Silent night, silent pocket

“Silent night! Holy night! Guiding star, lend thy light!”

—J. Moier

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

MANY Christian believers still believe there is a miracle if we pray hard for gifts and for Santa Claus and his reindeer to knock on our doors this Christmas season.

Prayer, after all, is actually very simple. It is based not upon a step-by-step formula, but upon a relationship with the Lord. Walking with the Lord is all about our relationship with Him, and prayer should be an extension of that relationship.

But Francis Galton, the progenitor of human genetics, said in his 1872 Statistical Inquiries into the Efficacy of Prayer, he could find no evidence that prayer is effective.

Galton found no scientific grounds for believing that prayers are answered.

But he conceded that “prayer can strengthen resolve and relieve distress.” 

Because of poverty, many of us continue to find it increasingly impossible to enjoy “the most exciting season of the year”, the season that carries a strong emotional resonance for many Filipinos.

We continue to pray, nonetheless.

 

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We believe that “prayers can move mountains,” as the saying goes.

As obedient Christians, we continue to follow the church-mandated traditions on how to celebrate Christmas.

Christmas is probably ideal only for those who don’t have a daily bout with financial difficulties.

Many people now begin to believe and realize that society celebrates the so-called season of the birth of Christ heavily from the commercial point of view.

We equate Christmas with material possessions.

When thinking of gifts, decorations, parties, wines, caroling, merrymaking, vacation, etcetera, we think of extra funds and extra expenses.

 

 

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Christmas has become synonymous to expenses and money.

Without extra funds, many Christians tend to develop a morbid feeling of insecurity and inadequacy.

How can one actively take part in Christmas parties and gift-giving binge if he does not even have enough to buy a decent meal for his family?

However, we can always celebrate the Yuletide season on a different perspective: embracing the spirits of love, humility, simplicity, forgiveness, hope and understanding.

Expecting nothing and continue living a simple life is a key to overcome anxiety, stress, emotional and mental anguishes if we don’t have economic capacity and abundance in life.

A very interesting piece about science and Christmas has rekindled the debate whether the scientific worldview somehow undermine the religious beliefs that are the basis of Christmas for so many people.

Science has been viewed suspiciously as a force that turned people away from God ever since 1916, according to Roger Highfield, author of The Physics of Christmas.

In that year, an oft-cited survey by James Leuba of Bryn Mawr University found that 60 percent of American scientist did not believe in God.

 

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Highfiled revealed that the finding caused a scandal at that time, prompting warnings from politicians about the evils of modernism and accusations that scientists were leading college students away from religion.

 Leuba himself predicted that disbelief among scientists would only increase in the future.

“But research conducted recently, repeating the 1916 survey word for word, has proven Leuba wrong,” Highfield contends. “The proportion of scientists who believe in God has remained almost unchanged in the past eight years, despite the enormous leaps of discovery made during this century.”

Highfield cited Edward Larson, from the University of Georgia, and Larson’s colleague Larry Witham, from Burtonsville, Maryland, who questioned 600 scientists listed in the 1995 edition of American Men and Women of Science.

It reportedly achieved the same results as Leuba: about 40 percent of scientists believe in God.

“The future of Christmas and Hanukkah in our increasingly technological age seems assured,” concludes Highfield.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

A sixth place isn’t ‘very successful’

“Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success.”

—C. S. Lewis

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WE reiterate that a sixth-place finish in a field of 10 countries is a dismal failure, not an accomplishment.

We beg to disagree with our sports officials, especially Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino who described as “very successful” the sixth place garnered by Team Philippines in the most recent 33rd Southeast Asian Games or 2025 SEAG in Thailand December 9-20, 2025.

Tolentino should be reminded that we just competed in the SEAG not the Asian Games, not in the World Olympic Games.

In the Asian Games where competition is in a very high level, 45 member nations of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) participate, representing all National Olympic Committees in Asia, with all 45 sending delegations to recent events like Hangzhou 2022 (held in 2023).

These nations cover the vast continent, with some, like Macau and Chinese Taipei, participating under specific rules, while some Asian-located nations, like Turkey and Israel, compete in European events.

In the recent SEAG, there were only 10 competing nations, and we wound up sixth tralala.

 

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We can’t blame Tolentino, et al when they called the Philippines’ 2025 SEA Games campaign a "very successful" outing despite finishing 6th with 50 golds, 73 silvers, and 154 bronzes for a total of 277 medals, which was below target.

To admit failure is to risk earning the wrath of the Filipino sports fans back in the Philippines.

Tolentino and his fellow eager beaver sports officials highlighted the Filipino athletes’ historic wins like the women's football championship, dominance in basketball (Gilas men/women), beach volleyball, and strong showings in athletics (EJ Obiena) and swimming (Kayla Sanchez), viewing these breakthroughs as significant progress despite the overall medal count drop from 2023 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where the Philippines finished fifth garnering 58 golds, 86 silvers, and 117 bronzes.

