Category: News

Welcome and congratulations to the incoming Board of Trustees of the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas who will serve from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025. Here is the complete roster of the new officers.

President- Francisco Xavier Padilla
Executive Vice-President- Albert A. Loteyro
Vice-President for Ecclesiastical Province of Manila- Gertrudes Bautista
Vice-President for Luzon- Armin Leonardo F. Ibarra
Vice-President for Visayas- Dr. Rene Josef C. Bullecer
Vice-President for Mindanao- Atty. Proculo Sarmen
Secretary- Mayette H. Bugaoan
Treasurer- Ma. Lourdes de Guzman
Auditor- Nancy Abcede
PRO- Michael Bukuhan
TRUSTEES:
Dr. Noe D. Bataga
Danilo Billedo
Rene de Jesus
Arch. Edric Marco Florentino
Dr. Divina Lupe Lazaro

Catholic News Agency
June 19, 2023

Pope Francis appeared in the window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Sunday to make his first public speech since his release from the hospital on Friday.

The 86-year-old pope waved and smiled on June 18 as he gave thanks for the prayers and messages that he received during his nine-day stay in the hospital to recover from surgery to repair an incisional hernia.

“I wish to express my gratitude to those who, during the days of my hospitalization at Gemelli Hospital, have shown me affection, care, and friendship, and assured me of prayerful support,” the pope said.

“This human and spiritual closeness has been a great help and comfort to me. Thank you all, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

In his Angelus address, Pope Francis urged Christians to show the world the closeness of God by “performing many deeds of love and hope in the name of the Lord.”

Pope Francis reflected on how Jesus asked his apostles to preach that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 10:7). He noted how Jesus also began his preaching with this proclamation that the God of love is in our midst.

Mark Saludes
June 19, 2023

A Catholic bishop on Sunday lamented the slaughter of four members of a peasant family in the central Philippine province of Negros Occidental.

“I implore local and national government institutions to ensure justice for the Fausto family and hold accountable those responsible for this heinous act,” said Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos.

Based on a report released by the rights group September 21 Movement, peasant woman Emelda Fausto, 50, and her two children Ben, 15, and Raben, 12, were killed while they were sleeping inside their hut in Buenavista village, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on June 14.

Emelda’s husband, farmer Rolly Fausto, 55, was found dead in a sugarcane field near their home. The family members belonged to the Iglesia Filipina Independiente or Philippine Independent Church.

The satellite carries ‘nano’ version of his book, ‘Why Are You Afraid? Have You No Faith?’ and will beam his words back to Earth

By Carol Glatz, OSV News
Published: June 14, 2023 04:49 AM GMT

Pope Francis’ message of hope for humanity encased in a small satellite blasted off into space June 12 and soon will beam his words back to Earth.

“The ‘Spei Satelles’ mission successfully launched from the U.S. base in Vandenberg, California, and in the coming days, it plans to deploy the CubeSat into orbit, carrying Pope Francis’ message of hope” contained in a nano version of the book, “Why Are You Afraid? Have You No Faith?” according to a press release June 13 from the Vatican Dicastery for Communication and agencies involved in the project.

Once deployed into orbit, the microsatellite was set to transmit papal messages of hope and peace in English, Italian and Spanish that any amateur radio receiver should be able to pick up. Its radio signals will be transmitted on the frequency of 437.5 MHz “with modulation GMSK at 9600 bit/s and protocol AX.25,” the press release said.

“At sunrise in different parts of the world, individuals will have the opportunity to receive words of comfort and encouragement along the paths of hope,” it said.

In addition to the papal nano book, the “Spei Satelles” mission also carries a chip with the names and commitments of men, women and children on Earth who requested a “boarding pass” to take part in the mission.

Since speisatelles.org was launched March 27, 2023, the press release said, “hundreds of individuals from all over the world have joined the project.”

By registering online, it said Catholics can symbolically “board” the mission by committing to carry out a corporal or spiritual work of mercy, and non-Catholics can perform a gesture or deed that fosters human fraternity.

“Given the success and the educational potential of membership, even though the launch has already taken place, it will still be possible to sign up, and names will be remotely written on the memory in orbit through the ground control station,” it added.

This way, the pope’s words will have symbolic significance “up there” in the heavens and concrete action “down here” on Earth, Father Luca Peyron, head of the Archdiocese of Turin’s apostolate for the digital world, said March 27.

