Democracy without...Democracy at the expense of...

I feel lucky that I was born a Filipino. Not only do I enjoy an environment fostering compassion that comes from being a Christian and a society that places equal value to both men and women, but I possess the freedom to choose my leader, even if it means myself.
The Philippines is not the first to exercise democracy in the world, but it is the birthplace of the first constitutional democracy in Asia in 1899. However, many times in the past the Philippines has been ravaged by colonizers and at one time a dictator. But our ancestors then, gifted with courage, were able to survive numerous battles either in a bloody or peaceful means, all for the noble cause of freedom. In 1986, the people united to oust the dictator that took away the Philippines’ liberty and freedom in many aspects of life. Since then, threats to ensure that our interest as a people stays on top and not just of the few who seek power for their benefit have been constantly condemned. The Filipinos were able to do many tremendous feats such as those embedded in history because of formal as well as informal education. Learning our history in books and through first hand experience from the past passed on from father to son, mother to daughter, grandparents to apo have taught us Filipinos to fight for freedom with a fervor that can only come from those who know what it means to be deprived of it.
Still now and then, the solid walls of democracy that is the people’s protection from self-serving individuals endure varied assaults. Learning from history, we know that as long as we keep educating ourselves, keep valuing freedom; whatever assault will never crack it down.
However, democracy has its downside.
It is true that there is no perfect form of government existent. But that is in fact only a ripple of truth from the one that says, “There is no perfect human being alive or otherwise.” True, even to a fairy tale, there is a flipside. And this isn’t even one.
All of us can feel a few of it especially now that one of the major components of preserving democracy is drawing close. We see familiar faces everywhere (the roadside, the television, even around us) when they never used to be there. These persons are using the protection of the names and emblems that we so respect and pay to keep existing, in order to ensure that they stay in power. And yet what can they do, because they still want to serve the citizenry (if that indeed is what they want) and have only that means to fish out voters?
But then, ideas come to mind.
It is pretty much realistic that being an archipelago is a bit of a disadvantage to communication and thus dissemination of information. But not anymore. What with the many forms of media now present. So why don’t they blog their acts daily as does many nowadays? Increase their effort of informing the people of what good they do all year round and not just during campaign period? Call yearly meetings/gatherings and give detailed reports of accomplishments even giving a piece of pan de sal to every Filipino present during such. Surely, that would not even amount higher to the sum of the merienda they order for every little meeting they have.
A few of this and more others could yield to them not cramming to be remembered by the citizens when they cast their ballots. Cramming=desperation=loss of morals=blablabla.
Whatever. I still want democracy. And I’m going to keep myself informed to ensure the meaning stays, even literally: demos “people” and kratein “to rule”.
Before I go, I thank the Greeks for inventing democracy.

A young adult’s view on Parental Guidance: adolescent stage

A thought after a parent-discouraged sleepover: Parents can show their children the way, but its still up to them if they want to follow it, make a detour, take a different road or create their own. It’s one thing parents should learn to accept, because once in their lives they’ve also experienced the surge of youth that’s never without the want if not the passion to learn things on their own, even to the point of foolishness. Perhaps not so genuine, but almost never ceases to be true.

The young have that innate urge to take experiences first hand in order to satisfy curiosities, prove themselves, learn things their way...etc. It’s how they develop their personalities and discover what they really want in life. Reality check though would tell, stumbling/failing/falling is never out of the possibilities, and that’s where parental fears stream in.

Plainly put, stumbling is encompassed in the good/bad/null possible consequence of every human endeavor. Yep, human endeavor and not just youth endeavor. It can happen to anyone and it happens to everyone. But why all the fear on stumbling? Parents answer: “Its enough that I stumbled before, but my child? Oh no, no.”

Parents can be overly imposing and protective because of their stumbling experiences in the past that they don’t want their beloved children to have to go through, without realizing they are blocking the possibilities and opportunities that can only come from freeing their children from too much parental bondage.

Contrary to popular thinking, stumbling is not wholly destructive. In fact it has the potential to sow inner strength and solid independence without regards to age. Remembering a beautiful line back in high school, “No gem is made without friction, not a man perfected without trial.” Every person needs a bit of pain to understand the use of painkillers. Every person needs a bit of scratch to know it is better to be careful next time. Because, only told will never be wholly understood. Perhaps that’s foolishness or perhaps that’s human nature.

