Rosales, Salonga speak at Mother Teresa rites / UN Millennium summit

In simple ceremonies held jointly at the RCBC auditorium by the AY Foundation headed by Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco and the Manila Jaycees, the 18th Mother Teresa Award was given to Lucina Cuevas Alday, 88, for her sustained civic, educational and humanitarian work since 1937.

Mrs. Alday told the audience about her unending selfless acts through the years, adding that she has been called "The Mother Teresa of Pandacan". She received a standing ovation.

Two things, to my mind, stood out in the awarding ceremonies: the inspirational message of Archbishop Gaudencio B. Rosales and that of former Senator Jovito R. Salonga, guest speaker of the occasion. Archbishop Rosales’ message, delivered in a most eloquent and emphatic manner, may be summed up thus: We may keep making decisions and taking action for many reasons, yet each time, we may never be sure of making the right decision or taking the proper action. Indeed, we are committing mistakes continuously. But there is one decision, one action wherein we can never go wrong, and that is, in deciding or taking the step to love. Loving leads to helping people, and these should be the less fortunate. One can never go wrong in loving and helping them.

Former Senate President Salonga was introduced by Ambassador Yuchengco whose own credentials, although different from those of Mr. Salonga, are equally impressive Mr. Yuchengco served as ambassador to China and Japan, and as permanent Philippine Representative to the UN.

An incredibly magnanimous philanthropist, he has literally been spending a fortune in endlessly helping the destitute and the disadvantaged, as also young, outstanding students, victims of natural calamities, and the disabled who are rehabilitated through the various medical missions which Mr. Yuchengco sends and finances throughout the country.

The man Mr. Yuchengco introduced, Mr. Salonga, took up law at Harvard U., then obtained a doctor of laws degree at Yale U., with honors at two of the most prestigious academic institutions in the US. Mr. Salonga is known for his probity, integrity and nationalism.

A devout, open-minded Protestant, Mr. Salonga gave glowing praise to the late Pope John Paul II, thus infusing deep meaning to ecumenism. He spoke at length of the Protestant missionaries Martin and Grace Burnham who were held captive in Mindanao by Abu Sayaf bandits for over a year. (Every night, Martin was tied to a tree like a dog.) The couple survived the terrifying ordeal through grit, courage, determination and faith in Divine Providence.

However, they held their captors in contempt and had no kind words for them. By contrast, Christ had only love and forgiveness for those who nailed Him to the Cross.

In these days of acrimonious conflict among our politicians and so-called leaders, it is to be hoped that they will heed Mr. Salonga’s message so they can put an immediate stop to their pointless and non-productive bickering, controversy and debate.

In any case, after the rites, the audience left the auditorium with renewed impetus and resolve to assist the less fortunate who abound in our midst. The Mother Teresa awarding ceremonies have been eliciting that kind of feeling for the last 18 years.

Former Minister Cesar E.A. Virata gave the welcome remarks at the recent rites. Assisting Mr. Salonga in presenting the Mother Teresa Award to Mrs. Alday were Archbishop Rosales, Ambassador Yuchengco, Ramon S. Bagatsing Jr. (who, with Mr. Yuchengco, had originally envisioned the award), Susanne Y. Santos, JCI President Pablo Francisco O. Carlos III, and award chairman Freddie N. Chua. Reginald T. Yu was a most efficient master of ceremonies.

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I have long been an admirer of the Swedish Dag Hammarskjold (United Nations Secretary General from 1953 to 1961) whose vision of world peace has long pre-empted that of latter-day statesmen. His 100th birth anniversary, which coincides with the 60th anniversary of the United Nations, is being celebrated this year with a series of forums and seminars focusing on peace-building and global security.

According to an official announcement, world leaders will convene in New York to review the progress made since the UN Millennium Declaration, adopted by all member states in 2000.

The local celebration of both Hammarskjold’s birth centenary and the UN’s 60th anniversary will consist of a forum on the "2005 Millennium Plus Five Summit Agenda of the UN" on Tuesday, Sept. 6, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the New World Renaissance Hotel ballroom.

Participants will be Swedish Ambassador Annika Markovic and Dr. Zahidul Huque, UN Resident Coordinator a.i. and UNFPA Country Representative, in cooperation with the UN Country Team, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the National Economic and Development Authority and the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center.

The forum will discuss the agenda for New York’s Millennium Summit in September as presented in the report of the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan entitled "In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All". The summit aims to achieve four important goals: 1) the Millennium Development Goals 2) reducing the threat of war, terrorism and deadly weapons 3) advancing human dignity in every land, and 4) strengthening the UN to be able to support the achievement of these goals.

Actually, all the foregoing aims – particularly the recognition of the dignity of man – would be achieved if these two dictums of Blessed Mother Teresa were to be followed to their fullest extent:

"Let us bring peace into the world by love and compassion, by respecting life, the most beautiful gift of God. Let us love each person – the unborn, the young, the old, the sick, and the poor – with the same love with which God loves each one of us, a tender and personal love.

"The fruit of Silence is Prayer

The fruit of Prayer is Faith

The fruit of Faith is Love

The fruit of Love is Service

The fruit of Service is Peace."