We should have finished the Edsa revolt!

For our special presentation on Straight from the Sky, we bring you the remarkable story of Bigfoot Entertainment and the promise they hold for Cebuanos with the opening of the International Academy for Film and Television (IAFT) in Mactan Island, where someday, Cebu could be known worldwide as the Hollywood of Asia or Bollywood of India or plainly, Cebuwood!

I would have loved to have on the show Mr. Michael Gleissner; unfortunately, he is always on business abroad. But then, Daphne Chua, Bigfoot's Director for Public Relations made arrangements to have with us on the show, the dynamos behind Bigfoot, led by Mark Anthony Cabaluna, Vice-president Technical Operations Bigfoot Entertainment, Caesar "Johnny Kawa" Ditan, sales and marketing director; Stephen Paine, program director; Peter Enright, a professor of cinematography and filmmaking; Butch Maddul, facilities & equipment supervisor; J'Dan Garing, I.T. administrator; Fritz Kohle, post production head; Shaun Hudson, film development executive and Tina Tubongbanua, talent director.

These are the people who will talk about their different fields and what you can expect to see at the Film Academy. Incidentally, we did the taping for this show in Asia's most modern soundstage, a first for us. So see them tonight on SkyCable's Channel 15 at 8:00 p.m. so you can see for yourself how International Cebu has become, thanks to Mr. Gleissner and Bigfoot Entertainment.

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The Philippine's newest living sports hero, idol, super megastar rolled into one boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao arrived in Manila to a rousing hero's welcome unseen in this country for many years. As we've said before, the whole nation stood still when Manny Pacquiao fought Mexico's Erik "El Terrible" Morales over a week ago and when he won that rematch, the whole nation rediscovered our old sense of Filipino pride... and rightfully so, after all, we've only heard bad news after bad news for most of the year 2005. At least for the Year 2006, we are starting right.

That Manny Pacquiao offered his win to the Filipino people by calling for Filipino unity is a challenge that he has thrown at the feet of all Filipinos! The big question is, are we Filipinos ready to accept this challenge? I don't know about the people, but perhaps we should begin where this nation is most divided... in the political arena. This challenge should be thrown at the feet of the Senate and Congress and in Malacanang and let's see if they would pick up the challenge thrown by Manny Pacquiao.

We said this before and we'll say it again that the last time Filipinos were so overjoyed was on that fateful evening of Feb. 25, 1986 when the Filipino people learned that the dictator, Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos and his family and cohorts had fled Malacañang and was on his way to Hawaii. I will not forget that night when we heard the news of the Marcos departure, Fuente Osmeña was all of the sudden filled to the brim with people from all walks of life, dancing, cheering and loving every minute of it!

This year, we will celebrate 20 years since the EDSA Revolt, alas; the two EDSA revolts only remind us of how we wasted those 20 years where instead of moving forward, development in the Philippines was anchored down by petty political bickering, an inefficient government bureaucracy and the never-ending corruption. This reminded me of the first book that my mentor, Manong Max Soliven gave to me some 15 years ago entitled, "Impossible Dream... The Marcoses, The Aquinos and the Unfinished Revolution" written by Sandra Burton of Time Magazine... and yes, the reason why there is no Filipino unity today is because we never finished the EDSA Revolt!

Yesterday was National Bible Sunday and Fr. Gil A. Alinsangan, SSP wrote a beautiful piece in the pamphlet "Sambanay" entitled "God's Word and National Renewal." Let me quote an excerpt from that article, "Change begins from within-from the heart and mind of people. What is needed is metanoia, which is conversion that implies a new way of thinking. Change begins with the spirit of the person."

In that same article, Fr. Alinsangan quotes Bishop Arturo Bastes, SVD who said, "We have earned the shameful title as one of the most corrupt countries in the world despite our name as Christians. Is our national malaise traceable to our Christian faith, so that we can deduce that Christianity has failed?... We do well to examine ourselves in the light of the Word. " Again, we go back to the plea of Manny Pacquiao for National Unity. But then this can only be achieved when all of us, not just me or you, but all of us experience a real conversion of our hearts and souls and become true Christians in Jesus.

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