After having a well earned lead in NaNoWriMo (one month to write 50k words...am at 30k already), I finally have time for this sort of blogging again.
Never before have I been so ambivalent about politics. The lines getting blurred:
-No one having a clear stand on issues such as the RH bill, disaster relief, mental health, etc. So far, the same old problems are being tackled in the same old ways.
-Candidacies and eligibility issues. So can Erap run? Bayani Fernando? Who else may be disqualified?
Sometimes I wonder how many red herrings, big bad wolves, dark horses and balimbings will come up.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
more COMELEC horror
Even as I type this, I'm listening to my schoolmates discussing the terrible registration process. Apparently, a friend of mine tried to register earlier today. He got to the COMELEC office at about 8am, only to find out that there was a 1000-person cutoff that day!
So the date is October 29. I really wonder if the higher-ups in the COMELEC know what's happening in some precints...
So the date is October 29. I really wonder if the higher-ups in the COMELEC know what's happening in some precints...
Friday, October 23, 2009
voters and mental health
I know, this isn't something that is always on candidates or voters' minds when election period comes up. Still, it's something worth considering. Are there candidates who will make it a point to promote mental health and wellness in the Philippines?
I mean this in several ways. Firstly, there is the need to provide better interventions and support for various sectors in our society who have difficulties with cognitive-psychological matters. I refer to the differently-abled both young and old, the elderly in our hospitals, hospices, and homes for the aged, those diagnosed with psychological disorders, people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder due to trauma from calamities or violence, and people who need reintegration in their communities following displacement, release from prison and other circumstances. Our doctors, nurses, community workers, staff in mental-health institutes and wards, teachers and even caretakers need to be taught how to help these individuals achieve what they can in our society. Opportunities need to be created for people who are differently-abled and the elderly so that they can adequately contribute to society instead of being somehow shut away at home or in special institutions. Our local government units need to provide systems to help families and groups rehabilitate themselves using their own resources and capabilities instead of relying on hand-outs.
We also need candidates who will understand the need for holistic health-care, employment and educational systems that will not just equip Filipinos with the rudiments for survival, but also encourage them to develop their full-potentials (self-actualize as psych people like to say). Our health-care needs to address not just disease prevention and cure, but even familial and community attitudes towards communicable diseases, mental disorders, and physical disabilities. We are so used to marginalizing and stigmatizing those who are unwell. We are steeped in ignorance about how to properly care and support those are on the road to recovery. We need to integrate the Filipino moral and spiritual beliefs with ongoing scientific practice to promote the overall welfare of the sick.
Our employment system needs to look beyond the aspects of fair compensation and benefits, but also at the possibility of human resources development. We need to train our workforce to achieve more than just competency, but also a sense of purpose and a willingness to know more and improve in their chosen occupations. We need to improve our vocational and technical training so that opportunities and advancement will still be possible for those who will be unable to pursue anything beyond a high school degree. We also need to look into the social support that our overseas workers and their families receive. Along with the need to protect and care for our OFWs, we also need to help their families cope with the stresses caused by separation from their loved ones, and ensure the integrity of the family even over distances.
Our educational system also needs to acknowledge the various strengths and capabilities of individual Filipino children, and use these good points to prepare them to become sound, contributing individuals to society. From an early age, we need to encourage children to develop confidence in their own academic abilities, to ask questions, investigate for answers, and interact cooperatively with their peers instead of worrying about what facts they know and how they measure up to other students. By increasing their thirst for knowledge as well as giving them the logistical, material, and mental means to critically and constructively examine the world, our young people will eventually be able to pick up the knowledge they will need in their academics. In a country where teachers may not always be present, it is important for those already in the field to give our children the means to become their own teachers, in a more experiential, practical way. Our educational system also needs to examine the reasons for our high dropout rate, and look at practices that will care for students as whole individuals who will be willing and able to pursue their studies. We need to consider family factors, community difficulties and mindsets, and even physical problems that may deter the youth from studying. Otherwise we will be looking at our youth as merely statistics and test scores.
Lastly, but definitely not the least, mental health and wellness can be promoted by upholding the roles of psychologists, psychiatrists, psychometricians, social workers, SPED teachers, and other specialists concerned with the mental and psychological growth and interventions in the lives of Filipinos. We need to regulate our mental-health practitioners and ensure they are properly licensed.We also need to provide means for our specialists to deepen and broaden their knowledge in psychology, sociology, and other related fields--not just in the Philippine context. Development and added education should be available to people who seek to pursue a life in this form of helping profession. There is a need to extend the mental-health practitioner's role to more than just crises intervention (e.g. post-Ondoy scenario), but also as a part of an individual's or a community's overall growth. Our practitioners need to be able to contribute in making our social systems more humane and productive for Filipinos.
I have yet to hear of a candidate who will see these points clearly and uphold them in his or her platform. I call on my fellow psychology students, and even already practicing teachers, psychologists and specialists to please consider these things when choosing which candidates to vote for. Although our society does not place a direct emphasis on mental health, this component is nonetheless essential to the lives and continued sustainable development of the Filipino people. In these times rife with calamity and unrest, our role is not just in conflict management and distress mitigation, but it should progress to rehabilitation, reintegration and eventually adaptive development in these new circumstances. We will need political will to make this feasible---and we will need the support of our public servants to make all of this a reality.
A vote for mental health? I hope we can count on it!
I mean this in several ways. Firstly, there is the need to provide better interventions and support for various sectors in our society who have difficulties with cognitive-psychological matters. I refer to the differently-abled both young and old, the elderly in our hospitals, hospices, and homes for the aged, those diagnosed with psychological disorders, people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder due to trauma from calamities or violence, and people who need reintegration in their communities following displacement, release from prison and other circumstances. Our doctors, nurses, community workers, staff in mental-health institutes and wards, teachers and even caretakers need to be taught how to help these individuals achieve what they can in our society. Opportunities need to be created for people who are differently-abled and the elderly so that they can adequately contribute to society instead of being somehow shut away at home or in special institutions. Our local government units need to provide systems to help families and groups rehabilitate themselves using their own resources and capabilities instead of relying on hand-outs.
We also need candidates who will understand the need for holistic health-care, employment and educational systems that will not just equip Filipinos with the rudiments for survival, but also encourage them to develop their full-potentials (self-actualize as psych people like to say). Our health-care needs to address not just disease prevention and cure, but even familial and community attitudes towards communicable diseases, mental disorders, and physical disabilities. We are so used to marginalizing and stigmatizing those who are unwell. We are steeped in ignorance about how to properly care and support those are on the road to recovery. We need to integrate the Filipino moral and spiritual beliefs with ongoing scientific practice to promote the overall welfare of the sick.
Our employment system needs to look beyond the aspects of fair compensation and benefits, but also at the possibility of human resources development. We need to train our workforce to achieve more than just competency, but also a sense of purpose and a willingness to know more and improve in their chosen occupations. We need to improve our vocational and technical training so that opportunities and advancement will still be possible for those who will be unable to pursue anything beyond a high school degree. We also need to look into the social support that our overseas workers and their families receive. Along with the need to protect and care for our OFWs, we also need to help their families cope with the stresses caused by separation from their loved ones, and ensure the integrity of the family even over distances.
Our educational system also needs to acknowledge the various strengths and capabilities of individual Filipino children, and use these good points to prepare them to become sound, contributing individuals to society. From an early age, we need to encourage children to develop confidence in their own academic abilities, to ask questions, investigate for answers, and interact cooperatively with their peers instead of worrying about what facts they know and how they measure up to other students. By increasing their thirst for knowledge as well as giving them the logistical, material, and mental means to critically and constructively examine the world, our young people will eventually be able to pick up the knowledge they will need in their academics. In a country where teachers may not always be present, it is important for those already in the field to give our children the means to become their own teachers, in a more experiential, practical way. Our educational system also needs to examine the reasons for our high dropout rate, and look at practices that will care for students as whole individuals who will be willing and able to pursue their studies. We need to consider family factors, community difficulties and mindsets, and even physical problems that may deter the youth from studying. Otherwise we will be looking at our youth as merely statistics and test scores.
