESSES
“With due respect to everybody, let us
AUSTRALIA : Impact P.O. Box 2034, East Ivanhoe, Victoria 3079
BANGLADESH : 1. Community Center, 5 Sadar Road, Barisal; 2. The Priest-in- no longer depend on recycled leaders with
Charge, P.O. Box 152, Chittagong recycled knees.”

“
CAROLINE ISLANDS : Social Action Center, Inc., P.O. Box 202, Truk,
Caroline Islands 96942 Former President Fidel Ramos, on reports linking ousted
HONGKONG : Catholic Periodicals Subscription Office, Catholic Centre, 16, President Joseph Estrada to destabilization plots against the
Caine Road, 11/F, Hong Kong Arroyo government.
INDIA : 1. Asian Trading Corp., 310, The Mirabelle, Lotus-House, 33A,
Marine Lines, P.B. No. 11029, Bombay - 400 202; 2. Asian Trading Corp.,
150 Brigade Rd., Bangalore - 56-0025
INDONESIA: 1. Y.S.T.M. Jl. Gunung Sahari III/7 Phone: 021-354700 Jakarta “Peace is no longer a pie in the sky, it
Pusat; 2. YPD Jl. Veteran 7, P.O. Box 1066, Semarang 5010; 3. Biro Sosial,
Jl. Taman Srigunting 10, Semarang.
is now within reach.”
JAPAN : Enderle Book Co. Ltd., Ichico Bldg., 1-5 Yotsudya Shinjuku-ku,
Tokyo 160, Japan Lien Chan, Chairman of Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT) or
Nationalist Party, on brokering peace agreement with China.
KOREA : J. R. Heisse, C.P.O.. Box 206, Seoul, Korea
MALAYSIA: 1. Anthonian Store Sdn. Bhd., Wisma Anthonian, 235, Jalan
Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur 09-08; 2. Catholic Information Services 50 E&F,
Penang Rd., Penang “If you want to deal with religious
NEW ZEALAND : Catholic Depot Ltd., 64 Wyndham Street, Auckland
PAKISTAN: Fr. Joseph Louis, 8-Katchery Road, Lahore issues, do it at home, or in places of
PHILIPPINES : P.O. Box 2950, 1099 Manila
SINGAPORE : Select Books PTE. Ltd., 215 Tanglin Shopping Centre, 2/F 19,
worship.”
Tanglin Road, Singapore 10
Lim Keng Yaik, Malaysia’s Communication Minister, on his
TAIWAN : P.O. Box 8-146, Taipei 100 proposal to ban religious instruction in state schools.

“
THAILAND : NASAC, 2 Saensuk, Prachasongkroh Road, Bangkok 10.
U.S.A .: c/o Mrs. M. Taranella, Walsh Bldg., 1st Floor, Maryknoll, New York
10545
Published monthly by “His followers want to rally around
CBCP COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, INC. the flag, but they can’t find the flag pole.”
OSCAR V. CRUZ, D.D. • ART T. NG • JO IMBONG
Allan Hoffenblum, Los Angeles Republican strategist, on the
E DITORIAL BOARD brewing rift among followers and staff of California Governor
PEDRO C. QUITORIO III Arnold Schwarzenegger whose approval rating has been lately
EDITOR -IN -CHIEF plummeting.
BALTAZAR R. ACEBEDO
A SSOCIATE E DITOR
DENNIS B. DAYAO “I would have thought his advanced
M ANAGING E DITOR
EULY BELIZAR • ROY CIMAGALA age and unstable health would have been
ROY LAGARDE • LOPE ROBREDILLO reason enough for the Cardinals to pick
S TAFF W RITERS
ROWENA DALANON someone else.”
C IRCULATION & SALES MANAGER Fr. Georg Ratzinger, a priest and elder brother of Benedict XVI,
LEAH KATRINA CARIASO after the College of Cardinals elected his brother as Pope.
F INANCE OFFICER
C ORRESPONDENTS:India: Haranath Tadepally; Malaysia: Chandra Muzaffar;
Pakistan: James D'Mello; Sri Lanka: Harry Haas; Papua New Guinea:
Diosnel Centurion SUBSCRIPTION RATES
C ONSULTANTS: Mochtar Lubis, Indonesia; McGillicuddy Desmond, Ireland
(JPIC) MillHill, London; Sulak Sivaraksa, Thailand, (Communications); (Can be remitted in local currencies to remitting addresses)
S. Santiago, India, (Community Development); Juan Tan (BATU), Philip-
pines (Labor); Jessie Tellis Nayak, India, (Women); Dr. Paulita V. Baclig, O RDINARY MAIL AIRMAIL
Philippines (Health); Maximo T. Kalaw Jr., Philippines, (Alternative Philippines 1 year Php550.00
Futures) HongKong-China, Japan, 1 year US$ 30.00 US$ 45.00
EDITORIAL OFFICE: Australia, New Zealand,
3/F CBCP Bldg., 470 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila, Philippines Pacific Isles & Middle East
Tel (632) 404-2182 • Telefax (632) 404-1612 Korea, Taiwan, Singapore 1 year US$ 25.00 US$ 40.00
Visit our website at www.impactmagazine.net Other Asian Countries 1 year US$ 20.00 US$ 45.00
Europe, Americas, Africa 1 year US$ 55.00 US$ 75.00
(2 years: 15% discount on 2nd year surface mail)
For inquiries, comments, and contributions, contact:
inquiries@impactmagazine.net Impact is officially approved as general reference material for students in the Secondary
comments@impactmagazine.net and Tertiary levels and a general professional reading material for teachers in all levels on
contributions@impactmagazine.net June 8, 1987.
Address e-mail subscription inquiries to: subscription@impactmagazine.net

2 IMPACT • May 2005

 I MPACT May 2005 / Vol 39 • No 2
EDITORIAL
The Enemies of the State .............................................. 25
COVER STORY
Has Catholic Media Failed? ............. 16
Besieged by chronic problems, the Catholic Church is
conspicuously losing ground to other religions in the
cutting-edge dash of harnessing the power of media.
Non-Catholic Churches Score Cutting Edge .......... 18
ARTICLES
From Joseph Ratzinger to
Benedict XVI ................................ 4
Catching up with Pope Benedict
XVI ................................................. 5
Getting Personal About Pope John Paul II ............... 7
Old Problems Stunt ICT
Education ............................................ 10
Hard Times for the Pre-need
Industry .................................................. 11
School Learning Sprouts to 'Larger
Classroom' ............................................. 13
F
our kings, six queens, seventy heads of state, the
Secretary General of the United Nations, representa-
tives of five major world religions and over a hundred
from other religious denominations attended the funeral of
Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s together with about 300,000
jampacked mourners.
In five continents, humanity surging into hundreds of
millions, if not over a billion, witnessed his funeral broadcast
live on cable TV, radio and the internet. In the Philippines,
the widespread cable and the DTH (direct-to-home) Dream
TV carried the three-hour ceremony even to outlaying bar-
rios. It was unprecedented. It was the power of media at its
best now at the service of a great man who made wise use of
the various tools of modern communications to proclaim the
gospel message. From the onset of his Papacy, he sowed the
seeds of the Christian message at the footpath of mass
communication. Now it was time to reap a hundredfold.
A little over two months before he died, John Paul II
issued an Apostolic Letter The Rapid Development, for
those responsible for communications. “… the Church,” he
says, “is not only called upon to use the mass media to spread
the Gospel but, today more than ever, to integrate the mes-
sage of salvation into the ‘new culture’ that these powerful
means of communication create and amplify. It tells us that
STATEMENTS
Statement on Mining .....................................................22
Filipino Farmers:
Nurturers of Life
........................................ 23
VATICAN DOCUMENTS
Message for the 39th World
Communications Day
..................................................................... 6
The Works and Writings of Pope John
Paul II ............................................................................... 8
FROM THE BLOGS
Dangerous Country ....................................................... 24
Definitive Stand on Gambling ................................... 24
DEPARTMENTS
Quote in the Act .............................................................. 2
Vanilla Bytes ................................................................. 26
CINEMA Review ......................................................... 29
News Briefs ...................................................................... 30
the use of the techniques and the technologies of contempo-
rary communications is an integral part of its mission in the
third millennium.”
Ironically enough, while the Vatican has been harping
repeatedly on the use of media as an integral tool of evange-
lization from “Inter Mirifica” through “Aetatis Novae,” the
Catholic media in the Philippines and, indeed, the whole of
Asia, has conveniently remained at the sidelines of evange-
lization efforts.
At first blush, complacency may be the reason why
nobody in the Catholic church is moving a finger despite the
prosyletising media blitz harnessed sustainably by other
christian sects. A deeper look, however, will reveal some-
thing else.
In our cover story, our team lead by Bob Acebedo has
unearthed, albeit hesitatingly, more reasons than one why
the Catholic media is sluggish. Read on.
(You may reach the editor at editor@impactmagazine.net.)
Volume 39 • Number 2 3
 A R T I C L E S

Habemus Papam!

From Joseph
Ratzinger to
Benedict XVI

“Anuntio vobis gaudium magnum, habemus papam!” (I announce to ogy in 1953 with his Dissertation entitled,
you with great joy, we have a Pope). The Chilean Cardinal Jorge “The People and House of God in St.
Augustine’s doctrine of the Church.”
Medina Estevez, the senior Cardinal Deacon made the celebrated Shortly afterwards, he diligently labored
announcement that bellowed from a balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on to fulfill a requirement for teaching at the
the afternoon of April 19, 2005. And Josef Cardinal Ratzinger, from University level by completing a book-
Germany, came out as the newly elected Pope—and adopted his length treatise on St. Bonaventure’s “The-
ology of History and Revelation.” Then
moniker, Pope Benedict XVI. on April 15, 1959, he started lecturing as
Full Professor in Fundamental Theology
by DONN BALTAZAR at the University of Bonn. During all the
four sessions of the Second Vatican Coun-

S
hortly after Ratzinger’s election, mixed
reactions and confounded specula
tions immediately ran ablaze across
the world, some even prematurely pander-
ing to the gallows, branding the new Pope
as a hard-nosed conservative. Ratzinger,
the erstwhile Prefect for the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith, critics claim,
was the late Pope John Paul II’s enforcer
of orthodoxy, “the one who cracked the
whip in doctrinal matters.” Albeit, on the
other hand, allies hail Ratzinger as a humble
intellectual.
Josef Ratzinger was born on April 16,
1927 in Mrktl am Inn (on the Inn River),
Germany. His father, who came from a
traditional family of farmers in Lower
Baveria, was a police officer. Due to the
frequent transfer of his father’s work as-
signment, young Josef’s family moved in
1929 to Tittmoning, a small town on the
Salzack River in the Austrian border.
In 1932, his father’s outspoken criti-
cism of the Nazis required the family to
relocate to Auschau am Inn, at the foot of cil in 1962 to 1965, Josef Ratzinger dutifully
the Alps. In 1937, when his father retired, served as peritus, or Chief Theological
his family again moved to Husfschlag, Advisor, to Cardinal Josef Frings of Koln
outside of Traunstein. There, Josef began (Cologne), Germany.
studying classical languages at the local He started teaching at the University
school gymnasium. of Munster in 1963. And in 1966, Josef
In 1939, at twelve years old, Josef Ratzinger got a second professorial chair
entered the Minor Seminary in Traunstein, in Dogmatic Theology at the University of
his first step toward the priesthood. World Tubingen. A wave of student uprisings
War II, however, forced a postponement swept across Europe in
of his studies until 1945 when he re-en- 1968, and Marxism quickly
tered the Seminary together with his became the dominant in-
brother Georg. After two years, in 1947, tellectual system at
Josef then entered the Herzogiiches Tubingen. Josef
Georgianum, a Theological Institute af- Ratzinger then had no
filiated with the University of Munich. sympathy with the new
And finally, on June 29, 1951, on the Feast radical theology—so in
of Saints Peter and Paul, both Josef and his 1969 he moved back to
brother Georg were ordained to the priest- Baveria and got a teach-
hood by Cardinal Faulhaber, at the Cathe- ing position at the Uni-
dral in Freising. versity of Regensburg
Josef continued his Theological stud- where he eventually be-
ies at the University of Munich where he came its Dean and Vice
received his Doctorate degree in Theol- President. And since 1969

