A GLIMPSE ON PHILIPPINE HISTORY : TODAYS' FOCUS APOLINARIO MABINI

Punzi Punzalan shared Ian Alfonso's photo via Facebook.com.

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Ian Alfonso with Darick Isla Tolentino and 16 others

The "why Mabini is seated the whole time" in Heneral Luna is making rounds on social media. The Historical Commission is grateful for the discovery of this rare photo of Mabini by the California.-based Kevin Soriano Perez in an auction in the U.S. and did not hesitate to bid for it, even it cost him much. A reproduction of the photo is among the highlights of the Commission's Mabini Shrine Tanauan. Soriano, who was also from the same town where Mabini was born, Tanauan City, Batangas, will "repatriate" this rare Mabini photo and will deposit at the Commission for posterity purposes.

Mabini fell ill sometime in January 1895, at the height of his youth and passion for reform movement in Manila. Until one day, the year after, he was paralyzed, and his physicians--all were fellow patriots--were clueless of his illness. He was already 31 then.

His detractors who envied his power and influence in the revolutionary government circulated a tsismis that his paralysis was actually caused by syphilis. He died in 1903, still clueless what caused his paralysis. 80 years later, in 1981, the Philippine Orthopedic Center and the National Historical Institute (forerunner of the Commission) exhumed his remains at Mabini Shrine Tanauan for post mortem examination. The physicians, driven by patriotism and inspired by Mabini, found out that Mabini's paralysis was caused by polio.

In a letter dated 9 November 1900, Mabini recounted: "Since January 1896, I cannot stand because of weakness in my waist and legs. I do not suffer any other ache and I look as if I were not sick. The physicians however say that I will never recover my health; but I do not despair because I am still able to do something good for my country." Indeed, Mabini was "still able to do something good" for the country, for he guided Aguinaldo in his decisions, served the people by contributing his knowledge on jurisprudence in designing a democratic government befitting for his people (democracy was not introduced to us by the Americans), and penned orders and laws needed by the country. He was indeed even more powerful than Aguinaldo, but used his power for the sake of bayan.

Here is an excerpt from an undated resignation letter (ca. December 1898) of Mabini. He felt Aguinaldo no longer needs him, as the latter had been listening to and being controlled by those whom Mabini called "viruses"--the likes of Pedro Paterno and Felipe Buencamino:

"Although I acknowledge that you have reasons to get tired of me because I only tell you things that may cause you trouble, I hope you will have the patience to read through what I am going to tell you, as I promise never to trouble you again...

"Neither did I expect that you would grant the rich people these guarantees. We worked without any pay; but the rich people will not put up their money without having a voice in the Treasury. It is probable that the members of the Board would ask for salaries. In this case, the rich people will get all the benefit and the soldiers will remain hungry. The rich would press the collection from the tenants. The administrators will pocket part of the money, and only a little will go to the government safe... In the end, the tenants and the employees will blame you, and the rich will have a big laugh.

"Would to heaven that their plans would not prosper!... I am calling your attention to this so that you would carefully choose the persons whom you may appoint as members, and would to heaven that you do not choose persons who would be bribed and who would be subservient!

"Inasmuch as you now count with many helpers, please allow me to resign. When you had no one, I worked by your side despite my ailment; now that you do not need me anymore, it is but fair that I should think of my health... That is why I said at the beginning that this will be the last time I shall trouble you... May God enlighten you, inasmuch as in your hands lies the welfare or the misfortune of the Philippines."

Aguinaldo did not approve Mabini's resignation. From being a mere political adviser pro bono, Aguinaldo made Mabini the president of his cabinet with concurrent position as Foreign Affairs secretary on 2 January 1899. Mabini finally resigned from Aguinaldo's government on 5 May 1899, out of disgust to the people surrounding and controlling Aguinaldo, i.e. Paterno, Buencamino. Together with Antonio Luna, Mabini was against the U.S. autonomy. A month later, Luna was assassinated and it is said if Mabini did not resign he would be assassinated as well.

Mabini was more than just the "brains of the revolution" but the "light that guided the Filipino nation."

Please do visit Museo ni Apolinario Mabini both at the Mabini Shrine in Tanauan City, Batangas and at PUP Sta. Mesa, Manila (Mabini's Nagtahan House). These are free to public. The Historical Commission has also produced a documentary on Mabini this year.

