Once again, my world was flooded last Friday. Literally flooded! I went home from school and witnessed the streets of Jaro transformed into brown rivers. And yes, the jeepneys into gondolas! Amazing! I was apprehending to step down from the PUJ upon reaching my destination, I was worried that my immaculate black shiny shoes will get wet, or soak to say it right. So I walked toward my boarding house on feet. Wow, it felt like crossing Jordan. He he he... And my shoes? Inside my backpack.
When I opened the boarding house, what I beheld was such a spectacular site! The house was turned into a pool! The carpets, rags, and slippers were floating; and shit, same with my bed mattress, blankets, and pillows! Disaster. I should have chosen the upper deck of the bed a long time ago. It's too late... The damage had already been done. Curse the typhoon! Now where Am I gonna sleep? I asked myself. Bernard (my boardmate) was not around, he texted me later that he went home to Passi City. My landlady and her son on the other hand didn't come home. I think they already saw the situation prior to me and had decided to stay at the construction site of their future mansion. Who would bear to stay in such a swampish place anyway? So I decided to went home and I did.
I haven't yet returned to my boarding house since I left it flooded with the water coming from the overflowing river of Jaro. I just hope that the flood has already subside. Haaay... I have been in this situation many times before especially during rainy season. Iloilo City has evolved, it has become now my Venice. How I wish it to be as romantic as the latter but hell, it's not. It's messy!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
The Vanishing Rice And The Claustrophobic Canister
The Philippines is having a shortage in the supply of rice lately. Well, that's what all the news in television and in papers say. The government is, as usual, trying to deny this by saying that there is an ample supply of the staple food we Filipinos considered as "manna". And the authorities are very desperate trying to seek for rice hoarders to be convicted. But despite of the assurance by the government that we will not be groveling on the ground because of hunger for two years, people are still panic buying. Becoming hoarders themselves without them knowing.
So why is the Philippines, an agricultural country and main producer of rice decades and decades ago, is now having this rice shortage crisis? Number one reason is that the government failed to focus more on the agricultural industry especially the needs of our farmers (e.g. accessible rural roads, good irrigation, low cost fertilizers, and proper incentives for our farmers), instead, it seems like they advocate more on the conversion of the country's agricultural lands into residential and commercial ones. Second, the research and production of good quality and high yielding variety of rice were not given emphasis by the government. The Filipinos have to suffer first from hunger before the authorities finally realized that they were very idle when it comes to the development of these genetically modified rice that will boost rice production. Filipinos have never yet outgrown procrastination. Now rice is slowly vanishing in our plates. Tsk tsk tsk.....
What's the best remedy for this problem since the cost of rice nowadays are soaring high? Nah, not cannibalism, we'll make Hannibal Lecter jobless. How about cutting our daily rice intake into half? Instead of having two cups of rice per meal, maybe we could lessen it down to one cup! Problem is, most of our fellowmen don't even have a half cup of rice to be cut down. This is how miserable the Philippine economy is! Tsk tsk tsk.....An archbishop suggested in a news report that Pinoys must find a way to fill their hunger by eating alternative carbo rich foods like root crops. He mentioned specifically cassava. My only question is, will the price of cassava stay the same if it will be in demand to consumers? Or will it soar high too? Can our body tolerate the accumulation of hydrocyanic acid after eating cassava for six months? Or we will end up with our mouths foaming? Hay, life in the Philippines is really challenging. Everyday I feel like I'm in the reality show called Survivor. The only difference is, no cameras around to glorify my struggles. Hu hu hu...
-oOo-
Everybody was shocked especially the people in the different medical fields and the authorities when the news about the "black suede scandal" broke out. Well, the scandal was actually about a homosexual who's rectum was inserted with a spray canister by a guy whom he had a one night stand. The subject resorted to a medical operation to remove the canister and while the procedure was done, some of the operating staff took a video of the operation. The removal of the canister was really seen on the video and aside from that, the yelling and howling of the staff were also heard upon the recovery of the canister. One member even opened it and sprayed it on the operating room. The said video was then uploaded into Youtube.com and became a video of the week!