4 IMPACT • May 2005

until 1980, he has been no less an assidu-
ous member of the Holy See’s Interna-
tional Theological Commission.
In 1972, as the Second Vatican Coun-
cil was then besieged with radical theo-
logical barrage, if not ‘misinterpretations’,
from Karl Rahner, Hans Kung, and other
progressive Christian theologians of the
time—Josef Ratzinger, along with Hans
Urs Von Balthasar and Henry De Lubac,
rightfully countered by launching the
Catholic Theological Journal, Communio,
a quarterly review of Catholic Theology
and Culture.
Elected as Archbishop of Munich and
Freising by Pope Paul VI on March 24,
1977, Ratzinger’s episcopal ordination was
held on May 28, 1977, adopting, as his
motto, a phrase from 3 John 8: “Fellow
Worker in the Truth.”
Very shortly after that, in fact only 31
days thereafter –and indeed impressively
enough, the same pope, Paul VI, elevated him
as Josef Cardinal Ratzinger (Cardinal Priest)
on June 27, 1977, adopting the titular Church
of St. Mary of Consolation, in Tiburtina.
Then in 1980, Pope John Paul II ap-
pointed Cardinal Ratzinger to chair the
Special Synod on the Laity. After which,
the Pope asked him to head the Congrega-
tion for Catholic Education—but Cardinal
Ratzinger declined, feeling that he should
not leave his post in Munich too soon. But
only after a year, on November 25, 1981,
Cardinal Ratzinger was named instead the
Prefect for the Congregation for the Doc-
trine of the Faith, and at the same time
serving as the ex officio President of the
Pontifical Biblical Commission and the
International Theological Commission.
CardinalRatzingerlaboriouslyservedforsix
years(1986to1992)asPresidentoftheCommis-
sion for the Preparation of the Catechism of the
CatholicChurch,acompendiumoftheChurch’s
doctrines and teachings, which was completed
andwasdulypresentedtotheHolyFatherin1992.
From Joseph Ratzinger / p.15
Catching up with
Pope Benedict XVI
by ROY CIMAGALA
E
ven amid the grief and excitement
surrounding the death of Pope John
Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict
XVI, funny and amusing moments were also
found, especially when one closely followed
the TV coverage of the events.
For one, it was indeed quite amusing to
see journalists squirm in awkwardness and
grope for light and air when they had to tackle
issues spiritual and supernatural in nature—
they veritably looked like fish out of water. In
many instances, TV interviewers could not
find a sensible way to follow up a certain
spiritual commentary. Some attempted, but
soon fell flat on their faces as they realized
their reactions were not going anywhere.
Their use of clichés, terms, and concepts
borrowed from different ideologies and even
from fiction books and movies miserably
failed to intelligently handle religious issues.
The more sensible ones opted to ask for
commercials to escape the difficult situation.
Ultimately, not only a few but most viewers,
not excluding non-Christian believers, felt
frustrated or utterly dismayed.
All these only indicate that the study of
theology has become a real necessity to all
of us, especially those in media. This is the
proper language to use for a fruitful or
credible job in covering Church events, es-
pecially so with Pope Benedict XVI.
A good grounding in the different as-
pects of theology—from the spiritual to the
pastoral, parochial to the universal, historical
to the canonical and liturgical, and others
more—is fairly indispensable.
Very likely, the new Pope will actively
engage a high-level and multi-faceted dia-
logue with the world—all of these done in a
fast and even dizzying pace. Certainly, he is
no stranger to difficult situations, having faced
serious doctrinal dissents before. He can go
down to street talk, if need be. But he will
always maintain the point of view of the
Christian faith, inevitably infused with charity.
What may be considered by the aver-
age individual as deep and complicated ideas
are banal and common-place to him, indicat-
ing that he has considered these points
thoroughly—not only in his study, but also in
his prayer.
Yes, any journalist can simply ‘ambush’
him for an interview, or could get some sound
bites from him anytime. But the journalist has
better be prepared to receive and digest a
mouthful of ideas that literally speak volumes.
Never has there been any trace of bitter
zeal in him. Even when contradicted or mis-
understood, he always managed to blend
precision and firmness with great refine-
ment, humility and fairness with his interlocu-
tors. His tongue and emotions are in good
control.
And never also he’s one to readily dish
out simplistic responses. He enjoys giving
out richly textured and nuanced explana-
tions of issues—at the same time, he is good
enough integrating different relevant aspects
and while not losing focus to what is essen-
tial. He even welcomes dissenting views
and encourages others to speak their mind
without reserve. Surely, this character of his
papacy will rouse many intellectuals to ac-
tively engage in the strident discourse on
faith in colorful dialogue with modern day
issues.
For Benedict XVI, faith is one element
that has to be respected by all. While he
respects the points of view of everybody,
regardless of whichever perspective they
lean to, he demands that the same respect be
given likewise to point-of-view of faith.
The challenge of keeping pace, if not
catching up, with our new Pope can mean
that we have to start taking up theological
studies more seriously. He very well knows
the language of the world. For the world to
understand him—and thus a dialogue to pros-
per—the world has to learn his language too.
Fair enough it is. If our new technolo-
gies demand new languages for us to make
use of the gadgets, we also have to learn the
language of theology to better understand
the points our new Pope will be making. This
way perhaps, those in the media could truly
deliver fair and credible service—to all be-
lievers and non-believers alike—as ques-
tions and issues will be better discussed and
understood, freeing us from bigotry and
narrow-mindedness. I
Volume 39 • Number 2 5
 V A T I C A N
Message of the Holy Father John Paul II
for the 39th World Communications Day
“The Communications Media: At the Service of Understanding Among Peoples”
Dear Brothers and Sisters ,
1. We read in the Letter of Saint James,
“From the same mouth come blessing and
cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought
not to be so” (Jas 3:10). The Sacred Scrip-
tures remind us that words have an ex-
traordinary power to bring people together
or to divide them, to forge bonds of friend-
ship or to provoke hostility.
Not only is this true of words spoken
by one person to another: it applies equally
to communication taking place at any level.
Modern technology places at our disposal
unprecedented possibilities for good, for
spreading the truth of our salvation in
Jesus Christ and for fostering harmony
and reconciliation. Yet its misuse can do
untold harm, giving rise to misunderstand-
ing, prejudice and even conflict. The theme
chosen for the 2005 World Communica-
tions Day - “The Communications Media:
At the Service of Understanding Among
Peoples” - addresses an urgent need: to
promote the unity of the human family
through the use made of these great re-
sources.
2. One important way of achieving
this end is through education. The media
can teach billions of people about other
parts of the world and other cultures. With
good reason they have been called “the
first Areopagus of the modern age . . . for
many the chief means of information and
education, of guidance and inspiration in
their behavior as individuals, families, and
within society at large” (Redemptoris
Missio, 37). Accurate knowledge promotes
understanding, dispels prejudice, and
awakens the desire to learn more. Images
especially have the power to convey last-
ing impressions and to shape attitudes.
They teach people how to regard members
of other groups and nations, subtly influ-
encing whether they are considered as
friends or enemies, allies or potential ad-
versaries.
6 IMPACT • May 2005
D O C U M E N T
When others are portrayed in hostile
terms, seeds of conflict are sown which
can all too easily escalate into violence,
war, or even genocide. Instead of building
unity and understanding, the media can be
used to demonize other social, ethnic and
religious groups, fomenting fear and ha-
tred. Those responsible for the style and
content of what is communicated have a
grave duty to ensure that this does not
happen. Indeed, the media have enormous
potential for promoting peace and build-
ing bridges between peoples, breaking the
fatal cycle of violence, reprisal, and fresh
violence that is so widespread today. In
the words of Saint Paul, which formed the
basis of this year’s Message for the World
Day of Peace: “Do not be overcome by
evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom
12:21).
3. If such a contribution to peace-
making is one of the significant ways the
media can bring people together, its influ-
ence in favor of the swift mobilization of
aid in response to natural disasters is
another. It was heartening to see how
quickly the international community re-
sponded to the recent tsunami that claimed
countless victims. The speed with which
news travels today naturally increases the
possibility for timely practical measures
designed to offer maximum assistance. In
this way the media can achieve an im-
mense amount of good.
4. The Second Vatican Council re-
minded us: “If the media are to be correctly
employed, it is essential that all who use
them know the principles of the moral
order and apply them faithfully” (Inter
Mirifica, 4).
The fundamental ethical principle is
this: “The human person and the human
community are the end and measure of the
use of the media of social communication;
communication should be by persons to
persons for the integral development of
persons” (Ethics in Communications, 21).
In the first place, then, the communicators
themselves need to put into practice in
their own lives the values and attitudes
they are called to instill in others. Above
all, this must include a genuine commit-
ment to the common good - a good that is
not confined by the narrow interests of a
particular group or nation but embraces
the needs and interests of all, the good of
the entire human family (cf. Pacem in Terris,
132). Communicators have the opportu-
nity to promote a true culture of life by
distancing themselves from today’s con-
spiracy against life (cf. Evangelium Vitae,
17) and conveying the truth about the
value and dignity of every human person.
5. The model and pattern of all commu-
nication is found in the Word of God
himself. “In many and various ways God
spoke of old to our fathers by the proph-
ets; but in these last days he has spoken
to us by a Son” (Heb 1:1). The Incarnate
Word has established a new covenant
between God and his people - a covenant
which also joins us in community with one
another. “For he is our peace, who has
made us both one, and has broken down
the dividing wall of hostility” (Eph 2:14).
My prayer on this year’s World Com-
munications Day is that the men and women
of the media will play their part in breaking
down the dividing walls of hostility in our
world, walls that separate peoples and
nations from one another, feeding misun-
derstanding and mistrust. May they use
the resources at their disposal to
strengthen the bonds of friendship and
love that clearly signal the onset of the
Kingdom of God here on earth.
From the Vatican, 24 January 2005, the
Feast of Saint Francis de Sales
JOHN PAUL II
 A R
by EULY B. BELIZAR, JR., SThD
I
n my life I know of three popes. There
was Paul VI; then, there was the 33-
day-old papacy of John Paul I, the
smiling pope who, even my otherwise sul-
len professor in New Testament exegesis,
called “very simpatico”. But I have known
of no other pope to whom, despite the
distance of Rome and the awesome pow-
ers of the papacy, I could relate as closely
and as personally as John Paul II. I was a
deacon when he first visited the Philip-
pines in 1981 and I had the intensely felt
honor of helping distribute communion
during the Mass at which he also beatified
our own St. Lorenzo Ruiz. And I thought at
that time I could recite Simeon’s “Nunc
Dimittis” (the famous passage at which
the saintly old man said to the
Lord that he could send him to
death after his eyes saw the
baby Jesus, “the light to re-
veal you to the nations and
the glory of your people Is-
rael”).
I was also to be a witness
of another side of the pope I
never thought I could be privi-
leged to even dream of. We
were at the University of Santo
Tomas campus for a youth
rally to welcome and listen to
the then very vigorous and
athletic John Paul II in his late
fifties. For the life of me, I
don’t remember a word he said
at the rally. But I wouldn’t be
able to forget watching in stu-
pefied horror a young man trying to break
through the cordon of Presidential Secu-
rity Guards to get to the Holy Father. I saw
how the guards who themselves were
caught by surprise reacted by blocking
him with their fists. I remember the Holy
Father talking to the closest PSG perhaps
asking what was going on. It later reached
us that the young man just wanted to
receive the Holy Father’s blessing and for
him it was now or never. He thought he was
so close to the Holy Father and there might
not be another chance like that in his life;
he decided he had to take the risk and
throw his fears to the winds. The PSGs
were restraining him from further making
any move when I saw the Holy Father
motioning them to let the young man come
to him. The next scene became etched
forever in my mind. Feeling suddenly free
of the PSGs, the young man at first hesi-
tated but not for long. He jubilantly climbed
the stairs of the giant platform. The Holy
T I C L
GETTING PERSONAL
ABOUT POPE JOHN PAUL II
Father met him and wrapped him in his
arms like a father would do, yes, just like
the father of the prodigal son did; at least,
that is how it seemed to me at that time.
That picture of a perspiring, fearful, ex-
cited young man receiving the spontane-
ous embrace of the Chief Shepherd of the
Roman Catholic Church is a personal trea-
sure I still cherish and perhaps will cherish
till my memory fails. I saw myself in the
young man; and I saw in the Holy Father
the genuine love of a pastor for his vast
flock.
After some years teaching in a semi-
nary and a local Catholic college, and after
a year and ten months in an island parish,
my bishop sent me to Rome to earn a
doctorate in theology. John Paul II became
the focus of my study and research. I was
interested in what he taught regarding the
local Church and its role in the transforma-
tion of society. Being in the Eternal City, I
was learning to take the Holy Father’s
E
closeness for granted and
also that he was traveling all
over the globe like a driven
man with his message of
peace, love, justice and
strong faith. In the middle of
all that my bishop came with
other Philippine bishops for
their traditional ‘ad limina’
visit to the Bishop of Rome.
My bishop asked me to
serve as one of his compan-
ions. It was simply pure
grace, unexpected and un-
deserved. I remember com-
posing a little speech that I
thought I could say to the
Holy Father. But when we
were ushered into his study,
I simply forgot everything and heard my
bishop introduce me to him. “Actually,”
my bishop said to the Holy Father, half-
bemused, “this priest of mine is studying
your mind, Holy Father, on a lot of things.”
I nearly choked when I heard that. The
Holy Father acted as if he was somewhat
‘shocked’. Then he patted me on the back
and said, “Good man, good man…” I could
sense he was trying to humor me while, at
the same time, giving me encouragement.
Then he gave me, in little purse-like bag, a
rosary. I’ve been trying to be faithful to the
rosary since then, partly in his honor.
There were two more instances that I
got up close to the Holy Father. One was
when former President Cory Aquino came
to the Collegio Filippino and asked some
of us to serve as her companions to the
seven o’ clock Mass of the Holy Father in
his private chapel. By a stroke of luck
Getting Personal / p.9
Volume 39 • Number 2 7
 V A T I C A N
The Works and Writings of
Pope John Paul II
I. Apostolic Constitutions
• Ecclesia in Urbe (January 1, 1998)
• Universi Dominici Gregis (February 22,
1996)
• Fidei Depositum (October 11, a992)
• Ex Corde Ecclesiae (August 15, 1990)
• Pastor Bonus (June 28, 1988)
• Spirituali militum curae (April 21, 1986)
• Divinus Perfectionis Magister (Janu-
ary 25, 1983)
• Sacrae Disciplinae Leges (January 25,
1983)
• Magnum Matrimonii Sacramentum
(October 7, 1982)
• Sapientia Christiana (April 15, 1979)
II. Encyclicals
• Ecclesia de Eucharistia (17 April 2003)
• Fides et Ratio (14 September 1998)
• Ut Unum Sint (25 May 1995)
• Evangelium Vitae (25 March 1995)
• Veritatis Splendor (6 August 1993)
• Centesimus Annus (1 May 1991)
• Redemptoris Missio (7 December 1990)
• Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (30 December
1987)
• Redemptoris Mater (25 March 1987)
• Dominum et Vivificantem (18 May 1986)
• Slavorum Apostoli (2 June 1985)
• Laborem Exercens (14 September 1981)
• Dives in Misericordia (30 November
1980)
• Redemptor Hominis (4 March 1979)
III. Apostolic Exhortations
• Pastores gregis (October 16, 2003)
• Ecclesia in Europa (June 28, 2003)
• Ecclesia in Oceania (November 22, 2001)
• Ecclesia in Asia (November 6, 1999)
• Ecclesia in America (January 22, 1999)
• A New Hope for Lebanon (May 10,
1997)
• Vita Consecrata (March 25, 1996)
• Ecclesia in Africa (September 14, 1995)
• Pastores Dabo Vobis (March 25, 1992)
8 IMPACT • May 2005
D O C U M E N T
(1978-2005)
• Redemptoris Custos (August 15, 1989)
• Christifideles Laici (December 30, 1988)
• Reconciliatio et Paenitentia (December
2, 1984)
• Redemptionis donum (March 25, 1984)
• Familiaris Consortio (November 22,
1981)
• Catechesi Tradendae (October 16, 1979)
IV. Apostolic Letters
• The Rapid Development (January 24,
2005)
• Mane Nobiscum Domine (October 7,
2004)
• Spiritus et sponsa: on the 40th anniver-
sary of the Constitution “Sacrosanctum
Concilium” on the Sacred Liturgy (De-
cember 4, 2003)
• Rosarium Virginis Mariae on the Most
Holy Rosary (October 16, 2002)
• Misericordia Dei on certain aspects of
the celebration of the Sacrament of
Penance (May 2, 2002)
• Apostolic Letter to the Catholic People
of Hungary for the conclusion of the
“Hungarian Millennium” (July 25, 2001)
• On the 1700 th anniversary of the “Bap-
tism of Armenia” (February 17, 2001)
• Novo Millennio Ineunte (6
January 2001)
• 300th Anniversary of the
union of the Greek-Catholic
Church of Romania with the
Church of Rome (20 July
2000)
• Inter Munera Academiarum
(January 28, 1999)
• Dies Domini (May 31, 1998)
• Divini Amoris Scientia (Oc-
tober 19, 1997)
• Laetamur Magnopere (Au-
gust 15, 1997)
• Operosam Diem (Decem-
ber 1, 1996)
• Apostolic Letter for the 350
Years of the Union of
Uzhorod (April 18, 1996)
• Apostolic Letter for the
Fourth Centenary of the
Union of Brest (November
12, 1995)
• Orientale Lumen May 2,
1995)
• Tertio Millennio
Adveniente (November 10, 1994)
• Ordinario Sacerdotalis (May 22, 1994)
• Apostolic Letter for the organization of
the ecclesiastical jurisdictions in Po-
land (March 25, 1992)
• Apostolic Letter for the Fifth Cente-
nary of the Evangelization of the New
World (June 29, 1990)
• Apostolic Letter for the Centenary of
the ‘Opera di San Pietro Apostolo’
(October 1, 1989)
 V A T I C A N D O C U M E N T

