SUNDAY REFLECTION by Mayor Beng Climaco

“Listen, follow, and act with purity of intention and desire to strive to struggle daily in humility in faith and courage to be like Christ.”

(TODAY’S) readings teach us Christ’s ultimate humility. Philippians 2:8 - Christ humbling himself to the point of death in perfect obedience to the Father which brings us to the Gospel Matthew 21: 28-32 on two sons' response to the Father’s request. Fr. Karel San Juan, SJ’s homily exhorts us to “listen, follow, and act with purity of intention and desire to strive to struggle daily in humility in faith and courage to be like Christ.”

Mayor Beng Climaco with First Gentleman Trifonio Salazar.

(Today), I recall what was realized last Friday (September 25) when Admiral Eric Kagaoan of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao and Protected Areas Management Officer Richard Aliangan together with DENR, ADZU and ZCMST, initiated the Artificial Pyramid Coral Reefs project for the Great Santa Cruz underwater biodiversity.

As a City Councilor, I remembered being Active with Air Force, Navy and Silsilah Dialogue in visits to Santa Cruz and helping the community together with the Ateneo de Zamboanga to protect the marine biodiversity.

In 2003, after Ma’am Caling’s dinner for the Mindanao Business Conference at La Vista del Mar, I was introduced to Major General TP Salazar by a classmate in WMSU, Lt. Col. Rolly Gomez. TP was his Commanding General who was a diver active in protecting the coral reefs in Tukuran (town in Zamboanga del Sur). He even established a garden at Yllana Bay complete with their MOA. We had meetings with Ateneo and funded marker buoys for Santa Cruz.

In December 2003, I was invited by the Jaycees to Pagadian and the Commanding General of the Tabak Division, and I recited our rosary for the first time in the Shrine of our Lady of Fatima. The group from Rotary and Ateneo also met to learn about the Yllana Bay project and we had a night safari at the open sea. It was the love for and the protection of environment, that brought us together where God had other plans to unite us for life.

In 2009, we committed ourselves in Consecration to God in the Sacrament of Marriage and offered a bouquet to our Lady of the Assumption in Panglao (in Bohol). In our reception held on a small island, we released fish to the sea instead of doves - something I learned from a Buddhist temple in Thailand. The sands of Santa Cruz and Panglao remind us of God’s precious environment.

Last Friday, I saw the plans being realized with the project of the Navy. When I reached Centro Latino docking area, orange buoys by the Protect Wildlife under Dr. Rey Navacilla awaited installation. Indeed, if we let our hearts beat to God’s call, and act on them; they will be realized in God’s perfect time. May we say 'Yes' to God at all times and act on our 'Yes'.

Borrowing Fr. Ben Sim, SJ’s reflection, we end with Cardinal Newman’s reflection and prayer:

“God has committed some work to me
which he has not committed to another.
I have my mission –
I may never know it in this life,
But I shall be told it in the next. …

“Therefore, I will trust him.
He does nothing in vain.
He may prolong my life, he may shorten it;
He knows what he is about. …

“O my God, I will put myself without reserve
into thy hands.”
Amen.

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