That is not to say however that parents are no longer without role in an adolescent’s life, they still play a crucial role as in guidance and counseling, in keeping that atmosphere of love and belongingness, in being parents. There’s no diminishing their worth, only adjusting their roles. I hope they understand. And I hope children too understand because once parents learn to adjust, that’s when they will have their true beloved independence and everything they ever wanted will be theirs. But that’s when the true tests begin.

She Vies: Reviewing feminism.

In retrospect
Archaeological evidence from Europe and the Middle East has suggested that Stone Age Civilizations practiced goddess worship and were organized as matriarchs---social orders with women in charge. What went between those times and the beginning of eras when men began to dominate societies wasn’t stated. But by the time scrolls and early forms of record materials have been invented, what were scribbled and sculpted in them were already the glories of patriarchs.
For hundreds of years, this was the way in which the world has been operating: men in the upper echelons of society and women assigned under their protection and direction.

Women React
Earlier women must have already felt the pressure of the restrictions imposed upon them by society, but it was only in the 18th century when feminist ideas began to reach public ears and the 19th century when the term ‘feminism’ gained popularity.
Feminism is a collective term for systems of belief and theories that pay special attention to women’s rights and women’s position in culture and society. Feminists are united by the idea that women’s’ position in society is unequal to that of men, and that society is structured in such a way as to benefit men to the political and social detriment of women.
Mary Wollstonecraft of England, Simon de Beauvoir of France, Hildegard of Germany, and Betty Friedan of the United States of America are among the leading feminists of their time.

The Cause
Feminists have identified various aspects in which inequality is most evident and depressing for women based on their individual cultures.
Islamic feminism for example tries to redress issues as polygyny (having multiple wives) and purdah (seclusion from home). In western countries as in the US of A, though home to women proponents of the belief system, feminist movements have not rested and continuously target such as inequality in the workplace. In many Southeast Asian countries especially those with rigid cultures, traditional ideas on the nature and role of women have impacted the way they were treated in society. In the Philippines, women view has been influenced by the three-century-rule of the Spaniards who introduced the traits a woman must possess: religious, self-sacrificing, submissive, conservative and left out of the affairs of the state as in the person of Maria Clara in Jose Rizal’s two famous novels. Because of this, many women before have not received equal education and opportunities as men.

Society Responds
However, Pressing issues that highlight gender are no longer left unchecked by society. People have been made aware of gender-sensitive use of language. Women are given the freedom to air their public opinions. Professions are slowly becoming less gender-biased. The status of a husband and wife in the family as in terms of decision-making are now at par. At last, society has opened its arms to hear “herstory”. But…
Considering now that men have opened their minds and embraced women as their equal, a question remains hanging, waiting to be answered by all women united, if their cause is to succeed: Are they ready to pay the price of genuine equality? Are we?

Stink’stem’:Questioning a tolerated rotten system

True to life scenario
19 casually-clad employees make up the nexus office of an establishment. 15 from the count are on their butts---two staring blankly into space while chewing gum; seven hooked on blaring computer screens updating Facebook accounts, playing spider solitaire and watching porno while laughing around, feeling completely at home. Work is home; home is home.
9:30 on the dot and yet no boss has stepped in the office. 15 minutes pass and a few have already taken turns on the computers. One of the few bosses finally arrives, sits on his royal chair behind the desk, writes, chats, writes for about 15 minutes and exits again; his first and last appearance of the day---a normal day in the office…

The phone rings without halt. The door to the office barely closes. Computer screens blare of white light, hands keep typing, clicking, typing alternately faster than normal.
Everyone’s abuzz. Papers keep coming in and out, delivered here and there, inquiries her and there. All bosses are strapped on their seats all day signing, signing---salary day in the office…

Analogy of systems
The brain is the center of all functions of the body. Without it the body is lifeless. The brain is a network of nerve cells responsible of transmission of signals to all other organ systems. Without them, the brain is useless.

Order, receive, interpret, transmit, and respond: the mainstream process that transcends within the human system without conscious control. Only when disease is present will the process halt or fail to work as it should.

Human society is a simulation of the biologic processes of humans. It’s built to operate systematically for a particular purpose. But as diseases exist in the biologic sense so does it in a society that is only a simulation of the original. Error in connections occur but in a more massive scale. People can choose not to follow orders, orders can be made for personal gain, messages may not reach at the right time or messages may be altered and thus misinterpreted…etc…

In the office scenario above, what happens? No one is working as he/she should. Even the head poses himself/herself as a bad model for others to follow. There is a malady without question.