We insist that the Filipino athletes, who were among the total of 13,657 athletes that competed across 50 medal sports, ranging from Olympic disciplines to traditional local sports in Thailand, could have done better, or at least land in the third spot if our sports programs weren’t decrepit and they were well-trained abroad.

 

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The 10 participating nations were hosts Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Brunei Darussalam, and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. Cambodia withdrew their delegation from the 2025 SEA Games due to "safety concerns" on 10 December.

Finishing sixth means we are at the bottom of the ladder.

Holding the lowest rank, position, or level in a system, organization, or social hierarchy, often used to describe starting a new job with entry-level duties, implying there's nowhere to go but up.

According to HubSpot, Dictionary.com, and Cambridge Dictionary, it signifies a junior status, less power, lower pay, and less desirable tasks, but also represents a starting point for career progression and gaining experience.

Whether Tolentino, et al will admit it or not, Philippine sports has been struggling due to systemic issues like underfunding, poor governance (politics/corruption), lack of modern facilities/training, and a weak grassroots system, forcing athletes to compete with raw talent against well-supported international peers, often leading to untapped potential and underperformance despite passion.

Pinoy athletes reportedly face challenges from insufficient financial support and delayed reimbursements to bureaucratic infighting and a lack of long-term vision from sports bodies, hindering true development.

 

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STRENGTH IN A BOTTLE. A stomach enzyme could make as stronger. Protease, a digestive enzyme that helps our body break down proteins, appears to lessen muscle inflammation that occurs after resistance training, says Baylor University researchers.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA. A man shot his ex-wife to death while the victim was on her way walking to the graveyard of their 15-year-old daughter who had committed suicide. The man blamed the ex-wife for the daughter's death. The daughter had left a suicide note that she was pregnant, and her mother would never forgive her for what she did.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

 

 

After Angelo and Catalina, will there be Angela and Catalino next?

“I’m not a saint.”

—General Angelo Reyes

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IT is rare for a high-ranking Filipino public official to commit suicide after being caught in a web of corruption scandal.

Except for Angelo Reyes and Maria Catalina Cabral, no other known public official of national stature in the Philippines has chosen the route to perdition to escape prosecution and permanent shame and scandal if they were alive.

Reyes, 65, a retired general, shot himself in the head in the cemetery in 2011 after being linked to graft and corruption in the military funds. Cabral, 63, reportedly jumped to her death at a cliff along Kennon Road in Tuba Town in Benguet, Philippines. 

She was a key player in the flood control project anomalies.

Instead of killing themselves, other Filipino officials linked to massive graft and corruption endured humiliation and waited for public anger to subside before running for public office again.

Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante, my town mate in Dao, Capiz (the province of my late father), was also embroiled in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam before the 2004 elections.

He was mocked, hunted like a Guanaco deer in the wilderness, and condemned like a Bondi beach terrorist but did not kill himself.

 

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Instead of being ashamed, the former agriculture undersecretary used the “popularity” he gained from trying to overcome the scandal and ran unsuccessfully for Capiz governor in the 2010 general elections under the local party Ugyon Kita Capiz (Unite Capiz). He was soundly clobbered by incumbent governor Victor A. Tanco.

Thick-faced Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also did not end her own life when slapped with a P366-million plunder case over the alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) intelligence funds; she was also charged in the Malampaya fund scam.

Instead of being ashamed, the former president ran for congresswoman in Pampanga and won. She even became House speaker after licking the butts of then President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018.

After being convicted of plunder in 2007 for receiving kickbacks from illegal gambling operations (“juetengate”), Joseph "Erap" Estrada didn’t shoot or hang himself to dodge humiliation.

In fact, he ran for president again in 2010 and was defeated by Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

 

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The ex-convict, who was a matinee idol in Philippine showbiz in the 60s, was also prosecuted and landed in the slammer for misusing public funds, though he was later pardoned. He is still alive as of this writing and continued to be unfazed by the scandal that rocked his scandalous political life.

Jejomar Binay, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla, all tarnished by graft and corruption issues, also didn’t commit hara kiri to save face.

Despite being implicated in an alleged overpricing scandal involving the Makati City Parking Building II, the former vice president also ran and lost to Duterte for president in 2016.

Jinggoy, Erap’s son, and Bong, son of the late movie action star and former senator Ramon, were also charged in the pork barrel scam of Janet Napoles but managed to run and win again in the senate.

Flood control scam fugitive Zaldy Co, who is on the run, also has not committed suicide.

 

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CRUNCH TIME. Holiday shopping may flatten our wallet, but it could also trim our belly. As we comb the racks, let's stand tall and squeeze our stomach muscles for five seconds (pretend we're bracing ourselves to lift a heavy box). We've just done the equivalent of one sit-up, says physiologist Pete McCall, of the American Council on Exercise.

