Back and Alone...

I just got back from the pharmacy store to buy some personal essentials and cough medicine. I'm all alone at home. My brother and his family moved back to his father-in-law's house while my parents are still on their way home from visiting my uncle in Cabanatuan. I decided to clean my Starbucks tumbler so I can store my water inside my bedroom. I have not used this tumbler since  my career shift to teaching. I have my own mug inside the faculty room so I never had the need to bring a tumbler. But earlier I bought a bicycle bottle holder online with thoughts of  bringing in my tumbler during my bike commute so I won't have to buy soda or any thirst quencher along the way.  After cleaning it and putting in potable water, I realized something. When I bought it about 9 or 10 years ago, I was in a state of emotional turmoil. Now that I'm about to use it again, I feel like I am in a similar state. So now I am starting to associate this tumbler with loneliness. Sort of.. Well, this is the adult world. Happiness is not independent from loneliness, as well as the other types of emotion. They exist along a continuum and one's state of emotion slides through it all the time. Somehow, it feels natural and yet unbearable at the same time. It's another journey and just like before, it will pass. For now, I embrace the possibilities and surprises that this new life will offer.  Oh hello darkness my old friend :)

Overheard at the Scouts' Venture Camp; Thoughts on Mining and Consumption

I was in Lingayen Pangasinan earlier this month, attending the the 6^th National Scout Venture Camp of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. I volunteered for Greenpeace, we had booths at the Global Development Village, an exhibition of national and international organizations together with local and national government agencies where scouts were given lectures and demonstrations on environment, peace and development. In our booth, we gave a short lecture about climate change and had interactive demonstration of different practical uses of sun's energy as part of our campaign for renewable energy. 

Our post was perched between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). I wanted to roam around the village to check the exhibits of other organizations, but I didn't get the opportunity to leave my post for long. Without intention, I happened to overhear what the DENR people were up to. I listened to a lady introduce a video she's about to show about mining, supposedly to give a "wider perspective" since most people are usually critical about mining. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, were they just promoting an activity we all know is largely detrimental to the environment? By an agency funded by people's tax to PROTECT the environment and promote CONSERVATION of natural resources?

You can never underestimate the power of documentary films, short or feature length, when we faced our audience and asked them what they saw in DENR booth and their thoughts about mining, the scouts were quick to say "it's important", "without it we would go back to stone age", "a worker can have a salary of P500,000", "we'll end up looking like Gollum", WTH! I don't understand the connection of the last comment, but clearly, those people we pay to protect our environment were trying to convince the young ones of the "positive" side of mining. Ah, they have a term for that, "responsible" mining. Yes. Is this really part of DENR's function? Oh, but why won't they? We can only speculate at this point, but we all know how our government works.

DENR Sponsors?

#WhyMining

A friend once told me, one can't be anti-mining and own a car, or laptop or cellphone or anything with metal. I am writing this post with a laptop, so you might as well call me a hypocrite. The thing is, I cannot deny the worth of mining in consideration of economy and commodity. It creates jobs. From the miners to the sellers of the end products, just think of all the metallized stuff we buy. I will not deny the convenience these end products and the economic boost it brought us. Sure, we would not have advanced from stone age without mining. 

Having said that, I am still very much against mining. Because despite all the good things, I can't ignore its enormous environmental impact. They say it's okay as long as it's "responsible" mining. But it's displacing an ecosystem, sometimes a community. How can you call it responsible? It's like securing peace through war, how can one accept the casualties that went with it? There will always be consequences, and in the end, we will pay the price. There is no such thing as responsible mining.

One boy scout asked "so what about the minerals we need, how do we get them?". A lot of people can easily justify a despicable act with "it can't be helped eh" shikata ga nai... My question is, how much have we extracted at this point and how much more do we need? Our consumption behavior fuels the need for mining. So many people own more than one cellphone, some upgrade every year or two even when the old one is still in perfect condition, some people own multiple gadgets and all of them have the same features. Do you have any idea how many people own a digicam, SLR cam, e-book, smartphone, tablet, laptop, all at once? A LOT! More than what your basic calculator can add.

I remember a conversation I had with a friend many years ago. She just got herself the latest Ipod, this was before the touchscreen era, and she was was raving about the genius marketing of Apple, how it creates people's needs. Initially I thought she meant to say how Apple identifies the market needs and address  them with their innovative products. Later on, I realize she meant it the other way around. Apple brings us products that are eventually categorized as "needs". Genius no? For the record, I am not criticizing Apple, when my smartphone broke a few months ago, my brother gave me his old Iphone, and I am enjoying it immensely. I do recognize the legacy of Apple in the mobile industry and information technology.


I'd like to shift from pondering whether mining is good or bad, to do we really need to consume this much?

more photos from Huffington Post

It all comes down to us, what do we want, what do we need, can it be helped? I don't really have definite answers. All I know is, we have to start questioning our consumption habits and think hard, what is our priority? Is this really necessary? I don't believe in responsible mining but I believe in responsible consumption.

