Monte Maria Shrine: Hindi Na Sa Brgy. Pagkilatan, Batangas City Itatayo

disappointed ako.
ito ang comment ko dyan.
http://natuyongtintangbolpen.blogspot.com/2010/02/oh-no.html

nakaka dissapoint, d problema ang space kung talaga nanampalataya tayo, baka gwin pang turismo lang kaya dun ilalagay

Nakakalungkot ang balitang ito, di lamang sa mga kababayan nating taga Pagkilatan na mag bibinipisyo kung sakaling matuloy ang proyekto ng “Monte Maria” sa nasabing lugar, kundi lahat ng batagueno. Pero sa aking pananaw walang pwedeng i blame sa nangyari kundi ang mga mismong taga roon. Sinamantala nila ang sitwasyon 6000-9000 per sq square mtrs??? Masyadong abusado sila sa sitwasyon bagay na di nila naiisip na “SIMBAHAN AT REBULTO NG MAMA MARY” ang itatayo doon. Hindi isang pasugalan o isang negosyo na pagkiktaan kundi isang simbahan at rebulto ng mama mary. Aware naman ang lahat na walang ibang pinagkukunan si Father Suarez kung hindi ang abuloy at limos ng mga tao sa pilipnas at sa mga pilipino sa ibat ibang bansa.
Wala akong masbi kundi nalulungkot ako sa mga taong ma pagsamantala )=

It is understandable for real estate prices to soar in an area where development is ongoing, especially one with the magnitude of the Monte Maria project. I would agree that the reported increase is too sharp though and speaks of opportunism and greed.

I am sure the Monte Maria project foundation had the help of experienced planners when the project was conceptualized. Perhaps even experienced urban planners helped. I believe also that the need for an area sufficient for the expected number of visitors and devotees, and their vehicles, which is mentioned as a primary reason for the relocation, was considered. Canceling a religious project however in view of opportunism and worldly considerations that obstruct an amendment to the plan is disappointing to say the least.

There are many aspects in the project’s relocation that an outsider to the development project such as I, as well as many others I’m sure, would not find consistent and could deter prospective donors and supporters.

I pray though that God continue to guide the principal to the project.

ON THE EXODUS OF THE OUR LADY MOTHER OF THE POOR FOUNDATION
FROM MONTE MARIA

Msgr. Ruben Dimaculangan
Vicar General
Archdiocese of Lipa

The exodus of the Our Lady Mother of the Poor Foundation from Monte Maria to Cavite has spread like wildfire. There is a need to clarify certain issues obfuscated by filtering and lack of necessary information. Since many of our confused friends have been sending text messages of mixed emotions, I deem it important for you to know the following replies to some questions below. As a recommendation, it will be wise to learn the facts involved but it would not be advisable for anyone to square off with the media unless he is mandated by H.E. Archbishop Arguelles as spokesperson and unless he is armed with an official written statement:

Question: Is it true that the Archdiocese of Lipa drove the Our Lady Mother of the Poor Foundation away?

Reply: Archbishop Arguelles said a number of times that he welcomed Fr. Suarez and invited the Companions of the Cross to accompany Fr. Suarez in his unique healing mission to the Filipinos. The Our Lady Mother of the Poor Foundation came into the scene because it wanted to assist Fr. Suarez financially. Silently they came and now silently they leave.

Question: How true is their allegation that they left because of the exorbitant price tagged by Congressman Dodo on the surrounding lots of the 5-hectare land donated to Fr. Suarez?

Reply: Dodo said that after having donated the five-hectare land, some members of the Foundation were seeking to acquire spots of surrounding land at the original price when it was bought, that is, from the current selling price of P4,500/square meter to P150/square meter.

Question: Is it true that the reason why the Foundation was not able to construct the thematic chapels and other buildings was because Congressman Dodo did not have the titles in his name?

Reply: Congressman Dodo replied that it was the Philippine law which prohibited the Foundation from owning the five-hectare area for lack of residence. Accordingly, the Foundation needed three years. Besides, although the titles of the land were not yet in his name, Congressman Dodo attests that he really owns the land. To solve the aforementioned problem posed by the requisite 3-year residence, Fr. Totit Mandanas, representative of Archbishop Arguelles on the matter, proposed that the title be endorsed first to the Archdiocese of Lipa so that the Foundation could construct without legal impediment. Allegedly, not all members of the Board of the Foundation welcomed this provisional solution.

