When the clouds cleared for everyone to appreciate, there it showed the proverbial "silver lining in the skies." The occurrence was meant to be said both in literal and figurative manner.

Never mind if many of us are still predisposed to superstition or, better still, an increasing number of Filipinos are becoming feng-shui adherents.

The fact is when the skies brightened after the downpour that Friday afternoon, the ebullience of those who cling to optimism in sizing up the fate of this country, a host of good news came to the fore.

We had so many depressing news last week: The Camp Bagong Diwa siege that left 23 dead; four were killed and l3 missing when a summer storm named Auring ripped through Eastern and Western Visayas; another mass food contamination disaster, this time in Concepcion, Tarlac, where 89 pupils and parents went down in a case of food poisoning after eating spoiled spaghetti.

The bad news may have taken some psychological toll among the populace, but it did not dampen the high spirit of the many optimists in our midst.

For good news that is aligned with "the silver lining in the skies," the DepEd will bestow the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Outstanding Achievement Awards to deserving public high school students.

These are in the categories of student leadership, campus journalism, athletics, culture and the arts, and technology and entrepreneurship. Crucial fields of learning that will inspire the awardees to sustain when they go to college. This is good news No. l.

Good news No. 2: The Knights of Columbus, a prestigious international fraternal organization, has marked its l00th year of service to religious and civic endeavors in the country.

Many Filipinos identify the society by the resplendent gala costume members wear during formal Church celebrations.

The KoC is the largest Catholic organization of laymen in the world. Many parishes have each a council, and there are 12,000 councils all over the world, with some l.6 million members.

Fr. Michael J. McGivney founded the KoC on October 2, 1881, in New Haven, Connecticut.

The Centennial Celebration is significant in that the country is facing a potential crisis in the Filipino family. Congress is bent on passing a controversial bill that will legalize divorce and abortion, limit the number of children, among others.

Incidentally, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Budget Secretary Mario Relampagos have cautioned the government against guaranteeing or subsidizing MRT-7. They do not want the repetition of the losing financial exposure of the government in MRT-3.

Good news No. 4: A continuing volunteer service to help motorists and travelers have a trouble-free sojourn during the Holy Week is on its l9th year.

Called Lakbay-Alalay, its service points will be manned by volunteer employees of Petron Corp. Starting March 23, they will be giving technical and trouble-shooting assistance to the travelling public in the North Luzon Expressway, the South Luzon Expressway and the STAR Tollways.

More good news: Awardwinning Boholano actor and director Cesar Montano will raise funds and build a library in memory of the 27 school children who died in a mass poisoning in Mabini town, Bohol, last March 8.