Monday, July 30, 2007
Rains in the Metro
There have been some scattered but strong downpour last weekend. Everybody was thinking that there will be a storm. Some hated the rain because it created floods on some of the streets. The front of our subdivision was flooded last night because of the heavy rain. But according to the news, the rain was not enough to prevent an impending drought.
MANILA, Philippines -- Starting Monday, the amount of water supplied to Metro Manila and neighboring provinces by the Angat Dam will be reduced because the weekend downpour in these areas triggered by cloud-seeding operations failed to raise the low water level in the reservoir.
“We still need continuous downpours the next two weeks to recover,” Executive Director Ramon Alikpala of the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) said on the eve of the water supply cutback that the board announced on Friday.
via [Inq7.net]
While I was waiting for the rain to stop last Saturday, I began to remember fond memories of the rain. Back when I was in elementary, I had a strong affinity for the rain. My school is a short walk away from our house. When it rained, all I needed to do was to wear my raincoat. I loved that raincoat. It made me experience the rain without actually getting wet. I loved the sound of the rain as it hit my raincoat in successive, erratic beats. Sometimes, I'd ride my bicycle around our street when it rains. It was a different sensation. The rain was hitting my face. My wet shirt was clinging to my drenched skin and I'd deliberately drive my bike into the puddles that would always make a splash.
The rain triggered good memories. But now, when it rains, it saddens me. I find the rain as something gloomy. People scamper for shelter, afraid of getting wet. Street vendors packing their goods even before they can get a descent sale. Tricycle drivers refusing to board passengers, afraid that their engines would stall. For some reason, I saw rain as something that paralyzed people.
Oh well, enough melodrama about the rain. It's a sunny day and I might as well begin it right.
@ 
Saturday, July 28, 2007
La Salle has until 7 p.m. today to file game protest
By Jasmine W. PayoInquirer
Last updated 02:23am (Mla time) 07/28/2007
MANILA, Philippines—The country’s fiercest basketball rivalry could turn more vicious following reports that La Salle was planning to place under protest its loss last Thursday to Ateneo in the UAAP men’s basketball competition.
La Salle said that Ateneo fielded foreign players Kirk Long and Zion Laterre at the same time in the second quarter of the blockbuster showdown where the Eagles edged the Archers, 80-77, in overtime.
Teams may field a maximum of two foreigners in its lineup, but a league rule decrees that only one foreign player can play on court at any given time.
Laterre is a 6-foot-3 Australian forward, while the 6-foot-1 Long is an American rookie guard.
UAAP commissioner Ed Cordero said La Salle has until 7 p.m. today to file a protest.
The game sequence in contention occurred with 4:49 minutes left in the first half.
Upon review, Laterre was inside the court when the game barker announced that Long would come in as a substitute for Jai Reyes during a dead-ball situation.
As play resumed with La Salle bringing the ball down, Long went back to the bench and Reyes rushed inside the court.
The referees called a technical foul at 4:33 as Reyes entered the court without permission from the officials’ table. La Salle nailed its two technical free throws.
In a meeting last night, La Salle officials said that “even if Reyes rushed back on the court several seconds later, the violation [has been committed].”
But while the Archers weigh their options, La Salle coach Franz Pumaren said that the Archers will just keep their focus.
The Archers have shaved their heads after absorbing two straight losses against the University of the East and Ateneo.
“It’s a show of solidarity,” said Pumaren. “We want to show that we’re one even when we’re losing. [Our problem against Ateneo was] we shot poorly at the free throw line. We were playing in spurts and our bench was not really contributing.”
via [Inq7.net]
To La Salle - WHATEVER!
Here are copies of the complaint.
Just Images in the Morning
Here are interesting images I saw while surfing the net this morning. Click the picture for the link of each picture.
1980 Word Press Photo of the Year
CPDRC Inmates of International Fame (Thriller Video)
Vader tries to clean the Black Sea with Brita Filter
Rubik's Cube Advertisement
Long Eggs
Man throws propaganda during Putin's G8 Summit Speach
Friday, July 27, 2007
Doing it their own way
I have this growing fascination of debt servicing and how adamant the Philippines is at paying its pile of foreign loans. Thus, even if this article is months old, I still find it very readable. This shows the possibility of the Philippines being left behind (AGAIN) by its Latin American counterparts.Published: December 28, 2006
WASHINGTON: A new wave of Latin American leaders is changing the face of the region and its relations with the United States, multilateral institutions, international financial markets and foreign investors.
