Pinoy and World

Angelo Reyes

2011-02-10T16:25:00.000-08:00

Angelo Reyes was a former general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He rose from the ranks, after graduation from the Philippine Military Academy, from a neophyte 2nd lieutenant to being Chief of Staff, crediting himself for pulverizing Camp Abubakar in Mindanao. After retirement, he held several cabinet positions: Secretary of National Defense, Secretary of Interior and Local Government, and Secretary of Energy. When a new president was elected last May 2010 elections, General Reyes retired and lived a simple life with his family. Truly, his life is one with flying colors.

   Until few weeks ago, he was implicated in a large scale anomaly within the institution. A former budget officer of the military came into open and tell the Senate that former chiefs of staff received "welcome money" upon taking the post and "send-of money" upon retirement. Amount ranges from 50 million to 180 million pesos, greatly reducing the budget allocated for the equipment, logistics and financial benefits of the troops on the ground.  This is in addition to a monthly allowance of several million pesos, exposed by no less than his compadre, a former colonel himself and the then budget disbursing officer. As such, the whistle-blower seems to be believable against the denial of those former generals.
   As investigation intensified, mental pressure probably wrecked havoc on General Reyes, and he committed suicide. He paid respect on his parent's tomb and there, he shoot himself.
   I wrote this story just to voice out my opinion regarding this scandal that only added questions instead of answers. I do not wish to question the wisdom of the late general for taking his life, but for me, such act was an act of cowardice. For he was given the opportunity and privelege to correct a wrong, but he preferred to keep silent. I extend sympathy to his family and may he rest in peace.

MOVING

2011-02-07T00:10:00.000-08:00

   A decade had past since we left our home province and migrated to a place a thousand miles away, on the southwestern part of the Philippines. New place, new language and new environment, but that doesn't keep us on setting our track on the road. We have four children, and since they were still in elementary and high school when we arrive here, knowledge of the native language was not that hard to learn. We have to settle by renting a small house, with preference on the school's proximity to save on fare, and with an ample opportunity to earn whatever means we could. Since we do not have a house we own, we have the luxury of living on a place we chose. Thus, whenever graduation occurs, we usually transfer to where the next school will be. And since then, in a span of less than ten years, we had already lived on eight different houses. Wow, that's a record.
   One good thing about moving, is that you create many memories, especially when a family occasion happens. And it is easy to remember what chapter of our life such events occur, considering that you only have to remember the house you were then living. You also could accumulate friends on different places, that whenever there was fiesta on one of the places you lived in, you will always be invited.
   From a fifth grader, our youngest child is now on her fourth year in college, and her three siblings have their own job already. We are now a little farther from our original place, settling on an apartment near the city. Although the idea of owning a house comes into the family discussion, it is quite puzzling why it doesn't interest us that much, and such idea is always been put aside.
   Today, after settling for eleven months, we again find our present place to be uncomfortable, leaving no room for some additional furniture and fixtures purchased . And so now, we are looking forward for our ninth   bungalow , with new hopes, new aspirations and with God's continuous blessings, a better place to live in.

First Words

2011-02-03T16:59:00.000-08:00

   One of the things Filipino parents are really excited about is their baby's first words, or even any sound that comes from their baby's mouth. Once our kid manages to stutter words, its already a heavenly feeling specially for young parents. Internet research suggests that a 2-year old kid can probably understand up to a thousand words but can manage to speak only with 150 to 200 words.
   However, it seems that there are certain issues one might want to tackle regarding how children acquire their language skills. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of local studies dealing with this issue. For example, Filipinos do tend to underestimate the ability of our children to learn and acquire language, that's why we prefer to communicate with them with baby talk. There is some truth that a baby can already comprehend many words even in their first year of life.
   Legitimate suggestions to stimulate language development on children includes talking and communicating with chilren as we would with adults, by making brief but complete sentences. We can expand our children's vocabulary by combining words; by attaching a verb to their noun or vice-versa, adjectives with nouns, prepositions with nouns, and even adverbs with verbs. Some kids pick words from different speakers resulting to multilingual situation. From a Visayan housemaid, to an Ilocano grandfather, or even to a Chinese neighbor. The main challenge here is you have to decide on a primary language that you used to speak and which the child can then use to learn other languages.
   However, studies show that children's primary socialization in their schools later, do tend to correct and fill the gap of picking up the language,and that a child will learn to speak English and Filipino as his or her classmates do.
   We're fascinated when very young kids are able to say "thank you", "excuse me" or "please", not only because they show english expertise but because they show and understand certain values too. It's better we stop counting the words they speak but listen hard to what the children are trying to tell us.

