Airborne Deception

There are at least two local radio stations in our area that are airing infomercials produced and financed by the Intex Resources, the prime mover of the Mindoro Nickel Project (MNP) in the whole island of Mindoro. I first heard of the infomercial last Sunday while the world celebrates Mothers Day. It was a point blank insult aimed at Mother Earth. Sad.

The infomercials carry a catchphrase to this effect : “Ang kailangan lamang ay ang inyong pagsang-ayon. Ikaw at ang Intex, magkabalikat sa pagpapaunlad ng Mindoro” (“All we need is your approval. Intex, your partner in development”.) They are mini-drama presentations of alleged job opportunities and other promises for the progress for Mindorenyos to be brought by said mining company here in our province. I just hope that the materials will be pulled out of the air the soonest possible time.

In a paper presented by Eunice C. Novio, my cousin (ehem..), in her Master of Arts in Women and Development at University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, Quezon City, entitled “Women and Mining : A Struggle to Defend Our Land” on Intex she stated that, “With the company’s vision of “responsible mining and development in focus”, Intex claimed that theirs is the most environmentally safe type of mining.” Indeed MNP is listed as of the Philippine Government’s priority mineral project. The author even stated further that, “As of January 2008, there were 92 mining applications in Mindoro according to Deparment of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENRs) Mines and Geosciences Bureau or MGB. This includes exploration on petroleum and natural gas. From 1995, six Financial or Technical Assistance Agreements (FTAA) covering a total of 474,336 hectares or 33% of the whole Mindoro Island.”

In the infomercials that are now invading the air like the dreaded A(H1N1) pandemic, certain techniques called Suggestion and Autosuggestion and Persuasion were employed. The first technique is the implanting of a psychological, spontaneous reaction where the listener is moved by an idea that is almost hypnotic in character. Persuasion is a persistent reaching out of the feelings of a person that are attacked by a series of effective motivations sometimes conscious, but which do carry little logic even when presented as reasons. It is a persistent appeal to feelings of listeners. Thus, infomercials like these consist of pseudo-development messages that lead to development aggression where the pursuit of economic development of rural communities and environment are hindered.

Please note that there are local politicians who control our local media institutions and personalities. These personalities became instruments of power that mirror our power structure and of course, to primarily safeguard the interests of their bosses and patrons.

Indeed, the lifeblood of media is advertising. Hence apart from media owners,- advertisers such as Intex Resources, exert a powerful influence on its content and bias. To give you some figures on how much are spent in radio advertising,in 1997,if I may add,- PhP 20 billion were allotted to media advertising and 16.5% of which are for radio, the most cost efficient medium. But another major determinant of media content is media’s commercial orientation. They prefer revenue over ecological concerns.

History has proven that information has the ability to democratize power and wealth. Once power is distributed, the rich and the powerful few are less likely to get the opportunity to take whatever they want from the masses. Including our young and talented local media practitioners. Moreover, information can liberate people from poverty and social injustice. Thus, it can emasculate “powers-that-be” and it can surely empower the grassroots.

How? In my humble opinion, the answer lies in the establishment of non-aligned community owned Community Based Radio or CBR. This CBR must capture and represent the stand point communities as against those of a few vested interest groups, or rich or influential families or even eering media practitioners. It would contribute to the redistribution of power and the dismantling of structural imbalances. According to the book entitled “Taking Hold of the Rural Radio”(pp. 27) Fr. Francis Lucas hast this to emphasize, “Access to media is access only to information. But access to the power of media is access to life.”

With this, our CBR would uphold culture of life, therefore will stand against the Mindoro Nickel Project!...

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(SSC File Photo taken by Reynaldo D. San Jose)

Our Mothers

Today, May 10, 2009,- the whole world celebrate and pay tribute to the person who gave birth to us and molded us to become what we are today : our biological mothers. And here in my province, our representative to the Philippine Congress and our governor are both women and therefore civil and political “mothers” to us, their constituents.

The Philippine presidents from Emilio Aguinaldo to Ferdinand Marcos, the governors from Damaso Abeleda (1950) to Pedro Medalla, Jr. (1988) and representatives from Jesus V. Abeleda (1951) to Mario Gene Mendiola (1987) are all men. Those were the times when Occidental Mindoro political scene was dominated by male politicians until such time when these two women came into the picture : Josephine Ramirez-Sato and Ma. Amelita C. Villarosa. Not to mention the most powerful mother of our country, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

I felt hopeful seeing them occupied the two top provincial posts that year. Our province, at least from my own point of view, was in a mess in the hands of men. Our political and civic “fathers” have failed us. Poor road condition and health services, poverty, agricultural problems, etc., are everywhere, specially in the grassroots or upland communities.

I hate to say this but those things are STILL prevalent today in this part of the island with our three “mothers” around. I maybe wrong but this is how I see the present situation. Now, who says that all mothers are good at cleaning up messes?

Mothers (I mean the real ones), like yours and mine,.. are good at messes and the messes they clean up are not their doing and that makes it so exemplary and great. In his article at CaptivaSanibel.com entitled “Why Mothers Would Make Good Politicians”, a certain Rev. James L. Snyder has pointed out: “By her very nature, a mother is always thinking about others. Rarely does she take any time for her own personal pursuits. Other people come before her interest and comfort. Wouldn't that be a wonderful trait in some politician? Instead of always thinking about reelection and what can get him reelected, he begins to think about other people and their needs.” But that is not our case. Was it because our "mothers" are fulltime politicians and only part time housewives or housekeepers?

But let us not only blame our two civil and political “mothers”. As their “sons and daughters” we are partly to blame. We deserve the politicians that we have,- regardless of gender, for we continue to vote for them and their relatives and political family to power. For we vote based on personalities and not on issues. For making our mouth do all the job, consequently making it dirty thus keeping our hands so clean and bright. Let us join hands and make those hands dirty by cleaning the mess,- by doing the household chores up to 2010 and beyond. And hopefully all political "mothers" may become source of inspiration and role models to all of us, their "children"...

Happy Mother’s Day, everyone!

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(Photo: SSC File. My apologies for posting this picture again..)

One Flesh, One Life

The social life among the Hanunuo Mangyans living in southern part of Mindoro island centers on the family. The girls marry at an early age, unlike this friend of mine. During courtship, the groom-to-be convinces his future bride of his intentions through reciting an “ambahan” (a short Mangyan poem) and in between, he plays his small guitar called “subing”. The wedding planners are both parents and the dowry is decided by both of them. The actual rite is very brief but the highlights are advises and admonitions given by the “magdadaniw”, a kind of minister (usually a tribal elder). From the mountains, let us go to a certain lowland marriage to be held the Christian way.

At 10:00 AM tomorrow,- May 9, 2009, a close friend of mine will be exchanging “I Do’s” with her special someone at the Saint Joseph College Seminary Chapel, here in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. The event can be summed up in two (Latin)words that we hear only during Holy Week : “Consumatum Est”. She’s 37 and he is 36. At last, our long wait,- as “by-standers”, will finally end Saturday.

This one is from “Gaudium et Spes” : “Christian marriage is an institution confirmed by the divine law, receiving its stability, even in the eyes of society, from the human act by which the partners surrender themselves to each other.” In a broader sense, marriage is not only a juridical act by which spouses exchange rights for specific things, but also the free and deliberate entrance of the spouses into a covenant of a whole life. This is one of the many things I have learned from the book written by Rev. Fr. Hermogenes E. Bacareza, SVD, our Judicial Vicar, entitled “Psychological Incapacity : Gift From Heaven?”.

Written in their in invitation card is this lovely poem : “It all started with a smile…/a few words…/a friendship…/a love affair…/and today../We begin sharing/not just love../but LIFE.” Cute isn’t it? And it reminds me of my own wedding 16 years ago.

This is an example of "ambahan" for courtship and marriage:

"Tuda Pagbugtong uman
No sa kangko itungpan
Payi mamabunlagan
No buntag di tukawan..."

(This nice and beautiful girl
if one day she should be mine,
I would never separate
as long I would be alive...)

Indeed marriage is not only becoming “one flesh” but more importantly living “one life”. St. Thomas of Aquinas once said, “Marriage is not essentially the carnal union but rather a certain association of the husband and wife.” For him, what makes marriage is the consent to marriage itself, not just carnal part of it but the whole of marriage...

No matter how long we have waited!

Congratulations and best wishes, Dante and Thess!

Cruel Than Boxing

The memory of Greg Page flashed in my brain when I saw Ricky Hatton being attended by the ring physician right after that killer right straight courtesy of Manny Pacquiao. I was watching the live coverage of last Sunday’s boxing event dubbed as “Battle of East and West” at our Chancery’s Refectory, together with some seminarians, members of the Save OMECO Movement and former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Edicio Dela Torre.

