Deadly warning

OUR communities must be warned. The sudden deaths of the five concert revelers at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City cannot and should not be taken lightly by our local officials and parents.

The lure of being “in”, the peer pressure and having the bragging right to have experienced trying an illegal drug remain very formidable attraction among our youth. And while party drugs may not still be easily accessible in the province, these can be easily shared and brought in by the affluent in our communities, particularly when these are sought out by thrill-seekers.

It is bad enough that we have to contend with the criminal syndicates’ expanded networking for the distribution of shabu, cocaine and marijuana in our communities, then this. The dangers of party drugs are clearly evident.

One does not need an overdose of party drugs to suffer serious illness of death, all it takes is just one intake of the pill.

To effectively stop the use and lure of Ecstasy and other party drugs, it can only begin at home by openly discussing its deadly health risks with all members of the family.

 

A bad example

PRESIDENT-elect Rody Duterte is obviously still smarting from the provocative pastoral letters issued by the CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines) against him during the campaign period. And it should be expected.

But for the bishops to suddenly have this preoccupation to continue to engage Mr. Duterte in verbal tussles boggles the mind.  It can comment, of course, on Mr. Duterte’s positions that may impact on the Church’s teachings, but notice that when the Church gets itself hit by Mr. Duterte, it has the tendency to fire back.

Isn’t the Church the first to counsel us against the evil of the “eye-for-an-eye” stance in resolving matters? Granting, perhaps, that Mr. Duterte might have crossed the line, isn’t it the duty of the Church to be conciliatory, instead of retaliatory?

The President is the President, and it is our sworn duty to grant the respect, if not courtesy, due him.  The Church is no exception.  For, isn’t the Church the model in forging unity and lasting peace?

We were taught since Day One that the Church is unifier, not divider; the Church is forgiver, not fighter; and, finally, the Church is love, not war.

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