Better to beg than steal?

The SWS survey says 70 percent of Pinoys see no need for Cha-cha. Some solons must be yelling: "Let's dance to that!"

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August is Anti-Mendicancy Month. No begging. No giving of alms. We are celebrating this month. And we beg you to do the same.

We got a law that criminalizes the act of doing a good turn to starving beggars on the streets. Onli en da Pilipins?

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The beggars say it's better to beg than steal. The Russians agree. But in their proverb they add: "It's better to work than beg."

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It says here that the price of oil per barrel soared to $62.30 last Monday following the death of the Saudi king. But it has since slid back. And we can now say: Oil's well that ends well!

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Our sports editor Manny B. Villaruel celebrated his birthday yesterday. Manny happy returns of the day, Man! You've come a long way since you first shared your talent with The Freeman via Banat News. Congrats and keep up the good work.

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The Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes in Punta Princesa, this city, will launch on Sunday, August 7, a project which the parishioners call "High Five for Mary." This is spearheaded by Fr. Peter Porio Jr., the parish priest, together with the Salesian Community, the Parish Pastoral Council, and the parishioners.

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This "High Five for Mary" is a fundraising campaign in connection with the parish project to construct a world-class grotto for Our Lady of Lourdes. Target date for the grotto inaugural/blessing is 2007. As member of the Lourdes Parish I join the other parishioners in praying for the success of the project.

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Dr. Aristides Jopson, head of an indent firm, called up to ask if we have in Banat News a staff member named Jimmy Fiel. He said this guy dropped by his office and tried to interview him for BN. Before granting the interview, Mr. Jopson called up to ask if we had a staffer by that name. Suspicion hit him when this Jimmy Fiel guy failed to present a BN ID saying he left it in his house.

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Banat News doesn't have in its staff a Jimmy Fiel. I'm sure this fellow was up to something no good and I hail Dr. Jopson for his presence of mind which led him to call me up to verify. We'd appreciate it very much if you'd give me a ring if someone you meet would introduce himself as Banat News staffer and yet could not present an official ID. Also please let me know if there are people in our paper who are on the take somewhere.