• Apostolic Letter on the Situation in • “Urbi et Orbi” Europe (October 1, 1999)

Lebanon (September 7, 1989)
• Apostolic Letter on the occasion of the
Fiftieth Anniversary of the Beginning
of the II World War (August 27, 1989)
• Vicesimus Quintus Annus (December
4, 1988)
• Mulieris Dignitatem (August 15, 1988)
• Euntes In Mundum Universum (Janu-
ary 25, 1988)
• Duodecimum Saeculum (December 4,
1987)
• Spiritus Domini (August 1, 1987)
• Sescentesima Anniversaria (June 5,
1987)
• Augustinum Hipponensem (August
28, 1986)
• Dilecti Amici (March 31, 1985)
• Les Grands Mysteres ( May 1, 1984)
• Redemptionis Anno (April 20, 1984)
• Salvifici Doloris (February 11, 1984)
• A Concilio Constantinopolitano I
(March 25, 1981)
• Egregiae Virtutis (December 31, 1980)
• Sanctorum Altrix (July 11, 1980)
• Amantissima Providentia (April 29,
1980)
• Patres Ecclesiae (January 2, 1980)
• Rutilans Agmen (May 8, 1979)
V .Messages
• Pontifical Messages
• Jubilee in Prisons
• World Day for Consecrated Life
• World Migration Day
• Messages for Lent
• World Communications Day
• World Food Day
• World Day For Peace
• World Day of the Sick
• World Youth Day
• World Day for Missions
• World Day for Vocations
• World Literacy Day
• World Tourism Day
VI. M o t u P r o p i o : A p o s t o l i c
Letters/Proclamations
• Apostolic Letter in the form of a Motu
Propio which entrusts to the Congre-
gation of the Legion of Christ the
management of the Pontifical Institute
“Notre Dame of Jerusalem Centre” in
the City of Jerusalem (26 November
2004)
• Apostolic Letter in the form of Motu
Propio Misericordia Dei on certain
aspects of the celebration of the Sac-
rament of Penance (May 2, 2002)
• Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela
(January 10, 2002)
• Proclamation of St. Thomas More as
Patron of Statesmen and Politicians
(October 31, 2000)
• Proclamation of the Co-Patroness of
• Apostolos Suos (May 21, 1998)
• Ad Tuendam Fidem (May 18, 1998)
• Stella Maris (January 31, 1997)
• Apostolic Letter ‘Motu Propio’ pro-
mulgation of the definitive Statute es-
tablishing the Labour Office of the
Holy See (September 30, 1994)
• Vitae Mysterium (February 11, 1994)
• Socialum Scientiarum (January 1, 1994)
• Inde a Pontificatus (March 25, 1993)
• Europae Orientalis (January 15, 1993)
• Ecclesia Dei (July 2, 1988)
• Sollicitia Cura (December 26, 1987)
• Quo Civium Iura (November 21, 1987)
• Dolentium Hominum (February 11,
1985)
• Tredecim Anni (August 6, 1982)
• Familia A Deo Instituta (May 9, 1981)
VII. Books
• Presentation of the volume “Rise, Let
Us Be Going!” written by His Holiness
Pope John Paul II: Intervention by
Card. Giovanni Battista Re (May 18,
2004)
• Presentation of the book written by
John Paul II, “Roman Triptych – Medi-
tations” (March 6, 2003)
• Gift and Mystery
• Crossing the Threshold of Hope
Source: www.vatican.va

Getting Personal / from p.7

again, I was assigned reader for that day and I will always
remember standing only a foot away from the Holy Father and
noticing how worn-out actually his ‘white skull cap’ (as I
referred to it) was. I was awestruck by the simplicity of this
man who, we were told, was already in the chapel since 4:30
A.M. He seemed to be groaning while he prayed. I told myself,
“Poor Holy Father, he is groaning under the yoke of the
world’s and the whole Church’s problems…”
The second and last instance was when our former
rector, now Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, took some of us
priests as his companions for the seven o’ clock Mass of the
Holy Father in his private chapel. At this last, I was completely
passive, just taking everything in. I remember seeing a photo
of that Mass with several of us sitting by the Holy Father and
the Holy Father immersed in prayer and meditation. My last
chance to get close to the Bishop of Rome was marked by
silence. It struck me how my whole experience was character-
ized initially by a few words and ended by none. That for me
was a parable of prayer which I knew I could learn from the
Holy Father who was always known to have been greatly
influenced by Carmelite spirituality through his studies of St.
John of the Cross; it often showed in flights of contemplation
observers saw him absorbed in even while working or reading
a book. From words to pauses to silence is how St. Bonaventure
once described the movement of prayer. I saw this unfold in
the little exposure I had to John Paul II.
Now that the Holy Father had gone home to the Father
of us all, it’s almost incredible how so many have been
touched by him, how even the normally anti-Catholic New
York Times has taken note of reports of miracles attributed to
his intercession, and how so loud the cries for his canoniza-
tion. But I’ll always remember the young man being embraced
by the Chief Shepherd of the Church in the UST campus in
February of 1981. For me the whole world as well as I were in
that young man. John Paul II embraced us all with a pastor’s
and a father’s love. His words to me, “Good man, good man”,
I believe are not mine alone. They belong to all of humanity
in whose goodness he had so much faith. I

Volume 39 • Number 2 9
 A R
by ROY LAGARDE
B
y 2010 or so, some teachers are
already equipped with modern fa
cilities and internet as supplemen-
tary resources to chalks, blackboards and
books. This is because the Education
Department is imposing a hard pitch to get
educational technology into the hands of
teachers and students. Recently, the
DepEd has formally announced its policy
directions for the utilization of Information
and Communications Technology (ICT) in
basic education.
DepEd Sec. Florencio B. Abad claimed
that ICT integration program could some-
how respond to the problems facing the
country’s ailing education.
Citing the result of the latest Trends in
Math and Science Survey (TIMSS), it’s
true that the Philippines stand at 36th place
out of 38 nations or 95 percent below the
international average. In the 2004 High
School Readiness Test, only 0.64 percent
scored 75 percent and above. That’s 8,000
students out of 1.2 million examinees.
About 90 percent of those who passed the
tests reportedly came from the private
schools. In short, the government contin-
ues to produce more undeserving, if not
illiterate, graduates.
Many pinoy students posed minimal
ability in reading and comprehension
and writing and speaking English
which is the argot of technology.
DepEd admitted that there are still
a lot of deficiencies in the whole
10 IMPACT
IMPACT •• May
May 2005
2005
T I C L E S
Old Problems Stunt
ICT Education
A decade from now, some educators see an integration of traditional and technology-
enhanced teaching. But with the bunch of long-felt and unsolved problems encompassing
the education bureaucracy, how can we cope?
educational system in the country for which
reason why reforms should be considered
soonest.
Imaginary
Mrs. Beredo, a public secondary
school teacher in Laguna recounted to
Impact that she has been teaching some
fundamentals in the use of computer for
around 5 years. The worst thing is that
they don’t have facilities and computer
laboratories to effectively impart knowl-
edge to her students. She said that she just
require her students to make their own
dummy of a keyboard made of cardboard
or carton and then go on with the lecture.
Not so much with Mrs. Montecillo, 45
and also a public school teacher based in
Cebu. She said that there school has a fully
air-conditioned laboratory with roughly
40 computers but with no internet connec-
tion. Her only problem is that she doesn’t
know how to manipulate them and even
dilly-dallying to touch them for fear that
she might create damage on it.
To date, even some officials admitted
that still more Filipino students from across
the country have never seen a tangible
personal computer—a small library, small
typewriter and a small printing machine
combined.
Technology application
“As the entire world moves along with
the information age, we may be at the edge
of being in the losing end of the digital
divide because we are not prepared for ICT
work and our education system is unable to
produce knowledge workers,” Abad said
during the First Na-
tional Congress of
ICT in Basic Educa-
tion held in Cebu re-
cently.
Old Problems / p.12
 Hard Times for
the Pre-need
Industry

Crisis hits the country’s pre-need industry with two firms recently ition fees and this fatal miscalculation is
went undersiege and about half-dozen other companies are in tight the cause of CAP’s present problems. The
watch. traditional plan was withdrawn from the
market sometime ago but CAP reportedly
by MIKE ONG continued to selling it until just a couple of
years back, and thus faced with nerve-
wracking financial woes.

A
nother ailing pre-need firm came Open-ended plan, where the company Like CAP, the PPI is also seeking for
out in the open admitting having assures full payment of tuition regardless investors to infuse the needed capital to
liquidity problems. This time, it’s of amount due to incremental rise or hike, continue its operations. PPI estimates that
the Yuchengco group’s Pacific Plans Inc. is now usually being referred to as the it will have to shell out P350 million in May
(PPI), which recently filed a petition before traditional plan. This prototype was most this year to meet its tuition payments ob-
a Makati Regional Trial Court for rehabili- likely started by CAP, was copied by many ligations.
tation acknowledging that it may not be other cohorts like PPI. In 1992; however, as But still, PPI allayed the public that it
able to pay future claims of its plan hold- pre-need companies sensed the volatile was not about to close down but simply
ers. repercussions the open-ended plan threat- stump under onerous liquidity problem.
Pacific Plans with 34,000 plan holders eningly pose, they decided to immediately The Security and Exchange Commission
and an estimated 16,000 more to file educa- shift to fixed-value plan, where the plan (SEC) said that based on PPI’s unaudited
tional claims for the next school year de- payment amount is pre-computed regard- report submitted, the firm was yet able to
cried and alluded to the continuing tuition less of required tuition amount—but, sadly, present a good-looking financial statement.
hike as the root cause of its ailing condi- it was but late as most pre-need companies At present, there are about 12 pre need
tion which allegedly started when “the have already sold a veritably big number companies that have been prohibited by
government removed the 10-percent cap of open-ended plans. SEC from selling plans including the CAP,
on tuition hikes in 1990.” The court then According to some analysts, CAP did
directed a temporary halt to all pacific plan not foresee the tremendous surge in tu- Hard Times / p.14
payments to creditors and plan holders
until the company is rehabilitated.
For the moment, according to PPI of-
ficials, the company could still make cur-
rent tuition payments of its beneficiaries
claiming that it has yet P341 million for the
current enrollment period.
Though its ability to pay future plans
is debilitating, the company assured that
by swapping their open-ended plans with
fixed-value plans, it could return the money
back, plus an interest of seven percent net
annually from the date of full payment
when the government bonds in the Pacific
Plans’ trust funds mature. Its trust fund is
roughly at $50 million, consisting mostly
of government bonds that can be encashed
by 2010.