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After his resignation, Mabini became a journalist and had written critical articles about the government. In his article “La Verdad en su Lugar” (“The Truth in its Place,”) published in La Independencia (Luna's newspaper) on 15 October 1899, he said "Sincere, honest, and loyal politics are, in truth, very hard to find these days, because, unfortunately, self interest and ambition take control over individuals and blind governments..."

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Pope Francis Emerges As the World’s First Truly Global Leader

Pope Francis Emerges As the World’s First Truly Global Leader By: John Lundin Friday, September, 25th, 2015, 9:38 pm shared from Following a whirlwind tour of Washington, D.C. and New York, displaying his political, religious and environmental diplomatic skills, Pope Francis may have emerged as the first truly global leader in the history of the modern world. OK, that may be a stretch. But one would be hard pressed to find another leader in history who has had the global following and the global vision of this charismatic spiritual and political leader. And make no mistake about it – while he may be first and foremost a spiritual teacher, he is also a consummate politician. And he comes to the world stage at a time when there has been a total vacuum of global leadership. No one – not a single leader from any country on earth – has had the political capital and spiritual vision of this leader of 1.2 billion Catholics around the world and an untold number from all faith traditions who think he is a contemporary saint. No other world leader in modern times has been willing to risk what political capital they did possess in the pursuit of long term humanity-serving goals. One would be a challenge to name a contemporary political leader whose vision extended beyond the next election. Maybe because Pope Francis is not facing a ‘next election,’ perhaps for other reasons, this pope is on a mission from God, and he’s speaking out and being heard. There’s no real need to elaborate on his message. His words alone are sufficient. From his recent Encyclical on Care of Our Common Home, delivered in June, and his address to a joint Session of Congress delivered on Thursday, and finally his address to the delegates of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday his words display both his leadership and his vision eloquently. As the pontiff said to the delegates from more than 200 member countries of the United Nations, “A good political leader is one who, with the interests of all in mind, seizes the moment in a spirit of openness and pragmatism.” Pope Francis is seizing that moment. Some highlights from his speeches of the past two days: On climate change: “I call for a courageous and responsible effort to redirect our steps and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity. I am convinced that we can make a difference and I have no doubt that the United States -and this Congress—have an important role to play. Now is the time for courageous actions and strategies, aimed at implementing a culture of care and an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.” “Today’s world presents us with many false rights and – at the same time – broad sectors which are vulnerable, victims of power badly exercised: for example, the natural environment and the vast ranks of the excluded. These sectors are closely interconnected and made increasingly fragile by dominant political and economic relationships. “That is why their rights must be forcefully affirmed, by working to protect the environment and by putting an end to exclusion.” On the ‘cry of the earth, and the ‘cry of the poor’: “First, it must be stated that a true “right of the environment” does exist, for two reasons. First, because we human beings are part of the environment. We live in communion with it, since the environment itself entails ethical limits which human activity must acknowledge and respect. Man, for all his remarkable gifts, which “are signs of a uniqueness which transcends the spheres of physics and biology,” is at the same time a part of these spheres. He possesses a body shaped by physical, chemical and biological elements, and can only survive and develop if the ecological environment is favorable. “Any harm done to the environment, therefore, is harm done to humanity.” “Second, because every creature, particularly a living creature, has an intrinsic value, in its existence, its life, its beauty and its interdependence with other creatures. We Christians, together with the other monotheistic religions, believe that the universe is the fruit of a loving decision by the Creator, who permits man respectfully to use creation for the good of his fellow men and for the glory of the Creator; he is not authorized to abuse it, much less to destroy it. In all religions, the environment is a fundamental good.” “Economic and social exclusion is a complete denial of human fraternity and a grave offense against human rights and the environment. The poorest are those who suffer most from such offenses, for three serious reasons: they are cast off by society, forced to live off what is discarded and suffer unjustly from the abuse of the environment. They are part of today’s widespread and quietly growing “culture of wast.” On political leadership: “Our world demands of all government leaders a will which is effective, practical and constant, concrete steps and immediate measures for preserving and improving the natural environment and thus putting an end as quickly as possible to the phenomenon of social and economic exclusion, with its baneful consequences: human trafficking, the marketing of human organs and tissues, the sexual exploitation of boys and girls, slave labor, including prostitution, the drug and weapons trade, terrorism and international organized crime.” “For all this, the simplest and best measure and indicator of the implementation of the new agenda for development will be effective, practical and immediate access, on the part of all, to essential material and spiritual goods: housing, dignified and properly remunerated employment, adequate food and drinking water; religious freedom and, more generally, spiritual freedom and education. These pillars of integral human development have a common foundation, which is the right to life and, more generally, what we could call the right to existence of human nature itself.” “The ecological crisis, and the large-scale destruction of biodiversity, can threaten the very existence of the human species.” On war and peace: “War is the negation of all rights and a dramatic assault on the environment. If we want true integral human development for all, we must work tirelessly to avoid war between nations and between peoples.” “The most basic understanding of human dignity compels the international community, particularly through the norms and mechanisms of international law, to do all that it can to stop and to prevent further systematic violence against ethnic and religious minorities” and to protect innocent peoples.” “The common home of all men and women must continue to rise on the foundations of a right understanding of universal fraternity and respect for the sacredness of every human life, of every man and every woman, the poor, the elderly, children, the infirm, the unborn, the unemployed, the abandoned, those considered disposable because they are only considered as part of a statistic The time for action is now: “We cannot permit ourselves to postpone “certain agendas” for the future. The future demands of us critical and global decisions in the face of worldwide conflicts which increase the number of the excluded and those in need.” The pope had much more to say, of course. But these excerpts present a picture Francis’ vision and his understanding of the leadership challenges facing him and any who would step up and accept them. There is a Hopi indigenous saying that goes something like, “We are the ones we have been waiting for.” Perhaps Pope Francis has heard that wisdom saying. Perhaps he is the global leader the world has been waiting for.