While this is often seen in Washington in political terms, as the rise of populism or anti-Americanism, much can be explained by looking at the economics of these changes.
Rafael Correa, Ecuador's newly elected president, is a case in point. Correa recently sent the country's bond markets tumbling by announcing that he would seek to restructure Ecuador's foreign debt. He is looking toward a 75 percent debt reduction, and will use the savings on debt service to increase social spending.
Correa, who got his Ph.D. in economics at the University of Illinois in Urbana, understands very well that foreign capital can, in some circumstances, contribute to development. But when a country is borrowing simply to pay off debt, it may make more sense to clear some debt off the books and start over, just as someone who declares bankruptcy in the United States does.
Argentina defaulted on its debt in December 2001. The government drove a hard bargain with its foreign creditors and with the International Monetary Fund, which wanted the government to pay more to the defaulted bondholders and to follow more orthodox macro- economic policy prescriptions.
In the end the Argentines were proven right. The economy shrank for only about three months after the default; it has since grown at an annual rate of more than 8 percent, pulling more than 8 million people out of poverty in a country of 36 million.
President Néstor Kirchner of Argentina has pursued these policies outside of the international spotlight. But the way he led Argentina out of its depression of 1998-2002 is comparable to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's leadership in the United States during the Great Depression.
Like Roosevelt, Kirchner had to reject the advice of the majority of the economics profession (Roosevelt did this even before Keynes had published his General Theory), stand up to powerful interests (foreign bondholders and utility companies, the IMF and World Bank), and do what was best for the country.
A stable and competitive exchange rate, reasonable interest rates and the use of unorthodox measures to control inflation were some of the policies that Argentina needed to produce its remarkable economic recovery.
Venezuela's Hugo Chávez is a more controversial leader, but his government's economic policies are working. The year 2006 will be the second in a row in which Venezuela has a 10 percent growth, the highest in the region, after a 17.8 percent jump in 2004.
To put the country on a solid growth path, the government needed to get control over the national oil company PDVSA, which is the source of nearly half the government's revenues and 80 percent of the country's export earnings.
The opposition resisted fiercely, with a U.S.-backed military coup and an oil strike that devastated the economy in 2002-2003. But since the government prevailed it has been able to assure not only rapid growth but vastly expanded social programs for the poor, including free health care, subsidized food and increased access to education.
Some say this is just an oil boom that will collapse when oil prices drop, but the Chávez government has budgeted conservatively for oil prices that were about half of what they are now.
The governments of Argentina and Venezuela are transforming not only their own countries but also the region by finally breaking the IMF's control over credit.
Only a few years ago, a government that did not agree to IMF conditions would find itself denied credit not only from the Fund but from the much larger World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, G-7 governments and even the private sector.
This was the major instrument of Washington's influence in the region, and helped bring higher interest rates, tighter budgets, privatization, indiscriminate liberalization of international trade and capital flows and the abandonment of development strategies.
Venezuela has now provided an alternative source of credit, with no economic policy strings attached, to Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and other countries. The dissolution of the IMF's "creditors' cartel" is the most important change in the international financial system since the collapse of the Bretton Woods system of fixed exchange rates in 1973.
Now even poor countries like Bolivia can say no to the "Washington consensus," capture billions of dollars of additional revenues from resources like natural gas, and use them to deliver on their promises of a New Deal for the region's poor.
The region's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, is also making history as he completes his first year in office.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil has continued the neoliberal policies (and resultant sluggish economic growth) of his predecessor. But he has been a team player internationally, forging a close alliance with Argentina and Venezuela that has buried Washington's proposed "Free Trade Area of the Americas," and pursuing increased regional economic integration.
Latin America has clearly taken a turn in a new economic direction, and it looks to be overwhelmingly positive. After 26 years of slow economic growth, it would be difficult for the new leaders to do worse.
