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This photo is a very rare one, taken by NASA. This kind of event occurs once in 3000 years. This photo has done miracles in many lives. Make a wish... you have looked at the eye of God. Surely you will see the changes in your life within a day. Whether you believe it or not, don't keep this mail with you. This is a picture NASA took with the hubble telescope.Called "The Eye of God". Too awesome to delete. It is worth sharing.

God's Eye

By Rudy A. Arizala

We were all very shocked and saddened by the events that happened in

November last year. No one could have imagined how our beloved hometown of Infanta would be altered so quickly and dramatically. The pain and suffering that was caused by this act of nature was immense, and our thoughts and prayers go out to those who have lost loved ones in this huge disaster.

Our dear friends here in the UK have not only felt our distress but also seen our resolve to try to return Infanta to the beautiful town that it was before. Through their generosity, we are sending a check in the amount of $769.69 (sent by post today) which we sincerely hope will go some way towards the restoration of Infanta.

by Deacon Mario Van Loon, Coordinator, Social Action Center

The Social Action Center of the Prelature of Infanta is now in the second stage of its program, namely, rehabilitating the victims of the flash floods and mud flow in the provinces of Quezon and Aurora.

Construction materials are being distributed now to families that are given priority because they are identified as most affected, most vulnerable, and most at risk. The amount of 10,000 pesos worth of materials is allotted to each priority family. This amount comes in the form of galvanized iron for roofing, all kinds of nails, marine plywood, cement, toilet bowl, steel bars, hammer and other tools.

When the families heard that they would have their own toilets, they were very happy. For them this is a great improvement from where they were before. Financial assistance is also given to families that need gasoline and payment for chain saw in slicing the logs needed for building their houses.

Most of the first 500 priority families will be able to complete their houses this week: 100 in Real, 100 in Infanta, 100 in Nakar and 100 for indigenous people. 100 units will be constructed in the Umiray-Dingalan area the coming weeks. The logistics there are quite complicated. In Dingalan proper the ground breaking for 127 units will be done on February 21.

From Manila to Infanta big trailers and ten-wheeler trucks will continue to crawl slowly over the precarious zigzag roads of the Sierra Madre Mountains, carrying construction materials for thousands of families in Real, Infanta, and General Nakar. These are unloaded in a huge warehouse in Infanta, properly recorded and systematically distributed. A full time staff keeps track of everything that goes in and out of the warehouse. Buying the materials in bulk directly from the factories is cost-saving.

The distribution of construction materials is also done in orderly and systematic manner through the existing MSK (Munting Sambayanang Kristiyano or Basic Ecclesial Communities). These MSKs are organized groups of 10-15 families in all barangays (villages) of the Prelature of Infanta, which serve as basic structures for the Church of the Poor. After the disaster these MSKs came in very handy for making the surveys of the damage, number of persons and families involved, determining the kind of help needed, etc. The MSKs also ensure that relief goods really go to those in need. They are the ones identifying the families that are most affected, most vulnerable and at risk.

In the beginning, distributing relief goods by making people queue up was necessary. Now people prefer the food-for-work system of distribution. This is especially true in General Nakar. The MSKs continue to help one another in clearing the mud and debris in their own areas and in the barangays. Their leaders go to the Distribution Center of the SAC of the Parish and get the goods for a group of families who have worked together and for those in their area that are not capable of working. This we call food-for-work. People feel more dignified and happy working together again for common projects like communal vegetable gardens, building houses, cleaning up debris, etc.

Simultaneous with building and repairing houses we try to find alternative forms of livelihood for the people. Bishop Tria Tirona was able to secure enormous amounts of assorted seeds, which the people have already started to plant. People are just eager to turn the vast areas of mud and wasteland along the Agos River into productive land, by planting peanuts, corn, camote (sweet potato), string beans, ampalaya, eggplant, water melon, tomatoes etc.

With so many non-government organizations, institutions, and individuals showing solidarity, care and concern for the victims of the disaster, our people are beginning to see hope again for the future of their children. However, feelings of insecurity, the fear of rain and typhoons, and floods are still deeply embedded in their human psyche. The trauma of the disaster, especially those who lost their loved ones, and those who personally experienced the raging waters that brought them to the rooftops or the branches of trees … these are the ones who need special processes for inner healing.

