Happy Easter

today is a very special day for the entire Christian world being the resurrection sunday. i spent the holy week quietly watching movies that has carefully featured Jesus Christ's life on earth. happily, the ending was indeed happy, for He is risen with the promise to come again.

i am holding on to such promise. meantime, i will live my life abundantly as He has wished for all his childen. let's be happy, its easter!

Year 2010

i celebrate the new year with the people that undoubtedly loves me inspite of, despite of, come what may. i am thankful for this new year which beckons new beginnings, new hopes and aspirations for the fulfillment of new dreams.

each new year brings much hope for better days ahead. the past year was not exactly best, but, it was good. i refuse to look back over past disenchantments, enjoy my present and look forward to whatever this new year brings to me and to the people i love the most. being alive each day is a great reason to celebrate.

now i have to join the family celebration, our way of welcoming the new year, 2010!

The Horror of Maguindanao Massacre

"assalamualaykum", a Muslim greeting wishing someone "peace"

As a Mindanaoan, I have heard news of killing from here to there from time to time, yet the magnitude of the killings done in broad daylight as what occurred last Monday, 23th of November, three days prior to “thanksgiving day” is beyond my understanding. I am quite aware of clan wars and the reason why they happen but when women and people from the media is hurt and worse, killed in the process, my comprehension fails me. Muslim tradition, as written in all news accounts do not touch women in “rido”as they are treated like innocent children. Moreover, the presence of media supposedly neutralizes a hot situation but apparently, it did not. Nobody was spared in the convoy of 57 people on their way to file Ampatuan’s supposed challenger’s candidacy as governor in Maguindanao. I am quite familiar with the Davao City-Cotabato City route, and I did not sense any harm especially when travelling on daytime not many summers back.

Reading the news accounts on Tuesday morning has both appalled and horrified me. All throughout the whole country, people from all sectors of society are talking about the Maguindanao incident. Some argues that it is politically motivated, which may be the most apparent reason for committing such barbaric act but the root of it all is, without a doubt, the lust for power. In the succeeding days, I would proceed to the newstands to get my own copy of the major daily newspapers to find out how is it going after the very sad incident. Sad to note, the news had been covered in international papers and television channels, with updates in the net. And this occurred few days after pouring accolades on another triumph of Manny Pacquiao in the boxing arena and of Efren Penaflorida as the CNN Hero of the Year for his pushcart education advocacy. What a sad contrast.

The past few days I am lost for words. I cannot put into words the indignation and horror that I felt not necessarily because I am a Mindanaoan, a citizen of my country the Philippines but most importantly as a human being for such grave crime against humanity. Clearly, the civil, political and human rights of these people were violated, in this modern day and age . Looking at the list of the fatalities makes someone feel sick. The victims of such cruel acts that I heard of, in my lifetime are harmless women(a couple reportedly pregnant), lawyers and a parent of a female lawyer, large number from the media, and the supposedly target of the attack, the Mangudadatu’s kin. What is more sickening is the report that even those who just happened to pass by during that time were reportedly shot- all killed in broad daylight. And at this time, from yesterday’s forty six(46)the number has reached fifty seven(57). This is a huge number considering the time frame and the circumstances of such killings.

The United Nations has expressed their outrage as well as the European Union and the British and Australian governments. One of the reports notes that such killings has made this country worst than Iraq for journalists. It makes me feel sick looking at the photos flashed on my TV screen and reading about the news accounts. I do not know anyone among the dead personally but I can feel the pain as if I am a friend or a family member, pretty much like what other people all over the world feels for the victims and their families.

A lot has been written about how the clan suspected to carrying out such carnage has been very close to the current Administration and how, like majority, doubts about implementing the so called “rule of law” that they kept on saying during media interviews. I have some fears that this incident could escalate to further killings increasing the statistics from both sides or sadly even those who may unfortunately pass by. I am appalled by how the executive branch of the Philippine government is treating the “suspects”. Imagine a senior peace adviser from Malacanang going to the suspect’s residence to encourage him to surrender instead of being invited by the police for questioning. And when he finally “surrendered” the peace adviser, looked like his legal counsel and the justice secretary sounding like his defense lawyer. The “surrender” occurred few days after and not surprisingly, the suspect got a VIP treatment whether the current administration tries their best efforts in denying it and the " suspect"was not handcuffed, in contrast to the journalists caught in between the renegade and government troops in that memourable Manila Peninsula Hotel siege.