Lastly, but definitely not the least, mental health and wellness can be promoted by upholding the roles of psychologists, psychiatrists, psychometricians, social workers, SPED teachers, and other specialists concerned with the mental and psychological growth and interventions in the lives of Filipinos. We need to regulate our mental-health practitioners and ensure they are properly licensed.We also need to provide means for our specialists to deepen and broaden their knowledge in psychology, sociology, and other related fields--not just in the Philippine context. Development and added education should be available to people who seek to pursue a life in this form of helping profession. There is a need to extend the mental-health practitioner's role to more than just crises intervention (e.g. post-Ondoy scenario), but also as a part of an individual's or a community's overall growth. Our practitioners need to be able to contribute in making our social systems more humane and productive for Filipinos.
I have yet to hear of a candidate who will see these points clearly and uphold them in his or her platform. I call on my fellow psychology students, and even already practicing teachers, psychologists and specialists to please consider these things when choosing which candidates to vote for. Although our society does not place a direct emphasis on mental health, this component is nonetheless essential to the lives and continued sustainable development of the Filipino people. In these times rife with calamity and unrest, our role is not just in conflict management and distress mitigation, but it should progress to rehabilitation, reintegration and eventually adaptive development in these new circumstances. We will need political will to make this feasible---and we will need the support of our public servants to make all of this a reality.
A vote for mental health? I hope we can count on it!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
nation building
Of course I'm going to write about the typhoons. I'm not planning to make this entry about the presidentiables' actions during recent events, or about the speed and quality of the government's response. I prefer to write though about the opportunities that this situation presents.
I don't just mean the opportunities our public servants now have to improve urban and rural planning, curb illegal logging, reduce Manila's trash, and relocate squatters. What I mean are the opportunities to sustain the best in the Filipino people. In the past three weeks, I've seen and heard of many stories in the relief centers, in the devastated communities, or in odd places which were spared. Some of the stories appalled me with the knowledge that some people can be so self-serving or even brutal in times of need. More often though, I heard stories of people who had little to begin with in terms of material possessions, but gave what they could to their suffering neighbors. I have met people who spent days and nights in the relief centers, packing and sending out goods to many communities. I have run into individuals who dared to go into the flooded communities even when the waters had yet to go down, just to save lives, run medical missions, or give much needed help and support. I have even heard of those who gave up their lives that others may live.
These stories cut across all classes and divisions. Distance didn't matter---help came even from abroad. From the cousin who sent part of her savings all the way from overseas to an aspiring scholar from a GK village who lost no time in hurrying to a flooded community to help clean it up, I saw heroism everywhere. And it is this heroism that our future leaders should nurture and protect.
Imagine if our so-called politicos could emulate, inspire, and uphold this nobility of spirit. Imagine if we Filipinos could feel such love and dignity each day because the leaders of our land work to make sure we will have cause to hold our heads up high. Imagine if our public servants could unite communities instead of playing "divide and conquer" just to stay in office.
Sure, our politicians can and should work out the logistics of rehabilitation to prevent a reprise of this kind of disaster. Sure, our leaders should prove that they are capable of setting communities back on their feet, free from mud and raging waters. However, these leaders should also decide what is it that they represent to their constituents. Are they the kind of servant-leader who will be in solidarity with those who suffer, who will not only comfort them in their hour of need, but give them the opportunity to use their diligence and effort to bounce back from calamities? Or are they the sort of politicians who will exploit such a dire scenario to make their names known, to grandstand in front of the media and whitewash their names just to give an illusion of altruism?
If our effort becomes self-serving, then it can hardly be called heroism at all. We are a country that coined the term "bayanihan". The act of heroism, or becoming a hero. Which is what we need nowadays.
I don't just mean the opportunities our public servants now have to improve urban and rural planning, curb illegal logging, reduce Manila's trash, and relocate squatters. What I mean are the opportunities to sustain the best in the Filipino people. In the past three weeks, I've seen and heard of many stories in the relief centers, in the devastated communities, or in odd places which were spared. Some of the stories appalled me with the knowledge that some people can be so self-serving or even brutal in times of need. More often though, I heard stories of people who had little to begin with in terms of material possessions, but gave what they could to their suffering neighbors. I have met people who spent days and nights in the relief centers, packing and sending out goods to many communities. I have run into individuals who dared to go into the flooded communities even when the waters had yet to go down, just to save lives, run medical missions, or give much needed help and support. I have even heard of those who gave up their lives that others may live.
These stories cut across all classes and divisions. Distance didn't matter---help came even from abroad. From the cousin who sent part of her savings all the way from overseas to an aspiring scholar from a GK village who lost no time in hurrying to a flooded community to help clean it up, I saw heroism everywhere. And it is this heroism that our future leaders should nurture and protect.
Imagine if our so-called politicos could emulate, inspire, and uphold this nobility of spirit. Imagine if we Filipinos could feel such love and dignity each day because the leaders of our land work to make sure we will have cause to hold our heads up high. Imagine if our public servants could unite communities instead of playing "divide and conquer" just to stay in office.
Sure, our politicians can and should work out the logistics of rehabilitation to prevent a reprise of this kind of disaster. Sure, our leaders should prove that they are capable of setting communities back on their feet, free from mud and raging waters. However, these leaders should also decide what is it that they represent to their constituents. Are they the kind of servant-leader who will be in solidarity with those who suffer, who will not only comfort them in their hour of need, but give them the opportunity to use their diligence and effort to bounce back from calamities? Or are they the sort of politicians who will exploit such a dire scenario to make their names known, to grandstand in front of the media and whitewash their names just to give an illusion of altruism?
If our effort becomes self-serving, then it can hardly be called heroism at all. We are a country that coined the term "bayanihan". The act of heroism, or becoming a hero. Which is what we need nowadays.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
of infomercials
It's funny I'm only able to really write about infomercials now. Maybe it's because I'm a little tired of the pseudo-campaign noise coming from my TV. Or maybe it's because of the news coverage with Senator Defensor-Santiago actively opposing these ventures. Or maybe it's because of my lessons in sensory psychology (hint: not-so-subliminal messages).
One thing is for sure though: those infomercials have to go, at least till the campaign season officially kicks off. These infomercials are still considered as media exposure. And we all know what media exposure can do for viewers and voters.
Originally, I wasn't planning to attend a forum being conducted by Senator Defensor-Santiago all about the infomercials issue. But well, my friends ended up going and I figured I may as well go and see what was going on. Now that was the first time in my 3 years in De La Salle University that I saw our auditorium packed with students attending a political/sociocivic event.
A good thing I attended the forum; I learned about the legal side of the infomercial controversy. Apparently it is not only unconstitutional for these presidentiables to be prematurely airing these infomercials, but it can also be illegal. The unconstitutionality stems from the inequality of exposure that comes with the lengthy running of these infomercials; only the very wealthy can afford to pay for months upon months of airing 30-second infomercials. Thus, less affluent candidates who cannot shell out millions for this kind of endorsement end up losing out on the exposure factor they may need to garner votes.
The illegal side of the issue is thornier however. According to Senator Defensor-Santiago, if a candidate's friends or patrons are the ones funding these infomercials, this can still be construed as an election violation and a breach of the anti-graft law that states that public officials should not receive substantial gifts or favors from other parties. And if a candidate is funding these infomercials out of his or her pocket, well that might be a matter worthy of investigation especially if this candidate is only supposed to be receiving a modest amount as his or her salary as an elected official.
All the loopholes in the laws about elections as well as in our Constitution have put us in this mess. Since no one seems to be eager to do something about those pitfalls, the only solution left seems to be that of critical choice: realizing that some of our wannabe leaders may have things they need to clear up before we can fully trust them with public office, and from there having the voters make informed choices.
One thing is for sure though: those infomercials have to go, at least till the campaign season officially kicks off. These infomercials are still considered as media exposure. And we all know what media exposure can do for viewers and voters.
