ooops..not exactly home alone...

I have two (2) new puppies... breed = sharpei mother + ? father ... hehehe

Well, since there were many dogs in the neighborhood where the mother sharpei resides, Manang Mel (brother-in-law's sister) isn't sure what is the father's breed... they suspect it's the neighbor's Labrador though...

The female puppy as shown above is "PICHU".

The male puppy is "MOTOMBO"...

With my fishes and the puppies, Im not excatly HOME ALONE... =)

Four days to go...

It's just four days before christmas... Hmmnn..

This christmas will be different for me. For one, my parents are away and I am HOME ALONE...

But I am hoping that it will be more than just different... maybe a little more special?

Who knows... In four days I will find out.

It's You... Maybe it's you

To date there are six billion, three hundred thirty nine plus million people in the world...

Some are hopeful for things getting better...
while some are content going through the motions

Some are unable to face the the truth...
while some tell lies to go through the day...

Some are coming home...
while some are running away

Some are standing still...
while some took the plunge to never let go

Some are evil fighting the good...
while some are good struggling with evil

Some are scared and unsure ...
while some are focused, committed, and determined.

Six billion people... And all you need is ONE.

The crazy thing about the ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Here are some "crazy" things about the ENGLISH Language:

-- There is no "egg' in eggplant

-- No ham in hamburger

-- And neither pine nor apple in pineapple

-- French Fries were invented in ENGLAND

-- Boxing rings are SQUARE

-- A Guinea Pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a Pig

The rest of what was sent to me wasn't that interesting so I end this here. =)

Till next time...

just some personal stuff...

My new fish tank! =)
I have ranchus, orandas (Black, red cap and orange) and Pearlscale goldfishes there! They're so nice to watch; it helps me relax... =)
My character pillows from someone so special!

Christmas time is here! I put up that tree all by myself. Nice huh?

Old and new "passions"

Was at starbucks the other day and ordered a caffe latte. Not my usual drink there (mocha frap) but being in starbucks has always been a way of life for me. =)

I'm into taking care of "plants" nowadays... =)
Pearlscale Goldfishes in the fish tank. =) a.k.a "ping pongs".
New set-up at the fish pond...

Flowers have bloomed from my Mom's plants. =)

Christmas time is here!

On travelling

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of earth all one's lifetime." -- Mark Twain

The Law of the Garbage Truck

here's another of those forwarded emails worth sharing...

------------------
How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood?

Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day?

Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he/she can get back her focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened.

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around
and he started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly.

So, I said, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'

And this is when my taxi driver told me, what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you.

When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.

So this was it: The 'Law of the Garbage Truck.'

I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets?

It was that day I said, 'I'm not going to do it anymore.'

I began to see garbage trucks. I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field.He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best.

Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting.

Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses.

Teachers and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day.

What about you?

What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

Here's my bet. You'll be happier =)

So...

Love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the ones who don't.
Believe that everything happens for a reason.
If you get a chance , TAKE IT!
If it changes your life , LET IT!
Nobody said it would be easy...
They just promised it would be worth it!

The New Fish Tank!

Here's the new set up of our fish tank/aquarium. I am so into these things nowadays. There used to be goldfishes here but we placed them in the fish pond and decided to set up this tank anew with "Red Caps" and an "Albino Head Hammer".

There's the toy fish "Nemo" welcoming viewers of the aquarium.... hehehe =)

On Anger Management

Got this email and it made me laugh I had to blog it!

--------------------

When you're mad at someone, it's good to sit for awhile and think things over....

Point to Ponder:

Don't keep forever on the public road, going only where others have gone. Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods. You will be certain to find something you have never seen before. Of course it will be a little thing, but do not ignore it. One discovery will lead to another, and before you know it, you will have something worth thinking about to occupy your mind, and really big discoveries are the result of thought.--Alexander Graham Bell

chillin' out at starbucks

Went to starbucks with my cousins and their kids to chill out. It was pretty cool. I actually enjoyed seeing my nephew run around the coffee shop, shouting. And disturbing some people there trying to review. hehehe.... My niece, on the other hand, sat quietly as she observed the new surroundings. =)

Starbucks - it's my third place. Definitely.

thought for the day

One ought, everyday, to hear a song, read a fine poem, and, if possible, to speak a few reasonable words.--Goethe

Desperate Housewives hullaballoo

When I learned about this issue, about Teri Hatcher's character mocking doctors from the Philippines, I was confused. It's not something we are known for and so really, we can't take it as a joke. It's a popular show and a lot of people watch it. To make a mockery of one of the professions practiced "BEST"by Filipinos is insulting and degrading. ABC Netwrok's apology will not suffice. It was LIBELOUS.

Other overt acts should be done by the show to directly rectify their utter disrespect to our Filipino doctors, and to our country in general. I am not a doctor, but my sister is. And she's one of the best in her field, working as Programme Officer for the World Health Organization (WHO). In life, there are things to ignore and there are things you pursue. This is one of those you pursue. We can't let this go. It was unfair and maliciously done. And it must be corrected. Otherwise, making "us" their punchline will be a habit.

The High Court--- reigning supreme

Another article worth blogging.

When I was still a law student, Supreme Court pronouncements and of course, its decisions are part and parcel of our life. Their decisions form part of the law of the land. But cutting it short, I have never seen the Supreme Court as aggressive and as true to its mandate, even taking things to the next level, as it is now --- Holding a summit re: the extrajudicial killings in pursuit of upholding human rights and coming up with the rules on the writ of amparo. (Which is, by the way, a very popular bar question sometime in the '90s. I believe it was the number one question in political which made barristers scratch their heads.).

The Supreme Court is an entity in itself but like I always say, it is the people behind any institution/organization that breathes meaning into its being. It feels good seeing the High Court live up to the essence of its very existence. Truly unprecedented.

EDITORIAL
Protect us

Inquirer
Last updated 00:31am (Mla time) 10/01/2007


MANILA, Philippines -- Last week, while the country was absorbed in the latest twists of the National Broadband Network telenovela, the Supreme Court issued the Rule on the Writ of Amparo. The new package of protections will become effective on Oct. 24—just a little over three months after the high court convened an extraordinary “national consultative summit” on political killings and politically motivated disappearances.