Greg Page is the former World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion who passed away just days before the Pacquiao-Hatton Showdown. Page, 50, was KOed by Dale Crowe in Erlanger, Kentucky., in 2001 and left him in a coma for almost a week. And during post-fight surgery, he suffered a stroke and paralyzing him on his left side. Page won a $1.2 million settlement from Kentucky state boxing authorities whom he said failed to provide an ambulance or medical personnel at the ring and left him with permanent brain injuries.

Here in the Philippines,- Manny Pacquiao’s home country, a congressman has filed a bill banning boxing tournaments in the land. He is Eduardo Nonato “Edno” Joson from the province of Nueva Ecija. Joson justified his bill and in his explanatory note he stated: “Banning boxing contests and/or exhibitions as a form of public entertainment can put an end to needless deaths, injuries and most of all, put a death to the culture of violence prevailing in our society." He filed the bill March 11 last year.

The lawmaker even stated further that, "The money and fame a few champion boxers get sends a wrong message to young people. Many young boys are thus lured to boxing because of the thought that entering the ring is a way out of poverty." Joson's bill (or House Bill 3743) also would penalize boxing promoters, event organizers, referees and judges with the same penalty of prision correccional or prision mayor if the boxing match results in a death. According to Joson, boxing is a dangerous sport whose basic tenet is to inflict injury on the opponent. Generally speaking, a knock out tends to produce a temporary loss of brain activity, consciousness and mobility.

It was Englishman Jack Broughton in 1743 devised the rule in which a fallen fighter could pick himself up after 30 seconds. Then in 1867, to avoid outright defeat, a boxer should be able to beat the count of 10. To a TV viewer, a knock out is the most spectacular moment in a boxing match.

But millions of Filipinos do not buy Joson’s proposal. In response, Secretary Jesli Lapus of Department of Education said that he is not amenable to scrapping of boxing tournaments saying it is one of the aged-old sports where the Philippines is being recognized globally. Lapus said it is through boxing even at a young age do the Philippines produce the likes of Manny Pacquiao also known as the Pacman. In case you do not know, Pacquiao’s first professional fight was in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro some years back.

I do not know what happened to Joson’s HB 3743. But one thing I am sure: There are government officials who are into promotion of boxing with the youth. Most of them even watch Pacquiao’s fight abroad. Politicians who use his popularity for their own political ends and allured the Pacman to join them in their mad world. Stick to boxing Pacman and move away from politics be it in General Santos or in Saranggani. Do not throw your self in a hornet’s nest. Remember your defeat to Darlene Custodio last May 14, 2007. And remember as well the sad fate of the boxers who were put up into mismatches to pad up records of other boxers specially in a foreign land. And how are they being used.

Last March 31, 2007, a Filipino boxer named Angelito Sisnorio, Jr., a native of Koronadal City, died after getting head injuries and brain damage in a bout in Thailand against a veteran boxer named Chatchai Sasakul. Just like what Greg Page have suffered. May their souls rest in peace including other boxers who suffered on top of the ring. But here in my province, or the country as a whole, the way how politics is practiced is more brutal than boxing!

But while the worldwide debate is on whether to ban boxing or not, let the world enjoy the intensity of the Pacman fever (or was it influenza?) Anyways, Pain is a more brilliant teacher than Loneliness…

Fist From Mindoro

I suddenly felt upset when I saw the legendary Pedro Adigue, Jr. at the opponent’s corner that night. The former World Boxing Council (WBC) Light Welterweight Champion perhaps took a break from the movies and came to San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. The older Adigue, who defeated Adolph Pruitt in 1968, was here that time to support his nephew and protégée Chito Adigue. The old Pedro presumably taught this young relative of his everything from the books on punching and footwork. But the Joe Francisco-Chito Adigue match at San Jose Municipal Gymnasium that night of May 16, 1981 was a non title fight. Diomedes “Joe” Francisco from Brgy. Batasan, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro was then a ring sensation in Philippine Boxing scene. He was our local hero.

The younger Adigue’s killer left hook,- which was actually a lucky punch, landed on his jaw on the 6th round of the bout ended not only the career of Francisco but our high hopes to see our very own fighter climb up the ring for a world championship fight. The Adigue’s uncle- and- nephew tandem shattered all our dreams. Our hero was even mauled in front of his province mates. His home court advantage suddenly turned into nightmare. We have cursed then his manager, the referee, the promoters and practically everyone behind that heartbreaking non-title fight. That fight,- for many of us, was just a “money making” thing. Seeing our hero kneeled on the canvass while pain was written all over his face made us cry, almost. A sorry event that is not easy to forget until now.

But to close the career of our local boxing legend, here’s his stats after his retirement in 1982: a total of 26 fights; 23 wins; 1 draw; 2 losses. Francisco was the #1 Philippine Junior Featherweight contender and #3 in the OPBF or the Orient Pacific Boxing Federation that time. Francisco, now an officer of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and residing in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro with his wife, the former Loyalyn “Bing Bing” Hilario, with their three young boys that are all budding boxers. A fighter's blood still flows in Joe’s veins.

Exactly 27 years ago have passed and the legend continues…

From Joe Francisco, the father,- let us go to Drian Francisco, the son. On April 19, 2009 at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines he won against Indonesian Sharil Fabanyo via 2nd round knock out. The fight was an undercard in the Nonito Donaire - Raul Martinez fight dubbed as "The Fast and the Furious", a joint promotion of Top Rank and Solar Sports. Drian (formerly known as Jong Francisco) is undefeated in 16 bouts and ranked number 10 by both World Boxing Association (WBA) for International Super Flyweight and Flyweight for the World Boxing Organization (WBO). His father's town mates have witnessed the power and authority of Drian Francisco's fists last March 22, 2007 at the Mayor Juan G. Santos Memorial Gymnasium in San Jose when he KOed Deeden Sithsaithong from Thailand.

Everybody in the Philippine boxing scene are hoping that on July 19, 2009, Drian will be facing Rafael “El Torito” Concepcion. Concepcion won the WBA Interim Super Flyweight world title last September in Cebu City by upsetting the highly favored AJ “Bazooka” Banal by spectacular 10th round knockout.

For us, Francisco is the “Mindorenyong Kamao” (Fist from Mindoro), a moniker given to him by Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) South Luzon Bureau correspondent, Ms. Madonna Virola. The boxer from Sablayan is our new boxing idol. Not unlike his legendary father.

Keep on winnin', Kabayan!

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(Photo and other reference courtesy of Bongbong Marquez' blog http://bantayngmindoro.blogspot.com)

I'ts Labor Day, So Happy Fiesta!

“Who built seven-gated Thebes?
Book lists the names of kings.
Did kings haul the blocks and the bricks?...

xxx

Lot of facts.
Lot of Questions.”

In the light of these challenging questions posed by Bertolt Brecht, a German playwright in a poem entitled "Questions of a Worker Reading History", I wish to tackle on the value of human work. But before anything else, lest we forget that May 1 marks the international celebration of Labor Day and at the same time the whole Catholic world honors the Feast Day of Saint Joseph, the Patron of all Workers; the Patron Saint of our Vicariate, my parish and yes,.. my hometown. Our Town Fiesta is on Friday, 1st of May 2009.

From the earliest periods in history, powerful people,- monarchs, governors, technocrats,liberal capitalists; exploited the labor of other human beings. And this exploitation became intense and systematic during the early years of Industrial Revolution.

This situation,- perhaps, prompted Pope Leo XIII to issue a Circular Letter addressed to the Church hierarchy called “Rerum Novarum” (Of New Things) in 1891. “In it, he dealt with the relations between labor and capital, defending the existence of trade unions and advocating the rights of the state to protect workers and intervene in social affairs..”, wrote a secular writer Michael Curtis in his book, “Great Political Theories, Vol. 2”.

But sad to say, human labor nowadays is still treated by many company owners and big entrepreneurs as a mere merchandize to be vended like any material good in the market. And for the Filipino worker, the quest for secure job and just compensation continues. The dignity of labor is sacrificed in the altar of Global Competitiveness. By the way, instead of “competition”, why not “cooperation”?

Here’s a glance of labor situation in Occidental Mindoro from the National Statistics Coordination Board (NSCB) : “From a total of 236, 000 persons above 15 years of age in October 2002 in the province, labor force participation rate in Occidental Mindoro was recorded at 74.7 percent, 0.8 percentage point lower than in October 2001. Employment rate, likewise, dropped by 3 percentage points from 94.5 percent in October 2001 to 91.5 percent in October 2002…”. They are the so-called blue-collared workers in various commercial establishments in the province like sales clerks, security guards, construction workers, among others. In case you do not know, the daily rate of a contractual worker in the San Jose District Hospital (its construction is on the way) is only One Hundred Fifty Pesos (PhP 150.00) per day which is way below the prescribed minimum wage!