BRAIN FOOD. We could cut the risk of Alzheimer's disease by a whopping 42 percent Columbia University researchers found when they analyzed the diets of 2,136 adults over 65 that meal plans with highest intake of lefty greens, tomatoes, and cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower plus fish, nuts, and vinaigrette-type salad dressing, with only small amounts of full-fat dairy products, cut their odds of Alzheimer's.

The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality has defined 8 major components of "optimal sexuality." Based on interviews with 44 individuals who reported having great sex, plus 20 sex therapists, a team of researchers identified 8 key factors--being present, connection, deep sexual and erotic intimacy, extraordinary communication, interpersonal risk taking and exploration, authenticity, vulnerability and transcendence.

SLEEPING HOURS. Normal sleep is eight hours, health experts say. Oversleep can cause severe headache. Doctors suggest a banana and fresh milk for those who have less sleep (especially for those who slept less than six hours).

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

 

If guilt stricken, I’ll also do a Catalina Cabral

“But I have my life, I’m living it. It’s twisted, exhausting, uncertain, and full of guilt, but nonetheless, there’s something there.”

―Banana Yoshimoto, The Lake

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WITHOUT a second thought, let me be among those who will dismiss any conspiracy theory surrounding the mysterious death on December 18, 2025 of 63-year-old Maria Catalina Cabral, the resigned Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary.

From all indications, she appeared to have committed suicide.

Was there a foul play? No one saw what happened, thus I prefer to believe based on my long years as a community journalist where I also covered many cases involving murder and suicide, that Cabral, who was embroiled in the titanic flood control project scandal, ended her own life.

Those who heavily tilt their belief on the bizarre angle of murder (or her death was a case of homicide and made to appear as suicide) without a shred of evidence may continue to sustain that theory until confronted and proven wrong by solid facts.

In any crime, it is favorable to pursue multiple angles to ensure the quick and proper resolution of the case.

 

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On the other hand, there’s strong reason to believe Cabral decided to kill herself, or she was capable of ending her own life.

First, she faced doomsday as one of the alleged chief architects of the biggest ever graft and corruption scandal in the Philippines, and there’s no escape other than a collision course against a brick wall of damning pieces of evidence—both testimonial and circumstantial.

Second, she must’ve ran out of options and detested the thought of going to jail once formal charges have been filed against her and her cohorts with no bail recommended like what happened to Sarah Discaya, et al.

The thought of suddenly falling to the doghouse from the bed of roses in one fell swoop must be excruciating.

Third, if she’s guilt-stricken, Cabral’s conscience must’ve bothered her so much that her rationality was greatly compromised—after nights of struggling and thinking flexibly to see an end to emotional and mental pain and a life worth living.

Anybody—or if I were in her position, I would have done the same thing—only if I knew I was guilty as hell.

In Keeper of the Lost Cities, Shannon Messenger remarked, “I would rather be punished for making the right decision than live with the guilt of making the wrong one for the rest of my life.”

 

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Let’s not underestimate the power of guilt to destroy. Let’s not ignore the pain of dealing with a heavily burdened conscience.

Our conscience plays an indispensable role in giving an awareness of our moral duties and facilitating moral reflection.

It is our inner moral compass, guiding us to discern right from wrong, motivating us to act ethically, and fostering self-awareness, integrity, and inner peace, preventing guilt and promoting authentic living by aligning actions with our deepest values, even when it's difficult.

That’s why there is always a need to reduce, not increase, the burden on those who struggle with thoughts of suicide. Breaking down stigma is a key to opening conversations, getting help and emerging from those struggles.

It may help if we commit to viewing people in emotional crisis similarly to those with a physical injury–with care, compassion and a plan for recovery.

 

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BODY SHAPE COUNTS. In a study of over 400 undergraduates, researchers at Florida Atlantic University found strong correlations among the students' levels of sexual satisfaction, self-consciousness-about their bodies, and satisfaction with their bodies. Muscular guys were the most sexually satisfied; body weight was key for women.

BUT SHE'S NOT IMPRESSED. Tough guys don't wow women. A study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology shows that women find a man more appealing if he walks away from a jerk instead of responding aggressively.

NEW HPV THREAT. Human papillomavirus, or HPV, has long been linked to cervical cancer in women. New research in the journal Head & Neck reveals that in the United States, HPV may also be the most common cause of cancer of the tonsil and base of the tongue. The cancer is starting to appear more in younger men and in nonsmokers; the shift may be associated with high-risk behaviors.

TWILIGHT INSIGHT AND OUR YOUNGSTERS. Why are teens fascinated by these fanged creatures? "Vampires are alluring. They're neither completely human nor dead; they don't belong in either world. Teenagers identify with them because they often feel like outsiders, too, as they transition from childhood into adulthood," says Dr. Kathy Ramsland, author of The Science of Vampires.

(The author, who is now based New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)