Inside Philippine politics & beyond

What a dying Singaporean doctor can teach the Filipino politician

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By Raïssa Robles

All my loved ones who have died, I think of each one of them today.

They just left ahead of me. I’ll be where they went someday.

I don’t know whether death terrifies me. I know I can never, never watch certain horror movies like “The Ring” or “The Exorcist”. But I did put on my mom’s face the final touches of her make-up just before she was laid out in her coffin for viewing. And I was not afraid.

I think death awes me.

I am also stunned by the fact that many of our Filipino politicians behave as if they will never die and there is no retribution afterward. Or maybe they have this belief that they can sin all their lives but at the moment of dying, they would have time to repent and say sorry.

I don’t know. Too many politicians who have given Filipinos a lot of grief have gone to their graves without remorse, without apology.

I’d like to dedicate this piece today to the living, breathing Filipino politician who still has a chance to make a difference.

I’d like to share with the Filipino politician this final lecture by a Singaporean doctor – Richard Teo – who had it all, or so he thought.

I wish the Filipino politician would ponder at least for a while,  what Dr. Teo shared shortly before he died at 40 last October 18, 2012:

When I faced death, when I had to, I stripped myself off all stuff totally and I focused only on what is essential. The irony is that a lot of times, only when we learn how to die then we learn how to live.

Here is Dr. Teo’s actual lecture last November 24, 2011 and below that, the transcript which I obtained here.

Hi good morning to all of you. My voice is a bit hoarse from the chemotherapy, so please bear with me. I thought I’ll just introduce myself. My name is Richard, I’m a friend of Danny’s, who invited me here.

I’d just begin to say that I’m a typical product of today’s society. Before this, I was talking about how the media influences us etc. So I’m a typical product of what the media portrays. From young, I’ve always been under the influence and impression that to be happy, is to be successful. And to be successful, is to be wealthy. So I led my life according to this motto.

Coming from a poor average family, back in those days, I was highly competitive, whether in sports, studies, leadership. I wanted it all. I’ve been there, done that. But at the end of the day, it’s still about money.

So in my recent last years, I was a trainee in ophthalmology, but I was getting impatient, cos I had friends of mine who were going out into private practice, making tons of money. And there I was, stuck in a traineeship. So I said, ‘Enough, it’s getting too long.’ At that time, there was a surge in protégés of aesthetic medicine. I’m sure you’re aware, aesthetic medicine had peaked over the last few years, and I saw good money in there. So much so that I said, ‘Forget about ophthalmology, I’m gonna do aesthetic medicine.’ So that’s what I did.

The truth is, nobody makes heroes out of the average GP in the neighborhood. They don’t. They make heroes out of rich celebrities, politicians, rich and famous people. So I wanted to be one of these. I dived straight into aesthetic medicine. People were not willing to pay when I was doing locum back in those days. Anything more than $30, they would complain that “Wah, this lo kun (doctor) jing qwee (very expensive)”. They made noise and they were not happy. But the same people were willing to pay $10 000 for a liposuction. So I said, ‘Well, let’s stop healing the sick, I’m gonna become a beautician; a medically-trained beautician.’

And that was what I did – liposuction, breast augmentation, eyelid surgeries, you name it, we do it. It was very good money. My clinic, when we started off, waiting time was 1 week; 1 month; became 2 months; became 3 months. There was so much demand that people were literally queuing up to have aesthetic work done on them. Vain women – easy life!

So the clinic grew. I was so overwhelmed, from 1 doctor, I employed 2, then 3, then 4 doctors, and carried on. Nothing is ever enough. I wanted more and more and more. So much so that we set up shop in Indonesia to lure all the Indonesian tai tai’s. We set up shop, set up a team of people there, to get more Indonesian patients to come in.

So, things were doing well. I’m there, my time has arrived.

Around some time in February last year [2010], I said, ‘OK, I have so much spare cash, it’s time to get my first Ferrari. So there I was, getting ready for the deposit. ‘OK! There comes my first Ferrari!’ I was looking for land, to share with some of my friends. I have a banker friend who makes $5 million a year. So I thought, ‘Come, let’s come together. Let’s buy some land and build our houses.’

I was at my prime, getting ready to enjoy. At the same time, my friend Danny had a revival. They were going back to church, some of my close friends. They told me, ‘Richard, come, join us, come back to church.’

I have been a Christian for 20 years; I was baptized 20 years ago, but it was because it was fashionable to be a Christian then. All my friends were becoming Christians then. It was fashionable! I wanted to be baptized, so that when I filled in a form, I could put there “Christian” – feels good. In truth, I had never had a bible; I don’t know what the bible is all about.

I went to church for a while, after some time, I got tired. I said it’s time to go to NUS, stop going to church. I had a lot more things to pursue in NUS – girls, studies, sports etc. After all, I had achieved all these things without God today, so who needs God? I myself can achieve anything I want.

In my arrogance, I told them, “You know what? You go tell your pastor to change your sermon to 2pm. I will consider coming to church.” Such arrogance! And I said 1 statement in addition to that – till date, I don’t know I’ve regretted saying that – I told Danny and my friends, “If God really wanted me to come back to church, He will give me a sign.”. Lo and behold, 3 weeks later, I was back at church.

The Diagnosis

In March 2011, out of the blues – I was still running around, ‘cause I’m a gym freak and I always go to the gym training, running, swimming 6 days a week. I had some backache, and that’s all I had, but it was persistent. And so I went for an MRI to exclude prolapsed disc. And the day before I had my scan, I was still in the gym, lifting heavy weights, doing my squats. And the next day, they found that half my spine had bone marrow replacement. I said, “Woah, sorry, what’s that?”

We had a PET scan the next day, and they diagnosed that I had terminal lung cancer, stage 4B. It had spread to the brain, half the spine, whole of my lungs were filled with tumor, liver, adrenals…

I said, “Can’t be, I was just at the gym last night, what’s going on?” I’m sure you know how it feels – though I’m not sure if you know how it feels. One moment I was there at the peak, the next day, this news came and I was totally devastated. My whole world just turned upside down.

I couldn’t accept it. I have a hundred relatives on both sides, my mom and my dad. 100 of them. And not a single one has cancer. To me, in my mind, I have good genes, I’m not supposed to be having this! Some of my relatives are heavy chain smokers. Why am I having lung cancer? I was in denial.