Again according to NSCB : “ Majority of the people employed in Occidental Mindoro worked in the agriculture sector accounting for 61.5 percent of the total persons employed in the province in October 2002. This indicates that majority of the people in the province remains to depend on agriculture for their livelihood. On the contrary, only 5.6 percent of the total employed persons in the province worked in the industry sector, while 33.5 percent were engaged in the service sector.” These are the landless farmers paid on “per- day- basis” receiving only One Hundred Twenty Pesos a day (PhP 120.00) or measly 2.5 USD.

Even Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs face exploitation, physical danger, mental anguish, and at times even imprisonment and death. Remember Flor Contemplacion and Maricris Sioson? And thousands that are too many to mention but equally too many to ignore!

In Biblical perspective, we Christians are constantly reminded to give just and timely wages to our workers and warned us for exploiting them and accumulating excessive wealth. Indeed, work is the fundamental condition for achieving economic and social progress. It forms the basis of our social life and gives meaning to human dignity.

To emphasize the point, the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines or PCP-II has this to say: “The subjective dimension of human work connotes as necessary and corollary that labor has priority over capital, for labor is the “primary efficient cause of production” while capital is a “mere instrument”. The resources of this world have been placed here to serve the human person through work.” (#318,PCP-II)

Up to this day, the slogan originally coined by Rosa Luxembourg in 1819 still demands urgent action and fulfillment. My people are still looking forward for a genuine celebration of Labor Day and a truly meaningful Fiesta...

Happy Fiesta everyone?

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(SSC File Photo Taken by Reynaldo D. San Jose)

Filipino Children and Infomercials

This is what I believe : Mar Roxas’ TV infomercial is nothing but a cheap attempt to identify himself with the masses, the common people. But I do not intend to single out the good senator. I am against ALL infomercials and commercial endorsements by politicians. I seldom go with Meriam Defensor –Santiago’s mind (?) but this time I believe her when she said that, “Politicians conducting premature campaigns under the pretense of commercial endorsements violate the equal protection clause of the Constitution.” She even urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make a “categorical interpretation” of the Omnibus Election Code to prevent “rich and powerful candidates” from enjoying unfair advantage over poor candidates. All the traditional politicians are putting premature political trash on television even at the expense of poor and marginalized children.

No matter how cute and compassionate are his words to that pedicab boy and his sister (”Ilang taon ka na”.. “Anak, itabi mo. Ako na..”), when people are tired of traditional politicians and their politicking, they cannot easily be blinded by such words. We have all the reasons in the world to doubt their motives behind said infomercials. How the heck can they afford to be big time killjoys in the middle of an exciting episode of our favorite soap opera? While I hate traditional politicians, I salute the poor Filipino children,- like the thirteen year-old pedicab boy and his six-year-old sister, for their resilience. Resilience in psychology is the positive capacity of people to cope with stress and catastrophe. Stressful and catastrophic events that can be traced back to the practice of the nation‘s biggest bane called “politics”.

Here in Occidental Mindoro most of the children are from poor farmer families. Despite life’s hardship, the Spartan spirit resides in them. It is very usual scenario in my province watching a boy say, ten years of age, operates a hand tractor or a power tiller where its handles are too tall for the boy. At an early age, they already managed to survive and be economic partners of their parents. Even some of their rights as children are neglected by their parents. Our local politicians are partly to blame in this sad plight of our children.

According to Dr. Norman Garmezy, a psychologist from University of Minnesota, “Resilience is competence and the inner strength to work well, play well, love well and expect well despite the presence of considerable adversities..” Indeed children has the capacity to be self-reliant and self- governing.

DZVT,- a local AM radio station where I am part of its news and public affairs department, caters a program called “Bidang Bulilit” where interested children/youth were trained on preparing radio program where they produce their own script related to children’s rights and issues faced by children .The airing is done regularly. It is a forum where children also invite and interview resource persons, adults and children, related to children’s issues. Their views are asked on the issues, solutions and how they contribute in addressing such issues. This is a block time program sponsored by Plan, International-San Jose Office.

Filipino children have the ability to see things as impermanent. They hope for a time when they be able to prevail life’s difficulties and fulfill their dreams. Take Tutay for example, my sixteen-year old middle child. Her usual expression amidst domestic financial crisis is this: “Huwag kang mag-alala. Ako ang mag-papayaman sa inyo, ‘Tay” (Don’t worry. I will make you rich, Father).

Children in my country also had a firm sense of what is right and what is wrong. In our anti-mining initiatives, we give information and education campaign among school children in the barrios. And from this kind of activity and dialogue we could sense well their perception of what is ethical and what is moral.

Yes, Filipino children has something that is innate to a person or an inborn trait that can be learned or developed. A spirit within that must be enhanced and nurtured by all of us adults and not only from those we regularly see on television lately…

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(Photo from SSC File taken by Ms. Thess Tacderan)

Notice of Invasion

To the citizens of Occidental Minolo:

In view of your perpetual error of electing traditional politicians and their cahoots to power and your continuous inability to breed, support and choose competent leaders, we are serving you this Notice of Invasion.

For going against the fundamental tenets of the Almighty Fuuman Empire, your province shall be put under our control until after required changes and specific choices have been successfully made.

You shall be no longer be part of the Republic of the Philippines and effective today shall be put under the colony of the Fuuma Empire. The Great Kubilai is your emperor and shall exercise sovereignty over this other half of the island.

President Kim Tiu-Cuenca immediately approved the issuance of this Notice because of her odd but overwhelming defeat in Occidental Minolo, her second home province,- last 2028 presidential elections.

However, this Notice does NOT cover Oriental Minolo for they always elect a bunch of dedicated and trusting leaders. It has been breeding haven of selfless politicians and genuine public servants since 1990s.

The Fuuma Empire shall immediately appoint a Governor and a Vice Governor. Your representative to the Philippine Congress likewise be replaced. They will be substituted by two (2) women,- Mimi and Annie, both trusted community organizers of the Fuuma Empire.

Please be informed also that your Vice Governor will be replaced by Shinkan Poe for they have a certain thing in common. They are both strategists.

Your Provincial Board shall be dissolved immediately. But since said august body have provided massive display of weak and indecisive positions on the Screw Mineral’s mining application in the past 30 years or so, for issuing an exploration permit for the Pit King Oil including other major ecological concerns, a grand Galactic Freak Show will be established by the Empire to provide employment exclusively for your former Board Members. They will be hired as make-up artists and performers. Narcoleptics and buffons,- young and old, included.

Moreover, those who renewed the permit for the dreaded Semi Titanic Lottery or STL will now be employed as milk-gatherers of female Tamaraws outside of the Manoot Gene Pool and Research Center. They must produce five (5) liters of milk everyday. Failure to do so will be meted out with corresponding penalty. May this remind them of the truth that STL though legal, is gambling and gambling is a vice and it will never be a virtue. Then and now.

All of them will be punished for making the lives of the Mangyans miserable up to present time. And for practically doing nothing in connection with the IPRA including inaction and lack of support pertaining to the ancestral domain claims of the indigenous peoples. Also for gradually downgrading the Mangyan culture by and large.

The Fuuma Warriors shall exercise extreme police authority and control to any law or ordinance enacted by the Great Kubilai,- the Most Supreme Fuuma, and the rest of his Imperial Council.

We will show no mercy to coup plotters, revolutionaries, vagabonds, jaywalkers and other lawless elements who will disobey general and internal rules of the Fuuma Empire. Be it a dreamer or a performer,- gay or straight.

In order for this Notice be automatically revoked and for us to consequently order the withdrawal of our Almighty Fuaman warriors on Earth specifically in Occidental Minolo,- thus your return to your former civil status under Government of the Republic of the Philippines, you are hereby commanded to do the following:

1. Organize a third political force as an alternative to the so-called Dream Time and Performance Tamed;

2. Identify and train young potential alternative candidates or politicians for series of lectures/workshops/conferences on good governance and participatory democracy;

3. Solicit moral support and financial assistance from local businessmen and entrepreneurs for projects and programs geared towards voting competent, dedicated and young candidates to political power and authority;

4. Establish a multi-sectoral and province-wide citizens’ movement as a vehicle for the conduct of series of anti-trapo and issue-based education and other related political actions;

5. Constant contact with spaceship Vavilos for its intervention towards your immediate salvation;

6. Conduct, too, regular visit to Strange Dimension for long life, power, strength and stamina; and,

7. Live your faith in politics and in everyday life (in case you’re still is and wanted to remain a Christian, or in general, a believer).

You will receive further order and decrees in the coming weeks.

