Category: Opinion

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Always an inspiring and decent VP.

Vice President Leni Robredo just proved that public officials could act and speak decently, and thus, worthy to be called Honorable. The wife of then Interior and Local Government Secretary, Jesse Robredo, and now occupying the second highest position in the country, delivered her congratulatory speech during the Awarding and Presentation Ceremony of Ramon Magsaysay 2016.

The Vice President said and I quote “ideas, which when used to cultivate humanity, are “more powerful than guns” and “more commanding than dictators.”

This is a clear stance that fear and humiliation should stop and that the government should seek for alternative solutions to most pressing problems of our country.

Even then President Ramon Magsaysay on his credo said

“Those who have less in life, should have more in law.”

This is an echoing statement, so true even today, that as government of people and by the people, we have the primary duty to uphold the rule of law and most importantly, our faith in  humanity.

I remembered one of my officemates said,

“Laws separate us from animals.”

VP Robredo also emphasized that we need to find and believe that inside of us are both a giant and a hero.

The speech was truly inspiring and it touched my nationalistic and patriotic spot. It made me realized that, goodness is more powerful than evil.

The speech of VP Robredo encourages positivity rather than by inflicting fear and intimidation to achieve a certain goal. It inspired me to dream big again and again, and to always do the things that make me happy and alive.

She is a real FILIPINO leader.

Ramon Magsaysay Award is considered as the Nobel Prize equivalent in Asia. It was established after the untimely death of President Ramon Magsaysay. The award honor individuals and organizations whose contributions have enhanced this creative tradition of selfless service to the peoples of Asia.

I am happy that one of my favorite government officials, The Ombudsman, Conchita Carpio Morales, was the only Filipina who was elected as one of this year’s recipient for restoring faith in the rule of law.

– MutyaPH

Photo courtesy from: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

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Abolish yourself, you are more corrupt; not the Filipino Youth.

Another one of the bizarre thoughts from the Philippine Congress — to abolish the SK.

With almost 20 million strong youth in the country waiting for their chance to participate in governance, where their voice will be heard and their actions will define the future of this generation, an insidious motion from the Congress is trying to reduce the youth’s image and influence from the mainstream into the side-lines—a mere spectator, while traditional politicians are enjoying the hard earned taxes of the Filipino people.  

It is not in the character of the Filipino youth to succumb to anyone’s erroneous and prejudicial accusations and generalizations. Some traditional politicians forget that they were once member of the youth, and youth participation in governance has always been a vital experience, that evidently shaped future leaders of this country.

This move both ridicules the constitution and the capacity of the youth to make things happen. This should not go down in history; this is a big joke, which the comics only deserve.

I would like to invite you to Article, Section 2 of the Philippine Constitution which provides:

“The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.”

It is clear as day that the state should do everything to encourage and empower the youth to become beneficial partners in nation-building. The move to postpone and worst to abolish the SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) slits the very throat of the youth. This is worse than extrajudicial killings.

Now for the 4th time, many legislators are starting to resurface the idea of abolishing SK, (the only venue of the youth to participate in governance), in the basis of corruption and inefficiency.

Just to return the favor, if corruption and inefficiency are the two contentions to abolish SK, then the youth should call also for the complete abolition of the House of the Representatives and the Senate where most of the corruptions are happening.  Remember, it is not the youth who has the ill-spent pork barrel. It is not the youth who does not have the balls to defend the constitution. It is not the youth who sells his/her nay or yae. Please do not overgeneralize the problem of corruption because if we are going to be strict with our calculations, we all know who is more corrupt here.

We already passed the reform SK law last year, and we are very happy because we can at least test the new measures, like the anti-dynasty and responsibility and accountability provisions. The new SK reform law if implemented very well can cure the disease infesting the Sanguniang Kabataan. Like other departments of the government, SK is not perfect; it needs guidance from higher political models on how to effectively serve the public’s interest.

Abolishing the SK is the worst decision the Congress could make. It will become an evil precedent for the future generations, that one time, in the history of the Philippines; the Republic removed the constitutional protected rights of the youth to help in creating their future. That one time in history, the government lose their faith in the youth. That for gazillion-th times, the government failed the youth.

The youth is a rich, vast source of innovative ideas, that when tapped can help in solving the most pressing problems of the country. The government as the pater of the youth should impose discipline and not death which tantamount through abolishing the SK. If there are problems in the system, then let’s fix it, learn from it and apply in the future.

I’m appealing to all thinking members of the Congress to stop this madness. The youth are your partners in building the future of this country. You should not lose your hope, trust and faith in us, because the good will always triumph over evil.

Lastly, as what the United Nations said, “The youth can be a creative force, a dynamic source of innovations, and they have undoubtedly, throughout history, participated, contributed, and even catalyzed important changes in political systems, power-sharing dynamics and economic opportunities.”

-Mutya

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Reform Education now.

He eagerly and exhaustively told me his everyday struggle as a teacher in a public school in Metro Manila. I was eating cold, hard rice coupled with Pinaksiwan na bangus, but his narration is much harder to swallow.

“It is not a joke to be a teacher”, he said. I could not distinguish if it was a signal of anguish or desperation. I continued to listen.

“There are 11,000 students in our school, 60 students per section, there are 30 sections.”

Bangus halted in the middle of my esophagus. I grabbed and swiftly sipped a cold water from my James Reid glass.

“Because of the scarcity of rooms, our school don’t even have a library.”

“Kulang din ang upuan.”, he added

I stopped from chewing the talbos ng kamote. I looked at him in the eye.

“In my class, out of 60, only 5 pay attention.”

Ernie is only one of the hundreds of thousands of Filipino teachers who are suffering from severe educational depression and suppression.  The problem can be viewed in two ways:

One, is the amount of students. The government funds allotted for education is not enough to provide quality education for students. We are pushing that every child should receive proper education but how can you provide an acceptable quality education in a 60:1 ratio? In a school without a library? With teachers whose salaries cannot feed their own children? What if we educate only the deserving, striving students and let those who are idle to enroll in private schools and pay for their own tuition? There must be a distinction and limit here, to save the greater majority we need to do some adjustments. People’s taxes should educate deserving and potentially good students only, educating the otherwise in unwise spending.

Two, our teachers. In order, to drive the best from each student we need teachers who are passionate and driven enough to inspire his/her students.  With the present set-up, It seems that politics and nepotism are in effect vs. the core competency of the individual. Each teacher should teach a subject closest to his/heart, brain and soul. Increase the salary of those who are performing well, promote those who are exceptional irregardless of age or sex.

These problems are multi-dimensional. What we need is a reform in our educational system. Consider education as a privilege and not a right. I don’t know on how to solve this, but the departments involved should start on actively listening to the younger generation. The educational system should evolve.

All our country’s problem are rooted from poor education, there is no change if we continue with this framework.

Sad to say, if I have to give an oral recitation and performance grade to government agencies involved, It would really hurt me if I will give a passing grade.

It’s time to send  to your principal, division superintendent and Department of Education heads their report class cards showing their  grades, with the remark:

Pagbutihin sana sa susunod na pasukan.