Originally, I wasn't planning to attend a forum being conducted by Senator Defensor-Santiago all about the infomercials issue. But well, my friends ended up going and I figured I may as well go and see what was going on. Now that was the first time in my 3 years in De La Salle University that I saw our auditorium packed with students attending a political/sociocivic event.
A good thing I attended the forum; I learned about the legal side of the infomercial controversy. Apparently it is not only unconstitutional for these presidentiables to be prematurely airing these infomercials, but it can also be illegal. The unconstitutionality stems from the inequality of exposure that comes with the lengthy running of these infomercials; only the very wealthy can afford to pay for months upon months of airing 30-second infomercials. Thus, less affluent candidates who cannot shell out millions for this kind of endorsement end up losing out on the exposure factor they may need to garner votes.
The illegal side of the issue is thornier however. According to Senator Defensor-Santiago, if a candidate's friends or patrons are the ones funding these infomercials, this can still be construed as an election violation and a breach of the anti-graft law that states that public officials should not receive substantial gifts or favors from other parties. And if a candidate is funding these infomercials out of his or her pocket, well that might be a matter worthy of investigation especially if this candidate is only supposed to be receiving a modest amount as his or her salary as an elected official.
All the loopholes in the laws about elections as well as in our Constitution have put us in this mess. Since no one seems to be eager to do something about those pitfalls, the only solution left seems to be that of critical choice: realizing that some of our wannabe leaders may have things they need to clear up before we can fully trust them with public office, and from there having the voters make informed choices.
Monday, September 21, 2009
PiNOY power!!
I first heard about the PiNOY Power concert through my friend Carmel, but I honestly wasn't sure if I could make it, mainly due to the distance. However, my older cousin happened to mention it over dinner on Sunday, so my sister and I agreed to go.
This awareness + fundraising concert for Senator Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas starred a delightful mix of old-timers (APO Hiking Society, Bayang Barrios, The Dawn, etc) and newcomers (All Stars, Paraluman, Aiza Seguerra, etc). And the UP theatre was quite filled up. One of the more remarkable performers was Mae Paner (aka Juana Change!) who gave a piece about her need to take a stand on the issues of change and governance, albeit by supporting a candidate. There were video tributes and presentations, as well as song parodies (Bohemian Rhapsody election style) that also had the crowd cheering.
I love how all the guests were able to get the crowd to participate (whether it was by standing up and singing along, or simply flashing the L sign. Everyone was just so enthusiastic about the entire thing, regardless perhaps of motivations for being there.
One of the most powerful moments for me was when everyone began singing "Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo". Maybe that song has become a little trite for my generation, but its message is all the more clear nowadays. Even if we won't take to the streets, I think we can still unite via the ballot. Which we have to safeguard.
This awareness + fundraising concert for Senator Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas starred a delightful mix of old-timers (APO Hiking Society, Bayang Barrios, The Dawn, etc) and newcomers (All Stars, Paraluman, Aiza Seguerra, etc). And the UP theatre was quite filled up. One of the more remarkable performers was Mae Paner (aka Juana Change!) who gave a piece about her need to take a stand on the issues of change and governance, albeit by supporting a candidate. There were video tributes and presentations, as well as song parodies (Bohemian Rhapsody election style) that also had the crowd cheering.
I love how all the guests were able to get the crowd to participate (whether it was by standing up and singing along, or simply flashing the L sign. Everyone was just so enthusiastic about the entire thing, regardless perhaps of motivations for being there.
One of the most powerful moments for me was when everyone began singing "Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo". Maybe that song has become a little trite for my generation, but its message is all the more clear nowadays. Even if we won't take to the streets, I think we can still unite via the ballot. Which we have to safeguard.
Friday, September 18, 2009
finally!!
After a grand total of 3 attempts, my sister and I managed to register for the 2010 elections. Yes, three attempts. Attempt number one, I've already described (see my entry "COMELEC horror"). The second attempt was on September 10. We went to the COMELEC only to find that the office was closed since the staff were running the voters' registration at University of Makati. Admirable, yes, but isn't this the same office that laughed at the idea of DLSU giving out registration forms?
That aside, here is attempt number 3.
Thanks to perhaps the ever-approaching deadline, the COMELEC office was pretty much swamped today with new voters and transferees filling out forms. Sure, the space was limited, but someone didn't have the foresight to provide chairs or even just a table for everyone who had paperwork. And once again, the staff were not quite as accomodating to the people who were coming in with questions or inquiring about the status of their registration.
-A lady had receieved a letter from the COMELEC regarding some discrepancy in her personal information (she got married and changed her surname). She went to the distrit office to ask if her name was on the voters' list,considering that she applied for some sort of affidavit some months ago. The officer who handled her case was being quite brusque, answering her questions with the roundabout "you registered in 2006, it's 2009 already", and generally making the inquiry process difficult.
-A couple was asking about the requirements their child would need to register. AGAIN, the COMELEC officials requested a billing statement as proof of address! (again, a problem since the child still lives with the parents, thus the statement would be in the name of the parents, not the child) My mother overheard this and ended up having to help this couple clear up their problem regardin requirements. Apparently either the COMELEC officials assume that even college kids can pay the electric and water bills at home, or they haven't thought through their list of requirements.
-It was 10:30 am. One of the officials said that the picture taking for the voters' IDs would most likely be at 1pm for everyone in the queue (supposedly because the staff still has to verify residency, forms have to be filled out, etc). Naturally a lot of people were upset--who wants to spend three hours in line on a busy Friday? And truth be told, the queue, the biometrics-taking, and picture taking process didn't take that long. My sister and I were finished with our registration by 11:30.
This entire process, victorious as the outcome was, is frankly quite discouraging. Why must voters jump through hoops just to be able to exercise their civic duty? Instead of facilitating suffrage, it seems as if this office may even discourage it.
Next up: Monitoring the campaign.
That aside, here is attempt number 3.
Thanks to perhaps the ever-approaching deadline, the COMELEC office was pretty much swamped today with new voters and transferees filling out forms. Sure, the space was limited, but someone didn't have the foresight to provide chairs or even just a table for everyone who had paperwork. And once again, the staff were not quite as accomodating to the people who were coming in with questions or inquiring about the status of their registration.
-A lady had receieved a letter from the COMELEC regarding some discrepancy in her personal information (she got married and changed her surname). She went to the distrit office to ask if her name was on the voters' list,considering that she applied for some sort of affidavit some months ago. The officer who handled her case was being quite brusque, answering her questions with the roundabout "you registered in 2006, it's 2009 already", and generally making the inquiry process difficult.
-A couple was asking about the requirements their child would need to register. AGAIN, the COMELEC officials requested a billing statement as proof of address! (again, a problem since the child still lives with the parents, thus the statement would be in the name of the parents, not the child) My mother overheard this and ended up having to help this couple clear up their problem regardin requirements. Apparently either the COMELEC officials assume that even college kids can pay the electric and water bills at home, or they haven't thought through their list of requirements.
-It was 10:30 am. One of the officials said that the picture taking for the voters' IDs would most likely be at 1pm for everyone in the queue (supposedly because the staff still has to verify residency, forms have to be filled out, etc). Naturally a lot of people were upset--who wants to spend three hours in line on a busy Friday? And truth be told, the queue, the biometrics-taking, and picture taking process didn't take that long. My sister and I were finished with our registration by 11:30.
This entire process, victorious as the outcome was, is frankly quite discouraging. Why must voters jump through hoops just to be able to exercise their civic duty? Instead of facilitating suffrage, it seems as if this office may even discourage it.
Next up: Monitoring the campaign.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
mga tanong tungkol sa pagiging rehistrado
Siyempre ba naman, pumasok ako kanina. Hindi mapakali dahil sa nangyari kahapon sa COMELEC. Tamang tama, pagkarating ko sa eskwela, nakasalubong ko ang ilan sa mga kaibigan na nakarinig sa kwento ko kahapon.