 The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever. http://storyofstuff.org

The Overview Effect

Astronauts who have seen the Earth from space have often described the ‘overview effect’ as an experience that has transformed their perspective of the planet and mankind’s place upon it, and enabled them to perceive it as our shared home, without boundaries between nations or species.

OVERVIEW is a short film that will explore this perspective through interviews with astronauts who have experienced the overview effect. The film also features insights from commentators and thinkers on the wider implications and importance of this understanding for humanity as a whole, and especially its relevance to how we meet the tremendous challenges facing our planet at this time.

Astronauts are one of those people I truly envy. It seems to me that you have to be a genius and perfectly fit physically to be one, but more importantly, to be up there and see our dearly beloved planet in its entirety. I sometimes watch ISS earth observatory videos and I can only imagine how humbling and mesmerizing it  can be while in the Cupola for hours. It's one of my dream romantic date destinations. Here's what I know though, I don't have to fly to outer space to experience this thing they called the "overview effect".

The overview effect is a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts and cosmonauts during spaceflight, often while viewing the Earth from orbit or from the lunar surface. It refers to the experience of seeing firsthand the reality of the Earth in space, which is immediately understood to be a tiny, fragile ball of life, "hanging in the void", shielded and nourished by a paper-thin atmosphere. From space, the astronauts tell us,^[5] national boundaries vanish, the conflicts that divide people become less important, and the need to create a planetary society with the united will to protect this "pale blue dot" becomes both obvious and imperative.

I don't know exactly when it started for me, this environmental concern. It certainly took me long to act. But when I look at pictures of the earth, the Earthrise, the Blue Marble, I'm just in pure awe. It's like a parent looking at a newborn child, there's love and feeling of oneness, understanding its vulnerability   and a rush of overwhelming desire to protect it. I see nothing but beauty even though in reality, there are more chaos than what we see and hear in the news everyday. As what Bette Midler had sung, "from a distance, there is harmony... from a distance you look like my friend, even though we are at war". I wonder, how did the people feel when they first saw the pictures of our home planet? 

Post Japan Thoughts

Well it finally happened, yep I've been to Japan, I've partially fulfilled my life-long dream. I said partially because there are still many places that I wanted to go to but I'm short of time and resources so I just have to compromise and settle on coming back. My thoughts aren't really organized right now, there are so many things I want to put in here and I'm not sure if my vocabulary bank is enough to justify the amazing experience I've had. I won't go into details right now, today I'll just give an overview of my short stay as a tourist.

It's hard not to be biased, I practically worshiped the place for a very long time, and being there, realizing the scenes I've played on my mind for so many times, I'm just happy to say, it didn't disappoint. I found myself falling in love with Japan all over again. So yeah, you're most likely to hear only good things,  but my pre-Japan worries turned out to be warranted, the typhoon disrupted my schedule so there were places (in the itinerary I drafted) I didn't get to see. I missed the Yasukuni Shrine, Imperial Palace and the St. Mary's Cathedral (designed by the world renown architect Kenzo Tange). But it did give me a perspective how everyone is prepared to handle disaster, they reduce the speed limit in highways, offices advise people not to go to work, there are train status notices, safety is a top of priority. While I was inside my hotel room I hear sirens and afterwards some announcement, the only thing I understood was the word "kudasai" at the end of every announcement. I get to see the extreme politeness of people first hand to the point that they apologize for something they didn't even do -- our Mt. Fuji tour guide, Emiko-san, would always say "I'm very sorry for the bad weather" "I'm very sorry for the traffic jam" "I'm very sorry for the delay (because a tourist came in late)". 

I love the fusion of the old and the new, despite being an ultra-modern city, some things that a lot of people considered to be a thing in the past are still very relevant. Payphones for example are obviously still widely used. Even though most people are munching on their smartphones, I saw a lot of people reading physical books in the train. Then everyone seems to own more than one bicycle, it was probably the most ubiquitous thing in Tokyo (or next vending machines). I hardly see a motorbike. Salarymen in coat and tie, old people, mothers taking their children to the school - they are all on bicycles!

Payphones, still widely used

A mother taking her kids to the school

I love how strong old people are (one time I came across an old lady carrying a huge suit case while on the way to the train platform). Speaking of trains, the subway system is very convenient, efficient and not as confusing as I thought it would be. Thanks to the Romanji signages, I didn't get lost! Though I got a little too cocky that on my way to the airport, I did get lost and got on the wrong train (different types of train were on the same platform, I didn't know I had to check the timetable to make sure I'm getting on the right train).

I am amazed with the culture of honesty, coming from a country where you always have to be on guard with your valuables, that was a big thing. I miss being able to walk around and just have my backpack on my back and my tablet stashed in my backpocket without worrying that a wandering hand would intrude to get something. I lost my camera THREE times and I was able to retrieve it every time. The bikes are parked in legal places without locks. I don't see security guards either on business establishments. It made me really cringe with envy. I thought, why can't we emulate this culture of honesty? I am tired of hearing blames on poverty, Batanes can pull off this behavior, and though I haven't been to Batanes, I can tell that the the state of poverty is just as evident as the other places in the Philippines are. Is it really that hard to act like a first world citizen in a 3rd world country?