This is, in truth, remarkable. The pace of judicial innovation is virtually unprecedented, a reflection of the judiciary’s sense of urgency over the crisis of political violence that continues to disturb the country. At the same time, it cannot be said that the high court threw all caution to the wind; a study of the process and the Rule it produced soothes our concerns. The court made haste, but slowly.

Patterned after a legal remedy born out of the constitutional struggles of Latin American democracies, the writ takes its name after the Spanish “amparar,” meaning “to protect.” But as the Supreme Court itself took pains to point out, the scope of protection offered by the Philippine writ is wider than those it had been modeled after.

“The petition for a writ of amparo,” Section 1 of the new Rule states, “is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty and security is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity.”

Under the writ, the family of, say, a peasant leader believed to have been abducted by a military unit or a private army can petition the judiciary to compel the unit or the private group to undergo a legal undertaking that will force them to account for their actions. No more blanket denials. As the last provision of Section 9 declares: “A general denial of the allegations in the petition shall not be allowed.”

Some concerns have been raised, about the new Rule’s seeming lack of sympathy for or even outright hostility to public officials, in particular the members of the country’s armed services. We understand these concerns, but we cannot agree with the view they reflect, because it is based on a lack of understanding of the dual nature of all laws.

The Constitution itself bears witness to this duality. It grants enormous powers to the government and its instrumentalities; at the same time, it grants ample protection to the citizenry, precisely against the possibility of governmental intervention. What, for instance, is the Bill of Rights, if not the primary package of protections for citizens, citizens who may need to fight either the encroachments or the blandishments of the State?

The new Rule, therefore, does not discriminate against public authorities; instead, it recognizes the dignity of their office as well as the nature of public service. Thus, the standard the new Rule requires of public officials or employees, that they must render “extraordinary diligence” in performing their duties (contrasted with the “ordinary diligence” required of private persons), is not an added burden—it is a necessary corollary of their work.

The new Rule also includes four virtually new legal remedies: the temporary protection order, the inspection order, the production order and the witness protection order. Together, they make the new Rule a true landmark—one that entirely alters the legal landscape.

To be sure, some infelicities or imprecisions have found their way into the new Rule. The second provision of Section 1, which states that “The writ shall cover extralegal killings and enforced disappearances or threats thereof,” raises the question whether coverage here is meant exclusively—thus narrowing the scope of the writ (as outlined in the fourth paragraph of this editorial, above).

Section 5 requires the petitioner to provide “The name and personal circumstances of the respondent responsible for the threat, act or omission”—an unfortunate phrasing that may be understood to mean that the respondent perceived to be responsible and the person actually responsible are the same.

Section 16, which punishes respondents who fail to respond to the writ, is vague on the actual penalty.

But taken all together, and in the light of key provisions that, for instance, waive docket fees and allow the filing of a petition “on any day and at any time,” the new Rule gives actual and potential victims of political violence both legal relief and real hope.

A 'religion of secrecy'

I have been surfing the net, mostly inquirer.net for relevant news, and couldn't help but blog the article of Fr. Bernas here. He is a known constitutionalist from Ateneo de Manila, and back in law school, his book is one of the "reliable" books in political law. His opinion and thoughts on certain issues that requires determination of its constitutionality and unconstitutionality has always been sought.

In his recent article, he talked about the use and abuse of the so-called "executive priviledge", as recently invoked by Secretary Neri in a hearing conducted by the Senate re: the NBN Deal. His finale should make people think - long and hard and very deeply.

here's an excerpt:


In United States v. Nixon, the Supreme Court agreed: "The valid need for protection of communications between high government officials and those who advise and assist them in the performance of their manifold duties ... is too plain to require further discussion. Human experience teaches that those who expect public dissemination of their remarks may well temper candor with a concern for appearances and for their own interests to the detriment of the decision making process.... [T]he confidentiality of Presidential communications has ... constitutional underpinnings.... The privilege is fundamental to the operation of Government and inextricably rooted in the separation of powers under the Constitution."

Like any good thing, however, executive privilege can be misused and abused. It has been. Observers give numerous examples, especially after the post-Watergate period. As one scholar noted, such examples give executive privilege a bad reputation. For this reason Presidents Ford, Carter and the older Bush avoided using the words executive privilege and protected secrecy through other means.

The current administration's aggressive use of executive privilege through EO 464 calls for a serious examination of the legitimacy of its uses. No amount of exorcism, however, will drive away executive privilege. After all, it has its legitimate place. What is needed is a proper balance. Toward this end there are certain basic guidelines that must be kept in mind.

First, in a constitutional regime that is predicated on official accountability, executive privilege must be the exception and executive transparency the rule.

Second, since executive privilege is not an unfettered power, Congress has the right and sometimes the duty to challenge presidential claims of privilege. This is especially true when the presidential claim is not based on the need to protect national security or to protect the privacy of Cabinet deliberations when needed in the public interest.

Third, both sides of the debate must recognize that there are no precise boundary lines that divide transparency and secrecy. The precise demarcation lines cannot be determined in advance. The lines must be determined through the political dynamics of separation of powers. In the end, the Court must draw the line, if need be, after an in camera hearing.

For that matter, the limits on the often abused power of legislative inquiry in aid of legislation or the oversight function of Congress are not clear either.

It is in this light that we should measure what is expected of Neri. But my sense is that he is hiding something that is illicit and explosive. If the controversy turns out to be a case of an irresistible force facing an immovable wall, Congress is not without weapons to batter the wall. Aside from its subpoena and contempt powers, Congress can also withhold support for the presidential agenda or tighten its control of government purse strings. The ultimate weapon, of course, is impeachment, or the threat thereof.



Read the full article here.

Busy Me

I have new pets - fighting fishes. They're so easy to maintain as they don't require oxygen. Just place them in containers and they're good to go... =) It makes me relax for a minute or two just by staring at them.

It's a busy weekend... rather It's a busy week! I actually find it hard maintaning two (2) houses even if there is help. But, I do like cleaning and keeping things neat around here. I have been really busy with household/family affairs, doing groceries, paying bills etc. etc. that I failed to attend a forum. Tsk tsk tsk. To reward myself, I indulge in a Grande Mocha Frap every other night...

Anyway, I am getting a new line this week as my two-year contract with Globe expires on October 8, which means I can get a new line with a new phone. Yipee! hehehe...

It's official. HOME ALONE 2...