His encounter with God

So the next day, I was still in a state of denial, still unable to accept what was going on. There I was lying in an operating theater in a hospital, for a needle biopsy (for histology). There I was, just completed the biopsy, and lying in the operating theater. The nurses and doctors had left; told me I had to wait for 15 minutes to do a check X-ray to make sure there’s no pneumothorax (a complication).

And there I was, lying on the operating table, staring blankly at the ceiling in a cold, quiet operating theater. Suddenly I just heard an inner voice; it was not like coming from outside. It was inside. This small inner voice that I had never felt before. And it said very specifically, it said, “This has to happen to you, at your prime, because it’s the only way you can understand.”

I said, “Woah, why did that come from?” You know, when you speak to yourself, you’d say, “OK, what time should I leave this place? Where shall I have dinner after this?” You’d speak from a first person point of view. You don’t say, “Where should YOU go after this?” Whereas the voice that came spoke as a third party. It said, “This has to happen to YOU, at YOUR prime, because this is the only way YOU can understand.” At that time, my emotions just overflowed and I broke down and cried, alone there. And I knew then, subsequently, what it means to understand that why this is the only way.

Because I had been so proud of myself, my whole life, I needed nobody else. I was gifted with things that I could do, why do I need anybody else? I was just so full of myself that there was no other way I could have turned back to God.

In fact, if I were diagnosed with stage 1 or 2, I would have been looking around busily for the best cardiothoracic surgeon, remove a section of the lobe (do a lobectomy), do preventive chemotherapy…The chances of it being cured is extremely high. Who needs God? But I had stage 4B. No man can help, only God can.

A series of events happened after that. I wasn’t sold after that, because of the inner voice, I became believing, prayers, all that. No I wasn’t. To me, it was just ‘maybe there was a voice; or maybe that was just me talking to myself.’ I didn’t buy the story.

What happened next was that I was being prepared for chemotherapy. I started off with a whole brain radiation therapy first; takes about 2 -3 weeks. In the meantime they prepared me for chemotherapy, supplements etc. One of the things they used for chemo was a thing called Zometa. Zometa – they use it to strengthen the bones; once the bone marrow (replacement) is cured of cancer cells, it becomes hollow, so we need Zometa to strengthen the bone to prevent compression fractures.

One of the side effects of Zometa is that it can cause osteonecrosis (bone death) of the jaw, and I had to have my wisdom teeth removed. Years ago, I had my upper wisdom teeth removed, cos it was giving me trouble. The lower ones didn’t give me trouble so I said, “Forget it, just leave it.” So of cause, Danny volunteered to remove it for me.

So there I was, lying there in a dental chair, asking myself, suffering all the side effects of radiotherapy, and now I have to go through wisdom tooth surgery. As if I’ve not had enough to suffer! So I asked Danny, “Eh, bro, is there any other way? Can I not go though this?” He said, “Yes, you can pray.”

I said, “What’s there to lose? Ok lah, pray lah!” And so we prayed. And we did an X-ray after that. Everything was all there, all the appliances and everything. And lo and behold, the X-ray showed that there was no wisdom teeth in the lower jaw. I know most people have 4 wisdom teeth, maybe some have none, but to be missing one or 2, as I understand – I’m not too sure, as I understand – is not that common.

Still I was, “Nah, I don’t care about that.” To me, as long as I didn’t have to take out the tooth, I was happy. At that point, I still wasn’t sold on prayers. Maybe it was just a coincidence – for whatever it’s worth.

I continued meeting my oncologist, asking him, “How long do I have?” I asked him. He said, not more than 6 months. I said, “Even with chemotherapy?” About 3 – 4 months, he said.

I couldn’t grasp that. It was difficult to come to terms. And even as I went through radiotherapy, I was struggling everyday, especially when I wake up, hoping that it’s just a nightmare; when I wake up, it’s all over.

As I was struggling, day after day, I went into depression, which is the typical denial, depression blah blah blah that you go through. But for 1 reason, I don’t know why, there was this specific day that I was supposed to meet my oncologist. At about 2 pm, I felt this sudden surge of peace, comfort, and in fact, a little happiness. It was just overflowing. For no rhyme or reason, it just came about 2pm, as I was getting ready, dressing up to meet my oncologist. So much so that I whats-apped all my friends that, “Bros, I just feel so good suddenly! I don’t know why, it just came!”

And it was only days, or was it weeks after, that Danny revealed to me that he had fasted for 2 days for me, and he was bargaining with God, and fasted for 2 dyas, and he ended his fast at that exact same point, about 2 pm thereabouts, that this surge of sensation came to me for no rhyme or reason. And I didn’t know that he was fasting for me. And when he ended the fast, I felt that sensation!

Whoa, things were getting a bit too coincidental. I was starting to buy a bit of the story, but still I wasn’t sold. As days passed by, I completed my radiotherapy, about 2 weeks plus. Getting ready for chemo, so they let me rest for a few days.

See, the mortality rate of lung cancer : Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate. If you add up breast, colorectal (colon) cancer, and prostate cancer (the top few cancers in Singapore for men and women), if you add up the mortality rate of these 3, it still doesn’t add up to lung cancer. Simply because, you understand, you can remove the prostate, the colon, the breast, but you cannot remove your lungs.

But there’s about 10% of lung cancer patients who do pretty well for some reasons, because they have this specific mutation; we call it the EGFR mutation. And it happens, only 90% of the time, in Asian ladies who never smoked in their lives. Me, first of all, I’m male. 2ndly, I’m a social smoker. I take one a day after dinner; weekends, when my friends offer me, I take it as well. I’m a light smoker, not a social smoker. But still, my oncologist was still not hopeful for me to have this mutation.

The chances of it happening for me was maybe 3-4% for me to get it. That’s why I was being primed to go for chemo. But through all the intense prayers, friends like Danny, people that I don’t even know, it turned out that, during my waiting for chemo, the results came back that I was EGFR positive. I was like, “Woah, good news!” Cos now I don’t have to undergo chemo at that time, because there’s this oral tablet that you can use to control this disease.