Nagtanong-tanong kami ng kapatid ko kung anu ano ang nangyari sa kanila nung sila nagpa-rehistro para maging botante. Ito ang ilan sa mga kwento nila:
-Nadalian dahil kilala ng mga taga barangay ang kanyang ama.
-Ang ginamit na ID ay ang alumni card ng pamantasan. Tanggap pa rin.
-Nagdala ng lisensya. Yun lang.
-Nagdala ng ID tsaka clearance sa barangay.
Halata ba naman na hindi pare-pareho ang mga karanasan...pero halos magkasinedad kami, nagiiba lang ng isa o dalawang taon. Bakit kaya nagkakaganito? Wala bang sistema ang COMELEC sa pagrehistro? Bakit nagiiba-iba sya kada lugar?
Kailangan siguro na ayusin ang sistema. Gawin pantay pantay ang lahat ng mga kinakailangan at gagawin pag pupunta sa COMELEC para magparehistro. Makakatulong ito sa mga botante, at siguro mas maaeenganyo sila na makilahok sa mga nangyayari gamit ng kanilang boto. Kung aalagaan ng sistema ang bawat mamamayan, mas ipapahalaga ng bawat Pilipino ang kapakanan ng bayan.
Sana ganon lang. Babalik ako sa COMELEC pagkatapos ng buwan. Magtatanong-tanong muna kung ano ang nangyari. Baka sakali masolusyunan ang isyu na ito
Nagtanong-tanong kami ng kapatid ko kung anu ano ang nangyari sa kanila nung sila nagpa-rehistro para maging botante. Ito ang ilan sa mga kwento nila:
-Nadalian dahil kilala ng mga taga barangay ang kanyang ama.
-Ang ginamit na ID ay ang alumni card ng pamantasan. Tanggap pa rin.
-Nagdala ng lisensya. Yun lang.
-Nagdala ng ID tsaka clearance sa barangay.
Halata ba naman na hindi pare-pareho ang mga karanasan...pero halos magkasinedad kami, nagiiba lang ng isa o dalawang taon. Bakit kaya nagkakaganito? Wala bang sistema ang COMELEC sa pagrehistro? Bakit nagiiba-iba sya kada lugar?
Kailangan siguro na ayusin ang sistema. Gawin pantay pantay ang lahat ng mga kinakailangan at gagawin pag pupunta sa COMELEC para magparehistro. Makakatulong ito sa mga botante, at siguro mas maaeenganyo sila na makilahok sa mga nangyayari gamit ng kanilang boto. Kung aalagaan ng sistema ang bawat mamamayan, mas ipapahalaga ng bawat Pilipino ang kapakanan ng bayan.
Sana ganon lang. Babalik ako sa COMELEC pagkatapos ng buwan. Magtatanong-tanong muna kung ano ang nangyari. Baka sakali masolusyunan ang isyu na ito
Friday, August 14, 2009
COMELEC Office horror
So today was supposed to be the day: voter's registration. As in, I blocked off my calendar and all. I was told that all I needed were a valid ID and my voter's registration form. So I brought my DLSU ID and my passport and the registration form being distributed at school. My mom and my sis did the same.
I didn't count on the COMELEC office somehow thinking otherwise. Actually, I had a bad feeling upon entering the premises within the Makati fire station. The place looked like something straight out of "Left for Dead": dark, twisting and nothing like the office of an institution seeking automation...
We were pointed towards this dirty, yellowing list of requirements taped on the wall. Okay, so apparently I needed proof of billing to "support" my student ID and my passport (telephone or water bill). Apparently, since my passport does not have my address, and my ID does not list it either (I study in Manila, not in Makati), I had to present the additional documents. Problems: I still live with my parents so of course the proofs of billing are NOT addressed to me. Either that or a birth certificate to prove my address.
The guard said we had to present photocopies of our IDs. Again, something I don't ecall. So we had to go all the way downstairs to get the xerox done (at an unusually high price mind you!!). Then we decided to go in to inquire about the entire procedure and the documents. Now the guy at the desk said that our forms wouldn't do. We had to use *their* forms.
Okay, I would have let that slide were it not for the fact that I had seen photocopied forms being used in satellite registration elsewhere in the city.So does that mean that *those* people have their registrations jeopardized? And the forms I had with me were official COMELEC forms. If the forms at the desk were computer scannable, I'd understand the need to use them. But they weren't.
Now the desk officer said that our IDs wouldn't do since we needed proof of billing or our own postal addresses. Again, I'm a legal age dependent. My mother pointed that my sister and I are still students and therefore we don't pay our own bills or have our own addresses. Then the election official backed down and said that all we had to do was prove that our parents were registered in the district, and to bring our birth certificates.
Now I don't recall that being part of the voting requirements presented at school. And my experience does not go with the guidelines listed here: (Source: http://www.comelec.gov.ph/contreg_/2010_elections/gi.html)
Section 8. Application Forms for Registration (CEF-1A). - Application forms for Registration (CEF-1A) are available, free of charge, at the Office of the Election Officer, or may be downloaded from the COMELEC website, www.comelec.gov.ph, a sample of which is attached hereto as Annex “A” (CEF-1A – Application for Registration)..
In the latter case, the applicant shall print the application form and accomplish the same in three (3) copies, to be signed and thumbmarked only in the presence of the EO..
Section 9. Procedure for filing of applications for registration..
a.The applicant shall personally appear before the EO, state his name and exact address, specifying the house number, name of street, area, district, purok or sitio, and barangay where he resides, or a brief description of his residence, and present any of the following current identification documents that bears applicant’s photograph and signature:.
1.Employee’s identification card (ID) with the signature of the employer or authorized representative;
2.Postal ID;
3.Student’s ID or library card, signed by the school authority;
4.Senior Citizen’s ID;
5.Driver’s license;
6.NBI/PNP clearance;
7.Passport;
8.SSS/GSIS ID;
9.Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP) ID;
10.License issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC); and
11.Any other valid ID.
In the absence of any of the abovementioned identification documents, the applicant may be identified under oath by any registered voter of the precinct, or by any of his relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity who are registered voters of the same city/municipality..
Community Tax Certificates (cedula) or certifications/identification cards issued by barangay officials shall not be honored as valid identification documents..
If the identity of the applicant cannot be established by any of the aforementioned methods, he shall not be issued an application form. In case of downloaded application forms, the same shall not be accepted..
b.The EO shall then verify from the National List of Registered Voters (NLRV) if the applicant’s name is found therein. If the applicant is found to be registered in the same city/municipality he shall be advised that he need not apply for registration. If he is found to be registered voter in another city/municipality, he shall be advised to apply for transfer for registration pursuant to Section 10 hereof..
c.If the applicant’s name is not included in the NLRV, the EO shall, using the barangay precinct map, verify whether or not the address given by the applicant is located within the territorial boundary of any of the precincts within the jurisdiction of the district/city/municipality..
If the applicant is not a resident, the EO shall advise the applicant to proceed to the OEO of the district/city/municipality where he resides..
If the applicant resides within the territorial jurisdiction of the district/city/municipality, the EO shall:.
1.Inform the applicant of the qualifications and disqualifications for registration;.
2.Determine the precinct where the applicant belongs by referring to the barangay precinct map. The applicant shall be assigned temporarily to the mother precinct comprising his residence. The precinct assignment shall be finalized after the approval of the application. Daughter precinct(s) shall be created to accommodate approved applicants in excess of the 200-voter per precinct limit..
In case of boundary dispute, the EO shall maintain the status quo..
3.Indicate the precinct assignment of the applicant at the upper right-hand portion of the application form; and.
