Category Archives: politics

Speeches and why some people do not listen to them.

People love compliments.

This is a known fact. But there are just some who ache for them. It’s like every listener is required to drop everything he or she is doing and listen to him speak.

I experienced this and boy, even though he was affiliated with a former client, am I glad I did not lie.

He was an important officer for a Russian Embassy. I was in-charge of the program flow for an event here in Cebu. I was all over the place, all the while attending to their needs. (Although it was not one of my tasks, I admit I can be pretty ‘epal’ or if I put it in a more understandable term, ‘hospitable’. LOL)

We were introduced earlier and I kept filling him in about the details of the program. He will be speaking in behalf of the Embassy and the Russian Federation.

After an hour and 30 minutes, we saw each other in one of the hallways of the Cultural Center of Cebu. He looked very pleasant, came up to me and excitedly asked if I heard him speak and how would I assess it.

I apologized for not having done so and told him I was busy. He looked crestfallen, took it badly and turned his back on me.

Whaa–. Hello, I’m no DC Comics character. I was saddened that I did not have even a moment to listen, but after a while, I realized I did the right thing. If I made time for him, the other parts of the program may not have pushed through. He is (in a way) a client but as the in-charge of the program, I also have other tasks to do.

It saddens me that not a lot of people can understand the ‘other things that happen’ in a short span of time. It is kind of selfish (I know, I am one too, but not in this case).

Oh well. Everyone is not an audience of just someone, I guess. Even if you’re really, really important wherever you came from.

the politics of politics

There was a great puddle in the school days ago. It’s wet. It’s slimy. It irritates a lot of people. It attracts chaos. It’s dirty. It’s politics.

Every academic year, the CAS-Student Council officers get replaced. So, before the year ends, an election is held. From my experience as one of the Student Electoral Board members during our second year, this year is the worst political year ever.

Dirty politically related ways to defame and dishonor swarmed the air. On Facebook, somebody made a page encouraging everyone not to vote for a certain political party. Text messages were being sent to competitors. Insults of all sorts roamed the campus like wild beasts. Everywhere, everybody was talking about how dirty politics in UPV Miag ao have become.

I feel bad for those at the receiving end of the dirty propaganda. They do not deserve those. But running for office means selling yourself—not only to the highest bidder, bu to the ‘lowest of the castes’. Oftentimes, those who run (and expect to be treated like some prince or princess in the highest tier) find themselves in the most unexpected of places—the bottomless pit of what-have-yous.

I have seen them cry. I have seen them laugh at the cost of others. I have seen them tear the night away like a heavy curtain, just to come up with GPOAs that might answer the needs of the community.

When the rally was over, a lot of people were agitated. Agitated how, I cannot tell exactly. Some were agitated because they were directly affected. Some, because their friend/s were hurled insults. Some feel fake agitation. For the last batch of agitated ones, I do not feel empathy.

Politics is not for the weak. It is for those with giant fighting spirits, those who are willing to swallow their tongue, including the tongues of others. It belongs to those with flowery speeches (or fearful stance, if the situation calls for it) and with sweet promises. As always, I do not trust politicians. They are the bunch of consistent people whose promises will always stay as they were months ago–promises.

credits to akalol.wordpress.com

reading Miriam

If Miriam Defensor Santiago dies (knock on wood) one day and her children would decide to sell the parts of her body, I hope to be rich enough to buy her tongue and brains. Now this side of me is a bit twisted, but I guess you get my point.

This woman is simply terrific, lambasting politicians and politics itself. I wonder if her house helpers are really having a hard time, serving her the death threats which she eats for breakfast. In my opinion, all of our politicians should be like Miriam, critical and bound by duty. I am imagining a noisy Senate but a politically stable Philippines.

My curiosity about how she lived her life went on as I graduated high school and went to college. However, I do not think that she is the type who would prefer being written a biography—at least not while she is still alive. I kept hunting for books which are Miriam-related but they were all about laws and policies—until last Tuesday.