I miss the huge parks with full of trees, I miss the museums with rich diversity of audience (here people choose to flock to the malls, the under appreciated museums' regular customer are either tourists or students), I love the presence of art in everything, the efficiency and convenience of the subway system.  I could go on, but I guess what I'm just trying to say in this post is I loved my short stay in Japan and I miss it badly.

Art in everything: A manhole with Sakura ornaments

But I wouldn't go as far as saying that it's more beautiful than my own country (or vice versa). No matter how rich or poor a country is, I believe that it has its own charm and beauty that you won't find in other countries. Yes, they are all equally beautiful. But we have a loooonnnggg way to go, we've got so many problems here and the idea of moving and living in a country where my frustrations are addressed is really tempting. When I got back home, I was full of wonderful stories, I didn't waste a minute in telling everything to my mother. Then she asked me if I'd like to go back to work there. I paused for couple of minutes and sighed, "nah, I'm staying here, it's much more challenging here". That's an absolute truth, and this I think is a testament how much I've grown up and change. Ten years ago, if you ask me if I'd be willing to migrate for greener pasture and change my citizenship, I wouldn't bat an eyelash and would have said yes. But now, if asked the same question, all I could say is, I refuse to runaway from the problems, I choose to be a part of the solution.

But I'm still going back to Japan for travel and leisure hehehe. Oh I can't wait to go back!

My first peek of Nippon

Pre-Japan Thoughts (and Worries)

More than 13 years ago, I fell in love with a country that produced a lot of my favorite TV series, or should I say, animated series. To say I was a big fan of anime was an understatement. I still am by the way, I just happen to be very picky nowadays. When you've seen a lot, you tend to look for fresh and edgy material. My excessive fondness of anime and manga ultimately led me to embrace almost anything Japan related. The language, the culture, the people, the place... I wanted to move there and work. Of course things don't always happen the way you planned, sometimes it's just not meant for you, and sometimes, you change, you grow up. I no longer have that desire to work or stay there for a long period of time. But going there for a visit never left my bucket list. As I write this, I am a sleep away from fulfilling a life long dream. I am finally coming to Japan.

I should be happy and excited, right? Right, but there are these last minute hurdles and threw apprehension, frustration and even sadness into the equation. Obviously, I don't have to explain the positive side of this mixed emotion I feel, let me explain the negative side.

It started a couple of weeks ago when I noticed my monthly period got prolonged than normal. When I saw no sign of stopping, I consulted a gynecologist. Apparently, I've got this hormonal imbalance going on, I am now on medication, the bleeding has stopped, but my (internet) research tells me I should expect to bleed soon. In fact the past days, the symptoms of PMS had manifested in me --the annoying occasional cramps. I hate it. I can imagine the discomfort it would give me while exploring a foreign country.

Then there's this weather situation, extreme weather situation. I thought typhoon Santi (Nari) was a concern, apparently not, it's on its way out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) but a new storm is threatening not just my travel but Japan itself. Typhoon Wipha is forecasted to enter Japan by October 16 (I'm leaving Philippines the 14th), how great is that? What makes this really frustrating is, usually storms move in a one quadrant direction (at least in my amateur sky tracking experience), but Wipha's track is shaped like a boomerang, it's moving northwest then at some point it'll move northeast? And I'm like, is this some kind of a big joke? 'Cause it's not funny.

Remember our disbelief when Typhoon Peping (Parma, 2009) after pounding north Luzon, made a u-turn and made a second landfall, bringing more damage than it already had?

The truth is, it's too early to tell. It's just forecast, a prediction, the storm can still change its course right? But it's a scientific prediction and my pessimistic side is getting the better of me. I hate it. No I don't want it to go towards the Philippines or anywhere else, just dissolve or go in area where no casualty will occur. Sounds like a long shot eh? But hey, miracles do happen, so...

Another thing that's making me a little bit sad is the fact that I'm traveling solo. It's not so much of a big deal, it's not an issue of independence, it's just that I didn't actually dream of going to Japan alone. I shared this dream with some of my closest friends. I was looking at my 2004 pocket journal and saw a note I left in March 28, it was a promise I made with a friend, that we'd go to Japan 2 years from then, and like I said, people change. Priorities change over time, she's still wanted to to, but she's in a different situation now, and Japan would just have to wait until such time when circumstances are leaning onto her favor. I also wish I could bring my parents, but I can't fend for their expenses. My dad wanted to come with me, but there was a problem with his birth certificate and getting an authenticated document from NSO took time. The visa policy of Japan had eased, Thailand and Malaysia got exempted from visa requirements, I wish they included Philippines from this exemption, it would have been a different story if it were the case.

I hate to admit it but, yeah, these worries and sad thoughts are kinda overshadowing my excitement. I still have not packed my things, somehow it doesn't feel real anymore. Nevertheless, I'm still pushing the trip with much anticipation, and while I am no longer expecting for things to go perfect on my first visit, I will try my best to have a blast. And even though I haven't even touch down Japan, I know for a fact that I will definitely go back.

Bakit Ako Galit?

