A time to act

"Action speaks louder than words."

This, probably, is one of the most overused phrases in the written and spoken language. In oratorical contests, essays, debates, speeches, in countless verbal jousts, these words – "Action speaks louder than words – have been used so many countless times that they seem to have lost substance and meaning. In fact, when today’s youngsters hear this slogan, their reaction is to yell "Corny!"

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But when we scan today’s horizon, and ponder upon what seems to be wrong with Philippine society, we begin to realize that much of what is wrong can be attributed to the failure of our leaders to make things happen, to make their words come true. Hardly any day passes by without a promise being made by our leaders, but more often than not, these promises apparently were made to be broken. Naturally, the result is disenchantment by the teeming millions for whom the promise were made.

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Last Monday’s National Economic Summit is one major undertaking where the slogan – "Action speaks louder than words" – is very appropriate. Will the cycle of broken promises end with this gathering of the nation’s leaders? Will many of the poor’s unrealized dreams finally come true? Will there now be action, after the deafening words heard at the summit? Concerned Filipinos hope so, lest the season of discontent remain a permanent fixture in Philippine society.

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The staff of the Good Samaritan Foundation has been busy the past several days, distributing food, toys and gift items to the sick children who are now confined in the charity wards of hospitals in Metro Manila. The purpose of this project, dubbed as "Operations Christmas Joy," is to enable these children from indigent families to have some joy and fun during the Christmas season, making them forget, at least for some brief moments, the physical and emotional pain they are suffering. Let me thus thank the Good Samaritan who, through their donations in cash and kind, made possible this year’s "Operations Christmas Joy."

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In the meantime, thanks a million, too, to the following kindhearted and generous people who, despite hard and cruel times, have not forgotten to share some of their blessings with the less fortunate in life, through the Good Samaritan Foundation:

• Eden C. Omboy, schools division superintendent, Division of Butuan City, Department of Education , P2,000 (PMO 8669415)

• An unnamed mother and son from the Bagong Buhay Housing Project, Pandacan, Manila, P4,000

• Rizal Commercial and Banking Corporation, a regular donor to the Foundation, P25,000 (RCBC 0001702907)

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Retired Ambassador Rodolfo A. Arizala passed on to me a short essay he received from an American friend residing in Santiago, Chile. The essay is entitled "Buy Them in the USA," and the good envoy thought the message is appropriate, after former Metro Manila Governor Elfren Cruz, now a professor at the Asian Institute of Management wrote a piece entitled "Buy Pinoy Save the Economy!"

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Arizala’s American friends have this piece about job layoffs in the US:

Joe Smith started the day early, having set his alarm clock (MADE IN JAPAN) for 6 a.m. While his coffeepot (MADE IN CHINA) was perking, he shaved with his electric razor (MADE IN HONG KONG). Then, he put on a dress shirt (MADE IN SRI LANKA), designer jeans (MADE IN SINGAPORE) and tennis shoes (MADE IN KOREA).

After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet (MADE IN INDIA), he sat down with his calculator (MADE IN MEXICO) to see how much he could spend today. After setting his watch (MADE IN TAIWAN) to the radio (MADE IN INDIA), he got in his car (MADE IN GERMANY) and continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB. At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day, Joe decided to relax for a while. He put on his sandals (MADE IN BRAZIL), poured himself a glass of wine (MADE IN FRANCE), turned on his TV (MADE IN INDONESIA), and then wondered why he can’t find a good paying job in . . . . AMERICA.

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Aurelio C. Joaquin of Sta. Maria, Bulacan, has some suggestions on how to convince Filipinos to patronize their own products, without need from being prodded to do so. Why can’t media, he asked, carry on a sustained campaign to Buy Filipino, like publishing a listing of good quality Pinoy goods in the market, with prices much lower than foreign products? Joaquin cited Hapee toothpaste as an example of a local product that is superior in quality and price to imported toothpaste.

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From faraway Toronto, Canada, Rey Aquino wrote to say that where he and many other Filipinos live, thousands of miles away from their land of birth, there is always a shortage of basic Filipino commodities like frozen kinayod na buco, ube, gulaman bars, even dahon ng saging for suman, and yes pandan leaves for the latest craze – buco pandan. He said his family always buys these items weeks in advance before Christmas for their Noche Buena. "Can you imagine a Filipino Christmas without suman or a taste of a suman wrapped in aluminum foil?" he said.

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Aquino’s message to the Philippine authorities concerned, particularly the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture, to be more creative in tapping overseas market for Pinoy products. "One can just imagine the many jobs that will be created should small Filipino entrepreneurs be able to crash into the world market with their sumans, ube, gulaman bars and the like," he said.

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Mrs. Florencia Pagdanganan, 78, is a widow who is in dire need of financial help to pay her hospital bills and doctor's fee. In her letter, she said she fell down and suffered a stroke since November 28, 2001. Her left body was paralyzed.

"My doctor says that I need a continuous medication until I am well," she wrote.

"Physical therapy is very important to regain my health."

Her address: 137-E Halcon St., Q.C., Dist. I. Tel No. 4160172 or cel #09196532042 (Joy Ann)

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THOUGHTS FOR TODAY:

Time is like a river.
You can’t step in the same water twice
because the flow that has passed
will never pass you again.
Cherish every moment of your life.

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A tranquil mind,
a sound body,
a cheery disposition,
and a heart full of kindness.
May you have all these today and every day.

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My e-mail addresses: [email protected] and [email protected]