blackshama's commentary on Philippine issues

Whoever thought an answer to a Ms Universe question would make Pinoys ask about what they think of their religious beliefs and to what extent will they give them up? Ms Philippines, Shamcey Supsup's answer to juror Viveca Fox's question "If I had to change my religious beliefs, I would not marry the person that I love because the first person that I love is God who created me and I have my faith and my principles and this is what makes  me who I am. And if that person loves me, he should love my God too." Anyway, at least on Facebook or Twitter, Pinoys have as expected, discussed what this answer is all about. Some consider the answer to have shot down Shamcey's chances of winning the crown (she got the 3rd Runner up plaudit), which fell on Ms Angola, another woman who would not change what she was for something else! ABS-CBN was the first to start the trend by asking Shamcey's dad what he thought about his daughter's answer. Dad replied that he ra...

Mike Tan wrote something about a little known church in the Philippines. The Episcopal Church in the Philippines (ECP) is the Anglican Church in the Philippines. The Episcopalians ("Piskies" is a term of endearment) run one of the best hospitals in the country (St Luke's), the best weaving school (Easter's in Baguio), a college now a university with a good track record (Trinity),and the oldest international school (Brent). For a church with just about 200K members, the ECP has influenced education and ecumenism far beyond its size. Its reason for existence in the Philippines is the key. The first bishop in the Philippines, Charles Henry Brent declared that the church won't build an "altar over another altar".This was during an unecumenical time. When the Americans came, Protestant missionaries divided the country for their mission to preach "the true Christian religion" to a country that is majority Catholic Christian. Brent gave the Philippine...