Friday, November 30, 2007
A Gift for Supremo
On the eve of Supremo Andres Bonifacio's birthday, Magdalo falls. Pity it's not the same Magdalo faction that sentenced him to death.
Here's an excerpt of Howie Seveino's post on his blog entitled "Why use the Magdalo name?
I find it strange -- some might even say dim-witted -- that any idealist would brandish this name, knowing Magdalo's questionable legacy in history.
Magdalo was one of the quarreling factions in Cavite that Andres Bonifacio tried to reconcile. But in leaving his bailiwick in the hills around Montalban, the Katipunan's Supremo eventually lost his life. Some history buffs believe that enticing Bonifacio to unfamiliar territory was a Caviteno plot to grab power.
It remains suspicious to this day that a reconciliation meeting in Tejeros, Cavite suddenly turned into a snap election, in which Bonifacio lost the leadership of the revolutionary movement to the absent Aguinaldo. When Bonifacio refused to accept the results of what historians today believe was a fradulent vote, he was hunted down with his brother Procopio, tried and convicted of treason by a military tribunal appointed by Aguinaldo, and executed.
After initial battlefield victories, Aguinaldo's Magdalo forces lost territory to the reinforced Spanish Army, partly due to the non-cooperation of their Magdiwang bretheren allied with Bonifacio. Aguinaldo would eventually flee towards the slain Bonifacio's former strongholds in what is now Rizal province. He would strike a deal with the Spaniards and agree to exile in Hong Kong.
The name Magdalo may be associating the luxury-hotel rebels not with reform but with factionalism, betrayal, and perhaps battlefield defeat.
It just adds to the confused message of the mutineers, who seem to be all vigor in their action but no rigor in their thinking. In spite of what may be valid grievances against the current regime, these guys are wasting our time with their incoherence and vague ideas for an alternative to the mess our society has become.
[via Sidetrip]
Mabuhay ka Supremo! Mabuhay (ka)!
My gift for Supremo is a good day's walk with the Sumilao Farmers. What's your gift?
Watch the I-Witness Documentary on Andres Bonifacio via YouTube.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
@ 
Thursday, November 29, 2007
EDSA 4?
Is this the start of the end for Gloria?
Trillanes IV and other officers accused of leading the July 2003 rebellion walked out of their trial Thursday and marched through the streets of Makati calling for the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
As of posting time, Trillanes and his comrades are at the Manila Peninsula where they are scheduled to hold a press conference.
The soldiers, numbering around 30, were accompanied by armed guards as they broke down a door of the hotel, overwhelmed security guards and read out a statement against Arroyo with a full list of their demands.
[via Inquirer.net]
As seen from the photo above, Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona is in full support of this call to oust GMA.
Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona heralded the protest march of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brigadier Gen. Danilo Lim as the signal for another People Power revolt.
Flanked by Catholic bishops and opposition personalities, Guingona called upon Filipinos to support the call for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's ouster.
"Ito ang bagong EDSA, ito ang bagong People Power (This is the new EDSA, this is the new People Power)," Guingona said at a press conference at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City.
He added that, "Let us all unite, let us not be afraid."
[via GMANews.TV]
As of posting time, GMA has given the rebels a 3:00 PM deadline.
Is this a new EDSA4 or just a replay of that bittersweet Oakwood Mutiny?
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Political Imagery
The Challenge of the Super-Duper Friends
The Legion of Doom is comprised of Petro-Man (George Bush), Dr. Spin (Karl Rove), $ (Dick Cheney), and 9 Lives (Condoleeza Rice). On the other hand, the Super-Duper Friends is comprised of Captain United (Barack Obama), The Green Solution (Al Gore), and Reform-Girl (Hillary Clinton).
Note-worthy weakness of Petro-Man: A well-placed intelligent question is usually enough to befuddle Petro-Man leaving him stunned and confused.
View the trailer here.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Revirginization of my Critical Mind
I have many mentors in college. Some are intellectuals while some are practitioners. University life for me is a constant preparation for the heavy task of social re-engineering in the future. Being constantly in dialogue with intellectuals and practitioners creates an struggle within me. I am torn between being fully happy with problematization and seeking for positive, empirical, measurable, palpable results.