Volume 39 • Number 2 11
 Old Problems / from p.10

ease! While the DepEd admits the reigning The third prerequisite is ensuring that
Rel despair in the system, there is still a con- ICT is made widely accessible and avail-

New
crete move to hurdle the problems—using able to schools and engaging various stake-
modern technology. And that only if a holders because DepEd does not have the
teacher will learn how to use the Internet, capacity to bring in ICT equipment in
the better access to new information. schools and maintain them.
Sadly, these teachers are easily Statistics revealed that up to date, 82
abashed by the English language. In the percent of all public high schools have
Self-Assessment Test for English, only 19 their own computer laboratories but
percent of our teachers scored 75 percent around 60 percent have underused per-
www.ovc.blogspot.com

or better. That’s no more than 10,000 out sonal computers. As of 2001, only 13 per-
of around 51,000 teachers. So, a team was cent of these schools already had access
created by the department to translate the to the Internet because of lack of infra-
Microsoft computer commands into structure and internet service providers
Pilipino and, soon, in Cebuano, Ilocano (ISP) offering affordable rates.
and other local dialects. The fourth component is setting
Officials believed school-based ICT pro-
that technology in edu- grams which have been
cation is a big help for “Whether or not our determined by the indi-
Filipino students so education system is ready vidual schools them-
that they would be able for ICT integration, we selves.
to compete with other have no choice but to face Abad pointed out
For Orders Contact: students from various that with the said policy
parts of the world in the challenge. Indeed, direction, schools do
National Matrimonial
st
this 21 century. there is no excuse.” not merely ride on the
Tribunal Office hype of being high-
“Prerequisites” tech but intelligently determine realistic
Tel. No. (632) 5274160 ICT key result areas in their system.
Here are the options of the DepEd.
CBCPWorld Office First, is to make the school curriculum
Telefax (632) 4041612 relevant by shifting towards a student- Useless unless resolved
centered learning process instead of the But how far have the education sys-
teacher-dependent model. tem in the Philippines gone through? Are
Other books by “It requires a change in paradigm on we really readied for this? What about the
Abp. Oscar V. Cruz, JCD, DD how we educate our young,” Abad said. other unsolved issues that were left be-
“This is how we can develop young knowl- hind?
1. Marriage Tribunal Ministry
2. Curia Management edge workers in basic education by mak- “Whether or not our education sys-
3. Guide Documents on Parish, Vicariate and ing them experience the environment of tem is ready for ICT integration, we have
Diocesan Administrative / Pastoral the digital workplace—self-empowered no choice but to face the challenge. In-
Concerns learning.” deed, there is no excuse,” Abad said.
4. Canon 290 CIC in the Service of Truth, Second, is to equip teachers with com- With the present administration—like
Justice and Charity puter skills and connectivity or building its predecessors—education is likely to
5. Annotations on Rotal Jurisprudence on
Canon 1097, 1098, 1102 their capability towards the new technol- be a low priority of the state because it
6. Annotations on Rotal Jurisprudence on ogy by providing them ICT seminars and does not draw an explicit sympathy from
Canon 1103 training to ensure their proficiency. the authorities. This lack of support bur-
7. Annotations on Rotal Jurisprudence on Based on the profile of ICT capabili- dens the ailing education system.
Canon 1095 ties among elementary and high schools in Problems of funding, insufficient text-
8. Annotations on Rotal Jurisprudence on the country, only one out of every seven books, lack of school buildings and other
Canon 1101
9. Evidence in Marriage Nullity Cases schools has computer-literate teachers, infrastructures and mediocre or the ab-
10. Impediments to Canonical Marriage while only 4,774 or 12% of the 36,368 sence of well-educated teachers still beset
11. Markers school heads have undergone ICT train- the deteriorating headache of illiteracy.
12. Penal Process for Dismissal from the ing and 46 percent of them have indicated Corruption especially in the field of-
Clerical State the need to be trained. fices that worsen the lack of funding is also
13. Provincial Council, Diocesan Synod, Half of the computers in public schools the primary problem, with the ministry of
Pastoral Assembly
14. CBCP Guidelines on Sexual Abuse and nationwide are underutilized because education near the top of the list. Many
Misconduct: A Critique teachers lack the training to pass informa- people still believe that no matter how good
15. Board of Conciliation and Arbitration tion technology skills to their students. the program is and how righteous the other
16. Viewpoints at the Onset of the New The DepEd is working with IT schools officials are, it seems yet a far cry delivering
Millennium to help train teachers nationwide to be able the constitutional mandate to provide qual-
17. Administration of the Temporal Goods of the to use their underutilized computers. ity education for every Filipino. I
Chrurch

12 IMPACT • May 2005

 A R
School Learning Sprouts to
‘Larger Classrooms’
by EVELYN A. SONGCO, PhD
J
ourneying with the students in the last
14 years has been very inspiring. See
ing them grow to maturity is truly a
wonderful gift from God—if not indeed a
singular privilege it is touching their lives
and learning from them as well. My inspi-
ration grows even more when they come
back after graduation to tell me what they
have done as professionals.
Last Christmas, for example, some of
these young professionals put together
the little that they have and went to the
T I C L E S
Home for the Aged—undoubtedly, they
made the old people happier both with
their presence and their material gifts.
Two years ago, to cite another in-
stance, a group of young professionals
organized themselves and came up with a
scholarship program. They were formerly
recipients of scholarship grants themselves
due to the financial difficulty of their fami-
lies. And now they want to return the
blessing by way of sharing it with stu-
dents who, like they were, are undergoing
financial difficulties. They are not
rich though, but they did not wait to
become rich to be able to share.
Perhaps, what is common
among these young professionals is
the fact that as students they had
been active not only in curricular
activities inside the classroom but
equally in extra-curricular activities
even outside the classroom—as of-
ficers, volunteers, or members of vari-
ous student organizations or asso-
ciations. They had made ‘service’ as
one of the core values in their lives.
Spurred by spirited ideals—they
have selfless motivations, they feel
comfortable with people, their orien-
tation and perspective centered on
others, and they are high hopes about
the future. Simply, yet worth capti-
vating, their words and actions mag-
netize people around them.
This character did not develop
overnight. It’s a product of conscious
and ‘systemic’, if not endemic, influ-
ences by all those who touched their
lives as students. They acquired a
good deal of theories in the class-
room—but they likewise experienced the
joy of seeing these theories and principles
come alive through their activities outside
the classroom.
Yes, from the literal classroom, learn-
ing for them sprung even to the ‘larger
classrooms’—the school campus, and the
larger community outside. Their activities
in these ‘larger classrooms’ were more
exciting, full of challenges, and memo-
rable. Many lessons in life they have drawn
from such activities.
Volume 39 • Number 2 13
 A R
For one, they learned leadership skills.
With a good dose of exposure to different
kinds of people—students, teachers, ad-
ministrators, persons from the industry—
they learned to deal with them and even-
tually ended up as leaders. Some became
presidents of organizations in the cam-
pus—and still some as informal leaders.
As leaders, they developed their ability to
plan, make decisions, organize, solve real
problems, maximize resources, and evalu-
ate their activities.
Also, through their extra-curricular
activities, they came in close contact with
their emotions. They experienced the joy
of victory and pain of defeat, the sense of
fulfillment in success and of disappoint-
ment in failures. Many times, they had to
humbly learn from their mistakes.
Another, their contact or interaction
with the disadvantaged families in their
outreach activities sprouted the seed of
compassion in their hearts. Inspired by the
ideals of justice, peace, and love for oth-
ers, they generously shared their times,
Hard Times / from p.11
PPI and the Comprehensive Annuity
Plans and Pension Corp.
The other companies are Celestial
Memorial Plans Inc.; East Asia Plans
Inc., FCM Plans Inc.; Garden of Memo-
ries Memorial Plans Inc.; Gillamac Life
and Pension Plans Inc.; Pension and
Retirement Plans Corp.; Samson Me-
morial Plans Inc.; and Platinum Plans
Philippines, Inc.
According to SEC, the said 12 com-
panies are seeking to renew their li-
censes but they still lacked require-
14 IMPACT • May 2005
T I C L E S
talents, and resources to others.
Not that the out-of-classroom activi-
ties have already surpassed the relevance
of basic classroom learning—rather, learn-
ing at these ‘larger classrooms’ greatly
complements the original classroom learn-
ing. In the classroom, the discipline of the
mind and the love for learning are devel-
oped. Off the classroom, students unleash
their energies and imagination, create their
identities, and exercise responsibility and
control of themselves.
It can be said, hence, that students
and young professionals who succeed in
life are those who learned that balance in
one’s life create wonders. Nonetheless,
this certainly redounds back to their stu-
dent life—a good working balance be-
tween curricular and extra-curricular ac-
tivities can pave for a bright and success-
ful future.
A recent study by Dr. Celerino
Tiongco entitled “Meeting the Educated
Manpower Needs of Knowedge-based
Business: Implications for Higher Educa-
ments. These firms needed to either raise
more capital or trust assets, or make sure
they have sufficient coffers to pay all
claims. They must also have enough trust
assets to match their actuarial reserve li-
abilities (ARL), or their projected future
obligations computed at net present value.
Meanwhile, authorities have called
for an investigation both in the SEC and
the pre-need providers.
Northern Samar first district represen-
tative Harlin Abayon has filed a resolution
in the House of Representatives for an
inquiry in aid of legis-
lation over the alleged
arbitrary implementa-
tion by the Securities
and Exchange Com-
mission (SEC) of the
new pre-need rules is-
sued in 2002 and
Circulars 6, 7 and 8 on
the Actuarial Reserve
Liability (ARL) which
were detrimental and
prejudicial to pre-need
plan holders.
While it is admit-
ted that the Securities
and Exchange Com-
tion in the Philippines,” is interestingly
revealing. Among its findings revealed
that “personal values, motivation, and
work attitudes” ranked first among the
criteria for the selection of candidates for
knowledge-intensive job and in screen-
ing fresh college graduates for employ-
ment. His respondents were senior ex-
ecutives and HR lead persons of top
companies in the country.
Dr. Tiongco cannot be far from the
truth. Just so, his study—and my commit-
ted journey with students have certainly
inspired me more to seek new ways of
enriching student life that will educate
them, not only for school, but for life. After
all, as the Latin adage of sages of old aptly
says, "Non scholae sed vitae discimus”
(We study not for school but for life). I
(Evelyn Songco, who holds a Doctorate Degree in
Development Education, is now on her 15th year as
Assistant to the Rector for Student Affairs of the
University of Santo Tomas, Manila. She is also at
present the Chairperson for the Tertiary Commission
of the Catholic Educational Association of the
Philippines-NCR.)
mission has the power to regulate the
pre-need industry, nonetheless as a
government regulator it must promul-
gate rules and regulations that would
assist the industry to sustain its mo-
mentum of growth rather than choke it,
Abayon explained in his explanatory
note of his resolution.
Senator Mar Roxas has likewise
called for strict monitoring and an in-
quiry into the finances of pre-need pro-
viders like the distressed CAP and now
the PPI that was not even in the SEC’s
watchlist of sinking companies. He also
called pre-need providers to come clean
and declare their financial condition
with all honesty.
Is this the end of the pre-need
industry?
This seems to be a scary time for
plan holders. Many of them can’t hold
on but express dismay over what’s cur-
rently going on.
Likely, there continues to be no bet-
ter diagnosis yet why they are slowly
dying, but indicators at hand show a grim
future for the country’s pre-need indus-
try. As long as this remains to be the case,
the impending future of the millions of
plan holders will likely pass to naught. I
 A R T I C L E S

From Joseph Ratzinger / from p.4

On April 5 of 1993, Cardinal Ratzinger was elevated to
the Order of Cardinal Bishops, with the Suburbicarian See of
Velletri-Signi. He then was elected Vice Dean of the Sacred
College of Cardinals on November 9, 1998. And finally, on
November 30, 2002, Pope John Paul II approved Ratzinger’s
election as Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, with the
title of the Suburbicarian See of Ostia, in addition to the
Suburbicarian See of Velletri-Signi.
As Dean of the College of Cardinals, Ratzinger presided
over the College’s deliberations in General Congregation
during the vacancy of the Holy See after the death of Pope
John Paul II last April 2, 2005. In the same capacity, Cardinal
Ratzinger also presided at the solemn Funeral Mass for Pope
John Paul II last April 8, 2005. Likewise, he also presided at
the solemn Mass for the election of the new Supreme Pontiff
at St. Peter’s Basilica last April 18 of this year.
And the following day, April 19 Josef Cardinal Ratzinger
was elected the Bishop of Rome and the Supreme Pontiff of
the Catholic Church, after the fourth ballot of ballot of the
Conclave. On Sunday, the 24th of April 2005, at 10:00 in the
morning, he celebrated the mass for the Inauguration of his
Pontificate in St. Peter’s Square, receiving the Pallium and
the Fisherman’s Ring.
“At this moment,” said the new Pontiff at his Inaugural
Homily, “there is no need for me to present a program of
governance. I was able to give an indication of what I see as
my task in my Message of Wednesday, April 20, and there will
be other opportunities to do so. My real program of gover-
nance is not to do my own will, not to pursue my own ideas,
but to listen, together with the whole Church, to the word and
the will of the Lord, to be guided by Him, so that He himself
will lead the Church at this hour of our history.” I