The microsatellite was one of 72 CubeSats that took off from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California June 12 with “microsatellites, hosted payloads and orbital transfer vehicles on the Transporter 8 rideshare mission” for customers from more than 18 countries, according to SpaceFlightNow.com.

The “Spei Satelles” space mission is promoted by the Dicastery for Communication and coordinated by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Turin.

Researchers and students from the university’s department of mechanical and aerospace engineering built the CubeSat, which houses the nano book created by Italy’s National Research Council (CNR). The lab converted the 150-page book — about 86 square feet of printed material — into binary code that fit on a tiny 2 mm-by-2 mm chip, which is about the size of the tip of a crayon.

The project was unveiled at the Vatican March 27, the anniversary of the prayer service which Pope Francis led in an empty St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The pope’s words and images from that evening were shared worldwide first as a global live stream and then in the book.

Msgr. Lucio Adrián Ruiz, secretary of the Dicastery for Communication, said at a news conference unveiling the project, that the next step was to send the book literally around the world in a low Earth orbit satellite as a symbolic gesture of extending the pope’s loving embrace even farther.

The Latin name of the mission, “Spes Satelles,” can be translated as “satellite of hope” and “guardian of hope,” Msgr. Ruiz had said in March, to signify the satellite is also a guardian, keeping the pope’s message of hope alive for all of humanity.

The six-pound CubeSat, which will orbit approximately 326 miles (525 km) above the Earth’s surface, was blessed by Pope Francis during his general audience March 29.

In the June 13 press release, Msgr. Ruiz said that having Pope Francis’ message in space “serves as a sign and representation of tenderness and blessing for the world.” “The vastness of space always sparks our imagination, and now we all need to dream together again, hoping that the much-awaited peace will return to the world by involving all of us,” he said.

Veritas 846
June 13, 2023
licas news philippines

Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga. (Photo by Mark Saludes)

Kinilala ng Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) at Stella Maris Philippines ang mga Migrant Workers at Seafarers bilang pakikiisa sa nalalapit na paggunita ng International Day of Family Remittance sa June 16.

Ayon kay Outgoing Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos, Vice-chairman ng CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People at CBCP Bishop Promoter ng Stella Maris Philippines, katangi-tangi ang gampanin ng mga kabilang sa sektor upang masuportahan ang pamilya na pinapatatag din ang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas.

“This International Day of Family Remittance is very praiseworthy celebration and grateful recognition of immense, valuable and essential contributions of migrant workers and seafarers all over the world, with the services and sacrifices of 200 million migrant workers who send money to over 800 million family members, lives are improved, promoted and secured. Economy is sustained and nourished,” ayon sa ipinadalang mensahe ni Bishop Santos sa Radio Veritas.

Hinimok din ng Obispo ang kapwa Pari na mag-alay ng misa para sa mga migrant seafarers at workers sa sa paggunita ng International Day of Family Remittance sa ikabubuti ng kanilang kapakanan at pamilya.

“Let us show our appreciation and gratitude to migrant workers and seafarers by promoting their rights, preserving their dignity and to protect them against injustices and exploitation,” bahagi pa ng mensaheng ipinadala ni Bishop Santos sa Radio Veritas,” Ayon sa United Nations (UN) at International Labor Organization noong 2019, aabot sa higit 200-milyon ang migrante kung saan 169-milyon ditto ay mga migrant workers sa buong mundo.

Naitala rin ng UN na noong 2022 ay umabot sa 630-bilyong dolyar ang kabuoan ng halaga na naipadala ng mga migrante sa kanilang mga pamilya sa bansa.

Sa datos ng Department of Migrant Workers at Philippine Statistics Authority noong 2022, umabot na sa 1.8-milyon ang bilang ng mga Overseas Filipino Workers habang naitala din noong nakalipas na taon na umabot sa 36.1-Billion US Dollars ang naipadalang halaga ng mga OFW para sa kanilang pamilya sa Pilipinas.

Veritas 846
June 8, 2023

Tiniyak ng komisyong pangkalusugan ng simbahan ang patuloy na pagsuporta sa mga adhikain ng bagong talagang kalihim ng Department of Health.

Ayon kay Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Health Care (CBCP-ECHC) executive secretary Fr. Dan Cancino, MI, ang pagtanggap ni Dr. Ted Herbosa sa tungkulin bilang pinuno ng DoH ay patunay lamang ng kanyang dedikasyong mapaglingkuran ang mamamayan.