The intellectuals are those who are most critical of everything that is happening. But for them, there is much "value" (for they do not believe that things necessarily have categorical worth in the utilitarian sense) in everything that occurs - no matter how futile an action is. Thus, there is much emphasis on the becoming rather than the actual being. In some way, my practitioner mentors also subscribe to this view - that we "are prophets of a future not our own". Thus, we must be patient yet equally persevering for social change.
In some way, I have tried to defend my desire for radical, sweeping changes in society - in terms of power relations, control over resources, etc. Both the intellectuals and the practitioners hint that my youthful exuberance and idealism is a masquerading my impatience and messianic complex.
Amidst their subtle disapproval of my ways, I learn from both poles for I am both critical and yet continuously immersed in the realities of life. Thus, I do get the best of both worlds, although I must admit that I am a half-cooked product of both.
Though I claim that I am both a practitioner and an intellectual, those from the former claim that I am more of the latter. They say I am using too much of my head that I tend to over look the essence of my experiences. I valiantly tried to defend that my head and my heart are in constant dialogue with each other - that my heart is informed by my head and my head is spurred by my heart. But they didn't buy my arguments. They say I am being too critical.
There is some truth to this. I consider myself as one who easily dismisses much of reality as ordinary, already criticized to their finality. But slowly, I begin to realize that an unguided critical mind ends up being cynical and operating with false sophistication.
Given these, I remember God's call for us to be child-like, not childish. We are called to a second naivete. We are called to a renewed sense of wonder - not wonder-how but wonder-at. We are called to be experience high agnosticism in the sense that we must discard our a priori filters and perspectives so that we can stop being critical and proceed to immersing in the experience. By recovering this renewed sense of wonder, our minds can be revirginized, refreshed, and rescued from cynicism. Does this mean that we must forego critical thinking? Of course not! But I believe that we must first be in an open disposition to experience first before we become critical, before we reason out.
It's inspiring to see a lot of students join the candle lighting ceremonies for the Sumilao farmers. But it would have been more beautiful if the majority of the Loyola Schools Community was there with us. It's really true that the Sumialo issue is still far from the sphere of consciousness of the Atenean - that the issue is so "out there". Nonetheless, I do hope that when the issues is no longer "out there", when they actually come marching through the gates of Ateneo, the Ateneans would learn to be humans in the face of these farmers.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Akyat Bahay Part 2
For the second time during our stay here in 13A Abada, our dorm has been infiltrated by unknown robbers. The first incident was last year at around September. Back then, a lot of our stuff were stolen - cellphones, wallets, a watch, and a flash drive. We learned our lesson. We already bolt our doors at nighttime, preventing the thief from getting anything - except an opened bottle of Tropicana and a pair of shoes (both of which he eventually left before escaping).
The incident happened at around 3:00AM to 4:30AM. My roommate Jamie went down to the second floor to wake his brother, Jeremie, so that they can go to church. Walking towards his brother's room, he heard footsteps going down from the second floor to the first floor. He also heard water running in one of the two comfort rooms. He thought that the one taking a bath was one of our dormmates who is studying at La Salle. He had no idea that our dorm was infiltrated by a thief.
Jamie went back to our room to sleep for around 30minutes more. Before sleeping, our land lady called his cellphone asking if he was already awake. This is to check if the land lady already needs to open the gate (since they lock us up due to last year's string of incidents). A few minutes after the call, she calls again. She told Jamie not to go out yet since there might be a thief that was able to get into our dorm. She had this inference since she saw that the gate connecting her house to our dorm was opened. She told Jamie to wait for the police to arrive before going out.
When I woke up at around 6:30AM, Jamie already arrived from church. He relayed to me the sequence of events. There was really a thief but because all our doors were locked, his plan was subverted. His only trace was the pair of shoes belonging to a dormer at the second floor (Hansel) and the bottle of Tropicana he got from the first floor refrigerator - both he left in the dorm before escaping. The only loot he got were the chocolates stored inside the first floor refrigerator.
