Think Bits
Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao came under fire recently for comments he made on same sex marriage that I think had been blown way out of proportion
Pacquiao drew the ire of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community when he said that same sex marriages are worse than animal since animals don’t engage in same sex activities.
The LGBT immediately went on the offensive, denouncing the boxing idol for comparing them to animals.
But did we forget that one of Pacquiao’s critics, gay comedian Vice Ganda, had been allowed to get away with using profanities and performing obscenities on his TV program?
I ask why are Boy Abunda and Vice Ganda so mad at Pacquiao when in fact the boxing idol was just saying the truth?
The way I look at it, the LGBT is making too a big deal on something that is not necessarily a controversial statement.
Manny Pacquiao as a pastor of his church obviously was expected to quote some provisions of the Holy Bible and what he said was basically found in the Holy Bible.
I don’t understand why sportswear company Nike terminated their sponsorship as if the Filipino boxer has committed something so heinous when Pacquiao was just quoting a provision of the Bible.
Some personalities around the world denounced Pacquiao as if he made his own statement even if he was just quoting a verse from the Bible.
* * *
This week Cebu City is celebrating its Charter Day on February 24. This day is a proud day for Cebu City because it was on this date that the municipality of Cebu finally became a city though Cebu has been advanced in its development compared to other parts of the country.
That is one of the reasons why its author Don Vicente Rama pushed relentlessly for the passage of the bill that converted the municipality of Cebu into a City of Cebu though it was not easy sailing for the author.
Some Cebu politicians were against the measure including some business organization due to jealousy and not for any logical reason.
But Rama did not allow them to block his measure due to the fact that there were local units that attained cityhood status even if they were not as developed as Cebu.
Luckily for Rama then president Manuel Quezon saw the logic and reason behind the measure and signed it into law.
The charter ushered in some of the principles of local autonomy in the country’s history.
Vicente Rama saw the logic and the reason for making the municipality a city of Cebu which some of the leading politician in Cebu failed to foresee.
He lobbied hard for the cityhood bill in order to facilitate and expedite the development and progress of Cebu.
I think that’s the reason why incumbent Mayor Mike Rama emphasized the celebration of the City Charter Day because the cityhood bill paved the way for Cebu to become a leading local government in the country today.
What is unfortunate is that there are some politicians who are not so eager to join the City Charter Day celebration even if their ancestors failed to sponsor a bill that converted the municipality of Cebu into the City of Cebu. So allow me to congratulate the City of Cebu ahead of its Charter Day celebration.
* * *
Last Sunday, we Filipinos witnessed the first presidential debate sponsored by GMA 7 that was held in Cagayan de Oro City.
The debate practically lived up to expectations that it would become a spirited exchange among presidentiables when Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Mar Roxas and Vice President Jejomar Binay traded barbs over how the national government handled the plight of the Yolanda victims.
Roxas contradicted Binay’s accusation that he was nowhere to be found in Tacloban hours after the Yolanda aftermath by saying that he was in Tacloban for 16 days until the situation stabilized there.
Roxas also chided Binay for visiting Tacloban sporadically on board a chopper.
The second interesting exchange was between Sen. Grace Poe and Roxas when Roxas reiterated that the presidency needed someone with experience.
Roxas asked how Poe can determine if she is being used by her Cabinet to which Poe assured the public that she knows when she is being manipulated by people of influence.
Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte gave a good account of themselves in the debate.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
