We Condemn the Maguindanao Massacre

Election in the Philippines is always marred by violence, deceit among other things. Each politician has his own platform to institute change but corruption for one, is systemic to the Philippine government that total change shall remain a remote possibility.

And with the upcoming election in May 2010, the Philippine history is again disgraced by the passion of people for power regardless of the means.

According to the news, 46 persons, mostly women and mediamen were slaughtered by allegedly people of the reigning political in Maguindanao. We only wish that justice is duly served and that all other election-related incidents in the future will cease to exist.

So, I am posting this black ribbon to sympathize with the bereaved family and that those who are accomplices and main culprits will be brought to justice.

Safety Planning Could Have Spared Typhoon Ondoy's Victims

Our country, the Philippines, was recently hit by a typhoon Ondoy and the entire nation is devastated by the havoc it created. We were quite worried since my younger sibling and her partner are trapped in their condominium while the rest of Metro Manila and some affected portions in Luzon were man-height flooded causing vehicles and other properties to be swept off. Houses were indeed vacated while people had stayed on their house roofs to remain safe. And, now while the country is relieving the victims through temporary housing and other basic needs, another super typhoon is within our country's area of responsibility. Some had died while others were severely injured with mounts of properties damaged.

Can we blame nature? Partly, but most of the fault would be on mankind for not planning well for safety including natural disaster. So, I could only agree of the article I read on Personal Safety and Self Defense. We must anticipate what could possibly go wrong and how we can reduce the effects just in case it hit us. Safety aids and reserved food and stocks and medicines should always be ready.

Natural disaster is unpredictable but we can always be ready. If mankind had only disposed their garbages well, did not irresponsibly cut trees or plan only the drainage system well, the damages of the typhoon could have been avoided.

So, it is nice to know articles that could somehow help us on safety.

Philippine Pres. Corazon Aquino: The Greatest Leader By Far

I for one has lost hope that my beloved country, Philippines will still improve from its lame and depressing state as politics is ill and so the prevailing culture that has somehow influenced and plagued adversely the condition of my country.

But, since the death of the nation's 11th president, Pres. Corazon "Cory" Aquino who died at 76, the country is stricken by a very grave loss. I had witnessed how vocal she was on political and social issues even after her leadership. In spite of her being a woman,plain housewife and a widow, she hurdled through several problems as a leader, woman and mother to every Filipino.

After hearing the eulogy of her friends, former subordinates, and even ordinary people, I could not
count the number of times that I cried. She is indeed a woman of prayer and morality that I wish every leader will honestly exhibit in and out of office. Will my country still have hope? I could only pray and work hard to make my nation better, to contribute to anyway I can to institute change. I guess if every Filipino will only set aside his personal motives, this nation can succeed and overcome the war of ill governance.

Tomorrow, August 5, 2009, is a special non-working holiday for the entire nation to give due honor and last respect to a great leader recognized and respected here and abroad.

To Pres. Cory Aquino, it's an honor to have known and witnessed your leadership and motherly concern for our country.

photo source: wikipedia.com

How Patriotic Are You as a Filipino?

I am patriotic however I somehow lose hope of seeing our country improved.
I only wish that the government and the nation as a whole will finally and holistically unite for a more objective mission.

Hardened Life in the Philippines

Before 2008 ended, I had been hearing global financial crisis. But, here in the Philippines, that seems to be so natural since we have been crisis since time memorial. Is this comforting enough for the government or even for us, Filipinos?

Now that 2009 has started, we are bombarded with more discouraging and dismal news of job unemployment like from Intel's closure where 20,000 Filipinos are sure to be unemployed. Then, to add some salt to injury, our government is telling us that there are jobs for these unemployed and for the coming graduates. Then, how come, we are considered 5th hungriest nation in the world?

I could only feel sorry for other Filipinos who are jobless and hopeless. Now, we can only hear more aggravating news like more bank and company closures, Ebola virus, pre-need insurance scams, politicians' bickering and extended- but- compromised college education.

It is really devastating. Our store is now struggling with low- to- zero sales. I have to think of ways how we can generate income in spite all these

I wish the politicians and Filipinos will really unite so we can rise up fully from all sorts of crises.

Filipino Education is a BIG CRYING DISAPPOINTMENT

Teaching in college for 10 years had allowed me to mingle and interact students from various secondary schools. And sad to say, majority would come from the public schools. Good for those who could afford to go to a private institution because the learnings and skills of the students are quite better. But, my sad heart goes to those who could only go to public schools. The tuition could be free, however, the price that the students and parents have to pay after their graduation was more expensive and irreversible. Their communication skills alone were very poor if not bad. I had to teach Grade 1 English Tutorial among college students. WOW!!!! Kaguol man.

Now, I wonder, would great Filipinos in intellectual competence will still be known worldwide? Most especially the ones coming from the greater public? The ones who are in power now, are the ones coming from the elite.. . So, those who are in the bottom list, would only struggle for employment and living. . . and this continues to their kids. We can only prolong their misery. . .

Is this also true in other nations? I really wonder. . .

Great Filipinos as Refugees

In the recent national news, our beloved president GMA was criticized for giving out money to the poor Filipinos.

Is this really a solution to the economic crisis we have now? We are in deep turmoil amidst energy crisis, rice shortage and unemployment. Can we really have hope in the coming days? I dont think so. WHy? Because the greater majority are the poor and they dont actually see and experience real and sustaining solutions from the government. Instead, they are given only food stubs and money to sustain initial hunger.

Because in spite of the crisis the great majority is experiencing, our politicians are instead busy bickering one another with their personal interest to hide and protect.

Can we really offer life-sustaining solutions? Perhaps, we change the values we have like utang na loob, pakikisama, too-tight family strings, bahala na, pwede na yan, and other overly-abused traits, then we can gradually place leaders of higher moral standards and really uphold public service and accountability. Only then, the rest of the system will change.

What do you think?

I

Great Filipinos in Hunger

We have been staying with my parents for almost two months now. When we left Zamboanga City, the NFA rice (government's poor-quality rice supply) was sold at 18.00 a kilo only. Some residents would not even bother buy it as they prefer the sweet-smelling yet expensive rice, except those who have no choice. Now, after the government had announced that there was a rice shortage at the middle of ZTE scandal, the NFA rice rose to 18.25/kilo with only 2 kilos per family allowance.



In our barangay, at 6 am, old and young folks line up before a closed store, waiting to get their share. Prime rice now costs at 55.00 pesos/kilo. In the coming months, this may cost to 60.00. No wonder, Filipino folks are always on the streets, protests of different causes. Click here for the related story. For a big family which is typical of Filipinos, their meal supply is between 2-3 kilos. Great, our population now is around 80 million with almost half of the population is below poverty line. No wonder, more and more Filipino professionals are leaving the country and more and more crimes are committed in the name of poverty.

I began to realize, we seem like refugees at our very own country, hostaged without ransom at all!!!

Can we still say we really have hope? Our politicians are already preparing their commercial ads in preparation for the 2010 election. . . Pinoy, kailan ka ba talaga susulong?