Tag: Philippines

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Mag-BLOG like Judy

Uupo siya sa harap ng computer, tapos maririnig ko na lang ang kumakaripas niyang mga daliri. Mabilis ang pagtype niya ng mga salita. Tanging paglunok lang ng laway ang kanyang pahinga. Tatayo siya, tapos pupunta sa water dispenser at iinom ng malamig na tubig. Susulat ulit. Lulunok ng laway. Iuunat ang hita. Tatayo. Water dispenser. Inom ng malamig na tubig.

“Kung blogger ka, hindi ka napapagod.”, iyan ang sabi ni Ate Judy sa akin.

Tuwing break niya sa trabaho ay nagsusulat ito ng mga bagong blog. Noong nakaraang taon ay sumikat ang blog niya na “Date a girl who rides the MRT.” Ito ay nalathala sa mga malalaking network. Ito ay isang rebolusyon para kalampagin ang inutil na sistema ng MRT/LRT sa kalahkang Maynila.

Nakikita ko kay Ate Judy si Jose Rizal, bagamat mahinhin ito sa paggalaw, ngunit ang talas at gilas ng mga salita ay kayang impluwensiyahan ang mga tao. Hindi bala kundi labanan ng tinta.

Si Judy Santiago ay isa lamang sa mga blogger na walang pagod sa pagbabahagi ng kanilang mga saluobin sa mga isyu na hinaharap ng lipunan. Tinatayang may 25,000 bloggers sa Pilipinas.

Pero bakit hindi natin sila marinig?

Bukod sa mahina at mahal na internet koneksyon, ay walang opportunidad para mapabuti ng mga bloggers ang kanilang mga angking kakayahan. Naiipit sila sa mga malalaki at nag-uunpugang mga websites at blogs na nagbebenta ng sabon at kung ano-ano pa. Walang batas o regulasyon din na nagpapakilala sa kanila bilang mga importanteng myembro ng lipunan na may maitutulong sana lalong-lalo na sa larangan ng komunikasyon. Hindi naman siguro masakit kung merong Blog consciousness month, o blogging act of the Philippines.

Kung magagamit ng maayos ang blogging sa Pilipinas ay malaki ang maitutulong nito para maabot ng ating bansa ang mga magagandang hangarin nito. Sa pamamagitan ng blog ay maihahatid natin ang mga makabuluhang mga isyu. Maipapakita natin ang ating demokrasya sa pamamagitan ng blogging.

Ngunit walang magagawa ang mga kagaya ni Judy sa ngayon.

Ipapagpatuloy niya pa din ang pagbabantay sa mga nangyayari sa Maynila. Isusulat niya pa din kung paano malugmok at mahipuan ang mga babae sa MRT at kung paano nawawala ang moral at galang ng mga kabataan tuwing nag-aagawan ng masasakyan pauwi.  Dahil kung ititigil niya ito, tuluyan ng lulutang ang kasinungalingan at panlilinlang, hihina nang hihina ang boses ng mga karaniwang tao.

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Why the Philippines will not move forward

It will only take one kilo of rice and three can of sardines to win in an election.

Every Filipino should make a tough choice for the Philippines to move forward. However, in light of developing events today, our country’s chance of moving towards total development remains in the dreams of every Filipino.  When will these dreams come to reality?

Our leaders promised to build a straight path towards progress, a path free from corruption, yet we are confronted by scandals involving even the high ranking officials in the government. “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap, but if these corrupt officials are not placed behind bars, these words are totally useless.  Corrupt politicians kill the dream of every Filipino to a better life and this is comparable to crimes like genocide.

Some of our leaders brag their little achievement in their small municipality or city and used this to exaggerate their stories. “Ganito kami sa Jupiter, Sana ganito din sa buong Universe.” These kinds of tactics were proven effective especially when coupled with visual manipulation. These magicians and illusionist disrupt the real message. They are underestimating the Filipino’s critical thinking skill. But we cannot blame especially those who do not have food for their family, those who lack proper education and those who do not have the time to decipher between the truth and the demonic lie because they are in hurry to avoid the early morning everyday traffic.

Anyone who says “he or she will end corruption in this country” will only fail. It entails killing majority of the government officials. If not, that “clean” leader will die from assassination or will be ousted by a choreographed protest and paid mutiny.  Another EDSA revolution will come, we cannot ascertain if it will be only once, twice or thrice, it depends if how much meals and allowances these crocodiles can provide to the hungry mob.

“Halika ayusin natin ang Pilipinas.” Other candidates are asking the Filipino people to fix the problems of this country. This is unfair because in the first place it is not the Filipino people who created these problems. How many more years will it take before you will realize that we need to improve our transits in Metro Manila?  How many more lives will it take for you to take into consideration the peace in Mindanao? If our officials allocated the money to where it should be spent, we are not in this uncomfortable situation.

Singing “Ama namin” is not enough. Even “dasal lang “maawa ka” every day will not save us. Every Filipino should dig in and believe in their selves. Every Filipino is innately excellent and we have the capability to become great. Saying maawa ka is not acceptable and it is a sign of stubbornness. These unscrupulous politicians are afraid of an educated and wise electorate. However, despite the large budget given to education, still many could not even read and write- the happiness of crooks.

For now, I don’t have the choice but to throw little pebbles to these politicians. I am still hoping that one day, we, as a nation will vote with happiness and integrity because we believe in that leader, in his/her advocacy and in his/her vision for the entire nation. Unfortunately, since time immemorial, we vote because of the 1 kilo of rice and three pieces of sardines, the 500 pesos, the promises and the lies.

-This is a mutya_ngHardin views.

-Photo credit: http://www.todayonline.com