Last month, the Prime Minister of Australia Ms Julia Gillard was asked on national television if she believed in God. Her answer: “I don’t believe in God. I am not a religious person.”

I was shocked to learn that a learned person, educated enough to be the prime minister of a wealthy nation, does not believe in God. It was utterly disappointing to know that Ms Gillard is an atheist, a non-believer.

It scares me to think what kind of policies her administration would implement on this predominantly Christian country.

I was born of Catholic parents, educated in a Catholic school and have been a practicing Catholic all my life. I know I will die a Catholic and will continue to profess my faith until the day I leave this planet to be reunited with my Creator.

For the past 15 years, I have always been an active supporter of the Labor Party. I doubt if I will vote for Ms Gillard this coming election. Opposition leader Tony Abbott is a Catholic but I don’t like his policies on the working class – “Work Choices” in particular. Now, that’s a real predicament.

Not too long ago, a former classmate asked me to prove that there is a God. My answer was quite simple. I told him, for a person who believes, no proof is necessary but for a non-believer, no amount of proof will ever suffice.

My former job with an international bank required frequent travel to several countries. It is only in Australia where I have met atheists. A workmate at the university once challenged me to a debate about the existence of God. The debate stole many productive hours from our employer but it was well spent. It ended when she declared that she was ready to go to hell. She did not believe in God but she believed in hell after all.

Thereupon, I drew a cigarette lighter from her table, lifted one of her fingers and held it above the flame. “Ouch!” she pulled her finger away. “What did you do that for,” she asked.

“Didn’t you say you were ready to go to hell? Today, it is only the tip of one of your fingers. In hell, it will be your entire being and it won’t be for a split second. You will be roasted for all eternity,” I told her bluntly.

A few years later, that woman caught cancer and eventually died. I was told by her Catholic husband that she received the Sacrament of Reconciliation before she finally closed her eyes.— ? DMC

Faye Gonzales of ABS-CBN News said: “A jejemon (short for a ‘jeje’ monster) is defined as someone who excessively uses uncommon letters such as x, y, w and h in every word or sentence, making it harder for people to understand.”

“Here’s an example: ‘EiOnG PhUaRanG gAhNitOh PoWHzz mAgZuLat,, jEjE,’ which simply means ‘Iyong parang ganito po magsulat…hehe’ (Someone who writes like this…hehe).”

It seems that Jejemon is a by-product of shortened text messages which are further polluted by those who do not really know how to spell correctly. It is just as annoying when someone uses text style messages when sending emails, as if they are paying for every letter. (more…)

Isn’t it strange that I should be writing again about the MPC? I thought it’s only appropriate that I write about it this month when we celebrate the Philippine Independence Day.

But wait. The MPC managers have changed the name of MPC. They no longer want it to be identified as the Multi-Purpose Center, presumably because of the notoriety that has been identified with the name. They now refer to it as PACC or Philippine-Australia Cultural Centre. So you’re not supposed to see it as MPC. Everyone is expected to see it as PACC. Now you see it, now you don’t.

But it’s the same people managing that 21-year old project – the Philippine-Australian Community Foundation, Inc. (PACFI) Among the permanent members of the board are Luz Tiqui and Mansueto Villon. Yes, you heard it right – I said “permanent,” because they want to occupy their positions ad infinitum. And because they know they will not live forever, they have planned to immortalize their names when they finally become residents of Pine Grove Memorial Park. They have encouraged their children to form the MPC Youth. One member is no other than the daughter of Luz Tiqui.

So they have sold the old MPC in Rooty Hill for $750,000 and bought a new property that cost $1,150,000 in far-away Schofields. Where did they get the money to pay for the difference? The easy answer is another loan, of course, the interest of which will drown the donations of uninformed “planned givers.” The new site was declared as a “high risk, flood prone area by Blacktown Council. Therefore, when flood waters rise, it will be another case of “Now you see it, now you don’t.”

The PACFI has finally come up with a second edition of its newsletter. It is dated March 2010. The first edition came out last year, on March 2009. They have not disclosed how many copies were printed but those who were able to get hold of a rare copy of the 2nd edition may well again refer to the newsletter as “Now you see it, now you don’t.”

There was nothing much to read in the newsletter, except for some group pictures that include Mayor Charlie Lowles and Arnul Pan of PAL.

What people really want to know is the financial aspect. How much money has so far been spent, how much money has been collected and how much money, if any, has remained in the bank? How much longer will it take for this 21-year-old project to be completed? Will it take another 20 years? The previous donors have given up hope that they would see this “Never Never Land” during their lifetime. Some may have already died.

During a rare media conference that happened a few years ago, I asked Manny Villon, if they have a target completion date. His reluctant reply was “It depends on you people.” So they have passed on the responsibility to us but why in the world won’t they vacate their positions?

Good luck to the new donors. I sincerely hope that you reap the benefits of your donations during your lifetime. Otherwise, your donations will be another case of “Now you see it, now you don’t.” — by Nostradino

This year’s Press Freedom Dinner at Darling Harbour in Sydney focused heavily on assisting the families of Filipino journalists who died in a massacre in Maguindanao, in the Philippines’ south.

Speakers spoke about Australia’s genuine concern for the victims’ families, including those who had been killed over the last decade elsewhere in the Philippines.

The Australian journalists’ union under the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and through the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has been actively campaigning for justice and better government protection of journalists in the Philippines, according to Australian union leader and journalist Mike Dobbie. (more…)

Patricia Evangelista spoke her mind and revealed her personal dislike for Dick Gordon. She’s entitled to voice her opinion. Dick Gordon is not her cup of tea. That’s fine, it’s a free universe. I’m sure there are people who share her disdain for the Man Who Would be President. You are entitled to your thoughts.

Now let me share mine. First, for the sake of public disclosure, let me say that I was a former volunteer and assistant to Senator Gordon during his days at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). I first met him as a college student at a presentation at the George Washington University in Washington DC back in 1997. I was curious to see what he and his team created in Subic and Olongapo. He asked me if I wanted to help my country and I said yes. Good! he said, come out to Subic, volunteer and we’ll get to work. That being said let me share my thoughts and impressions of my former boss and his persona/temperament to lead a country of millions of Filipinos. (more…)