Therefore, we have invited psychologists and counselors to give debriefing sessions to our people. We also try to integrate holistic approach to health by incorporating herbal medicines and traditional health practices.

The Social Action Center, as overall coordinator of all projects related to the disaster, tries to work closely with the local government units. We strongly recommend for immediate implementation the following:

3. Dredging of the Agos River and constructing protective dikes along the Agos River to channel the water directly to the Pacific Ocean. I have asked the Dutch organization Cordaid to find a Dutch engineer, who wants to come to the Philippines and give his opinion on the subject.

Before the end of February the SAC, with the help of the parishes and some NGOs, will finalize a comprehensive project proposal incorporating all the rehabilitation and reconstruction plans of the whole area. This project will provide the general framework for all our efforts during the next six to nine months.

God bless all our efforts. We count on your prayer and support.

Posted Fb. 25, 2005

On 25 February we shall be recalling to memory if not celebrating the first EDSA People Power which we thought would enable us write a new page in the history of our country after having toppled a dictatorship government.

However, after nineteen years, we still find ourselves not only in "economic doldrums" but due to peace and order problems we live on borrowed time. And worse, we do not only live on borrowed time but also on borrowed money, energy and borrowed jobs abroad.

In the face of all these, we continue our seemingly endless debates on side issues: from "Cha-cha" to VAT and now about a piece of card called national " I.D". We continue to sing the old nursery song learned when we were kids: "London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. . ." oblivious of the fact that the U.S. dollar and the Philippine Peso are the ones "falling down, falling down, falling down. . . my fair lady!"

Why? Probably, because of our "Bahala na" attitude.We were supposed to write a new history for the Philippines on 25 February 1986. And because of such missed opportunity, What is there to celebrate or commemorate on 25 February?

In this connection, I am reminded of what an Argentine journalist Hector Timerman wrote in Newsweek magazine of 23 August 2004, p. 24:

"Our task is to write a new history for Argentina. It won´t be easy. These days we are known mostly as a society that does everything wrong."

It appears we Filipinos have also "a society that does everything wrong."

Statement of Conviction of the Clergy of the Prelature of Infanta

Dt 30, 19-20: "today I offer you a choice of life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life and then you and your descendants will live."

We the clergy of the Prelature of Infanta, experienced the disaster caused by the successive typhoons hat hit the Sierra Madre Ranges displacing hundreds of Agtas, claiming more than a thousand lives, damaging more than five thousand houses, causing damage to crops an properties and affected more than 10 thousand families.

We believed that this calamity, while there was heavy downfall, would not have happened if heavy logging did not take place. the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines and different groups have been campaigning against logging int he Sierra Madre for many years now. The government, the DENR and the local government officials did not listen.

After the tragedy, we reiterate our call for:

1) Renewed ecological education to raise the consciousness of all int he community. We should no longer allow the irresponsible use of the environment for self-interest gain of individuals and the so-called "development agenda" of the government and some private sectors.

2) Prosecution of the loggers and the government officials involved, whether national or local, and the compensation of the families affected in Aurora and Quezon;

3) Implementation of a logging moratorium in the whole of Aurora and Quezon, including cancellation of logging permits of existing logging companies and sawmills in the said areas;

4) Promotion of ecologically-friendly alternative sources of livelihood for our people.

Let us all unite to take care of the Sierra Madre and all forests int he country for the future generation. This is god's clear message for all of us now!

Signed: Bishop Rolando Tria Tirona, OCD, Bishop Julio X. Labayen OCD and 26 priests of the Prelature of Infanta

NQCC assistant dean appeals for NQCC

Ms. Tessie Giron, assitant dean of the Northern Quezon Community College (NQCC), has sent an appeal on behalf of the college. She said,

"I'm appealing for Northern Quezon Cooperative College, of which I'm the Assistant Dean and College Administrator. The Pres. of the Board of Directors and Dean, Fr. Francis Lucas, is up to his eyebrow with Sagip Buhay catering to all 36 barangays of Infanta. So I am taking over the responsibility to look for rehabilitation help.

