By: Atty. Marlo T. Cristobal
It was rather a stroke of serendipity that we got the chance to witness the proceedings of the KOJC, Hong Kong 25th anniversary celebration that basically involved a two-day program of special events of religious worship and get together of Hong Kong Filipino workers that afforded them the chance to talk over their life conditions in a foreign land and critiqued the political and economic situations of their country of birth that can further impact their and their families’ well-being. Various political speakers from our country, among whom the Banateros, took the stage one after the other, and, in their ecstatic espousal of their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression, lambasted the Philippine government for its massive and sustained corruption and abuses and the ineptness and callousness of its leaders, all these governmental aberrations working together to foster a people — our great masses — wallowing in hunger and poverty. In a language intense and passionate, they harangued the Marcos government for its miserable failure to work for the people’s interest and lift a finger to free or relieve them from their brutalizing economic burden.
A competition of groups performing entertainment numbers representing specific geographical areas of Hong Kong participated in by the Banateros, among others, as judges, wrapped up the anniversary celebration.
Other activities incidental to the celebration were our forays, that included other guests, into Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park and Macau one-night stay, all under the escort, direction, and sponsorship of the KOJC.
What was so striking were the patent seamless ways the Hong Kong KOJC members managed and directed all the above activities in a very orderly and streamlined pattern, in the fashion of cadence of a symphony orchestra under the baton of a maestro.
This rare scenario can thrive only in the hands of disciplined individuals. The KOJC people are deeply imbued with Christian values, that naturally bear only one fruit — discipline. We observed the Christian virtues of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, and gentleness dominating the KOJC members as they went about their individual works. These are strong emotions that radiate not from a mere flesh and blood, but from a more powerful source and so they inevitably lead to disciplined dispositions — orderly and systematic. Coach Oli and Banat By reported to us after their previous visit there, that Davao KOJC was likewise so organized and orderly, its members ever amiable and ever in jovial mood.
Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, being the overall leader and teacher of KOJC was certainly the tree that bore the fruits of all above: a pure Christian organization, the KOJC, and its members, the purified, tried and tested hearts, who absolutely walk the Christian talks. It is thus a factual statement that Pastor Quiboloy is hardly a source of evil, to say the least. There is no logic or wisdom to say that. For a corrupt government to mass at least two battalions of policemen in full battle gear and armed to the teeth and to direct a savage, destructive assault on the Pastor’s holy domain and on his innocent and harmless members, is not only criminal, but outrightly evil. It is unthinkable and crazy. The evil spirit of Hitler has encamped in Malacañang. If a man who has done a good thing is duly rewarded right here on earth, how much more an evil man getting his due on earth, says an old wisdom emanating from eternity. The time to realize this is not for man to determine, for this is a divine issue. When this divine time comes, no power in the heavens or on earth can avert it.
Meanwhile, our brief stay in Hong Kong and Macau made us realize even more starkly the need for our government to shape up. Hong Kong is now the world highly ranked financial and commercial centre. Macau is not far behind. About 25 years ago, we trekked to Macau to firm up a contract in behalf of our company, and this place was just a bare tract of land then with only bulldozers trying to level the ground, was very dark at night with only one hotel casino operating then. If we recall right this lone hotel was named “Lisboa.” But now Macau is blisteringly booming with a lot of high rising and cavernous hotel casinos that can give Las Vegas a run for its money. We dare say Macau casino hotels are as good as Las Vegas,’ if not better. Hong Kong and Macau are literally our neighbors, about 1 hour and 55 minutes from us, yet their economic and social progress is simply blinding, and by all indications, will remain fast and furious. With the kind of politics and politicians we have whose basic motivations are to rob the people and serve their own interest, our country will surely go to the dogs!
