HERE’S good news! Despite the political squabbles and the country’s problems, a majority or 64 percent of Filipinos look forward to a happy Christmas and better New Year.
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The optimistic figure increased by two percent from the past two years of 2006 and 2007. This is revealed in the final survey conducted by Social Weather Station (SWS) from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, 2007.
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Eight percent expect this Christmas to be sad, while 27 percent say it will be neither happy nor sad.
Nine out of 10 interviewed said they would face the new year with hope.
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The optimism is due to a great extent to the positive gains garnered by the economy, notably the record high strengthening of the peso, the bullish stock market, better revenue collection.
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While this augurs well for the New Year, the government should strive to meet the people’s high expectations. The main concern now is to let the economic gains trickle down to the masses and poor sector.
In concrete terms, there should be more employment, micro business opportunities for small entrepreneurs, cheaper food and basic services.
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Talking of hope, we should distinguished between two kinds.
There is a hope that’s passive, that is, when we just wait for God to do all the work for us or hope for doleouts or for the government to spoonfeed us.
What we need is an active hope, that is, to work for solutions to our problems, to be more resourceful and enterprising.
Active hope does not let things happen but MAKE things happen.
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For instance, a young man who took up computer science invested some capital for a small computer shop. Through diligence and perseverance, he was able to add to his sole computer unit to two, then three as his profits increased.
Now he has a modestly successful business.
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Then for young married couples, they would do well to plan their families.
They should not reproduce so many children they cannot afford to support. This is "responsible parenthood" which the Church advocates.
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On Christmas, Jesus Christ came to save us. Now we have to do our share of saving ourselves from poverty, from vices, from sin.
Do your best and God will do the rest.
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The lighter side. A male chauvinist version of "Peace on Earth." What do you call a woman in heaven? An angel.
What do you call a group of women in heaven? A host of angels.
And if women are all in heaven, what do you call that? Peace on Earth.
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Confucius: Thank the men who urinate on the ground. They spread PISS on earth.
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A man approaches a priest and asks: "Please bless me, Father, coz my son is a drug addict, my daughter an unwed mother, my wife a gambler.
Priest: Wala bang positive sa buhay mo? Man: Ako, Father…HIV positive!
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Start the year right. Resolve to be more generous this New Year. As you grow older, are you more charitable, more generous Christians? Or are you becoming the opposite?
We’re here in this world not just to work for our personal needs and enjoyment but also to reach out to the less fortunate.
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One concrete way of doing this is to chip in or sponsor a poor seminarian’s schooling and contribute to our Indigents’ Fund for poor sick, like Dante Cabansag who has a renal failure and can’t afford dialysis and medicines.
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Send donation payable to "Adopt a Seminarian" c/o Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD, Christ the King Seminary, 1101 E. Rodriguez Blvd., 1099 Quezon City or to me (for the indigents) and I will forward it to the beneficiaries.
For inquiries, write to: belsvd@yahoo.com or belsvd@skyinet.net
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God rewards ... the latest donors to Adopt A Seminarian scholarship program: Sonny Moreno, Sta. Mesa, Manila; Edgardo Montoya, Gen. Trias, Cavite; Rodolfo Sudaria, San Jose, CA; Danilo Dumantay, Cabuyao, Laguna; Emelita ; Sev Alaguia, QC; J.L.A; Ines Que. Anonymous
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Likewise, God bless the latest donors to our Indigents Fund: Beny De Sagun; E. Rancor, QC; PRJ; Estela David, QC; Luz Lazo; Antonio Dacanay; Danny SEE, Manila; Carmelita GO, Manila; Armando Armas Jr., Loakan, Baguio.
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"Share your blessings and God will bless you all the more."
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