4.Issue the prescribed application form in three (3) copies..
d.Upon receipt of the application forms, the applicant shall personally accomplish the same separately in his own handwriting and submit the accomplished application forms to the EO. TITLES SUCH AS REVEREND, DATU, ATTORNEY, SULTAN, DOCTOR, HADJI, ENGINEER, BAI AND OTHERS SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED..
e.If the applicant has a downloaded and duly-accomplished application form, it shall be signed and thumbmarked in the presence of the EO..
f.After ensuring that the application form has been filled up correctly, completely and legibly, the EO shall write the Application Form Number. The Application Form Number shall consist of four parts. The first two (2) digit represents the province code, the second two (2) digit represents the city/municipal code, the third two (2) digit represents the Data Capture Machine (DCM) Number, and the last seven (7) digit represents the control code starting after the last code number assigned..
g.The EO shall return the application form to the applicant and direct the applicant to proceed to the DCM Operator for data capturing..
The application form of an applicant who refuses to submit himself for the live capture of his biometrics data shall not be accepted and deemed not filed..
h.The DCM Operator shall proceed to capture the complete biometrics data of the applicant, affix his initial below the space provided for the EO’s signature in Part 2 of the application form and direct the latter to go back to the EO..
i.The EO shall:.
1.Administer the oath;.
The application form of an applicant who refuses to take the oath shall not be accepted and deemed not filed..
2.Affix his signature in the appropriate space on the forms;.
3.Retain the three (3) copies; and.
4.Cut the bottom portion of the application form (copy for EO) and give it to the applicant to serve as Acknowledgment Receipt and proof of fact of filing of his application..
Right away, upon leaving the COMELEC office, my sister texted a friend of hers who registered in Paranaque. According to him, the only ID he needed was his school ID. So it seems that the procedures in different offices aren't standard?
Something needs to be straightened out with the offices for the sake of our future voters.
I didn't count on the COMELEC office somehow thinking otherwise. Actually, I had a bad feeling upon entering the premises within the Makati fire station. The place looked like something straight out of "Left for Dead": dark, twisting and nothing like the office of an institution seeking automation...
We were pointed towards this dirty, yellowing list of requirements taped on the wall. Okay, so apparently I needed proof of billing to "support" my student ID and my passport (telephone or water bill). Apparently, since my passport does not have my address, and my ID does not list it either (I study in Manila, not in Makati), I had to present the additional documents. Problems: I still live with my parents so of course the proofs of billing are NOT addressed to me. Either that or a birth certificate to prove my address.
The guard said we had to present photocopies of our IDs. Again, something I don't ecall. So we had to go all the way downstairs to get the xerox done (at an unusually high price mind you!!). Then we decided to go in to inquire about the entire procedure and the documents. Now the guy at the desk said that our forms wouldn't do. We had to use *their* forms.
Okay, I would have let that slide were it not for the fact that I had seen photocopied forms being used in satellite registration elsewhere in the city.So does that mean that *those* people have their registrations jeopardized? And the forms I had with me were official COMELEC forms. If the forms at the desk were computer scannable, I'd understand the need to use them. But they weren't.
Now the desk officer said that our IDs wouldn't do since we needed proof of billing or our own postal addresses. Again, I'm a legal age dependent. My mother pointed that my sister and I are still students and therefore we don't pay our own bills or have our own addresses. Then the election official backed down and said that all we had to do was prove that our parents were registered in the district, and to bring our birth certificates.
Now I don't recall that being part of the voting requirements presented at school. And my experience does not go with the guidelines listed here: (Source: http://www.comelec.gov.ph/contreg_/2010_elections/gi.html)
Section 8. Application Forms for Registration (CEF-1A). - Application forms for Registration (CEF-1A) are available, free of charge, at the Office of the Election Officer, or may be downloaded from the COMELEC website, www.comelec.gov.ph, a sample of which is attached hereto as Annex “A” (CEF-1A – Application for Registration)..
In the latter case, the applicant shall print the application form and accomplish the same in three (3) copies, to be signed and thumbmarked only in the presence of the EO..
Section 9. Procedure for filing of applications for registration..
a.The applicant shall personally appear before the EO, state his name and exact address, specifying the house number, name of street, area, district, purok or sitio, and barangay where he resides, or a brief description of his residence, and present any of the following current identification documents that bears applicant’s photograph and signature:.
1.Employee’s identification card (ID) with the signature of the employer or authorized representative;
2.Postal ID;
3.Student’s ID or library card, signed by the school authority;
4.Senior Citizen’s ID;
5.Driver’s license;
6.NBI/PNP clearance;
7.Passport;
8.SSS/GSIS ID;
9.Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP) ID;
10.License issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC); and
11.Any other valid ID.
In the absence of any of the abovementioned identification documents, the applicant may be identified under oath by any registered voter of the precinct, or by any of his relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity who are registered voters of the same city/municipality..
Community Tax Certificates (cedula) or certifications/identification cards issued by barangay officials shall not be honored as valid identification documents..
If the identity of the applicant cannot be established by any of the aforementioned methods, he shall not be issued an application form. In case of downloaded application forms, the same shall not be accepted..
b.The EO shall then verify from the National List of Registered Voters (NLRV) if the applicant’s name is found therein. If the applicant is found to be registered in the same city/municipality he shall be advised that he need not apply for registration. If he is found to be registered voter in another city/municipality, he shall be advised to apply for transfer for registration pursuant to Section 10 hereof..
c.If the applicant’s name is not included in the NLRV, the EO shall, using the barangay precinct map, verify whether or not the address given by the applicant is located within the territorial boundary of any of the precincts within the jurisdiction of the district/city/municipality..
If the applicant is not a resident, the EO shall advise the applicant to proceed to the OEO of the district/city/municipality where he resides..
If the applicant resides within the territorial jurisdiction of the district/city/municipality, the EO shall:.
1.Inform the applicant of the qualifications and disqualifications for registration;.
2.Determine the precinct where the applicant belongs by referring to the barangay precinct map. The applicant shall be assigned temporarily to the mother precinct comprising his residence. The precinct assignment shall be finalized after the approval of the application. Daughter precinct(s) shall be created to accommodate approved applicants in excess of the 200-voter per precinct limit..
In case of boundary dispute, the EO shall maintain the status quo..
3.Indicate the precinct assignment of the applicant at the upper right-hand portion of the application form; and.
4.Issue the prescribed application form in three (3) copies..
d.Upon receipt of the application forms, the applicant shall personally accomplish the same separately in his own handwriting and submit the accomplished application forms to the EO. TITLES SUCH AS REVEREND, DATU, ATTORNEY, SULTAN, DOCTOR, HADJI, ENGINEER, BAI AND OTHERS SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED..
e.If the applicant has a downloaded and duly-accomplished application form, it shall be signed and thumbmarked in the presence of the EO..
f.After ensuring that the application form has been filled up correctly, completely and legibly, the EO shall write the Application Form Number. The Application Form Number shall consist of four parts. The first two (2) digit represents the province code, the second two (2) digit represents the city/municipal code, the third two (2) digit represents the Data Capture Machine (DCM) Number, and the last seven (7) digit represents the control code starting after the last code number assigned..
g.The EO shall return the application form to the applicant and direct the applicant to proceed to the DCM Operator for data capturing..
The application form of an applicant who refuses to submit himself for the live capture of his biometrics data shall not be accepted and deemed not filed..
h.The DCM Operator shall proceed to capture the complete biometrics data of the applicant, affix his initial below the space provided for the EO’s signature in Part 2 of the application form and direct the latter to go back to the EO..
i.The EO shall:.
1.Administer the oath;.
The application form of an applicant who refuses to take the oath shall not be accepted and deemed not filed..
2.Affix his signature in the appropriate space on the forms;.
3.Retain the three (3) copies; and.
4.Cut the bottom portion of the application form (copy for EO) and give it to the applicant to serve as Acknowledgment Receipt and proof of fact of filing of his application..
Right away, upon leaving the COMELEC office, my sister texted a friend of hers who registered in Paranaque. According to him, the only ID he needed was his school ID. So it seems that the procedures in different offices aren't standard?
Something needs to be straightened out with the offices for the sake of our future voters.
Friday, August 7, 2009
grabe naman ito...