Just to share with you some idea – this is a CT scan – thorax – of my lungs, before treatment.

After Before

Every single dot there is a tumor. You can see all the mets (metastasis) there. This is just one single plane. Literally I had it in both lungs, and I had literally tens of thousands of tumor. That’s why the oncologist told me, even with chemo, at most 3-4 months.

But because of this mutation, they have this oral medication. This is what happened after 2 months of treatment. As you can see over here; this is what God can do. And that’s why I’m still here having this opportunity to share with you. As you can see over here, the difference between before and after treatment.

At that point, I said, “Well, it’s to be expected, isn’t it? The medicine is good.” I’m still not buying the story. Well, the guys prayed for me and the tumor markers started to come down. 90% of the tumors were wiped out, and the tumor markers came down to more than 90% over the next few months.

But still, you know, once you have the clinical knowledge, you know the statistics. One year survival, two year survival; having all this knowledge is not a good thing. Cos you live with the knowledge that even with all this, the cancer cells are so unstable, they keep mutating. They will overcome and become resistant to the drugs, and eventually you’re gonna run out of medication.

So living with this knowledge is a huge mental struggle, a huge mental torture. Cancer is not just about a physical struggle, it’s a huge mental torture. How do you live with no hope? How do you live with not being able to plan for the next few years? The oncologist tells you to bear with it for the next 1 – 2 months. So it’s a lot of struggles as I went through: March, then April. April was my lowest point, in deep depression, struggling even as I was recovering.

His Acceptance and Peace

And one of those days, I was there in bed, struggling in the afternoon, asking God, “Why? Why do I have to go through this suffering? Why do I have to endure this hardship, this struggle? Why me?”

As I fell asleep, in my dreamy state, a vision just came, that says Hebrews 12:7-8.

Now mind you, at this time, I had not read the bible. I have no clue what’s Hebrews, I don’t even know how many chapters there are. Totally clueless.

But it says Hebrews 12:7-8, very specifically.

I didn’t think too much of it. I just continued sleeping. Then I woke up, and I said, “What’s there to lose? I’d just check it out lah!” Danny had bought me a bible; it’s still quite new. I said, “It’s ok, just try.” So I flipped to the Old Testament. Hebrews to me sounds like something ancient, so it should be in the Old Testament right? So I flipped through the Old Testament. No Hebrews there. I was so disappointed.

Then I said, “Maybe New Testament, let’s have a look!”. WOW – New Testament, there’s Hebrew’s!! It says Hebrews 12:7-8. It says, “Endure hardship as discipline as God is treating you as His children.”

I said, “WAH!! Where did that come from?” I was getting goose pimples all over my body. I said, “This can’t be, right?” I mean, what’s the chance of somebody, who has never read the bible, to have a vision of a chapter of a specific verse, that answers my question directly?

I think God called to me directly as I was there sleeping, struggling with it, asking God, “Why do I have to suffer? Why do I have to suffer this?” And God says “Endure hardship as discipline as God is treating you as His child.”

At this point, the chance of that happening is even lesser than my EGFR being positive. There’s just no way; there’s so many millions of thousands of verses in the bible, how can I just conjure up something like that?

So at that point, I was sold I said, “YOU WIN! YOU WIN!!”

Ok , I was convinced. And so from that day onwards, I started believing in my God. And the last time I heard that inner voice was the end of April. And that inner voice, same thing, in the afternoon, as I was sleeping (this time I wasn’t struggling, just going to sleep). In a dreamy state I just heard Him say, “Help others in hardship.”

It was more like a command, rather than a statement. And that’s when I embarked on this journey, helping others in hardship. And I realized that hardship is not just about being poor. In fact, I think a lot of poor people are probably happier than a lot of us here. They are so easily contented with whatever they have, they’re probably pretty happy.

Hardship can happen to rich people; it can be physical hardship, mental hardship, social, etc. And also over the last few months, I started to understand what this true joy is about. In the past, I substituted true joy with the pursuing of wealth. I thought true joy is about pursuing wealth. Why? Cos let me put it to you this way, in my death bed, I found no joy whatsoever in whatever objects I had – my Ferrari, thinking of the land I was going to buy to build my bungalow etc, having a successful business.

It brought me ZERO comfort, ZERO joy, nothing at all. Do you think I can hold onto this piece of metal and it’s going to give true joy? Nah, it’s not going to happen.

True joy comes from interaction with other people. And at a lot of times, it is a short term pride, the past. When you pursue your wealth, Chinese New Year is the best time to do it. Drive my Ferrari, show off to my relatives, show off to my friends, do my rounds, and then you thought that was true joy? You really think that those guys who sold you your Ferrari, they share their joy with you? And your relatives, wow, they share this joy with you? In truth, what you have done is just to illicit envy, jealousy, and even hatred. They are not sharing the joy with you, and what I have is that short-term pride that wow, I have something you don’t have! And I thought that was joy!

So what we have is basically a short-term pride at the expense of somebody else. And that wasn’t true joy. And I found no joy at all on my deathbed, thinking of my Ferrari – to hold on to it, sayang it?!?

True joy I discovered comes from interaction. Over the last few months I was so down. Interaction with my loved ones, my friends, my brothers in Christ, my sisters in Christ, and only then was I able to be motivated, able to be uplifted. To share your sorrow, to share your happiness – that’s true joy.

And you know what makes you smile? True joy comes from helping others in hardship, and because I’ve gone through this, I know what hardship entails. In fact, there’re some cancer patients who tell me a lot of times, people come up to them and tell them, “Stay positive. Stay positive.” Yah, right. You come in my shoes and you try to stay positive! You don’t know what you’re talking about!

But I have the license. So I’ve been going out to meet other fellow cancer patients, to share with them, encourage them. And I know, because I’ve been through it, and it’s easier for me to talk to them.

And most importantly, I think true joy comes from knowing God. Not knowing about God – I mean, you can read the bible and know about God – but knowing God personally; getting a relationship with God. I think that’s the most important. That’s what I’ve learnt.

