One problematic area in the proposed revision of the order of the mass is the use of kan and nin. Several church goers find the changes annoying and cacophonous. After reviewing all those phrases in the proposed revision with kan and nin, and after understanding the rule – kan for specific and nin for non-specific – , the application now seems difficult and confusing.

Recording of the fact of marriage in the Book of Marriages. The Parish priest is responsible for seeing that the necessary information is recorded in the parish registers: the name of the parties; their parents; their witnesses; the solemnizing officer, etc. When a dispensation is granted prior to marriage, the date and the protocol number along with the dispensation are to be noted in the “Notations” column.

AFTER A FOUR-hour layover at Frankfurt International airport, I finally boarded the plane to Warszawa (Warsaw), the business capital of Poland.  Padre Luis met me at the airport.  Two priests from India and I were given a quick tour of Warsaw before we took the bus to Pieniezno, three hundred miles away from Warsaw, where the 3rd International Assembly of International Catholic Missiologists would be held.

Daet, Camarines Norte—A new airline company is starting regular flights from this capital town to Manila and vice-versa sometime at the end of November this month, simultaneous with the town hosting of the 2nd WORLD ART EXPERIENCE participated by various national artists from December 10-15 this year.

Naga City (November 14) - City officials here urged for the creation of a local police force under the supervision of the mayor to serve as augmentation force in maintaining peace and order in the locality. While attending the senate hearing on peace and order crisis involving the City, City Mayor Jesse Robredo said that this idea presented itself as an alternative solution to similar problems that any locality will confront.

My next feature article on food and dining brings me back to Barlin Street. The last time I made a feature on food joints on this street was in the summer of this year where I visited Sinulog Grill, Barlin Barlin Hot Plate and Cattlemens Restaurant.

For me, the naturalness of the use of the language must be respected as the ultimate criteria of what is acceptable and what is not. Grammatical rules are the inner logic of the language and they have been spelled out much later than the actual use of the language. These rules are general guides, but there are also exemptions to the rules, such as the irregularities in pluralization of nouns and conjugation of verbs.

In the 1980s to the early 1990s, we were compared in development with Thailand. But, Thailand has already left us far behind. Now, we are paired with Vietnam, with 83 million people like us (World Bank, 2005). In 1986, when we had our People Power Revolution, Vietnam embarked on its own Doi Moi or renovation process. It experimented with market mechanisms to combat famine while preserving social inclusion.

Legazpi City - Because of the heavy rains and flooding in the Bikol Region in the last days of October, highway works at the Andaya National Highway have been suspended for more than a week. Field density tests are said to be required to determine whether the ground will allow the continuation of the concreting works in the road sections in Lupi and Del Gallego towns, all along the route of the Andaya Highway connecting Bikol to Quezon.

As I have been devoting my space to articles and features for the Peñafrancia Fiesta 2007, and as head writer of the region’s most prestigious and most awaited pageant, allow me to give you a preview of what’s to come and expect from this year’s Miss Bicolandia search.