Photo Sources: http://www.tbclubbock.org

A sweeter year for a diabetic

2011-02-01T23:45:00.000-08:00

   My cousin Norly was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, as a result of hereditary genes, and eating more than the fair share of sugary food leading to his obesity. Type 2 diabetes happens when our body cells do not react to insulin anymore and our pancreas does not produce enough insulin resulting to glucose overload. Without insulin, the sugar we eat stays in our bloodstream, endangering our body's systems and organs. Complications suffered by diabetics varied from poor eyesight, kidney problems, heart conditions and bad circulation.
   However, while there is an increasing incidence of this disease, especially nowadays trend of instant noodles and sugar mixtures they called "juice drinks", life has become easier for many of us, simply because we now have high tech drugs, and that we know that exercise can help, with more and more sugar-free food available in the market.
   That's why now is the perfect time for a resolution to combat this dreadful disease, first by adapting a healthier lifestyle. Find an exercise you like to do, at the very least, walking with your dog is a good start. Also, never underestimate the power of sugar-free sweeteners known to be safer and more naturally made. More and more pastry shops are offering sugar-free desserts like chocolate and cheesecake, or a sugarless coffee. And then, of course, you have to carefully follow your doctor's advice and stay on top of your medication.
   My cousin's internist put him on a new drug called Januvia(sitagliptin phosphate). Research shows that this drug is the first in a new class of drugs known as DPP-4 inhibitors, which enhance the body's natural ability to regulate insulin and lower its own blood sugar levels. It helps keep insulin to do its job, thus the blood sugar is better controlled. Thankfully, his diabetes is not out of control just yet, and he managed to lose some weight. At his age of 54, stress and fatigue, which often come with a businessman's job description, can be just as bad as a bowl of refined sugar.
   It's your choice to be vigilant about making sure your diabetes will not turn into a life-threatening situation. After all, diabetes or not, life and health are too precious not to celebrate.

cockfighting

2011-01-30T21:02:00.000-08:00

   Cocks,or simply feathered warriors have only one purpose in a cockpit arena-to fight, and fight to the death. The cocks, trained to fight with each sharp three-inch-long spurs locally called "tare" tied to one of their legs, furiously strike each other, to the excited yells of the betting spectators. All is over in just few minutes, sometimes few seconds , with one cock standing and the other downed hanging for his last breath.
   Unlike other sports, sabungeros come from all walks of life; cutting across social status, generation, political and religious divides. Some say that there are even more cockpit arenas than there are churches here in the Philippines. That is why some considered cockfighting as the national sports, rather than basketball. Afficionados considered this sports as a form of recreation that indeed brings the community together and cements long lasting relations between spectators. They says it is far better than drinking, for you always have the chance to win, while in drinking you have nothing but lose. But for animal rights activists, the sport is enough to make the skin crawl and the blood boil. Critics describe it as a reprehensible abuse of animals, while enthusiasts say it's easily the country's national sport.
   Spectators consider first the fighting cock's pedigree and winning record before placing their bets. Bets varied largely from few hundred pesos to even a six figure range, all tracked by the arena's resident bet takers called "kristo". He is expected to keep tabs on who's betting on which cock, and to collect the winnings for the winners. All these are done without any written records, nor receipts or tickets, but simply by means of mental calculations and memory. About ten percent of the winnings go to the arena's management as its fee for organizing the cockfight, and a small percentage is given by the winner to the "kristo" for handling his bet. Everyone has to honor his bet lest he be banished from the cockpit, a fate worse than death for the truly rabid sabungero.