Congratulations. With this new semi-cosmic sets of policies and structure, we are hoping that Occidental Minolo could finally get rid of its majority of self-centered leaders, their lapdogs and propagandists. And would ultimately reach progress and total development and be proud citizens of planet Earth and the whole Milky Way Galaxy.


May the Force be with us.
Date issued : 23 January 2034

(Translated from the Fuuman language “Wakhal”)

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(Note : My apologies to Toei Company, the makers of TV Asahi’s “Uchu Keiji Shaider”. Also inspired by Jessica Zafra’s article “Su Casa, es Mi Casa” from p. 53 of her book “Twisted 6” published in 2002.-NAN)

Come Alive!

Bruce Lee started it all. Yes, as I have told you once, my eldest find the “Enter the Dragon” lead star cool not because he is into Jet Kune Do but because Lee Shiu Loong’s (Bruce’s Chinese name) simple but practical ideas and thoughts fascinate my kid like no other. At an early age he already managed to memorize and recite one of his idol’s lengthy poem and here’s a tiny slice: “…Life battles don’t always go to/The stronger or faster man/But sooner or later the man/Who wins is the man/Who thinks he can..”

This became,- I suppose as I see him grow before my very eyes, his personal credo. But my kid seldom skipped Al Bernstein’s show on TV. He is used to shadow boxing and lifting dumbbells every morning. Actually I taught him why and when he has to defend himself or fight back in times of need.

He was second year highschool when he KOed (via lethal flicker jab a la Tommy Hearns) a rascal classmate who had been bullying him for years. “Napuno na po ako.” (I got enough of him), he told me between sobs. I was later informed that the fight ensued right at the corridor. At her office, I apologized to the school principal for my son’s misbehavior. And she reminded me of things that I’ve already read centuries back in their handbook. But her reply shocked me like hell : “Kung sa labas ng kampus sana niya sinuntok, okey lang. Hindi na kita ipatatawag.” (If this happened outside of the campus its just okay). She and her faculty members have also lost their patience to that spoiled brat. I told you, I taught my boy why and when to defend himself and fight back but overlooked the “where” thing. Thanks God, incident of sort happened only once!

Back to Bruce Lee. The book I gave him as a birthday gift when he was ten is an anthology of Lee’s correspondence with families and fans written from 1958 to 1973 edited by John Little. This made my boy truly appreciate the Dragon’s philosophy and life more than his martial arts and movie antics. For him, Bruce Lee was a philosopher more than anything else. True enough, for Bruce Lee was once a Philosophy student at the University of Washington from 1961 to 1963. It started with this question : “..’Tay, saan ba ‘ko pwedeng mag-aral ng Philosophy sa College?” (Where can I study Philosophy in college?), he asked me sometime after he unleashed his “Fist of Fury” to that bully. And this time I exactly know “where”. (Not in the corridor, mind you!)

Think I’ve already told you that the Saint Joseph College Seminary (SJCS) in Occidental Mindoro will be celebrating its Silver Jubilee come June this year and the whole local Church is presently celebrating Year of the Vocation. The SJCS’ School of Philosophy was inaugurated only last year. If Bruce Lee made himself known in the US by putting-up Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute, I told my eldest and only son that I knew somebody that in a way did the same before he went puff.

And maybe because the spirit of the Dragon has engulfed my young kid, full of enthusiasm and determination he passed the entrance examination he took in October 2008. A gathering, I think a month-long orientation for seminary enrollees/candidates, is on as I post this entry. My son was at the Vigil Mass last night along with nine other young boys from different parishes all over the province. Coincidentally, “Yobhel”,- my son’s given name is the Hebrew word for “Jubilee”. Last night at the Mass he was holding a censer. The very same heavy hands he used to lift a dumbbell and punch a bag,.. and a boy.

What if he doesn’t make it? What if I couldn’t afford him to stay? That won’t worry me I tell you. Bruce Lee the culprit has this to say: “It is not what happens is a success or failure, but what it does to the heart of a man. No man is defeated unless he is discouraged.” Surely my boy will learn something from the pre-formation orientation (which is set until May 2.). We, his immediate family members, would-be formators, relatives and friends are here to bring encouragement. People that would tap him on his shoulder and say, “Keep on punchin’, I mean,.. goin’.”

“Come alive!” may sound like a movie catch phrase but actually an Easter message of certain Sr. Corita Kent who lived in the 60’s. See? Even the Resurrection can also be restated in a sportive style. True enough, not only love but conversion could also come from, according to a famous song, “the most unexpected places…” and faces. Have you ever imagined how a long-dead individual would in a way become a present-day (priesthood) vocation campaigner? God’s calling cannot only be inspired by the works of ancient pious individuals like saints and mystics but by pop culture icons like Bruce Lee who are considered by many as false idols.

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(Phot credit:warhawkensenterprises.com)

Spiritual Boxing

I’ll keep my fingers off the computer keyboard for the Holy Week.

My scrutiny of my personal year-round boxing match with God is on the way. I have to prepare for it and now is the best time for such a discernment or evaluation cum prayer/meditation. How God has beaten me up black and blue effortlessly. How He won via TKO until I furtherly affirmed that He is still authentically “The Greatest”. Undisputed and unmatched.

More or less, here’s the rundown of my post-game analysis (read: meditation) : I rediscovered God whose powerful uppercuts almost made my soul jump off my mortal body. The Almighty whose left straight shatters my every expectation and all anticipations. To exchange punches with Him is like sailing in dangerous waters,- like the Calavite Point, that at every single round He threatens to drown all His opponents except those spiritual champions of yore. He constantly invite us to a cruel blow-by-blow fight with Him.

Know what is like to have a boxing match with the Father? Every time He unleashes His killer punch (including His sharp elbows!) your flesh is ripped off and your bones cracked. It brings pain beyond compare. All His legitimate shots,- hook, straight or jab, bring not only torture, pain and anguish but yes,.. approval, opportunity and BLESSINGS.

Indeed He owns the MadEarth Square Garden and the venue is equally important as the people behind me for this quest. I have you my team members to fulfill our common quest and vision. To experience our dream match with God for this is the very moment to follow our own follower. Remember, meeting Him is always a Main Event.

Before my fight, this fight with the Almighty Champ,.. I tried to elude Him. I cancelled previous fight cards with Him. But now I know. What keep us apart is not His distance but our constant back-pedaling or moving away from Him. We always turn down His invitation for a brawl. We are afraid to bang bodies and exchange fists and head blows with the Lord, yet we are eager to outplay him on top of the mortal ring we created and mundial fight plan that we designed. We are afraid to kiss the floor unconscious or have our teeth broken, spit out our mouth piece or end with a dislocated jaw. But remember, this eagerness is matched by His eagerness for UNION with us,- for a grudging and painful encounter with Him comes Heavenly bliss. From this battle we draw courage and inspiration in establishing Kingdom of God right here at our training gym, in our area of concern, in our home court or anywhere.

It is time to stop hiding and accept the challenge and face the sweetest and greatest defeat of life. Let us allow ourselves to be overpowered and conquered by the Lord because from this defeat comes the initial process of holiness. This total surrender.

Initially let us accept God’s challenge and don’t be timid. For one of my trainers, Teresa of Avila once told me, “We do not have to be bashful with God”. Yes, we cannot grasp the stumbling blocks of our lives unless we slip and fall over them…. come Holy Week or beyond.

Until next week, folks.

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(PS. Praktis lang uli…)

Forests and Social Justice

Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin saw the Earth from space for the first time in history and made this famous remark: “Our Earth is blue”. This short message was packed with emotions. Scientists pointed out that the color is created by the combination of air and water and forests play vital role in producing such beautiful color. But enough of aesthetics.

According to the Encyclopedia of Earth, the only remaining intact forests in Mindoro are found along the top of the mountain ridge that divides the island. On the eastern side of the ridge commercial logging ended long enough ago that the remaining intact forests are buffered by secondary forests that have reestablished a closed condition, yet these same forests are again under threat from legal and illegal logging activities. Only 8.5 percent of Mindoro was forested in 1988.Several reforestation reserves and projects had been established in Mindoro since 1936 but these have proved to be less than effective.

The book “Mangyan Survival Strategies” (p. 151) by Jurg Hebling and Volker Schult published in 2004 states, “The then incumbent government also gave unrestricted priority to economic rather than ecological considerations. Briefly before his resignation as Minister of Natural Resources, Ernesto Maceda approved a logging permit, Timber License Agreement, TLA No. 376, on 38,630 hectares of land around Mt. Halcon, to Oriental Wood Processing Corporation… Some 30,000 Mangyans would have been affected by the operations of Oriental Wood.”

