Last Thursday night, my eyes were eagerly glued on the telly as the results of the EU referendum in the UK begin to unravel. Gibraltar, a British overseas territory on the southern end of the Iberian peninsula, delivered its votes with 95% in favour of remain. Then came a few local government units in the country with results still favouring remain. Until it was Sunderland's turn to deliver its votes. I switched off the telly without any clue of who will win. Morning came with Leave votes garnering 51.9% vs. Remain votes with 48.1%.
A domino effect followed: David Cameron announced that he is stepping down as Prime Minister, the pound plunged against its counterparts (i.e. dollars, euros, etc.), the Conservative and Labour Parties (two main political parties here) are in turmoil, and Scotland and Northern Ireland (who both voted Remain) reignited their cause for independence. Worse of all, an atmosphere of hatred has been fostered by some quarters who took the referendum results as a license to demonstrate their bigotry. I think this was fuelled by the Leave campaigners capitalising on the EU immigration/free movement issue policy.
There's a news item about a Polish centre being vandalised by still unidentified bigots. Then there's this group of men ganging up on a Muslim woman shouting "Out, out, out!". Still another story of someone saying in a patronising way how sorry he is that the person next to him is leaving the country. On telly, I saw a man getting out of his car - in the middle of the road, mind you!- just to tell another man from an ethnic minority group to get out of the country. The other man retorted that he is a British citizen. The racist countered that the other man's accent isn't British!
In my former job, many years back, I had a phone caller who didn't believe that I was based in Nottingham for the absurd reason that my accent wasn't Nottingham. Still, I maintained my composure throughout the call, but reported it to my manager afterwards. My manager told me to make a note of it and put the call through to him if this racist customer calls again and doesn't behave himself.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales, writes: "Racism and hatred must never be tolerated, but there is no need for fear...We need to grasp again our basic sense of purpose; in living together, creating together and fashioning a society. It is that sense of purpose that we may have lost focus of; believing that the purpose of politics is to manipulate power; the purpose of business is simply to make profit for a few. This challenge has been with us for a while now. Our purpose must be our common good, the good of all with no one excluded. Our politicians have to deal with their issues, businessmen and banks with their issues, but the fundamental purpose is to build a world in which strength is used for service and no one is excluded."
I learned that the referendum results is mere advisory and that withdrawal of the UK from the EU is in the hands of Parliament by repealing the 1972 European Communities Act. This is the law which took UK to be part of the EU. By the looks of it, a general election I think seems to be in order, to start afresh if you like since, as one politician confessed "They (i.e. the public) don't believe us". Whether that will happen or not, I hope and pray that our leaders in government would have the wisdom and courage to think of what is best for the country in the aftermath of this historical referendum. As Cardinal Nichols would put it: "The great challenge for those leading the nation now is to speak for everyone. If a victory in a referendum remains a point of division, then we become weaker and weaker as a nation and not play a part in the international scene tackling the world’s problem, which are great and challenging."
In these challenging times, my late grandmother's exhortation comes into fore: "Hanapin mo ang kalooban ng Diyos. Sabihin mo lagi 'Panginoon, ituro mo sa akin ang kalooban Mo'". (Search for the will of God. Always say, 'Lord teach me Your will').
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Best wishes to my aunt Lilia Reyes who will be celebrating her 83rd birthday tomorrow! In my book, Tia Lils is an apostle of Mercy. During those troubling times of my childhood, she welcomed my siblings and I into their home and treated us as her own. The years we stayed with them are memorable and inspiring. I look forward to see her and her family soon. God bless you, Tia Lils! We love you!
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I would like to take this opportunity to convey my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the late Norma Quevedo-Javier and Tita Almeida.
Auntie Norma belonged to the first batch of Midwifery students who graduated from St Rita Hospital in the early 50s. She would later work in the Accounting Department (in the same institution) until she retired in 1993. A soft spoken, hardworking, and religious lady, we would often chat about the intricacies of life. "Never attack a priest," was one of her advice to me. When I was coordinating the religious activities of the hospital, she gave me the moral support I needed. She passed away yesterday.
Auntie Tita lived a few house away from ours in Gagalangin. We learned more about her through the Rosary devotion in our barangay. At first she came across as a reserved person, but gradually she participated more and more in the devotion. Eventually, she was voted Treasurer of the Queen of Families Rosary Group. She once told my mother and I that she would have preferred to be an ordinary member, but she couldn't say no to our perseverance. She passed away on 11 June.
May God bless their kind souls.
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I dedicate my final note to my late aunt Mommy Rosie Samaniego whose 18th death anniversary occurs today. Mommy Rosie's love for her nephews and nieces knew no bounds. I happily recall her kind words and actions especially as we celebrate the Year of Mercy. I pray for her soul's eternal repose, full of hope in the words of Jesus: "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy" (Matthew 5:7).