It's the third day since I am officially home alone. And I've been busy. Fixing this and that. Meeting so and so. My back actually aches from all the work I did the past days. It is only now that I got the chance to stay online longer than ten minutes.

Anyways, my parents safely arrived in Boston Sept 20 here and still 19 there, amid the delay in Detroit. My dad celebrated his 67th birthday yesterday (Sept. 21) and I believe he got his wish of eating lobsters on that day. Hmmmn... I remember the first time I ate lobsters when I was there. It was fun and definitely delicious. I was told my "diche" (second "ate" in the family...) drove to Boston from canada to be with our parents and celebrate my dad's birthday as well.

Anyways, I suddenly felt hungry. Now I feel like I want to eat lobsters too but we don't have that here. If we do, it maybe so expensive as it is imported. Hehehe... or perhaps the crabs, I could get one tomorrow... Consequently, they don't have that there - our alimango, with all its aligue.

Tomorrow, I will find one in the market and satisfy this craving...

Oh well, I am tired. Just wanted to blog this mundane thoughts. Lot of things in my mind though but I am too tired to write now. They are better left "unshared" anyway... Know what I mean?

Post 101

I was supposed to give this post a different title but as I signed in, I saw in the dashboard that I already have 100 posts so this makes it 101. =)

Anyway, in just 2hours or so, I will be leaving... but I will come back. hehehe. Will just leave to bring my parents to the airport as they take their flight going to Boston. It is my Father's birthday on Sept 21 and he wanted to celebrate it eating lobsters in Boston. That is where his sister ( my Tita Lita) lives. On the 22nd, they travel to New York to visit another aunt, my father's cousin (Auntie Perla) and then head to my brother's place in Maryland. All these states are in the East Coast so it only takes hours by land travel. After being there, they fly to Canada to visit my sister.

So, I guess in 2-3 hours after taking them to the airport, I am officially "Home Alone 2". As this was the second time as I said in a previous post...

I don't know exactly how I feel. Thrilled for my parents as they will be seeing relatives and my siblings, which is their main purpose of travelling. Sad as I will surely miss being pampered by them. But I'll be fine here. Yeah, I think I will be. More responsibilities but I'm up for it.

I am particularly psyched with the "freedom" that goes with all these...

The coming days will be full. =)

An Inspiring Story from Paglaum Girls of Bacolod

I got this email from my dad and felt like it should be blogged, so here it is...

read on.

An Inspiring Story from Paglaum girls of Bacolod
Written by: Rina Jimenez David (Philippine Daily Inquirer)


NOW for a bit of good, positive news for a change.

Paying a courtesy call Thursday on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at Malacanang were the members of the victorious Bacolod team that emerged as champions in the recent World Series Junior Girls Softball championship in Kirkland, Washington, United States.

After the girls showed her their victory banner and presented her with an honorary team jacket, the President handed the girls from Paglaum (a village on the outskirts of Bacolod) a check for one million pesos, an incentive for their winning performance.

A newspaper report says the team's 2-0 victory over Puerto Rico in the title match "gave the Philippines its first World Series crown since 1992 when a team from Zamboanga was stripped of the crown it won in Pennsyl vania" on allegations of fielding over-aged and unqualified players. The girls' victory, then, was not just a great honor for the country, but also a vindication of Filipino honor and pride.

Beyond that, though, the team's victory is a real "Cinderella" story, a fascinating tale of how girls from a small town overcame the odds and showed the world what they're made of.


THE GIRLS, from 12 to 14 years of age, come from Paglaum, a small village on the outskirts of Bacolod, and belong to farming families, their parents working in the sugar cane fields or else engaged in fishing and rice and coconut farming. Rufino Ignacio, one of the Filipino-Americans in Washington who played host to the team, says the girls brought pictures of their nipa huts and the dilapidated premises of the Paglaum Village National High School.

As Ignacio tells it, the team almost didn't make the trip for lack of money for their plane fare. Funds raised by their sponsors, including Little League Philippines and politicians and business people in Negros, were not enough for their needs. So as a last ditch effort, the team's coach and the school principal took out a loan for 100,000 pesos, though perhaps the President's check should now ease their anxieties somewhat.

Upon arrival in the US, the girls and their coach stayed with a host family, the Shannons, all of them crowded into the Shannons' modest home, although once the tournament began, the USA Little League housed them in a hotel. But they faced more than logistical challenges. Ignacio describes the Paglaum girls as the "smallest" among all the players in the tournament, who were "heftier and taller and from their looks, stronger."

Despite their physical disadvantages, however, the young Pinays became the "darling of the crowd," racking up a "very impressive record" and winning everyone's admiration for their "discipline and decorum."


THE STORY of the Paglaum girls, though, is also the story of how the entire Filipino-American community in the area came together to lend their moral, physical and financial support for the plucky team.

Fil-Ams from as far as Oregon and British Columbia came in droves to cheer on the Paglaum girls. The Ilonggos Northwest Association, the Filipino Community of Seattle, and a regional Fil-Am association, the FACSPS, combined resources to make the girls feel welcome. The FACSPS, headed by Ignacio, gathered used clothing, shoes, toiletries, canned goods and other items and packed them in balikbayan boxes for the girls to take home to their families.

"As the team is not used to eating bread in the hotel, the Ilonggos and FACSPS prepared food for them, potluck style, and the team heartily ate with other Filipinos after each game," recounts Ignacio. "The girls said they had the best meals in th eir young lives during the tournament."

Ignacio notes that the Paglaum girls left the Philippines with "no money, hardly noticed, and thinking perhaps they had no chance of winning." But now, they have returned as heroes, or rather, as young heroines.

Everyone loves an underdog, but victorious underdogs are loved even more. This is one "Cinderella story" that deserves to be told and retold.


It's only when you share your life to others that life begins to have a
meaning and purpose ... the time you touch the life of others is the time
you really live.

Women's issues in the BAR EXAMS

When I read about these stuff (Rina Jimenez-David's column on the matter...), I couldn't help but smile. The legal profession has always been regarded as a man's world. In fact, I remember vividly how my professor in Persons and Family Relations told the class on the very first day of school, on my first year, that the easiest way for a woman to become a lawyer is to simply marry one, instead of going through the hardships of law school - a challenge, he quipped, better left to men, in general. That was part of his "pep talk" to first year law students. His way of telling us we might be wasting our time attending law school. Those are words he seem to particularly direct to the women in class blessed with good looks. Later in life, as I look back, I realized how sexist and offensive that comment was and how much overhauling the legal profession requires in terms of gender-related issues. Women's rights, in a profession that teaches the law, are disregarded and trampled upon day in and day out.

