Tag Archives: social consciousness

Practical Courses

I wrote about Eric Duquette in my teacher blog. I admit, I cried a bit when I watched the video. Who wouldn’t be crying, his journey has been amazing? With the kind of educational system and support (or lack of) we have in this country regarding the public school system, it is heartwarming when we read about students who excel despite the odds. In Eric Duquette’s case, he was diagnosed with autism.

I was saddened with the news last night when I learned that one institution that gives free short courses to mostly out of school youth have their budget slashed. How can this institution help the students who want to learn basic skills like bar tending, sewing clothes, care giver courses and medical transcription courses. I know more than two million students in our country take this path to enable them to land jobs that will later on, hopefully, help them go to nursing and medical assisting schools, and other institutions where they can earn higher academic achievements.

Most of them dream of going and working overseas to earn green bucks. Who else but the government should help them achieve their dreams because in the end, it is the government who will benefit from the remittances that they will send back.

Thoughts on 2010 Philippine Elections

It is a few days before elections and I know that most candidates are becoming antsy. Those who ranked low in surveys are probably brainstorming right now what they have done wrong. Those who rank high, on the other hand, can not rest on this achievement alone. As they have said, the “real” survey will give the “real” result when all the ballots have been cast.

That is if there have been no cheating done despite this election being the first automated one in the country.

So what are the salient points that candidates use to encourage people to vote for them?

Jobs. Health care. Education. Poverty eradication which is a Herculean task and would probably take a loooong time to be able to have a significant improvement. No corruption. Peace and order.

I wonder where sustainable development, rural development and reproductive health care (and population control) comes into play? These are among those that rank high in my list of priorities for the country.

For me,  the country’s situation is a vicious cycle that needs not just a strong leader who has the will, dedication and leadership to lead us from further sinking into the basket case that we already are.We, the people, should do our part in ensuring that the future of our children’s children would be something to look forward to.

Mahusay Nga Ba ang Pinoy?

litratongpinoy

Ang Pinoy ay mahusay, walang kaduda-duda dun.

Heto nga o, bag na gawa sa newspaper. Ganda no? Panalo ang bonggang Vigan street scene na painting. Isa lamang iyan sa napakaraming angking kahusayan ng mga Pilipino.

newspaper bag

Sa isang banda, mahusay din ang Pinoy sa mga kalokohan.

San ka pa, kapwa Pilipino lolokohin, o kaya mga kasambahay binubugbog, ang ibang magagandang lugar ay sinusulatan ng kung anu-ano o kaya dinudumihan.

Sabagay, sa bilis ng pagdami natin, talagang hindi mapipigilan ang pagsulpot ng mga pasaway, na bata pa lang eh kita mo na na parang tila ba walang patutunguhan ang buhay. Madalas, ibang tao ang tutulong sa kanila at hindi ang pamilya nila.

Kulang na nga lang ibenta ang bansa natin sa mga Koreanong banyagang nagsusulputan na parang kabute sa dami at parang paputok sa ingay.

Ikaw, proud ka ba na maging Pinoy?

Bookstore Behavior

The kids love going to Power Books in TriNoma. Not only do they get to choose a book from a variety of choices but they get to read books there as well.

Having gone to that place, I noticed several things in the children’s books section that I feel I have to discuss with the children.

  • A child gets a book, looks at it and just drops it on the floor but parents/caregivers do not tell the child to pick it up and put it back where she/he got it from. Tsk, tsk.
  • There are children who will open up a sealed book and will just scan the pages and just leave the book where ever they want to.
  • There are small children who tend to make noise or just run around the place but are not told to stop.
  • Some moms/caregivers talk very loud with their children like they own the place and that there are no other people there. (I have a video of an incident where the mom was so angry at her daughter for misplacing their Power Books card. She was berating her daughter and the nannies, telling them they are @#$%^& for losing the card. Ugh!)

So with these things, I have taught the children some guidelines:

  • They can only read the books that have been already opened and NOT open those that are still sealed.
  • They can talk in a soft voice because others are reading and consider this place as a “library”. (Yeah, never mind if one of the people there is just reading about eczema treatment while sitting comfortably on the carpeted floor of the children’s books section)
  • Put back the books where they got it from, just like what they do at home.
  • Guard their space in case someone tries to sit while one got up to get/return a book 😀
  • Be courteous.

Pasasalamat

litratongpinoy

Pasasalamat. Salamat.

Nativity Chapel of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral

Ako ay isa sa mga taong nahubog na may pananampalataya sa Panginoong Diyos.

Dahil sa magkahalong impluwesiya ng simbahang Katolika sa aking paaralan at paniniwalang Protestante sa aking pamilya at kinalakihang simbahan, naintindihan ko kung paano hindi magiging sabagal ang relihiyon sa pamumuhay at pagtugon sa mga tungkulin bilang isang Kristiyano at bilang isang responsableng mamamayan.

Isa lang iyan sa aking pinag-uukulan ng pasasalamat.

Ang pamilya, ang kalayaang mangarap at magkaroon ng pagkakataon upang matupad ang mga iyon , at mga pagkakataong pag-isipan ang kalagayan ng iba sa pamamagitan ng malayang pagsusulat, iyan ay ilan lamang sa listahan ng mga dapat kong ipagpasalamat.

Ang pasasalamat ay hindi lamang kumakatawan sa katagang nagsasabi ng pagtanggap at pagkilala sa mga bagay-bagay na nagawa hindi lang para sa ikabubuti ng sarili ngunit para din sa kapakanan ng marami.

Sa iyo na nagbabasa nito, isang taos-pusong pasasalamat ang aking ibinibigay ng may ngiti. Nawa ay maging maligaya at puno ng pagpapala ang darating na taon para sa iyo at iyong pamilya.