Viewing 1 - 9 out of 17 Blogs.

Page:  1 | 2 | Next >  Last >>

I have read that there is a point in the retina which is not sensitive to light; it is where the optic nerve passes through the inner coat of the eyeball. That point is called the blind spot.  By analogy, this refers to any given area which cannot be seen or reached with available equipments such as radars or radio receptors.

Applying it to human experiences, blind spot can be referred to as which we fails to exercise understanding, fair judgement, true service and tolerance. Blocking them out of awareness. Living examples are public officials who are more interested with the perks of the office rather than in managing their responsibilities with prudence and diligence; individuals who holds important positions and enjoying fame who tends to think as having more intrinsic worth than anyone they look down as their social inferiors equating personal value with their social role; people who exchange their principles, honor, their very soul with the privileges and pleasures that they care for; people who quick to judge other beings by their actions and the company they keep; all of us who has the continuing habit of finding out what we need to gripe and complain about in our daily lives rather than discovering of what we should be thankful about.

Many times conflict arises in our relationship with one another when we focus on the weaknesses and not on the strengths of our fellowmen, considering their inadequacies instead of their potentilas and capabilities. We miss the opportunity to get a clear vision of the beauty of God which we can experience in the community of His people.

All of us must practice sensitivity, fair judgment on everyone. Each of us is God's creative handiwork, his glory and character are revealed in each one of us. We need to audit and monitor resources at our command to consider only the things that are honest, pure and good in our fellowship with one another. These are the indispensible ingredients to make us see, with clear vision, the only best way for mankind's continuing existence in harmony and lasting peace.

 

During my attendance on a neighbor's wake, I was able to refresh my bond with the old men and women of my community. One of them, known for her non-conformist ways in raising her children  took me aside and asked my opinion about her advise for her 15 -year old grand daughter to sell her chastity to any Japanese national for a huge fee. I was literally speechless and shocked on her blunt approach to uplift her family from financial hardships.

The culture of poverty in Third World countries like the Philippines acts as breeding ground for flesh trade to thrive. Without access to proper education due to financial constraint, majority opted to earn the bucks the easiest way. Each has their own stories to tell. Sending their siblings and children to school, building a decent home for the family, hospitalization of gravely-ill relative. Most often than not, they fall prey to society's vultures who manipulates and exploits them to the extreme, tearing their dreams and souls apart.

Women , as often said is the weaker sex. But as weak as they are, sex workers are often regarded to as heroes by their families by providing them with their basic needs and making their lives more comfortable than usual. Culturally, it is a division between religion and economy. Like what the old lady reasoned out when I gave her my solicited opinion, "God would understand."  Mary Magdalene was a prostitute and was forgiven in the end, she said. Survival instinct is deeply inculcated on their minds making them believe that principle, dignity and morality will never feed or clothed them.

Being a woman myself, I grieved on the daily harrowing tales of women's exploitation and slavery. And I believe that strictest laws should be promulgated to protect our rights, to ensure our welfare.

I was born and raised in a rural setting.. Trees lining up the streets, field teeming with the greenery of palay, clean streams, pristine seas, clogged-free drainage and canals, butterflies and dragonflies of different colors swamping the garden on late afternoons, the morning mist, crisp - fresh air. , horse drawn carriages were the only mode of transportation on a rough road we used to trek on, locally woven baskets were used to buy grocery on our local market, fresh fishes were simply being caught on ricefields during the rainy season, vegetables can be harvested on backyards or vacant lots, kids playing with local indigenous toys and games safely even during evenings, nipa huts with open windows allows entry of fresh air as you sleep......That was years ago.

Through the years, comes progress and development within our locality. Industrial zone was created to generate jobs for its habitats, commercial areas sprouted like mushrooms, modern technology made life comfortable and easier for everyone, concrete roads and bridges made it safer for the modern buses and cars to pass through town after town, woven baskets took backseat to plastic bags, fastfoods from local foodstalls. Subdivisions and posh villages cropped up on previous ricefields and hills. Bungalows and high-rise houses from nipa huts... And it was good, they say.....We are going global ! But do we really have to be thankful about the whole thing?

Garbage, mostly of non-biodegrable materials started clogging up the once pristine waters of our community, being an agriculture based locality, we are losing our agricultural lands to property developers due to the farmer's inability to sustain their farm's viability, noise and air pollution became a usual fare, ricefield fishes and shellfishes gone due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Gone were the butterflies/dragonflies too. Landfills which pose grave health & sanitation problems sprouted on or near residential areas. The influx of local migrants looking for better opportunities has resulted to overpopulation, housing problems and high illiteracy rate. Incidences of drug-related crimes disable us to work and play freely as night progresses.