Injecting these kinds of questions in the BAR EXAMS is a very good way of mainstreaming gender issues and concerns in the consciousness of those who seek to practice the profession.

Read on...

-----------------------------------------
Women's issues in the BAR EXAMS

First posted 05:20:38 (Mla time) September 11, 2007
Rina Jimenez-David / Philippine Daily Inquirer


MANILA, Philippines -- “The city mayor issues an executive order declaring that the city promotes responsible parenthood and upholds family planning. He prohibits all hospitals operated by the city from prescribing the use of artificial methods of contraception, including condoms, pills, intrauterine devices and surgical sterilization. As a result, poor women in this city lost their access to affordable family planning programs. Private clinics, however, continue to render family planning (counseling) and devices to paying clients.

“(a) Is the executive order in any way constitutionally infirm? Explain.

“(b) Is the Philippines in breach of any obligation under international law? Explain.

“(c) May the Commission on Human Rights order the mayor to stop the implementation of the executive order? Explain.”

This was Question No. 2 in the Political and International Law exam given last Sept. 2 as part of this year’s bar exams. This and other questions are currently making the rounds of the e-mail circuit, especially among women’s advocates, because, not only is it unusual to see gender-related issues covered in the exams for future lawyers, the questions also tread on issues and concerns not normally thought of as matters of legality or even constitutionality.

Credit for this attempt to broaden the understanding and appreciation of law must go to 2007 Bar Exam Committee chair Justice Adolfo Azcuna. As Sarah Lou Arriola, director for special projects of the Ateneo Human Rights Center, who told me about the questions, asserts: “These questions have changed the landscape of the bar exams. It is a great effort on the part of Justice Azcuna to mainstream gender issues in the law profession.”

* * *

Here are the other gender-related questions in the Sept. 2 exams:

Question No. 4: In 1993, historians confirmed that during World War II, “comfort women” were forced into serving the Japanese military. These women were either abducted or lured by false promises of jobs as cooks or waitresses, and eventually forced against their will to have sex with Japanese soldiers on a daily basis during the course of the war, and often suffered from severe beatings and venereal diseases. The Japanese government contends that the “comfort stations” were run as “onsite military brothels” (or prostitution houses) by private operators, and not by the Japanese military. There were many Filipina “comfort women.”

(a) Name at least one basic principle or norm of international humanitarian law that was violated by the Japanese military in the treatment of the “comfort women.”

(b) The surviving Filipina “comfort women” demand that the Japanese government apologize and pay them compensation. However, under the 1951 San Francisco Peace Agreement -- the legal instrument that ended the state of war between Japan and Allied Forces -- all the injured states, including the Philippines, received war reparations and, in return, waived all claims against Japan arising from the war. Is that a valid defense?

(c) The surviving Filipina “comfort women” sue the Japanese government for damages before Philippine courts. Will that case prosper?

* * *

Question No. 5: The Destilleria Felipe Segundo is famous for its 15-year-old rum, which it has produced and marketed successfully for the past 70 years. Its latest commercial advertisement uses the line: “Nakatikim ka na ba ng kinse anyos? (Have you tasted a 15-year old?)” Very soon, activist groups promoting women’s and children’s rights were up in arms against the advertisement.

(a) All advertising companies in the Philippines have formed an association, the Philippine Advertising Council, and have agreed to abide by all the ethical guidelines and decisions by the council. In response to the protests, the council orders the pull-out of the “kinse anyos” advertising campaign. Can Destilleria Felipe Segundo claim that its constitutional rights are thus infringed?

(b) One of the militant groups, the Amazing Amazonas, call on all GOCCs to boycott any newspaper, radio or TV station that carries “kinse anyos” advertisements. They call on all government nominees in sequestered corporations to block any advertising funds allocated for any newspaper, radio or TV station. Can the GOCCs and sequestered corporations validly comply?

* * *

As any lawyer or judge will tell you, there aren’t any “right” or “wrong” answers to these questions. The “rightness” or “wrongness” of any position or opinion, after all, depends on the arguments presented, the legal precedents, documents and sources quoted, and the witnesses presented. But legal points or viewpoints can be made only if the lawyer is aware of the legal scholarship underlying these positions.

I am especially grateful for the question regarding the possible “breach of any obligation under international law” by the Philippines, as indicated in Question No. 2. I believe the “international law” alluded to here is the CEDAW, or the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,” which the Philippines has signed and ratified. CEDAW is an international human rights treaty that, among other things, “affirms and upholds women’s right to health services including access to all family planning methods.” Let’s see how many future lawyers cited the right provision, mentioned CEDAW and the Philippine government’s obligations as a signatory state, or even knew about CEDAW. Maybe those bar takers who never gave a thought to gender and the law will now see women in a new light.

And while this is just a first step, women should be properly grateful to Azcuna for showing the way in mainstreaming gender issues in the study and application of the law.

ERAP: Guilty or NOT Guilty

The country is busy... Tomorrow will mark another "historical event" in Philippine politics as the SANDIGANBAYAN promulgates the judgement on the charges against the former president Joseph Ejercito Estrada, ERAP as he is popularly called.

Personally, I want ERAP to be acquitted. Setting aside legal points and considerations, I feel like he has suffered so much and at his age, he deserves to rest from all this hullaballoo. And to be brutally honest, I just don't like the present administration so much that I want ERAP to be freed.

I was never a fan of ERAP, and I was one of those who despise him when he won the Presidency. But as I "aged", with all the wisdom acquired (somehow) through life, I realized that removing ERAP from the presidency at that time was one of the worst things this country did. Oh yeah, he may not possess the profile of a typical "leader", he may not have the stereotype family you want the first family to be, with all his "affairs" and love child, he may be a gambler and all that, but he was clearly elected by an overwhelming majority. That is what elections are about. And in a democracy such as ours, that should have been accorded respect, even by those self-proclaimed "elite" in Imperial Manila. Those people who seem to think only their voice and opinions matter.