So if I were to sum it up, I’d say that the earlier we sort out the priorities in our lives, the better it is. Don’t be like me – I had no other way. I had to learn it through the hard way. I had to come back to God to thank Him for this opportunity because I’ve had 3 major accidents in my past – car accidents. You know, these sports car accidents – I was always speeding , but somehow I always came out alive, even with the car almost being overturned. And I wouldn’t have had a chance. Who knows, I don’t know where else I’d be going to! Even though I was baptized it was just a show, but the fact that this has happened, it gave me a chance to come back to God.

Few things I’d learnt though:
1. Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart – this is so important.
2. Is to love and serve others, not just ourselves.

There is nothing wrong with being rich or wealthy. I think it’s absolutely alright, cos God has blessed. So many people are blessed with good wealth, but the trouble is I think a lot of us can’t handle it. The more we have, the more we want. I’ve gone through it, the deeper the hole we dig, the more we get sucked into it, so much so that we worship wealth and lose focus. Instead of worshiping God, we worship wealth. It’s just a human instinct. It’s just so difficult to get out of it.

We are all professionals, and when we go into private practice, we start to build up our wealth – inevitably. So my thought are, when you start to build up wealth and when the opportunity comes, do remember that all these things don’t belong to us. We don’t really own it nor have rights to this wealth. It’s actually God’s gift to us. Remember that it’s more important to further His Kingdom rather than to further ourselves.

Anyway I think that I’ve gone through it, and I know that wealth without God is empty. It is more important that you fill up the wealth, as you build it up subsequently, as professionals and all, you need to fill it up with the wealth of God.

But you see, if Filipino politicians truly believe in God, they won’t steal from the Filipino people. Ever,  lah.

Comments

  1. may be out of topic but very current

    http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/301468/almendras-cabinet-posting-not-another-bureaucratic-layer-petilla-ph-has-ample-power-supply-but

    See this link and feel it is the first of its kind from the mouth of babes. Never happened in Ramos, Erap or Gloria’s horrible horror years. Without knowing their past these two guys speaks as if they know their assigned jobs, why they are appointed IS NOT FOR THEM TO LOOT the country’s wealth.
    The cabinet secretary should be directly under President P Noy and no one else. He is Noynoy ‘ s staff accountant for everything even the performance of the powerful Budget Secretary. His is staff (monitoring) function in the organization chart but his mere existence (plus his nosying around) gives the president effective coordination of coordinated administration done or not done by the Executive Secretary and other members of the cabinet.
    The cabinet secretary is a metaphorical coordinator of on-going and past COORDINATED policies and programs. P Noy’s ability as head of government to coordinate will surely be enhanced and “effectivized” by his new cabinet secretary. The function of the executive secretary is an exercise and application of intelligence while that of the cabinet secretary is the consequent of INTELLECT being both the retroactive and pro-active watchdog of the people. He should be able to pierce with fierce firmness the shenanigan motives of the Balay and Samar vested interest groups.

  2. AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW OF PEDRO CALUNGSOD

    I wrote an essay several days ago in the context of the Spanish Chamorro Wars of 1671-1698.

    Though Calungsod was just a bit player, my main idea is that you cannot justify the subjugation of an indigenous culture, grab its lands and resources, and kill its natives if they resist, just so you can spread your religion. Unfortunately, our Calungsod was a contributor to this cause.

    Read it on Joe America’s blog:

    http://thesocietyofhonor.blogspot.com/2012/10/an-alternative-view-of-pedro-calungsod.html

    • History explains the past as might be a cause of the questionable acts of the present. But the here and now, though of extreme sensitivity also explain the hollowness of present acts. Why only now for St Peter of Calungsod and St. Kateri Takiwaitha (Canada) long languishing in the heart of the Vatican? St Kateri may be another story. Do a SWOT of the international Roman Catholic Church and its Philippine Province (CBCP’s image, etc.)

      This more than any other time is for dusting off and bringing to life long pending canonization. It is sensitive because it muckrakes an otherwise pious move of the church to attend to the needs of the faithful.

  3. Because some CPMers sound more spiritual or religious than others, the question we should ask is, Is being religious or spiritual genetically determined?

    • No, it is not biologically hereditary.

      It is environmental. In the US there are so called regions, Bible belts equivalent to some Catholic or INC commune in the Philippines.

      Religious Faith could be instilled to young minds but upon maturity it reverts to personal choice. Exposure to material things, life struggles and role model practice play major factors in transformation.

      “Born Again” is not one of the series of Bourne’s films(smile)

    • Interesting question, nature vs. nurture. I can only offer the following observations:

      1. The Natural Law, which the Church sometimes conveniently argues as one foundation of morality, is supposed to be inherent and universal in man. Nature wins.

      2. The fight for survival does not afford poor people the luxury of thinking about the whys and wherefores of existence. Politicians do. In fact, as Robredo exemplified, ethics should be the basis of public service and ethical considerations must always guide behavior. Nurture wins.

      3. Johnny is right in that the inculcation of ethics should begin in the home. But the parents know no better, led by clergy who know no better, and governed by politicians who know even less. Nurture wins.

      4. Some animals are known to show ethical qualities such as loyalty (dogs), compassion (dolphins rescuing drowners) and grief (elephants doing a vigil). Nature wins.

      5. Psychopaths show no redeeming qualities even at an early age and are basically amoral. Both nature and nurture loses.

    • Beliefs come from personal experience or from trusted friends. Live after dead, Jesus incarnation, Maria’s immaculate conception, all difficult to experience, so most of us got our beliefs from our parents, our trusted friends at a young age when one acquires his first religious experiences. Most of the small number of converts were influenced by good friends or partners later in life. So indeed, environment is the major factor.

      As proven, some brains are better wired to experience hallucinations that could be mistaken for spiritual signs. Conversions to evangelical churches and others religions more based on experiencing the supernatural might run higher in certain predisposed persons. Other converts might be better in meditating, reasoning or other skills that are more prominent by other religions. Some biological bias might exist.

  4. Cardinal Tagle had this to say about Catholics who go to mass on Sundays but…

    http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/280811/news/nation/cardinal-designate-tagle-laments-practical-atheism-among-some-pinoys

    He added that while some Catholics claim they believe in God, their actions do not match their words.

    This includes some Catholics who go to Mass on Sundays, he said.

    “During Sundays, we profess our faith to God. But starting Monday, cheating happens because of money … we take advantage of other people for our own interests,” he said.

