ANGELO REYES IN ALL OF US

What former Secretary Angelo Reyes said in his last interview is haunting. His words were, “ I did not invent corruption. I walked into it. Perhaps my first fault was in having accepted aspects of it as a fact of life.”

Those words provoked me. His words for me are simple. Corruption was already there. He just walked into the system. It was engrossed and so formidable beyond his capacity to triumph over it. Or perhaps the monstrosity of it slowly crept into him that a man, virtuous as he was, was caught into its lair and he was not able to get free.

He just could not. The monster was stealthy and tricky. It carried with it patches in gold and silver. And it catapulted him to recognition and success. Indeed, he became a very successful man.

But the monster was just so formidable that its stinging breath puffed out effusively. Former AFP Budget Officer Lt. Col. George Rabusa wanting to save his dignity and self respect revealed all. And for his honor, Secretary Angelo Reyes was moved to kill himself.

The plot of events had a commendable intensity. And all of us awaited every turn like we did for teleserye. But unlike our favorite teleserye the events are just real and they affect us all.

I do not see former Secretary Angelo Reyes as a man to be condemned. I looked up to him having known that he came from a middle class family and worked himself up the ladder. I just see him as many of us who have embraced a culture of corruption and accepted it as a fact of life.

Maybe many will argue with that point but I cannot really think of anybody in exception because we have embraced the culture of callousness. With our callousness, we have our silence. With our silence, we guard our comfort.

Our silence has produced crooked politicians, shady deals in government, poor infrastructure projects, and injustice to other people. Our silence makes other rich and powerful. We just go unaffected as long as we are not on the hitch, as long as we are not corrupt. But our silence just speaks all, from poverty to corruption scandals. Our silence also makes most of us corrupt. Like Angelo Reyes, we have walked into the system and accepted the crooked system as a way of our life.

On the other hand, I cannot be indignant to our silence. Perhaps we are silent because we see Jun Lozada who after divulging all and shaking the system still does not look at peace and happy. Perhaps, we see our government officials who were racked with issues of corruption but they are still now honored with another government position. We see them grinning on TV, and accusing others also with corruption. Perhaps we are silent because we see our helplessness against the existing odds. Maybe, we are not actually callous, only helpless.

I find late Secretary Reyes honorable. If he is not, I don’t know what to call the rest of us. So, I grieve for his death. I grieve to see success ending in tragedy. I grieve to see him so helpless amid the accusations. I grieve for his will to save his honor that took him years to build. May his soul rest in peace…

Now, I see two things that are worth dying for. First, Filipinos. Second, corruption.




Reyes' last statement: 'I walked into corruption' - Nation - GMA News Online
Reyes' last statement: 'I walked into corruption' - Nation - GMA News Online - The go-to site for Filipinos everywhere - Latest Philippine News

http://www.amazon.com
Corruption and Government: Causes, Consequences, and ReformSyndromes of Corruption: Wealth, Power, and Democracy





Governing Buildings & Bldg Gov
Corruption, Democracy and Good Gov

Texas Gov. hopeful alleges coverup. (Ann Richards, coverup of credit life investigation): An article from: National Underwriter Property & Casualty-Risk & Benefits Management

Message of a mother to a daughter

I am just so glad to see you now as a woman. Time seems to have snapped events and episodes that right now I have to accept that you are no longer a baby who clings on to me for assistance and comfort. You no longer cry to me for help because you are now learning to take responsibilities of your life and the complexities it sometimes brings. Indeed, through the years I have seen you emerging to be confident, independent, and willful. And I have just to take courage to accept the person that you are now and the person that you are to become. I have to take courage to accept that I don’t own you, you belong to your own destiny, to God’s divine plan.

You are just full of potentials, Star. I named you Star because I see you to be the light that you can be. You have been born to set your influence and stance. You have been born to be our light. Your Daddy and I found reasons upon reasons to live life cheerfully because we have you and your sister. We both see you bearing our pride, and our legacy. We see you reaching the heights that we had not arrived at. We see you embarking on dreams that we haven’t dreamt.

Now that you are a woman, Star, twinkle to the world. You can subdue it and you can own it. It will never be harsh on you but it will be there to uphold you. You can mold it and change it. You can trim it and beautify it. You are set to shine and be a star to other people. You are set to make realities and dreams come true.

I may have towering expectations for you but they are not impossible, because God’s will is even far beyond we could expect. God is set to bless and give you beyond what you or I could ever imagine. Remember that you can do everything through Christ who strengthens you. God is set to bless you. He is for you and not against you.

I am proud of the woman that you have become. You are the fulfillment of what we can be, and we are so happy to have you as our daughter. You are God’s wonderful blessing to us. Thank you for being you.. Happy birthday Star..

The crossroad

(This is the love story I read during the wedding reception of my close friends, Edward and Faith Agyekum. They are just so lovely as a couple. I love them both.)


When did fate create the crossroad?

Two thousand and three when Ed went for a medical mission in Iloilo. The venue was Iloilo National High School where Faith was a new teacher. How did the spark start? This is the story…

Faith taking advantage of the free dental check up, lined up for Ed. To tell you honestly, Ed was just interested with teeth and nothing more. And there went Faith with her dental problem. During the check up, Ed, being just a teeth lover, asked Faith to lie down for him to have a better view of his only interest, her teeth. But whoa, Faith refused to lie down! She insisted on sitting during the check up. Ed, being so eager for a good view of her teeth, urged her again to lie down. Faith, feeling so awkward on her skirt, again said no, and insisted on sitting during the check up. Well, like Delilah over Samson, she won. The check up was over. But for Ed it never was.

For the first time he forgot about his love for teeth, and started thinking about Faith, the woman who just refused to lie down. Funny start huh? But just like the typical Mills and Boon, and Harlequin romances, Ed was captivated with Faith’s strong will, and he encountered no woman like that before.

The next day, Ed was just so eager to meet faith again. So for this episode, a cupid played a part. Sir Julius Plondaya with his invisible wings, arrows, and diaper helped the search for Faith. Through him, the invitation to dine out was given. Faith refused. Another invitation was given. Again, Faith refused. The third time, she said yes, but she brought with her a chaperon. A local TV network won’t buy that for a love story plot. But after that, Ed has never ceased communicating with Faith. The friendship blossomed. Ed kept track of Faith’s life. He knew of her dreams, her experiences, her highs and downs, even the love relationship she had. Ed was just there, knowing…and waiting…

He found the opportunity to visit Faith again in 2005. The friendship still continued. And in 2008, Faith finally decided for a commitment. During that time, she told me that there never was a man like Ed. Ed finally became her confidence and her love. She since has begun seeing life just with him, happiness with him, and future with him.

I haven’t talked to Ed about his feelings… I felt not in position to… but every time I see them together and watch him hold her hand, I know that he is willing to face whatever the future may bring if it means loving Faith for always.

Tonight, as God’s perfect time, we gather for their love, and celebrate the happiness it now brings us all. Praise God that he makes things so beautiful in his time! Praise God for the teeth and the awkward skirt!