Consequently, if he did commit impeachable offenses during his tenure as president, due process should have been observed. That's how you keep the system of democracy working. It's not perfect but it's a form of government that "tries" to be reasonable and fair, where justice can prevail and find its place.

Tomorrow, the verdict whatever it might be, will have great impact in the government, the business sector, and the civil society, in general. As always, we count on our media men and women to be in the forefront in bringing essential information regarding what's happening.

Emotions will run high as lives change tomorrow. And yes, that include ours...

countdown

My parents will be leaving in a week's time- September 19, Wednesday so the countdown to being "home alone" actually begins now...

Words escape me as I try to express how I feel. Well, the "craziness" have been intense around here with all the preps before they leave but the thought of being left alone... at this point in time... makes me feel really "weird" ( for lack of a better word... )

I'll just park that thought for awhile until d' day inevitably comes. For now, I just truly hope their travel will be stress-free and enjoyable for them. Hey, we are talking about two (2) senior citizens here whose temper, tolerance and patience are way too short already. Couldn't help but worry somehow.

Anyways, one thing I know --- the coming days will surely be interesting.

crazy days

The past days have been erratic and crazy. For one, my parents will be leaving the country this month, which will make me officially "home alone" . As such, there are tons of things to arrange and set up before they leave. This isn't the first time that I will be alone here in Manila, since back in August of 2004, they also left to visit my sister in Canada and my brother's family in Maryland. However, I followed (December) to celebrate the holidays with them and returned altogether after my birthday (Feb 2005). This time though, I am not quite sure If I want to follow suit as I have other plans and things to do here...

There were so much I wanted to blog about but failed to do so. Hopefully, will catch up later...

Gotta go.

Out on a LIMBO

MANILA, Philippines—I think I can be guilty most times of being an emotional fence sitter, racking up mileage points to and from my trips to limbo. It was easier earlier on in life, using pure idealism to propel me forward in making decisions, the world, being black and white through a teenager’s eyes was so much easier to make my oyster, or at least I thought. Adulthood and coming to terms with emotional upheavals slowly brought in more color, and definitely more static. So, finding clarity when lost in a feelings fog can make one reluctant to leave the limbo terminal. Not knowing the beginning or the end of what you’re going through can sometimes be extremely peaceful, as paradoxical as that sounds, it’s like being a permanent resident of Switzerland during the World War. It’s a neither here nor there Neverneverland and numbs the pain of having to choose one over the other. Ignorance is bliss, and limbo is bliss at its best.

There are of course, advantages and major disadvantages of being in this state. One thing that could be considered a pro is that it actually gives you some time to think and reflect. Honestly, like when you are unsure if your flight is leaving on time or is delayed you then surrender to the fact that you have to sit down or walk around lost in as many distractions as you can possible come up with. In come the scenarios swimming in your head, all the possible wonderful endings and all the disastrous ones, in fact, it becomes a mental Choose Your Own Adventure, and the best part about it is that the ending can change over and over again. That’s the fun part about being in limbo (OK, fun is relative) you allow yourself a certain amount of detachment in order to play and replay scenes from your life and permit yourself to rebook your destination, if at least, in an imaginary outcome atlas, with no hidden fees and surcharges. You become audience to your drama, so in that aspect, limbo rocks.

Another plus about limbo is that it allows reassessment, and for some, the chance to be vulnerable. Vulnerability is often scowled upon as a weakness, when the truth be told, showing vulnerability gives others a chance to help, when they would normally be turned away out of pride. There is no shame in admitting you need help, no one is expected to be strong day in and day out, and when the winds of confusion set in leaving us helpless in the hands of what we cannot control then humility takes over as well. We then learn that although we have to make decisions on our own, there are many around us who will help us ’til it’s time for that decision to be made, who act as support, sounding boards, sometimes even a shoulder to cry on or an understanding ear. We all crave definition in everything from our TV sets to our own lives but first we have to surf through our experiential channels in order to get the best reception, and this takes time. Limbo gives us a timeout and eventually a way out.

So on your way to destination definition, enjoy a couple of stopovers in limboland.

By Katrina A. Holigores
Inquirer

I read this somewhere...

How is one to live a moral and compassionate existence when one is fully aware of the blood, the horror inherent in life, when one finds darkness not only in one's culture but within oneself?

If there is a stage at which an individual life becomes truly adult, it must be when one grasps the irony in its unfolding and accepts responsibility for a life lived in the midst of such paradox.

One must live in the middle of contradiction, because if all contradiction were eliminated at once, life would collapse. There are simply no answers to some of the great pressing questions. You continue to live them out, making your life a worthy expression of leaning into the light.

Dorothy Thompson once said:

Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow.

Blog Away...

It makes me feel good everytime I influence another "soul" to blog. It actually means that my own "blogs" are read, and that the very reasons why I blog make sense to some people - enough to encourage them to create their own blogs as well! =)

I guess if you do something with such passion, the energy does rub off on people. =)

Weekend Hassles

The weekend has been pretty tough. Aside from the fact that "EGAY" did not leave without goodbye as he obviously made his presence felt around the metro (for the last time....) with all the rains and floods, family members have been falling ill.

For one I am still recuperating from cough and colds, and then my nephew (Nirro) had this toothache which led to having swollen gums and another nephew (cousin's son) having tonsilitis. Then my Mom's sugar count dropping so low it gave her chills and made her feel so sluggish... Then the unexpected fever of Nirro awhile ago which really turned things around...

We were at the supermarket doing groceries when he complained of feeling chilly... and then he was "hot"... we had to hurry up with the groceries and head home... stripped of details, things are under control at the moment, it does help that his mom (my sister) is a doctor but you know, when it's a member of the family getting sick, moreso her only child, she gets panicky.

In the final analysis, it maybe an exhausting day but it makes you feel good somehow... Makes you realize the value of having your "family" around for support...

Egay, etc...

It has been raining again even if "Egay", the storm's name, is leaving the country. Classes have been suspended last night to avoid the "delayed" announcement which the DepEd has been accused of, over and over as this leaves the students stranded, making things worse for them.

I still have "stuffy" nose and even if I am irritated by it, I can't do anything but bear with the "sneezing" and the "blowing" of my "red nose". Too early for Christmas. hehehe.

Anyway, I got this call to be consultant for the creation of a PHE (read as: Population, Health and Environment) compendium. But the budget's kinda low but it seems a worthwhile thing to do. So, we'll see. =)

Aaaachooo!!!!