Para maiba naman, mag-boblog ako sa wikang Filipino. Ito'y napapanahon lamang dahil ngayon ay buwan ng aking Inang Wika, at ang mensahe na gusto kong iparating ay importante na maintindihan ng bawat Filipino (at dahil naaaliw din ako na paglaruan ang Translate Button ng blog ko hihihi).

Kung ikaw ay aking contact sa Facebook at Twitter, malamang mapapansin mo na nitong mga nakaraang araw, madalas akong magbahagi ng mga balita at komentaryo tungkol sa isyu ng anomalya sa paggamit ng Priority Development Assistance Fund (Pork Barrel). Marahil ay nagtataka ka dahil sa totoo lang, hindi ako mapolitikong tao, bagamat bukas ang aking tenga sa mga isyung panlipunan at sensitibo ako sa mga isyung pangkalusugan, kalikasan at edukasyon, hindi ako mahilig makialam sa politikal na aspeto ng mga bagay-bagay.  Ang isyu ng pangungurakot ay hindi na bago. Alam nating lahat na ito ay hindi lamang sa Pilipinas nangyayari, kundi sa bawat sulok ng mundo. Pero alam mo yung pakiramdam na meron kang kutob, alam mong me nangyayari, pero pag kapag nakumpirma na ang iyong hinala, ay talaga namang nakakapanggalaiti. Ang lumabas na report ng Commission On Audit, na detalyadong inilantad ang katiwalian ng mga mambabatas sa paggamit ng Pork Barrel ay talaga namang kahindik-hindik! Ang saklaw ng report ay maliit na halaga lamang kung tutuusin, humigit kumulang na anim na BILYONG piso (P6 B), sa maikling panahon (2007-2009). Isipin mo na lang kung ano pa ang ating matutuklasan kung hihimayin ng mga eksperto ang buong alokasyon simula ng naipasa ang batas ukol dito noong 1990 (P25B/year).

Ngayon bumalik tayo sa aking tanong. Bakit ako galit? Ako ay halos sampung taon nang nagtatrabaho, sumusweldo ako kada kinsenas, at bawat sweldo, malaking bahagi ang nakakaltas para sa Income Tax. Nakakahiya mang aminin, pero kung susumahin ko ang aking ibinayad na buwis sa loob ng sampung taon, mas malaki pa ito kesa sa naipon kong pera sa banko. Bukod pa dyan, dahil isa rin akong mamimili, ay nagbabayad din ako ng Value Added Tax sa bawat produkto at serbisyo na aking nakonsumo. Pero sa loob 10 taon, lahat ng lumabas na pera para sa tax ay parang walang kinahinatnan na maganda, as in wala akong maisip o makitang konkretong ebidensya. Hindi ko maramdaman na sumusulong o umuunlad ang ating bansa, palala ng palala ang kahirapan sa kabila ng report na consistent ang paglago ng ekonomiya ng Pilipinas (ang pinakamataas sa Asia as of Q1 2013!). Sampung taon na akong nagcocommute papunta sa opisina at pauwi ng bahay, sa maikling panahon ng pagbibiyahe araw-araw ay nakikita ko ang ILAN sa mga problema ng ating bansa -mga sirang daan, mga batang namamalimos sa kalye, madumi at mabahong lansangan, milyung-milyong iskwater, at marami pang iba. Kung tutuusin, sheltered pa nga ako sa tunay na estado ng kahirapan (I have not seen the worst!). Sa halip, ang buwis na sana ay nalaan sa pagpapabuti ng buhay ng milyung-milyong Pilipino ay nawawaldas lamang sa kapritso ng mga hayup na magnanakaw at kanilang pamilya. Hindi ko maintindihan kung paano nila nasisimukra na magwaldas ng perang kinuha sa kaban ng bayan at mamuhay na pawang mga maharlika. Sigurado akong pamilyar ang mga ito sa kasaysayan ng mga Marcos, bakit kelangan ulitin ang kasaysayan? Bakit ba kung sino pa ang may pinag-aralan ay sila pang walang konsyensya, maari bang isama sa kurikulum iyon?

Ang isa pa sa nakakalungkot na bagay sa scam na ito ay pagkakaroon ng negatibong pagkakakilala sa mga NGO (Nongovernment Organization). Hindi nakakapagtaka na di masyadong nagtitiwala ang mga tao sa mga NGO. Ang mga NGO na tinutukoy sa nasabing scam ay pawang mga HUWAD, ang mga totoong NGO ay malinis ang layunin na ayusin at baguhin ang mundo. Ilan sa alam ko ay hindi tumatanggap ng donasyon galing sa mga korporasyon at gobyerno para makasigurado na walang conflict of interest.

Buwagin ang PDAF.