CBCPWorld
Training Programs
In pursuit of it mission which is
that of making the internet as a
new forum for proclaiming the
Gospel, CBCPWorld is con-
ducting training courses on in-
formation and communications
technology. Last year, about
a thousand catholic teachers
and church workers underwent
various ITC training programs.
This year, CBCPWorld is
offering the following training
modules:
1. EdTech Series - this is for
catholic teachers; a 2-day
program on integrating in-
formation and communi-
cations technology in the
subject curriculum.
2. WebArt - for pastoral work-
ers; a 3-day basic course
on web designing with em-
phasis on religious design
and layout.
3. SysAd - for systems ad-
ministrators; a highly
technical 3-day course on
Linux and systems admin-
istration
4. IT Awareness Seminar -
for evangelizers; a 2-day
hands-on seminar on in-
formation and communi-
A 560-Page
cations technology Collection of IMP ACT
IMPACT
Editorials from 1966
5. Catechetical Multi-Me-
dia Production - for cat-
echists; a 3-day basic
course on digital audio
to 2003
and video production.
For network members, all It’s history written in the
these training courses, which pages of truth and justice.
are held on site or at the
CBCPWorld Training Center
in Intramuros, are conducted Get your own copy now!
for free.
For inquiries, please email To order call 404-2182.
to friends@cbcpworld.com or Or email to
call (02) 404-1612. inquiries@impactmagazine.net

Volume 39 • Number 2 15
Cover Story
Has
Catholic
Media
Failed?
by BOB ACEBEDO
C
onspicuously, indications are them
selves very telling: Catholic media
in the Philippines has not gone far
but weak. In the last ten years or so–-
though it may have quite skipped one’s
attention, perhaps out of sheer supposi-
tion that ‘Catholics yet lord it over in
number’—not just a few Catholic media
organizations, publications, Radio or TV
productions, and even Internet providing
facilities, have folded up or simply have
succumbed to a natural death, for one
reason or another. Only recently, last
December of 2004, Communications Foun-
dation for Asia gave up its franchise pub-
lication and operation of the Philippine
Edition of the Catholic Digest—coldly,
after 44 years. And now, not impervious
from its continued backsliding, Catholic
media may yet succumb to another omi-
nous whammy as some 15, if not more,
member Radio stations of the Catholic
Media Network are reportedly deemed non-
sustainable, solely depending on the
crumbs of irregular, if not waning, commer-
cial advertising and, for the lucky ones,
16 IMPACT • May 2005
foreign aid—not including yet one of its
stations, DZJO of Infanta, Quezon, which
has already closed shop. Not the least,
even the CBCP Monitor, the fortnightly
publication of the Catholic Bishops Con-
ference of the Philippines is not spared—
it is barely surviving.
On the other hand, very telling like-
wise is the obvious proliferation, if not
‘hegemonic preponderance,’ in the air-
waves by other religions or non-Catholic
Churches—Iglesia Ni Cristo, Ang Dating
Daan, Jesus Is Lord, Kingdom of Jesus
Christ, Protestant Church sects, and more.
Monitoring the programs of all the 17
Radio stations on the AM Band in Metro
Manila on a casual Sunday evening can
best yield to prove this point. Of the 17
Radio stations, 12 are airing religious pro-
grams (2 are simultaneously aired by Ang
Dating Daanover DZRH and RMN, and 2
by the Iglesia Ni Cristo, and the rest by
other non-Catholic Churches or sects).
These Radio programs or talk shows, ob-
servers believe, have been reaping signifi-
cant number of conversions, proselytiz-
In no time than now, other
religions or non-Catholic
Churches are aggressively
harnessing media like never
before. But, almost to
everyone’s—unassumingly
so—consternation, the
Catholic Church yet prefers
likely to dumb sit in the wings,
if not lie supinely on its back.
What makes the Catholic
media in the Philippines so
static?
ing if you may, largely perhaps from among
the rather gullible Catholic populace.
Recent media use, acquisition or own-
ership by other religions or non-Catholic
Churches is equally revealing. The Iglesia
Ni Cristo owns Eagle Broadcasting Cor-
poration with 6 Radio stations and 2 TV
stations. One of its TV stations, Net 25, is
carried by major cable operators in the
country (Skycable, Home Cable, Destiny)
and aired by more than 500 cable TV opera-
tors nationwide. Ang Dating Daan of Ely
Soriano has 4 Websites, 1 TV (UNTV 37
Phils.) and with radio program allocations
over 100 Radyo Natin stations under MBC
and Radio Mindanao Network. Far East

Broadcasting Corporation, owned by a
consortium of Protestant Churches or de-
nominations, has 10 Radio stations. The
Kingdom of Jesus Christ Church of Apollo
C. Quiboloy owns ACQ Kingdom Broad-
casting Network with 1 TV station and
numerous program allocations on other
TV and radio stations on the AM Band.
The Jesus Is Lord Church has 1 TV station,
apart from its regular TV and Radio pro-
gramming in other networks.
No. Catholic media is yet not lagging
behind other religious groups in media
resources and use. In fact, it has pioneered
or has long been using media as an arm for
evangelization. Fr. James Reuter, SJ, Ex-
ecutive Secretary of CBCP’s Episcopal
Commission on Social Communications
and Mass Media claims that Catholic me-
dia—or at the very least, the ‘Catholic
voice’—is overwhelmingly present or
heard throughout the Philippine archi-
pelago. “We have 50 commercial Radio
stations owned and operated by the Catho-
lic Church, on the air 18 hours a day, 7 days
a week. We are on 6 television networks for
20 hours a week, with specifically Catholic
programs. We have a wealth of Catholic
periodicals and a diocesan publication in
76 ecclesiastical areas. We have a website
for every major Catholic institution, reli-
gious columnists in every national news-
BONIFACIO RAMOS
paper, and texting services for catechism,”
says Fr. Reuter.
Or so it is, perhaps yes—albeit what
with the growing number of Radio stations
of the Catholic Media Network’s only 48
Radio stations already wallowing in dire
financial straits. But, quite the contrary,
a cursory verification made recently on the
number of existing diocesan publications
in the country revealed only 6 ecclesiasti-
cal areas—with the Davao Catholic Her-
ald being the more prominent—do have
existing diocesan publications. Veritably,
yes, while there may be not a few Catholic
periodicals being published at present, in
the same manner, a good number of them
Volume 39 • Number 2 17
 C O V E R S T O R Y

have long passed away—

the more notable ones of Left, CFA's old TV cameras stay idle and undisposed.
which were Cor Manila of Below, JESCOM's trendy exhibit of its latest
publications.
the Archdiocese of Manila,
Sentinel of the CBCP, and
Veritas.
Of course, in the past—
and no mistake about it—
Catholic media undoubtedly
cannot be lacking its share
of successful strides, if not
‘shining moments.’ The
Catholic Radyo Veritas it
was that undauntedly mus-
tered the airwaves deliver-
ing Jaime Cardinal Sin’s call
for the historic people power
of 1986. Also,Radyo Veritas it was likewise
that decisively scored a cutting edge for the
celebrated interview with the late Sen.
Benigno Aquino just moments before his
assassination in 1983. And most impor-
tantly worth mentioning, nay oblivious of
its historical significance, was the Catholic And even now, neither that the Catholic Asia; and a considerable number of media
Church’s “rural mimeo press” and its ban- Church is lacking in its media resources. production houses of various religious con-
ner newsletter, “The Communicator” dur- Truth to tell, there are numerous Catholic gregations (Society of St. John Bosco, Soci-
ing the Martial Law years—such was in- media organizations, agencies, and Founda- ety of St. Paul, Society of the Divine Word,
deed successful enough to have permeated tions owned or operated by various Catholic Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of
or penetrated even the remotest parishes in religious groups, institutions, and congre- Mary, and a lot more). But effectively har-
the rural areas and veritably served as the gations—the El Shaddai of Mike Velarde nessing or maximizing these vast—and yes,
one alternative ‘voice of truth and justice’ owns DWXI Radio station; Jesuit Commu- diverse too—media resources of the Catho-
amid the then repressed media. nications; Communications Foundation for lic Church is another point.

Non-Catholic by MARILOU MAHILUM

Churches Score C
redulously so it looks, other re
ligions are smartly hurdling unprec
edented accomplishments in em-
ploying the power of media like the Catho-

Cutting Edge
lic Church has never done. Interestingly,
what do non-Catholic religions have or
contrive—despite their limited resources,
and yes, their smaller size too—that the
Catholic Church does not? Where does
the cutting edge lie?
Quite incongruous it may pose likely
to most Catholics—the patent ‘hege-
monic’ predominance or sheer magnitude,
in size and number, of the Catholic Church
in the Philippines apparently makes a faint
sense comparing it apropos other religions.
Brushing aside the issue, a rather compro-
mising mediocrity yet hangs in the air.
But, unassumingly, giving a fresh look,
if not lending credence, to some endemic
characteristics or aspects of non-Catholic
religions—in structure, resource manage-

18 IMPACT • May 2005

 H a s t h e C a t h o l i c M e d i a F a i l e d ?

Where dost, thus, lie the
problem? Has Catholic media
failed?
Fr. Aristotle Dy, S.J., Executive Direc-
tor of Jesuit Communications, contends
that “despite all of what has been or is
being done, Catholic media has not gone
that far.” “We are still babies, we are not
doing much as we should be,” says Fr. Dy.
At the fore, Fr. Dy admits, Catholic
media—diverse or fragmented it is—is not
appropriately organized or centralized.
“Within the (Catholic) Church, to be hon-
est, we are not centralized. We are not
organized as one voice when you compare
us to Jesus Is Lord, the 700 Club, or the
Iglesia Ni Cristo —they can speak with a
unified voice. We don’t have that because
the Catholic Church is much bigger and
there are many (media) organizations that
are active in their various respective fields.
We know each other, we greet each other.
They are doing that, we are doing this, it
seems (that) everyone else is doing every-
thing,” Fr. Dy explains.
Anthony Roman, staff assistant of
the Office of Social Communications of the
Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences,
echoes the same concern or problem that
is pervasively holding the Catholic
Church’s communication and media ef-
forts at bay. “It is highly compartmental-
ized, and it is not properly coordinated,” mation or promoting the image of the
says Roman. Church.”
Even more, not only that Catholic Rightly so. Yamsuan could exactly be
media is diverse, fragmented, not orga- more correct than not: indeed much yet
nized as one voice, or not properly coordi- has to be done for the Archdiocese of
nated—but that even an attempt or at Manila’s Archdiocesan Office of Commu-
least, a bearing consciousness, to tackle nication. Apart from merely “dispensing
the same problem is virtually missing, as information or promoting the image of the
Ma. Corazon Yamsuan, Director of the Church,” it is even particularly a classic, if
Archdiocese of Manila’s Archdiocesan not glaring, case of a failing coordination
Office of Communication, believes. of Manila Archdiocese’s media func-
Yamsuan asserts that particularly for the tions—inevitably worth citing, the case of
Archdiocesan Office of Communication, Radyo Veritas. It is striking to note that,
much yet has to be done in fulfilling its couched in an ironic fashion, Radyo
mission or objectives
because “while the im-
portance and need for
communications in the
Church have been
widely acknowledged
and recognized, there
has not been a con-
scious and concerted
effort to draw up and
implement a compre-
hensive communica-
tion plan that will es-
tablish communication
as a ministry, a form of
service (of people) in
the Church, and not Reminiscent of past glory: The Communications Foundation for Asia,
founded by the late Fr. Cornelio Lagerwey, MSC, is one of the leading pioneers
just dispensing infor- on Catholic media apostolate in the Philippines and Asia.

ment and orientation, etc.—may perhaps yield or provide veri-
table answers on why these religious groups are making fabulous
strides or cutting edge in effectively harnessing media.
One perhaps is structure. The rather simpler, if not homoge-
neous, quality of non-Catholic religions’ hierarchical or organi-
zational structure likely permeates itself to effectively implement
a unified coordinated effort in maximizing their media resources.
This is not so with the Catholic Church—where every media
organization or agency autonomously functions as a completely
separate unit from the rest. Of course, there is no denying about
the obvious magnitude or size of the Catholic Church as com-
pared to other religions. But whether or not its sheer greatness
is itself the underlying obstacle for implementing a unified or
coordinated effort is, quite logically, another point—which may
yet be answered as well by the Catholic Church.
Still, why are non-Catholic religious groups likely on the
cutting edge in harnessing media?
Perhaps, another reason worth reckoning may also be
gleaned in the aspect of financial resource management and
orientation. Whereas Catholic media organizations and agencies
are left to fend for themselves financially—in most cases, de-
pending largely on subsidies from foreign funding sources—
financial sourcing, application, utilization and management for
non-Catholic Churches is impressively centralized. Not that
they no longer employ the need to derive funds from external
sources nor generate revenues through commercials—they
still do. But, more often than not, it is particularly impressive
to note that fund sourcing from their own members alone, as
in the case of Iglesia Ni Cristo and Ang Dating Daan, likely
proved sufficient enough to sustain all their numerous media
apostolate work—sans the commercials yet.
On the other hand, quite ironic it is to observe, for
instance, that one particular Catholic diocese in the Philip-
pines with some 500,000 Catholic population has yet to ‘beg’
from a 2,000-population small parish in Germany to finance
a single diocesan radio or publication. Perhaps, may this
likely indicate the ‘inward-looking’ character of Catholic
media resource management and orientation?
Certainly, there may be a lot more reasons than one why
non-Catholic religions manifestly succeed in effectively
harnessing their media resources. For the Catholic Church,
catching up with these non-Catholic religious groups may
yet be a far-fetched question or may even not merit a faint
sense—but learning a lesson or two from them, and for a
while stepping back from a condescending stance, may yet
pave for a fruitful reflection and transformation. I