But what is that malady?
value system---
a scheme that cannot happen in the context of our analogue because it is culture in context, beyond the genius of logic.

No one person dares to speak out the obvious wrong in their daily doings because they know beneficial connections are at stake. If they won’t tolerate each other’s idiosyncrasies, they will live like hell in a place where they should only just follow ethical codes of conduct. A lax workplace is better than a rigid one even if it means flushing values down the drain because a rigid one requires effort that many people are not accustomed to.

'Besides, what are values for when no one’s looking? Or when the one you expect to look into the malady, himself/herself is an epitome of a rotten system?' Now that is stink'stem thinking.

*Stink'stem is a coined term by the author that when separated would read as stinking system.

Cons and Incons: A personal dissertation on success and failure

My goal these recent days aside from cutting down on my carbs so as not to outgrow my pants (I can’t afford my favorite brands) has been consistency in my way of life. That is in dealing with circumstances that requires quick or long hours of thinking to come up with a decision---whether it’s what to eat with whom for lunch or what to do after board exam results come first trimester of next year.
For the latter, I’ve been alternating among the following options: applying as nurse volunteer in our provincial hospital for 6 months before trying on tertiary ones in the city, submitting my resume online for the nars sa baryo program of the government incase it gets to have a 3rd phase by the time I receive my license, take up a course on Adobe Photoshop on a TESDA approved school to make myself a bit more marketable, start a business on event planning with a high school friend, enroll in a Literature or Journalism course in my dream school, Harvard (loco) or get married. Gosh. Did I just say that? Well nothing is impossible so they say---not dreams, not bright futures, not even the most nightmarish of events and endings. That is why I seek consistency. We witness many talented people wasting their potentials because of failure to arrive at a decision over what to do with their lives after a no-need-to-decide-for-ourselves-yet phase that we all enjoy once in our young lives. Many College Cum Lau des have not maximized the edge that the title gave them. Many have raved over so many things they want to have and achieve and ended up getting nothing. Many failed in life because of inconsistency. That’s why I’m afraid of that word so much that I can’t sleep just thinking it to be the cause of my own failure.
For this article, I did a small research on the net about the consequence of inconsistency on people and the values that make people fail. I found out browsing through 66 articles and essays written by random people around the globe that there are many factors that contribute to failure. Some say its lack of emotional intelligence such as being a slave to basic human desires, others say lack of diligence, lack of perseverance, lack of patience, lack of motivation etc. etc.
In a book entitled Psychological Foundations of Success by scientist and Harvard-trained psychologist Stephen Kraus, five biggest factors that determine success were delineated: vision, strategy, belief, persistence and learning.
Vision was discussed as the science of identifying ones passions. Strategy which came after vision was clearly stated to mean turning lofty ambitions into consistent action. Keyword: consistent.
I think belief, persistence and learning should all serve to keep consistency in a person as he works his way towards the fulfillment of his identified passions.
I learned a lot from my readings in the internet although I know that the truth is there was no need to seek a Harvard doctor’s help to instill the importance of consistency of thought and action in achieving goals simply because we as humans who experience constant little and major battles in life, all know this by heart. Only sometimes, it really helps to ask and be reminded of what we shouldn’t but so often forget and what we should be doing but either can’t or won’t because it takes so much effort to defeat the worst in us who wants every reward at an instant.
That’s why I wrote this: because writing aside from speaking is my only way of reminding myself of my mistakes, my shortcomings and what’s important above whims and schemes.
So what have you decided? And what have I? So far, I have only decided on one thing, I will succeed.
It’s time to determine on what considering I already know how.