Mark Weisbrot is co-director of the Washington-based Center for Economic and Policy Research.
via [IHT.com]
Die Hard 4.0 and the CPDRC Dancing Inmates
John McClane: I was out of bullets.
John McClane may well be the ultimate action hero - indestructible, smart, funny, and divorced. He's so cool he's in his 4th movie. Who can boast an achievement like that? Well, maybe a few - Harry Potter, Rocky, and soon Rambo. But hell, he's the coolest action hero even with all of them combined. I'm a Die Hard kid (BetaMax and VHS), so don't argue with me. He's so cool, here are 10 Reasons Why John McClane Is More Badass Than Optimus Prime.
Hero-worship aside, I found Die Hard 4.0 to be a nice movie. I liked the plot even though it freakin' happened in just a matter of about 48 hours. The plot was an exposition on a country's vulnerability when all its vital functions are supported by software - from traffic to stock market. It showed how feeble and vincible a nation can be if it becomes reliant on a bunch of 1's and 0's. Well, we here in the Philippines shouldn't be worried at all. If Philippines can't even computerize elections or even have working traffic lights, the "Fire Sale" scenario depicted in the movie would be eons away (if not impossible).
Last Monday I had a post about the dancing inmates of CPDRC (Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center). It appears like they are gaining international (web) popularity, thanks to YouTube. I am really fascinated on how the heck are the able to pull this off given its being ridiculous and senseless. Nonetheless, it's very entertaining.
Here are more dance routines care of our favorite inmates from Cebu.
Hail Holy Queen - Sister Act
Dayang-dayang -Sister Act 2
I Will Follow Him - Sister Act
Jumbo Hotdog
Marching and Dancing
Marching and Dancing 2(Hagibis)
Radio Gaga
My Favorite:
Algorithm March
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
On Giving Alms
Last night in Development Management class, we had a lengthy discussion on giving alms. The question was whether it was right to give alms or not. As I said in class, the law states that giving alms is a criminal offense. It is stipulated in Presidential Decree No. 1563 by none other than President Marcos in 1978.
A "mendicant" is defined as (from Section 3a of the PD):
"Mendicant" refers to any person, except those enumerated in Section 4 of this Decree, who has no visible and legal means of support, or lawful employment and who is physically able to work but neglects to apply himself to some lawful calling and instead uses begging as a means of living.
In the Philippines, mendicants are supposed to be punished.
Section 5. Criminal Liability. A mendicant as defined in Paragraph (a) Section 3 hereof, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding P500.00 or by imprisonment for a period not exceeding 2 years or both at the discretion of the court.
What happens to people who give alms? Assuming that there is perfect implementation of the law (again, from section 5):
Any person who abets mendicancy by giving alms directly to mendicants, exploited infants and minors on public roads, sidewalks, parks and bridges shall be punished by a fine nor exceeding P20.00.
For me, it is superficial to argue soley based on the law. Nonetheless, I think the question should not be about giving or not giving alms. The common argument against giving alms is along the lines of "when you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, teach a man how to fish and you feed him for life". Thus, it's more on the question of efficiency and sustainability. I think that giving alms is not bad by itself. But we must look at several facets such as the motive behind the giving. Is it out of guilt? Is it out of convenience? Or is there an ethical basis wherein one is disgusted by the presence of poverty and thus he or she is spurred to give whatever he or she has in her pockets?
I believe that giving alms is not bad as long as you know why you are doing it. I believe it's not bad as long as it is done for the right reasons. But I also believe that giving alms is not enough. Poverty exists not only because they lack money but because of the societal structures that we live in and whether we like it or not, we participate and perpetuate this oppressive structure which makes the poor poorer and the rich richer.
My French classmate, Fanny, made a statement that made be feel really guilty. She told the class that she was shocked/disgusted by how Ateneans can swallow the fact that we park our beautiful cars along a road where street children and beggars roam. This got me thinking, I have been in Katipunan for three years - what have I done to make the lives of these people better? It also got me thinking, after so many years of residing in Loyola Heights, why is there is still urban blight right in front of the University which claims to create men and women for others? Why do we try so hard to do sectoral work in far-flung places when there is so much poverty right in front of us?