Because of the bad weather the past days, where I got myself wet from the rain in excitement to meet old pals, I came down with, not necessarily the flu, just simple cough and colds this weekend. Was having fever Saturday morning at 38 degrees Celsius and a terrible headache! not to mention my sinus aching so bad!

Anyway, I logged in the net once in a while yesterday and went to bed early... skipped eating except breakfast and here I am now. Had "arroz caldo" my mom prepared for me last night, which I failed to eat then, and took my meds. Hopefully, I feel better later. =)

Nobody likes being sick. Aaachooo!!!

Last Day.

Today was the last day of their training (media friends) and so I had to see those coming from Sultan Kudarat. They were the ones I was supposed to meet last time (Monday evening...) but change of plans and I met with the others instead. I met Gina, Gary and Allan early morning for coffee at where else? Starbucks. =)

It was really good seeing them again, and as I posted the other day, these people have become my friends I couldn't help but care and look after their well being. It's just that they have worked so hard and dedicated much of their time doing RH/PopDev advocacy you couldn't help but be proud of these people and think of ways to sustain their initiatives and their group's existence.

These are good people working with good intentions, and the thought that they may get exploited breaks my heart. They deserve better. And damn, they deserve it now.

Bad Weather. Bad Timing.

Oh yeah, I know we need the rain and all that. But why does it have to happen now? Why this week when media friends are here in town? =(

It's not like they're here every so often and they come from all over the Philippines - Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. This wet and cold weather is the kind that makes you want to stay indoors. ANd I don't want to stay indoors. I want to go out and meet these people and spend as much time with them as I could. You know, in the process of doing the project with the UNFPA, these people have become so close to me and friendship has been established. And it's one treasure I hold so dearly in my heart. Anyway, I did meet some of them last time and here are some snapshots. (posted this as well in the media blog...)

That's Me and Ed General from Radyo ng Bayan - Jolo, Sulu...

Now that's EV Espiritu of Inquirer North Luzon (Based in Baguio City) and Cecil Abuy of RPN 9 Zamboanga, and coordinator for Tawi-Tawi.

And that's Papa Roy Calvo of Radyo ng Bayan-Borongan, Eastern Samar and Frank Cimatu, also from Inquirer-North Luzon (Baguio City).

Hopefully, I will be meeting the media from Sultan Kudarat later. The storm is getting in the way that I failed to meet with them yesterday. Bad Weather. Bad Timing.

VisualDNA

See the new add-on in my sidebar? =) Stumbled upon this site where you get to choose froma variety of visual images to answer a question. At the end of that "test", you get that "visualDNA" whose code can be embedded in a post or as one of the page elements of your site. Pretty Neat huh? =)

World's Largest Countries (by land mass)

1. Russia 17,075,400 sq km, (6,592,812 sq miles)
2. Canada 9,330,970 sq km, (3,612,187 sq miles)
3. China 9,326,410 sq km, (3,600,927 sq miles)
4. United States 9.166,600 sq km, (3,539,224 sq miles)
5. Brazil 8,456,510 sq km, (3,265,059 sq miles)
6. Australia 7,617,930 sq km, (2,941,283 sq miles)
7. India 2,973,190 sq km, (1,147,949 sq miles)
8. Argentina 2,736,690 sq km, (1,056,636 sq miles)
9. Kazakhstan 2,717,300 sq km, (1,049,150 sq miles)
10. Sudan 2,376,000 sq km, (917,374 sq miles)
    

SOURCE: http://www.cylist.com/List/400300113/

Blogs and websites

Why do I blog? This question will be addressed as I try to explain what is a blog and what is its difference to a website, which most people are familiar with. Most of the info. I will post are information I likewise gathered from other bloggers. Since they are many, allow me to just credit them generically. This entry also intends to encourage blogging, like the rest of those I got to pick info from... trust me, it can be really addictive... =)

What is a blog?

From blogger.com, the host (For FREE!!!) of the blogs I create, comes this definition:

A blog is an easy to use website where:

1. you could post your thoughts;

2. share information;

3. provide updates;

4. interact with other people;

5. and more...

A lot of blogs out there help inform and educate the public, from reporting on changes and attempts to change the laws of government to reporting upon the impact of government decisions. One of the first blogs I created was for a project with the media which I managed, intended primarily for advocacy purposes. I got the idea of creating that blog when a friend set-up a blog to sustain our advocacy on the issues of religion, gender and sexuality. Media practitioners have also started their blogs in order to publish their articles, some of which are those not published by their media outfits or simply to air out their views. Around the world, people who are once repressed with a lack of free speech are risking their lives to blog about the continued repression and political unrest. "Blogs are giving people a voice they had never had before".

Teachers, artists, writers, doctors, lawyers, advocates and many other professionals are now blogging about their experiences and lessons learned to help others learn from them. As such, there are more educational material than ever before available in the world wide web because of this eagerness to share through blogging.

Many people believe that blogs are the changing face of public relations and advertising today. Just a few months ago, a report was published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer as to how blogging is becoming an effective advertising strategy.

When do you blog?

If you have "static" information and articles and just want to put it out there and let it sit, then putting up a website will meet your needs. But if you carve interaction and you want to update on a regular basis, then consider blogging.

TIPS

These I gathered from another blog I couldn't remember. They were very good I saved it in a word file, neglecting to save the source. My apologies...

1. Make a plan

Here are guide questions to help you through:

• What are you going to write about?
• Or do you only want to show off photographs (photoblog)?
• Or do you want to post them and talk about them?
• Do you want to write about a lot of topics or just a specific topic or genre?

With a specific topic/subject in mind, plan how you will deliver that information. For example, will you post links and a few comments or will you actually write and explain topics, like articles, or a combination?

2. Choose a theme or style for the site that will represent the "tone" of your subject.

Remember that the look of the blog will give the people the impression of the contents in your blog. It is the first thing that they will see when they walk through your so-called "virtual door".

