February 25th

Nah, today is the 25th, some say 22nd anniversary of EDSA People Power. whatever. what i think is that history may repeat itself with the ongoing political scenario of our land. For me, it's no more about people power, the uprising, but the events after it. Just look at what we are today, we're on seemingly the same situation. After Marcos, we have Estrada, and just as quick as we denounced and ousted Erap, we clamor for another - the ouster of GLoria. We have never really run out politically inadequate presidents nor morally consistent ones - what we have for the last decade were people who are content with the status quo - people who embrace the systemic infestation of corruption. And, so, what can we do? It seems another people power is inevitable. (BTW, My friend Che2x and I are planning to join an anti-Gloria rally, should another one be organized here in Bacolod). Here's crossing my fingers to the ouster of the president whose "I am sorry" and being prayerful are more than enough scapegoats for all the mistakes she did, and the same president who said "I am the president and no one else." Let's just see.


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On a more cheerful note, I would like to congratulate my friends Janice Marie Jordan and Joshua Quijote (SU Batch 2007) for passing the December 2007 Nurses' Licensure Examination. Congratulations ninyong duha and to all passers. And to my school Silliman University College of Nursing for making it still to TOP 3 performing schools. Though, I must say, I'm a little sad that they only got 97% compared to last year's (my batch) 99%. But, hey, we were only 220+, compared to this year's 321 SU examinees. That's still an achievement because St. Louis University in Baguio City (number 1 with 99%) only had 146 examinees, while Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro with 229 out of 233 students passing the exams (98 percent). That makes it a big difference.

Go Silliman! I proud you wahaha

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I just learned through CNN news that Hong Kong is being rocked by the sex scandal involving a famous actor Edison Chen. What's wrong with the world! Maybe this is the price of being famous and being naive (think about getting photos and videos while doing their private acts - that's totally weird). This damaging phenomenon swept away the many ones from Philippines to our neighboring countries together with the typhoons that visited us. Just think of all the bad scandals that has shattered many lives and has damaged many relationships.

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Anyway, there's more to life than power, achievements, and problems. (Do i make sense here? LOL)

Talk about credibility

Mr. Lozada pointed out that President Arroyo’s cabinet member, Mr. Neri of CHED, once called her “EVIL”. An administration congressman (Congressman Salcedo) called PGMA a bitch when he said “She may be a bitch, but she is the luckiest bitch around.” Former Speaker of the House, Jose de Venecia, called the president “ungrateful.” What has gone wrong? Has the Arroyo administration lost its power to run the nation?

While in most countries, the highest leader of authority of the land, be it democracy, monarchy or anything else, is given respect and high regards, not just because of the command that it holds and the influence that the leader has, but because of their high reverence to the people who voted for that leader. While this scenario is justly appropriate for democratic societies, it is also applicable to monarchy, where people value the position of their queen and king as divine appointment. Just like the USA, one of the world powers today, the president is considered a powerful leader, whose decisions are reckoned as sacred and important to the whole nation and to some extent to the world. People mostly rely to their leaders’ decision-making when it comes to political and national issues and public welfare. The nation, hence, is as great as the leaders that run the system.

While this is true to other countries, ours is the opposite. It’s ironic to think that, while our country is the oldest democracy in Asia and the most “Christian” nation in this part of the Pacific, Philippines remains to be the most politically dysfunctional and one of the most corrupt nations of the world. What went wrong? The culture of corruption still continues to infest the mind and philosophy of most Filipinos. Corruption seems to be the normal way of life now. Our leaders are labeled liars, cheat, corrupt, and rubbish. Talk about the credibility of the leaders. GMA has now become the cancer that’s killing the entire nation. The people suffer; the nation is falling into her knees. And while, leaders are supposed to be treated with reverence, our President and her men are imagined to be the most dissolute of people.

Where is now the authority that the government supposed to hold up to? What happens when the authority or leadership that rules an entire nation loses its authenticity? Where will the nation go? I just don’t know.

CONGRATS!

I read The Weekly Sillimanian and saw the list of Honors students. And I am proud (*drum roll*) to say that my "kiddies" o ang mga bata ko sa Dumaguete have been up track in their academic performance. I know for sure that being one to walk through Luce auditorium is as fulfilling as graduating. "Ga bukad ang atay" would be the vernacular term for it. It is really flattering, to the very least. Not to mention a quick, two-minute fame of walking in front of people with your name, course and place being called up (with your most presentable attire on display hehe), receiving that red awards certificate from and shaking hands with no less than Silliman University's president, and at the middle of the semester getting a pay check of six thousand pesos or higher depending on your honors classification. This year's speaker was Mikaela Irene Fudolig, who graduated BS Physics summa cum laude of the University of the Philippines-Diliman at the age of 16. The 50th Honors Convocation was held at Luce Auditorium, Silliman University, Dumaguete City on February 15, 2008 with 571 students recognized of their academic excellence.