Monday, July 23, 2007
Down From the Mountains
I found it hard to not wake up to a beautiful day in the mountains of Capas, Tarlac. I found it surreal that I didn't wake up in a small nipa hut. I felt something missing within me when I couldn't find my Inang, Itang, Indo, and my three little siblings in this room of mine. With only memories and a pair of itchy legs, I had to face the hassles of life that I left behind three days ago - yearbook photoshoot, org work, school work.
After experiencing God in the mountains, I am faced with the challenge to experience Him once more in the midst of all the noise, worry, and anxieties of my life. Blessed are the Aetas for their lives are simpler than mine.
I just arrived from an evening with Jesuit Brothers and Prenovitiates in the Arvisu House. Fr. Arnel Aquino, SJ presided the mass and we ate a bountiful dinner. Afterwards, Fr. Arnel shared his life story. It was a happy night for us.
As I experience more of the Society, I begin to find meaning in their brotherhood. There is more to them than Nebres and Dacanay. The Society is a community of happy people.
Thriller Video Pinoy Version
Performed live from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines. Good seats still available!Winner!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Please Pray for My Immersion
I'll be going to an Aeta community in Capas, Tarlac. We will be meeting in the bus terminal in Cubao at 4:30AM tomorrow. It's my first time to go to an Aeta community. We will be living with them for the whole weekend. We will be back by the afternoon of Sunday.
There is no electricity in the mountains nor is there any signal for the cellphone, so I have decided to leave it behind. Therefore, I will be incomunicado for a couple of days.
Please pray that our immersion will be a safe, fruitful, and meaningful one.
Just in case, to the right is a picture of me so that no one will ever forget me. :)
The HP7 is not a fake. Here is proof.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Download Harry Potter 7 Here
Filipinos are not the only pirates in the world. Pictures of the complete Book 7 are out in the internet. It is legit (or so they say). The file comes in torrent format. It is available by clicking this link.
As a testament to my penchant for mischief and freedom, here is a non-torrent version of HP Book 7, enjoy! (Email me)
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Street Nomads and My Hypocrisy
Today, me and my DS130 groupmates went to the MMDA Office in Makati. We interviewed Mrs. Cora Cruz, Assistant General Manager for Planning regarding the work of MMDA and its Metro Gwapo project. One of the sub-projects of Metro Gwapo aims to handle and take care of people who live on the streets. These people are referred to as street nomads. MMDA provides them with the money to go back to their place of origin.
Along Katipunan, especially at night, I see a lot of these street nomads. Last night, a few steps from the gate of our dorm, I saw this lady sleeping in the pavement in front of the gate of another dormitory. I was going to eat dinner. Like many people, I just passed by this old lady. But a thought struck me - here I was, dreaming about changing the world but I can't even make a single life better. In Liberation Theology we speak about the preferential option for the poor. It's so easy to talk about it in class. But when confronted with real poverty, I feel so useless. I felt so hypocritical.
In Theology we are always asked, "Does my existence, my being Christian, make other people's lives better?" Is walking past this old lady and many others of the same dire situation - children begging for coins, old men playing guitars, mothers sleeping in boxes with their children - the proper response? What am I to do if I dare call myself a good Christian? Is a promise that I would do better next time, when I have the power and money, enough to compensate for my inaction?
I claim to be a world changer. Many do. Ateneans claim to be men and women for others. But why is there so much poverty outside the walls of the university? Why do I end up doing nothing?
Good Monday
I got an original Rubik's cube for only 200pesos! Yehey! Time for speedcubing again!
I also thank the Lord for giving my father a new job. Since his retirement from PAGCOR around 7 years ago, our family has been struggling to make ends meet. Recently, my mother resigned from the company she was working in. Thus for months, both of my parents were unemployed. This new job for my father is really a blessing.
Miss Pia, the new OSA director, is very approachable and has very good ideas. I really liked the way my past meetings with her ended. I am looking forward to working with her for this new school year.