Question: Has this exodus of Monte Maria Foundation thrown away from the Archdiocese such a big opportunity, materially and spiritually?

Reply: Materially, yes. For some of our poor, this could have been a source of job opportunities, health assistance and donations from the Foundation. Spiritually, this would have exhibited the Archdiocese as the spiritual capital both in the Philippines and in Asia. But whether the Archdiocese has lost a big opportunity for spiritual growth with the exodus of the Foundation, the way things go, I do have some doubts. If the real intention of the Foundation was to make Fr. Suarez heal and shepherd the poor, its members should have been contented with starting small without so much passion to acquire adjacent lands.

Question: There was an allegation that Danding Cojuanco discouraged the Foundation to put up the statue of our Lady taller than the Statue of Liberty because it would have benefited only Congressman Dodo.

Reply: Congressman Dodo was all the time transparent that he was both a sincere Catholic and a businessman. Certainly, the statue would have benefited the affairs of the Congressman. Whether he intends it or not, it could have been his effective standard bearer, financially and politically. But it was not 100 per cent business: Side by side with the 5-hectare donation to Fr. Suarez, he was planning to put up thematic parks and hotels that would cater to the needs of club members who want to have a place for prayer and rest. For the Archdiocese, he was planning to donate under BOT terms, parks and buildings, etc., that would cater to the spiritual needs of the common people. The latter however will have access to the theme parks owned by Congressman Dodo. Thus, all the while Congressman Dodo has always admitted that it was a business venture in tandem with the healing ministry of Fr. Suarez and with the pastoral guidance of the Archdiocese. The three separate ventures are not in conflict because comprehensively they will make up a unique ambience in the Philippines or in Asia noted as a place for “religious tourism”. He added that for some Chinese partners this business would not be a goose that would lay golden eggs because of its association with sick people who frequent the area. And yet although not being a lucrative business, he is willing to risk pushing through with such a unique spiritual enclave.

Question: What happens to the recently blessed Santo Nino Chapel which has cost Mr. Garcia P80M to construct?

Reply: According to Congressman Dodo, he will donate the 5-hectare land to the Archdiocese. Concerning the Santo Nino Chapel, the decision would depend upon Fr. Fernando Suarez and Archbishop Arguelles.

Question: What do you think has been the real problem in this controversy? There have been fingers pointed at different personages as the party to blame.

Reply: It is a complicated issue. The problem could have been simpler had Fr. Fernando Suarez chosen to start small with the primary motive of healing and shepherding the flock without dreaming of acquiring a site bigger than the 5-hectare enclave. I think it started to become a problem when he made the innocent mistake of accepting and announcing the construction of the statue of our Lady, bigger than the statue of Liberty, as a condition for acquiring the 5-hectare land for the Foundation’s thematic chapels and other centers. The issue became complicated when some members of the Foundation allegedly tried to purchase adjacent lands because it put a different color to the ministry of Fr. Suarez. It became even more complicated when they insisted in the name of the Foundation to acquire adjacent lands at their original price many years ago. It compounded with the Foundation’s legal incapacity to receive donations vis-à-vis the expectant hope of the big donors that the announced grand statue of Our Lady and the other projects portrayed in the website would have been built.

Question: Any concluding remark?

Reply: Fr. Fernando Suarez is a holy man. I can see it from his simple but incisive homilies. His gift of healing helps him to be holy. He has a grand dream for the country, especially for its poor. He is a man to trust. But the way things have gone this far seems to show he should discern whether he is just being used by people who did not or do not really have the intention of using him. He should know that healed people who try to assist him still need to be guided home to the idea that his primary objective is to heal people and the country not through grand, if not grandiose, structures or enclaves which in the end may become standard bearers only of themselves, not of the healing Christ. I still think that in this Country the real standard bearers of the love of Christ are structures where our poor will be more overwhelmed by a very welcoming simple healing ambience than by structures owned by an elite that could alienate their being sick and poor.