Ngayon, paano ba aayusin ang gulong ito? Ang sigaw ng taong bayan, i-scrap na ang Pork Barrel. Dahil ito naman talaga ang puno't dulo ng pangungurakot ng mga mambabatas, unang-una, ang trabaho nila ay gumawa ng batas, 'di nila kailangan ng ganong kalaking pondo. Naiintindihan ko ang mabuting layunin na bigyan ang kongreso ng kapangyarihan na matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga distritong kanilang kinakatawanan, pero ito ay ideal lamang sa mga opisyal na may malinis at tapat na intensyon na magsilbi sa bayan. Pero sa totoo lang, halos imposible yatang mabuwag ang Pork Barrel. Unang-una, ang mga taong responsable sa pag-ammend ng batas ay sya ring mga taong sangkot sa katiwalian. Tapos ang Pangulo mismo ay hindi sang-ayon sa pagkabuwag ng sistema, sa kabila ng opisyal na pahayag na "Panahon na po upang i-abolish ang PDAF" pero ang totoo ay revision at renaming lang naman ang ibig nyang sabihin. Ayoko namang magpaka-negatibo pero kung gusto nating baguhin ang sistema, bakit 'di na lang buwagin ng tuluyan at gumawa ng panibagong sistema. Siguro kasi malaking trabaho, saka baka wala na ring tumakbo sa kongreso at senado, ang susunod na tatargetin ng mga buwaya ay kung saan madidivert yung budget, kung ma-centralize sa executive branch, naku dudumugin ang mga posisyon sa LGU!

Parusahan ang Maysala.

Samantala, wag din nating kalimutan na kelangan managot yung mga sangkot sa katiwalian lalo na yung mga paborito kong consistent na top 3 - Juan Ponce Enrile (my God, he's been a public servant since God knows when, I cannot imagine the amount of wealth he amassed, tsk tsk tsk!), Bong Revilla at Jingoy Estrada.

Ipasa ang FOI Bill.

The State recognizes the right of the people to information on matters of public concern, and adopts and implements a policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest, subject to the procedures and limitations provided by this Act. This right is indispensable to the exercise of the right of the people and their organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political and economic decision-making (FOI sec. 2, Declaration of Policy).

Di ba napakaganda ng layunin ng batas na ito, kung bakit naman hindi naisulong. Halatang ayaw ng mga opisyal na ma-scrutinize ang mga "projects" at "transactions" nila. Ngayon, nararapat lang na maipasa ang FOI Bill, parang suntok sa buwan din ito katulad ng pag-abolish ng PDAF, pero siguro naman, mapipilitan na ang mga mambabatas na isulong ang batas na ito ngayon. Ayokong mawalan ng pag-asa.

Ngayon, kung ano man ang magiging resulta ng mga imbestigasyon at ammendments, sa tingin ko, ang pinaka-importanteng tungkulin ay nakasalalay sa taong bayan mismo.

Makialam.

“Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all -- the apathy of human beings.” - Helen Keller

Noong unang nilabas ng Inquirer ang expose sa Pork Barrel scam, ano kaya ang mangyayari kung walang nagreact, kung ang lahat ay busy sa kanikaniyang mundo. Malamang "business" as usual pa rin ang mga walanghiya. Isipin mo na lang, ilang rebolusyon na ang nangyari sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas, simula sa himagsikan ng mga Katipunero? Masasabi ko naman na may mga pagbabagong ring naganap. Pero sa banda roon, nagsimula na ring magsawa ang mga tao. Kung matatandaan natin ang mga EDSA People Power na naganap (parang apat na yata), yung dalawa don ay tinangkang patalsikin si Gloria, pero sa dismaya nating lahat, walang nagyari. Kung anong liit nya, sya namang kapal ng mukha. Pero sa tingin ko, malaking bagay din na maraming nawalan ng gana sa pagprotesta. Bakit kamo, eh papatalsikin mo, tapos ganon di ang papalit, o baka mas masahol pa. Hindi ko masisisi kung maraming nawalan ng pakialam. Dahil para na lang tayong sirang plaka na paulit-ulit.

Aaminin ko na dati, isa ako sa mga walang pakialam. Pero nagpapasalamat ako na namulat ako ng maaga, hindi pa huli ang lahat. Malaki ang paniniwala ko na may pag-asa pang bumangon ang Pilipinas. Malaking tulong ang internet at social media sa pagmobilize ng mga tao. Sa oras na ito, mahigit walumpung libong netizens ang nagkumpirma na sasama sa malawakang protesta sa Luneta at iba parte ng bansa gaya ng Naga, Baguio, Iloilo, Cebu, atbp. Di gaya ng mga nakaraang People Power, ito ay nagsimula lamang sa palitan ng kuru-kuro sa Facebook, mga taong bayan na nagbabayad ng buwis at galit na rin sa sistema (obviously hindi ko alam ang buong kwento, basta hindi sya sinimulan ng anumang political group na may sariling agenda). Plano kong sumama, kahit na pakiramdam ko, malabong makinig ang mga kinauukulan (the legislative and executive branch seems to be firm in revising but keeping the Pork system), pero ang desisyon ng pagprotesta, para sa akin, ay isang paninindigan sa aking paniniwala.