people and population

2011-01-25T20:00:00.000-08:00

Recently, I have read an article quoting a student asking if it is true that the entire population of the Philippines (90 million) could fit in the island of Bohol in the Visayas region. Conservative groups have since been attacking environmentalists for being alarmist and they oppose government intervention regarding environmental matters, specifically the population question, claiming that we have no population problem and therefore no need for family planning.
By simple arithmetic, they;re right. Fitting all Filipinos into Bohol would have about 20,000 people/square kilometer, just about the density of Quezon City. But who would like to live in such an atmosphere where even your beaches would deteriorate in such a short period of time. Boracay with all its glory, is already showing the kind of damage a large population can inflict.
List of what to do to protect the environment focuses on flora and fauna, and ways to combat pollution; personal initiatives consists of minimizing the use of plastic bags, not eating shark's fin, recycling paper, and the use of CFL lights instead of incandescent bulbs. These are all good advocacies, but we often fail to address an important variable connecting environment degradation to population growth. The greatest predator, the greatest threat today to the world's environment, is Homo Sapiens.
Love the environment, but recognize how much people need in terms of food, shelter, clothing, and most importantly, a natural environment that nourishes both body and soul. I personally do not support State restrictions like China's one-child policy, but we should also question the argument that people should just have as many children as they can afford. Sure, a couple could have so much money they could afford a dozen children, but the costs of having it will be shouldered not just by the family and the community but the entire planet, and by generations yet to be born.

faith healing

2011-01-11T00:12:00.000-08:00

I once read an article on faith and its power of healing, in which some of American doctors had expressed astonishment over the miraculous recovery of patients who had faith in the divine power. Oncologists had claimed that some cancer patients at their last stage gradually recovered in an unknown way. These patients did not cry or whine like many others; rather they happily recited prayers, talked of God and His blessings.
Despite doctors giving up on them, these devotees felt assured that they would survive on the basis of their faith in the Lord. And surprisingly they showed improvement and their seemingly incurable disease was cured.
Over the years of watching the healing mass on television, I have realized the incredible healing benefits of faith. I have found that faith in God is the greatest medicine, which is always available and free of cost. When all others failed, the door to Him opens. God is always there-for me, for you, for everyone- but we often fail to develop an unwavering faith to Him. We surrender ourselves to doctors and feel that whatever they say is the truth. We forget that the words of the doctor might be true or false, and that we also had a higher being who is there with us in all our hardships and will always be there for us.
Researchers had proven that even 61 year old patients who had suffered a heart attack recovered faster than those who were not spiritually oriented.
Faith in God, thus, has its own virtues. Here in the Philippines, we have the likes of Father Suarez and Father Faller; Catholic priests who conduct healing masses , on television and in their respective diocese. You could see for yourselves the astonishing miracle happening before your eyes, that nothing but only a Divine Intervention can perform. Truly, faith in God is a way to an everlasting happiness.

college reunion

2010-12-29T01:23:00.000-08:00

Almost three decades ago, a group of young college juniors form together intending a more practical way to upgrade their knowledge on their accountancy program. Group discussion, brainstorming, solving problems led to a more socially oriented way of living a college life. Weekends were scheduled on helping freshmen with their cost accounting, and other accounting problems; occasionally conducting school anniversary presentations, beauty contests, fund solicitation for accounting books and many other activities. From there was formed not only a peer but a brotherhood of sort. I am one of them, but after college, I thought everything was just history.
It took a Facebook account to rewind the tape and rekindle the spirit of such memories. After signing up for an account, friend invitations from the group sprang up just like mushrooms. Posts, email ads and texts were sent and immediately all seems to know each other again just like before. Old and present photos were tagged, and it seems that 30 years cannot just change the facial image of an individual. All have their respective families, some were working and living abroad, and all have a common wish; to see each other again. This time, it will be a reunion of more matured persons, with more matured conversations and hopefully with more noble endeavors.