    • Cardinal Tagle is half-right in speaking out against the hypocrisy of some believers.

      Re Cha’s #40, he should probably speak out as well against the hypocrisy of the Church and the clergy. He has spoken before of the Church’s “confusion and searching” but more is needed. The Pope has apologized for the Church’s “unspeakable crimes” but has offered no penalties and no changes. He has not, for example, said that the Church will do away with the doctrine of celibacy, nor come out with a list of all clergy accused of sexual abuse and given the names to the legal/penal institutions of all countries.

      If the Church and the clergy practiced what they preached, if they walked their talk, believers would follow.

      (Note: I am criticizing the misdeeds of the Church and not the Christian faith.)

    • In US churches especially in close knit communities, priests advise the congregation in the beginning of the Mass to greet and introduce oneself to another.

      Cardinal Tagle must issue an encyclical requiring every priest that at the beginning if the mass everyone should look and greet the people in the congregation who are presumed to be stealing from the government, accept bribes in their official position in govt, tong from traffic, jueteng lords and drug dealers, also businessmen who do not pay the right amount of taxes.

      Problem is the celebrant priests could not say anything about jueteng largesse because the priests are primary recipients, he he he!

      Talking about the spinning wheel practice of Catholicism by corrupt politicians, police, military and govt employees without shaming these people Cardinal refers to is useless. They have elephant hides on this matter.

      Tagle also must also address the culpability of the priests first, setting them as examples of his crusade.

      On a side note, in early nineties I was invited by a priest friend to attend a retreat sponsored by Jesuits of St Joseph University in US, in which for the first time, the invited Filipino featured speaker in their annual lecture retreat was Fr Chito Tagle. He was then newly of Catholic University.

      After hearing and introduction to him, I told my friend “Chito will become a cardinal early in his priesthood and the star of Philippine church if he is not corrupted by his Philippine admirers”. His wry smile on his baby face was unforgettable.

      Six years ago, when Cardinal Rosales celebrated Mass in our US church, I told the same friend that Chito would replace him because he remained untarnished of scandal, unlike Bishop Soc( also a good friend of my friar friend), while Bishop of Imus.

      So far his messages to us have been right on target, though still waiting when he will address the shenanigans in his own domicile.

    • This kwento was heard decades ago in Baguio City Cathedral delivered by a visiting Filipino priest in a homily, now a Monsignor, who became Secretary to a Cardinal.

      If he and his cardinal reads Raissa’s CP Miranda, they can read this and explain it’s context better. The anecdotal sermon: “The city’s parish priest was visiting the squatter area of his parish when estambays confronted him with the question: Father, why do we need confession when we just sin and do wrong things again and again.

      The priest answered, we need to do that. Our bodies get dirty everyday, we need to be cleaned and feel cleaned. That’s why confession is very important to us. It is like taking a bath.”

      Can you just imagine the impact to politicians who were occupying the front pews? Aren’t the squatters who do not sin and steal everyday don’t feel dirty because they don’t bathe everyday because there is no water for bathing?

  5. Hah wag kayo magpapaniwala na ang mga katoliko ay maka Diyos , in fact sila pa ang mga KROKS at CHismoso at chismosa, marami diyan lingo lingo nagsisimba , pakitang tao, plastic, papansin , ksp, madaldal, babaero, lalakero, basagulero , kurakot, manginginom, magnanakaw, lahat na ng kasamaan nandiyan na sa kanila.

    Huwag kayo aangal, bato bato sa langit ang tamaan, sana magising sa katotohan na karamihan sa mga tinaguriang Katolikong Pinoy ay taliwas ang isip sa kabutihan.

    Maramin diyan nagsisimba, nakaluhod pa nga, nag sa sign of the cross pa , pero ang ugali at ang pagiisp ay bulok, marami akong kakilala na ganyan.

    Ang make up at magarang damit ay di nakapagpapaganda sa tao. Ang malaking bahay at magarang sasakyan ay di ka bibiyayaan ng kasiyahan.

    Ang pinagpapala ng Diyos ay ang mga mahihirap
    at inaapi ng mga walang awang kaluluwa. Pinagpapala ng Diyos ang mga gumagawa ng kabutihan sa kapwa at hinde ang mga nagpaparayaw ng kayamanan .And lastly, God blesses a person who has personal relationship with HIM.

    • @akorinpinoy, hindi ako aangal kasi opinion mo yan. karapatan mo. kaya lang tandaan mo KAHIT SAANG GUBAT AY MAY AHAS. tama ka na ang pinagpapala ng DIOS ay ang mahihirap at inaapi ng mga walang kaluluwa. pero bakit sila magpapaapi? MAGSUMIKAP KA yan ang turo ni aling delila kay john porontong. ang DIOS ay nagpapala sa mga masikap kahti na ubod ng hirap. kahit anong secta ng relihyion meron ang mga taong sinasabi mo na sa mga katoliko mo lang nakikita. magobserba kang mabuti.

        • sir/mamdocbebot, lito lang po ako. ang pelikulang braveheart di po ba totoong story yun sa ireland? kung totoo pong story yun eh bakit naging ganun ang nangyari sa bidang lalake?

        • Actually mam yung braveheart ginawang romanticized movie version nang historical character na si William Wallace at Scotland po yung setting. Inaccurate yung karamihian nang scenes na historically may records. Hindi inanakan ni Wallace yung prinsesa/future queen nang Royal house nang England. Hindi nasakop ni Wallace yung York despite sa pinalabas sa movie, Pero totoo yung naghimagsik si Wallace dahil na abuso siya nung Sheriff sa village nila.

    • kay akoringpinoy

      Ewan ko rin, hindi ganyan ang mga kilala kong Katoliko. Para segurong: tell me who your companions and I will tell you who you are. Nasa mga malapit mong kilala ang pagkakilala mo sa mga katoliko. Hindi lahat pare-pareho. Ang pagkilala mo sa mga katoliko higit sa lahat NAGMUMULA sa kapamilya mo, sa mga kaibigan, sa mga kamaganak, kasama sa trabaho. Sa mga kapit bahay mo. Di sapat mag husga dahil lang sa mga nababasa mo. Expected lang kung tayo ay nabibilang sa taga ibang sekto.

