Immaculate intentions SHE SAYS Dinah S. Ventura 12/08/2010

Immaculate intentions

SHE SAYS

Dinah S. Ventura

12/08/2010

As Catholics celebrate a holy day of obligation today, the Immaculate Concepcion, we cannot help but reflect on certain, well, “maculate” things — or our tainted record of promoting peace and goodwill among men, as this season forces us to reflect on.

While it is true that efforts to achieve peace, at least for a few weeks, have been made, starting with the ceasefire between government forces and rebel groups from Dec. 16 to Jan. 3, we cannot help but think of how fleeting this is going to be, compared to a lifetime of locking horns on social and political issues.

Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has made it known recently that he thinks “an end to the armed conflict around the country could lead to the emergence of cities such as General Santos, Cagayan de Oro and Davao City” — cities, which, according to him, “emerged because of a window of opportunity created by a peace accord with the MNLF in 1996.”

Violence in certain parts of the country has indeed slowed or stunted the growth of these areas, and affected the lives of so many families. Clearly, short durations of peace count a lot for those who are caught between the ongoing struggle, but in the larger scheme of things, they are not enough.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101208com7.html