First, we must wonder why our ancestors used nin instead of kan in these circumstances. Why were there no objections in the past? Why were those expressions pleasing to the ears? Why were they acceptable to the language users? Did we inherit literary materials with glaring grammatical errors?

IT WAS A GIFT FROM GOD that we concluded our International Missiological Conference with a mass at the chapel of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Poland. I was particularly grateful for the possibility to celebrate mass for those who asked for prayers and for those whom I have promised to pray for. God has blessed me with the joy of seeing the icon of Mary—Queen of Poland—known all over the world for her miraculous intercessions as well as for her role in the unity of the Polish people.

To define corruption as a situation where a few enrich themselves at the expense of the many is an understatement. Graft and corruption do not only make the few richer by taking away the benefits due to the poor majority. It also ruins the integrity of our humanity - both on the side of the grafters and those who are victimized by it. Since it defies justice, conceals the truth, and upholds dishonesty and greed, it seriously desecrates our humanity and our role as co-creators of God.

Only members of the Lectors Guild may be allowed to read the readings during the nuptial mass. The couple, however, may assign the preferred readers provided they are properly prepared for such task.

WHILE WAITING TO BOARD the plane for my Lufthansa flight to Poland to attend the 3rd International Assembly of Catholic Missiologists in the world [August 27-September 6, 2007], I have started to read a book highly recommended by a friend. The book’s title is “Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil” [Random House, New York, 2007) authored by Philip Zimbardo known for his Stanford Prison Experiment and for his expertise as a social psychologist in the trial of American soldiers involved in the tortures of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

Legazpi City – Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director Maria “Nini” Ravaanilla aired her protest that a recent travel advisory of the Austrian Government to avoid Bikol in ther travel plans in the country due to rebel attacks, “will definitely hurt the local tourism in this region,” Ravanilla said. Reportedly, the Aussie travel advisory was issued by its embassy in Manila last week, after an incident in Barangay Dumagmang, Labo, Cam. Norte, when communist rebels torched P10-Million worth of drilling equipment, vehicles, generators, and stole valuables from personnel of the El Dore Mining Company, a dominantly Australian mining venture in the country.

NAGA CITY (Nov. 4) – The Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections held last Monday was generally "peaceful" according to Commision on Elections Officer Atty. Maico Julia. Atty. Julia disclosed that the local Comelec field office encountered few, if any, problems in the city during the elections. He said that majority of complaints directed to the Comelec were the "usual problems" like missing names in the voters' lists.

June 5, 2007—Thousands of people from Iligan City and towns of Lanao del Norte joined prayer rallies protesting the results of the canvassing of three controversial ballot boxes from three towns in Lanao del Norte. The ballot boxes were allegedly tampered with and showed that a congressional candidate who rated third in the National Movement for Free Election-Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (Namfrel-PPCRV) count now leads in the official tally after the contested ballot boxes were tabulated. PPCRV is Church-based election watch dog.

Like most Bikolanos, I was glued to the TV set last June 30 and in the process strained my eyes and numbed my fingers as I watched with bated breath who will be proclaimed the Big Winner of reality TV’s latest edition of Pinoy Big Brother.

September in Naga is when all the people in Bikol are saved. En masse. Or, that’s how I thought it was growing up in this small city in the 60s and 70s. The month of August is the anomalous month– it is neither here nor there, not summer and not wet season either. Old people say that when you get a wound in the month of August, it will be slow to heal. Unbidden, the month is a perfect month, well defined, albeit impetuous for a month that introduces the change in the direction of the wind. It is a season of feast. Unheralded, it hides no taboo. Only salvation.