Yet I cannot stop wondering how the victims’ families are coping with their sudden loss as a result of this act of savagery. And as I join the community of those expressing outrage about such carnage and at the same time sympathising with the survivors of the victims and seeking justice for the fifty seven(57) who died as a result of this monsterous act, I kept on wondering- when will the other suspects surrender or at least be arrested for such brutal killings?

Not many years back, I did an essay on failed state for my "Global Politics" course in Political Science Down Under. I looked at certain countries as case studies and as I remember the points that I took in arguing why a "failed state" should be called as such, I fear that the Philippines is in the brink of such state.

Typhoon Ondoy/Ketsana in the Philippines

after all has been said and done, i reckon that nature has taken its course. careless acts of irresponsible humans, indiscriminate cutting of trees in the forested areas and throwing away of solid waste has came back to affect humans. this sadly resulted to sudden surge of water on that memourable day of 26th septemberresulting to loss of properties and lives and caused trauma to the survivors. as the time of noah, the flood has become the great leveller of all in the philippines, specifically in the national capital region.

and i wonder how the evacuees will survive their sad conditions and those who had been pained by sudden loss of loved ones and properties too.

it carefully reminds us that nothing is permanent in this earth of ours so let us try our best to live to the fullest, one day at a time.

after surviving ondoy, i am taking a long break to bond with my loved ones who were very much worried about me on the eve of the typhoon ondoy.

The Superferry 9 Tragedy

the deep blue sea on a calm day, by orange tulip

early this month i was flirting with the idea of going to cebu unannounced, by taking the boat as i have reluctantly done four years back, for the love of a friend who is like a mother to me, but due to my unforgetable experince with the sulpicio's "princess of the universe" i was contemplating to take the arguably better shipping line and take any superferry vessel that goes to cebu.

ill-fated "princess of the stars" sank at the height of the typhoon "frank" in june of last year. i was thinking that the worse typhoons have passed through this country and i am looking forward to taking pictures of sunset in the middle of the sea, alone, undisturbed. i was even thinking of waking up very early the next morning for a sunrise photo. i have a long time friend whom i met at the mall in cebu city the last time i went there by boat and flew back to manila by plane and im wondering how he looks like four years after.

all was almost set, i have scheduled my weekend get way to be the third week of september and i am short of buying the ticket which i heard is on promo thus, i can probably get good deals both in the shipping and the airline.

yesterday's headline was a huge surprise and its just a year and two months after the "princess of the stars" sank and a couple of weeks when the documentary about the "m/v dona paz" with more than four thousand lives lost was shown on television. i was content reading the news online but this time i grabbed newspapers and read and reread the news accounts, and today that of the survivors.

in sharp contrast to the "princess of the stars" where help was practically nil during their most difficult time, despite of the lives lost and the trauma that happened to the passengers of "superferry 9" i am quite content on how the passengers were treated, and the crew were reportedly the last to abandon the ship. aboitiz shipping was swift to release its statement and in some way, the rescued passengers were taken cared of. although its quite sad to hear that the death toll was 9, compared to close to 900 lost lives in the "princess of the star" last year. accordingly, distress call was five hours prior to the sinking of the ship and rescue was quite soon thus, having a huge number of survivors.

it is quite disturbing to read today's newspaper accounts from passengers that there was not enough life saver, reminiscent of the "titanic" minus the icebergs. and there was only nine hundred passengers on board! how come that there were no sufficient life savers? if this is true then its a very sad news about the arguably best shipping company in this country.

some passenger accounts say there was a loud thud from the cargo prior to its tilting to one side. there were other possible reasons and it is imperative, i reckon that the authorities would "get to the bottom of this".