“The CBCP-ECHC shares a commitment with you to improving the health and well-being of the most vulnerable and marginalized. We will journey beside you and all those working in the attempt to bring health to all, especially the many people, including children, who live on the periphery of society, and who suffer ill health and hunger,” bahagi ng pahayag ni Fr. Cancino sa panayam ng Radio Veritas.

Iginiit ni Fr. Cancino na ang pagkakaroon nang maayos na kalusugan ay karapatan ng bawat mamamayan, at hindi para sa kapakanan lamang ng iilan.

Umaasa ang opisyal ng CBCP na sa pamumuno ni Herbosa sa DOH ay higit nitong maipadama ang pagmamalasakit sa mga mahihirap sa pamamagitan ng pagsusulong at pagpapaigting ng mga programang pangkalusugan sa mga pamayanan.

Sinabi ng pari na mahalaga ito sapagkat karamihan sa mga pamayanan ang hindi ganap na naaabot o nakakatanggap ng mga serbisyong pangkalusugan.

“Let the health system focus on care for people, rather than simply treatment for specific diseases or conditions—factoring in all aspects of people’s individual lives and situations. As we are improving our health systems, never forget that we need to strengthen community systems (for health) as well,” saad ni Fr. Cancino.

Una nang nagpaabot ng pagbati si CBCP-ECHC vice chairman, Military Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio sa pagkakahirang kay Herbosa bilang bagong kalihim ng DOH at umaasang matutugunan at mabibigyang-pansin ang mga usaping pangkalusugan na mahalaga para sa kapakanan ng bawat mamamayan.

LiCAS News
June 13, 2023

A coalition of civil society organizations on Tuesday criticized the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for promoting a “corporate-led energy transition” and supporting fossil fuel projects.

The groups claimed ADB is focusing on techno-fixes and false solutions – fossil gas, carbon capture and storage (CCUS), waste-to-energy incinerators, and large hydro projects – which “detracts from real solutions to the climate crisis”.

The groups staged a protest rally in front of the ADB headquarters in Pasig City coinciding with the 18th Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF).

“Year in and year out, the ACEF has been a platform for discussion for anything but clean energy. Now, in the pipeline are energy projects that would produce dirty, harmful, and costly power,” said Lawyer Aaron Pedrosa of Sanlakas.

He said ADB intends to do business “at the expense of the life, health, livelihood, and environment of host communities in shameless disregard of recent climate science”.

Lawyer Avril De Torres of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development criticized the ADB’s support for fossil gas and false energy solutions. She said, “By failing to abandon gas, ADB consigns us to more years of polluting, costly power and in no way progress in breaking away from its dirty energy legacy.”

Chuck Baclagon of 350.org Asia emphasized the need to eliminate fossil fuels entirely and transition to clean, decentralized renewable sources.

To truly decarbonize, we need to eliminate fossil fuels entirely. The objective is to transform the financial system to prioritize clean, reliable, and affordable energy systems, ultimately achieving a fossil-free future that benefits both the people and our planet,” he said.

Rovik Obanil of the Freedom from Debt Coalition said the public must oppose ACEF’s fixation, which he described as “dangerous detours”.

The civil society groups highlighted specific concerns regarding the ADB’s energy sector pipeline, including a coal-to-gas switching project in Kazakhstan, and proposed partnerships with the Indian Oil Corporation for carbon capture and storage (CCUS) piloting and green hydrogen utilization.

They argued that these projects do not accelerate the phase-out of coal, oil, and gas dependency and can exacerbate water stress and harm local communities.

Mark Moreno Pascual of Recourse said ADB’s concept of ‘clean energy, involves false solutions “meant to incentivize profitable exit routes for fossil fuel corporations”.

Yobel Novian Putra of GAIA Asia Pacific called for an end to the ADB’s support for Waste-to-Energy (WtE) incinerators, highlighting the reliance on fossil fuels and the harmful impact on communities and waste workers.

The civil society groups also raised concerns about the ADB’s financing for climate adaptation and mitigation, primarily in the form of loans, which could exacerbate debt burdens for borrowing member countries.

Lidy Nacpil of APMDD stressed the need for a rapid, direct, equitable, and just transition to 100% renewable energy systems and non-debt-creating climate finance.

Ian Rivera of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice called for the ADB to break away from its corporate business model, emphasizing its failure to deliver genuine and transformative changes in the region.