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Haggen Stores Closing: Corporate Greed Costs Eight Thousand Jobs in California

Haggen Stores Closing: Corporate Greed Costs Eight Thousand Jobs in California Posted: 25 Sep 2015 11:00 AM PDT By Doug Porter  Less than six months since taking over 146 Albertsons and Vons locations, the Haggen grocery chain has announced closings for all its locations in California, Arizona and Nevada. Twenty-five stores in San Diego county will be shuttered, just two days before Thanksgiving.  (More inside) Pope Francis gave his long-awaited address to Congress yesterday. Local faith, community and labor activists took the opportunity to amplify the pontiff’s messages on the social justice and the environment, holding a press conference and a packed interfaith forum at St. Paul’s Cathedral. (More Inside) There are many noteworthy events coming soon: Point Loma Democrats will feature a presentation by Rabbi Laurie Coskey on the fight for $15 movement, The Center on Policy Initiatives will hosting the Spotlight on Justice Awards, and Organized labor is stepping up its game with the 2015 San Diego Conference on Labor and Community Solidarity. (Details and more events inside)   [Read more...]     San Diego Free Press shared from End of 50-Year Lease Allows Expansion Opportunity for San Diego Wetlands Posted: 25 Sep 2015 09:34 AM PDT By Roy Little There is a unique opportunity to expand the wetlands in the north-east corner of Mission Bay due to the ending of the 50-year lease for Campland and the legal agreement to have De Anza Cove vacated. The San Diego Audubon Society is leading a planning and study effort to investigate the options of a wetlands-oriented expansion of the marsh. The existing wetland is shown in dark green at the right side, Campland and Rose Creek in the lower center and De Anza Cove to the left. Until roughly a hundred years ago Rose Creek flowed through the marsh but was re-routed to make development easier. From a wetlands and water quality perspective the original flow of the Rose Creek is important in order to help purify storm water before it reaches the bay and provide nutrients to make the marsh more healthy.   [Read more...]     Climate Change Fixers’ Bag of Tricks Posted: 25 Sep 2015 09:31 AM PDT By Sarah “Steve” Mosko / Boogie Green Halting global warming is the chief environmental challenge of our time. While heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) is not the only greenhouse gas (GHG), it’s the most abundant and longest-lived in the atmosphere and contributes the most to global warming. In March, atmospheric CO2 content reached a new high of 400 parts per million, already past the 350 limit many scientists believe is a safe level above which we risk triggering irreversible consequences out of human control. Second only to China as the largest CO2 emitter, it’s incumbent on the United States to lead the world in addressing global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that the window of time to avoid the worst effects is just a few decades. Yet the United States has not adopted even a nationwide strategy.   [Read more...] Geo-Poetic Spaces: Never Home Again Posted: 25 Sep 2015 09:30 AM PDT Two months after Europe I boarded a westbound plane for map coordinates that used to be home Three hours of shuffling through the labyrinth of London's border bureaucracy to obtain the minotaur's stamp   [Read more...]