The thief escaped through his entry point - the gate that connects the land lady's house and our dorm. Due to the incident, our curfew has been moved from 11:00PM to 10:00PM. We frown upon this decision. It is clear that the thief did not use our front gate (which falls under our jurisdiction). Rather, the entry point is their gate (their jurisdiction). Therefore, why are we made to experience much discomfort for something that we didn't cause? I know that the land lady will say that it is for our own good, but why subvert our freedom? Why not just fix the lightpost outside our dorm so that our alley's darkness won't attract so many thieves? Why not just properly lock the connecting gate? The land lady even went to the extent of prohibiting us from going out of our rooms from 1:00AM to 4:00AM, telling us to just hold our pee. Ridiculous!
On a side note, it was found out that our neighbor was also robbed during that morning, it may have been the same thieves.
To those thieves: Merry Christmas to you! Thank you for the curfew! Enjoy your chocolates and other loot!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Ateneo Beats La Salle in Rankings
According to the Times Higher Education Supplement-Quacquarelli Symonds (THES-QS) World University Rankings, Ateneo is the second best university in the country.
Percentile scores:
University of the Philippines - 34.7
Ateneo de Manila University - 30.8
De La Salle University - 23.9
University of Santo Tomas - 20.8
Statistics, just like any form of science that tries to present truth, should always be taken with a grain of salt. The rankings are based on specific indicators. But we should remember that the ultimate measure of any university is the quality of students that it forms. Ateneo may not be as internationally competitive as universities from other countries but I firmly believe that it is one of the best breeding grounds for young leaders.
What Ateneo de Manila University "school" fits you best? created with QuizFarm.com | ||||||||||||||||
| You scored as School of Social Sciences you are fit for SOSS. you love tie dyes and cobwebbs. you wear the horn glasses or strappy earings./ you want to change the world. you believe in man. you love to connect and interact, you are special yet you don't cut yourself out from the masses. your a patriot.
|
Cashflow 101
I'm financially illiterate. I don't know anything about accounting except that assets are good and liabilities are bad. Yesterday, I went to Cashflow 101 in AIM. I was invited by Pam and she had a nice feedback on the seminar. I have always been skeptical about the whole "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" thing especially because I know it's something quite expensive (I asked some participants and they told me it cost them 800 pesos to join). But since I was invited for free (thank you Pam for the gift!), it's hard to say no.
In order to prepare for the seminar (I really can't find a better term), I read the book by Robert Kiyusaki. It was an easy read filled with anecdotes about himself, his two dads, and some rich guys. It's easy to grasp whatever Kiyusaki said about building assets and investments. Of course, it re-affirmed my belief that capitalism is anchored on the metaeconomics of greed and accumulation but at least Kiyusaki doesn't deny it.
I was surprised that the "seminar" is actually built into the playing of the board game (The package that contains the board game and learning materials costs a whopping 15,000 pesos). As first-time players, we had difficulty starting the game. A lot of explaining had to be done by the moderator. But I easily got the hang of it. My only problem was when the game picked up speed, the recording of transactions became tedious and time-consuming. At one point of the game, my poor handwriting cost me $100,000 because I wasn't able to sell a property that had a good offer.
In the end, I was able to attain my first goal, which is to get out of the Rat Race (I was the 5th and last to get out since the 6th player didn't - this was my fault). But I wasn't able to reach my dream because we ran out of time. It's quite ironic that I was the richest player but since I wasn't able to find good investment opportunities, my cash flow remained quite low.
The seminar (well, there were some talks in between) was informative since it outlined a very very very basic strategy in getting rich. I learned that getting into stocks investment early on is not the best move. I also learned that I am a very good risk-taker. What I found lacking in the "seminar" is the actual technical know-how that would enable one to become wealthy (i.e. making money with minimanl effort). The difficult question of starting out is downplayed. It assumes that people can readily get enough capital to start.