You will recall that NQCC was founded for the express purpose of providing access to a college education to poor youth from Infanta, Gen. Nakar, Real, and the outlying islands who would otherwise not be able to study in the big cities.

All of NQCC's offices and classrooms, except 2 on the 2nd floor, were buried in thigh-high mud. The chairs' legs were all that was left sticking up from the mud when the 13-ft. high waters receded. The power of the flood, driven by the river currents, was such that our driveway, front and lobby were filled with logs. The roots of a tree that looked like primeval growth, so huge that it reached up to within a foot of the ceiling of the lobby, inspired awe in all visitors who just wondered how it could have found its way into our lobby. We had to have it cut down by power saw for a whole morning before we could drag away its parts.

I organized Operation Linis bayanihan style among the faculty, staff, and students, and even some parents to clean up the school. We had to pay a crew of workers to start the work last Dec. in order to rescue important documents and to dig a trench around the middle ground because during this rainy season, it would have made our work as vain as that of Sisyphus pushing his burden up the hill.

We dug out the 20 computers from the computer laboratory and the 5 units from the offices, but our technician advised us that the best he can do is to cannibalize some of its parts. The computer teacher in charge of this lab lost her life together with her 2 young children when a landslide uprooted a big tree that fell on top of her house in Kiloloron.

We are going to have re-registration of the students this coming week to find out how many are coming back, and will reopen classes on the 24th, esp, for the sake of the graduating students.

I would greatly appreciate any help you can give us towards replacing our computers in a spirit of solidarity.

May God bless your indefatigable work for the overall welfare of Metro Infanta.

...musta po muli kayo?pasensya na po kayo...heto na naman ako at mang-aabala sa inyo!muli ko pong kinuting-ting ang aking gitara at lumikha muli ako ng isang awit para sa mga kapatid nating agta o dumagat.

No'ng nakalipas na bagyo at baha...sila rin ay nakaranas ng mas malupit na paghihirap( walang matapukan,walang pagkain,tubig,kumot o damit man lang ).

Hindi ko maimagine ang isang batang agta na nilalamig,giniginaw,nagugutom.(bigla ko tuloy naalala ang mga anak ko(venice at lean) na magdamag daw sa bubong ng bahay ni t'ya pacing gurango).

Ang malupit pa...pagkatapos ng bagyo...ang mga kapatid nating dumagat ay hindi man lang diumano naambunan ng relief goods('wag naman sana!)sa ganung sitwasyon...ano marahil ang sasabihin ng tatay na agta sa kanyang giniginaw at nagugutom na anak? "magpahinga...matulog na lang bukas bahala na?"

Kagaya rin siguro ng kalikasan...puno,ilog o lupa mismo...may panahon din para sila magpahinga,matulog...umidlip kahit saglit!

Ang "oyayi ni makiejapet" ay awit ng paghehele..."lullaby"wika nga sa inglis.sa kaalaman,si makiejapet ay diyos ng mga agta/dumagat."un potok" ang tawag nila sa lupa"kakmokan ti agta"nilikha para sa agta.

No'ng ako ay nasa seminaryo(isang taon 'lang naman 'yon)pinalad ako na makipamuhay sa kanila at natuto ng konting katutubong tula at kataga(kapansin-pansin ang mga katagang e2 sa oyayi)

Panghuli, sinabi ng isang agta..."et...pag nga po pinulak ng mga tagalog ang puno...para na rin nila kaming inutas,para na rin nilang pinulak si makiejapet!"

OYAYI NI MAKIEJAPET

(para sa mga agta/dumagat)

I have been very busy preparing for our chapter on Mar 7-12, 2005, and attending to the minute details of the transition. So, I have not been able to send you sunday reflections. I hope to resume after the chapter.

My term of office will expire during the chapter, probably Mar 8... when our provincial elect, Fr. Junjun Agruda is expected to take over.

Please pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance of this Chapter.

During the chapter, we will receive our new assignments. I have some idea where i will be assigned... but everything can change until it is finalized during the chapter.

God bless you and be with you always!