My friend Felyn’s bed was always laden with various books raging from Philippine anthologies to legendary horror to war-related accounts. Miriam’s A Frabjous Day was among them. Without thinking twice, I asked Fe if I could borrow it.


Sadly, I did not hit jackpot. Here was another book, Miriam-written, but not about Miriam (if these were her accounts or true-to-life experiences, I am not sure). I would have wanted a book about her and written by her—be it about her personal life or her political enemies. My brain needs a little exercise.

Find me that book and I might change my mind about marrying some conventional mammal who has a stable job.

an eye opener

I think I might have found myself a new person to look up to: Carlos Celdran.

For the benefit of the doubt, Carlos Celdran, one of Manila’s tour guides, was arrested last night (?!) for committing a crime I never knew existed: offending religious feelings. The man donned a Rizal-inspired outfit and went in front of the mass holding up a placard with the word “Damaso”. Catholic groups. Bishops. Eucharistic Celebration. Surely, it attracted national attention.

If he did the act a month ago, many people would not have minded him. After all, it was only a few weeks back when the Reproductive Health Bill issue subsided once more. But what he did was as singularly and nationally spectacular as Venus Raj winning 4th place, Rolando Mendoza “hostaging” tourists and President Aquino allegedly eating New Yorker hotdogs.

Coincidentally, this event is significant for me and all others who are taking up PI 100: The Life and Works of Rizal. For our final exam, we were tasked to create a 15-minuter film depicting Rizal’s ideals. What we had in mind was a modern-day person who, more or less, lived the late National Hero’s life. Hell, if Carlos Celdran was only a few yards away from school, we could have had him as lead character.

For me, what he did was really courageous. I would even think that it was a spur-of-the-moment decision—a response to the Church’s meddling with politics. It was a bit disrespectful, but it was an eye-opener. In Peyups term, “asteeg”.

Nowadays, conventional ways do not attract attention anymore. People are forced to think of new ways to call for action. Why do you think PETA hired actors and actresses to do nudes while doing their advocacy? Why do you think Rolando Mendoza chose to hostage tourists? If you want to be heard, you must either raise your hand higher than anyone else or stand up and answer without waiting for the teacher to call your name. That is the problem with everything being politicized—it makes everything else rotten to the core.

Sadly though, it seemed that CC’s act just froze the comet that is about to strike Earth. It was courageous, yet temporary. However, it is not entirely useless. It was an eye-opener. Would you have done the same if you were he?

no more assignments?


I recently came across an article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer which robbed me of the boredom that was currently enveloping my senses.

Here’s the link of the article.

DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro issued Memorandum Order No. 392, a memo ordering teachers to avoid giving assignments to elementary public school students for the weekends so they could spend time with their families.

I was dumbfounded. Wow, umabot na pala ng DepEd ang powers ng parents ngayon? According to reports, DepEd was receiving complaints from parents that their children have too much homework to do other leisure activities with their family.

I find it annoying. If I were a public school teacher, I would immediately resign and transfer to a private school—forget about high salaries and privileges. I see it as a lame way of ‘controlling’ teachers so parents and kids can have their way. That for me is non-negotiable. I would rather teach out of love than duty. I don’t know if I am talking sense, but that is my opinion.

The parents are being utterly ridiculous. Home works challenge their children to think beyond normal kids their age. Home works make kids reject the perks of being lazy and unproductive. Doing home works is fun and should not be discouraged. D.U.H.

I agree with Teacher’s Dignity Coalition spokesperson Emma Policarpio. “Home works should be a fun activity of parents and kids”. She is right; she should say this in the face of all the parents who are for the memo. It saddens me that DepEd released this memo, it is disappointing. They should uphold education, facilitate learning and encourage—not discourage—home work.

I will not blame the teachers if they will not follow this memo. They are TEACHERS, not household helpers that can be bossed around. Theirs is the noblest of professions; if being noble is to be sacrificed just so parents and kids can toss home works, they can all eat chalk.

I am for, and will be behind the teachers on this issue. ;p