Did I come out as a better person after the "seminar"? I did. It enabled me to appreciate and understand financial literacy. It made me realize that it is an essential component to being able to function properly in society after graduation. It also helped me realize why having a good job and a decent salary is not enough. The game was excellent for it was both fun and educational but again, I found the technical content too simplistic (but it is a quantum leap over Monopoly). Nonetheless, Cashflow 101 is a good introduction to the world of money.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Waiting for the March
The farmers from Sumilao are already in Luzon in less than two weeks. This afternoon, there was a solidarity meeting attended by the various groups that support the march of the Sumilao farmers. It's truly amazing how my PolSci lessons on Gramscian Marxism (war of position & war of maneuver) are coming alive.
I started getting involved in this movement by the end of last semester. During the semester break, the flames of my involvement waned due to paternal reasons. The back-to-back solidarity meeting and the Ateneo group meeting really fanned the flames in heart.
I saw Kuya Peter again after almost a month. He's one of the farmer leaders. He delivered a speech that almost brought me to tears. I once again felt the anguish brought by injustice. A recording of the episode of The Correspondents featuring the Sumilao march was also shown. This too made my eyes water. It's depressing how the image of Reuben Torres (the former presidential executive secretary that started this mess) talking about how this march was "not well-thought of and futile" was juxtaposed to those of the farmers who were getting sick and fainting as they march on to clamor for their land.
Earlier in the day, a group of NGO representatives and another Sumilao farmer, Kuya Rico, went to Malacañang to meet with cabinet secretary Ricardo Saludo. I knew everyone was hoping that the office of the President would reconsider the plight of the farmers. But all that he said was that the government will ensure the safety of the farmers and that the issue will be remanded to DAR (who has previously backed off and claimed that the office of the President has the authority to rule on the matter). In short, the authorities are passing the issue like a "hot potato". The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program will end mid-2008 and the players involved (government, landlords) are trying to buy time. In basketball, it's as if they are trying to hug the ball as the they hold on to the sliver of an advantage that they have.
This is true. Many of the NGOs attested to this reality. The Sumilao farmers are not alone. Thousands of farmers are suffering the same kind of oppression. The same goes for all marginalized groups - IPs, elderly, urban poor, fisherfolk, etc. There is much oppression in our society and contrary to what my parents are hammering in my hear, we can and must do something! Advocacy work is just as important as fighting the legal, formal battles. If we don't fight back, make noise, our government and those who have power will not be held accountable for their actions and inactions. Being silent, apathetic, and ignorant will only be taken as a sign of approval for all the injustice that is happening.
In light of this I am planning to walk with the farmers from November 30 to December 1. I believe that by these dates, they will be in Los Baños. My parents will definitely not approve of this but I will walk with them nonetheless. We are also busy preparing for their stay in Ateneo on December 5 and 6. I do hope and pray that the students and the whole community would be open and supportive when the farmers arrive. Ateneans are men-and-women-for-others, right?
Duwag
Yesterday, during my Ph103 class with Dr. Calasanz, he called one of my classmates duwag, a coward because he "load-reved" (transferred) to another class. Sir quickly pointed out that he was just joking, but still kept rubbing it in.
Changing classes because of the teacher is common occurrence in college. It is as common as trying to avoid the "terror" teachers. Most would reason out that it's the most rational thing to do, especially for seniors who want to graduate on time.
In my experience, there is a certain fulfillment in being able to go through a class of a "terror" teacher. On one level, some of the "terror" teachers are considered to be the better ones. But of course, this doesn't apply to all "terror" teachers. Some are simply sadistic, (in Doc J's words, "eat students alive") or has little regard for student effort and brilliance. But in the former case, there is always a sense of a job well done after going through a semester of intense learning. For some reason, "terror-legendary" professors psych me to be always on my toes and work extra harder. This is the reason why I encourage my friends to take Fr. Dacanay and sometimes Fr. David (though I have never been under him) as professors.
Recently, I got to talk to some of my friends who are taking Theology131 under Fr. Dacanay. They were asking me tips on how to survive his class. The tip I give them is simple - be good students, and everything will be alright. Being good students entail doing what is expected of them and most importantly, not being afraid of the teacher. I learned that in dealing with "terror-legends", one should be able to go past the fear of failing before one can actually learn and do well.