Posted Feb. 17, 2005

• Commerce: Many stores are now open; the public market bustling with activities again.
• Church Bells: still remind people half an hour before Mass; alert people when there's a funeral. They also ring for the Angelus three times a day.
• Carmelite Prayer Garden: undamaged, but the flowers are now buried, and the grounds have filled up with mud rising to the church floor level.
• Coronacion Family: Sponsored the cleaning and restoring of the church pews so that they were ready for the "Simbang Gabi"
• Daily Mass: Now at 6:00 in the morning instead of 6:00 in the evening
• Bridges: Temporaries allow the passage of even the heaviest of payloads. It may take some time to rebuild completely.
• Poblacion houses: Most have been cleaned up with some damaged; a few destroyed.
• Marcelo Leynes Family: Doing well. Store just opened.
• Dr. Gurango Residence: South fence down completely. House on the outside looked all right.
• Elementary Central: Books, supplies and equipment damage; Basketball court used as landing for helicopter; four-prong water supply installed; distribution center for ABS-CBN Foundation. Marker now in place honoring the Gregorio Rutaquio Family for donating land to the Elementary Central
• Father Boy Makabenta: Was hospitalized for a mild stroke/heart attack. Was going back to Infanta on Sunday, Jan. 30.
• Father Lou Evangelista: Left Infanta after the tragedy; now in Bulacan; he was replaced by Father Elvis (last name unknown).
• Father Cha Colendres: Cross marking the spot where he died has been placed on the south side of the road going to General Nakar (Pilaway or Bungko?).
• Noise: The sound of electric generator, tricycle horn and loud radio seem like a normal part of life in Infanta.
• Work for Food: Kagawad Rudy Potes has been a great help to the NDV in clearing the banlik on its north side or between the NDV and Bahay Kubo; MCHS also has a number of people doing work for food;
• Mrs. Pining Telan: At 98 she's still hanging in there and seems to be in good spirit; Mely, Thelma, Cesar and Minda taking care of her.
• Real Beach Resorts: Many destroyed, a few still standing.

by Rudy Arizala

(A response to Carmelita Ruidera Turgo)

Ang sabi mo sa iyong sulat sa MIF website ang Nanay mo ay Atilana Gurango Ruidera at ang tatay mo naman ay yaong Franciso (Kiko) na dating pulis sa Infanta.

Ang tawag ng Nanay at Tatay mo sa aking Nanay ay "Ate Coring" sapagka´t tayo ay magkamag-anak dahil sa Ruidera. Ang mga Ruidera at Azcarraga sa Infanta ay kamag-anak ko.

Ang Tata Mando na binanggit ko sa aking salaysay hinggil kay Mang Isko ay walang iba kundi si Dr. Amando Gurango. Ang nanay niya ay Sisang Azcarraga na kapatid ng lolo ko na Carlos Azcarraga. Ang mga Azcarraga sa Brgy Ikdan, Gen. Nakar tulad nina nana Unsod at Ponte ay kamag-anak ko rin dahil sa Azcarraga.

Sayang at nawala na sa Infanta ang "Paskohan ng mga Azcarraga at Ruidera" na ginaganap taon-taon noong buhay pa ang ating mga magulang.

Ang mga pulis sa Infanta noong araw (pre-war) ay respetado. Ang kasamahan ng tatay mo bilang pulis sa Infanta ay sina Mang Garyong Valderrama, Amang Marcelino, (asawa ni Inang Inocenta), at Amang Aurelio tatay ni Cleto. Ang hepe nila or Chief of Police ay si Mr. Victorino Ruanto na naging mayor ng Infanta noong umalis na siya sa pagka pulis.

Maraming kumusta sa inyong lahat.

Please check out the Guestbook for these and other comments. Editor

In behalf of Barangay Pilaway, I would like to thank Doc Pat & Company of UP PGH who conducted a Medical Mission not only in Brgy. Pilaway but other Barangays as well last 13th-16th of January.

I love and pray for the Carmelite Sisters of Karmelo of the Fathers Dream and all the people they pray for and serve with Christ's love. Love to all of you.

I heard you visited Infanta last Jan. 28.Sayang di tayo nagkita.I'll be retiring June 2005 .Sana ituloy lang ninyo ang project sa Infanta Central School Gabaldon Bldg.Kumusta and more power.