one day at christmas time

2010-12-22T20:59:00.000-08:00

Today is another blessing day. Early in the morning, my daughter, a call center agent arrived early from her usual graveyard shift. Since 25th is christmas, she received her payday earlier than usual. At breakfast, she handed me the usual budget for rent, for daily expenses plus a few thousand for the noche buena. Indeed, this was a time to be thankful, for the past christmases had to pass with just a single menu on the table. It was when they were still in college, when we have to save for the rainy days ahead. Progress in our family is steady on the rise, slowly but surely.
After sorting out the budget, I pay the rent to our landlord, a couple in their seventies, with a jobless son.
With no means other than what we paid for rental, this day is much more blessing to this family. She shared the blessing with his father who has to be amputated due to diabetes, and the rest goes to another celebration of christmas, with ample feast in the kitchen, and with a smile in their hearts , knowing indeed, that Jesus, the son of God, once again visited them in more ways than one. Merry Christmas to all mankind.

2 faces of injustice (part two)

2010-12-19T21:22:00.000-08:00

A week after my first blog with the same title, all the accused were ordered acquitted by the Supreme Court and were immediately released from prison. This was after more than fifteen years of incarceration, having tried and found guilty by the lower court and the court of appeals. The Supreme Court ruling was based solely on the premise that the prosecution have not proven the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt, implying that the principal witness was not credible enough which I personally share with the same opinion. Truly, physical evidence has much more weight specially in heinous crime like this.
The foregoing case now makes the accuser and the accused all but victims. The father, Mr Vizconde, lost his wife and two daughters, raped and murdered. the accused, lost 15 years of their productive life. This final decision of the Supreme Court created another big question mark, and put the government's enforcement agency in a bad light. Who are the real perpetrators?
The President immediately ordered another investigation with the intention of finding the actual culprits, thereby giving justice where justice is due. While it may not be impossible, the marching order is something like finding a pin on a haystack, especially since the crime happened 19 years ago.
Half of my heart sank for Mr Vizconde who cried heaven and earth for the injustice he is now suffering, and the other half seems to be happy that those accused finally can move on with their lives in the company of their respective families.
This saga continues and as the wheels of justice still rolling, let us wait for the next chapter.

fruit salad

2010-12-15T21:57:00.000-08:00

   In time for the holiday season, I would like to share with you my proven fruit salad recipe. Mind you guys, that this concoction was a result of months of trial and errors before I come up with a perfect taste all of my kids, guests and visitors love to enjoy. For the not-so-rich housewife, I included the prices for your easy budgeting:
   1 fruit cocktail 150.00
   2 nestle cream @37 74.00
   2 alaska condensed@35 70.00
   4 apple@15 60.00
   2 corn kernels@25 50.00
   1 kaong 41.00
   1 nata de coco 39.00
   8 baby coconut(buko)@15 120.00
   1 cheese eden    40.00
   Total 644.00
   ======
   Peel off the apples, and slice into cubes, together with the cheese. Then grate the buko, do not include the juice. Then just mix all the ingredients in a pan, have it stirred well and presto. You already have 1 1/2 gallon of delicious fruit salad. Just have it freeze a night before serving.

Two faces of justice (or injustice) : The Webb vs. Vizconde Case

2010-12-07T21:08:00.000-08:00

   I do not know personally any member of Vizconde family and that of Webb family. Apart from what I've been reading from newspaper, I used to see former senator Freddie Webb sporting the YCO jersey as a valuable pointguard during his PBA(Phil Basketball Association) days. Having no known anomaly during his poli
tical career is already enough for him to earn my respect.
   The Vizconde massacre is a very strong turn of events, both for the two families who after 15 long years are still suffering on what they both called a great injustice. One father loses his family, a wife and two kids, raped and murdered. Truly a zenith of criminal nature, that maybe even angels in heaven cannot comprehend why did this happen. For Lauro Vizconde, while he is still living, he already lost his life. Another father loses his son to jail, his whole family persecuted, and Hubert sentenced to life. For Mr. Webb, he lost the essence of living.
   I do not wish to question the wisdom of prosecutors in having a life sentence for Hubert Webb. After all, they are just doing their jobs. The RTC judge should also be praised for the courage he exhibited in confirming such sentence even after the defense had also presented their share of the evidence. After all, maybe the judge said, there's for sure an automatic review. Let the higher court decides.
   Maybe it's worth mentioning that my father was also a former justice of the peace. While he died on 1977, his memory still lingers, so with his wisdom. And one quote I cannot forget is his "the greatest injustice is sending to jail an innocent man." Ooops, please don't be confused, I'm not saying Hubert is an innocent man. I for one, also do not know if he did it or not.
   Based on the evidences presented by the two parties, I am sure that no person, except of course for the participants of the crime, cannot conclude that Hubert Webb is guilty of the crime. If indeed he is guilty, after all, he's already suffered a lot, for a day in jail is a life in hell. But if he is not, that's the greatest injustice, where no justice of the peace wants to be guilty of.