Hindi ko sinasabing kinakailangang mamartsa ang bawat Pilipinong nagbabayad ng buwis, ang ibig kong sabihin, ang makialam ay sapat na, kahit pa nasa bahay lang. Yun bang, magbasa-basa lang tayo, intindihin ang nangyayari, paminsan-minsan mag-share sa social media, o kahit ipagdasal lang natin na maayos na ang lahat. Ang importante ay may pakialam tayo, kasi dito tayo matututo. Kung ang mahigit na 11 milyong Pilipino na hindi bumoboto ay may pakialam (myself included, I'm not gonna wash my hands, but NEVER AGAIN), malamang nakapaghalal tayo ng mas karapat-dapat na mga opisyal. Baka hindi ganito kalala ang sitwasyon ng corruption. Hanggang kelan tayo magrereklamo sa bulok na sistema? Di ba mas maganda na maging parte ng solusyon kesa reklamo lang ng reklamo. Nagsisimula lahat, sa pakikialam.

It's the effing golden age of information, nobody has the effing excuse to stay ignorant, silent and apathetic towards issues that will define our future!

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mangyayari bukas, at least sana maging mapayapa, walang masaktan, walang umepal. Mas maganda kung makikinig ang Pangulo, sapagkat sa kanya na nanggaling, tayo ang boss!

The Year in Politics

I don't want to say that Christmas is over. Here in the Philippines, it lasts until Epiphany (we also earned the reputation of having the longest celebration, which starts on September 1). But Christmas day had passed and during this time of the year, people start to look back on the things that transpired in preparation of the New Year.

Just this time, let's talk politics shall we? It's really not my passion to be political, but I do care about current issues, and I feel it's timely that I post my thoughts about 2 historic bills that passed this year. They deserve a space in my blog, after all, both bills lapsed more than a decade hurdle!

The first one is something that I care deeply is the passage of the Sin Tax Bill. Then just last week, President  Noynoy Aquino finally signed it, now it's officially a law. The new law aims to raise revenue from cigarettes and alcohol products, of course this would mean increase of their prices and hopefully it would discourage people, especially the youth, from consuming them. I feel that it's long overdue, but it's never too late, the law will take effect next year. Personally I'm not affected since I'm not a smoker and I rarely (almost never) drink spirited beverages anyway. But even if I do, I would still go for the passage of the bill to discourage people with lower income from consuming cigarettes and alcohol. Of course this bill comes with a disadvantage, naturally, regulation of sin products like this would mean an increase in smuggling. Even without the law, it's happening, smuggled products make their way here. I guess it's all up to the people at Customs (which happens to be one of the most corrupt department) to uphold a strict implementation on smuggling law. Another thing that some people brought up is the the displacement of tobacco farmers and vendors. I'm not really worried about that, part of the revenue to be raised by the law will go to programs that would provide alternative crops and jobs for the farmers. I've also read that some farmers are unfazed by the passage of the bill because they still have an international market (so shut up Bongbong Marcos!). So this is definitely something to look forward in 2013. I am confident that the objectives of Sin Tax Law will be met, hopefully sooner.

Now the second one, the much more controversial... *sigh* I don't even know how to begin. It's much more complicated and the nation is really divided on the issue. I feel the division personally, I have family and friends who are both for and against the Reproductive Health Bill (RH Bill) now called the Responsible parenthood bill. I am a little divided myself because I see the point of both ends and I feel the advantages and disadvantages and advantages of the bill. But the bottom line is, ultimately I am pro-choice and responsible parenthood, so yeah if I was a member of the congress or the senate, I would vote "YES" for the bill.

First of all, let me just say, I feel bad for those who are against the bill for valid and sensible reasons for they are represented by the likes of Sen. Tito Sotto who would not humble himself by admitting he plagiarized excerpts of a blog post and a speech of a late American president, and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile who thinks the OFW is our best export that's why he's against RH Bill (which is the most stupid argument I've heard!!). Then there's the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and the priests, collectively known as "the Catholic Church". You see, I'm a little uncomfortable with that. I am not a devout, but I'm a practicing Catholic, I go to church every Sunday and on Holidays of obligation, I pray the Rosary and the 3 o'clock prayer, I join the annual Visita Iglesia of our parish and I consistently include the souls of the faithful departed in my prayers. But I disagree with the bishops and the Vatican on a lot of issues, a LOT of Catholics do and I get hurt when criticisms refer to "the Catholic Church" when bishops voice their political stand point, or when another clergy gets involved in a nauseating scandal like sex abuse. But I do not see myself leaving this faith in the near nor far future. I know for a fact that there are bishops and priest who gives a bad name to the Catholic sect, but then, every religion has that. So when people bash the religion itself, I get hurt.Not all Catholics are against RH Bill, and even those who are against it have fair reasons to oppose it. Like I said, it does comes with advantages, for one thing we are talking about budget here. Unlike the Sin Tax Law, which will generate its own budget, RH Bill will be taken from the existing budget that tax payers are now providing. Budget allotment is always a challenge because of the culture of corruption that the present administration pledge to abolish. I'm also not in favor of allocating budget to give free condoms and pills because I feel these two methods of contraception is affordable and accessible enough for everyone. If the so called mass have the money to buy cigarettes and alcohol, now that these products are about to get unaffordable, then they should be able to afford condoms and pills. I feel very strong about education though.  The bill aims to give people a choice, and true choice would only be realized with proper information. What would couples do with free pills and condoms when they don't know what it's for? Some of the issues of the people against the bill is the rise of promiscuity among the youth, with the integration of sex education and access to contraception. In a way, it does, but then, even without the bill, it's on the rise. It's kinda sad, but it's the reality. Sex is everywhere, in pop music, in movies, sitcoms, soaps, in video games, parlor games (I remember attending a party with naughty games and kids are there). In my (teenage) days, it's very unlikely for a prime time TV show to have a kissing scene, now it's very common to see an afternoon program showing a couple making out. I don't really blame the Censorship, the times are changing. It's best to handle it with versatility than keep on doing things the old way. Right now, I do feel that ignorance plays a big part on the rise of STDs, irresponsible parenthood and even the case of abortion. I think education is the best answer to combat these problems.