    • Kahit na ano religion meron mga mabuti at meron din hindi mabuti na kasapi. Ito ay huwag natin isisi sa kung sino kundi sa may katawan.

      Kasi sa akin pagkakaalam bawat religion ay nagtuturo ng mabuti, mahalin mo ang iyung Diyos at ang iyung kapwa. Huwag gumawa ng masama kung ayaw mo gawin din ito sa iyo.

      Bakit meron corrupt at masama o krimen na karumal-dumal? Dahil di nila isinasapuso at isinasaisip ang turo ng kanilang religion. Yan ang kulang at hindi tama. Wala silang takot sa kanilang Diyos kaya walang alinlangan na gumawa ng masama sa kapwa.

  6. “if Filipino politicians truly believe in God, they won’t steal from the Filipino people.”

    Same thing with bishops and priests, if they truly believe in God, they will give all the collection money to the poor, they will live among them, eat what they eat, sleep where they sleep like Mother Theresa did.

    They will be true to their vow of celibacy, they will not sexually assault/ rape the young.

    They will accept and welcome everyone into the Catholic community no matter what their sexual orientations may be. They will not seek to expel from the church or from other catholic institutions like schools those who happen to think differently than they on social issues.

    And they will not embrave and tolerate the politicians who steal from the people.

  7. Kung may Diyos, bakit hinayaan nya na magkaroon tayo ng mga pulitiko, mga militar, at mga negosyante na mga makasarili, mapaglamang at abusado sa kapangyarihan na nagpapahirap sa ating mamamayan, sa matagal ng panahon?

    Bakit nya hinahayan ang isang katerbang mahihirap na mag anak ng mag anak na maging mangmang at hindi kalayuan na maging isang magnankaw, mamamatay tao, at maging masama para lang mabuhay?

    Sa hinaba-haba ng panahon, mukhang natutulog ang Diyos ng pilipinas at hayaan ang hindi makatarungan na lipunan…

    Bakit pinapaasa tayo ng simbahan na bahala na ang Diyos, samantalang ang tao ang dapat gumawa ng paraan upang labanan at buwagin ang tiwaling mga pulitiko at mga oligopolyang negosyante na sumisipsip ng ating mga natitirang dugo?

    May Diyos nga ba sa Pilipinas?

    • @parekoy, meron DIOS kaya lang tayong mga nilalang nya ang MATITIGAS ANG ULO, BOBO SA PAGPILI NG MGA MAMAMAHALA NG ATING PAMAHALAAN. HINDI NATIN GINAGAMIT ANG KATALINUHAN NA BIGAY NG DIOS SA PAGPILI NG DAPAT NATING MGA MAMBABATAAS. kaya sabi ng DIOS “MAGDUSA KAYO. BINIGYAN KO KAYO NG UTAK PARA GAMITIN SA IKABUBUTI NYO PERO SINASAYANG NYO. MABIGYAN LANG KAYO NG KONTI IPAGPAPALIT NYO NA ANG MGA BOTO NYO. BAKA GUSTO NYO PA PAGBABATUKAN KO KAYO PARA MATAUHAN KAYO.” heheheheh eh di tayo pa ang sinisisi ng DIOS natin.

    • Kung ang isang tao ay may Kanser at may taning na ang buhay, ano kaya ang kanyang pwedeng regalo sa kanyang ma mahal sa buhay?

      Ano kaya ang isang magandang halimbawa na kanyang pwedeng gawin?

      Pwede kaya syang mamatay na isang karaniwang tao, isang istatistiko, o kaya isang Bayani?

      Paano kaya sya maging isang Bayani?

      Siguro pag isinama na ang isang masamang pulitiko at mabawas-bawasan ang mga nagpapahirap sa mga Pilipino, siguro meron syang Rebulto sa kanilang munting bayan…

      Siguro sasabihin sa kanya ng Dios na sa itinagal ng panahon, merong naging tunay na Bayani. Bayani na hindi namatay para sa bayan, kundi pumatay para sa bayan?

    • @parekoy…there is God! But what is not there are people with “willdom,” “gutsdom,” “thinkingdom,” “fightingdom” and all the good dom dom. Only pub. offiks with greedom [acc to Raissa!] are there. Sadamavitch! Ala eh!

    • alam mo ang sagot sa tanong mo any nasa bibliya like titus 1:13-15 or ecclesiastes 8:9 kaya we have been going to peoples houses sharing with them the good news that God’s kingdom will do away these hardships we are seeing now.kindly read daniel 2:44,revelation 21:4,isaiah 65:21-23. God’s Kingdom which we are urged to pray at matthew 6:9 will solve all this problems very soon.- jehonadab class

  8. Latest News ABS CBN ONLINE

    Man claims ability to travel in “Spirit world”
    by Ging Castaneda

    This guy claims he could travel in Astral world so he is the first Filipino holder of the title “Astralnut”

    wonder if he could beam us the pictures of heaven and hell. Better, prove to @Andrew there is purgatory.

    He he he

        • JOHN LENNON

          “Imagine”

          Imagine there’s no heaven
          It’s easy if you try
          No hell below us
          Above us only sky
          Imagine all the people
          Living for today…

          Imagine there’s no countries
          It isn’t hard to do
          Nothing to kill or die for
          And no religion too
          Imagine all the people
          Living life in peace…

          You may say I’m a dreamer
          But I’m not the only one
          I hope someday you’ll join us
          And the world will be as one

          Imagine no possessions
          I wonder if you can
          No need for greed or hunger
          A brotherhood of man
          Imagine all the people
          Sharing all the world…

          You may say I’m a dreamer
          But I’m not the only one
          I hope someday you’ll join us
          And the world will live as one.

          WITH ONE GOD…
          (ec)

        • In Disney World, there are attractions called Imagination and Fantasyland. Everyone enjoys in the kingdom of make believe. On the rides, feels like floating in clouds.

          Subconscious “Astral “World” from childhood experience, readings, movies, TV shows, storytelling, dreams and fantasy?

          Go figure!

        • There is no peace in this world because of so many religion. The discussion about religion will lead to nowhere. Freedom of religion
          must be respected even if it does not jibe with one another. Each person has his/her own personal relationship with GOD.