Meme: One Word
Answer these questions in only one word:1. Where is your mobile phone? Bed
2. Relationship? Happy
3. Your hair? Chaotic
4. Work? Change
5. Family? Re-appreciation
6. Your favourite thing? Rubik
7. Your dream last night? None
8. Your favourite drink? milkolate
9. Your dream car? Mini
10. The room you’re in? Messy
11. Your shoes? Comfy
12. Your fears? Failure
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? Servant
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Jesuits
15. What are you not good at? Reading
16. Muffin? Kenny
17. Wish list item? Gameboy
18. Where you grew up? Home
19. The last thing you did? Read
20. What are you wearing? Sleep-wear
21. What are you not wearing? Condom
22. Your pet? Roommate
23. Your computer? Busted
24. Your life? Blessing
25. Your mood? Morning
26. Missing? Tetris
27. What are you thinking about? Today
28. Your car? Invisible
29. Your kitchen? Bedroom
30. Your summer? ANI
31. Your favourite color? Blue
32. Last time you laughed? Cartoons
33. Last time you cried? Video
34. School? Ateneo
35. Love? God
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Lessons from the Vocation Seminar
1. Magpaligaw at magpa-ligaw tayo sa Panginoon.2. Trust.
3. Jesuits are happy at what they are doing. They won't endure 11 years of formation if they are not.
3. God's calling and where I am happiest are one and the same.
*Evaluation Form*
Q: Are you considering entering the society? (Rate from 1-10)
A: 8/10
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Rationality and Morality
Nowadays, the question is no longer whether something is right or wrong. Rather, the question is whether it is rational or not. Rationality hinges on self-interest. An act is done based on whether it contributes to ones own satisfaction. It is done because it is the most rational thing to do. But rarely do we consider whether it is the right thing to do.
I want to live in a world where the only rational act is to do the right thing.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Do We Really Need an Anti-terror Bill?
Republic Act No. 9372, better known as the Human Security Act of 2007 will take effect on July 15, 2007. Many groups such as human rights activists and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines fear that such a bill would only instill fear on the populace. The main contention is the broad definition of terrorism as stipulated in the bill.
SEC. 3. Terrorism.- Any person who commits an act punishable under any of the following provisions of the Revised Penal Code:
a. Article 122 (Piracy in General and Mutiny in the High Seas or in the Philippine Waters);
b. Article 134 (Rebellion or Insurrection);
c. Article 134-a (Coup d' Etat), including acts committed by private persons;
d. Article 248 (Murder);
e. Article 267 (Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention);
f. Article 324 (Crimes Involving Destruction), or under
1. Presidential Decree No. 1613 (The Law on Arson);
2. Republic Act No. 6969 (Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990);
3. Republic Act No. 5207, (Atomic Energy Regulatory and Liability Act of 1968);
4. Republic Act No. 6235 (Anti-Hijacking Law);
5. Presidential Decree No. 532 (Anti-Piracy and Anti-Highway Robbery Law of 1974); and,
6. Presidential Decree No. 1866, as amended (Decree Codifying the Laws on Illegal and Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, Dealing in, Acquisition or Disposition of Firearms, Ammunitions or Explosives)
thereby sowing and creating a condition of widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the populace, in order to coerce the government to give in to an unlawful demand shall be guilty of the crime of terrorism and shall suffer the penalty of forty (40) years of imprisonment, without the benefit of parole as provided for under Act No.
Detractors of the bill claim that such a clause would only lead to the government's abuse of this new power. The most controversial of these powers is the authority to detain suspects for three days without a warrant of arrest
SEC. 18. Period of Detention Without Judicial Warrant of Arrest .- The provisions of Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code to the contrary notwithstanding, any police or law enforcement personnel, who, having been duly authorized in writing by the Anti-Terrorism Council has taken custody of a person charged with or suspected of the crime of terrorism or the crime of conspiracy to commit terrorism shall, without incurring any criminal liability for delay in the delivery of detained persons to the proper judicial authorities, deliver said charged or suspected person to the proper judicial authority within a period of three days counted from the moment the said charged or suspected person has been apprehended or arrested, detained, and taken into custody by the said police, or law enforcement personnel: Provided, That the arrest of those suspected of the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism must result from the surveillance under Section 7 and examination of bank deposits under Section 27 of this Act.