It's not about population control but responsible parenthood -- my aunt who's a midwife and works at our municipal health center told a story about a relative of ours who keeps on coming back in the center with a new (malnourished) child, my aunt told her it's time to stop getting pregnant, but she just smirked and replied "masarap eh" (feels good eh). One day, it was her husband who came to the center with one of the sick child and my aunt told her to start using condom. He just laughed. I have a lot of relatives like that. What do you do to these people?

I think the church, not just the Catholic church, but all legible group aiming to preserve our values should think of other ways to keep the people grounded rather than meddle in politics. Like I said earlier, there are many issues that put a bad name to my religion but I chose to stay. Why? Because it is the foundation of all  the values I held dear - my compassion on life, respect to my neighbor, love for my family, love for God.

With the passage of 2 controversial law, I think the country is on the right path. There are lots of monumental events in politics and I'm starting to see small improvements (EDSA is going green, yay). We've got reasons to think that 2013 will be promising.

End of the Whut?!?

As I type this post, it's December 21, 2012, 10:32 AM PHT in my clock, I haven't noticed anything unusual yet. I don't think I will. Of course I do not believe this Mayan calendar predictions. I know the end of time will come, but it will happen when we least expect it. I find it amusing that a lot of people are all over this. I saw a documentary in History channel yesterday about people preparing for the big day, which is today, well they are Americans, so it'll be in a few hours to them. Last night I saw on the news, there are communities somewhere (provinces) here in the Philippines who are also making preparations. They made this large boat obviously mimicking Noah's Arc so I'm assuming they are Catholics or Christians. I wonder if there are atheists who believe in the end of the world though? 

My belief of apocalypse is obviously religion based. The preparation I work on is not physical but spiritual. Every now and then, it will hit me, am I prepared? Sometimes it scares me. It's also one of the constant theme of my dreams. Once in a while, I would dream of the destined day happening right before my eyes. In every dream,  it happened in different weird ways, but it also seemed so real so it always get me really scared. The last I remember was celestial themed. It went something like this:

It was all over the news that a huge asteroid is hitting the earth. My family and I were watching the news (and of course, scared), we didn't know what to do. Nobody did. But everybody's home, the streets were silent. Suddenly I stood up and headed to the windows. I stared at the moon, my eyes widen up when I realized the moon is getting bigger and bigger and bigger. It was  the asteroid heading to my direction. I screamed on top of my lungs "RUNNNNN!!!!!". And I ran, we all did, without looking back. Suddenly I realized that the asteroid was not as huge as I imagined, but definitely larger than life and it was chasing after me alone. I turned my head around to get a glimpse of this huge thing. It turned out to be a white round thing with eyes and a huge mouth widely opened, so ready to eat me. It was a giant Pacman! I was still scared to death by this time, by the way. And I just kept on running and running.

Then I woke up.

I look back on it with amusement, but did I mention, at the time, I was so scared? But the good thing about my end of the world dreams is that I'm always with my family. My mom used to to tell us, a family that prays together stays together. We did pray together. We still do, though not as frequent as before. 

I think that I'm not totally prepared for the end of time, but in a way I am. I believe that all things that I see, hear and touch, everything in this world are all temporary. This life is temporary, but when we all go, our destination is eternal. I don't think I will go to hell. And I'm not saying I'm a saint, I'm not even a do-goody type of person, but I'm definitely not evil. Everyday is a journey to be a better person and a true follower of Jesus. Everyday is a preparation, to the the real end of the world.

Things on my mind lately...

Roka Salata and Skolatina... Yummm...

Christmas shopping, when will I do it, what am I gonna give to the kids?

When will I ever have the courage to get out of this comfort zone and just quit? :(

Music box... view master scenic reels... ugh the longing!

I need a haircut!

...

...

I just realized it's World AIDS Day. Incidentally, I'm wearing red shirt, socks and underpants. Simple coincident like this confirms the universe conspires with me. I don't have anything sensible to say, but I'd like to take this moment, to pray and send my thoughts to all the people harboring this horrible disease. I never stop wishing and hoping that I'd live to see the day we combat AIDS. A world without AIDS...

So it's December, 24 days to go till Christmas, 30 days to go till 2013, but then will we ever get there? Cause, you know, it's 20 days to go before the end of the world, according to the Mayan calendar or to the people who have too much time on their hand and "decoded" the calendar. Sometimes, I really envy those kind of people. Meh!