Volume 39 • Number 2 19
 C O V E R S T O R Y

Veritas, a 50k AM Radio station owned by professional precision and coordination
the Archdiocese of Manila, has been sepa- are a conditio sine qua non to high
rately functioning, completely apart, from listenership or viewership ratings.
the Archdiocesan Office of Communica- That creativity in diversity perspec-
tion which is properly the umbrella body of tive is well taken. No problem about that
all media efforts of the Archdiocese of despite unlikely consequences. But what
Manila. when, particularly on some pressing is-
But the diverse or fragmented efforts sues—say, ‘gambling’ or ‘priestly celi-
of the numerous Catholic media groups, bacy’—one representation or entity of the
organizations, or agencies—though, may Church says differently or otherwise from
have been reason enough for Catholic another one? To this, Fr. Reuter reasons
media to remain static—may yet likewise out, “in such cases, we follow the prin-
pose as source for candid
optimism. For Fr. James
Reuter, it is a “good sign of
a healthy experience” in the
Church. “Media men and
women all over the world do
not want to be ‘coordinated’
or directed on what they are
to say, pointed solidly in one
ciple: ‘in essen-
tial things, unity;
in doubtful
things, freedom;
in all things,
charity.” Very
likely, it can be
inferred, lay
folks may well be
more confused
than enlight-
ened.
Again,
what makes
Catholic media
so static? Per-
haps, it may be
borne out of the
Well worn: CFA's defunct Radio and TV facilities have fairly served their heydays.
rather ‘static’
stance of the
Church leader-
direction. They want to be creative,” adds ship, or superiors, towards media commu-
Fr. Reuter. Similarly, Fr. Francis Lucas, nication. Fr. Aristotle Dy recounts his
President of the Catholic Media Network, difficulty in seeking approval from his
affirms the same point, “the diverse and Jesuit superiors for JESCOM’s mobile
seemingly divided activities of the numer- phone evangelization program which suc-
ous media ‘outlets’ of the Church are only cessfully became a hit raking as many as
manifestations of the many ways of how 100,000 daily subscribers. “In the past
you can deliver the Church message.” there was some difficulty because superi-
There is no denying, though, that CNN, ors look at this work (on media ministry)
Fox News, CNBC and even the two con- only as a sideline, a hobby, something you
tending local TV Networks, to mention a can do while you are studying or having
few, have perfected and understood that other work. It took us a long time to let our
superiors see that this is not just a hobby
or a sideline. Then at the height of our
mobile phone services (when we had as
many as 100,000 daily subscribers getting
messages daily), I was telling my superi-
ors, you put the population of all our 8
(Ateneo) schools in the Philippines, you
will not get 100,000. It’s only less than half
of that. Now replicate that with TV or
Radio. In mass media, you’re reaching
thousands and millions right away,” nar-
rates Fr. Dy.
Likewise, Ma. Corazon Yamsuan of
the Manila Archdiocesan Office of Com-
munication expresses the same concern of
the apparent lack of appreciation by the
Church’s leadership. Yamsuan points out,
“Most of the problems stem from the
Church’s leadership lack of appreciation
of the role of communication in our chang-
ing modern world and their lack of support
for communication programs at various
levels and forms.”
Even so also for Fr. Reuter. He admits,
“We have not been as successful as we
would like to be, as we ought to be, be-
cause the Church moves very, very slowly.
We are reluctant to accept media as a
legitimate arm of evangelization.”
No, the ‘static’ behavior of Catholic
media does not only emanate from its lead-
ership or superiors. It does not stop there.
Way down the ladder, so also the priests
and religious who are assigned to engage
in media apostolate: more often than not,
they are professionally ill-prepared for the
job. JESCOM’s Fr. Dy reveals, “people
who are assigned to this ministry have no
background, no preparation. We just came
in and got to know the work. Also, CMN’s
Fr. Francis Lucas maintains that priests
assigned to media positions should have
professional training in production and
management. “A priest cannot achieve all
the needed skills simply by ordination,”
says Fr. Lucas.
Finally, of course, monetary concerns
or financial sustainability has likewise, if
not its sole fundamental culprit, pushed
Catholic media into conspicuous, thun-
dering repose. Obviously, monetary rea-
son it was that Communication Founda-
tion for Asia gave up on Catholic Digest.
Financial affliction it is that now imperils
the future of some of CMN’s member Ra-
dio stations. Admittedly, according to Fr.
Aristotle Dy, “engaging in media ministry
is particularly difficult because we’re deal-
ing with a very secular matter and the rules
of which are dictated by money or eco-
nomics.” Exactly true, Fr. Reuter agrees,
“it is really a problem because media now

20 IMPACT • May 2005

 H a s t h e C a t h o l i c M e d i a F a i l e d ?

costs a great deal and the Church does not nonchalance. Albeit amid these problems, But, inevitably, it is interesting to ob-
have too much money.” the Catholic Church has never been really serve as well that the roots of the problems
And also true for CMN’s Fr. Francis lacking in media resources. Also, it is yet attributed to the ‘static’ behavior of Catho-
Lucas. “Although CMN remains to be a not lagging behind other religions or reli- lic media mostly emanate from within the
sleeping giant and its greatest asset is its gious groups. Truth to tell, as Fr. Francis Church—funding, reluctance or lack of
credibility,” Fr. Lucas admits, “it is yet Lucas said, it is but a “sleeping giant.” appreciation by Church leadership, di-
aiming for viability and capitalization. Ra- But, more likely, unless it rises from its self- verse, fragmented, ‘not organized as one
dio stations (of CMN) are left to fend for imposed slumber, it might just be too late voice’ or ‘no concerted effort’. Accord-
themselves and most have no commer- for the Church to find out all its media ingly, its solutions may just as well spring
cials.” resources completely gone to waste. Or if forth from where such problems come.
Granted, no doubt, funding is indeed not, while issues or problems are yet being Whether the Church opts to remain
the one real big burden. Likely, hence, debated and minute delineations being unfazed by such problems or not, a candid
sans the funds or subsidy, may it just be yet carefully or meticulously studied, a self-examination for the Catholic Church
well for Catholic media to sit idly and wait vast number of its faithful are already may likely prove beneficial.
‘til kingdom come’? hooked into For Fr. Aristotle Dy, gathering all
Assumingly, this other reli- Catholic media organizations is already
brings to the fore gions or sects. one good start to address the problem,
yet another corol- No, the “One thing that we hope to be able to do
lary problem: most Church will is to sit down with all the different Catholic
Catholic media or- not, for cer- media organizations and at least brain-
ganizations or insti- tain, allow it- storm together and be able to identify what
tutions have been self to com- we are doing and what others are doing,
largely dependent pletely sleep and how we can complement each other. I
on external subsidy and pass out think that is important so that we can be
or aid for viability, to a tragic leth- unified as one Church making all these
if not argy. But, at coordinated efforts.”
sustainability. Fr. Yes, Catholic media in the
Aristotle Dy can- Philippines has not gone far
not disagree more, but weak. In many ways than
“the problem is that one, it has failed! Perhaps
the prevailing men- this is the same reason why
tality in the Church even the Church likewise has
is that we want ev- Ma. Corazon "Peachy" failed to stem the execution of
erything for free— Yamsuan: Executive Director,
Archdiocesan Office on Leo Echegaray and others, the
free airtime, very Communication, Archdiocese Death Penalty Law, the Min-
minimal or no talent of Manila. ing Law, and now the pending
or professional antipopulation bills. (With re-
fees, etc. You will never get far if you get ports from Roy Lagarde and
everything for free. And if people give you Marilou Mahilum). I
something, money or their professional
service, you’re at their mercy. You lose an
amount of control over your work, and
consequently the quality of production
suffers.”
Fr. Dy even pushes a step further to
propound that Catholic media organiza-
tions or institutions should devise more Fr. Aristotle Dy, SJ: JESCOM's Executive
Director.
ways than one to achieve financial
sustainability rather than passively wait
for subsidies or aids. In the case of Jesuit the very least, does it not recognize
Communications, Fr. Dy can only confi- the mere fact or existence—not so
dently vaunt, “maybe what is unique to of its magnitude—of its ailing me-
Jesuit Communications is our willingness dia? It does, yes. In fact, no less
to engage in modern technology and not Archbishop Fernando Capalla, the
letting issues like money to get in the way. President of the Catholic Bishops
If we need money, we’ll go and find the Conference of the Philippines, has
money. We are able to dream big and indicated his growing concern for
achieve.” the ailing media apostolate of the
On the whole, indeed, the Catholic Church when he called some key
media in the Philippines has been wracked persons of the Church media to a
with not just a few problems that have consultative meeting last February Fr. James Reuter, SJ: Executive Secretary of CBCP's
Episcopal Commission of Social Communications and Mass
rendered it apparently disposed to dumb 17, 2005. Media.

Volume 39 • Number 2 21
 S T A T E M E N T

We have gotten out of the habit of

thinking about the things that matter most
or perhaps we have a perverted sense of
what really matters: implications to profit,

Statement on Mining
subservience to globally imposed eco-
nomic conditions instead of the long-term
survival of the family or community or
country; staving off the economic crisis
instead of addressing the obvious causes
of the ills plaguing our nation and taking
into consideration the well-being of our
Contaminated and rapid sedimentation of the Antamok and Luneta Rivers, downstream communities, our posterity and the future
river and coastal area; tailings seeping through the retaining wall into the river; toxic of the ecosystem. We never seemed to
wastes spilled into the water systems during heavy rains and typhoons making water actually realize the serious significance of
unsafe for bathing, washing clothes or irrigation, siltation of rivers, drying up of major the interrelatedness of all things on earth
water springs; and adverse effects on agricultural, river and coastal fishery resources and the consequences of anything we do,
in the province of Pangasinan - from the findings of Benguet Corporation’s mining which reverberate throughout the whole
created order of which humans are just a
activities in Itogon, Benguet. small part.
Our life as a nation cannot and should
by the Ecumenical Bishops Forum not be dictated upon neither by market
forces nor of the impositions of stronger

I
n Canatuan, Siocon, Zamboanga del
Norte the struggle to maintain the right
to life, the right to dignity and the right
to development has become a lifelong
struggle for the people. Since 1990 the
people have been opposing the Canadian
Mining Firm TVI Resource Development
Philippine Incorporated. “It seems that no
method is too unscrupulous in TVI’s drive
to dominate the gold rush area in sitio
Canatuan, but the harder they push, the
louder the locals cry.” - Andrea Patenaude,
“Bully on the Mountain”
These two glaring facts represent only
a few of the destructive effects of large-
scale mining both to communities and the
ecology, prompted primarily by the race
for corporate profit and undertaken by
foreign mining firms. We have seen and
heard all of these on one hand. On the
other hand, we have also heard the rev-
enues and gains of the government over
the years through the mining of our re-
sources. The irony is that while our
country has the minerals
and transnational companies have mined
these minerals for years, we have not ac-
tually stood to benefit. The gains crowed
by our government is miniscule compared
to the ecological costs. Consider too, that
what has been mined and what has been
destroyed to allow for mining can never be
restored. Our nation has not attained self-
sufficiency and we continue to suffer the
brunt of economic policies imposed upon
us from across the seas.
The Ecumenical Bishops’ Forum
unites its voice against the Mining Act of
1995 and other attendant ordinances that
allow for the take-over and control by
foreign mining firms of potential resources
of our country. Despite what these laws
say about safety nets, it is our experience
in this country that foreign mining firms
pay lip service to the dignity and well-
being of the people especially those di-
rectly affected by such mining activities.
We join the call for its immediate repeal and
support the growing movements of
local communities in studying
the issues well and mak-
ing a principled op-
position.
nations. It must also be rooted in our
dignity as a nation, our patrimony—the
well being of future generations.
Hear the words of the Psalmist chanted
of old: “Let the heavens be glad and the let
the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all
that fills it; let the field exult, and every-
thing in it! Then shall all the trees of the
wood sing for joy before the Lord, for he
comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He
will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with his truth.” God is
sovereign and through the ages, human
beings have voiced out the voice of God’s
creation. We, your bishops in the EBF
urge a serious recognition of the sanctity
of the present rather as equally important
to the sacred future and we must persist in
teaching ourselves and others to return to
our rightful place in creation—as a small
part therein, as stewards and not as con-
querors of the rest of creation, and as the
primarily reflection of God’s will for his
Garden, long violated by human greed for
more and the desire to play god.
Most Rev. Deogracias Iñiguez, Jr., D.D.
Co-chairperson, Ecumenical Bishops
Forum, February 8, 2005.

22 IMPACT
IMPACT •• May
May 2005
2005
 S T A T E M E N T

the agriculture sector will not only threaten

farmers but imperil food security itself.

Filipino
Despite their benighted condition,
Filipino farmers continue bringing hope to
society. Resembling St. Isidore and St.
Maria, patron and patroness of farmers,

Farmers:
united to their sacred vocation and one-
ness with nature, farmers nurture life from
season to season.

