BY ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO


SEC. LIM MUST RESIGN, TOO: I am not in favor of the resignation of Tourism Undersecretary Vicente Romano. It is a dangerous precedent.

If Romano’s resignation is accepted, all that Cabinet men who are under-performing or who are not doing anything at all would have to do is to require their subordinates to resign to allow them to escape liability.

    It is Secretary Alberto Lim who should resign, for Romano could not have conceptualized, launched and pursued the discredited “Pilipinas, Kay Ganda” tourism campaign, if Lim did not previously approve of it, tacitly or expressly. In law, this is called the principle of command responsibility.

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    CHANGE “WOW PHILIPPINES” TO “OK PHILIPPINES”: Be that as it may, I am suggesting that, indeed, we should now change “Wow Philippines” as our tourism campaign slogan. That maybe a catchy phrase alright, but it was not really successful in promoting the Philippines as a tourist destination.

    “Wow Philippines” has been our battle cry for several years already and yet, there is clearly no significant and beneficial increase in the number of tourists coming in. There was also no significant development of other places in the country that could attract tourists, in much the same way that tourism was not really given the attention it deserves from previous administrations.

    Perhaps, under President Aquino, we can now use “Ok Philippines” as a campaign slogan to signify that it is now alright---in short, ok---for everyone to come to the Philippines this time and truly enjoy its beauty and hospitality under a leadership that cares for, and safeguards, tourists.

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    SIGNS OF THE END, AS JESUS DESCRIBED THEM, ARE NOW HAPPENING: The recent deadly exchange of fire and bomb attacks between South Korea and North Korea, the continuing battles in many parts of the world, and the increased famines and earthquakes and other calamities everywhere, seem to be eerie---and yet compelling---reminders of what the Lord Jesus Christ described as the signs that the end is slowly coming for everyone.

    In fact, the picture painted by Jesus in Matthew 24:5-14 of the Holy Bible showing how the world will end seems to be getting  more complete as the days go by. Not only are there wars, famines and earthquakes in almost every part of the globe now.

    In addition to all these, there are now those who say they are the Messiah (in fulfillment of Matthew 24:5), believers in Jesus as God and Savior are now being handed over to persecution and are being killed everywhere (in fulfillment of Matthew 24:9), and are being hated by nations who have embraced other faiths (Mathew 24:9).

    Many are also being led into sin, and people are betraying and hating one another (Matthew 24:10). False prophets have appeared and are deliberately deceiving many, and because of increased evildoing, the love of many has grown cold.  While we do not know the exact time, it is certain the end is coming real soon with all the foregoing.

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“Ok, Philippines” mas ok kesa “Wow! Philippines”


    SEC. LIM, DAPAT DING MAG-RESIGN: Hindi ako pabor sa pagbibitiw ni Tourism Undersecretary Vicente Romano. Delikadong halimbawa ito.

Kung matutuloy kasi ang pagbibitiw na ito ni Romano, ang tanging dapat gawin na lamang ng mga miyembro ng Gabinete na hindi maayos ang pamamalakad o palpak sa tungkulin ay utusang magbitiw ang kanilang mga assistant upang maligtas ang kanilang mga posisyon.

    Si Secretary Alberto Lim ang dapat magbitiw, kasi di naman makakapag-isip, at hindi naman ilulunsad at pupursigihin ni Romano ang programang “Pilipinas, Kay Ganda” ng Department of Tourism kung hindi muna ito inaprubahan o kinatigan ni Lim. Sa batas, ang tawag dito ay command responsibility.

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    PALITAN ANG “WOW PHILIPPINES” NG “OK PHILIPPINES”: Magkaganunman, nais kong ipanukala na dapat na talagang palitan ang “Wow Philippines” bilang tourism campaign slogan kasi di naman talaga ito naging matagumpay sa pagsusulong ng Pilipinas bilang bakasyunan ng mga turista.

    Ang “Wow Philippines” ay matagal na nating ginagamit pero wala namang maliwanag na paglago sa bilang ng mga turistang dumating sa tin. Wala ding maliwanag na pagsasaayos ng iba pang mga lugar sa bansa na sana ay makakaakit ng mga turista, gaya din ng katotohanang hindi nabigyan ang turismo ng atensiyong dapat ay ibinigay dito ng mga nakaraang gobyerno.

    Siguro, sa ilalim ng Pangulong Aquino, maaari nating gamitin ang “Ok Philippines” bilang siyang kahaliling campaign slogan upang maipahiwatig sa lahat na wala ng problema---ok na---para sa lahat na magpunta sa Pilipinas sa mga panahong ito at tamasahin ang kagandahan nito at kabutihan ng kanyang mga mamamayan, sa ilalim ng isang lideratong nagmamahal at nangangalaga sa mga turista.

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    SENYALES NG WAKAS, GAYA NG SINABI NI JESUS, NAGAGANAP NA: Ang palitan ng putok at mga pagsabog sa pagitan ng South Korea at North Korea nitong mga nakakaraang araw lamang, at ang patuloy na bakbakan sa maraming panig ng mundo, pati ang pagdami ng mga nagugutom at paglindol sa halos lahat na ng lugar, ay tila ba nagpapaalala sa atin sa mga pagsasalarawan ng Panginoong Jesus kung papaanong ang mundo ay magwawakas.


    Sa totoo lang, ang larawang iginuhit ni Jesus sa Mateo 24:5-14 ng Bibliya na nagpapakita kung papaanong magtatapos ang daigdig ay tila ba nakukumpleto na sa pagdaraan ng mga araw. Hindi na lamang kasi may mga giyera, taggutom at lindol sa mundo sa ngayon.

    Naririyan na din ang mga nagsasabing sila na ang Mesiyas (na binanggit sa Mateo 24:5). Ang mga naniniwala kay Jesus bilang Diyos at Tagapagligtas ay inuusig na sa ngayon at pinapatay na (na binanggit din sa Mateo 24:9), at kinamumuhian na ng mga bansang lumipat na sa ibang pananampalataya.

    Marami na din ang nahihikayat sa kasalanan, at nagtatraydor at nagagalit na ang tao sa kapwa, (Mateo 24:10). Naglalabasan na din ang mga bulaang propeta at nanloloko ng marami, at, dahil sa paglaganap ng kasamaan, nanlalamig ang marami. Bagamat hindi natin alam ang eksaktong oras, maliwanag na paparating na ang katapusan.



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