THE Southeast Asian Games originated from the Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games which were inaugurated in Thailand in 1959, with just six participating countries, namely, Burma (Myanmar), Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The SEAP was conceptualized by Laung Sukhumnaipradit, then Vice President of the Thailand Olympic Committee. He believed that a regional sports event, similar to the Asian Games or the Olympic Games, would help promote cooperation, understanding and, good relations among countries in the region. His efforts were rewarded after two years of lobbying.

MILLIONS of people all around the world are now dabbling in various forms of occultic practices. What is puzzling is the fact that the profiles of the people engaging in these occultic practices are mixed and of extreme temperament. The occult practitioners include the crazy, the sane, the depressed, the intellectual, the superstitious, the religious, and would you believe it – even religious leaders and psychologists and psychiatrists fall prey to occultism! In our country, the situation is no better. Why – even our rich young students reared supposedly with the best religious upbringing are not spared. But what is really very alarming is the fact that occultism is now gaining worldwide respectability and acceptance.

THE mighty leader has announced a great discovery: That the people are tired of hearing about the "Garci" tapes. I am not being ironic: A large number of people are not just tired of "Garci," they are tired, weary, and fatigued of many other things as well.

ON Tuesday, Spain’s Minister of Defense Jose Bono and his party of 22 visited my hometown Baler, Aurora, where the last and one of the most significant stories of the Philippine war of independence against Spain took place.

OUR Sunday Bulletin column of 6 November 2005 apparently created some interest and much curiosity as gathered from the several comments sent by E-mail. Many readers wanted to know if there are more of Robert Greene’s "Laws of Power" to guide them in their aspirations in life. A few even asked me to provide them the complete book or a xerox copy thereof! It is therefore gratifying for me to learn such feedbacks and, in response, to satisfy the ones who are serious, curious, dubious, ambitious, contentious, litigious, rambunctious, impecunious, facetious, etc., I am devoting this week’s piece to more of the same. Earlier, I wrote that "Greene’s Laws" could be helpful especially to our Filipino leaders (both elected and appointed), public officials in general, diplomats, the elites, corporate planners, educators, media practitioners, civil servants, sportspeople and entrepreneurs. Here are some more excerpts:

IN observance of the Advent season and amidst the difficulties brought forth by external and domestic economic and political developments, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has urged all Filipinos to implore the Lord’s help in the resolution of the country’s present political crisis and deliverance from the evils of terrorism, bird flu, and other threats to human life.

"What an effort, what fumbling, what irritating fatigue!"

THERE’S this saying about the game of heads and tails the "smart’’ player is supposed to propose to the other player that: "Heads I win, tails you lose.’’ Of course, in no instance will the other player ever win in such a game. Which brings me to the alleged resurfacing of ex-Comelec Commissioner Virgilio "Garci’’ Garcillano. I do not believe that he will come out any time soon, until the Supreme Court has decided on his petitions. If he does, his appearance will be a losing proposition, any way I look at it, just like the game of heads and tails. I shall be as neutral as possible in discussing this topic, in spite of my confirmed bias for the truth. First, he will have to be prepared or honed by legal and PR experts, in order to be able to acquit himself, with whatever credibility he can muster. If he decides to bare facts close to reality or half-truths, no amount of preparation will be enough, because lawyers will cross-examine his statements, as to their veracity. No matter how intelligent and well-prepared a witness is, he cannot cover all the angles that are not completely truthful. That witness will be exposed. However, if he tells the truth, he’ll be better off.

BORN on November 27, 1932, in Concepcion, Tarlac, Benigno "Ninoy" S. Aquino Jr. rose to distinction at the young age of 17 when he was dispatched as the youngest correspondent to cover the Korean War for a newspaper. Because of his journalistic feats, he received a Legion of Honor from President Elpidio R. Quirino at age 18. At 21, he became a close adviser to then Defense Secretary Ramon F. Magsaysay. He studied law at the University of the Philippines, where he became a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi. He interrupted his studies, however, to pursue a career in journalism. In early 1954, he was appointed by President Magsaysay to act as personal emissary to Luis Taruc, leader of the Hukbalahap rebel group. After four months of negotiations, he secured Taruc’s unconditional surrender. He became mayor of Concepcion in 1955 at the age of 22. In the same year, he married Corazon Cojuangco, with whom he had five children, namely, Maria Elena, Aurora Corazon, Benigno III (Noynoy), Victoria Elisa, and Kristina Bernadette (Kris).

SINCE its discovery in 1928 by Fleming, an English Bacteriologist, the antibiotic penicillin, has revolutionized the line of treatment by physicians and veterinarians. It has tremendously benefited humans and animals suffering from diseases caused by harmful bacteria. Penicillin was followed by streptomycin that was discovered by Waksman an American bacteriologist, in 1944. Since then the two antibiotics were followed by new generations of more effective antibiotics derived from both penicillin and streptomycin. All of these antibiotics were used for treatment of diseases in humans and animals. With these discoveries the field of antibiotics therapy was born.

SATAN called a worldwide convention of demons. In his opening address he said, "We can’t keep Christians from going to church." "We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth." "We can’t even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their Savior." "Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken."

JESUS said to His disciples, "Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’ "