Nakuha ko ito sa blog ng kaibigan ko. Kung totoo ito...may dapat mahiya dito.
http://www.newmedia.com.ph/jamby-madrigal-defiles-cory-aquino-memorial-service/
http://www.newmedia.com.ph/jamby-madrigal-defiles-cory-aquino-memorial-service/
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
tungkol sa kantang "Bayan Ko"
Naririnig natin siya pag nagluluksa ang bayan, pag may krisis sa bansa, at pag may nananganib sa kalayaan ng Pilipinas. Sa mga nakaraang araw, paulit-ulit siyang kinakanta alay sa yumaong dating pangulong Aquino at ang kanyang ipinaglaban. Alam kaya natin ano ang totoong ibig sabihin ng kantang "Bayan Ko"?
Susubukan ko suriin at tignan ang mga linya nitong kanta para lalo pa natin maintindihan ano ang kahulugan ng mga ito para sa ating lipunan.
"Ang bayan kong Pilipinas
Lupain ng ginto't bulaklak
Pag-ibig ang sa kanyang palad
Nag-alay ng ganda't dilag"
Ito: mga dahilan na ipagmalaki natin ang sarili nating bayan. Itong bansa natin ay isang lugar na maraming likas na yaman, at marami rin mga pagkakataon para matupad ang pangarap. Hindi na kailangan na palaging mangarap umalis ng bansa para umunlad. Pero ang isa sa mga pinakamagandang yaman ng Pilipinas ay ang Pilipino mismo. Kung titignan natin, kakaiba ang ugali ng mga Pilipino. Hindi lang tayo mapagtanggap, masayahin at rehilyoso. Tayo ay isang mapagmahal na lahi. Kung hindi tayo mapagmahal, di mangyayari ang EDSA, ang GK, at kung anu ano pang mga pangaraw-araw na milagro na nagiging mga ilaw sa ating bansa. Bakit nga ba tayo nahihiya dito?
"At sa kanyang yumi at ganda
Dayuhan ay nahalina
Bayan ko, binihag ka
Nasadlak sa dusa".
Ang malungkot na isipin: mas nakikinabang ang mga dayuhan sa atin mga gawain kaysa sa sarili nating mga kababayan. Ang mas masaklap pa ay ito: mas nakikita ng mga taga-ibang bansa ang mga kakayahan ng mga Pilipino kaysa tayo mismo. Oo, sinakop ng mga Kastila, Amerikano at Hapon ang Pilipinas nang napakahabang panahon. Hindi natin yan maitatakwil. Sinulat nga ni Jose Corazon de Jesus ang kanta ito sa panahon na tayo ay sinakop ng mga Amerikano. Pero maari nga ba na iba na ang bumibihag sa atin? Maari na iba ang nananakop ngayon---hindi sa lupa, pero sa isipan at puso ng bawat Pilipino? Baka hindi lang neo-koloyanlismo: pwede rin ang korupsyon, kawalan ng disiplina, pagiinggit, kulang sa pagmamahal sa bayan o kulang sa pakialam. At dahil tayo ay tumitigil lamang sa pagdusa at pagiyak, di pa ba natin nakikita ang sarili nating lakas na bumangon nang husto mula sa nakaraan?
"Ibon man may layang lumipad
Kulungin mo at umiiyak
Bayan pa kayang sakdal dilag
Ang di magnasang makaalpas?"
Karapatan ng bawat Pilipino na manatiling malaya. Nasa Saligang Batas natin yan (baguhin man ito, hindi ito mawawala sa Bill of Rights). Ang kalayaan ito ay may mga implikasyon: dapat malaya ang bawat Pilipino na mabuhay ng mapayapa. Ang bawat Pilipino ay may kaligtasan sa ilalim ng ating mga batas. Hindi siya pwedeng apihin ng sinuman na wala sa dahilan. Ang bansa natin ay may pagkakakilanlan: Republika ng Pilipinas, malaya sa pananakop at pagaari ng iba mga maykapangyarihan. Ang Pilipinas ay hindi ang pamamayari ng iisang tao o pamilya o grupo. Dapat ang ating pamahalaan ay maglilingkod sa kabuuan ng bansa at di lamang sa interes ng iilan. At dapat ang mga mamamayan ay kikilos sa mga paraan na makakaangat sa dangal ng ating bayan. Mahalaga na itaguyod natin ang karapatan ng bawat Pilipino at ang pagkakakilanlan ng bayan. Kung sa maliit na bagay gaya ng ating sariling buhay tayo ay may paki, mawalan ng konting kalayaan dahil sa trabaho o pagaaral o kahirapan tayo ay umaangal, bakit di natin kaya ipaglaban rin ang kapwa at bayan?
"Pilipinas kong minumutya
Pugad ng luha ko't dalita
Aking adhika
Makita kang sakdal laya!"
Sa mga kababata ko: ito ang minimithi ng ating mga ninuno panahon pa nina Rizal hanggang sa ating mga magulang. Ang isyu ng kalayaan ng ating bansa ay hindi pwedeng pabayaan. Sa isang simpleng analohiya: ating mga karaniwang buhay, hahayaan ba natin na aangkinin ng iba ang sarili nating mga tahanan? Hindi naman siguro. Kung ipapalalim pa natin ito, makikita natin na ang kalayaan ng ating bayan ay may kinalaman sa ating mga katauhan. Di natin maihihiwalay ang pagiging "Pilipino" sa ating mga indibidwal na buhay. Kung may nagbahid sa itong bahagi ng ating katauhan, maapektuhan ang kabuuan nating pagkatao. Mahirap (hindi imposible) na matamasa natin ang kabuuan ng ating dignidad at dangal kung nahihiya tayo sa ating pinanggalingan: ang bayang Pilipinas. Bahagi ng ating pagsibol bilang mga tao ay ang pagtulong sa ating bayan at sa lipunan na naghubog sa atin. Kung hindi, habangbuhay tayo mananatiling naguguluhan sa ating kalagayan sapagkat hindi natin nagagawan ng paraan na gawin mas makatao ang ating konteks at panahon na natatangi sa atin.
Ito ay ilan lamang sa mga kuro-kuro at saloobin na maaring mabuo mula sa kantang ito. Pero hindi nga kataka-taka kung bakit hanggang ngayon ito ay nagiging daan na mailabas ang matinding pagmimithi at pagdadalamhati ng mga Pilipino. Pangarap ko na sa henerasyon natin maitutupad ang hiling sa huling bahagi nitong kanta, na magiging katotohanan ang "makita kang sakdal laya!"
Susubukan ko suriin at tignan ang mga linya nitong kanta para lalo pa natin maintindihan ano ang kahulugan ng mga ito para sa ating lipunan.
"Ang bayan kong Pilipinas
Lupain ng ginto't bulaklak
Pag-ibig ang sa kanyang palad
Nag-alay ng ganda't dilag"
Ito: mga dahilan na ipagmalaki natin ang sarili nating bayan. Itong bansa natin ay isang lugar na maraming likas na yaman, at marami rin mga pagkakataon para matupad ang pangarap. Hindi na kailangan na palaging mangarap umalis ng bansa para umunlad. Pero ang isa sa mga pinakamagandang yaman ng Pilipinas ay ang Pilipino mismo. Kung titignan natin, kakaiba ang ugali ng mga Pilipino. Hindi lang tayo mapagtanggap, masayahin at rehilyoso. Tayo ay isang mapagmahal na lahi. Kung hindi tayo mapagmahal, di mangyayari ang EDSA, ang GK, at kung anu ano pang mga pangaraw-araw na milagro na nagiging mga ilaw sa ating bansa. Bakit nga ba tayo nahihiya dito?
"At sa kanyang yumi at ganda
Dayuhan ay nahalina
Bayan ko, binihag ka
Nasadlak sa dusa".
