Vote Wisely

AS I write this piece, it is barely a week before the May 13 local and national elections and our electorate will once again have the opportunity to choose the local officials from the municipal mayors, vice-mayors and members of the Sanguniang Bayan, provincial governors, vice-governors and the different district members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in the case of municipalities, and city mayors, vice-mayors and members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in the case of cities. And almost all groups having stake in the coming political exercise are in the process of endorsing their chosen candidates. The El Shaddai for its part, thru its known leader Mike Velarde, has named the twelve senatorial candidates it is endorsing from which its members may choose to vote. So does some business and transport groups and some religious groups, congregations and churches. The Iglesia Ni Cristo is also expected to name the candidates both national and local that it will support and print them in the sample ballots that the INC usually prepares for distribution to their members on Election Day. On the part of the Catholic Church, while it does not endorse any particular local and national candidate, it does equivocate in the homilies during masses guidelines on whom the parishioners may vote. Be that as it may, through this column I wish to take this opportunity to call upon the electorate to vote not on the basis of favors or monetary considerations but on the dictates of their conscience by voting for candidates who are known for their honesty, conviction, strong character, fairness and dedication for the greater interest of our country and people.

TRIVIA:

The Renewal of Oath of the Eucharistic Lay Ministers who have been serving for one year or more is scheduled this coming Friday, May 10, at the Ateneo de Naga University convention hall. For the new recruits the orientation seminar is scheduled on May 30 at the same venue.

The members and officers of the Knights of Rizal, Naga City Chapter, will have their regular meeting this coming Saturday, May 11, at 2:00 pm at the Rizal Center. It will however, be presided by Deputy Commander Errol Delina as I will not be able to preside the same as its incumbent president as we are still in Manila for the medical check-up of my spouse Minda at the Medical City Hospital in Pasig. The earliest booking we were able to secure for our return trip to Naga via Cebu Pacific is on May 13, 9:00 a.m. trip as earlier trips have been fully booked.

Hi to Vic Verdadero whom my spouse and I chanced upon at the Naga Airport in Pili while waiting for our Cebu Pacific flight for Manila. Vic is a successful private law practitioner in Metro Manila and is the cousin of this paper’s Bicol columnist Ernie Verdadero and my deceased high school batch ‘54 classmate Boy Verdadero.

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

“THERE ARE THOSE WHO LOOK AT THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE AND ASK WHY....I DREAM OF THINGS THAT NEVER WERE, AND ASKS WHY NOT? ROBERT F. KENNEDY

FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE:

“HE HAS MADE EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME.” ECCL 8:16