Is this the price of development? Can't we, in our pursuit of global competitiveness do something to ensure sound environmental management as well? Take a pro-active response before its too late than just being reactive when tragedy or calamity struck? When are we going to learn ? Unless we all do something now, I believe we are doomed.

Greenpeace

Greenpeace exists because this fragile Earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action.

World Wide Fund for Nature....

I am a holder of WWF Passport as online campaigner .

Back in 1961 when it was founded, WWF stood for the "World Wildlife Fund". However, as the organization grew over the 70s and into the 80s, WWF began to expand its work to conserve the environment as a whole (reflecting the interdependence of all living things), rather than focusing on selected species in isolation. So although we continued to use our well-known initials, our legal name became "World Wide Fund For Nature" (except in North America where the old name was retained).

More and more, however, to avoid confusion and mixed messages across borders and languages, WWF is known as simply "WWF, the global conservation organization."

WWF Passport is your licence to campaign for the environment, no matter where you are in the world, all over the world.

Passport provides concise calls to action on important issues such as endangered species, global warming, and forest protection. The whole idea behind Passport is that it makes it easier for people who are short on time to have a big say on critical issues.

Campaigning on the internet really does work

To date pressure from Passport activists, along with on-the-ground work by both WWF staff and WWF's partners, has resulted in many successes and helped:

• Ensure the release of eight endangered Sumatran elephants in Indonesia
  
• Convince the Western Australian government to provide long-term protection for the Ningaloo Reef
• Stopped plan to hunt and kill all tigers in the northern Malaysian state of Kelantan in response to human-tiger conflict.
• Protect the critically endangered Maui's dolphin.

 

 

 

My vigilance never stops and this is my stand....

One Voice Position Paper

WE DON’T NEED THE PROPOSED CHARTER CHANGE.
WE NEED REAL CHANGE.
(A proposal to address the political impasse)

Why we are speaking out now

We are a non-partisan movement of citizens who are very concerned about the political developments in our country since EDSA I and more recently in the aftermath of the 2004 elections. We see our country divided when we should be united around peaceful and democratic processes. Many of us have not participated in rallies and demonstrations for or against the President.  Some of us have joined street protests. But all of us agree that most of the solutions that have so far been offered to address the political situation appear to serve personal or group interests more than the common good, and even endanger rather than strengthen our democratic institutions. The latest of these “solutions” is the “people’s initiative” to shift from a presidential system with a bicameral legislature to a parliamentary system with a unicameral legislature.

For our people, many of whom are poor, it is often not clear how these political alternatives will make a difference in their lives. We are concerned that there is a growing alienation, even distrust, of our democratic institutions and of our national leaders, in and out of government. The future of our democracy itself may be at stake, and it will take all of us, speaking out together, if we are going to be heard.

Our Proposal

We propose a 5-step process through the following:

1. Discontinuance of the present “people’s initiative”;
2. A social reform program now;
3. Elections in 2007 as scheduled, as an indirect referendum, and electoral reform now;
4. If necessary, a constitutional convention (not a “con-ass”) after the 2007 elections, and
5. A collective effort to rebuild the trustworthiness of our democratic institutions

I am Pinoy and proud of it !

About the Campaign

What is the “Yabang Pinoy” Campaign:

“Yabang Pinoy” is a campaign to raise awareness and heighten Filipino people’s ethos, dignity and pride by advocating the use of a piece of braided abaca band that aims to make a statement. The abaca band aims to signify a Filipino being truly proud to be one.

The band will use the natural fiber abaca. Abaca belongs to the family of Musacea which is indigenous to the Philippines. It is important to note that the Philippines is the largest source of abaca fiber. Abaca is commonly known as the Manila hemp worldwide. It is also considered as the strongest natural fiber. Abaca used to be one of our top exports together with sugar and tobacco.

Since abaca is the strongest natural fiber and unique to the Philippines, it aims to constantly remind Filipinos that we are tough, resilient and exceptional.

Why is the campaign important?

The Philippines has faced numerous crises like more than four centuries of western domination, natural catastrophes, political misfortunes, and the likes. But through all these difficulties, the Filipino people has survived.

The “Yabang Pinoy” campaign is important to constantly remind the Filipino people to take pride of their nationality.

The “Yabang Pinoy” campaign will collate testimonials of Filipino and what makes them proud to be one.

What is the goal of the campaign?

The goal of the “Yabang Pinoy” campaign is to unite the Filipino people in believing in themselves and in fellow Filipinos.

Who founded the campaign?

The ‘Yabang Pinoy” campaign was founded by a group of young, active and nationalistic Filipinos who realized that one of the gravest problems faced by the Philippines today is Filipinos not believing in their nationality and doubting their identity.

