The love and effort that Supreme Master Ching Hai has shown in guiding people and Governments toward a compassionate lifestyle has fostered a growing sense of responsibility in different parts of the world. Less than two weeks after the Belgian city of Ghent declared Thursday a “vegetarian day,” the City of Santiago in the Philippines has followed suit through passing a resolution on May 25 Golden Year 6 (2009) at a special City Council meeting to promote a compassionate, animal-free lifestyle in order to save our Earth. Mayor Amelita S Navarro then chose Fridays as their “Veggie Day” to implement the noble legislation.

At the special City Council meeting, the resolution was signed following a visual presentation by Mayor Navarro on the effects of a recent typhoon and a brief SOS seminar hosted by our Association members. The Mayor said that the designated day was in accord with the Christian tradition of meatless Fridays. She expressed her commitment to adopt a vegetarian diet and invited the City Council members to join her in setting a leading example for their citizens with the understanding that a vegan diet can solve 80% of the global warming crisis.

	APMA’s Trophy of Appreciation presented to Master

The council meeting and the SOS seminars came about after Mayor Navarro’s invitation to Master to be a keynote speaker at the 102nd Annual Auxiliary Convention held on May 21 in Manila. Due to Her busy schedule, Master sent representatives including physicians on Her behalf who addressed the subject of global warming and the benefit of a plant-based diet at the convention. Mayor Navarro, who is also the President of the Auxiliary to the Philippine Medical Association (APMA), honored Master with a Trophy of Appreciation for Her efforts in spreading the vegetarian message to save our Earth. The Mayor also spoke of her deep concern for the landslide and flood victims in her city, due to a recent typhoon, and invited our members to hold SOS seminars for the citizens of Santiago City.

Mrs. Cruz and Cecile Alvarez, Executive Director of NCCA (far right) receiving The Birds in My Life on behalf of the Philippines National Library

Upon learning of the suffering of Santiago’s typhoon victims, Master lovingly offered a contribution of US$10,000 and asked our members to convey Her sympathy and prayers for their early recovery. The fund was presented to Mayor Navarro at the first SOS seminar organized by our Association members for the city officials and barangay chiefs at Santiago City Museum. Master’s generosity won warm-hearted gratitude from the entire audience. The city government then hosted its first-ever vegetarian dinner for the occasion. The second seminar successfully reached over 1,000 city employees and attracted much media attention. Mayor Navarro showed great reverence for Master, hanging up a huge banner that read “Welcome Supreme Master Ching Hai.” At the last seminar, more than 150 young academicians read aloud a powerful, signed Manifesto entitled “Our Commitment to Vegetarianism.”

	Thank you letter from the City of Santiago for Master’s US$10,000 contribution to typhoon victims

Before returning to Formosa, our Association members visited the President of the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA), Ms. Cecile Alvarez, and contributed 2,000 copies of Master’s best selling book The Birds in My Life on May 26 to the Director of National Library, Mrs. Prudenciana C. Cruz, who expressed her appreciation of the meaningful gifts and Master’s love and said she would distribute the books to all the affiliated public libraries in the Philippines.

Let us congratulate Mayor Navarro, the Santiago Government and all her citizens for joining in the worldwide effort to create a loving, peaceful and harmonious planet through a compassionate diet.

To watch Supreme Master TV’s interviews and coverage of Santiago Mayor in Philippines promoting vegetarianism, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/VIP/Santiago.php

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