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Philippine politics is riddled with fraud, deceit, corruption, bribery, and manipulation. Politicians have been used to capitalizing on the weakness and powerlessness of the poor, and profiting from the silence and poverty of Filipinos. The son and daughter of a dictator mustered the callousness to run for senator and governor. An ousted president has filed his candidacy in a desperate attempt to go back to Malacanang.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

This is the message of Christmas that we take to heart each year.

This Christmas is even more special since it comes with our celebration of the Year for Priests that Pope Benedict XVI opened on June 19, 2009, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the 150^th anniversary of the death of Saint John Mary Vianney, patron of parish priests.

I like to believe my good friend, Howard Tate, brother under the skies because of the great late writer, Socorro Federis Tate, believes there is Christmas. Still, I offer this column to all those who, like Howard, reads, and is conscious of the coming Christmas even as he is bothered by the dam being constructed somewhere in our province. Howard wonders " why some stinking politicians and their rah rah boys are moving heaven and earth for its completion when the Pangasinenses are cursing those people responsible for constructing SAN ROQUE DAM which brought havoc to some parts of Pangasinan a few months back. I'm not being paranoid, but I assume there's a lot of money at stake here not only for the contractor but also for some people who are recipients  of what we call SOP. As the saying goes, When money talks, people listen. Dae na bale kung magkaralamos ang mga taga Pamplona."

Unpack your sack, St. Nikolaus

I've been well-behaved, as everyone knows.

I am an honest child - you know this for sure -

listening to my Mom, not annoying her.

I never teased my sister all year,

never took her toys nor put her to fear.

Unpack your sack, St. Nikolaus

I've been well-behaved, as everyone knows

I'm nice and kind and early to bed

close my eyes right away. I am a good lad.

MANILA - The Ampatuan massacre last November 23 shocked the nation and the world. It was shocking not only because of its ferocity, claiming the lives of 57 innocent people including passersby, and barbarity, which included the rape of women, desecration of bodies and beheading of some victims, but also because of the brazenness in the commission of such abhorrent atrocities.