LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him…” (Proverbs 23:24, the Holy Bible).

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GMA DID SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY, AFTER ALL? Now, now, now!!! Will somebody please tell us the truth: who should get the credit for the recent improvement of the Philippines’ fiscal position and macroeconomic stability, as reported by Moody’s Investor Services : the government of former President Arroyo, or that of President Aquino? 

The clarification is necessary because, even among President Aquino’s officials, a great degree of confusion is very evident. While one group says it was because of the economic policies of the Aquino government that economic improvement became possible, another group unabashedly attributes this improvement to the policies of the Arroyo government.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Armando Tetangco, Jr. has this to say, as reported by ABS CBN: “"In the last 10 years, we have grown quite impressively, even through the crisis, inflation has been muted, the BOP (balance of payments) has been in surplus, the GIR (gross international reserve) level has climbed many folds, the banks have been strong and stable, fiscal consolidation has been entrenched…”

So, Gloria Arroyo’s 10 or so years of presidency really did something good for the country then? So, whatever economic achievements the country and its people are experiencing now under President Aquino all came about because of the policies that Arroyo’s government espoused for the last 10 years? And I thought Gloria did nothing but to plunder our country?

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WENDELL SULIT: ALWAYS ABOVE-BOARD IN HER DUTIES: I am not aware of the truth or falsity of the charges against Ombudsman Special Prosecutor Wendell Barreras Sulit in connection with the plea bargaining deal between the Ombudsman and former Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, but one thing is clear: in all her professional life as a prosecutor, Wendell has always been above-board in the discharge of her duties and responsibilities.

I know this for a fact, considering that right from the very first time that she started serving as an ordinary prosecutor, I had the opportunity of looking at her performance from the jaded eyes of a reporter, since I was then covering the Ombudsman and all its attached agencies for various media entities.

I know that many opportunities presented themselves to Wendell for her to make lots and lots of money out of her position, but then she chose to keep her nose clean, as it were, with the conviction that the only wealth she could bequeathed her children are a good name and reputation, a conviction handed down to her by her own parents. 

I am sure Wendell would not do anything to sully that name and reputation now, especially since she is getting older, on her way to retirement. Among the many officials at the Office of the Ombudsman, Wendell is someone whose fear and love of God has remained intact through the years, something that she utilized well to enable her to graduate as a magna cum laude from the Far Eastern University in the 1970s.

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RID YOURSELVES OF MALICE: Here are more self-explanatory rules of behavior from the Bible: “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,  now that you have tasted that the Lord is good…” (1 Peter 2:1-

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GMA, mabuti din pala? Wendell Sulit, marangal!

INSPIRASYON SA BUHAY: “Ang ama ng isang matuwid na bata ay may malaking kasiyahan; ang isang taong may anak na matalino ay nabibigyan ng katuwaan…” (Kawikaan 23:24, Bibliya).

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GMA, MAY BUTI DIN PALANG GINAWA? O siya, sige! Puwede ba, pakiliwanag lang kung ano ang totoo: sino ang dapat purihin sa paghusay ng pananalapi at pagtatag ng ekonomiya ng Pilipinas, gaya ng iniulat ng Moody’s Investor Services ngayon: ang gobyerno ni dating Pangulong Arroyo, o ang gobyerno ni Pangulong Aquino?

Kailangan ang paglilinaw na ito sapagkat kahit na sa hanay ng mga opisyales ng Pangulong Aquino, nalilito din sila kung sino ang dapat kilalanin. Bagamat sinasabi ng isang grupo na ang pag-unlad ng ekonomiya sa ngayon ay dulot ng mga pagkilos ng gobyernong Aquino, mayroon namang nagsasabi na ang pagsulong ay sanhi ng mga ginawa ng Arroyo government.

Sa ulat ng ABS CBN, sinabi ni Gov. Armando Tetangco Jr. ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas: “Sa nakalipas na sampung taon, umunlad tayo ng todo bagamat may krisis. Napatigil natin ang inflation, ang BOP (balance of payments) ay lumago pabor sa atin, ang GIR (gross international reserve) level ay umangat ng mataas na antas, ang mga bangko ay naging matatag, ang pananalapi ay naging maayos…”

May buti palang idinulot ang pagiging pangulo ni Gloria sa ating bansa kung ganun? Ang mga tagumpay sa larangan ng ekonomiya na nararanasan ng Pilipinas at ng sambayanan sa panahon ngayon ni Pangulong Aquino ay galing pala sa mga pagkilos ng gobyernong Aquino sa nakalipas na sampung taon? Akala ko, sabi ng iba, walang ginawa si Gloria kundi ang magnakaw?

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WENDELL SULIT: LAGING MARANGAL SA GAWAIN: Hindi ko batid kung tama o mali ang mga akusasyon laban kay Ombudsman Special Proseccutor Wendel Barreras Sulit kaugnay sa plea bargaining deal ng Ombudsman at ni dating Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, pero may isang malinaw sa akin: sa buong buhay ni Sulit bilang prosecutor, nanatili siyang malinis at walang dungis sa pagtupad niya sa tungkulin.

Personal kong nalalaman ito dahil mula noong mag-umpisa si Wendell na maging ordinaryong prosecutor, nakita ko bilang isang reporter ng iba’t ibang media entities na naka-assign sa Ombudsman kung papaano siya nagtrabaho ng marangal.

Alam ko ding maraming dumating na oportunidad sa kanya upang kumita ng sandamukal na pera dahil sa kanyang posisyon, pero mas ninais niyang maging malinis, batay sa paniniwala niyang ang tanging yaman na maipapamana niya sa kanyang mga anak ay ang malinis na pangalan at reputasyon, gaya din ng sinabi sa kanya noon ng kanyang sariling mga magulang.

Sigurado akong hindi dudungisan ni Wendel ang pangalang ito, maging ang kanyang reputasyon, lalo na at papalapit na siya sa pagreretiro. Sa mga opisyales ng Ombudsman, isa si Wendell sa may takot at pagmamahal sa Diyos sa maraming panahong naglingkod siya doon, mga katangiang naging daan upang maging magna cum laude siya ng Far Eastern University noong 1970s.

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ALISIN ANG MALISYA SA SARILI: Naririto ang iba pang mga alituntunin mula sa Bibliya ukol sa mahusay na pagkatao: “Dahil diyan, alisin ninyo sa inyong mga sarili ang malisya, ang lahat ng panlilinlang, pagiging ipokrito, inggit at paninira. Tulad ng mga sanggol, magsumikap kayong uminom ng gatas na pang-espirituwal, upang magamit ninyo sa kaligtasan, ngayong nakita na ninyo ang kabutihan ng Diyos…” (1 Pedro 1:1-3).