Ang malungkot na isipin: mas nakikinabang ang mga dayuhan sa atin mga gawain kaysa sa sarili nating mga kababayan. Ang mas masaklap pa ay ito: mas nakikita ng mga taga-ibang bansa ang mga kakayahan ng mga Pilipino kaysa tayo mismo. Oo, sinakop ng mga Kastila, Amerikano at Hapon ang Pilipinas nang napakahabang panahon. Hindi natin yan maitatakwil. Sinulat nga ni Jose Corazon de Jesus ang kanta ito sa panahon na tayo ay sinakop ng mga Amerikano. Pero maari nga ba na iba na ang bumibihag sa atin? Maari na iba ang nananakop ngayon---hindi sa lupa, pero sa isipan at puso ng bawat Pilipino? Baka hindi lang neo-koloyanlismo: pwede rin ang korupsyon, kawalan ng disiplina, pagiinggit, kulang sa pagmamahal sa bayan o kulang sa pakialam. At dahil tayo ay tumitigil lamang sa pagdusa at pagiyak, di pa ba natin nakikita ang sarili nating lakas na bumangon nang husto mula sa nakaraan?
"Ibon man may layang lumipad
Kulungin mo at umiiyak
Bayan pa kayang sakdal dilag
Ang di magnasang makaalpas?"
Karapatan ng bawat Pilipino na manatiling malaya. Nasa Saligang Batas natin yan (baguhin man ito, hindi ito mawawala sa Bill of Rights). Ang kalayaan ito ay may mga implikasyon: dapat malaya ang bawat Pilipino na mabuhay ng mapayapa. Ang bawat Pilipino ay may kaligtasan sa ilalim ng ating mga batas. Hindi siya pwedeng apihin ng sinuman na wala sa dahilan. Ang bansa natin ay may pagkakakilanlan: Republika ng Pilipinas, malaya sa pananakop at pagaari ng iba mga maykapangyarihan. Ang Pilipinas ay hindi ang pamamayari ng iisang tao o pamilya o grupo. Dapat ang ating pamahalaan ay maglilingkod sa kabuuan ng bansa at di lamang sa interes ng iilan. At dapat ang mga mamamayan ay kikilos sa mga paraan na makakaangat sa dangal ng ating bayan. Mahalaga na itaguyod natin ang karapatan ng bawat Pilipino at ang pagkakakilanlan ng bayan. Kung sa maliit na bagay gaya ng ating sariling buhay tayo ay may paki, mawalan ng konting kalayaan dahil sa trabaho o pagaaral o kahirapan tayo ay umaangal, bakit di natin kaya ipaglaban rin ang kapwa at bayan?
"Pilipinas kong minumutya
Pugad ng luha ko't dalita
Aking adhika
Makita kang sakdal laya!"
Sa mga kababata ko: ito ang minimithi ng ating mga ninuno panahon pa nina Rizal hanggang sa ating mga magulang. Ang isyu ng kalayaan ng ating bansa ay hindi pwedeng pabayaan. Sa isang simpleng analohiya: ating mga karaniwang buhay, hahayaan ba natin na aangkinin ng iba ang sarili nating mga tahanan? Hindi naman siguro. Kung ipapalalim pa natin ito, makikita natin na ang kalayaan ng ating bayan ay may kinalaman sa ating mga katauhan. Di natin maihihiwalay ang pagiging "Pilipino" sa ating mga indibidwal na buhay. Kung may nagbahid sa itong bahagi ng ating katauhan, maapektuhan ang kabuuan nating pagkatao. Mahirap (hindi imposible) na matamasa natin ang kabuuan ng ating dignidad at dangal kung nahihiya tayo sa ating pinanggalingan: ang bayang Pilipinas. Bahagi ng ating pagsibol bilang mga tao ay ang pagtulong sa ating bayan at sa lipunan na naghubog sa atin. Kung hindi, habangbuhay tayo mananatiling naguguluhan sa ating kalagayan sapagkat hindi natin nagagawan ng paraan na gawin mas makatao ang ating konteks at panahon na natatangi sa atin.
Ito ay ilan lamang sa mga kuro-kuro at saloobin na maaring mabuo mula sa kantang ito. Pero hindi nga kataka-taka kung bakit hanggang ngayon ito ay nagiging daan na mailabas ang matinding pagmimithi at pagdadalamhati ng mga Pilipino. Pangarap ko na sa henerasyon natin maitutupad ang hiling sa huling bahagi nitong kanta, na magiging katotohanan ang "makita kang sakdal laya!"
tribute post
She is one of the people who ensured that I and my contemporaries are free to write like this. If it were not for Corazon "Cory" C. Aquino, it may very well be that young Filipinos could still be deprived of the rights to free speech, suffrage, and so many other liberties we take for granted.
I never knew her personally. I was only a toddler when her presidential term ended. The younger ones of my generation know her as the lady in yellow, the first Filipina president, the first president to step up because of a revolution, the lady whose name is synonymous with People Power and freedom, and the person who helped bring democracy back to our country. Our teachers and textbooks tell us so. I knew a little about her from my parents' stories of working first in the opposition pre 1986, then later working in the new government. Yet being a young child myself, I could not understand why Cory Aquino did all of that.
I remember being eleven years old when I first caught a glimpse of who she was to my fellow Filipinos. It was January 2001. After the sudden suspension of the impeachment trial of then president Estrada, so many Filipinos had taken to the streets in outrage. We were angry at the impediments to justice, at the corruption that had riddled our political system, and at our leaders who had turned against the values we cherished. In the middle of the crowd that was still rallying at EDSA Shrine that Saturday morning, there was suddenly a stir. Government officials were coming on stage. Among them were then Chief Justice Davide and then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. And with them too was Cory. Her mere presence was what spelled the difference, what told us that history was about to happen. In a few minutes, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was to be sworn in as President. Davide was there to make it constitutional, but Cory made it acceptable. And if she could trust our President, then so could we.
In the years that followed, I would learn more about Cory Aquino. Admittedly, I was a little critical of certain things in her administration, and even of some of the causes she was for, or against. However, I knew that she was one of the living symbols of Filipino democracy. Just for saving my country from martial law in all but name, I could look up to her. I could never imagine what life would be like under martial law. Maybe one could accuse me of being brainwashed by my parents and my school into believing so much in democracy and freedom. However I had cause to believe: by the time I was eighteen, I had experienced being censored in writing, I had experienced seeing what violence could do, and I had seen what our election system really was (and how it could be tampered). And I knew that if there was injustice, Cory would be one of the first to speak about it.
As I got older and watched national events unfold, I really began to wonder if there would be anyone who could rise up to unify our country. And even then, what kind of unification would that be? I wondered how in the world could I, a girl and a seemingly ordinary person, do anything substantial for my country. However, as I got to learn more about Cory (either from reading, or from hearing from people who knew her), I began to have a clearer picture of what kind of mother, public servant, and leader she was. And maybe, what kind of leader could win the hearts and minds of the Filipinos again.
It has only been in the last few months that I have come to realize that this life I and so many others live would not be possible in a trapped regime. Imagine being unable to write or speak one's views for fear of being detained. Imagine a Philippines where the vote is devalued. Imagine being unable to hold your head high since one's people are being oppressed by their own leaders...and everyone in the world community knows about it. Imagine being powerless to do something for your nation. Yet because Cory stepped up to be a leader...these things are not realities for my generation.
It has been in the last few days as I saw the public outpouring of love and gratitude that I realize why Cory lived for the same people her husband Ninoy died for. She saw what was good in the Filipino. And it was because of this that she empowered the Filipino people with a gift: the freedom to rise up for their own country. For me, this is a debt that my generation will never be able to repay in full. The best we can do is to carry on the legacy, not just in our storytelling but in exercising our rights to suffrage, in becoming not the leaders we want to be, but the leaders our country needs.
To Tita Cory: thank you. Thank you for being the President who set a whole new bar for public servants. Thank you for sacrificing so that my family and so many others could live without fear. Thank you for giving me my civic voice. You are loved and are sorely missed.
I never knew her personally. I was only a toddler when her presidential term ended. The younger ones of my generation know her as the lady in yellow, the first Filipina president, the first president to step up because of a revolution, the lady whose name is synonymous with People Power and freedom, and the person who helped bring democracy back to our country. Our teachers and textbooks tell us so. I knew a little about her from my parents' stories of working first in the opposition pre 1986, then later working in the new government. Yet being a young child myself, I could not understand why Cory Aquino did all of that.