The significant loss of 894,170(92.43%) hectares of Mindoro's forest cover has drastically happened over the past 50 years. From more than 50% of forest covered lands in 1924, it dropped to 36% in 1951. And as recorded in 1984, only 73,230 hectares (7.57%) of Mindoro Island's 967,400 hectares of originally forested areas still remain in a threatened state ( ERD, 1995).

At present,the remaining forest cover of only 21,578 ha. (2.2%) are old growth with mossy forests and the remaining 48,945 ha. (5.06%) are residual forests. Most of the old forests have been logged over and remaining forest patches surrounded by wide ranges of grasslands are remnants of selective logging. Remaining forest patches are situated mainly in the central higher regions of the island.

Last March 31, 2009 at the junction of Brgy. Bagong Sikat and Brgy. Bubog in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, nine (9) persons were apprehended by the San Jose Police Station led by SPO3 Aureo Garcia. The suspects are headed by a known businessman from Brgy. Caminawit of said municipality named Eddie Hopio. They were apprehended because of possessing Illegally-cut lumbers of Molave and Dau species approximately totaling to 500 board feet. The filing of the case is still in progress.

The Mindoro Nickel Project is the biggest threat to our forests. Republic Act No. 7940 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 under Chapter XII, Section 72 (Timber Rights) states, “Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, a contractor may be granted a right to cut trees or timber within his mining area as may be necessary for his mining operations subject to forestry laws, rules and regulations.” The Mining Act of 1995 has given foreign and local mining firms more economic and political rights and privileges in the form of mining permits. These permits can give mining firms operation not only timber but water and easement rights for as long as 50 years in an area that can reach as large as 81,000 hectares. To date, more than half a million hectares of Philippine land have been turned over to the control of mining companies.

From Mindoro to the whole Philippines, let us go global. The Secretariat’s Report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) called “Research and Future Plans” describes this phenomenon by the following conclusion:

“Large scale floods cannot be avoided if denudation of the productive land takes place as such a speed. The results can already be seen in the comparatively poor developing countries of the world. The developed economies will not be able to escape, either. Today, almost 21 million hectares of land are denuded. Unless urgent counter measures are taken by all countries…”

April is Earth Month. The Earth Day on April 22 in 1990 gave a huge boost to environmental efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“The Mangyans who use ‘slash-and-burn’ farming including the upland dwellers who obey and follow orders from illegal cutters that result to massive forest denudation are also guilty of this crime…” This notion is partly correct. And according to Pope John Paul II from his Message for World Peace Day in 1990 : “In the face of such situations (ecological imbalances) it would be very wrong to assign responsibility to the poor alone from the negative environmental consequences of their actions. Rather, the poor, to whom the earth is entrusted no less than to others, must enable to find way out of their poverty.”

For some sectors of our society, the only thing which will deter the probability of ecological holocaust is social justice, completely and swiftly. All else, according to them, is bandwagoning, deception or illusion!

Let us appreciate Mindoro forests not only from its aesthetic values but from ecological and moral cores. In unison we must declare: ”No to Mindoro Nickel Project! No to forest denudation!”

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(Photo credit: from www.kriyayoga.com - Thank you.)

Ang Pakikisangkot ay Tungkulin

Linggo na. Eleksiyon ngayon para sa uupong Board of Director ng Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) para sa nasasakupan ng Unang Distrito ng Bayan ng San Jose. Ang distritong ito ay sumasakop sa mga barangay ng San Agustin, Central, San Isidro (dating Canwaling), Bubog, Bagong Sikat, San Roque, Pag-Asa, Caminawit, ang buong Isla ng Iling at Poblacion Uno hanggang Otso. Ang mga kandidato ay sina Aquino “Panong” Acla, Jr; Rogelio “Roger” Balayan; Tirso “Bong” Espiritu; Eliseo “Junior” Lising, Jr.; at Alex Peralta. Si Acla ay dating Association of Barangay Council (ABC) president at dating Kapitan ng Brgy. Bubog. Si Balayan naman ay Municipal Election Officer ng COMELEC habang si Lising ay dating kapitan ng Brgy. Pag-Asa at isang kilalang negosyante. Si Espiritu ay empleyado ng Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) at lider ng Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) at si Peralta ay retiradong manedyer ng Metrobank dito sa amin na umano ay lider din ng isang sekta ng relihiyon. Lima silang magsasalpukan sa mga presinto hanggang mamayang alas tres ng hapon at sa bandang pa-gabi na ay malalaman na natin kung sino sa kanila ang mananalo.

Noong ang Save OMECO Movement ay naghahanap ng sasama sa pagkilos para i-expose at kondenahin ang mga anomalya sa loob ng kooperatiba, mabibilang mo lamang sa daliri ang mga naniwala sa aming pakay at layunin mula sa mga grupo ng tinatawag na middle forces. Halos lahat sila ay hindi man lamang namin nakasama sa aming mga pagkilos kontra sa maling pamamalakad ng kooperatiba. Ang ilan pa nga ay hindi lamang hindi nakikisangkot kundi pinagtawanan pa kami dahil wala rin naman umanong patutunguhan ang mga ginagawa naming ito. Mayroon pang patagong sumusuporta sa GM at mga kakutsaba niya. Pero bakit kaya ngayon ay nag-kukumahog silang maging direktor gayung hindi naman malaki ang honorarium kumpara sa kanilang mga kinikita at sinasahod? Ano bang meron sa OMECO at marami ang nagkakandarapang maging direktor nito? Sabi nila, mas madali raw magkaroon ng kontrata o kutsabahan sa mga kontratista kapag direktor ka, lalo na kapag kasapakat ninyo ang General Manager o GM nito o ang mga pulitikong may malinaw na interes sa kasalukuyang negosyo ng enerhiya sa lalawigan.

Ang labis ko ring ipinagtataka ay kung bakit sa pagpili kung sino ang mamumuno sa ilang tukoy na programa ng Simbahan, halimbawa sa mga gawaing pastoral nito ay walang boluntaryong nagtatalaga ng sarili at kung mayroon mang mahihirang ay pilitan pa, samantalang kapag ganitong may eleksiyon ay halos ipag-gitgitan nila ang kanilang mga sarili? Halimbawa pa. Bakit kung ang isang pari ay mahihirang na Obispo, kung maaari lamang ay hindi niya ito tanggapin samantalang sa pulitika ay mas marami ang ipinagigitgitan ang sarili?

May isang kilalang babaeng guro na inalok ng Save OMECO Movement na tumakbo para sa BOD Election pero hindi niya ito tinanggap. Ang katwiran niya ay ito: “Sasama na lang ako at mamumuno sa mga susunod pang pagkilos kagaya ng rally kaysa sa tumakbo sa eleksyon!” Siya nga naman. Ang laban para sa BOD ay isang maliit na tuldok lamang ng malawak na proseso ng pagsasalba sa ating kooperatiba sa kuryente na magagawa ng isang member-consumer. Ang higit na laban dito ay kung papaano mababantayan ang mga namumuno sa kooperatiba, papaano maigigiit ng mga miyembro ang kanilang mga karapatan, papaano magkakaroon ng bahagi sa pamamahala nito. Mga bagay na mas malawak kaysa sa eleksiyon. Mga bagay na mas makabuluhan, kundi man kasing kabuluhan ng pagiging direktor.

Sabi ko kanina, maraming mga kandidato ang hindi man lamang ginamit ang kanilang impluwensiya sa mga organisasyong kanilang pinamumunuan o may impluwensiya sila para makilahok noon sa pagsasalba ng OMECO. Bagkus ay mas pinili nilang manahimik at hindi makasakit ng damdamin ng mga naging sanhi ng pagka-lugmok at kawalang katarungan sa loob ng OMECO. Ewan ko. Ibabalita ko na lang sa susunod ang kandidatong pinalad...

Pero sa kanyang sulatin na pinamagatang “Participation is Duty” ni Bishop Antonieto D. Cabajog D.D. ng Surigao, sinabi niya na : “Duty should not be taken as something imposed from the outside. It comes from within, from the inner drive to participate. Thus the kind of participation one possesses is free and responsible. Free in the sense that one’s participation is voluntary, generously coming from self. Participation stems from a right and a duty inherent in a person…”

Kung ay pakikisangkot (sa halalang ito) ay isang tungkulin, natural na palagi ang kabutihan ng mga member-consumer ang ating nanaisin at hindi ang kanilang kapahamakan. Dagdag pa nga ni Bishop Cabajog: “Every active and public participation always involve the common good. It pertains to upholding moral and social responsibilities…” Magwagi man o matalo sa isang partikular na larangan ng pakikibaka.

Sino man ang manalo sa halalang ito, patuloy na kikilos ang Save OMECO Movement para sa kapakanan ng mga member-consumer hindi lamang sa loob ng prosesong elektoral. Magiging kasama kaya natin sa layuning ito at sa mga susunod pang pagkilos ang mga kandidatong matatalo? Palagay mo?