Here's something that's ending today, the social network feature of Multiply. They're going to be this online marketplace all the way. Really don't care about that side of the site, if I have to shop online, I do it on ebay. But all the pictures, music, videos and blogs uploaded will be gone. They were nice enough to give an advance notice months ago. So today, I logged in for the last time. My Inbox showed 1 unopened PM and 1 unchecked invitation, sent years ago. I didn't bother to click on them. Instead, I started to do one of my favorite uses of Social networks, STALKING. I browsed my contacts and backed up the blogs that amused me, and I meant I copy-paste them somewhere. Don't worry y'all, I'll never pull a Tito Sotto, I swear. I just wanted them as a keepsake. Just be flattered that I'm a fan of your writings. I didn't bother to back up my photos though, I have the originals in my hard disk, but this is one of my favorite picture in Multiply:

Whee, look it's my Sputnik sweetheart! This was taken in Nido Science Center in MoA. That's Sputnik y'all., a replica that is. It's the very first satellite launched into outer space. I kinda envy the people who lived at the time of Space race between US and USSR, I felt like there were a lot of milestones in a short period of time. I mean in 1957 they sent the first satellite, then they sent Laika (the first dog in space) sadly she never returned -sad face-, they sent the first spacecraft, pictures to the moon, Yuri Gagarin, the first space walk by Leonov, and then by 1969, we were on the moon! In 12 years we made that much progress, it's been 40 years since the last Apollo mission, we should be in Mars now. I'm not complaining okay, we have  the Curiousity rover which made its historic touch down in Mars last July 5 (PST), and we have those really cool live stream videos of the ISS crew doing Q&A's and ISS tour, in HD! Then yesterday, I learned that there's ice in Mercury. It's amazing! I hope I'd live to witness a successful manned mission to Mars, and even other planets.

Tomorrow, is Chris' birthday and we'll be seeing the (Philippines) advance screening of Rurouni Kenshin live action film.Old and new fans alike had anticipated the local screening of Ruroken for months. I'm probably one of the few whose not caught up in the hype. I mean I AM excited to see it in the big screen, I will see it no matter what, but let's just say, I have very low expectations. Truth be told, I didn't even follow the development when I first saw the trailer. I'm still a fan okay, I still love Kenshin very much. But, you see, it's my favorite anime/manga of all time. I watched the first airing of the TV series and the reruns, the OVA's, the animated feature film, a million times. Okay that's exaggeration, but it's a lot I swear.  I've read the manga including the Kaden special, the Yahiko spin-offs, and many more doujinshi (including BL). I feel like I have explored every angle of possibility in the Ruroken universe. Now I have not read any review nor synopsis of film, I can only say from what I see in the trailer that the live action will follow the storyline of the manga. I am skeptic on how the film will make it fresh for me. I am also not in favor of the choice of actor, I mean visually. I'm not exactly rooting for a close physical resemblance, but, I don't know how to explain this, Takeru Sato just don't radiate that Kenshin aura. But we'll see, with all the low expectations I have, there's a higher chance that I'd enjoy it, I mean, less expectations, less disappointment.

In lieu of the Kenshin screening, I believe I haven't shared this here. This music box should bring nostalgia, it plays "Sobakasu".  Please enjoy :)

Ye Olde Wedding Watch

I recently participated a poll in Facebook, asking if I was interested in the Royal Wedding this coming April 29. I'm talking about Prince William and Kate Middleton of course. There are more than 70%, I think, who answered "NO". I decided to take a stand and joined the majority who didn't seem to be interested. When I think about it now, the fact that I took the poll must have meant I am interested, otherwise, I should have ignored it. Right?

No!

Here's the thing, no matter how I keep myself out of it, with the attention the media is giving it, I can't help but be absorbed. I mean when you watch TV, every station has a special something before the wedding, every news program has a rep to cover the celebration, my email sign in page displays a guest book asking me to wish the couple the best for their special day. The experts are forecasting the coverage to be the most watched TV special in history. I'm pretty sure my mom and my sisters will be glued on the TV on April 29. And there's nothing wrong with that. Really. Two people in love, professing their lifetime commitment before the world. I wish them the best. I really do.

Still... I wonder. What's so special about it? Why so much fuss? I can understand the media attention when famous people are on the spot. When Michael Jackson died, I was glued on the TV myself, thinking "oh man, I can't believe it!". But I feel it’s different, it's MJ, he's an icon. He practically invented a whole new standard of performing and everyone followed. His music changed the world. Now my point is, I can't feel the initiatives of the royal family to make this world a better place. I'm sure they are doing something, I just feel it's not enough. Okay, now I sound like I'm asking too much. They are just human, they might be eating the most expensive food but our shit smells the same.

I guess the great thing about it is, hope. The royal family would always function as a "symbo"l of sovereignty, and this event symbolizes hope. Amidst the negative things that's happening around the world, there will be a reason to celebrate. And despite the fact that previous marriages of the other princes and princesses failed, I do hope that this one would stand still to disappoint cynicals like me. Cheers to yer highness!