sna amn nd n ilipat ang monte maria….ppanu amn ung mga taong mhhirapn pumnta dun s tagaytay….sna tlga nd n ilipat….ipgppray k n sna nd ilipat…..

i was a cmited dvotee of mary mther of the poor monte maria since the start but as time goes by i sense dat der s smeting rong not wid fr. suarez but wid his deciple.sme of dem hav a clear persnal intention upon entring da foundation.and da result s heto na nga nangyari n ang k8inatatkutan ko.sme ppol r blaming cong. mandanas but i am telling 2 u pipol ndi c cong. mandanas ang dapat sisihin kundi ang mga alipores n padre na may mga pansariling motibo.nakakalungkot isipin tungkol na 2 sa dios pero pinagaawayan pa…………………please padre ipagdasal nyo ang aking malikot na isipan para ako ay masalba sadagatdagatang apoy.

nkakalungkot kahapon pumunta ako monte maria ksma akin pamilya mula quezon nada tnan namin duon ang isang nkakapangilabot n monte maria. uhaw na uhaw sa kalinga at maihahalintulad sa 1 ina ni inabando ng kanyang pamilya ndi ko maiwasan pumatak ang aking mga luha sa kalungkutang bunga ng kasakiman nating mga tao.napaluhod ako at napatingala sa kalawakan at aking nrinig ang 1 tinig na makapangyarihan.i2 ay nagwika at ang sbi saan ako nagkulang at bkit nyo ako iniwan?i2 ang aking lupang ipinangako senyo.nilisan nyo akong nagiisa at nangungulila subalit isinusumpa ko na babalik at babalik din kau dito sa tahanan ko at kpag nagkagayun ay 2 kamay ko kayong tatanggapin.pangako ko yan senyo……….

inabot kmi ng hapon kahit umiiyak na si bunso.

may dumating na sasakyan sakay ang ilang kalalakihan kinausap nila ang mga tao dun at snbi ang pakay nila. anila ipinakukuha sa kanila ang mga bato sa monte meria ksama un pinakamalaking tipak duon na patuloy nagbibigay ng himala dadalhin daw nila i2 sa lugar kung saan inilipat ang monte maria.salamat n lang sa mga nagmalasakit na magbigay alam kaagad ng mitim na pakay.inalarma ang brgy. at sa kbutihang palad ndi naisakatuparan ang maitim na balak………..
umuwi na kmi ng pamilya ko baon ang pangamba sa susunod na mangyayri…..

mahal na ama kayo na po ang bahala sa kanila naway lukubin mo sila ng kabanal banalang spiritu santo upang pagliwanggin sila.amen

nakakaawa naman un ibang alipores ni fr. suarez binili ng binili ang mga lupa pati bundok n karatig ng monte maria ndi pintawad sa pagbili n the name of the foundation e pnu ngaun yan sir/madam lumipad na ang monte maria ang tnung ngaun e pnu na ang mga bundok n binili nyo? pde po ba na sumama ang mga ito sa paglipad ng monte maria kung saan man cia pupunta.eto pa po ang nkakaintriga e saan lumipad ngaun ang monte maria? a sa tagaytay pala or smewer near cavite.e sinu nagdonate? napakagenerous naman ah si sir danding cojuangco pla. ah mayaman nga yan at kilala. bilyunaryo yan at negosyante pa.negosyante dn ako un nga lng small time lang ako pero cgurdo ko lahat ng negosyante i mayabang. bilang negosyane e ndi ako susugal sa alam ko na matatalo ako.wat can u say fr. suarez bka dumating let un tme na magamit ang monte maria sa personal na interes ng mayayamang negosyante? at kpag nangyari un e anu na naman ang gagawin nyo?ipupulout nyo na naman ba ang monte maria 2lad ng nauna?e please naman po padre wag na naman po at kahiyahiya lng kc kapag nakaganun e nanganganib na naman ang simbahang katoliko lalo na sa mga kritiko kc alm ko na ang sasabihin nila na ang monte maria ay naging pagirpir na……dios ko po….mahal na ina wag naman po sana.

Ps. dont get mad at me fr. suarez i am not against ur will.i beliv n god and i trusted u the way i trusted him but please please please dont let others use ur fame and p0pularity 4 which they can mislead you fr.suarez.