Padre don't preach

When I was growing up, I frequent the church before because my grandmother would always force me to tag along with her. I was in elementary then and a mass at 8pm on a Saturday night was not a favorable idea and much more a mass at 430 early Sunday mornings. The only consolation I would get from attending an early morning mass was the "puto, pan de sal and sikwate" that always opens up a gastronomic Sunday.

One day, I overheard my folks talking about a priest in our hometown who got somebody pregnant. The lady turned out to be our neighbor and her mom is a friend of my grandmother. Shocked with the news, I asked my mom why the lady got pregnant when she is not the wife and priests can’t marry. My mom immediately brushed me off saying that it’s not kids talk. I never questioned anybody about it then but the thought never really got out from my mind.

In high school, a neighbor gave birth to her third son whom she named Christopher. She named her son such because she wanted her son to enter priesthood when he grows up so that her family will be rich. Taken aback, I told her that priests have a vow of poverty and chastity. She said yes they have but there are priests who doesn’t really practice them. The idea hit me again, not all priests practice chastity and poverty, so that could be the reason why the town priest got our neighbor pregnant.

My grandmother would always remind me by telling me to always behave otherwise God will get angry and the priest will scold me. I’m afraid of God’s scorn but I was more afraid of the priests scolding….until I heard news that totally changed my views on these religious people.

I am honestly appalled whenever I hear in the news that a priest got somebody pregnant or priests accused of sexual harassment or news of priests and religious people getting rich and amassing millions of wealth. I considered them as revered people, who are closer to God than most ordinary citizens.

I agree that these priests are not saints and neither do we. I have yet to meet somebody who is a candidate for sainthood. The only problem I have with these people is that they made a vow. Much like ordinary people who made a vow on marriage, these religious people made a vow to be married to God. I’m not inclined to agree when it is said that those who choose to walk God’s narrower path are prone to temptations. Temptations are everywhere. Whether you are a religious person or just the ordinary sinner, evil lurks everywhere to tempt you.

I have nothing against priests, nuns and religious people in general. I have family members and friends who are members of the religious few. I love them and I have so much respect for them.

But still, I don’t like the idea of priests or religious people preaching over men and women calling them sinners because they have their eyebrows trimmed and they wear makeup or because they bet in jai alai and engage in sabong.

Remember what’s said in the bible, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

Padre, practice what you preach. Pareha ra bya ta nga makasasala. Wa gani mi nagreklamo nga halos kada tuig bag-o ka ug awto.





(This note was written because I can no longer stomach the bad practices of priests and the religious. I am chagrined with the thought that a few members of the religious group had besmirched their good image because of their shenanigans.)

Reasons why I won’t vote for Chiz Escudero

I find him annoying.

I haven’t heard him say anything good towards the present government. He’s always and always criticizing as if the present administrations are the most contemptuous people who walked on earth and Chiz is the saint. (Not that the government haven’t done anything good or perhaps I’m not just watching enough TV.)

He said that he would team up with convicted ex-President Erap if he will run for president and would never team with Villar because of the C5 controversy, which according to him has evidences that are too obvious. But he will team up with an ex-President who was found guilty of plunder and was even convicted and subsequently sentenced and pardoned. (No wonder he didn’t support Erap’s impeachment despite overwhelming evidences against the former president.)

Every time a controversy with the present administration blows, he’ll be the first ones you’ll see propped up in front of your TV screens, giving interviews and imparting some glib talk and rant about how corrupt the present government is. (As if we don’t know.)

He’s a wolf in sheep’s clothes, a Tra-Po disguised as an honorable politician.

I still find him annoying.

If Chiz Escudero will work SILENTLY (meaning less TV exposure) towards the betterment of our nation, he’ll probably earn my vote. Until such, I will have to bear hearing his annoying voice every time he comes on TV. (He should work on his monotonous voice as well and improve it. If he decides to work in a call center, his QA will fail because of the monotony of his voice.)


(I believe in freedom of expression and that everybody has a right to their own opinion)

A Cry of Anguish from a Hurt BPO Employee

Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared Sept 7 and Sept 21 as Special Non-Working Holidays however employees working in the BPO sector and those working in the electronics industry are exempted from the rule. That means that BPO employees and those in the electronics industry are required to work but are not entitled to a holiday premium.

For some reason, she heard the cry of the owners of BPO / Semicon companies. These sectors employ the highest number of employees and if a holiday is declared, they’ll be forced to pay additional premiums to those who will be working on these days. Doesn't the government have compunctions about granting these requests? Do they even consider that workers in the BPO and electronics industries are also Filipinos and that they pay TAXES?

When I heard about the news, all I said was “What the fuck!”. I’m an honest employee and I diligently pay my taxes. Anybody who dares disagree with that and I’ll slap them my pay slips. Every goddamn 15th and 30th, my regular pay is being deducted with an amount which I am sure just goes directly to the deep pockets of the crooks better known as “politicos”.

Fairness and equality is a non-existent word in our government’s vocabulary. They declared a holiday for the nation because a spiritual leader of a religious congregation died but exempted from the declaration are the BPO / Semicon industry workers. Where’s fairness in that? Equality? I understand if BPO and electronics industry employees are required to come to work but to be denied of a holiday premium pay? Discrimination perhaps? What the fuck indeed!

I know what some people will say, they’ll tell me to be thankful that I have a job. Oh fucking yes, I am thankful to have a job but right now, I’m having second thoughts about having this job in the Philippines. It just sucks.

Now I’m thinking of skipping the next polls, or perhaps not. I’m still undecided but this I know for sure, I will not vote for the lesser evil. My vote will go to someone who truly cares for the entire ailing nation and not just to be selective about it, somebody whose life is centered in equality, fairness, truth and justice.

Pearl M. Hagnaya, mother, hurt BPO employee.