Nurturers of Life
Filipino Farmers Day, now on its fourth
year, once again celebrates the social con-
tributions of Filipino farmers. Simulta-
neously, the occasion aims to refocus
public attention to the farmers as they face
various challenges that threaten them from
CBCP-NASSA Pastoral Statement on day to day.
We urge the public, especially the
the Occasion of the 4th Filipino Diocesan Social Action Centers to involve
farmers’ associations and cooperatives,
Farmers Day agriculture-oriented nongovernment or-
ganizations and agricultural schools in
celebrating the Fourth Filipino Farmers
Day.
“The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the Garden of For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference
Eden, to cultivate and care for it (Genesis 2:15).” of the Philippines-National Secretariat for
Social Action, Justice & Peace:

L
ittle has changed since Filipino Farm chemical-intensive varieties, legislative Most Rev. Dinualdo Gutierrez, D.D.
ers Day was first introduced on May proposals to qualify farmlands as loan Diocese of Marbel
15, 2002. Filipino farmers remain a collateral as a solution to the absence of Chair, CBCP Episcopal Commission on
vulnerable sector pummeled by the merci- government subsidy, the bid to privatize Social Action-Justice & Peace
less tides of globalization and impaled on the National Food Authority, the unre- 15 March 2005
the claws of poverty. solved issue on the utilization of the
Full liberalization of agricultural prod- Marcos wealth that is supposed to en-
ucts will take place this year pursuant to hance the implementation of the Compre-
agreements in the World Trade Organiza- hensive Agrarian Reform Program, and
tion. As a result, the local market will be rising cost of farm inputs in the face of
swamped with cheap imported agricultural declining market price of farm products.
products as trade barriers are torn down. Reforms are needed to improve this lamen-
Inadequately assisted by government, table condition.
Filipino farmers will be unable to survive It is tyrannical that government
the cutthroat competition. almost willfully neglects a vital
To demonstrate its credit worthiness, sector that contributes to the
Philippine government ensures the pas- country’s economic
sage of policies and the implementation of growth. Abandoning
programs prescribed by international fi-
nance institutions—ardent advocates of
globalization.
Tremendous pressure, aside from
burgeoning importation of agricultural
products, paralyzes Filipino farmers: del-
eterious corruption and debt servic-
ing that siphon off a huge chunk of
the national budget, develop-
ment aggression that oblit-
erates farmlands and vi-
tal natural resources
supporting crop cul-
tivation, aggres-
sive promotion of
genetically-engi-
neered crops and

Volume 39 • Number 2 23
 F R O M
Definitive Stand on
Gambling
N ow it’s a formal policy, a collective
position. Now it’s crystal clear, defi-
nite and defined. No if’s, no but’s. No
exception, no contradiction.
CBCP declares: no to gambling!
No to gambling in all its illegal clan-
destine forms. No as well to gambling in
all its legal open casinos.
The CBCP has issued three basic
common resolves:
First: “To denounce illegal gam-
bling in all its forms and to prevent its
legalization.”
Second: “To combat the expansion
of organized and systematic legal gam-
bling.”
Third: “To refrain from soliciting or
receiving funds from illegal and legal
gambling so as not to promote the cul-
ture of gambling…even it the objective
24 IMPACT • May 2005
T H E B
Dangerous Country
urs has become a dangerous country.
O There are bombings that kill innocent
men, women, and children. There are mas-
sacres that wipe out entire families. There
are dead people found here and there.
The danger signal is especially high
and strong when media practitioners are
killed.
Who killed Herson Hinolan of Kalibo,
Aklan and Stephen Omaois of Tabuk,
Kalinga? Who killed Allan Dizon of Cebu
City and Edgar Amoro of Pagadian City?
Who killed Arnulfo Villanueva of Naic,
Cavite and Romeo Sanchez of Baguio City?
Who killed Marlen Esperat of Sultan
Kudarat?
Who killed many other media people
in the past? Who will be killed next? And
who will be killed thereafter?
Official statements of indignation from
the government are not wanting. Many
official investigations are made. But there
they stop and rest. The murderers have yet
to be found and convicted. Meantime, the
may be that of helping the poor.”
The official and ardent appeal is
wherefore made to the Executive Depart-
ment to implement the law against illegal
gambling especially jueteng and masiao.
This is not asking much as it is simply
expected to do its job. If that department
is not for implementing laws, then what is
it for?
The formal and sincere appeal is thus
also addressed to the legislative depart-
ment not to legalized illegal jueteng, much
less to approve HB 3409.
It is rather strange that as people’s
lives are shortened by poverty, little
food, lack of medicine, there is the
intention to prolong the gam-
bling life of PAGCOR. There is
also the oddity that as the gov-
ernment covets the money of
L O G S
killings of media practitioners go on and on.
The downright murders of media men
and women mean that truth has become
deadly in the country. Every time media
exposes graft and corruption, this means
someone’s life is at stake. Murderers,
crooks, thieves hate truth and their stan-
dard recourse is to silence its bearers—
either temporarily or permanently by mur-
der.
When one needs many numbers to
count the media people killed and the
counting goes on, the past deadly martial
law regime comes to mind. Then and now,
truth is definitely unwelcome. In fact, then
and now, truth kills!
Is it not enough that our country is
corrupt and our people are poor? Is it not
enough that our government hates popu-
lation and wants no babies born? Must
our nation be still known as a place where
truth is silenced and media people are
murdered?
www.ovc.blogspot.com
the poor by imposing more taxes, it also
covets the money of the rich by extend-
ing PAGCOR operations.
If juetengand masiao are such great
activities, why then are they illegal?!
And if PAGCOR is such as dear and
endearing gambling corporation, why
is it that many communities drive it
away from them?
And if the Philippine economy is
proudly said to be now that good and is
loudly predicted to become ever in the
times ahead, they why legalize jueteng,
why prolong PAGCOR operations?
Would it be right therefore to conclude
that the Philippine economy would after
all implode—without gambling?
www.ovc.blogspot.com
 E D I T
The Enemies of the State
T
he state is more than the government that
runs it in the name of the people. In the
same way, a country is not synonymously
equal with the group of individuals who govern it
in the name of its citizenry.
That is why governments come and go. But
the state remains. And so it is that government
officials live and die. Yet the country is there still.
The well-known AFP CD “Knowing Your
Enemy” could have been made with a good
intention. It might have been produced with a
noble finality. Yet, it started with a radically
wrong premise.
It wrongly assumes that those dissenting with
the government are necessarily the enemies of
the state. It works on the false premise that
human rights advocates, opposition political ac-
tivities, church people protesting government
actions or inactions are all inimical to the state.
The truth is that it is possible that a given
government could be in effect the enemy of the
State. When government officials have become
the curse instead of the blessing of the people,
O R I A L
then the former not the later are the enemies of
the country.
It is this living and standing truth that explains
the rise and fall of governments, the naming and
denaming of government officials. Yet, in such
series of changes in the national level, the state
remains, the nation stands.
In fact, the Philippines has repeatedly expe-
rienced this empirical truth when its government
has become its own enemy. And the Filipinos did
away with it. That was why the Spanish, Japa-
nese and American governments had to leave the
country. That was why there were EDSA I and
EDSA 2. That is why there are periodic elections
that change governments. And in all these, the
Philippines as a State remain, subsist, endure.
The truth is that when a government makes it
harder and harder for its citizens to find work, to
feed their families, to educate their children, and
they therefore stage rallies, join marches, voice
their resentment and dissent, is it possible that it
is their government that has in fact become the
enemy of the State?
Volume 39 • Number 2 25
 V A N I L L A

Browse these sites!

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

16. Marbel Diocese (Philippines) - http://

Catholic Dioceses
1. Antipolo Diocese (Philippines) - http://www.geocities.com/
Athens/2564/framesnet1.htm
2. Bacolod Diocese (Philippines) - Http://
Home.Catholicweb.Com/Bacoloddiocese/
3. Balanga Diocese (Philippines) - http://
www.balangadiocese.com/
4. Bandung Diocese (Indonesia) - http://www.parokinet.org/
bandung/
5. Bangalore Archdiocese (India) - http://
www.bangalorearchdiocese.com/
6. Bankok Archdiocese (Thailand) - http://
www.catholic.org.th
7. Caceres Archdiocese (Philippines) - http://
www.geocities.com/caceres51
8. Dhaka Archdiocese (Bangladesh) - http://
www.bangladeshchristian.com/catholic/dhaka/
archdhaka.htm
9. Diocese Of Malolos (Philippines) - http://
www.geocities.com/rcdm3000
10. Dipolog Diocese (Philippines) - http://dipolog.us
11. Hsinchu Diocese (Taiwan) - http://
www.catholic.org.tw/hsinchu
12. Libmanan Prelature (Philppines) - http://
libmanan.8k.com
13. Madras-Mylapore (India) - http://www.madras-
mylapore.org
14. Madurai Archdiocese (India) - http://
www.maduraiarchdiocese.org
15. Manila Archdiocese (Philippines) - http://
www.rcam.org
marbeldiocese.freeservers.com
17. Nagasaki Archdiocese (Japan) - http://
www.nagasaki.catholic.jp
18. Osaka Archdiocese (Japan) - http://
www.osaka.catholic.jp
19. San Carlos Diocese (Philippines) - http://
www.sancarloschancery.org/homepage.htm
20. Semarang Archdiocese (Indonesia) - http://
www.kasemarang.org
21. Seoul Archdiocese (Korea) - http://seoul.catholic.or.kr/
22. Singapore Archdiocese - http://www.veritas.org.sg/
23. Taipeh Archdiocese (Taiwan) - http://
www.catholic.org.tw/taipei
24. Tokyo Archdiocese (Japan) - http://
www.tokyo.catholic.jp
(Note: More homepages of dioceses in the Philippines may be found at
www.cbcponline.net )
Catholic Parishes
1. Holy Family Parish, Diocese of Cubao - http://
www.holyfamilyparish.faithweb.com
2. Holy Trinity Parish, Diocese of San Pablo - http://
www.catholic-forum.com/churches/holytrinity
3. Holy Trinity Parish, Diocese of Tagbilaran - http://
www.trinitasloay.org
4. La Divina Pastora Parish, Diocese of Cabanatuan - http://
mozcom.com/~valmonte/DivinaPastora/main.html
5. Mary the Queen Parish, Archdiocese of Manila - http://
marythequeen.org
6. May Queen of Peace Parish, Diocese of Antipolo - http://
maryqueenofpeace.tripod.com
7. Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine, Archdiocese of Lingayen-
Dagupan - http://www.dagupan.com/manaoag
8. Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish, Diocese of Antipolo -
http://www.geocities.com/ola_parish
9. Our Lady of the Abandoned, Diocese of Antipolo - http://
www.geocities.com/ola_parish
10. San Fabian Parish, Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan -
http://www.cbcpworld.com/sanfabianparish
11. San Jose Parish, Diocese of Antipolo - http://
sanjoseparish.catholicweb.com
12. San Lorenzo Ruis Filipino-Chinese Catholic Community,
Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro - http://www.slrfccc.com
13. San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila Parish, Diocese of Malolos -
http://www.sanlorenzoruizparish.catholicweb.com/
14. Santa Rosa de Lima Parish, Diocese of Antipolo - http://
www.saintrose.8m.com
15. St. Jude Thaddeus Diocesan Shrine, Diocese of Bacolod -
http://www.stjudephil.com