I remember being eleven years old when I first caught a glimpse of who she was to my fellow Filipinos. It was January 2001. After the sudden suspension of the impeachment trial of then president Estrada, so many Filipinos had taken to the streets in outrage. We were angry at the impediments to justice, at the corruption that had riddled our political system, and at our leaders who had turned against the values we cherished. In the middle of the crowd that was still rallying at EDSA Shrine that Saturday morning, there was suddenly a stir. Government officials were coming on stage. Among them were then Chief Justice Davide and then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. And with them too was Cory. Her mere presence was what spelled the difference, what told us that history was about to happen. In a few minutes, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was to be sworn in as President. Davide was there to make it constitutional, but Cory made it acceptable. And if she could trust our President, then so could we.
In the years that followed, I would learn more about Cory Aquino. Admittedly, I was a little critical of certain things in her administration, and even of some of the causes she was for, or against. However, I knew that she was one of the living symbols of Filipino democracy. Just for saving my country from martial law in all but name, I could look up to her. I could never imagine what life would be like under martial law. Maybe one could accuse me of being brainwashed by my parents and my school into believing so much in democracy and freedom. However I had cause to believe: by the time I was eighteen, I had experienced being censored in writing, I had experienced seeing what violence could do, and I had seen what our election system really was (and how it could be tampered). And I knew that if there was injustice, Cory would be one of the first to speak about it.
As I got older and watched national events unfold, I really began to wonder if there would be anyone who could rise up to unify our country. And even then, what kind of unification would that be? I wondered how in the world could I, a girl and a seemingly ordinary person, do anything substantial for my country. However, as I got to learn more about Cory (either from reading, or from hearing from people who knew her), I began to have a clearer picture of what kind of mother, public servant, and leader she was. And maybe, what kind of leader could win the hearts and minds of the Filipinos again.
It has only been in the last few months that I have come to realize that this life I and so many others live would not be possible in a trapped regime. Imagine being unable to write or speak one's views for fear of being detained. Imagine a Philippines where the vote is devalued. Imagine being unable to hold your head high since one's people are being oppressed by their own leaders...and everyone in the world community knows about it. Imagine being powerless to do something for your nation. Yet because Cory stepped up to be a leader...these things are not realities for my generation.
It has been in the last few days as I saw the public outpouring of love and gratitude that I realize why Cory lived for the same people her husband Ninoy died for. She saw what was good in the Filipino. And it was because of this that she empowered the Filipino people with a gift: the freedom to rise up for their own country. For me, this is a debt that my generation will never be able to repay in full. The best we can do is to carry on the legacy, not just in our storytelling but in exercising our rights to suffrage, in becoming not the leaders we want to be, but the leaders our country needs.
To Tita Cory: thank you. Thank you for being the President who set a whole new bar for public servants. Thank you for sacrificing so that my family and so many others could live without fear. Thank you for giving me my civic voice. You are loved and are sorely missed.
Monday, August 3, 2009
gusto kong bumoto para sa....
Sa una, naaliw lang ako gaya ng karamihan ng mga kamag-aral ko. Pero hindi ko aakalain na mapapabili rin ako. Ngayon may tatlong pin sa aking bag, lahat na may salita, "Gusto kong bumoto para sa...."
Maganda ang panukala ng mga kamag-aral ko na magbenta ng mga pin para maeenganyo ng mga tao na bumoto. Mas maganda ang mga nakasulat sa mga pins:
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KALIKASAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KABATAAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KABABAIHAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KALUSUGAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa EDUKASYON
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KATOTOHANAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KARAPATAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa SINING
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa LGBT
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa PILIPINO
Kapansin pansin na lahat ng mga ito ay mga bagay na dapat ipaglaban. Ito ay ang mga nagiging basehan ng mga plataporma, at dapat rin mga desisyon ng mga botante.
Pinili ko na bilhin ang pins para sa EDUKASYON, KABABAIHAN, at SINING. Isa na rin dahilan ang pagkaubos ng pin para sa mga PILIPINO, pero dahilan rin ang pagpili sa mga "advocacy" na ipinaglalaban ko sa buhay. Ito ay ilan sa mga hahanapin ko bilang botante: kaya ba ng kandidato na ipaglaban ang paniniwala ko?
Magtanong na, mga kasama. :D
Maganda ang panukala ng mga kamag-aral ko na magbenta ng mga pin para maeenganyo ng mga tao na bumoto. Mas maganda ang mga nakasulat sa mga pins:
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KALIKASAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KABATAAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KABABAIHAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KALUSUGAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa EDUKASYON
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KATOTOHANAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa KARAPATAN
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa SINING
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa LGBT
-Gusto kong bumoto para sa PILIPINO
Kapansin pansin na lahat ng mga ito ay mga bagay na dapat ipaglaban. Ito ay ang mga nagiging basehan ng mga plataporma, at dapat rin mga desisyon ng mga botante.
Pinili ko na bilhin ang pins para sa EDUKASYON, KABABAIHAN, at SINING. Isa na rin dahilan ang pagkaubos ng pin para sa mga PILIPINO, pero dahilan rin ang pagpili sa mga "advocacy" na ipinaglalaban ko sa buhay. Ito ay ilan sa mga hahanapin ko bilang botante: kaya ba ng kandidato na ipaglaban ang paniniwala ko?
Magtanong na, mga kasama. :D
Ito na mismo
Maligayang araw sa inyong lahat.
Talaan ito ng mga karanasan at saloobin ng isang bagong makikilahok sa lipunan bilang botante. Hindi ko alam bakit di ko naisip na maging botante noon pa man. Di ko rin alam kung bakit ngayon lang ako makikilahok, magsusulat at mangangarap. Siguro panahon na rin na gawin ko ang mga ito.
Ang ilan sa mga itatala ko ay susulatin ko sa wikang Ingles, sapagkat ito ay ang wika na nakasanayan ko na. Susubukan ko pa rin na magsulat sa wikang Pilipino, dahil itong talaan ay para sa mga kababayan ko. Saan man ito aabot, sana dinggin ninyo.
May konting kaugnayan ito sa mga ginagawa ko sa ilan mga dyornal at sulatin sa iba't ibang mga lugar. Pero konti lang. Oo, gumagamit rin ako ng Multiply, Facebook, Plurk, Twitter, at kung anu ano pa. Pero ang mga yun ay para makipagkulitan, sawsawan, asaran, palitan, at iyakan ng mga kasama ko sa komunidad at maging sa aking unibersidad. Pero nais ko na itong talaan ay di para lang sa mga nakikilala ko sa pang araw araw na galaw ko.
At dito tayo magsisimula: sa isang kwento.
Talaan ito ng mga karanasan at saloobin ng isang bagong makikilahok sa lipunan bilang botante. Hindi ko alam bakit di ko naisip na maging botante noon pa man. Di ko rin alam kung bakit ngayon lang ako makikilahok, magsusulat at mangangarap. Siguro panahon na rin na gawin ko ang mga ito.
Ang ilan sa mga itatala ko ay susulatin ko sa wikang Ingles, sapagkat ito ay ang wika na nakasanayan ko na. Susubukan ko pa rin na magsulat sa wikang Pilipino, dahil itong talaan ay para sa mga kababayan ko. Saan man ito aabot, sana dinggin ninyo.
May konting kaugnayan ito sa mga ginagawa ko sa ilan mga dyornal at sulatin sa iba't ibang mga lugar. Pero konti lang. Oo, gumagamit rin ako ng Multiply, Facebook, Plurk, Twitter, at kung anu ano pa. Pero ang mga yun ay para makipagkulitan, sawsawan, asaran, palitan, at iyakan ng mga kasama ko sa komunidad at maging sa aking unibersidad. Pero nais ko na itong talaan ay di para lang sa mga nakikilala ko sa pang araw araw na galaw ko.
At dito tayo magsisimula: sa isang kwento.
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