First Day Drop Out

As I sit in front of an outdated office computer envying its existence despite its keyboard’s ultra hard keys (my own lies hidden beneath layers of dust under my bed due to some computer gobbledygook I can’t fathom), I listen to an engrossing conversation that fills the capsulated room. It has been almost a week since I last wrote; a month since I last wrote something in English that’s worth my time.
It’s lunch time here in my workplace. By that, I mean between the hours of 12:00-12:30, although most employees seem to have this habit of prolonging it. My mind grasps for topics to write about. I know I must exercise my thinking lest it rots. Thanks to The Valkyries by Paulo Coelho for that fear I recently added to my thousand others.
Anyway, the conversation floats to one of the employees who has become a surrogate parent to one of her nieces, a scenario absolutely normal in the Philippine setting. As the most successful of the siblings, Mar dutifully took responsibility of her niece’s education from high school. And now that her Kolehiyala niece has graduated with flying colors, she helped her get into one of the most prestigious universities here in Iloilo.
According to Mar, her niece has been anticipating her first day in College since last week, but is now feeling what many unaccustomed-to-variety high schoolers experience on their first day at big universities where explosion of personalities always seem to be most evident. I myself have experienced such. Who hasn’t? Hmm. In fact I can pretty much relate with her based on description---private school education; pampered; introverted; academically good but lacking some PR; good in theory but lacking practicality. However, I developed the traits that I used to lack as I went thru the so-called College life.
Based on Mar’s story, the girl now is obsessed about quitting school, that she verbalized thru text message her desire to “just roll about on bed at home instead of putting up with loneliness in school”. The poor Aunt does her best to convince her to do otherwise. Even other employees got concerned that they made efforts to give good advices to the distraught Mar. Sadly, no amount of words could dissuade the poor niece.
All throughout the encounter, I kept my thoughts to myself however intently listening. I, who has the freshest memory of “first days” of all who were in the room. But as her decision of giving in to the demand of her niece gathered approval from everyone, I couldn’t take anymore silence. I thought of my own first day and realized how lucky I was to have had at least one whom I knew as a companion. When everyone was a bit silenced, I blurted out disapproval of her final decision. I asked if she had any friends even in different departments and found out that she had. I gave other options and suggestions. Mar texted her some of it but nothing could be done. At last poor Mar told her to just come home. What a sad thing for Mar; but even sadder for the girl who let go of that opportunity for growth.
I don’t know how many students experience this type of first day nightmare. I suppose about a half of every class in all schools in the world have students with this type of anxiety on their first day. And I know that of them, there are those who give up even before their trip to the unknown has been fully revealed before them. What can be done?
First things first. These students need listeners who would be understanding enough to see thru their stories without judgment. Indeed the way the world is depends on the looker. Imposing ideas and beliefs to these distraught students is destructive. It can only make them stick to their decision more strongly. Next would be advice from a person who knows how to give advice without preaching. A talk with a person the student respects and admires is an example. Presentation of consequences and options would come in here. Then, after all words have been exhausted, the last step would be giving space and time for the student to think.
Let her/him decide.

After all, it’s going to be her next four years to live with.

A Travel Home

Capturing Guimaras’ Many Angles

Why are some sands bLacK? because some are whiTe.

Not all shores are bestowed of creamy sands. But Guimaras like many islands in the tropics are among the chosen. Hmm…that idea can only come from a proud inhabitant of one of the tourist hotspots in the Philippines. And true indeed this writer boasts of being a true blue Guimarasnon. But who could fully say he/she is a Gumarasnon if he/she has not even experienced the Guimaras that so many tourist from this country and abroad have through the opportunity given to them by money and that desire to escape from their busy world have visited and explored.
It is true that many Guimarasnons are not truly aware of the actual beauty of the place which they have called their homes for God-knows how long simply because they have not taken or been given the chance to explore what they call their own. And people, who are not aware, are people who cannot be expected to protect.
I did not know about the gargantuan deposits of lime in the rocks and soil of Guimaras until a recent misfortune led me to make a series of choices that eventually led me to a trip that brought me home. Home. I am home. I’ve been home for two decades minus the number of days I was in school in Iloilo or sleeping in my boarding house; but not truly home until I decided to work closely with the true advocates of Guimaras promotion and preservation. And on two of those working days, I went with my boss to a tour of Guimaras by boat.
Beach hopping may not be the deepest way to love a place. But it is definitely a start. Protection begins with appreciation.
I took shots of the places we passed and landed on while taking note from my more knowledgeable companions important details of those places.
(pictures...@facebook)
At the end of the trip, I got more than pictures in my friend’s camera. I was not only happy that the sands in the Guimaras shores are white. I was happy that they are still there and that my predecessors have done their best to protect them for me… to see and protect in my time.

Marking the Map to Guimaras Island

Imagining Paradise
Paradise -- there is no denying the myriad of beautiful images filtered by the mind at the mere mention of the word.
The images in my own go along these lines: the feel of powdery-soft sand cushioning my feet as I waddle through crystal blue waters, splurge in the abundance of fresh country air and gaze at the clear sight of the wonders of the aquatic world beneath me -smooth pebbles accentuating the whiteness underneath and schools of tiny multi-colored fishes boldly encircling my moving legs.
More to my sight is the long stretch of creamy sand only occasionally interrupted by anchored bancas in the shoreline used for fishing and hopping from islets to islets.
Concentrating on my sense of hearing, I sense the gentle rustling of the coconut leaves mingling with the tender lapping of the waves in the shore. A soft melody also plays from one of the cottages behind me.
Allowing my mind to wander off, I think of the freshly harvested coconut milk paired with sweet ripe mangoes in my nipa hut: a delight to my taste buds.
Several places may come to mind at the description made above. But the first place that comes to my mind is no other than Guimaras Island.