 

Farewell, Kuya !

My brother's last photo

At peace with the Lord

October 14, 2006. It was a day like no other...

We have lose not only a brother in-law but a friend, a confidante, an adviser...

We stood witness on his years of constant struggle with the complications brought about by  series of strokes and heart attacks..

Like a gallant warrior, he fought his battle valliantly and with strong willpower...

Like a brave soldier, he never face retreat even during his fiercest battle...

We were there as he fought his greatest enemy... weakening his body but not his soul.... destroying his vital organs but not his faith.... wrecking havoc on his health but not his spirit....

And we stood by him as he surrender everything to his Maker......

After 60 years, he has finally gone home.

We love you, Kuya ! Your memory will live in our hearts forever.....

I personally watched this film and encourage everyone to watch it to enable us to see the inconvenient truth on global warming threatening man and our planet's existence It is about time for all of us to gather our act together to save earth from the greatest global threat confonting it before it is too late.

I have reprinted a note on what the film is all about from www.climatecrisis.net who is basically behind the effort:

Humanity is sitting on a ticking time bomb. If the vast majority of the world's scientists are right, we have just ten years to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet into a tail-spin of epic destruction involving extreme weather, floods, droughts, epidemics and killer heat waves beyond anything we have ever experienced.

If that sounds like a recipe for serious gloom and doom -- think again. From director Davis Guggenheim comes the Sundance Film Festival hit, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, which offers a passionate and inspirational look at one man's fervent crusade to halt global warming's deadly progress in its tracks by exposing the myths and misconceptions that surround it. That man is former Vice President Al Gore, who, in the wake of defeat in the 2000 election, re-set the course of his life to focus on a last-ditch, all-out effort to help save the planet from irrevocable change. In this eye-opening and poignant portrait of Gore and his "traveling global warming show," Gore also proves himself to be one of the most misunderstood characters in modern American public life. Here he is seen as never before in the media - funny, engaging, open and downright on fire about getting the surprisingly stirring truth about what he calls our "planetary emergency" out to ordinary citizens before it's too late.

With 2005, the worst storm season ever experienced in America just behind us, it seems we may be reaching a tipping point - and Gore pulls no punches in explaining the dire situation. Interspersed with the bracing facts and future predictions is the story of Gore's personal journey: from an idealistic college student who first saw a massive environmental crisis looming; to a young Senator facing a harrowing family tragedy that altered his perspective, to the man who almost became President but instead returned to the most important cause of his life - convinced that there is still time to make a difference.

With wit, smarts and hope, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH ultimately brings home Gore's persuasive argument that we can no longer afford to view global warming as a political issue - rather, it is the biggest moral challenges facing our global civilization.

Paramount Classics and Participant Productions present a film directed by Davis Guggenheim,  AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH. Featuring Al Gore, the film is produced by Laurie David, Lawrence Bender and Scott Z. Burns. Jeff Skoll and Davis Guggenheim are the executive producers and the co-producer is Leslie Chilcott.

I saw it coming... My intuition never fails me... Not even once. It's history repeating itself. Losing another friendship after the initial euphoria of gaining and nurturing one, after envisioning hope of what should have been, of how it would have ended. Close friends keep telling me I never learned much on lessons of my past. Perhaps, they are right and I should have listened. I took the risks and I failed..... again !

Life is full of surprises. Things come and go at times you least expect it. It clips your wings while you're in mid-air. It cripples you at times when you have just started to stand on your own, when you taught you will eventually have someone constantly on your side, to be there no matter what, against all odds. Someone who will love you unconditionally, accept you for what you are, freckles and flaws.

For months, I was the happiest soul. Sharing pride and joy with my family, assuring them that things is working out finally on my personal life. And I saw them at their happiest for me, wishing me the best of days to come. Friends keep praying for a blissful life. Making them part of what could have been my happiest moment. Like any other woman, I treasured every word and images that goes with the friendship. Holding on to a peaceful future, looking forward to a brighter tomorrow with my own man, achieving that sense of balance and peace of mind with my own family. Things I have been searching all these years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happiness has been very elusive for me, I guess... ...And still is.. But no matter how searing and intense the hurt of this loss was, I have accepted another sad fate. I simply raised my tear-filled eyes to God and in all humility and repentance, respected His will. I know I should not dwell in grieving over the past for it is already gone but rather live in the present and in God's love for I know He will make my life as beautiful to be worth remembering. For the test of the heart is trouble and it always comes with the years.

I am smiling now....... For the smile that is worth the praises on earth is the smile that shines through tears.

Page:  1 | 2 | Next >  Last >>