Customer Service in the Philippines Sucks

2010-12-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

If you're not paying close attention you wouldn't realize, but I'm sure you've felt it anyway, that the customer service in the Philippines really sucks! Now, before anyone gets all worked up let me just say that the statement is not meant to generalize but was really intended to catch your attention to what I believe is a prevalent malpractice in our beloved country.

I'd like to point out a typical instance of bad customer service to support my observation. One time I was in line waiting to pay the goods I got from a department store. After a while, like around 5 minutes, I noticed that the line isn't moving at all so I took a peek at the cashier and wallah! the girl is animatedly talking to another cashier about last night's soap opera. Now, in her defense let me state that she's also punching in merchandise while having this discussion and unfortunately the customer upfront has a lot but still, aren't those suppose to be topics for coffee breaks? Oh and did I say that when I, at last, was next in line this girl gave me and I'd like to think everyone else the grumpy look due in part to the fact that their conversation was cut short by a passing supervisor.

Customer service at local government offices is even worst. Getting a business permit is a nightmare, applying for a driver's license is a never ending line after line of completing requirements, getting an NBI clearance is a minimum 3 hour waste of time and that even happens on your luckiest day. If you need anything done at SSS you have to be there an hour before it opens so that you can make the lunchtime cutoff and hopefully go home before 3pm.

Not everything is a sad story though, I recently had to apply for internet access in a leading broadband service company and preparing myself for the worst I ate first at a nearby restaurant since it's almost lunchtime. I went inside, got a number, waited for no more than 5 minutes (they have quite a number of efficient representatives), ask a few questions, filled out a form and that was it. The whole thing didn't even take 30 minutes. I was actually afraid at one point because the lady needs a photocopy of my IDs so I thought I have to go out and look for a copier but again they surprised me by doing it themselves. They have a copier by the way so you might say that's no big deal but still, the fact that they have one means they care for their customers which is more than what I can say for public offices where you have to go back and forth only because you forgot to photocopy a lousy certificate of residency.

Sad as it may seem I believe that there's always hope for a brighter future. So, if anyone of you local officials are reading this you may want to review certain processes in your jurisdiction. For one it's common knowledge that on average, government employees only spend 4 hours in actual work while the rest of their shift is spent walking around, mingling and possibly drinking coffee too. We can definitely do a better job in this regard lest we want to lose the respect from our very own people. Maybe, it'll be a good idea to buy a copier after all.

Bothersome Little Frogs

2010-12-03T03:52:00.000-08:00

Hey,

I'm new to blogging and I've been meaning to write something for a while now but I just can't seem to think of an interesting subject. Still, I figure I have to start from somewhere so here goes nothing.

This little guy apparently is the smallest frog in the southern hemisphere the "Gold frog" aka Brazilian Psyllophryne Didactyla. Adult Gold Frogs measure grow to only 9.8 millimetres in body length (with legs drawn in). That's about one centimeter or about 3/8 of an inch!

Now, I didn't really intend to highlight this guy's minuscule nature. He's not even my initial subject to begin with. I was researching small frogs when I came across the gold frog. This was actually an indirect result of the bothersome loud croaking that the local frogs have been putting up since the rainy season started. They would fill up the swamp beside our house and croak their way to oblivion. Well, probably just close to that.