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(Photo: SSC File)

Ikatlong Utos

May heavy equipments ngayon na makikita mong ginagamit sa mga pangunahing konstruksiyon ng konkretong kalsada sa Occidental Mindoro na may mga naka-tatak na initials na “JIC”.

At sa programang “Sa Totoo Lang” nina Alex Del Valle at Ulysses Javier sa DWDO kamakailan ay tila ibig nilang tukuyin na may kinalaman sa mga pampublikong proyektong ito ang pribadong korporasyon ng pamilya ng ex-governor na amin ding ex-congressman at asawa ng aming kasalukuyang kongresista: ang Jomarias International Corporation (na maaari nga namang ipalagay na “JIC” rin ang initials). At madaling isipin na pulitikal na patutsada ang ginawa ng dalawang radio host na tinatawag na “traydor” (daw) ng kanilang dating kasangga’t padrino. Mukha ‘atang kina-career na ng dalawang ito ang pag-upak (o counter upak) sa radyo sa kanilang dating amo. Ang paratang na ito nina Uly at Alex ay mabigat. Hindi lamang ito usapin ng kahulugan ng “JIC” initials ngunit higit sa lahat, usapin ito ng pagkuha ng pribadong ganansiya sa isang pampublikong katungkulan. Ipinagbabawal ito sa ating mga batas.

Pero binuweltahan naman sila ng kabiyak ng aming Kinatawan sa Kongreso at sa Bambi-FM na sarili nitong himpilan ng radyo, sa palatuntunang “Tapatan” na hosted that day ni Maria Fe Villar, ay binigyang diin niya (ni El Kapitan) na ang mga nasabing heavy equipments ay ipinagagamit lamang sa mga LGU para sa mga konstruksiyon at pagawaing maaari nitong paggamitan. Kung totoo ito, tunay na malaking tulong nga naman ito para sa ikaaayos ng ating kalsada. Maganda kung tunay na ganito ka-dalisay ang intensiyon. Ewan ko kung pabiro, pero sabi ng kinakapanayam, (maaaring) ang kahulugan ng inisyal na “JIC” sa mga trak ay “Jesus is Christ”!

Hindi lamang kasalanan sa batas ng tao kung ang totoong kahulugan nga ng “JIC”,- kagaya ng paratang ng dalawang “traydor”, ay Jomarias International Corporation. Kasalanan din itong maituturing sa Diyos sapagkat ang Kanyang banal ngalan ay sinadyang gamitin sa kasinugalingan o sa pagtatakip sa katotohanan. Kahit pabiro. Paglabag ito sa Ikatlong Utos ng Diyos.

Ang sinasadyang paggamit sa pangalan ni Hesus (maliban marahil sa biglang bulalas at walang masamang layuning pag-usal) ay paggamit din ng Kanyang awroridad. Wala rin itong iniwan sa pagne-name drop sa isang kilalang tao na hindi lang naman ang kanyang pagkatao ang iyong inilalagay sa kompromiso kundi ang kanyang posisyon. Kung ikaw ay binibigyan halimbawa ng Special Power of Attorney (SPA) may pagtitiwalang isinasalin sa iyo ang ilang tukoy na kapangyarihang ibig ipagkaloob sa iyo.

Naririnig natin sa wikang English ang habilin ng ating guro sa Katesismo noong araw na mula sa Exodus 20:7 : “Do not use my name in vain..” Ang salitang “in vain” sa salitang Hebreo na “lashav” ay nangangahulugan ding “in falsehood”. Mai-ugnay ko lang, sabi nga ni David J. Stewart na isang pastor: “The fastest way to identify yourself with the Devil's crowd is to take God's name in vain, which is exactly why so many God-haters do it…” Parang gawi ito ng mga pulitiko natin, a. Sino kaya ang sinungaling sa kanilang tatlo?

Hay,…sabi na nga ba na dito sa atin, ang pulitika at pamumulitika ang nagbibigay ng total entertainment, e... na dapat ding lahukan ng kahulugang espiritwal hindi lamang palibhasa Kuwaresma ngayon. Tama si Kasin, nakakatawa talaga sila!

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(Photo from SSC File)

Anino ng Pitkin

Tutok marino na naman ang inaabot sa amin ngayon ng mga nagpapatupad ng Service Contract No. 53 ng Pitkin Petroleum Ltd. at ng Department of Energy (DoE) sa kanilang isinasagawang community consultations para sa isasagawang Seismic Survey sa ilang tukoy na barangay sa Kanlurang Mindoro. Pero ngayon ay sa tabi-tabi na lang kami at hindi na rin nakikipag-tarayan sa Open Forum dahil mismong ang Pamayanang Kristiyano o Pakris na ang kumakastigo sa kanila ng mga tanong at akusasyon. Pangiti-ngiti na lang kami sa tabi. At naglulunsad kami ng sarili at patuloy naming sesyon ng konsiyentisasyon at pagpapamalay. Daig pa namin dito ang anino ng Pitkin…

Ewan ko tigas pa rin ang kakatanggi ng mga taga Pitkin na iba ang Mining kaysa sa Oil Exploration at ang pagkakaibang ito ay malinaw daw sa legal at teknikal na mga reperensiya. “Ipalagay na, pero pareho itong pagkuha ng anumang bagay sa ilalim ng lupa? Hindi ba pareho itong bubutas sa itaas na bahagi ng lupa?” Tanong ng isang palaban na matandang babaeng lider sa So. Upper Ticol, Brgy. Pitogo sa bayan ng Rizal nang sila ay maglunsad ng konsultasyon doon noong Miyerkules, ika-18 ng Marso, 2009.

At para mairehistro ng mga Pakris ang kanilang pagtutol sa Oil Exploration sa aming lalawigan na kapwa isinusulong ng aming mga lider-pulitika, maliban sa paglulunsad ng mga pag-aaral ay gumugulong na rin sa bawat barangay na tatamaan ng 2D Seismic Survey ang Signature Campaign kontra sa nasabing proyekto at ang pagsasabit ng mga anti-oil exploration streamers sa mga matataong lugar.

Malihis lang ako ng konti. Tuwing panahon ng Kuwaresma sa buong ‘Pinas ay inilulunsad sa pamamagitan ng mga Social Action Center (SAC) ng bawat diyosesis ang programang tinatawag na Alay Kapwa o AK. Ang AK ay isang Lenten Campaign ng Simbahang Katolika sapul pa noong 1975 na nagtatampok ng gawaing pagbabahagi ng time, talent and treasure para sa ating mga kapatid na kapus-palad kaakibat ng ebanghelisasyon o pagpapamulat. Mayroon itong tema kada taon at para ngayong 2009 ay ganito ang theme: “Love, Share, Empower. Citizenship Building and Solidarity Toward a Culture of Peace and Integrity of Creation.” Ang mga pinansiyal na kontribusyon sa AK ay ginagamit sa iba’t-ibang proyekto ng Social Services Commission (SSC), in our case.

Sa kanyang AK message ngayong taon, ganito ang habilin ni Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo, DD na siyang National Director ng National Secretariat for Social Action o NASSA : “Furthermore, we cannot be in good standing with God if we do not respect the things He has made… This is our primal vocation as human beings. Therefore our social responsibilities to society and our environment are NOT peripheral to our being good Christians. We cannot be good Christians with our being good citizens working for justice, peace and truth in our society and without being good stewards of God’s Creation!”

Noong Biyernes ng hapon, ika-20 ng Marso,- ay muli na naman naming binuntutan ang Pitkin sa So. Mangat, San Pedro, Rizal sa kapareho ring pagtitipon. Maigting din na pagtutol ang bumulaga sa kanila mula sa mga Pakris at mga mamamayan matapos ang kanilang presentasyon. Sa aming pagtataya, mukhang resolbado na ang DoE at ang Pitkin na ituloy ang Oil Exploration at babrasuhin tiyak ng mga ahensiyang ito ang aming mga lokal na lider pulitika para matuloy ang proyekto ayon sa panahong kanilang inaasahan. Paulit-ulit nilang pinagdidiinan na wala nang magagawa dito ang mga mamamayan sapagkat aprobado na umano ito ng mga nakakataas. Sabi nga ni Kagawad Dodoy Bayubay ng San Pedro, “Sila ‘yun…Sila payag pero kami hindi !!” Hudyat na sa isyung ito ay maghihiwalay ang pananaw ng mga taumbayan kaysa sa aming mga political leaders (na sa ibang isyu ay magkabangga) sa hinaharap.

