Praxis on Pinoy spirituality

FOR the second part of our review of Karl Gaspar’s Diwang Balaan Banal/ Banal A Decolonial Discourse on Pinoy Spirituality, I will delve on the Chapter: the Praxis arising out of a Pinoy Spirituality discourse.

Here, Karl discusses the compelling social issues in the country and the church’s challenges and responses. The author advances the thesis that while it is true that religious ministers do not engage in partisan political activity that is the proper domain of the laity, neither can they renounce the political dimension of life itself.

He said there should be constant attention to the common good and concern for integral human development.

they possess Filipino passports.

The Philippine basketball team has been doing this for so many years until Cambodia upped the ante and included pure-bred Americans in its basketball line-up and took the SEAG silver medal, losing only to Gilas in the final.

Lest we be misunderstood, accommodation of Fil-foreign athletes in sports lineup, especially if they are deserving, skillful, and willing to carry the country’s banner, is by all means a great strategy.

But there have been questions raised yet again by homegrown athletes. Reports have it that Fil-foreign athletes enjoy more perks, and they receive more allowances than homegrown athletes.

Of course, they get special treatment —anybody should, for as long as he or she delivers.

He believes there is a need to ask what is hindering the fullness of the citizens. What are the problems for most Filipinos?

One problem identified was the pandemic, the human rights. Many church encyclicals address these problems. But how do we concretize these?

Pope Francis urges us to create a different culture, and rediscover our vocation as citizens of our own nations and of the world.

Rediscovering our vocation as citizens of our own nations and of the world is an important concept in today’s interconnected and globalized world.

It involves recognizing and embracing our roles and responsibilities as members of both local and global communities, and actively engaging in the betterment of society at various levels.

education and awareness regarding human rights. By fostering a culture that values and respects human rights, societies can create a strong foundation for justice and equality.

Poverty is closely linked to the violation of human rights.

Effective development strategies should focus on eradicating poverty and reducing inequalities to provide individuals with access to basic necessities such as food, clean water, healthcare, and education.

in dialogue. It involves paying full attention to the speaker, understanding their message, and demonstrating that you are engaged in the conversation. It is important to avoid interrupting, genuinely understand the speaker’s perspective, and respond appropriately.

Dialogue requires participants to approach the conversation with respect for each other’s ideas and opinions, even if they differ from their own.

Open-mindedness is essential for fostering an environment where diverse perspectives can be shared without judgment or prejudice.

And finally, surrender totally to God.

In the context of Filipino spirituality, surrendering to God can help individuals develop a deeper connection with their faith and cultivate a stronger relationship with the divine.

It encourages humility, trust, and reliance on God’s guidance and wisdom. Surrendering can also provide a sense of peace and contentment, as individuals release their worries and burdens to a higher power.

In the last SEA Games in Cambodia, only Eric Cray managed to win gold among the Fil -foreign athletes. Cray, 34, bagged his eighth SEA Games gold medal by topping the men’s 400m hurdles title.

In swimming, whose association is still embroiled in a leadership row, it is still necessary to have athletes who were exposed to more scientific training, especially in the US.

In basketball, the Gilas team is allowed to have one naturalized athlete in FIBA tournaments but can field anyone and any number of Fil-foreign players if

Now, sports officials are thinking of sending local athletes abroad for training instead of sports associations “hiring” Fil-foreign athletes.

Homegrown athletes then become coaches in the future and can impart their foreign learning to young Filipino prospects.

Let’s not forget that other countries can learn from our homegrown athletes, too, especially those from combat sports in which Filipinos are known for like boxing, kickboxing, arnis, to name a few.

So, putting a balance in hiring foreign athletes and sending athletes abroad, is an idea whose time is here.

At the national level, rediscovering our vocation as citizens means actively participating in the political process, staying informed about important issues, and exercising our rights and responsibilities as voters.

It involves taking an interest in the well-being of our nation, advocating for positive change, and holding our leaders accountable.

By actively engaging in the affairs of our nation, we can contribute to shaping policies and initiatives that promote justice, equality, and social progress. Ensure human rights through development, work toward better kind of politics.

Education and Awareness: Development efforts should prioritize

Establishing a robust legal framework that upholds human rights is crucial. This includes ensuring an independent judiciary, access to justice, and protection against discrimination, violence, and exploitation.

Empowering Marginalized Groups.

Development efforts should prioritize the empowerment of marginalized groups such as women, ethnic minorities, indigenous communities, and persons with disabilities.

This involves addressing systemic barriers, providing equal opportunities, and amplifying their voices in decisionmaking

Ensure the process of dialogue, which is a crucial aspect of effective communication and problem-solving.

It involves the exchange of ideas, thoughts, and perspectives between two or more individuals or groups.

To ensure the success of a dialogue, several key factors need to be considered:

Active listening is a fundamental skill fishing or love, as well as religious traditions introduced during the Spanish colonization that began in the 16th century and ended 377 years later from 1521.

