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Pit Senyor to all and I hope the Sinulog augurs well for Cebu in terms of economic growth, political unity, and cultural enrichment.
Many are expected to visit Cebu to honor the miraculous Santo Niño and pray for good health, good fortune and many personal needs, but I think it would help to pray for the protection of our people from the ill effects of the financial collapse that hit the United States and top economies in Europe and Asia. Let us all pray that the Santo Niño will protect us from calamities, natural or man-made.
For our city and province, we should pray that our political leaders finally set aside their differences and unite for the welfare of the people. For the nation we pray that our people will be awakened, be vigilant, and positively get involved in matters of governance. Our country needs individual and collective selflessness to make it a better place to live. Let’s pray for the wisdom to choose the best person for Malacañang in 2010.
This year is going to be a difficult year for Filipinos and that is the reason all of us must focus on economic measures. Let government concentrate on implementing economic programs to help cushion the impact of the global financial crisis, not on pushing divisive schemes to change the Constitution. I hope President Gloria Arroyo will lead the government in implementing an honest-to-goodness economic program that benefit the people, not just her allies.
I am also hoping that the national and the local governments will now truly pay attention to environmental concerns, especially the effects of greenhouse gases. Local leaders should address Cebu’s water supply problem. When it rains, water just flows to the sea because we don’t have enough catchment and our watershed is being abused by many. Let’s not wait for our water supply problem to get even worse.
Many people from other parts of our country and other countries of the world are here to join us in paying tribute to our beloved Santo Niño and join in festivities lined up for the week. Of course there is the Miss Cebu pageant, Cebu Pop Music Festival, Handumanan and others.
The Santo Niño procession will be held on Saturday, from 2 to 6 p.m. The route, I was told, is longer this time, traversing the usually busy General Maxilom Avenue. Then on Sunday we’ll have the Sinulog, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., on the major thoroughfares of the city.
To the contestants, good luck. To the visitors, enjoy the festivities. To everyone, do not forget the religious aspect of the Sinulog.
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President Arroyo wants a P300-billion “Resiliency Fund” for government to ward off the effects of the financial crisis. I guess this is a great measure, but certain worries need to be addressed.
For one, is this P300 billion “new money” or is it just a repackaging of existing budgets for government programs? If it’s just a repackaged budget – consolidated from the budgets of existing government programs – then we can’t expect the fund to effectively cushion the global crisis’ impact in our country.
I just wish government would tell us honestly. There is really a need for the government to tell the truth about its programs that affect the economy.
Transparency will help determine what actions must be taken by the citizens of this struggling republic in licking the global financial crisis’ shockwaves. Most of all, let us pray together to seek God’s guidance and protection.
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Today’s guests in the 888 News Forum are Acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Ricky Ballesteros, the organizers and contestants of the Cebu Pop Music Festival, and representatives of the Handumanan program. The topic is the preparations for the celebration of the Sinulog week, which culminates with the Grand Sinulog Parade.