I myself was really shocked upon seeing the video in my classmate's cellphone. It was, in my opinion, a total violation of the patient's right to privacy! My classmate, on the other hand said that the man deserved it because he was a pervert anyway. But I think the act must be exclusive to the man alone. I mean let his guilt, that is if he have one, bother him. The medical team who had done the operation has no right to publicly share the incidence. They totally stripped the man of his last ounce of dignity. What happened to the code of ethics of those doctors and nurses involved? Gone to the trash bin? Shame! I couldn't believe those people who swore to protect, cure, restore, and save lives had the capacity to do such inhuman things like that while the patient was unconcious! Shame again!
The latest news was that the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), due to the said incidence, is currently planning to add two new subjects in BS Nursing which will focus and give emphasis more on nursing ethics. So all it took was a canister to stuck up in someone else's rectum in order for our officials to be serious enough in honing our medical, nursing, and paramedical students to be professional enough someday in doing their job as curators of life. To that canister guy, a big thank you! Your as*, I mean, your experience serves as an eye opener. To the poor innocent canister, I couldn't imagine how you feel while you were inside. I can't blame you if you will develop claustrophobia someday. My sympathy.
So why is the Philippines, an agricultural country and main producer of rice decades and decades ago, is now having this rice shortage crisis? Number one reason is that the government failed to focus more on the agricultural industry especially the needs of our farmers (e.g. accessible rural roads, good irrigation, low cost fertilizers, and proper incentives for our farmers), instead, it seems like they advocate more on the conversion of the country's agricultural lands into residential and commercial ones. Second, the research and production of good quality and high yielding variety of rice were not given emphasis by the government. The Filipinos have to suffer first from hunger before the authorities finally realized that they were very idle when it comes to the development of these genetically modified rice that will boost rice production. Filipinos have never yet outgrown procrastination. Now rice is slowly vanishing in our plates. Tsk tsk tsk.....
What's the best remedy for this problem since the cost of rice nowadays are soaring high? Nah, not cannibalism, we'll make Hannibal Lecter jobless. How about cutting our daily rice intake into half? Instead of having two cups of rice per meal, maybe we could lessen it down to one cup! Problem is, most of our fellowmen don't even have a half cup of rice to be cut down. This is how miserable the Philippine economy is! Tsk tsk tsk.....An archbishop suggested in a news report that Pinoys must find a way to fill their hunger by eating alternative carbo rich foods like root crops. He mentioned specifically cassava. My only question is, will the price of cassava stay the same if it will be in demand to consumers? Or will it soar high too? Can our body tolerate the accumulation of hydrocyanic acid after eating cassava for six months? Or we will end up with our mouths foaming? Hay, life in the Philippines is really challenging. Everyday I feel like I'm in the reality show called Survivor. The only difference is, no cameras around to glorify my struggles. Hu hu hu...
-oOo-
Everybody was shocked especially the people in the different medical fields and the authorities when the news about the "black suede scandal" broke out. Well, the scandal was actually about a homosexual who's rectum was inserted with a spray canister by a guy whom he had a one night stand. The subject resorted to a medical operation to remove the canister and while the procedure was done, some of the operating staff took a video of the operation. The removal of the canister was really seen on the video and aside from that, the yelling and howling of the staff were also heard upon the recovery of the canister. One member even opened it and sprayed it on the operating room. The said video was then uploaded into Youtube.com and became a video of the week!
I myself was really shocked upon seeing the video in my classmate's cellphone. It was, in my opinion, a total violation of the patient's right to privacy! My classmate, on the other hand said that the man deserved it because he was a pervert anyway. But I think the act must be exclusive to the man alone. I mean let his guilt, that is if he have one, bother him. The medical team who had done the operation has no right to publicly share the incidence. They totally stripped the man of his last ounce of dignity. What happened to the code of ethics of those doctors and nurses involved? Gone to the trash bin? Shame! I couldn't believe those people who swore to protect, cure, restore, and save lives had the capacity to do such inhuman things like that while the patient was unconcious! Shame again!
