This radical number that is used as a constant in computing circumferences and areas of circles has caught this writer’s interest early in his study of mathematics. The number is infinite that its decimal value runs infinitesimally beyond imagination. Its value is so valuable that objects in circles can be quantified in accurate measures for the beneficial use of humankind. What appears to be beyond estimation and understanding can be shown in simple figures to the understanding of the common man. Truly, mathematics is exact science that requires proof with accuracy and certainty.

The problem with radical computations is when human biases become part of what is supposed to be an accurate equation. Results from such mathematical operations are skewed towards where the bias is directed. It is so in the field of social and political sciences when politicians interfere in the operations to introduce their own desired conclusions. The process is reversed in the sense that the desired conclusions are the targets that the process would support based on foregone conclusions.

People of this republic are getting into a political game initiated by politicians who are eager to tinker with the constitution. The power to initiate what they think are to be changed in the present constitution through people’s initiative is being used by politicians in the lower house to advance their interests. The primary reason being raised is the need to amend economic provisions to allow foreigners to own businesses. There too is the proposal to open land ownership to foreigners in order to attract investments.

These proposals had caught the attention of senators, chiefly on the issue of treating the proposed amendments by congress voting jointly. Such move would eliminate the power of the senate to serve as a co-equal body. People without clear understanding of the issue may be duped into voting for the wrong choice and wrong reason. If voting will be done separately, the lower house would certainly outnumber their counterparts in the upper house.

All amendments emanating from the lower house would be railroad as the voting will certainly be in favor of the greater number. This issue is just the tip of the iceberg as other amendments desired by the lower house would be carried by the power of numbers. What will happen to the constitution if it will be amended upon the whim and caprices of politicians whose vested interests would surely be advanced without the needed check and balance by the senate.

Verily, this exercise is not in any sense the people’s initiative envisioned by the framers of the constitution. By all indications, it is not the people that are wanting to initiative constitutional amendments. The powerful and influential politicians are apparently behind this move.

People in circles could be counted to meet the required percentage of every locality or region using mathematical computations. But with political initiative behind, people could only wail and decry and shout out the vulgar Filipino praise with the initials . . . P. I.
comments to alellema@yahoo.com

For me, the issue with the historical Homonhon existed even before the author was born. The Philippines’ mining issue had always pitted the hungry masses against the principled few, at least fifty years ago. One politician wants to improve the future, and another wants to siphon off large sums of money from the Earth’s bounty without having to work hard for them. Homonhon Island Mining is a controversial issue that involves the extraction of nickel and chromite from the historic island of Homonhon in Eastern Samar, Philippines.

According to the news search results from the web , some of the problems, conditions and realities of the mining operations are:

• The mining activities have caused environmental degradation, such as soil erosion, deforestation, water pollution, and loss of biodiversity.

• The mining companies have paid P182.6 million in excise tax to the national government in 2023, but the local governments hosting the mining operations have not received any share of the revenue.

• The mining operations have provided employment opportunities for about 2,300 local residents, mostly from the mainland Guiuan town.

• The mining operations have also contributed to the social development projects of the local government, such as infrastructure, health, education, and livelihood programs.
The environment on Homonhon Island is described as “bald” and “scarred” by some environmental advocates, who have staged protests and prayer rallies to oppose the mining activities and to call for the preservation of the island’s natural and historical heritage. The island is where the Spanish expedition led by Ferdinand Magellan first landed in 1521, which marked the beginning of the Christianization of the Philippines.
Although these are clear and evident, a sizable portion of the population feels that mining is essential, that it can be allowed to destroy the environment, and that in spite of this everything will just be going about business as usual status quo.

This sentiment of indifference, ( waray pakialam!) is the real problem , the real enemy of sustainability of conservation, and that it is the killer mindset that may leave our Island of Homonhon, our Island of Samar and the country weak and ravaged hardly capable of sustaining life.

Earth is our home, we are responsible for it. Homonhon is part of our Earth. We only have one home and that is Earth.

I challenge the politicians and mining endorsers, to hold their bagful of money, but hold their breath while doing so ! They would realize money is useless without air, without food …

THAT bible episode about King David and his rebellious son, Absalom, (cfr. 2 Samuel 18,9-19,3) perpetuates the narrative that treachery and betrayal will always be with us for as long as we live.

Even at the start of creation, some of the angels, headed by Lucifer, rebelled against God. Thus, they became devils, and Lucifer became Satan. Man himself in Adam and Eve, created in God’s image and likeness, preferred to obey the devil than to be faithful to God.
Cain killed his own brother Abel. Joseph, the son of Jacob, was sold by his own brothers. Saul betrayed David, and David also betrayed his own loyal soldier Uriah. Of course, the most classic of these cases is that of Judas against Christ himself. And we have not yet seen the end of all these.

We have to remember that this danger of treachery and betrayal is a fact of life. It would be good to remember this reality always if only to be properly guarded against it. Nowadays, to be a traitor and betrayer of God and of anybody is very easy and can also be easily hidden or rationalized. Thus, the need for extreme vigilance.

Today, with the riveting attraction of the new technologies, it’s almost invincibly impossible not to be a traitor and betrayer to God and to everybody else. And that’s simply because instead of giving ourselves to God and to everybody else, as love that is proper to us demands, we get easily trapped into the wiles of self-indulgence.

Practically everybody is hooked to the Internet, to the cellphones, to the social media, etc. While these new and powerful technologies offer a lot of good, they also occasion a lot of dangers. They are like a double-edged sword.

We should be wary of this phenomenon and do our best to be properly and adequately protected. For one, we should try our best that we be vividly aware of what the ultimate and constant purpose of our life is. With that awareness, let’s do everything to pursue that purpose in full steam ahead.

We need to rectify our intentions before, during and after doing anything. That way, we make sure we are on course to our true and ultimate destination. In this regard, we need to declare an unrelenting war against our self-indulgence which has become a very formidable problem we all have. Yes, this has always been a problem to us, but these days it is much more so.

Let’s make God the beginning and end of everything that we do. He should always be in our mind and heart, in our thoughts, intentions and desires, in our feelings and passions. He should always be in our deeds. And because of him and through him, the others should also always be in our mind and heart.

Without God and without others, let’s be convinced that we are actually lost, even if we feel that we are conquering the world and are having a grand time. Let’s do everything that God and others become the constant reference points of our life. They are meant to lead us to our true maturity, our fulfillment and perfection, our joy.

Thus, whenever we realize that our thoughts, intentions and desires simply revolve around ourselves, around our interests and what give us convenience, advantage, etc., let us react immediately and rectify ourselves. This is how we avoid the danger of treachery and betrayal.