GENEVA, Switzerland—As negotiations towards a new pandemic treaty pick up pace, observers warn of watered-down efforts to ensure equitable access to the medical products needed to battle future COVID-like threats.

Shaken by the pandemic, the World Health Organization’s 194 member states are negotiating an international accord aimed at ensuring countries are better equipped to deal with the next catastrophe, or even prevent it altogether.

One thing everyone seems to agree on is that new pandemic threats are looming, and there is urgency in aligning positions to meet the May 2024 deadline

The process is still in the early stages, with the aim of reaching an agreement by May 2024.

But critics warn that revisions being made to the preliminary negotiating text are weakening the language —notably in a key area aimed at preventing the rampant inequity seen in access to vaccines and other medical products during the COVID pandemic.

“I think it is a real step backwards,” Suerie Moon, co-director of the Global Health Center at the Geneva Graduate Institute, told AFP.

If poorer nations do not see solid language ensuring they will be better protected when the next pandemic hits, “there is a real risk that countries will walk away” from the talks, she warned.

‘Not good enough’

Observers said the new draft, which will be considered during the next round of negotiations led by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body in mid-June, was “cleaner” -- but also weaker on some major points.

In particular, public interest groups said the removal of a call for public funds given to private sector R&D to be conditional on more transparent pricing of their products was an issue.

Instead, the updated draft urges countries to strive to promote knowledge-sharing and transparency “in accordance with national laws and as appropriate”.

Countries should also “incentivize manufacturers of pandemic-related products to transfer relevant technology and know-how” to lower-income countries, one option says.

“Voluntary measures are not good enough,” Luis Villarroel, head of the Innovarte NGO, which is focused on ensuring a balanced intellectual property system.

The text is “very weak,” he told reporters.

Urgency

There are also elements in the text that will likely not sit well with the pharmaceutical industry.

They include the option to link the sharing of pathogen samples with a requirement to share the benefits from the resulting products.

While agreeing it is important for all countries to swiftly share samples of viruses and bacteria that could cause dangerous outbreaks, poorer countries want access to the benefits, including the vaccines produced, technology transfers, royalties or capacity building programs.

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations has warned that linking access to pathogen samples with such benefit sharing could dangerously slow down the sharing of vital data.

“We remain concerned that decisions

VERILY, there are Filipino culture buffs, among them elderly musicians of small town bands in the north and in the outskirts of Manila, who are playing syncopated notes for more open or covered auditoriums and stages for the country’s slowly fading out regional folk songs.

In their book, they tap the Italian musical term morendo for the country’s regional folk songs – literally dying— which indicates a decrease in volume or tempo, but often affects both or the sound is slowly dying away.

Morendo creates the effect of a slow ritardando and a diminuendo with an extreme fade.

These culture buffs believe these regional folk songs can well keep up to the beat and melody as well as message of English songs that have made inroads in the industry.

They agree the traditional music of this country of 114 million people reflects the Philippines’ diverse culture, originating from more than 100 ethnolinguistic groups and shaped by a widely varying historical and sociocultural milieu.

These folk songs – traditional and generally rural music that originally was passed down through families and other small social groups – are written and sung in the different Philippine languages, including Ilokano, Pangasinense, Pampango, Bikolnon, Bisaya and Tagalog.

They reflect the lives of rural people and their connection with nature, including themes like harvest, could be taken that we come to regret in a future pandemic,” IFPMA chief Thomas Cueni said in a statement to AFP.

“The innovation system and rapid access to pathogens were both crucial in enabling the pharmaceutical

The characteristics of Filipino folk songs include simple structure; their melody (song or tune) is rhythmical or easy on the ear; they are sung in a relaxed and easy voice; they are either in duple or triple meter; and they consist of simple harmony (pleasing combination or arrangement of different things).

Musicologists say typically, folk music, like folk literature, lives in oral tradition; it is learned through hearing rather than reading.

And it is functional in the sense that it is associated with other activities, and it is primarily rural in origin.

There are those who say singing these folk songs and helping the young ones appreciate the message help preserve and protect these traditional songs

The term folk music and its equivalents in other languages denote many different kinds of music; the meaning of the term varies according to the part of the world, social class, and period of history.

In determining whether a song or piece of music is folk music, most performers, participants, and industry to develop new vaccines, treatments and diagnostics in response to COVID-19.”

One thing everyone seems to agree on is that new pandemic threats are looming, and there is urgency in aligning positions to meet the May 2024 deadline.

This is the only way by which Filipino spirituality can have an impact on our lives.

In the final chapter of the book, Karl reflects on the spirituality of the Filipino nation beyond the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines.

He sees the need for church personnel to be in solidarity with the indigenous peoples as they struggle for selfdetermination.

The book is a thought-provoking book that delves into the rich and vibrant indigenous spiritual traditions of the Philippines.

The book aims to shed light on challenges faced by church workers as they navigate the distinct practices of Filipino indigenous spirituality.

Karl Gaspar’s passion for the subject matter is evident throughout the book, as he skillfully guides the readers on a captivating journey of discovery.

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