Website vs. Blog

A website is a collection of web pages on a server. It is a form of static billboard on the Internet that showcases information. There is more to the definition, but for this purposes, that is good enough. A website can be a collection of articles, news, links, information, photographs and anything you want. And a website can even host a blog! =)

On the otherhand, a blog is a website or part of a website that usually features one or more of the following criteria:

• Editorial Commentary
• Links to external sites often seen as recommendations or features
• Tells stories
• Usually about a specific topic, subject, or genre
• Tends to be personal
• Could be considered "newsy" rather than "news"
• Comments and interaction with the audience
• Photographs of you and your activities

For a considerable period of time, a blog would have been a diary, journal, scrapbook or storytelling medium. But it has evolved depending on who blogs and what he blogs about.

Fact of the matter is, a blog is a website; but the varying termonilogy is used to distinguish a static medium from an interactive site, where magic that brings forth interaction and compels thought takes place. =)

Keeping in Touch

I had a "text conversation" with an old friend, and we havn't kept in touch for awhile. The one thing I miss about us though was the way we discuss, from the ordinary stuff to the weirdest idea or philosophy we could think about. And today, our topic was heaven and hell. Stripped of details, there were a lot of exchanges, logic applied and conclusions reached, which both parties neither succumbed to. Underneath all that was actually just two friends keeping in touch. Glad to know that the other was still alive, still full of surprises and stubborness, but a lot wiser in terms of life.

But I do sense my friend was not happy, or at least trying to be happy now. We never really discussed it, but in between heaven and hell, I just know. Believe me when I say that in every person's heart are sorrows which the rest of the world does not know. Oftentimes, they appear cold and distant when the reality is, they're simply sad.

Symptoms of INNER PEACE

Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to inner peace and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.

Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:

*A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
*An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
*A loss of interest in judging other people.
*A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
*A loss of interest in conflict.
*A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom).
*Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
*Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
*Frequent attacks of smiling.
*An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
*An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

What's the difference between being smart from being wise?

"The difference between a smart person and a wise person is that a smart person knows what to say and a wise person knows whether or not to say it." -- Quote found on the wall of a recreation center office in Berkeley, California.

Commitment

--- a belief in each other and the possibility of unconditional love. A decision to ignore and simply rise above the pains of the past, as well as the uncertainties of the future. A promise which binds two (2) souls and yet severs prior ties.

For two (2) will always be stronger than one.

Point to Ponder...

Why are we so full of restraint?

Why do we not give in all directions?

Is it fear of losing ourselves?

... Until we do lose ourselves, there is no hope of finding ourselves...

HSA...

Been busy the past days haven't got the time to blog. Anyways, I did say I will be writing about the so-called Human Security Act of 2007 or more popularly known as the Anti-Terror Law. There is nothing "secure" about this law, if anything, it simply reaps insecurity to our human rights as guaranteed by the Constitution.

I remember reading on one article that this public official, whose name I forgot, saying that the passage of this law was made in compliance with international obligations to which the Philippines was a signatory, and therefore, there should be no question as to its legislation. This got my ire as as this was the same logic and reasoning I used to espouse when I talk about legislation on a national policy for RH care and services. And up to now, the government has yet to come up with a national policy re: this issue. Need I say more?

A lot of articles have been written on the subject so here's one editorial piece worth reading:

xxx

The Arroyo administration and its enforcers are given too much leeway in implementing the antiterror law. Administration officials said the act does not require the government to draw up implementing rules and regulations, but given a law that offers great opportunity for abuse, clear rules have to be laid down for the enforcers.

xxx

The Human Security Act is another instance of Orwellian Newspeak being foisted on the people by the Arroyo administration, which has a perverted sense of human rights. Instead of ensuring the security of people, it will heighten their sense of insecurity. The law will strike fear in the hearts of innocent people who could, at any time, and at the whim of administration officials and the military, be falsely labeled “terrorists," hounded and watched, their communication wiretapped, their assets seized, their movements limited, their freedom curtailed, and probably, even their very lives taken without any judicial proceeding. These things were happening even before the Human Security Act became law. The situation may worsen with the enforcement of the law by an administration that has shown no respect for human rights.

Read the full article here.

*** Another interesting article related to this subject matter, High court asked to rule on legality of terror law, is linked here.

Protecting only the state

Based on the United Nations Development Program, human security encompasses the “security of real people” and consists of freedom from fear, want and humiliation. But the petitioners said the definition of terrorism appeared to protect only the state. “To project counterterrorism as human security is not only deceptive to our people but also dishonest as a misappropriation of a concept currently associated with the UNDP, the independent global Commission for Human Security and the Human Security Network of countries,” they said. They also warned that this would have negative effects on peace talks.

“There is a danger now with the HSA that such human security and peace efforts of the UNDP and Mindanao peace advocates will become associated with counterterrorism, which would be unfair to those efforts,” they said.

Human Security Act of 2007

I want to write my thoughts on this "Anti-Terrorism" Law that will soon be implemented here in the Philippines this July 15, 2007. I am just sleepy now that my thoughts are sort of garbled at the moment. Suffice it to say that I am one with the many who think this law is nothing short of martial law.

More on this later ...

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said:

Many people die with their music still in them.

Too often because they are always getting ready to live.

Before they know it, time runs out...

Point to Ponder

Nathaniel Hawthorne once said:

No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true.

Mickey Mouse

Yes, I love Mickey Mouse. It's a classic - d classic. All the barneys, and the spongebobs and all other cartoons are just innovations of what the Mickey Mouse character and his other disney friends have provided kids. I remember that feeling of calmness and serenity when I was in Disney World in Orlando, Florida. That is the sight of the biggest theme parks Disney has created. They have about Four (4) theme parks which you can't get enough of. Being there was surreal. It makes me want to stop time and just be there. Mickey Mouse' house was really cool, it makes you feel like he's real and that he really lives there. =)

Oh well, when I think about those times I just feel happy. Haha. It's a happy place - where all your dreams come true. (that's part of a song they play there...)

At the end of the day, fireworks behind the palace ( the classic disney palace logo of Disney) take place and it's truly breathtaking...

Pokemon

My nephew Nirro is so into pokemons I can't help but be into it, too. Hehehe. Well, that's because I am the one who usually accompany him in buying them and when I'm out on the mall and see new pokemon characters myself, I feel compelled to buy!

His bright smile when I show him new pokemons I bought is just so sweet and addictive that you can't get enough of it, know what I mean? You know kids give you the most genuine and sincere emotions because the concept of deceipt and lies are just so alien to them at their tender age.

Shown here is the picture of my favorite pokemon. I actually have a lot of favorites now since there are about thousands of them that you can't help liking so many characters. Though there are goofy and weird looking ones too.