CONGRATS sa mga anak ko! (wahaha)

CATHLEEN C. MABULAY (Juniors, Education)

MARZON D. OCCEñA (Juniors, Psychology)

DONNA MAE R. GUBATON (Juniors, Psychology)

At sa kaibigan kong si Martin Luther Tan, ka-tropa sa joyride when I visit DUmaguete (Juniors, Computer Science)
Hopefully, next year you'll get that much coveted University Honors (wahaha) Kahit mahirap GO lang kayo para at least at the end you'll never regret when you know you did your all.



CHEERS sa inyo!!!

In honor of a few people who value truth and justice for the country

Not gold but only men can make
A nation great and strong
Men who for truth and honor's sake
Stand fast and suffer long
Brave men who work while others sleep
Who dare while others shy
They build the nation's pillars deep
And lift them to the sky.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Stumbling over Coelho's blog

Early this morning, I stumbled along Newsweek website and saw FREE SPEECH under the ARTS section of the said site. I clicked, and saw a familiar old face of Paulo Coelho with the opening statement, “Literary lion Paul Coelho reveals a passion for promoting the online piracy of his own books. He thinks publishers should follow suit.”

I was intrigued and so I read on the whole article. I realized that Paulo Coelho, one of my favorite authors, actually believes in the idea of giving out novels or books for free online. This, he believes, would open the market for great novels by not-so-famous or “lesser known” authors. It also makes it very profitable for writers to have their works open for appraisal of the cyber world citizens without having the burden of paying. Thus, if they like those literary works, they would be interested to buying these books. Books, anyway, are a technology that has evolved and survived for centuries. So far, publishing companies had no intentions of filing suits or at least complaining; maybe, anytime soon they will. I like his idea and I am certain that I am one living soul out of the millions who would be glad about reading books online for free. ( Though, I must admit I've downloaded some free e-books already).

Also, I visited Coelho’s blog (http://paulocoelhoblog.com/) and found it cool. And so I am adding his link to my blog roll. In his latest entr, it says that his blog has been hacked severely that they had to make it up again. Hmm… maybe those publishers who have been quiet all along just don’t like Paulo Coelho’s idea of pirating online books. Silent protest, huh?

You may want to download some of Coelho’s works for free. It's one click away here.

*Photo taken from the author's blog*

Abalos, GUILTY?

I watched HARAPAN - the Jun Lozada Expose with anchors Korina Sanchez and Ricky Carandang. I was upset when Mr. Lozada wasn’t given time to give his rebuttal against the other party’s accusations (e.g. Abalos, PNP Chief Razon). It was unfair that he has to face the president’s men alone. It could have been better if he has a few people with him to defend his side. Also, I would like to note Sister Mary John Mananzan, OSB of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines, when she said that nuns like her have this special intuition or gut feeling if someone is telling a lie or not. That was such an unbelievable statement from a nun of her status. Hindi ako makapaniwala na ang kanilang basihan sa pagdedesisyon ay ang tinatawag na gut feeling lamang. Here’s something that we can think about, huh? Anyway, here's the link for the forum regarding the face-off.

Nonetheless, the show was informative and very up-to-date with the current political scenario. It gave the viewers a chance to weigh things and choose to which side of the story they would decide to believe.

Ang hatol ko – Abalos GUILTY! Isama nyo pa sina Malacañang deputy spokesman Anthony Golez; Assistant Secretary Lorenzo Formoso III of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon. wahaha


The President's Men.




photo taken from ABS-CBNNEWS.COM

Mabuti pa ang bata

Yesterday, I went out of town to visit my sister in Hinigaran and to attend in my high school’s silver anniversary. It was fun to meet familiar faces and exchange reassuring statements about each other. Whipped by the many stressors and unhealthy habits here in the city, it was also invigorating for me to come back and experience, even for a while, the simplicity of rural life and the authenticity of the people I personally know and love. I ate oysters, boiled peanuts, and walked quite a distance to look around the town I have loved and the sceneries that are intertwined with its existence in my memory– the old, dusty bell tower of the cathedral, the dark plaza, the “manokan,” the smile of my suki who sells balut pinoy and mani, the swings, the slides, the basketball court and the familiar breeze of cold air.

I ate dinner with my only high school classmate who was in town and, after such a worthwhile conversation, went home, watched KC (hehe) in MMK, and went to bed at around 1 o clock.