26
26 IMPACT •• May
IMPACT May 2005
2005
B Y T E S
16. St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Archdiocese of Lingayen-
Dagupan - http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pond/
6507/
17. Sto. Niño Parish, Archdiocese of palo - http://
www.santoninotacloban.org
18. Sto. Rosario de Pasig Parish, Diocese of Antipolo - http://
www.geocities.com/Athens/6861
(Note: In collaboration with the Content Department of CBCPWorld, Impact
Magazine is publishing henceforth Catholic web sites. Should you know one, kindly
email the website address (URL) to: contributions@impactmagzine.net)
Catholic Schools
1. Adamson University, 900 San Marcelino St., Ermita, Manila -
http://www.adamson.edu.ph/
2. Angelicum College, 112 M.J. Cuenco St., Quezon City -
http://www.angelicumqc.edu.ph/
3. Aquinas University, Rawis, Legazpi City - http://
www.aquinas-university.edu/
4. Assumption College, San Lorenzo Village, Makati City -
http://www.assumption.edu.ph/
5. Ateneo de Davao University, McArthur Highway, Matina,
Davao City - http://www.addu.edu.ph/
6. Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City -
http://www.admu.edu.ph/
7. Ateneo de Naga University, Ateneo Avenue, Naga City -
http://www.adnu.edu.ph/
8. Ateneo de Zamboanga University, La Purisima Street,
Zamboanga City - http://www.adzu.edu.ph/
9. Colegio de San Agustin, Makati City - http://
www.colegiosanagustin.edu.ph/
10. Colegio de San Juan de Letran, 151 Muralla St,
Intramuros, Manila - http://www.letran.edu/
11. College of the Holy Spirit, 163, E. Mendiola St., Manila -
http://www.chsmanila.edu.ph
12. De La Salle Green Hills, Ortigas Ave., Mandaluyong City -
http://www.lsgh.edu.ph
13. De La Salle Santiago Zobel School, Ayala Alabang Village,
Muntinlupa City - http://www.zobel.dlsu.edu.ph/
14. De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila - http://
www.dlsu.edu.ph
15. De La Salle University-Dasmarinas, Dasmariñas, Cavite -
http://www.dasma.dlsu.edu.ph
16. Don Bosco Technical College, 736 Gen. Kalentong Street,
Mandaluyong City - http://www.dbtc.edu.ph
17. Don Bosco Technical Institute, Chino RocesAvenue, San
Lorenzo, Makati City - http://www.donboscomakati.edu.ph
18. Holy Cross of Davao College, Inc., Sta. Ana Ave., Davao
City - http://www.hcdc.edu.ph
19. Holy Name University, corner Gallares & Lesage Streets,
Tagbilaran City - http://www.hnu.edu.ph
20. La Salle Green Hills, Greenhills, Ortigas Avenue,
Mandaluyong City - http://www.lsgh.edu.ph
21. Miriam College, Katipunan Road, Loyola Heights, Quezon
City - http://www.mc.edu.ph
22. Mount Carmel College of San Francisco, San Francisco,
Agusan del Sur - http://www.geocities.com/procphils/
mcc.html
(Note: Due to space limitations other schools could not be included in this issue.
They will be listed in the next)
The Emerging
BLOGCulture
by ROWENA T. DALANON
T
ime was when communication gap was as pervasive
as prickly pimples on the face of a teenager you see
in campus. Like the pimples, it was mostly an itch
between the parents and children who would prefer to stay
with peers who listen to their problems instead with their own
parents who most likely do not. After a decade or so , every
body got tired of it and you hear of it no more, let alone
psychiatrists and counseling rooms.
Then came the tsunami of communications. Now
everybody was talking—and listening, cursorily at least.
The digital age. The net generation. The text tykes. These
were the phrases that attempted to describe and characterize
the changing humanoids. Technically, the gap was no more,
because everybody now was communicating: email, SMS
(short messaging system or simply texting), chat, message
boards, etc.
Spontaneously, or so it seemed, the craving to express
oneself has graduated into the online digital medium during
the last three or four years. Business was quick to respond
to this and started offering free hosting services for blogs.
Softwares were developed like hotcakes by enterprising
programmers to accommodate an avalanche of users who
would just log-in and click on a ready template of one’s
choice.
A blog, which is a contraction of “web log,” is whatever
you want to be. There are millions of them, in all shapes and
sizes. It is a website where you (the “blogger”) can write
or post whatever stuff on an ongoing basis. It’s a diary. It’s
a journal. It’s a message board. It’s cool. It’s enormous.
Topics are anything under the sun and there are no
journalistic rules. One does not have to be a tech savvy or
a web designer to able to blog. All it takes is to open the site
of the blog provider, key in your user name and password
and start writing your piece. Then upload your blog which
may include some of your photos to the server by clicking
the “send” or “publish” icon and, presto, your beautifully
designed page is loaded—with the html and java scripts
working for you faster than your thoughts, better than the
elves would work on your dress behind your sleep.
The blogging experience is not only about publishing
your thoughts to the web, but also hearing back and connect-
ing with other like-minded people. It links to other bloggers
and webpages on a world-wide basis creating a network of
interaction, sharing of ideas, experiences, photos, audio clips
and video footages (as in vblog) in a global online community.
The thousands of images and testimonies of the tsunami in
December 2004 mostly came from blogs.
Are blogs just a craze—passing and undefined yet tremen-
dously popular? Or a signature of an emerging culture? I
Volume 39 • Number 2 27
 V A N I L L
The Versatile VSAT
by DENNIS B. DAYAO
I
t was October last year when I went to MacArthur,
in Eastern Samar to conduct a seminar on inte
grating information and communications tech-
nology with teaching methods, or EdTech as we
simply call it.
Being very remote, this town has no cellcites
and therefore no cellphones. No telephone calling
stations. Not even tabloids or strayed signal of an
FM radio. The only way to communicate farther is
to shout—or so it seemed. When we get to Our
Lady of Fatima Academy of the RVM Sisters, lo and
behold, we saw a VSAT system with a 1.8-meter
dish mounted prominently right on the school
grounds.
A lot better than a cellcite, which is just a
microwave radio system, the VSAT of this small
school of about 300 high school students was
running on a high-end LinkStar transceiver. Our
short stint in McArthur was a close encounter with
the VSAT: we surfed, downloaded, emailed, video/
audio-chatted, listened to global radio—and a lot
more which cellphones could not do.
The VSAT System
So what is a VSAT? It stands for “Very Small
Aperture Terminal” and refers to receive/transmit
terminals installed at dispersed sites connecting to
a central hub via satellite using small diameter
antenna dishes (0.6 to 3.8 meter).
28 IMPACT • May 2005
A B Y T E S
The VSAT technology is a cost effective solu-
tion for users seeking an independent communica-
tions network connecting a number of remote sites.
VSAT networks offer value-added satellite-based
services capable of supporting the Internet, data,
LAN, voice/fax communications, and can provide
powerful, dependable private and public network
communications
How does this work?
• A VSAT end user needs a box that interfaces
between the user’s computer and an outside
antenna with a transceiver.
• The transceiver receives or sends a signal to
a satellite transponder in the sky.
• The satellite sends and receives signals from
an earth station computer that acts as a hub
for the system.
• Each end user is interconnected with the hub
station via the satellite in a star topology.
One of the key advantages of VSAT is quick
installation. It can be installed and operational in a
day or two, unlike a terrestrial system that take
weeks to set up, since there are countless miles of
wire (as in the case of dial-up service) to be rolled
out.
Versatility is another advantage as far as geog-
raphy or location is concerned. This system can
provide communication in practically any terrain as
forests, deserts, mountains, and even remote is-
lands.
And in terms of bandwidth advantages, this
platform enables to build standards-based net-
works and provide a bigger “pipe” for IP data,
Internet access, video and audio streaming,
telemedicine, VoIP, and distance learning.
This technology, of course, is at its best for
multiple-platform application. It is most appropri-
ate for a school laboratory and local area networks
of several workstations. For home use, a telephone
dial-up may still be the most practical; but, in all
likelihood, a home internet service provider may
actually be using a VSAT. I
 E N T E R T A I N M E N T
CATHOLIC INITIATIVE
FOR E NLIGHTENED
MOVIE A PPRECIATION
Title: XXX 2 - STATE OF THE UNION
Running Time: 100 mins
Lead Cast: Ice Cube, Willem Dafoe,
Scott Speedman, Peter Strauss
Director: Lee Tamahori
Producers: Todo Garner, Rob Derek
Dauchy
Screenwriter: Simon Kinberg
Music: Marco Beltrami
Genre: Action
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Location: WashingtonD.C., Virginia, USA
Technical Assessment: • • • ¼
Moral Assessment: + + +
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and
above
A
ugustus Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson) an
NSA operative escapes by the skin of his
teeth from a deadly attack mounted against
his well-fortified underground facility in Virginia,
but loses sixteen of his well-trained men. In the
dark as to who could possibly wish to decimate
his organization, which is often called upon to
protect the U.S. president, Gibbons decides to
visit Darius Stone (Ice Cube), one of his men now
imprisoned in the maximum security barracks.
Though suspicious at first, Stone decides to
cooperate. Stone escapes with the help of Gib-
bons. Equipped with special military expertise,
Stone is now called Agent XXX2. Though Gib-
bons is reported dead by accident, Stone with the
help of another NSA agent secures information
about the plans of George Deckert (Willem Dafoe)
the right-wing Secretary of Defense, to take over
the presidency upon the assassination of the
centrist U.S. President and his immediate succes-
sors. With the help of reliable friends, XXX2 races
against time to pre-empt Deckert from carrying
out his plans as President Sanford (Peter Strauss)
delivers his State of the Union Address at the
Capitol.
XXX 2 The Second Level is surprisingly one
movie that does not bank on a famous name as its
lead to attract movie goers. Its highly popular and
successful predecessor XXX had the charismatic
Vin Diesel, but producers perhaps feel confident
that fond recollections of the first film would be
enough drawing power for the second. And they
can be right as attested by the full house on the
first day of screening. As the new Agent XXX2,
Ice Cube has gone a long way from the hip-hop
performer to the streetsmart, highly skilled fighter
whose exploits can keep the action film aficiona-
dos’ interest from flagging. The story’s begin-
ning looks familiar as Ice Cube is sprung from
prison like Vin Diesel who was recruited in the
same manner for a dangerous intelligence mis-
sion. However, the rest of this preposterous story
is there – like most films of the genre—just to hang
on the continuous stream of fights, explosions,
special effects, car and train chases as well as to
impress the viewer with high-tech war gewgaws.
Director Lee Tomahori of James Bond’s Die An-
other Day fame imbues the film with exuberant
energy that can be highly exciting to action flick
fans but exhausting to others. The film is exceed-
ingly violent, noisy and fiery. Practically every-
thing explodes or is afire. Aside from Ice Cube,
Samuel Jackson and Willem Dafoe (he of villain
fame in Spiderman) deserve mention.
In an action/thriller like XXX 2 The Second
Level, what value can a viewer possibly perceive?
For one, the operatives including Darius Stone in
Gibbons unit, are motivated by love of country.
When Agent XXX2 asks his friend Zeke (who has
a following like a private army) for help, Zeke asks
what’s in it for him. A very common response by
selfish people who won’t help unless paid or
promised some benefit. But when XXX2 tells him
to fight to preserve his life of freedom, somehow,
he realizes the high stakes and he responds. Stone
and the others in his group are willing to put their
life on the line to protect their president whom they
perceive to represent what is free and right in the
American way of life. The film also shows that no
matter how superior in numbers and resources is
the evil one, no matter how powerful he is and no
matter how carefully he plans, he cannot succeed
in his evil schemes if there are people who are not
afraid to fight for what is right and just.
(Date Reviewed: 29 April 2005 @
www.cbcpworld.com/cinema)
Volume 39 • Number 2 29
 N E
INDIA
Rail Minister Faces
Probe on “Fodder
Scam”
Rail Minister Laloo Prasad
Yadav, former Bihar chief min-
ister along with nearly 70 oth-
ers faces investigation after
being charged by a court in
India for allegedly misappro-
priating millions of dollars in
state funds intended for buy-
ing animal fodder when he was
still the chief minister in 1990s.
However, Mr. Yadav, al-
leged to have siphoned off
$8.5M, denied the charges
claiming that he is innocent
and the accusations were po-
litically motivated.
INDONESIA
Flash Flood Claims 15
Lives in Aceh
Fifteen people were killed
and many were injured when
flash floods swept through
three villages in the tsunami-
stricken Indonesian province
of Aceh on the evening of April
26 after a day of heavy rain.
The floods, which report-
edly hit three villages in South-
eastern Aceh, destroyed about
hundreds of homes in the vil-
lage of Lawe Mengkudu.
Aceh was hardest hit by the
December earthquake and tsu-
namis leaving over 220,000
people dead.
IRAQ
50 killed in Iraq blasts
Protesting Iraq’s first demo-
cratically elected government,
at least 50 people were killed
including three U.S. soldiers
and 114 Iraqis and seven Ameri-
cans were injured when insur-
gents in a well-coordinated at-
tacks launched 17 bombs on
April 29.
N E
30 IMPACT • May 2005
W S B R
The worst-hit area was
Baghdad where four suicide
car bombs exploded. Most of
the bombing targets were Iraqi
security forces and police,
whom insurgents accuse of
working together with the
Americans. Abu Musab al-
Zargawi, Iraq’s notorious and
most-wanted terrorist cau-
tioned US President Bush via
audio message to expect more
bloodshed.
KOREA
N. Korea Planning for
Nuke Test
The US government re-
ported to the International
Atomic Energy Agency and
countries concerned, includ-
ing Japan, that North Korea
has been planning for an un-
derground nuclear-weapons
test since March and may go
ahead with the plan as early as
June, Kyodo news said on April
30.
The source said that the
intelligence report was based
on satellite photos and other
sources. The US government
already has called the atten-
tion of China to urge
Pyongyang to desist the prepa-
ration, but Beijing allegedly
seemed to be uncooperative.
MYANMAR
Myanmar Accused of
Chemical Weapons
The Myanmar military
government has been ac-
cused by an international
human rights group of using
chemical arms in a clash with
rebel groups that have took
place near Myanmar’s North-
west border last February.
Christian Solidarity
Worldwide reported that the
assault on Karen fighters who
have been engaged in a long-
W S B R
I E F S
running battle with Myanmar
government forces, left them
vomiting blood and unable to
walk. The said group also
claimed they have enough evi-
dence to support their
charges.
SINGAPORE
Ex-Singapore President
dies at 89
Former Singapore presi-
dent, Dr. Wee Kim Wee suc-
cumbed to death May 2 at his
home after complications from
battling prostate cancer at the
age of 89.
Wee, who was the city-
state’s fourth president and
served from 1985 to 1993. He
retired citing his age, health
and constitutional amend-
ments that provided for an
elected president. He was a
journalist before entering pub-
lic office, where he served as
high commissioner to Malay-
sia for seven years from 1973
and later, also served as en-
voy to Japan and South Ko-
rea.
SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka OKs offer to
Build Power Plant
The Sri Lankan govern-
ment says it has accepted an
offer from China to build a 300-
megawatt coal-fired power
plant in Norochcholai.
Treasury Secretary P.B.
Jayasundera said that “Chi-
nese government has offered
assistance on building the coal
power plant, and we have
agreed to it.”
The controversial project
was stalled in 1998 due to op-
position from environmental-
ists. Dr. Jayasundera said the
power plant could later be in-
creased in capacity to 900
megawatts.
I E F S
THAILAND
Marriages with
Foreigners due to
Poverty
Most Thai women from
Thailand’s north-eastern region
opted to marry foreigners in or-
der to escape poverty stated a
research published recently by
Dr. Rattana Boonmathaya from
Mahidol University, TNA said
on May 4.
The source said that the par-
ticular village chosen for the
study is noticeable for the fact
that nearly one in three of the 330
women aged 20-59 resident there
has chosen to marry a foreigner,
with 96 percent having married
men from Switzerland.
But the women also stressed
that financial considerations are
not the only ones at play, saying
that foreign men are less likely
than there Thai counterparts to
be concerned about past rela-
tionships or virginity, and have
a greater sense of responsibility.
WASHINGTON
Incurable Malaria
Haunts SEA
Southeast Asia remains the
high saddle of the drug-resis-
tant malaria disease, the World
Bank (WB) said as it unveiled
its new global plan to combat
the disease killing over a mil-
lion people each year mostly
children.
Though Africa still remains
to the most affected region of
all with at least 85% of recorded
deaths due to the disease,
Southeast Asia is being con-
sidered as the “epicenter” of
drug-resistant malaria. WB said
most of the 3,000 deaths each
day—10 new cases every sec-
ond—are in Africa and more
than a third of the world’s total
population now lives in malaria
endemic areas.
 CBCPWorld Corporation
CBCP Building 9/F Summit I Building
470 Gen. Luna Street Shaw Boulevard
Intramuros, 1002 Manila PHILIPPINES Mandaluyong City PHILIPPINES
www.cbcpworld.com Telefax: (632) 404-1612
friends@cbcpworld.com Phone: (632) 7183721
content@cbcpworld.com Fax: (632) 533-4052
+639209205848

Volume 39 • Number 2 31
32 IMPACT • May 2005