By Modesto P. Sa-onoy Fr. Elias L. Ayuban, Jr., CMF, JCD, the Provincial Superior of the Claretian Missionaries of the Philippine Province and Board Member of the Association of Major Superiors in the Philippines posted on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines website on May 4, an article that focused on closed churches, viewing
May 12, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy John Horvat II’s article in Return to Order last week is worth sharing. I received the article entitled, “No One Can Oblige Us to Commit Suicide” last Friday. It is a long discourse so let me cite passages to illustrate his point that governments have no right to compel people to
May 11, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy The patience of people had been strained against the closing of churches and the gathering for religious purposes. Now legal and extra-legal action is being taken by people who believe that this action of government is not only inappropriate, but a conspiracy to enforce a new code of behavior controlled by
May 9, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy People feared it but did not expect it would come. The cessation of the ABS-CBN broadcast was done at a time when people are tuned in to every media outlet, including the social media listening to the latest developments in the pandemic. The order to close was untimely and undermines the
May 8, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy In our previous column we referred to the report of LifeSiteNews citing the German newspaper, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, telling a “riveting details to the story on how the pandemic reached beyond the boundaries of China and into the world. The insider information comes from interviews with French scientists directly involved with the
May 7, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy It had been speculated in international press for some time since the pandemic rearranged our lives and many lost their fortunes. But government and people were too busy trying to stop its spread that the priority was saving lives. Some people dismissed the “conspiracy theory” of a biological warfare. The theory
May 5, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy During the early period of the Church, the Romans persecuted the Church and in order to keep the faith and provide the faithful with spiritual sustenance, the leaders of the Church continued with the sacraments in what is known as “catacombs”. They are human-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. The catacombs
May 4, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy We are getting more complaints against official bias depriving senior citizens of their rights to free movement ostensibly for their own good. I have read many times in history that governments decided the “common good” as excuse to impose totalitarian rule. Students of history know that but the only ones who can
May 2, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy Finally, some officials of government had realized the ridiculous bias, unintended perhaps, of excluding senior citizens for public life. While others, even the unhealthy can go out under the modified quarantine, the seniors are not allowed even to take a ride in a private car. The news yesterday said that “lawmakers
May 1, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” Juliet lamented in William Shakespeare’s love tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. In our present tragedy, what is ECQ, MCQ or GCQ, is quarantine by any initial is quarantine just the same. It prevents people from
April 30, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy It seems that while the country is on a lock down or under the Enhanced or General Community Quarantine the order of the government has no bearing on the New People’s Army. That is expected of the insurgents’ intent in doing everything within their power to topple the present government and
April 29, 2020
By Manuel P. Mejorada In crisis, there is plenty of opportunity. Over the years, nations and peoples have encountered countless crises. And while such events caused widespread suffering and difficulty, crisis often brings out the best in us. It is during crisis that great leaders emerge and rise to the challenge. When a crisis hits
April 29, 2020