The next day, I spent half of the day playing with my sister’s children. One thing I could never forget is that my nephew Summer, a six year old, made such a great realization to me when she told a visitor to take off her shoe since she is inside their house. She said in vernacular “Ubaha ang imo sapatos” (Take of your shoes) in such a sincere and innocent tone. The visitor hurriedly attempted to remove her shoes, but my sis was quick to say that it’s OK. She then told Summer that it’s okay for people to wear shoes even inside the house. Upon reflection, I realized that a child is an honest soul and is very conscious to the idea of what is right and what is wrong. Her mom has always been very particular with the arrangement of things inside their house (I think, one of few people I know, who makes house-keeping and art and calling). This same attitude she has unconsciously imparted to the child’s perceptions. To wear your shoes inside the house is bad, and to do the opposite is good. She is very much meticulous with this idea that she is quick to inform the visitor about this. One thing I learned: no matter what the circumstances are, it’s always the right to be honest and true.

This leads me to ask: what if all the politicians in our country would have this same moral consistency? This country would have never become as worse as what we are right now. The system that rules us may have not come to a point where everything and everyone is hopeless and that moral bankruptcy is not an issue.

And what if every, single Filipino has the same value as that of a six-year-old child? The world and this country could have been a better place for all of us.

Senator Santiago and Jun Lozada

Here is the video.

Meet the two faces of politics: Miriam Santiago and Jun Lozada

I had admired Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago (an Ilonggo by heart and intonation hehe) for such a strong-willed person and politician - not to mention her “English grandiosity.” My parents campaigned and voted for her during the 1992 Presidential Election. Unfortunately, she lost against Fidel V. Ramos. From the time on I watch Santiago in her TV interviews. I had great respect for her until she started telling lies like jumping over a helicopter without a parachute, acting as if a political butterfly through her deliberate changes in political parties from the Opposition to Administration, making remarks that are uncalled for and irresponsible among many things. And hey, until now, she’s turning into an old irritating politician. Just look at what she has done in the senate.

Let me just note of what Jun Lozada has said:

"Madam Senator, I would admit to that.... I would admit, I guess in public, to the nation, that there are certain things I did in my life that I guess upon reflection I would lose some respect to myself. But all the remaining respect I have in myself I don’t want to lose pa. I’d like whatever respect I have in myself to keep it pa. If I will go along with this NBN, I guess I’m going to lose it all. I’m afraid I’m going lose my soul. So, yes, I admit to that. Mea culpa."

That was an honest statement, indeed. We need people like Lozada, a reluctant and flawed hero (nonetheless a hero), to run the government to make this nation great again.

My Book List (December 2007 & January 2008)

I hate to admit it that I read books in order to pass time ( I easily get bored in a traffic jam, waiting lines, with some habitual late people, the list goes on and on). The rest is secondary - maybe to improve my vocabulary, and become at least an adverage literary person, if such a classification exists at all.

Here are the books I managed (*sigh*) to read up to the last of the pages. And, so, in order to fill the viod I long had deliberately made in this blog by not updating it as often as all bloggers should, I will post the books I have read. This is done not only to show myself that go-William-you-can-read-books attitude, but to keep a record of what I had accomplished by the art many so highly esteemed - reading.

The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth by Morgan Scott Peck

The Golden Compass

The Subtle Knife

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen F. Covey

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

Sins of a Father Kitty Chappell

Here's crossing my fingers to more books that lay waiting for me to read them.

COPY-PASTED from my friendster blog

An end of so big a loss
(January 29, 2008 7:44 pm)


The sky, lacking the usual colors of white-and-blue and the kind of peacefulness that brings hope, presented itself as gloomy and black as the darkest crow that ever flew. The early mornings that were previously characterized as a beacon that brings an early promise of a bright day ahead turned into nothing but a source of despair. Transparent through the old, rugged glass window, people from all roads walk and run and dread with alarm and pointless self-assurance that days would turn into a different light. In those days when contentment and greed present themselves as neither equal nor obvious, no one could find satisfaction in any form there is in life.

It seems that these days are actually happening nowadays, not maybe for some but at least for me. A ride that felt like more than a roller-coaster that blows my brains out, it’s painfully excruciating just to think that all isn’t well for me. It leaves a terrible space in one’s self like a bullet lodged in the human brain. Waiting, waiting and still waiting. Everything seems falling into pieces. These are the harsh realities of life.

My personal battle joins the much bigger war for ambition, stability and fortune. Combine all these including family matters would make an unimaginable mix of nausea and pseudo-depression that could lead to an end of so big a loss that the clash would never be reclaimed won or lost but a state in-between. I could only think of one thing that holds me back to my senses and that is the rope that is fortunately thick enough to never let me fall – the idea and faith that God is real to keep me from all else that pulls me down into what I call hell. This is like a normal urge for breathing, for without it I would have forgotten to breathe and die of an unexplained death. These are the whispered ranting of a wounded and tired fighter of this everyday battle called life. The battle for existence and all.