My main concern with this anti-terror bill is that it expands the power of the executive branch of government. I'm not saying that the government should be lax in dealing judgment to terrorists. I do believe that the violence and the abduction of innocent people should be stopped. But I do not want to end up in a nation paralleling the V for Vendetta's Britain under the ultra-conservative Norsefire party. This anti-terror bill may only perpetuate the cycle of violence instead of stopping it. My other concern is it's impact on minority groups such as the Muslims who I'm sure would be one of the prime targets of this bill. The government would surely be tempted to engage in profiling suspects based on ethnicity and religious affiliation.
On a very institutional basis, is our government equipped enough to properly implement this law, or would it be just dilly-dallying and go nabbing anyone and maybe even everyone? Does our government have enough credibility, accountability, and transparency for this law? Do we really need an anti-terror bill, the one-shot vaccine for all our problems?
Monday, July 09, 2007
The Only Seminar I'm Afraid to Go to
Since last year, I've been seeing posters calling for male college students and young professionals to join the vocation seminar. Many times have I stopped in front of one of them and saved the contact person's number in my cellphone. There were times when I actually texted the Jesuit brother who was the contact person, asking him for details. But never did I had the courage to go.
This Sunday, July 15 would be the first vocsem for the school year. I'm still discerning whether to go or not. Many things are holding me back. I want to go home this weekend. There are many more vocsems to come. But there's something in me that screams, "This is the one!" Maybe it's just the photo of Bro. Ritchie Fernando, SJ. I don't know.
Do I know where my heart is?
Karunungan Festival
I devoted my weekend volunteering for the A Karunungan Festival by UNESCO and ACED. It was, like all volunteer work that I do, tiring and fulfilling. I only got to listen to a few talks since I was doing errands most of the time. I was able to listen to several success stories from school administrators from all over the country. I was also able to listen to local government officials who made me wonder how is the Local School Board in my city doing. I was also able to listen to Sec. Jesli Lapuz of DepEd who bored us with his unrealistic vision of Cyber Education sandwiched between winding statements rehashed from older speeches.
The main success of the festival, for me, is the gathering itself and sharing of experiences from these diverse individuals. It's easy to see that there are a lot of improvements happening in the education sector that are not easily seen by the public. Though it is true that we are a long way from our vision for the education sector, the wheels of development are turning for the longest time.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Justice System in the Philippines
Why on earth are we still not putting Joseph Estrada behind bars?
MANILA, Philippines -- Making a complete turnaround vis-à-vis the man he once accused of “betraying the public trust,” former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. Thursday joined Joseph Estrada’s supporters in denouncing a supposed “Malacañang plot” to have the ousted President convicted of plunder by the Sandiganbayan.
And who said rotting in house arrest while waiting for a verdict is justice enough for crimes committed?
“He is a man who has found a new light and a new life. In his own private self, I think he has found the answer; he has new values and he is now a new man,” Guingona said.
The former president suffers under the slug-pace of our justice system. Now, people are clamoring that Estrada had enough.
Mayor Lim said he thought the people themselves had already acquitted Estrada because of the victory of most of the opposition senatorial candidates endorsed by the latter.
Madam Justice, why do you have to remain blindfolded?
News via [inquirer.net]
Here's another indie film worth watching - Haw-ang.
Set in the majestic rice terraces, Haw-Ang (English title: Before Harvest) is a new indie film advocating children's right to quality education, empowerment of women, and welfare of our indigenous countrymen. It tells the story of Sister Adel, a light-hearted young nun who goes to a farming village in Ifugao to teach catechism and eventually build a schoolhouse. As she breaks the traditions of the tribe, she will make a big difference in the little lives of its people especially that of Dacmay, a seven-year-old rowdy girl in search of her lost mother’s love. At the same time, Sister Adel will finally discover her real mission in life.
This is a poignant story of friendship and love that transcends ages, cultures, and beliefs. A tale that is at times comic and inevitably tragic, this is a film about being a woman, and more importantly, being human. It all begins in the time of preparing rice paddies for planting, in that season of hopes and dreams called “haw-ang."
via [ClickTheCity.com]
Sicko
Thanks to Jamie's DSL, we were able to watch Michael Moore's latest documentary film, Sicko. In this film, Moore investigates the U.S. health care system with a focus on the behavior of large health insurance companies. He then contrasts this to countries who have universal health care coverage namely - Canada, France, Britain, and Cuba.
