Remembering EDSA

We are what we are today because of what our predecessors fought for.
This can put the history of the Philippines in a nutshell.  Through the decades, our country has passed through great adversities- political and social dilemmas -  that stood as a test of our resilience and unity.
We have been colonised and our first heroes set us free. In recent history, the individual Filipino now knows how to make a hero out of himself.
What great example would be more fitting than the iconic EDSA People Power Revolution, which aptly displayed what the power of the people can do. They fought and shaped the future. We are what we are because they fought, with peace, with prayer and with patriotism.
  

Pusong Pinoy?

Pusong Bato has gotten viral for so long and I thought people were moving on.. but hey, some uniformed guys from Nigeria memorized and sang the anthem. Say what? Sing a Tagalog song? Yes, they sure did. Proof is the video below that's even featured on TV last night.

9-year old teaches you how to vote

At the very tender age of 9, Daniel "Chip" Gatmaytan may actually know better than most adults how voting for Ph officials should be done- using Soda ban in schools as an example.
Whoah. This kid could be the future. Why not?
More of Chip in this video: 

On crocodiles and the Pope

A moment of silence for Lolong.

Recognised by National Geographic as the world’s largest crocodile in captivity at 20 ft 3 inches, the giant croc of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur — Lolong — is now dead. And dead will also become of the many businesses which, for some time, have capitalised on Lolong’s “short-lived” worldwide fame.

Lolong was caught in September last year and was thereafter kept in a local zoo to help enliven Bunawan’s tourism, but that is a thing of the past now.

Investigations are on-going to determine the cause of death. And local authorities are asking to keep the preserved body of the reptile for the future to see. Well, maybe the croc is gone for good. This makes me think: Had the croc not been caught, it would have been alive to now.

**

Speaking of crocodiles, it’s election campaign period! Well, officially at least. Let’s not fool ourselves: these candidates have been campaigning long ago (even long before Lolong was caught perhaps). But they call their earlier ads/appearances/programs and projects/media coverage as public awareness drive. Whatever.

So we’ll vote for 12 senators come May 2013.

What I’ve noticed though is that, a lot of faces and names of senatorial candidates seem familiar. Recycling should we say? Count in the re-electionists, former candidates, old senators from eons ago, seeds of political dynasties.

Well, this is what we get so far from the Team Pnoy and UNA. Speaking of which, there are three common candidates between the two opposing parties — they are supposedly independent. Their loyalty? It depends.

Another note is how a political slate can bring together formerly the worst of rivals into one team. What wonders politics can do? Well, it’s the culture we’ll all get used to and get tired of as we live and die, honestly. Lolong knew.

So in the next few days, we’ll have to expect headlines to be about how families break and make up for politics’ sake; and how we’ll get renewed hopes as we hear colourful promises to the tune of our favourite pop songs and get LSS. By the way, political jingles can’t go Gangnam Style, too late— they already did.

**

Pope Benedict XVI is stepping down as the highest leader of the Catholic Church on 28 February due to advanced age. The next pope will be voted upon by the convention of cardinals from all over the world including Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle.

Upon knowing this, many Pinoys hoped Tagle would become the first Filipino pope. It was as if being Pope was American Idol or Miss Universe (Remember how we rooted for part-Filipina Jessica and fierce Janine Tugonon who both placed second).

On the other hand, if ever the new Catholic Patriarch indeed comes from the Philippines —that would be quite ironic, since we’re home to both the descendant of St. Peter and the largest crocodiles in captivity.(I’m not talking about Lolong)

Weighing Voices on Divorce

After the long prusisyon, the RH Bill was finally enacted as a law in the Philippines.

The smokes from the clashing explosion of opposing sides — pro and anti— are yet to subside but a new spectacle is once again brewing.

This time, it’s another bill that will challenge morality among Filipinos — Divorce.

Just like the then RH Bill, Divorce Bill or House Bill 1799 is facing stiff resistance from supposedly conservative and family-oriented sectors and personalities; the church being on the forefront. The main premise of their opposition leans on the assumption that legalising divorce would lead to more broken homes, destroy our moral values, juvenile delinquency and the list goes on.

On the affirmative side, proponents of the bill reason they want to give Filipino couples the choice to legally end a marriage when things don’t work out well between them. The Philippines has existing provisions for Legal Separation and Annulment, but proponents consider Divorce as more powerful protection for families where domestic violence persists, for instance.

All sides laid out. One thing should be clear–a moral dilemma slapped on the legislative body of the government.

It is a primordial fact that the Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia. That being said, should we remain the only country that does not allow Divorce? Should we hold on so firm to that doctrine Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder?

On the other hand, has it been too much of a delay for a Divorce bill in third-world Philippines, as supporters claim? And once and for all, is the Filipino family ready to welcome a radical change that will give each husband and wife the discretion to ‘undo’ a union made before the law and before God?

It could free so many battered wives and children from the cages of a matrimony that turned grey; but it could also tear worlds apart for children and spouses who once shared a one happy home.

And the panels will deliberate endlessly. At the end of very long speeches, feisty side commentaries and media appeals, sarcasm, mudslinging and all sorts of propaganda, there will be an answer.

Just like the old times, we shall wait for the prusisyon to reach base.

