There are still some books, however, that can be given to other schools, libraries or NGOs that will ask for them. These books are classics, encyclopedias and reference books. If anyone is interested, please send me an email (www.duckyparedes@yahoo.com) or rcpasig@hotmail.com or call Edgar Manalang 0927-9414528 or fax 635-2234.

We also have a lot of baby soap, lotions and other products that we will donate to any orphanage or similar institution that takes care of children.

Although, for now, RC Pasig still has a lot of these items, we will have to give them out on a first come, first served basis. So, please get in touch with us right away.

We will appreciate knowing which organization, school, orphanage or other type of institution will be receiving the items and the number of children, students or other beneficiaries that will be served by our donation.

Write or call us, please! We need to give these away as they were donated to us to be given to those that can use them.

***

How sad that the tempest in a teapot created by Senator Ping Lacson (that’s really all that this is) on the double entry of the same project may actually be dividing the opposition into several camps.

Remember that in the 2004 elections, it was also Senator Lacson who played the part of "spoiler" to the campaign of Fernando Poe Jr.? Is it misplaced ambition that drives Lacson? After all, can he win the presidency as part of the opposition, considering that many FPJ backers continue to blame him for the 2004 debacle.

(After all, FPJ was so popular that if FPJ had the several million Lacson votes, which were never enough to win but enough to act as an added cushion, when added to FPJ’s votes that no matter what cheating could have taken place might not have mattered anymore. The fact, however, is that Lacson contributed to the defeat of the opposition in 2004!)

Can Lacson still have a chance to become president? My personal opinion is a big, big No! Had he run as vice president to FPJ, he would probably be president today. He missed his one chance. It will not come his way again.

***

Poor Gloria Arroyo. She, who has given up what she knows from her days of teaching Economics on the effect of too large a population on the economy of this country. She did this in order to curry favor with the Catholic bishops. Now, however, the bishops want more from her. They are insatiable.

Manila auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo says: "Possible na sa salita niya lang yun (promotion of natural method), pero sa totoo, hindi naman ganyan yung (position) niya kasi kung talagang gugustuhin niya, gaya ng ibang mga unpopular na batas, napilit din.

"Minsan yung kanyang mga desisyon hindi din ayon sa totoo kundi ayon sa political climate."

Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad also butts in that Gloria’s credibility will sink even lower the moment she turns her back on her SONA pronouncement that she is backing the Church’s position 100 percent.

What can one say? That is what you get, Gloria, when you deal with the devil.

Once you have given in to the devil, you must continue to give in again and again. If you even hesitate, the devil turns out to be what he really is – the devil himself!

***

On the other hand, the Church is getting a lot of supporters for its stand – from people who have electoral ambitions in 2010. One woman congresswoman, for instance, has turned advocate for the church’s stand. This is primarily because she is thinking of running for city mayor and believes that if she backs the Church on this issue, they will be only too glad to back her candidacy.

Hopefully, the bishops are not so dumb as to fall for her tactic. No one should be supported in an election because of being on the right or wrong side in the debate on reproductive health. Both sides ought to be seriously considering this issue on the basis of what is best for our country. Those who honestly express their views on this should be respected. That is what democracy is all about.

Those who follow by rote whatever the bishops say are pitiful and ought not to be in public office; this kind cannot possibly become good leaders. They decide on issues without thinking; they only follow what those who can help them politically tell them to think.

What we need is not those who will adopt policies that do not work for this country and the betterment of our people, just to win the support of a bishop, an NGO or a gang of thieves, whose common denominator may be that they are perceived to have a lock on a great number of voters and can thus help our politician win an election.

What we need are men of some integrity and a lot of political will. Voting for those who do not think issues through and only follow what others tell them is the worst punishment we can mete out to our people!

***

A letter from a reader: "The lesson of EDSA 1 is too deeply embedded in our psyche. It brought us nothing but Cory, FVR, Erap, EDSA 2 and Gloria. None of these changes brought us any relief. Nor will any change in leadership, no matter the mode! This why we remain glued to our seats. For whom shall we fill the streets this time? The country needs a better government: one that will minimize presidential abuse, and bring out the best in our citizenry and local leadership. It is called local autonomy.

"Let us heed the call of Dr. Jose V. Abueva. UP Professor Emeritus of Political Science: ‘We have to accelerate the process of government decentralization under the 1987 Constitution both ways: by de-concentrating national government administration to the regional centers and by devolving more national government functions to the local government units through continuing amendments to the Local Government Code of 1991. At the same time, we have to reorient our people… towards greater self-reliance and responsibility through local governance and development, including developing their capacity to raise more local revenues and generate funding for local development, and to attract investments.’" – Tax Joven

***

Actually, our experience with LGUs has also not been that great, except some exceptional ones which are, however, too few and far between. Still, going the LGU – more local autonomy – way, assures us that it will not be a total disappointment since at least there will be some successes. Putting all our bets on one person – the President – is unlikely to turn out successfully. Some success is better than zero!

As FVR says, in 2010, we must vote for a Bayani! Whoever will be president after GMA must be some super-hero even. This does not mean that he must go over skyscrapers in a single bound or stop bullets in mid-air. What he will need is a lot of political will – to do what is right for the country and not what the different political factions and the bishops and the MILF want the President to do.