          @ johnny. i respect your intelligence..

        • @ed
          Thanks for the flattery but I don’t consider myself intelligent. Just rationalizing with lots of common sense we all have been equally gifted at birth. But I’m practical, non-prejudicial realist, pragmatist and not a blind believer.

        • Latest Entertainment News:
          Paul McArtney said that Yoko was not the trigger for Beatles break up.

          He added that Yoko was instrumental to John’s writing of this music masterpiece “Imagine”

        • The non sequitur of “With one God” does not jibe with the first verse and with “…And no religion too” of the second verse.

        • There is no peace in this world because of so many religion. The discussion about religion will lead to nowhere. Freedom of religion
          must be respected even if it does not jibe with one another. Each person has his/her own personal relationship with GOD.

        • Thanks, ed.

          1. Partially agree with first statement. There are secular and sectarian causes for the absence of peace.

          2. Disagree with the second statement. Discussions must continue to find a common ground – precisely to end the sectarian causes for the absence of peace.

          3. Totally agree with third statement.

          4. Partially agree with last statement. Some believe in God but behave as if He did not exist, that is no personal relationship. Others do not recognize God and must be respected also.

      • Lyrical phrase in Imagine
        “Living for Today”

        John Denver sang a song written by Randy Sparks( founder of New Christy Minstrels), the man responsible for his entry into the music world.

        The song “Today”

        Today while the blossom still clings to the vine,
        I’ll taste your strawberries and drink your sweet wine
        A million tomorrows shall all pass away
        Ere I forget all the joy that is mine today

        I’ll be a dandy and I’ll be a rover
        You’ll know who I am by the songs that I sing
        I’ll feast at your table, I’ll sleep in your clover
        Who cares what tomorrow shall bring

      • “…there are certain things…that can’t be explained by science just yet.”

        Sorry, Raissa and Tomas Gomez III. I think Science will not “just yet” but will never be able to explain all things. Man cannot observe the infinitely small nor the infinitely large. In quantum and classical physics, the limits of observation are denominated by Planck scales, such as Planck time and Planck length. One of these constants or absolutes is Einstein’s speed of light in a vacuum.

        The light of the stars that we see are not NOW. They are ages ago. One hypothesis was that if we could travel faster than light, we could travel back to the beginning of Time and determine how the Universe began. But nothing can travel faster than light, so we will never know.

        Underline that: we will never know. This is where faith comes in. And faith, as Johnny rightly insists, is subjective.

        But even if we did know how the Universe began (deontological) we will never know its ultimate ends (teleological).

        • Goth could be instilled or taught to children but eventually upon their maturity each grown up child will make a choice on personal belief

          Such is life cycle of personal choice.

          Agree that many perplexing events could never be explained in our lifetime.
          One example UFO sightings after one century is still unexplained

        • Raissa, Johnny@38

          There are archeological discoveries that prove our earliest encounter with the alien worlds. Meaning that the Earth was visited by aliens. Erich Von Daniken’s “Chariots of the Gods” tells us about his studies on ancient ruins, lost cities, potential space ports and other hard scientific facts that point to extraterrestrial intervention in human history. These archeological findings are:

          * An alien astronaut preserved in a pyramid
          * Thousand-year-old spaceflight navigation charts
          * Computer astronomy from Incan and Egyptian ruins
          * A map of the land beneath the ice cap of Antarctica
          * A giant spaceport discovered in the Andes

          The book includes such photos that document mankind’s first contact with aliens at the dawn of civilization. (From Amazon.com)

          I read the book in the early seventies. What stuck into my young mind then was the fact that the pyramids of Egypt and Mexico where symmetrically aligned as if an ancient terrestrial survey was done. Another fact is that with the present modern equipment, it would be very difficult if not impossible to build the same pyramids today.

        • Proof of origin in those ancient artifacts are missing.

          In antique buying, authenticity makes the object more expensive or rare based on provenance. Without absolute proof, object is less desirable, awesome but remains nice conversational piece like “chariots of the gods”

  9. @leona, re 1.2 entry. ..
    Do you think that the confessor will tell the truth of what he did? Most of time or all the time it will be a general mention of the sins (whatever it is) that will be confessed. I tried confessions when I was young when I converted to RC, due to my marriage to a Catholic. But I was never really comfortable in confessing, I also noticed that if your parish priest is a friend the penance is not equivalent to the sins that has been committed. Religion is a very broad topic and discussions or debates on it will be forever.

    So the bottom line again is faith whatever we are roman catholics, protestants, born again, muslim, jew, buddist etc. will always depend on the person on what path he or she has to choose.

    • @davide, I believe in my gutsy heart, public offiiks as confessors will ‘confess” whether they believe it’s the “truth or not” or good for them or not. You know, they are not any different from other “sly animals’ such as our publik offiks.

      By “telling” what he or they did, somewhat gives ’em some kind of “half-relief” maybe just maybe, they could “gamble” with it somewhere if confronted by the MIGHTY ONE…like saying [’cause they are sly animals] …Lord, I confessed it to Padre!…

      Heck, I also believe in my gutsy mind, they won’t be willing and able to GO TO HELL, if it comes to that! That is, if in their minds [which they doubt 99%] there is no HELL.

      What is the proof of all of my saying above? Hell, if they are true confessors, sorry for their corruptions, they would have stopped A LONG TIME AGO! after their first corruption.

      But no, they cannot. Others of their kinds are getting into the same baggage. These new ones sees the prize ahead…riches, fame and delicious corruptions!

      Yes, everyone is never comfortable in confessing, specially the first timers and even the frequenters. Sins are no joke, mind you. To tell even a priest about yours scares the hell out of each of us. For those of us who do not steal people’s money but commits simple sins we feel uncomfortable. But not their kinds from corruption from public coffers, hell, these offiks pursue their corruptions to no end. As I said, the prize is delicious…MONEY, FAME AND NOTORIETY!

      Also, no penance is equivalent for any sins to get absolution. It is just something as a duty to obliged doing “that penance” imposed. Surely, you don’t expect the priest to knock our heads with a hammer as a penance!

      What do you think the public offiks confessors would do or feel if the priest after their confession says: “Hey, I cannot give you absolution for those corruptions! You have to return all that money!” They would never again go to confession.