Nabasa ko po ang mga article mo tungkol kay Man Isko at Tata Mando gurango. Si Dr. Gurango po ba yon? From Barangay Ilog, Infanta, po ako. Ang Nanay ko po ay si Atilana Gurango Ruidera, aswa ng Francisco Turgo na polis noong araw. Napakaganda po ang istorya mos sa Infanta.

This website is really GREAT! para nga akong TIMANG ng mabasa ko 'yong ibang message ng mga ka-batch ko parang bumalik 'yong feeling ko nong high school ako.. I really miss them all..Hi! to all batch 86. Please update me ano nang balita.

I am heartened by your reports about generous donors to the disaster relief. It's now time to help for rehabilitation. God bless you all.

Ipagdasal po natin ang madaling pag-ahon ng ating bayan mula sa kalunos-lunos na trahedyang dumaan sa ating mga mahal sa buhay at kababayan... sa mga tumulong sa mga naapektuhan ng bagyo at mudslides, maraming salamat po.

Agora -- heart of dynamo or human activities

by Rudy Arizala

In your "Tidbits" from Infanta, Real and General Nakar you stated that the public market in Infanta is "bustling with activities" and the town´s familiar sound or noise could be heard again such as the humming sound of motor generators and sputtering of tricycle engines.

I must say they are umistakable manifestations that despite the tragedies, destructions and deaths caused by the flash floods last 29 November 2004, life in Infanta is stirring towards normalcy.

For in ancient Greece, the Agora (public market) was the heart or dynamo of human activities. It was the place where people (rich or poor) assemble, transact business, buy and sell, exchange ideas (gossips), talks or simply watch silently while sipping their tea or smoking their hookah, how life goes by.

You also said "Dr. Gurango´s residence" looks allright from the outside except that the south wall fence had collapsed. The other houses have also been cleaned although some still show signs of destructions or damage.

If Infanta´s Agora has come to life again, then like Phoenix which rose from the ashes, Infanta will rise again from the "banlik".

Agora is the barometer of the public pulse--of community life.

As I told you before, with or without the help from the government, because of the resiliency of our kababayans, they would rise again through their own efforts and they would not depend forever on dole-outs of a packet of instant noodle soup, a kilo of rice and a can of sardines They would prefer to go back to work, plant something and slowly but steadily rebuid their destroyed homes with available materials around them. I am sure the bamboo trees, like the coconut trees survived the the deluge in Infanta. They are durable building house materials.

I hope a bank or some banks in Infanta would extend credits or loans with very low interest or none at all to flood victims so that they could rebuild their homes and re-start life again. They should be allowed to pay by installments.

Washington, DC Carmelites gave up their Christmas gift for disaster victims

Father John, OCD, sent $220 along with a very short but touching note saying that the gift is the cumulative Christmas gifts the Carmelite members should have received last Christmas (at least this was how we interprested this beautiful gesture).

By Rudy A. Arizala, 14 February 2004

The column of Prof. Randy David: "A Sociology of Love", PDI of 13 February 2005, speaks of "erotic love," "sexual love", or what a German Sociologist Max Weber called "the greatest irrational force of life": in opposition "to all functionality, rationality, and generality." While another German thinker, Nietzche said: "Modern marriage has patently lost all its rationality." But at the same time he says as quoted by Prof. David in his column: "Institutions (such as marriage) are the tools that link generations to one another."

We could, therefore draw the conclusion that marriage to be a link as an institution should not be based on love, for love is "irrational", "fleeting", "fickle", and "elusive". Thus, Prof David´s thesis, if I understand it correctly, is that marriage cannot be founded on love for love is fickle, elusive and irrational. And lucky are the ones who could keep love and marriage at the same time or "under one roof."

According to Prof. David, Nietzche himself "remained unmarried for the rest of his life" although "he had a profound respect for marriage." If I may add to great men or men who made a niche in history who did not get married or who only plunged into marriage when they were about to face death because they believed that their mission on earth had been either accomplished or failed, may I mention Dr. Jose Rizal. As everybody knows, there were several women in Rizal´s life and his last woman (Josephine Bracken) was a sort of Rizal´s mistress while exiled in Dapitan and Rizal allegedly married her only on the eve of his execution at Bagumbayan field.