Sana ay maunawaan ng mga taga DoE at Pitkin maging sa magkabilang panig ng pampulitikang bakod sa Kanlurang Mindoro na ang lahat ng anyo ng pagiging makasarili kagaya nang hindi pagiging sensitibo ay contrary to the virtue of love, ‘ika nga. Sabi nga sa Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, No. 461 : “Man’s pretension of exercising unconditional dominion over things heedless of any moral considerations is a serious disrespect to the God of love”.

Sa Diyos na labis na nagmamahal sa atin na kahit ang kanyang bugtong na anak ay isunugo Niya....

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(Photo: SSC File, taken from Brgy. Malpalon, Calintaan, Occ. Mindoro)

Da Gradweyts '09

Panahon ngayon ng Commencement Exercises o Graduation. Sa Kolehiyo, Elementarya at maging sa Hayskul. Hindi n’yo man naitatanong, ang Educational Assistance (o Scholarship) Program ng Bikaryato Apostoliko ng San Jose ay nakapailalim sa Alay Kapwa (AK) Apostolate ng aming Komisyon.

Apat sa labing anim na beneficiaries ng programa na pawang mga estudyante ng kolehiyo ang ga-gradweyt ngayong taon. Sina Dickson A. Magan ng Occidental Mindoro National College (OMNC), BSED at mula sa Parokya ni Santa Teresa; Cristy E. Cabonegro ng Divine Word College of San Jose (DWCSJ), BSA at mula sa Parokya ni San Jose, ang Manggagawa (Katedral); Christine Joy Bautista ng DWCSJ, BSA ng Holy Cross Parish; Annely C. Fernando, DWCSJ, BEED at mula sa San Jose, Ang Esposo (Central); at Veronica U. Fernandez, OMNC, BSMA at mula sa Parokya ng Mabuting Pastol. Parang kaylan lang ay mga uhugin pa ang mga ito at ngayon ga-gradweyt na pala.

Marami sa kanila ay mga working students at mga kaanak ng mga taong naglilingkod sa kani-kanilang mga parokya. Mga katekista, lay minister, mga nagta-trabaho sa kumbento, sa mga tanggapang pastoral at mga mahihirap na lider ng mga Pamayanang Kristiyano na kailangang agapayan para makapagpa-aral ng anak. Mga estudyanteng kahit salat ay matiyagang nag-aaral at mulat sa mga usaping panlipunan. Mga kabataang dumaan sa paghuhubog ng aming tanggapan. Alay ko sa kanila ang posting na ito at narito ang panalangin para sa kanila:

“Dear God, pour out your blessing upon our new graduates. Guide them in their journey to greatness. Show your power and majesty to this troubled and sinful nation through these young Filipinos who will strive to live lives of righteousness and excellence. Make them healers of our wounded people and restorers of our broken land. Anoint them as the new generation of living heroes who will bring this country to our destiny of greatness.”

Ang panalanging ito ay galing sa Commencement Speech ni Tony Meloto sa Ateneo de Manila noong 2006 na may pamagat na “The Eagle Will Not Fly Without the Poor” na mababasa natin dito. At sana ay maging inspirasyon sa mga estudyanteng sumusubaybay sa “Pamatok”,- katulad ni Mindoro Turk, ang speech na ito at lalung-lalo sa graduating "scholars" ng Bikaryato, kasama ang mga seminarian na sina Jeffrey Agnas at Ronnie Cuyos na kapwa magtatapos ng BSE sa DWCSJ. Ang dalawang seminarista ng St. Joseph College Seminary (SJCS) ay pawang mula sa Parokya ni Sta. Teresa de Avila sa bayan ng Magsaysay at mga isla ng Iling at Ambulong.

…..Teka, si Yobhel nga pala ay ga-gradweyt na rin ngayon sa hayskul at happy graduation sa kanila ni Patrick. Maligayang bati sa lahat ng mga magsisipagtapos!

(PS: Kung may gusto kayong batiin ng Happy Graduation ay gamitin n'yo lang ang comment box ng blog na ito.)

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(Photo: SSC File. Ang mga Alay Kapwa- Educational Assistance Beneficiaries na sina Dickson Magan, Angelica Espiritu,Joseph Antonio, Veronica Fernandez, Rhea Sansano, Tanya Ida Paula Delos Santos, Raymund Suriaga, Juvy Almano, Edmon Delapa, Julieta Malo, Leopoldo Gregorio, Jr, Cristy Cabonegro, Christine Joy Bautista, Annelyn Fernando, Marc Christian Leido at Jamaica Villanueva. Hulaan na lang kung sinu-sino at saan sila sa larawan. Kasama rin ako at si Thess sa picture.)

Mga Magkakarne

Tinedyer na ako noon kaya madali ko pang mailalarawan ang itsura ni Tata Abe. Mabilog ang kanyang katawan na angkop sa kanyang bilugan ding mukha. Suot ang kanyang tsinelas na goma, kamisetang may mga tilamsik ng dugo, tirintas ng sari-saring uri ng kutsilyo sa bewang at kulay puting labakarang naka-tali sa ulo, siya ang unang taong makikita mong babagtas sa hindi pa sementado noong Bonifacio Street. Mas nauuna pa siyang tumatapak sa kalye kaysa sa mga batang naglalako ng pandesal na gawa sa Panaderia De Oro at maging sa mga tindera ng gulay sa palengke.

Wala pa halos alas-dos ng madaling araw ay uuga-uga na ang katawan niya sa kalsada patungo sa Pamilihang Bayan ng San Jose na noon ay kadikit lamang ng Slaughter House noong ito ay ‘di pa naililipat sa Brgy. Pag-Asa,- malapit sa lugar na ibang karne ang inilalako, hanggang sa muli itong ilipat sa Brgy. Magbay. Oo, si Tata Abe ang pinaka-beteranong matansero o matadero at magkakarne sa aming bayan.

Panahon na ngayon ng Kuwaresma at isa siya sa mga taong naaalala ko kapag sumasapit ang ganitong panahon. Isang Huwebes Santo ng gabi kasi, habang ako ay papunta sa Pasyunan kila Aling Charing ay naka-salubong ko si Tata Abe na patay-lasing at pasuray-suray sa kalsada. Tatlong ulit pa itong nadapa sa noo'y ma-grabang daan. Balita ko ay halos araw-araw at walang patid na tumutoma ang matandang magkakarne pero malagihay lang at hindi kagaya noon. Inalalayan ko siya papauwi at habang naka-sampay sa aking balikat ang kanyang maigsi ngunit matabang braso, ay sinabi niya sa akin na sinadya niyang uminom nang marami dahil wala naman siyang katay o pasok sa matadero kinabukasan. Dangan nga kasi Biyernes Santo kinabukasan at wala halos nagtitinda ng karne sa palengke. Day off nga pala ng mga matadero kapag Biyernes Santo dahil “day off” rin ng mga Katoliko sa pagbili at pagkain ng karne sa okasyong iyon.

At habang ako ay pabalik na sa tambayan namin sa Pasyunan ay itinanong ko sa sarili: “Ilang hayop na kaya ang pinahirapan at pinatay ni Tata Abe?”. “Ang mga matadero ba ay mas walang takot, sa panahong ipinagtatanggol niya ang sarili, na pumatay ng tao kaysa sa ibang tao, halimbawa ang isang magsasaka?”. “Ano kaya ang kaibhan ng pagpapahirap at pagpatay ng tao kaysa sa pagpatay ng hayop?”

Iwan muna natin si Tata Abe. Kung ang pinag-uusapan natin ay ang pagpapakasakit o pasyon ni Hesus, wala nang tatalo pa sa ipinakita ni Mel Gibson sa pelikulang “Passion of the Christ”. Sabi pa nga, yun daw mga pang-tortyur na kagamitang ginamit dito ay siya ring mga tunay (o malapit na replika) na kagamitang ginagamit ng mga Romano noong panahon ni Hesus. Ngayong malapit na naman ang Semana Santa, marami na naman sa atin ang muling panonoorin ang nasabing pelikula sa DVD (Noong panahon ko, ang malimit naming pinapanood sa betamax kapag Mahal na Araw ay ang “Ten Commandments” ni Cecille B. De Mille na likha pa noong 1956).

