Two agri-products have been hugging the headlines and have become the top stories in print and radio/television news program. The issue of renewed plan to import sugar and onions have one common denominator – importation, to increase supply for the consumers and (hopefully) to lower their prices. Meanwhile, the lowly sugar and onion farmers lament as the looming importation of the twin products will affect the farm/gate prices of the items, livelihood of farmers, too!

The consumers believe that IMPORTATION is not the rightful solution to shortage and soaring prices, but increased PRODUCTION of both agri-products.

Indeed, by resorting to importation is benefitting the FEW moneyed-importers; while by increasing production, the beneficiaries include a greater bulk of the Filipino population – rich and poor alike, but more importantly are the lowly farmers and those belonging to the marginalized sector of the populace.

MY COMMENT:
Indeed, it is very unfortunate that PBBM opted to add the surmountable work and responsibilities doubling as Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), on top of the presidency mandate! Any one who bungles his/her duties as a DA honcho is bound to bear the brunt of the domino effect(s) of the complex food security and related problems.
My one cent dictates that there should be a FULL-TIME Secretary of DA to be assisted by a phalanx of academically founded, experienced, and science/research-oriented agriculture degree holders, dedicated staff. Also, there is an immediate need to detach the fishery and aquatic sector of DA, so that it can fully concentrate on the development and growth, advancement of terrestrial/land-based food resources.
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“WATCH out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” (Mk 8,15) At first, the disciples of Christ thought Christ was referring to the fact that they only brought one loaf of bread.

So, Christ had to clarify it to them until they understood he was referring to the teachings and doctrine of the Pharisees and of Herod that, while containing some truth, did not capture the whole truth and, in fact, distorted the reality of things as designed by God, the Creator and the ever-provident Father of all.

We need to see to it that while we always have some use of some human teachings—like the many ideologies, philosophies, theologies, economic theories, etc.—we should rely first of all and always on our Christian faith that is now spelled out more concretely in the teachings of the Church.

It’s the word of God as revealed and embodied by Christ himself, and now taught by the Church with the authority given by Christ himself. To be sure, this teaching of Christ is the true leaven which is not simply a set of theories and indications, but also and mainly a spirit that was embodied by Christ himself and that he himself shares with us abundantly, if we only care to receive it.

This true leaven is nothing less than living our life entirely with Christ who is the pattern of our humanity, the savior of our humanity that is damaged by sin. It knows how to deal properly with any situation we can find ourselves in, whether good or bad according to our human criteria.

This true leaven is the very spirit of Christ. We have to realize that wherever we are, whatever we are doing, whatever may be our status, we have the duty to infuse this Christian spirit to everything that we handle. We have to be a leaven for the world.
Christ himself said so in no uncertain terms: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.” (Mt 13,33) Yes, the kingdom of heaven already starts here and should be on its way to its definitive state through our leavening presence and action.

We just have to make sure that we make ourselves genuine Christian leaven. That’s because Christ himself warned us of some false leaven. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod,” he said. (Mk 8,15) This false leaven can refer to things like hypocrisy, self-righteousness, or any worldly spirit that is not from God.
This duty to be a true leaven for the world is actually very doable, because what is needed first of all is the intention to do so. We may not be doing something with big public significance or some external manifestation, but with the little ordinary things that we do everyday and done with faith and love for God and for others, we can already effectively leaven the world.

Let us sharpen our sense of communion among ourselves. Whatever we do, big or small, good or bad, will always have some effect on everybody else and on everything. It’s because of this communion among ourselves that can give a leavening effect on anything that we think, desire, say and do.

We should try our best that the leaven we give to the world is the right and true one, and not the false and deceptive ones that, sad to say, seem to be proliferating in the world today.

No doubt, the earthquakes at Syria and Turkiye are the most deadly and most recent natural calamity ever. Tens of Thousands died and fearfully thousands are feared dead.It is one of the most deadly and Yolanda or Haiyan paled in comparison.

Foreign media and big networks scrambled to make sense of the events. The Hindu Times said that it is the most devastating quake in a century. The Hindu Times added The quake’s focus was 18 km deep, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The epicentre was about 33 km from Gaziantep. The area has many buildings constructed of brittle concrete (which makes them prone to cracking, spalling, loss of strength, or steel corrosion), making them “extremely vulnerable to earthquake shaking”, according to the USGS.

Nearly 900 buildings were reportedly destroyed in Turkey’s Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras provinces, according to Vice President Fuat Otkay. All buildings located on the cross-border belt connecting the Syrian cities of Aleppo and Hama to Turkey’s Diyarbakir crumbled as well. This was “historically, the biggest earthquake recorded in the history of the centre”, By now we have known that the confirmed dead are more than 12,000 and rising.

Overall, we are sad and we offer our condolences. In Yolanda times Kim Se Yok Mu, in a belated News Story penned by Julie Aurelio, it was bared that said Humanitarian Organization was one of the First to arrived and help Taclobanons. Indeed, we need to show more than palliatives and social media posts and the City Government can do more on this end.

But more than that, the Tragedy is a WARNING. It is an obvious reminder that the Earth can shake and it can shake so hard it can reduce to rubbles hundreds of buildings. And we , the Philippines in the Pacific Ring of Fire can be subjected to that quake and we may suffer a sad fate like that of these two Middle Eastern Countries ,God forbid .

Thus, it is high time to recalibrate and prepare. Let us conduct drills and preparation events. With simulations, scenario analysis and honest to goodness pag andam.
If not these shaking will come like theft in the night and we will be caught off guard and devastated.