Paradise in Sight
Though considered as the smallest and youngest province in Western Visayas, Guimaras prides itself in its incomparable beauty with its pristine beaches at the forefront of fame and rich natural wealth most notably its mango plantations and abundant aquatic resources.
Its five municipalities, each proportionately bearing its natural beauty and wealth, are Buenavista, Jordan, Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo and Sibunag.
Jordan hales as the center of trade and commerce and the capital of Guimaras. In it are two of the island’s famous Beach Resorts: Baras and Isla Naburot. It also has two hotels and six pension inns for those who prefer them.
Buenavista which is a mere 30-minute jeepney-ride from Jordan has six must-see beach resorts. El Retiro Beach Resort found in the historic Brgy. Navalas overlooks the mystical Siete Pecados whose story dates back from Spanish times. Enrico Beach Resort in Brgy. Zaldivar can be reached through a five-minute motor banca ride from McArthur’s Wharf, the major entry point of the municipality. Other beach resorts include Carmel by the Sea, Kelapa Gading and Abelardos all found in Brgy. East Valencia.
Nueva Valencia, located at the southern tip of Guimaras facing the Iloilo Strait, has the most number of beach resorts with more than 15. Some are located in one shoreline like Freelance, Raymen and Rico beach resorts in Sitio Alubihod, Brgy. Poblacion. These three beach resorts may be considered as three of the most frequented in Guimaras because of their accessibility both to local and foreign tourists by land and by boat. Others include Guisi Clearwater famous for its 18th century lighthouse, Villa Igang, Yato, Rumagangrang, NVMPC, Himal-us, Guiwad, Pulang Pasayan, Villa Clara, Santo Nino, Coco Palm, Punta Tando, Amancio, Tajanlangit and the panoramic El Puerta de Paraiso in Brgy. San Roque with its cogon-made cottage roofs especially built on a bulldozed mountaintop. This soon-to-open resort, which has beaches at the east and west side of the cottages-over-the-bulldozed mountain, will definitely leave tourists wanting to stay longer than intended.
With the number of world class beach resorts and a couple of mountain resorts in a 60, 457 hectares of land area, Guimaras Island is definitely one of the Philippine’s tourist hot spots.
The two last only by alphabetical arrangement are the municipalities of San Lorenzo and Sibunag. These two, located at the eastern side of Guimaras are considered as the youngest of the 5 municipalities having been created only in 1995. Sibunag, which can be reached by van/jeepney within 45 minutes from Jordan Wharf, is famous for its Island Resorts. Known to many is the Nagarao Island Resort which offers its visitors a feel of the Visayan heritage in terms of setting and services offered. In Sibunag also are the picturesque Inampulugan Island identified by its crocodile shape, Costa Aguada Island Resort, Jesa Mar Island Resort, Punta Punting Beach Resort and Valla Verde Mt. Spring Resort which is not a beach resort but is nevertheless worth mentioning because of its beauty and fame to many trekkers and tourists since its establishment.

Opening Paradise’s Gates
Not only is the provincial government bent to having Guimaras identified by its attractive beaches and resorts, but through its Tourism Section, it also aims to establish world-class agri-fisheries business support system and advocate policies for sustained ecological balance and equitable sharing of socio-cultural and economic prosperity. Guimarasnons are encouraged and mobilized to participate to the attainment of its vision-mission for Guimaras through its Comprehensive Tourism Program focused on the promotion of its natural gift of beauty, agriculture and fisheries.

The People of Paradise
Like all Filipinos in general, the people of Guimaras are known for their hospitality, warmth and love for small to large-scale festivities seen during barangay fiestas and the province-wide Manggahan Festival held every April. What distinguishes the Guimarasnons then is the love they have for their home province shown through their continued efforts to preserve and help protect Guimaras’ natural resources from exploitation.
The Paradise that is Guimaras
Paradise they say has many addresses. With its endowment of dozens of incomparably beautiful sights and over a hundred thousand amiable people, Guimaras is definitely one.