By Leonardo Micua

 

DURING the first midnight mass this Yuletide season at Saint John the Evangelist Cathedral last December 16, many were touched by the homily of Archbishop Socrates Villegas who intoned  “Ang lahat ay may katapusan” (All will have its end).

If you ask me, that was pregnant with meanings. Even the midnight mass that he was celebrating, according to him, will soon end. “All of us human beings without exception will surely breath our last and evaporate in this world.”

Nothing is permanent in this world—living or non-living things. So, while there is still time, one may want to leave good marks that his or her forebears will surely be proud of many years or decades soon.

Coincidentally, officials of Dagupan were among those who packed the cathedral to hear the first midnight mass of the  season. It was an occasion long anticipated, seeing our politicians pray in the same church, at the same time.

In acknowledging the presence of local city officials at the midnight mass, Archbishop Villegas took the occasion to send a message to these warring politicians – to shape up and  end their hostilities for the sake of their constituents!

We know that the church is apolitical and would not dip its fingers on anything political, but the message is timely for all – the officials of Dagupan must stop the political divide that has taken its toll on their constituents, and once and for all join hands for the good of the city.

But what’s getting in the way of a united collaboration between the two groups hard to reach? Well, Mayor Belen and her group came in white, the color of purity and neutrality while the group led by Councilor Celia Lim arrived in their partisan blue political color as if the church was also a venue for their politics.

Anyway, we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Prosperous New  Year.

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But we are saddened by the fact that some families in Dagupan would not have a Merry Christmas this year. I refer to the families of the scholars from the ranks of the poor, who live by just washing clothes, working as house maids, driving tricycles, pedaling tri-bikes, catching fish by hook and line, vendors and kargadors in the market, etc. 

Some of these scholars, we were informed, have already opted to drop out from school because their parents could no longer borrow money to pay for their tuition fees from relatives and neighbors since their scholarship grants are not coming soon.  

We were informed that the majority is in the Sangguniang Panlungsod is still in no mood to pass the supplemental budget No. 1 submitted by Mayor Belen Fernandez even after five public hearings, attended by resource speakers sent by the mayor. 

Supplemental Budget No. 1 allocates, among others additional P100 million to the city’s scholarship program. 

Then there is Supplemental  Budget No. 2 coming. The city needs is a budget for the one-time rice allowance for city government workers, that certainly includes the workers in the city government’s payroll of the Magic 7.

Can the majority in the SP pass first Supplemental Budget No. 2 without first passing the long pending Supplemental Budget No. 1? Many doubt that it can. 

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