Going through these kinds of professors constitute a true Atenean education. It's what I would like to call the road less traveled. Many simply breeze through college by taking the easy classes. I remember of one valedictorian who regret taking the easy route because he wasn't able to get the legendary professors back in his days.
A subject costs around 6,000++ pesos. I'd certainly say that getting these professors is worth every penny.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Having Good Grades
My recent experience with having good grades taught a thing or two about myself and what I should be doing with my life. I think that having good grades (and working for it), is not really worth it. The following are some of the reasons why:
Friends don't care because they are too busy wallowing in their own grades.
Parents would not even congratulate you for a job well done but would only say, "Bakit ka may B+?". Beware! Their reactions may compel you to write a silly note saying "Congrats (insert name here), ang galing mo naman!" and post it on the refrigerator door.
The mentor you've always looked up to may even mock you for striving for good grades because "the perfect students do not care about good grades".
In the end, you will blame yourself for not working extra hard to get that extra point which you might think would help you get the appreciation you are dying to have. But in the aftermath, you realize that good grades matter not. What matters is that you learned a lot and that cerebral knowledge turns into affective learning that would eventually lead to actual practice. Hopefully, the works of your hands make the world a better place.
I need to keep reminding myself about the reality of the worth of numbers and letters on a lousy piece of paper that is printed using a dot matrix printer. I should learn to resist the urge of barging into my professor's room to ask for any explanation for my grades. That left a bad taste in my mouth.
Having good grades is not the end-all-be-all. It's a pitiful measure for an immeasurable. I learned this lesson years ago when I started getting low grades and flunking Doc J's monstrous long exams. I think that "success" shouldn't change the value of grades to me. If during my "low points", I claim that grades matter not, it should still apply now, even when I get small "successes".
This reminds me of a book title I once saw, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff". It isn't worth it.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Locked Out
24 hours ago, I arrived at my dorm only to find the gate locked. Our curfew is at 11:00PM but if a dormer will arrive past the appointed time, he may opt to tell the landlady that he will be late. I texted the landlady at around 9:30PM, notifying her that I will arrive later that 11:00PM. Usually, she would respond with an "ok". Last night, there was no response. I sensed danger but I had no choice but to think otherwise.
When I saw that the gate was locked, I immediately texted my friends who live in Katipunan, asking them if I can stay in their place. For some time, none responded except an old friend who was out on a date. Out of options and of credits, I opted to sleep at the bench outside the inner gate (the locked gate) but inside the outer gate. I thought I could bear sleeping on a narrow wooden bench with my bag (containing a book, umbrella, and my rubik's cube) as my pillow. After a couple of hours, and many mosquito bites, I decided to text my friend who was out on a date if I can stay in her place. To my relief, she said yes. So I went to her apartment and slept on the floor with some pillows and some blankets.
Moral lesson: Find friends who stay up late so you can crash their place when the need arises.
I'm stuck dorm-alone because I'm helping out as a cashier assistant in the registration. I'm tasked to collect check payments. Our shift starts from 8am until 4pm with only a 30-minute lunch break in between. It's not an easy job especially in the mornings when students arrive in throngs and hordes. On the first day, I finished with 80 transactions. Yesterday, I matched that total before lunch break.
Volunteering for RegCom, LSAT, accounting assistance, and cashier assistance are no easy tasks. They are tedious, difficult, and often-times have insufficient compensation. Nonetheless, these are vital functions for the continued process of education. Somebody has to do it.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Heroism
Remember, Remember the Fifth of November
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot
I know of no reason why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot
There is a fine line between my heroism and terrorism.
What are grades that people are so mindful of them? I refuse to let my QPI stand as a measure of who I am and what I can achieve. I already failed twice in the past couple of years. Does that mean I am dumb? I think not. I know of people who have higher QPIs than I do. Does that mean they're better than me? Tsk.
My genius transcends numbers. It's modernity's fault for trying to measure the immeasurable.