Anyways, kids stuff. But mind you, when I arrange all the pokemons he has collected after he played with them, it relaxes me ... a good way to destress... It's true, we should never lose the child within each of us... =)

Pinoy Big Brother Season 2

I thought twice re: blogging about this but then again, somehow I feel like I should, amid the risk of being "mainstream" when I am all about being "unorthodoxy". =)

So, the PBB Season 2 was over hours ago with Beatriz Saw as the Big Winner. That was a relief! I must admit I am one of the thousands if not millions of people who actually hated and resented the fact that this "Wendy" was still in the house after all her "kabastusan".

Let me just express what I felt weeks ago after that girl's ill-mannered ways toward her housemates, Bea and Gee-Ann in particluar. I personally think that the management should have done something more than reprimand her. Sanctions should have been imposed on her like a forced eviction.

The fact is, this girl was already evicted and was brought back --- duh???? Just so to bolster the Bruce-Wendy loveteam. Ewe!!! Obviously, for the ratings.... In addition, she has no class, no etiquette and very ill-mannered. The big winner should embody positive values of pinoys - marunong makisama, madaling pakisamahan, mapagbigay pero lumalaban kung kailangan. That girl is nothing close to any of that. She's guilty of making spiteful remarks, uncalled for comments and nasty behavior towards her housemates. Indeed she was being "true", showing us her true colors - ang pagkakaroon ng masamang ugali. In life, those are ingredients for being a "loser".

Some say that wendy is just matapang and has a strong personality - HELLO! I have a strong personality and I, too am matapang but that girl's claim or her supporters, is totally MISPLACED. My legal background and training has built my courage to stand up for myself and fight for what is right. Fighting for your principles, fighting for the oppressed and fighting for what is just. Not fighting just for the heck of it. There's a proper time, place and manner in proving your point and knowing when to just let it go when it's not worth it.

I am no fan of Beatriz, in fact, I have no particular housemate whom I liked, unlike the PDA - [Pinoy Dream Academy] where I really liked yeng, chad and yvan. I am just truly glad that Wendy did not win and Bea won because that sends a positive message to the viewing public, specifically the youth, that in life, one should learn patience, acceptance and courage. One should learn to choose which battles to take and when you do engage, make sure they were worth it and that they do matter, for the right reasons. Being real and being true should be understood and appreciated hand-in-hand with one's principles and values.

Bea has showed the strength of her character and conviction during her confrontations with Maricris and managed to keep her composure by remaining calm and forgiving despite Wendy's rough ways, incessant provocations and malicious insinuations.

That was admirable and for me, the kind of pinoy, or pinay for that matter, we should all be proud of --- a woman with elegance, proper disposition and good moral fiber. Indeed, a real winner.

I'm back....

And now I'm back. I've been out of cyberspace for the past 25 days (imagine that!) because our landline got busted. The PLDT repairmen who first went to check it was useless. Then days after, when we have decided to have the line cut and get a new line/internet from another service provider, a group of repairmen arrived to "fix" the problem. Ha! If we didn't ask for its disconnection, they would not have acted immediately as they did to fix the problem.

Ok, so I am thrilled to be blogging again. I intended to write about Trillanes, the textbook errors, and basketball. But because of "technical failure", the "momentum" was sort of lost. But I'll try to come up with something. hehehe...

here are tidbits on my take re: those issues, except basketball (that will be a separate post indeed...):

Trillanes' victory is a clear sign that majority of Filipinos aren't satisfied with the current administration. It also shows that the people wanted somebody new, bold and daring to effect changes in the government and move things forward. As one of the key people in the infamous OAKWOOD Mutiny, this guy is an embodiment of non-conformity and justice wrapped in one. Hey, we might not openly admit it, but somewhere deep inside each of us, we rebel on the oppressions around us, we are dismayed with the way things happen in Philippine politics... we are tired with the "smart asses" called trapos running things around... we all want something good to be done... so why not take chances with a fellow who took a chance for us? =)

About the textbook errors:

One of the major issues there was the "conceptual errors" committed. The martial law era was allegedly discussed in a manner that shows the latter to be something good, where certain projects implemented benefitted people etc etc. The guy who was really frustrated and disgusted with those things ( I forgot his name... tagal na nga kasi...) said in a documentary I watched weeks ago in The Probe that those errors would idiotize the students and for me, perhaps create wrong notions of what really transpired back then. History books are supposed to write factual events and discuss matters accurately so that in time, when looked back into, the new generation would understand and grasp the lessons learned from these occurences, hoping they get to do better in their time. To do otherwise is highly dangerous as time will come when none of those who were really there can validate or contest claims in the future by those mislead by an inaccurate recital in the books of historic events in the country. It does make me wonder why the people responsible for its screening approved those books to be published. Giving it a 94% rating... Makes you think they were motivated by some ill factors in doing so.. perhaps their own vested interests in that "project"...

Now, this thing actually made me think of The Bible. As we all know, the bible contains the history of humankind and forms the basis of The Roman Catholic faith, and other protestant religions as well. This book is not an exception from all the flaws we saw in the process that DepEd did in publishing those textbooks. We all know the holy bible has been translated from one language to another, from generations to generations... written in many forms centuries and centuries ago. "ERRORS" are therefore inevitable. Fabrication or omissions of some details cannot be discounted. Either intentionally or unintentionally. Just look at the recently discovered "Gnostic Gospels".

Well, don't get me wrong. I am not about rewriting religion, questioning faiths or forming new religious denomination. I am Catholic, and I intend to stay and die that way. All I am saying is, we should be open-minded enough to see that the Church, or the Vatican can be guilty of having committed these fallacies... again either intentionally or unintentionally. So really, there is no such thing as absolute truth, or right and wrong on the basis of religion alone. What is practiced in one religion is not always acceptable in others. What is essential is knowing how to balance what is truly good and bad, in consideration of all... based on kindness. And that is universal. That alone should be sufficient to guide you along the way and live a good life.

Remember what separates us from the animals --- the gift of "free will". And in making choices and in passing through life's "crossroads", let us not be blinded and hindered by predetermined philosophies, norms and traditions handed to us. Look around, think, pray and follow your heart. Stand up if you must but acknowledge the wisdom behind a compromise.

Keep believing that good things happen to good people. Trust me.