i have also read that an inquiry has been formed, which is habitually done everytime a ship has sank. today i have read that all the ships of the aboitiz has been "grounded" although those in the middle voyage was allowed to continue to their travel to manila which is just logical. and i am wondering what happened to the results of the inquiries from the past sinking of the ships by shipping authorities.

were there any review or revision of maritime policies? did these inquiries found any policy gaps and learned something and try to resolved them and in all efforts, "ill-fated sinking" of ships would not happen again and the lives lost would not turn to mere statistics.

more than a year ago, i have argued that the sinking was not an "act of God"http://reckonsofspring.blogspot.com/2008/06/greed-and-princess-of-stars-tragedy.html. i am now a busy person who cannot spend time arguing that this latest sinking, that of "superferry 9" is an "act of man" but i will definitely wait for the results of the "inquiry".

meantime, i have cancelled my plans of riding a passenger boat to cebu, palawan or even iloilo and general santos city. i will be content to watch the clouds via my favourite airline, the next time i decide to embark on a journey and can afford to do so.

Farewell Tita Cory

an statement of thanks, statement of love

braving the long queue, for the love of Tita Cory

yellow flag in front of the Manila Cathedral

headline news

last Saturday, i woke up to the sad news that the nation's "icon of democracy" has passed away on the first day of August. i joined the nation in mourning for her passage on earth by watching the television specials about her. my own grandmother died of complications arising from her colon cancer many years back so i am aware how painful this disease could be. it is remarkable that despite the pain that her illness has brought Cory, she according to her children, did not complain.

what struck me among many comments about Cory and Ninoy's death was- both has united the nation. according to a former cabinet member Vicente Paterno in one of the news accounts, although it was hatred of a conjugal dictatorship that drove the Filipinos together, many years later it was because of love for the former president Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, fondly called Tita Cory.

some friends went in the early morning of Sunday(2 AM) at the La Salle Greenhills gym so they are no longer keen in accompaying me today. this morning, i braved the long queue to have a last glimpse of Tita Cory at the Manila Cathedral. although i have followed most of the live coverages since Saturday, nothing compares to the experience of going to do my share of thanking Cory for what she has done for the country. it took me a couple of hours and a half of travel time to the cathedral, an hour of lining up for public viewing and few seconds to be inside the cathedral to catch a glimpse of Tita Cory before noon, but i will cherish this experience forever.

there are a lot of things i admire about Tita Cory, but foremost is her unwavering faith in God even in times of persecution, sufferings, illness and pain. in sickness she has united the Filipino people in prayer.in death she united her countrymen like how her husband Ninoy did 26 years ago. political and social differences were set aside as thousands or perhaps millions converged to pay their last respects to her and express condolences to her surviving family and children.

ss a wife and mother, becoming a president of the country and back to becoming a private citizen, her deep faith was clearly manifested at all times. prayer has always been her source of strength, courage and determination in trying to probably live her life to the fullest, despite the seemingly insurmountable odds in her lifetime. her life showed that money and power is not enough to have a meaningful life but having a God and recognizing His Supreme power above all.

outpouring of much love for her was expressed by braving the heat of the sun and even the heavy rains to queue for a number of hours to be able to have a few seconds glimpse, say thanks or say a prayer to a former president lovingly called 'Tita Cory".

i join the blogging community in expressing my admiration for her quiet grace and the courage to face death. but it did not stop there.

wearing a yellow ribbon i went to Manila Cathedral as my own expression of love- for love of Cory, for democracy that she has restored and for love of this country.

farewell Tita Cory. thank you for the inspiration that you have given the entire country and probably the world, and to me.

Blogging Break

my journey goes on

after focusing much on my physical well-being, i reckon that i am most productive and probably the happiest when i am very busy juggling my studies, job, personal and social life, like what i did few years back.

i will be back to blogging as soon as i have written my thesis proposal for the possibility of postgraduate studies overseas, with the hope of learning other things along the way on top of the so called "intellectual pursuit".

meantime, happy easter!