**

On another news, activist Carlos Celdran has been found guilty for “offending religious feelings”. It can be remembered that Celdran, who is also a tour guide and artist, has irked the eyes of the Catholic Church when he broke into and disrupted a mass in September 2010 and held up a placard with a DAMASO sign in it. He did so in protest agents the church’s strong opposition of the RH Bill.

Now, even PNoy, who is an RH advocate himself, is asking the Church to graciously forgive Celdran, who has since apologised. All things aside, he would have to be behind bars for some time, just like Jose Rizal who is obviously his hero.

On Pink Balloons and Guns

Pink Balloons. Loved ones of Stephanie Nicole Ella, the 7-year old victim of stray bullet shooting on New Year's Eve have flown pink balloons as she was laid to her eternal rest. Pink does not only commemorate the young girl's favourite colour but is also a symbolic cry for justice. Her classmates, as innocent and carefree, now join this crusade— even at very early age. Sadly, they will now and forever remember the day they lost a playmate.

Gun Ban. Senator Ping Lacson is sponsoring a bill that will completely ban private individuals from owning firearms. This is as public awareness heats up following the death of Stephanie, among others, due to indiscriminate and undisciplined gun use.

But the President, who is a gun enthusiast himself, has pre-emptively disapproved of the proposition, saying that while the intent is good; the means is not a proportionate measure. Groups of registered gun owners keep the same sentiment, so do a growing number of lawamkers.

HALF WAY. There are always two sides to every issue and in this case, halfway is a safe zone. Gun use, per se, is not a crime- provided you have them registered and do not use them in such a way that it will harm people. That Simple. The point? Use and misuse are two different things. To illustrate, when you use a plastic bag, you are not necessarily killing nature. It is when you throw them anywhere that they will soon cause floods, that you become an abuser.

Hence, possession of firearms may not be the root of the problem at all. Perhaps, it is the fact that many people have access to guns, and that our authorities have very loose and loophole-filled regulations that give gun-abusers the leeway to possess and use guns whichever way they want.

The key is regulation. Besides, looking back into history, civilians have been permitted to own firearms because of major security issues. And clearly, in this society where violence is a habit, guns as a means of protection is deemed a necessity to some, admit it or not.

Nevertheless, the opposing sides must meet each other half way, as it is ideal, not to make a compromise for their own interests but to put, over and above all else, the good of the common people. After all, this is where an innocent Stephanie belongs until a reckless shot from a shadow took her life that easy.

When a Teacher's temper explodes

I was watching TV Patrol last night, waiting for follow-up stories on the death of Stephanie Nicole Ella - a victim of indiscriminate firing on New Year's Eve. But what really caught me was this video featured in the Bayan Mo, IPatrol Mo (BMPM) segment.

The video, which run 1:43, showed a professor at a college in Manila violently cursing at his students and hitting one. It is quite alarming that a professor, who some of us may look up to, will explode with this kind of behaviour at school and with students around. What's worse is this dispaly of physical violence towards the students, particularly a girl in the video.
We know not all teachers are like him. well, maybe he too was provoked. We owe the benefit of the doubt, but in any case, one's temper should never be a reason to harm and imperil any person, physically or not.
Teachers are our unsung heroes, and they remain to be- but not all of them, maybe. 

Gone so young

Welcome New Year with a bang— but some take it too literally.

And some seven-year old innocent girl’s life will be the price? Stephanie is the latest victim of stray bullet death on New Year’s Eve. She was just watching fireworks with his father outside their home in Manila, unsuspecting that this will be the last time they would be together.

But she is not alone: Another six-year old boy was casualty of gun firing while a 16-year is still in coma. What dreams lost.

Stephanie’s case is not a landmark in the local scene. It happens every year but we haven’t really learned anything, to think that the New Year is supposed to be time for positive change. How ironic.

The family is receiving an outpour of sympathy as the media has intensively covered the story. But cliché as it may sound; no amount of sympathy can bring a life back.

Now, some are recommending a total gun ban during holidays. But there are a million registered firearms in the country— count in more unregistered ones.

Nevertheless, it should make a good a start for better changes to come. May the loss of an innocent life, at least be a way to invoke change. Or else Stephanie’s demise will once again just be a forgotten memory.

Twenty-Thirteen is In!

In a matter of hours, Twenty-thirteen is jumping in! May the New Year bring renewed hope and second chances, stronger ties and wider views… Cheers!

Doomsday postponed; Christmas pushes through

To some people’s disappointment, the world didn’t end on 21 December. And I am not surprised. You see, no one can predict apocalypse. Or let me rephrase that: We can predict as much as we can but there’s a Divine Power much greater than us who knows better...

And it is rather amusing that even 2012’s most viral Koren Gangnam Style dance video by Psy was dragged into this. What on Earth? I can’t see how a dance video could signal the end of the world. That’s just ridiculous!!

And four days after the supposed Doomsday, it’s Christmas. As I’ve said, it’s just a date and it passes after 24 hours. People are now back to their usual businesses — and misdeeds, waiting for another 360+ days to do good. How clever!

Speaking of Christmas, many victims of typhoon Pablo had no other choice but to spend Noche Buena in their temporary shelters. When the supposedly happy celebration is over, then they’ll face life anew and look forward to better things as a new year starts.