The latest news was that the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), due to the said incidence, is currently planning to add two new subjects in BS Nursing which will focus and give emphasis more on nursing ethics. So all it took was a canister to stuck up in someone else's rectum in order for our officials to be serious enough in honing our medical, nursing, and paramedical students to be professional enough someday in doing their job as curators of life. To that canister guy, a big thank you! Your as*, I mean, your experience serves as an eye opener. To the poor innocent canister, I couldn't imagine how you feel while you were inside. I can't blame you if you will develop claustrophobia someday. My sympathy.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
To Carmen
The moment that my life sparked it happened within your womb. You carried me inside your body for nine months, nurturing my development as my body started to take shape and become complex. You bear all the hardships of conception and likewise the excruciating pain of delivery but despite of those, you told me later on that you could not explain the happiness of seeing your firstborn. It was indescribable joy you said, feeling my warmth with your hands as you cradle me with your arms.
You witnessed most of all the "firsts" in my life. My first cry, smile, and laugh. My first step, walk, and fall. My first tooth and my first word which was "nana". You were the first person to whom I showed my first perfect score in a test during my kindergarten year. Likewise you were the first one who saw my first zero score in a quiz during my schooling in grade 2 which I tried to conceal from you but you accidentally found it while tidying my school bag. You were also the first person to noticed my first pimple and then giggled that her son was already a soltero or a teenager. You were the first one to whom I confided my dreams and ambitions in life, of what I wanted to be. Same so with all my fears, disappointments, and frustrations. It was also you who first confronted me when the signs of depression manifested upon me and carried me through my recovery. You know that I can endlessly enumerate it all here, but all I really wanted to say was thank you for always being there for me.
The connection we have established is too strong that only death can break it. What is more wonderful is that you turned out not just a mother to me but a sister and a best friend as well. Thank you for bearing the perils, pains, and hardships of raising me and likewise my four younger brothers. You said it was a bliss, but we know that often times you were hurt especially when you took the responsibility alone of raising us when Tatay died and most of our kins deserted you. You are really a woman of strength and we your sons admire you greatly.
What I am now is mostly because of you. You are my driving force and my inspiration ever since I was a child. Thank you for making me and my brothers a better persons. We love you more than you have ever known. You are the wind beneath our wings and we thank God for having a wonderful mother like you. I and my brothers could not ask for more. HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY NANAY CARMEN!
You witnessed most of all the "firsts" in my life. My first cry, smile, and laugh. My first step, walk, and fall. My first tooth and my first word which was "nana". You were the first person to whom I showed my first perfect score in a test during my kindergarten year. Likewise you were the first one who saw my first zero score in a quiz during my schooling in grade 2 which I tried to conceal from you but you accidentally found it while tidying my school bag. You were also the first person to noticed my first pimple and then giggled that her son was already a soltero or a teenager. You were the first one to whom I confided my dreams and ambitions in life, of what I wanted to be. Same so with all my fears, disappointments, and frustrations. It was also you who first confronted me when the signs of depression manifested upon me and carried me through my recovery. You know that I can endlessly enumerate it all here, but all I really wanted to say was thank you for always being there for me.
The connection we have established is too strong that only death can break it. What is more wonderful is that you turned out not just a mother to me but a sister and a best friend as well. Thank you for bearing the perils, pains, and hardships of raising me and likewise my four younger brothers. You said it was a bliss, but we know that often times you were hurt especially when you took the responsibility alone of raising us when Tatay died and most of our kins deserted you. You are really a woman of strength and we your sons admire you greatly.
What I am now is mostly because of you. You are my driving force and my inspiration ever since I was a child. Thank you for making me and my brothers a better persons. We love you more than you have ever known. You are the wind beneath our wings and we thank God for having a wonderful mother like you. I and my brothers could not ask for more. HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY NANAY CARMEN!
-oOo-
Mama, mama you know I love you
Oh you know I love you
Mama, mama you're the queen of my heart
Your love is like
Tears from the stars
Mama, I just want you to know
Lovin' you is like food to my soul
Oh you know I love you
Mama, mama you're the queen of my heart
Your love is like
Tears from the stars
Mama, I just want you to know
Lovin' you is like food to my soul
- A Song For Mama
by Boyz II Men (1997)
by Boyz II Men (1997)
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