This movie is an eye-opener, nothing short of his stint in Fahrenheit 911. It exposes how many have suffered the consequences of a rotten health system. The movie reminds me of my all-time favorite John Grisham novel, The Rainmaker. As I was watching the movie, I can't help but compare their situations with ours. Strictly speaking, Philhealth is miles behind what the other countries regard as a health insurance system. But one of the more glaring differences is that the poor there expect treatment from hospitals. Poor Filipinos don't even expect being given any form of treatment nor do they expect getting any medication from the local pharmacy (if there are any). Here, medical treatment, however routine and simple it may be, is a luxury to many of us. It is no longer a basic need but a privilege for the few.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Should I Join?
I really want to join. But the problem is that I don't want to skip classes. I was assured that Fr. Ben would make sure that the participants would be excused from their classes but the scholar (in the financial, not academic sense) in me doesn't want to miss class discussions especially since skipping classes means money down the drain.
Should I join the Jesuits? Sir Leland dared me to. It is in our short conversation after class that I learned that one of my Jesuit heroes, Richie Fernando, S.J. was a Development Studies major.
One of the main reasons why I'm having second thoughts in choosing the Society as my order is the fact that they are not known for mission work but more on the field of the academe. I want to be a missionary, I want to build communities. I never see myself as a priest in alb and stole celebrating mass in a big cathedral. I see myself as a young priest in faded jeans and simple shirt, helping a far-flung community live in dignity and love in the eyes of the Lord. That would be development for me.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Vocare
Last night in our Development Management class, we had Prof. Malou Tiquia, founder of Publicus, as our speaker. Publicus is the only registered political lobbying firm in the country. She spoke on the topic of electoral and political reforms. Her main premise was that for institutional changes to occur, the impetus should start from above.
Initially, my reaction was to disagree. I firmly believe that for changes to happen, initiatives should start from the top and from the bottom. But upon further reflection and through the help of the insights from Ross and Ms. Malou, I realized that there has always been initiatives from below, what our country needs are radical changes from above.
During the course of her talk, I can't help but think about my plans of entering politics after graduation. I always tell my blockmates (some whom I get to nag every so often) that it would definitely be very hard for me since I neither have the money nor the connections. Ross confirmed my belief during our YM conversation this morning. But he gave me hope that if I have a clear vision for my locality and if I start making my presence felt there, money shouldn't be an excuse. But then, I began to lose heart again. For a long time, since high school, I have been detached from Paranaque. I have little knowledge of what is happening there. I can't help but to feel ashamed of myself. Here I was, claiming that I'd run in my home city so that I can be a beacon of good and honest governance but all along, I had no idea what was happening there.
This afternoon, Cheenee and I went to Sir Leland to talk about a proposal for our paper. Our consultation went on to glean on my future thesis. Cheenee's know-how on different development projects and my apparent loss of a thesis idea jolted me that I know nothing but concepts. I know classical Marxism, I know neo-Marxism, I know Modernization theory, I know dependency, but I don't know shit about what people do out there in the front lines of the battlefield.
This afternoon, I went to the orientation by the Sister Malou from the Holy Spirit Aeta Mission. She briefed us about the history of the apostolate mission she belongs to. They build communities, livelihood, and empower Aeta from the mountains of Tarlac. That was the place that I was going for my Immersion. While she was talking, I can't help but be at awe by her testimonials. She was a real soldier of the battle for better lives. I saw in her that willingness to be an instrument for development, not in the conceptual sense, but development that makes people's lives better. While she was talking, I can't help but be reminded of my desire to be a priest. I have always wanted to be a missionary. I wanted to be a missionary not because I wanted to evangelize but because I grew up listening to stories of missionary priests who made a difference in the lives of the people they ministered. That was their response to God's vocare, His call to serve Him and His people.
In a few months time, I will be facing with the difficult decision of giving a response to my vocare. I pray that whatever it may be, let this poem by Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador resonate in my heart and in everything that I do.
It helps now and then to step back and take a long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a small fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the Church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about: We plant the seeds that will one day grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it well. It may be incomplete but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Optimus Prime Rocks
Optimus Prime = Great Leader!
Best fight scene: Optimus vs. Bonecrusher. Prime's sword and uppercut moves rocks!
