Early Friday morning, before I had my cup of tea, I stumbled into something that served as my cerebral breakfast – an article in a website which was linked by a social network friend. The article was written by Dr. Melba Maggay, a social anthropologist, an international lecturer on culture and social development issues, particularly on the interface of culture, religion and development, and a three-time  Palanca Award winner.

Hearing the Call of the Great Flood, written nine days after Ondoy’s onslaught, recounts her personal experience when her home was flooded and how the poor people around her struggled to keep themselves alive. 

In one part of her article, the scholar wrote, “I asked God what all this means for me. So far, the one thing clear is that I am being asked to share in the ‘fellowship of his suffering’, in that great mystery of solidarity where the sorrow and degradation of one human being is the sorrow and degradation of all.” Such compelling lines, indeed, especially with her words vividly putting together the tragedy of being poor.

The essay also deplored those tasked to make people’s lives safe in the face of calamities through pro-active , instead of reactive, means. In conclusion, she pointed out that “the biggest disaster of all is when we once again miss our historical cue, failing to hear the call of what this means to us as a people. One call is that we must change our timeline as a culture; transcend our present-orientedness and anticipate the floodtide of the future.”

For all who do care that this country should have a future and a hope, we must see to it that all our do-gooding is such that it finally puts an end to the unconscionable helplessness and uprootedness of our people, she added.

Dr. Maggay’s words jolted my senses that cold Friday morning, especially when I was trying to figure out in a more succint way, the connection between the late September  flood and the celebrations this week —   the eradication of poverty and destitution all over the world and World Food Day. The figures -- on the more than 100 million hungry people of the world -- stare on our faces as sharply as the visages of the beggars in front of the San Sebastian Cathedral, the old man in tattered clothes cycling on my street early in the morning checking out garbage piles one after the other hoping to find some treasure he can take home to his family. Or the Negrito woman, her skin-and-bones child in her arms as she extends her dark palm and skinny arm for some coins that will help them live for one more day.

On a lighter tone, we take you once more to a tour of Bhutan through photos courtesy of Vic Salas, an Ilonggo and an international health consultant. Not so light, though, is  the recollection of development worker Ma. Zoe Latumbo,   who shares with you, our readers,  experiences in her stint in  Papua New Guinea.

On the business side, we feature a young man who handles the operations of 18 establishments in Bacolod and Iloilo, including the local  outlet of a food chain known for it chicken specialties. The 23-year-old business executive, Emmanuel Aguillon, is featured in our Q&A cover story.

Enjoy this week’s StarLife package of diverse topics to make your Sunday restful and inspiring.