Another person who did not believe in marriage for persons who have a mission to fulfill in life was Adolf Hitler. He kept Eva Braun as his mistress and did not think of marrying her until when Berlin was about to fall into enemy hands and before both of them committed suicide. Hitler said: "For me marriage would have been a disaster. ... There's a point at which misunderstanding is bound to arise between man and wife; it´s when the husband cannot give his woman all the time she feels entitled to demand."

To men like Rizal and Hitler who believed they had a mission in life to accomplish for their country and people, getting married was more of great responsibility if not a burden which interfered with their duty to their country. It was only on he eve of their death that they respectively decided to marry the woman they loved as mistress. To them, they could love but net necessarily get married while they still have a mission to accomplish or when they realized the futility of their struggle or mission in life.

But stability of marriage is necessary for the stability of society and for that matter of the whole country. But marriage should not be merely be based on love or on love at all, but on something else more permanent in character and so the exhortation by our Catholic faith that "What has God joined together, let no one put asunder," or what our Philippine Civil Code under Article 32, Title III provides: "Marriage is not a mere contract but an inviolable social institution. Its, nature, consequences, and incidents are governed by law and not subject to stipulation. . ."

Married or not, HAPPY VALENTINE TO ALL LOVERS.

By Rudy A. Arizala

And here is another one a Valentine among lovers.

VALENTINE VOW (Among those in Love)

By Rudy A. Arizala

Posted: Feb. 12, 2005

Tidbits about Infanta, General Nakar and Real from my visit Jan. 28, 2005

• Road: definitely passable, all the way through, with some portions still one way, due to mudslides.
• Relief goods: continue to pour in from various sectors.
  • NAIA (Ninoy Aquino Airport Authority distributed in General Nakar 750 sets of bags containing a banig or mosquito net or blanket, canned goods, rice, a couple of bottle of waters, etc. Recipients were those who worked for food and were given tags to qualify for the goods. Those did not get have tags were mad that they did not get any.
  • Sisters of the Good Shepherd: delivered to the Bahay Kubo (Bishop Tirona was in Jomalig at the time) in person donations received from Canada, and copies of checks received from donations solicited by Sr. Christine Sevilla of Los Angeles. They also brought relief goods, and even their own lunch at the Karmelo.
  • Sisters of the La Sallete: also delivered relief goods.
• Volunteers help clean up the church area: School of Claret
• Potable Water Supply: available in the church compound, Infanta Central, and in Real.
• Cong. Rafael Nantes, along with Sec. Angelo Reyes, held a general assembly, proclaiming securing 72 million pesos for the disaster victims. He said many politicians come to Infanta to politicize the tragedy, to take advantage of photo-ops, with their boots soiled
• Bahay Kubo is livable, but still shows the residues of the disaster
• NQCC promotes a "Linis" program
• Schools have resumed with staggered schedules: MWF, TThS; cleanup is ongoing; received books from publishing companies to replace some damaged ones
• Two Mt. Carmel buildings condemned; offices still unusable
• Trauma: People still tremble when the wind blows, or when rains threaten
• Kagawad Rudy Potes spoke of securing some instrument to measure the rising of the Agus River, but concerned about the cost
• Fr. Joel Borreo's family suffered enormous loss of at least 11 relatives. One young woman, Emiliana Borreo, died buried in the mud with her arm sticking out. This image was captured by a photographer and used on a poster produced by Haribon to fight against logging.

Elena Mercado lost her house completely near the Bantilan Bridge yet the Barangay Kagawad allegedly refused to give her any aid (through her children) because she took refuge in Lucena shortly after the disaster. We met her and her family.

Infanta, Real and General Nakar rising from the banlik!

by Mila glodava

After more than two months of pure misery, Infanta, Real and General Nakar are slowly rising from the "banlik" like the Phoenix rising from the ashes. While the three towns have not completely put their tragedy behind them -- logs, mudslides and banlik are still visible in some areas -- people are beginning to move on and look forward to rebuilding their lives again. They are tired of relief goods, especially sardines and ramen noodles, and are eager to work for food and cash and to keep some sense of dignity in the midst of ruins and mud. While the typhoons and flash floods have taken away their humble homes, their livelihood, and even their loved ones, they cannot take away their dignity as human beings.

