So soon, and it is almost mid-month in the last month of the first half of this year. So today, this Bystander takes up the important relevance of communication, per the Catholic Church, in the observance last May 31st of the 48th World Communications Day.
Last June 1st, the First Sunday of the month, we observed the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. Then last Sunday, the second Sunday of the month, we observed Pentecost Sunday, the eighth Sunday or 50th day of Easter, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the form of tongues of fire above each of their heads. This was when, as each of them spoke in his own or native tongue, they understood each other in a miracle of communication!
Tuesday, on June 3rd in 1942, the three-day Battle of Midway began, resulting in Japan’s first major defeat and stemming her advance across the Pacific.
Wednesday last week, June 4th, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles led the 12-member delegation of Filipino women that included Government Peace Talk Panel Chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer that joined the #TimetoAct campaign for the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in London. The leading role that Filipino women have increasingly played in society, including the historic Moro Islamic Libertion Front signed last March, the Philippine delegation shared in London from last June 10th through today, the 13th.
Thursday last week, June 5th was a heavily historic day when world leaders marked D-Day, the 70th anniversary of the historic invasion of France that hastened the end of World War II that ironically this year, is taking place “against the backdrop of the Ukraine crisis.”
Ceremonies were held on the beaches of northern France where the biggest amphibious assault in history was launched in 1944 when some 24,000 British and Canadian airborne troops crossed the English Channel in early dawn.
As an Agence France Press report on the event continued, “heads of state, royalty and prime ministers rubbed shoulders with hundreds of veterans who risked their lives to liberate Europe from Nazism.”
On that day, French President Francois Hollande opened the ceremonies, saying, “This day, which began in chaos and fire, would end in blood and tears, tears and pain, tears and joy at the end of 24 hours that changed the world, and forever marked Normandy.”
Ironically that day, June 5th in 1968, Robert Kennedy, John F. Kennedy’s younger brother, was shot down in Los Angeles in the States, allegedly by 24-year old Jordanian Sirhan Bishara Sirhan. Sentenced to death, he was saved when the California death sentence was abolished shortly afterwards.
Now, turning to the subject of peace, the same date, June 5th this year, was significantly World Environment Day with the theme, “Raise your voice, not the sea level”. In this connection, the month of June is currently being observed as the Month of the Environment. Thankfully, we in the Philippines, an archipelago with a variety of smaller islands after Luzon and Mindanao, are now being made to appreciate the value of our coastal areas and the God-given gift of mangroves still remaining despite the current building boom, especially of seaside resorts, particularly like we have in our queen island of Cebu.
Mangroves, we are reminded, serve as anchors on soil, absorbing and dissipating wave energy by 70 percent, slowing the passage of the sea inland and preventing significant damage to coastal communities, “emphasizing the heightening effects of climate change harmful to sea level.” Our Department of Environment and Natural Resources marked June 5th with coastal clean-ups.
Naga City recently planted 200 seedlings for fish nurseries, carbon dioxide traps, and shoreline barrierss in case of storm surges. While the Philippine Daily Inquirer on June 5th presented an illuminating feature on “Guardians of ‘Mangrove Highway’” in a mangrove forest in Aroroy town in Masbate Province.
Significantly, last June 9th was observed as Coral Triangle Day, with environmental groups, media and government urging increased concern for our country’s involvement in this precious gift to us in the vicinity. Divers in Talisay here in Cebu were engaged in coastal clean-ups in celebration of the day.
Turning to international concerns involving the country in its disturbingly alarming territorial conflict with China, Philippine-Chinese Friendship Day was recently observed in a celebratory program attended by our President Benigno Aquino III with top Chinese officials continuing to profess friendship and concern for Philippine and Chinese relations. Hopefully, despite guarded caution in some quarters.
As current events, local, national and international relations remain in a state of flux, we turn to more positive news. Pope Francis last Sunday attended a Mideast peace prayer summit at the Vatican welcoming Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in presiding over a sunset invocation of Jewish, Christian and Muslim prayers. Pope Francis shared with them the hope that the summit would “mark a new journey toward peace.”
On tap for next week’s Bystander-ing: our national observance of the Philippines’ 116th Independence Day yesterday, as well as our Zonta Club of Cebu I induction ceremonies last night at Casino Espanol during which we also honored and recognized all our past presidents, including members of our Council of Past Presidential Advisors; and our monthly “Women’s Kapihan” tomorrow at 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the subject “Raising up Children” which we invite you to tune in to on radio station dyLA.
Until then, as always, we pray that God may continue to keep and bless us, one and all!
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