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Pope Francis Looked Happier To Be With The Homeless Than With Members Of Congress

Pope Francis Looked Happier To Be With The Homeless Than With Members Of Congress

Shortly after finishing his historic address to Congress Thursday morning, Pope Francis declined to stay and talk with lawmakers, choosing to spend his time with a very different group of people: The homeless....(read more)

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In a shocking move, Speaker of the House John Boehner announced that he will resign from Congress at the end of October. Now the trillion dollar questions are: will the government manage to stay open next week, and who's going to replace him? At a campaign event, Jeb Bush says he won't give African American's "free stuff." Plus in case you haven't heard, the pope's in town -- and he stood up Congress to have lunch with the homeless. Read more in our top stories of today: Conservatives Push Out Boehner Because He Wouldn’t Shut Down The Government Over Planned Parenthood House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican lawmaker from Ohio who has served in Congress for more than 20 years, will resign his seat at the end of October, according to the New York Times. ...(read more) One Of These Four People Will Probably Be The Next Speaker Of The House Jeb Bush Says Unlike Others, He Won’t Give African Americans ‘Free Stuff’ Speaking to a crowd of mostly white Republicans in South Carolina this week, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush mused on his strategy to win over voters of color. ...(read more) High Profile Rape Case Involving NHL Star Takes Another Bizarre Turn Pope Francis Looked Happier To Be With The Homeless Than With Members Of Congress Shortly after finishing his historic address to Congress Thursday morning, Pope Francis declined to stay and talk with lawmakers, choosing to spend his time with a very different group of people: The homeless....(read more) ThinkProgress | Center for American Progress Action Fund 1333 H ST NW | Washington, DC 20005 Contributions to Center for American Progress Action Fund are not tax deductible

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Edgar Guillo via Facebook.com

Pope Francis Lays Hands On Ailing U.S. Infrastructure

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NEW YORK—Treating the frail, long-overlooked structures with an unparalleled display of compassion, Pope Francis reportedly inspired a crowd of onlookers Friday by laying his hands upon the ailing United States infrastructure. “My heart just melted when I watched the pope interrupt his address to walk over and gently embrace this disfigured bridge cross-girder that was covered in unsightly rust,” said New York City resident John Reedy, one of thousands of observers reportedly moved to tears as the pontiff reached out to the weak and crippled metal framework, gingerly kissed the decayed surface, and then closed his eyes while blessing the neglected overpass. “Most people turn the other way when they see such mangled, hopeless infrastructure, but he showed it such tenderness and attention, like he was really willing it to heal. Who knows—maybe God will intervene and save these decrepit structures.” At press time, the Vicar of Christ reportedly called upon the crowd to pray for the swift and painless passing of the terminally ill education system he had recently encountered.

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Seeking the Common Good

Seeking the Common Good Walter Moss: To a Congress that is often beholden to special interests, the Pope's reminder of the need to pursue the common good and the welfare of the poor was a rather pointed rebuke. READ MORE shared from

FRIDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2015 Empire Brings #BlackLivesMatter to Primetime David A. Love: The show's visual symbolism was a not so subtle acknowledgement of #BlackLivesMatter, its impact on the black community and popular culture, and the ways in which it has altered the political discourse. READ MORE Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend Seeking the Common Good Walter Moss: To a Congress that is often beholden to special interests, the Pope's reminder of the need to pursue the common good and the welfare of the poor was a rather pointed rebuke. READ MORE Yogi Berra: The Real Mister Malaprop Larry Wines: Never egotistical, his humor could just as easily be self-effacing (literally) as anything else: "So I’m ugly. I never saw anyone hit with his face." READ MORE Having My Cake and Justice, Too Susan Burton: Few realize that after someone serves time, California has 4,800 additional penalties for having a criminal record. Most (73%) are lifetime bans, and 58% restrict employment. READ MORE American Politics: Disagreeing to Agree Tina Dupuy: There are more Americans convinced the Rapture will commence before 2050 than feel global warming is a concern. READ HERE

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