With this in mind, Bishop Rolando Tria Tirona, OCD, and the Prelature of Infanta's Social Action Center encourage donors to support them through their monetary contributions, instead of used clothing and other balikbayan goods. They have completed the Relief Phase of the program, and have entered the Rehab Phase working on giving assistance to rebuild homes and provide alternate livelihood especially for farmers whose farms are now covered with banlik, and for fishermen whose boats -- nearly 200-- were either destroyed or swept away by the flash floods.

Moreover, people found that the relief goods were often discards that are not suitable for our people in the Philippines -- evening gowns and party dresses, high heels or woolen garments -- and simply trashed because they are of no use to them. Thus, to those who have collected relief goods, if you have a way of converting any of these into cash, that would be more practical and recommended by disaster relief experts. Cash stimulates the economy and will help in rebuilding the lives of people with dignity, rather than giving dole outs which only bring out the worse in people -- greed, jealousy, anger, etc. Former President Clinton, after President George Bush tapped him to coordinate relief efforts along with former president Bush, for the Tsunami victims, said, "If you have four shirts to give away and you have $10 in your pocket, keep the shirts and give the $10." (I have paraphrased his words here). I think this is true for us who want to help our kababayans back home.

A note to those who wish to send balikbayan boxes: Mt. Carmel Shrine will no longer accept shipments, and the Social Action Center has no means of storing them. In fact, we heard word that ABS-CBN Foundation is now diverting all excess relief goods to Southeast Asia for the Tsunami victims.

Thoughts on Ash Wednesday

By Rudy A. Arizala
Santiago, Chile

We are reminded on Ash Wednesday that we are dust and to dust we must return. However, "Dust thou art to dust returneth, was not spoken of the soul."

Yet nowadays, in this modernized, globalized world of electronics, Internet, plastic currency and other modern technology, we could no longer say: "I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul." For we have been dehumanized, lost our individual personality, our soul and became a mere number in the scheme of things conserved in a computer box, subject to its whims, tantrums and caprices. Humankind has become a mere robot of the robot he has invented. Humans have ceased to dream and see no longer vision of the afterlife. Creatures created in the very image of God have become soulless, inanimate matter. In man´s desire to equal God, he sold himself to the devil and simply became dusts from whence he came from.

Is there hope for mankind? Yes, there is. In repentance, faith, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Madelyne Latorre, daughter of William and Divinia Latorre of New Jersey also made a great effort on behalf of the victims of the typhoons and flash floods, collecting $275 from her classmates.

She wrote: "When my mom told me about the flash flood in the Philippines that affected my dad's hometown, I was deeply saddened. Being that I',m thousands miles away, I felt helpless. I decided to approach my school, Mother Seton Regional High School, and explain the possibility of raising money for the people of Infanta.

At about the same time I came up with the idea, my school made an announcement asking if there was anyone who knew anyone else in need. Our principal, Sister Regina Martin, was more than willing to help. Weeks later, we had a Christmas liturgy in which my school took up a collection drive. I asked my friends also to donate money instead of giving me Christmas presents. We raised $275! This money that I am sending to the Foundation is not particularly a large sum, but I hope it will do some good. (Editor's Note: Believe me, Madelyne, that your gift will do a lot of good and we thank you and your classmates for kindness and concern for our people.)

My prayers are with everyone there.

In an email message to donors, Sr. Christina Sevilla informs everyone of the results of her efforts to provide support for the typhoon victims for the Prelature of Infanta, giving the total amount of $15,537 (we initially listed $12,000) to Bishop Tirona. The Good Shepherd Sisters of the Philippines visited the prelature on Jan. 28 bringing comfort and solace to those affected by the typhoons. They also brought with them sacks of relief goods and other collections of Good Shepherd sisters in Canada.

At the time Bishop Tirona was making a pastoral visit to Jomalig and Patnanungan and did not meet them personally, but he sent his greetings and gratitude through text messages. I -- Mila Glodava -- met the sisters during their visit in the bishop's residence, the Bahay Kubo, which is now livable, but still showing a lot of distress.