      Why they keep on receiving the holy Host is because they keep on confessing and gets absolution!

      Protestant religion, I think, does not practice “hearing confessions.” What I heard is that they just required their members to raise one’s head or lower the head, and say “God, I am sorry, terribly sorry for my sins.” They they can “eat the Bread.” You could have preferred that. But never mind, you are in already to this.

      Btw, many public offiks and VIPs in society are also secretly members of Masonry. I don’t know if they ever do go to confessions. Other religions, I don’t know. Maganda, no confessions. Continue one’s stealing!

      Faith, you mentioned. I do not believe any of these corrupt people have it! Faith of what? What they have I’m sure is FATE of getting the riches atbpa!

      Before I end @davide, do not sin no more if you want to be comfortable without confessing!

      God bless you. Amen.

    • @davide when i was still in high school every 1st thursday of the month we have confession and 1st friday is communion we’er oblige to confess in front of the priest coz’ were to many of us i told the priest i did’nt hear mass the previous sunday boy he got up curse me and told me in my face to scram or leave that really piss me off from then on i’ve never take a confession i confess or directly talk to god now.

  10. Kahit anong ipakita, ilahad bilang halimbawa, leksyon sa mga corrupt, walang mga budhing lider pang-pulitika at pang-ekonomya ng ating bansa, tiyak na magpapatuloy ang kanilang kawalang-kahihiyang mga gawain na nagsisilbing salot sa ating bansa.

    Naniniwala sila na ang DIYOS (ewan kung anong klaseng diyos ang sinasabi nila) ay mapagpaumanhin, mapagpasensya , maunawain at maghahango sa mga ito sa kabila ng kanilang mga karumal-dumal na gawain, basta humingi lang sila ng “taos-puso” kunong pagpapatawad kahit sa huling ilang hibla ng kanilang mabahong hininga.

    E, ano, e pera-pera lang naman ito at buhay ng mga kalaban nila sa pulitika at negosyo at carrer ang kanilang pinakialaman. Kung yung ngang mga sagadsaring kriminal, bibitayin na lang ayaw pang umamin sa kanilang ginawang krimen, eto pang mga makakapal at walang konsensyang mga pinuno ng ating bansa!

    Gayunpaman, ang naturang Dr. Teo’s final lecture ay may kabuluhan, doon sa mga taong matutukso at nagbabalak pa lang na maging isang corrupt na pulitiko at gahamang negosyante.

    Thanks Mam Raissa for coming out with this Dr. Teo’s piece. For him, thanks too .

  11. Very interesting discussion. To my catholic and non-catholic CPMers..The bible says “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou has rejected knowledge I will also
    reject thee” Hosea 4:6. Also in another place in the Bible, the Lord says “If my people, will humble tthemselves, and pray. If they seek My face and turn from thy wicked ways…I will hear from heaven and heal their land”. AMEN!!! And I think this was the theme song in the Catholic Golden Jubilee…Lord Heal Our Land. I pray our the Lord will heal our land.
    We can turn to blue discussing our faith, belief or whatsoever. But as long as we do not
    believe the Bible, and trust that it is the word of God, it will just be a mere exhanges of ideas. The Bible is a practical book. Let’s check it out.

    • I think the CPM is here for exchange of ideas. Although one may quote the bible to support one’s argument or comment, it depends on us whether to accept it as true or false or applicable in a given situation, regardless of our religious orientation.

      In other words the CPM is not a bible study forum where everybody trusts that the content of the bible is the word of God.

    • @Ernielac:
      I agree somewhat. The bible is a practical book. Parts of it, that is. But it is still a creation of man, and as such subject to human limitations. For example, parts of the bible still condone slavery and pillaging, among other things. I think we should treat it as we treat faith. As a personal choice, as such, it is still dependent on the person you are talking too. Remember, politicians use the bible and faith pervasively to further their own selfish ends. If you use the bible to enhance your own faith and do good to your fellow man, very well done for you. However be wary of other people who take advantage of the bible and faith but in reality believe only in enriching themselves.

  12. Well said all those views about being good and being bad mostly the latter for our politicians.
    When we talk of conscience, forgiveness and remorse we tend to forget that some of us are born evil to provide us the neverending struggle for good to prevail; to manifest to God the worth of the free will He gifted us to make the choice to live as willing slaves or God’s fighting free men.
    =——————
    Ms. Raissa if I may, we may begin by thinking about the beginning of infinity (eternal life?) for both man and nature, and that will be beyond before Jesus Christ, even before the triumvirate Socrates-Plato-Aristotle about 399 B.C.. A trek of up to an entitlement of 100 past lives given the eternal life of 2,000 + years. Out of this world thinking? That’s seems to be the TRUTH the Singapore doctor is trying to convey to us: Godliness is truly inside and not out of this our world.

  13. @bayonic…paki punta nga sa No. 1… baba ‘o dulo sa komentong mo tungkol sa kompesalan ng mga pub. offiks…salamat!

  14. Selflessness is such a nonsense but from which many find meaning and fulfillment (“true joy'” in the words of Doc Richard).

    Thanks very much, Ms. Raissa.

  15. funny, people tend to reconcile with god, less with their fellow beings. doctors are not perfect even though they have all the chances to be, being top of the food chain. I presumed dr richard teo has asked forgiveness from the patients he has shortchanged, the patients he should have given more attention to and given the best of care. that he has been charitable, kind, helpful . . . on top of being materialistic.

    I’m reminded of erikson’s psychosocial theory integrity versus despair, no need for me to elaborate. dr richard teo must have known all there is to know about this. hope he found peace.

    • @Rama
      Funny you hit the nail directly on physicians. Majority of them are what you imagined materialistically.

      In previous Raissa blog, I have voiced out on how could Philippine doctors justify their 300 pesos consultation fee or 500 hospital bedside fee when the minimum daily wage is 300 pesos. In old times, professional courtesy on service fee was extended among colleagues but now only few physicians do. They think their fees are worth every second of their service.

      Peace of mind affords spiritual satisfaction.
      Classic Dickens novel, A Christmas Carol, moral story is not difficult to achieve after being successful.

      As always the problem, poor eyesight comes before hindsight.