We thank the following partial listing donors (we have requested a complete list from Sr. Christina) for their generous contributions:

Thanks to the efforts of Ellen Lardizabal, office assistant at the St. Pus X Religious Education in Scarsdale, New York, R.E. students collected $1,000 for the victims of the mudslides and flooding in Infanta, Quezon.

Ellen, who is a good friend of Ellen Mercado Irons of Ohio, and Mrs. Lucile Filardo, director, also noted in their letter:

Bishop Tirona, immediate supervisor of Fr. Sebastian Bacatan, St. Pius X Associate pastor, was our visitor here in St. Pius X parish two weeks before that tragedy struck Infanta.

Please know that you are in our daily prayers and the students in our program will think of you often. We hope that this donation will help in some way.

by Gene Pallugna

I deposited $445.00 today! It's from a Benefit luncheon Shelley and I organized last Saturday, January 15, 2005.

We've collected a total of $705.00 but we paid $260.00 to the banquet hall for the food.

Attached is the list of donors, their addresses, and the amount to be credited for tax purposes.

MIF collects $24,274.65; plus $30,000 in relief funds

In 2004 we set the goal of $19,980.86. By Dec. 31, 2004, we collected a total of $24,274.65 or 1,363,628.46 in Philippine pesos, or 4.57% over last year's collection. Of this total more $9,000 came from corporate or foundation grants. We have, therefore, more than matched these challenge grants from our sponsors, with a total collection from individuals at $15,274.65. Congratulations and thank you.

As a result, we distributed last year, more than $28,000 in grants to religious, education, humanitarian and civic causes, according to the wishes of donors. These grants include but are not limited to:

* Tuition assistance for 12 college students; 1 postgraduate student; 10 high school students, and 2 seminarians;
* Increased the stipend of at least 30 clergy;
* Supported the building fund drive of the Carmelite seminary;
* supported various projects of the Prelature of Infanta; and
* Many more.

In addition, we had the privilege of helping the Prelature of Infanta in providing disaster relief after four consecutive and devastating typhoons that caused soil erosion and landslides int he mountains, and at the same time trashing the worst hit towns with logs, debris and much, leaving thousands homeless. Worse, the natural and man-made disaster killed thousands more, including one heroic priest, Father Charlito Collendres, who died while saving hundreds of lives. Many more are still missing and presumed dead.

To date our Disaster Relief Fund Drive, thanks to all those who offered assistance, collected and transmitted, in just one month, more than $30,000, while many other kababayans around the world collected hundreds of balikbayan boxes which were shipped immediately.

As relief efforts to the rehabilitation phase, we, too must turn our efforts to assisting them in this regard. We need your continued support. With the eyes of the world turned towards the more than 160,000 tsunami victims from 12 countries, we have an even greater reason to unite and hear the cry of our people ourselves. If not us, who?

From Rudy Arizala
Santiago, Chile

The outpouring of generosity to help others and ameliorate their sufferings - especially the victims of calamities proves the faith of mankind in the Lord expressed through the book of Job:

"As the waters fall from the sea, and the flood decayeth and dirieth up; So man lieth down, and riseth not; till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep, . ." (Job14:11-12)

But Job despite all these replied: "though he slay me, yet will I trust in him."

It shows despite calamities and destructions Job never abandon his faith in the Lord.

So, let us have faith and continue helping others like the "Good Samaritan."

This is to further inform that the $3000.00 solicited from parishioners of Our Lady Of Good Counsel Church in San Leandro, CA was wired to Mother Espie Orejola who is the founder of this mission stationed at their formation center at Llavac, Real, Quezon. I was informed that Bishop Tirona has delegated Mother Espie to help in the distribution of aids. We have Franciscan Lady of the Poor members who are also members of this Parish. The fifteen boxes of relief were distributed to the regions of Infanta, Real, Nueva Ecija as well as Bicol region as FLP has close contacts in these disaster areas.

Once again you and your superworks are in our prayers.God bless you and the Foundation.

(Please click here or above heading for past daily posting on Metro Infanta)