Grabe naman talaga ang mga eksena ni Gibson. Isang dram ‘ata na pekeng dugo ang ginamit dito, lalung-lalo na sa eksenang kinaladkad si Kristo papalayo ng posteng bato matapos pagpapaluin. Pero okey lang ‘yun. Ang karahasang ipinakita dito ay sapat lang para tumimo sa ating puso kung papaano nagpaka-sakit si Hesus alang-alang sa sitwasyon ng tao (hindi lamang sa ating mga kasalanan, ha..). Isa lang ang medyo puna dito ng ilang progresibong teologo: ang huling sandali lamang umano ng buhay ni Hesus ang binigyang-diin at hindi binigyang pansin kung bakit siya pinahirapan at pinatay. Kung papaano niya itinaboy ang mga mapagsamantalang negosyante sa Templo at pinagbantaang ito ay wawasakin. Kung papaano siya naging biktima ng kawalang katarungan sa harap ng batas ngunit una rito ay kung papaano niya tinuligsa ang mga mapang-aping sistema sa kanyang panahon kaya siya siguro ipinagsakdal at pinatay. Hindi lamang basta namatay si Hesus kundi Siya ay pinatay ng mga mataderong kabig ng pamahalaan noon. Hindi umano kumpleto ang ipinakita ni Gibson sa pelikula. Kagaya ng buhay ni Rizal na hindi magiging kumpleto at mawawalan ng katuturan kung ang mga huling bahagi lamang ng kanyang buhay mula Intramuros hanggang sa Bagumbayan ang iyong ipapakita.

Pero sa darating na Mahal na Araw, hindi na “Ten Commandments” at “The Passion of the Christ” ang panonoorin namin ni Yobhel sa DVD. Ayon sa isang film review na nabasa ko, may hindi napansing religious references ang mga film critic sa pelikulang “The Wrestler” ni Darren Aronofsky na isinulat ni Robert Siegel. Ang lead star dito ay si Mickey Rourke sa papel ng isang laos na wrestler na si Randy “The Ram” Robinson. Nang mabasa ko ang ginawang review dito ng mga kagaya ni Mike Parnell na mababasa mo rin dito, ay naenganyo rin akong mapanood ito ngayong Holy Week. Intresado ako sa pag-uugnay dito ng isports (o entertainment) at pananampalataya.

Kagaya ng “Ten Commandments” ni De Mille ang “The Wrestler” ay talo rin sa Best Film Category ng katatapos na Oscar Awards na alam ninyong napanalunan nga ng “Slum Dog Millionaire”, isang pelikulang maganda rin daw at inspiring ang pagkakagawa.

Siya nga pala, si “The Ram” sa pelikula, kagaya ni Tata Abe,- ay bumagsak sa pagiging magkakarne matapos kumupas sa wrestling. Inialay ni "The Ram" ang kanyang katawan (laman o karne), hinayaang itong dustahin at dungisan para lamang makapagpasaya at aliwin ang ibang tao kapalit ng salapi. Kagaya ng mga babaeng makikita mo sa tinatawag naming Gitna (read: red light district), sa lugar na may mga patay-sinding ilaw malapit sa dating karnihan o katayan sa amin. Hindi kaya may mga banal na aral din tayong mapupulot sa mga magkakarne sa mundo, maging yaong sarili nilang laman ang kanilang ipinagbibili?

Kung ang Salita ay naging “karne”, ano kaya ang simbolismo at kahulugan ng karne sa atin bilang isang Kristiyano?

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(Photo grabbed from www.slashfilm.com)

Babae at Mambabatas

Isang araw sana bago maaprobahan ang tinatawag na “Magna Carta of Women” ay muli na namang nalagay sa pambansang midya ang aming mambabatas na babae. Siya ang itinuturo ni Gabriela Representative Liza Maza na siya umanong buminbin sa ratipikasyon ng bicameral committee report ng nasabing panukala. Bago mag-isip nang kung anu-ano laban sa akin ang aking mga ka-lalawigan na kapanalig iya sa lokal na pulitika, paki-sulyapan na lang uli ang balita dito.

Pauna lang po. Hindi ko kinukuwestiyon dito ang panukalang batas sa kanyang ubod at laman maging ang substansiya't intensiyon nito. Talaga nga namang dapat na isulong ang pagtataguyod sa pagiging pantay ng babae at lalaki at batayang karapatang tao. Kasangga ninyo ako diyan. Pero medyo OA 'ata ang pagigiit dito ng pagkakapantay ng lalaki at babae.

Pero hindi ako natutuwa sa sinumang pulitiko na kaya lamang aatras sa kanilang dating mga paninindigan ay dahil sa “takot” o “banta” ng sinumang tao, samahan at maging anumang grupong pang-relihiyon. Hindi ako bilib sa mga mambabatas na nagpapa-tianod lamang sa tulak ng sinumang makapangyarihang lider-pananampalataya. Isama sa natin ang mga katulad nilang pulitiko na may mataas na katungkulan kaysa sa kanila. Ang kanilang mga padrino sa pulitika. O bigtaym na negosyanteng "lumilikha" sa mga pulitiko. Sa ganang akin, mabuting manindigan ka na nang tuluyan sa isang bagay na alam mong tama (na tungo sa kabutihang pang-madla, pagpapataas ng dignidad at dangal ng tao, at nagpapabanal sa kanya, at iba pa..) matapos ang sariling pagninilay at pagpapasya kaysa sa sumunod sa dikta ng ibang tao o grupo na may sariling adyenda't interes. Ang isang mambabatas ay hindi dapat basta na lamang naiimpluwensiyahan halimbawa ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) maging ng Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Hindi ang maling takot sa kasasapitan ng kanilang karera at interes sa pulitika ang dapat na manaig sa bawat kongresista, lokal man o pambansa, sa pagbalangkas at pagpapatibay ng anumang batas. Gumamit man sila ng puwersa, kapangyarihan o awtoridad o simpleng nagla-lobby lang.

Noon pa mang isang buwan ay nanindigan na ang Kapulungan ng mga Obispo sa Pilipinas o CBCP sa pamamagitan ng isang Pahayag na tinatawag na “The Dignity of Women Is Divinely Ordained” na mababasa mo rin ang full text dito.

Naninidigan sila na ang panukala ay labag sa ating Saligang Batas sa kabila na ito ay isinusulong ng pinaka-maimpluwensiya at makapangyarihang samahan sa daigdig : ang United Nations (UN) na pinagtibay sa pamamagitan ng General Assembly nito noon pang 1979. Ang mga Pilipinong mambabatas, una kanino man,- ay dapat tumuon sa mga batas para sa Pilipino at hindi para sa ibang lahi.

Ayon sa mga obispong Katoliko, ang “Magna Carta of Women” ay labag sa ating Konstitusyon. Nabasa n'yo na marahil na maraming moral and Constitutional points ang kanilang inihain dito. Ito lang ang isang medyo napansin ko, ganito ang mababasa sa bersyon sa Senado ng “Magna Carta of Women” : “No one shall invoke religious beliefs or customary norms as a means of evading compliance with this Act or preventing another person from exercising her rights.” Tunay na hindi na kailangan ang probisyong ito at pagyurak nga naman talaga ito sa religious freedom. Nasasaad kasi sa Artikulo III, Seksyon 5 ng Saligang Batas : “No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed.”

Hindi pa rin nasasagot ang mga tanong na ito ni Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz sa kanyang blog na “Viewpoint” noong ika- 4 ng Marso: “Does the ‘Magna Carta of Women’ cover the Muslim men and women? Do the Legislators mean to enforce the equality norm on the Muslim population of the Philippines?”

Imadyinin mo nga naman ang magiging reaksyon dito ng mga Muslim dahil batid naman natin na may “Muslim Personal Laws” na umiiral sa bansa at ang ilan dito ay tila sintunado sa “Magna Carta of Women” kagaya ng polygamy, early arranged marriages and unequal inheritance for women. Ang panukalang batas na ito, bago natin makalimutan, ay hindi lamang para sa mga Kristiyano o Katoliko kundi maging sa mga kapatid nating Muslim. Kaya kailangan natin itong higit na suriin, baguhin kung kinakailangan bago pagtibayin.

Ito rin kaya ang paniniwala ng babae at aming mambabatas na umano ay humarang sa pag-aproba nito noong Sabado?

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(File Photo of Social Services Commission (SSC. "Mangyan Mother and Child". Taken by Ms. Teresita D. Tacderan)

Mindorenya, Mabuhay Ka!

Ang Marso ay buwan ng kababaihan. Sa pamamagitan ng tulang ito na isinulat ng isang babaeng minsan ay naging bahagi ng kanyang buhay ang Kanlurang Mindoro ay bibigyang pugay natin sila. Alay natin ito sa kababaihang dumaraan sa iba’t-ibang uri ng unos sa sarili, tahanan at lipunan. Hiyaw man o hibik ang ganti nila sa mga ito. Mga babae na matatagpuan simula Magsaysay hanggang Abra de Ilog, sa buong isla ng Lubang:

“In my life
There had been
So much
Heartaches and pain,
The rains…
They never seemed
To stop pouring,
How they drenched me
Almost suffocating me
Every thing went wrong….”

May hihigit pa bang mortal na babae sa mundo maliban sa ating ina? Siya na sa kabila ng mga unos na ito, bilang Filipina ay may nananalaytay na dugo ng mga katulad nina Teresa Magbanua at Lorena Barros sa kanyang mga ugat. Matapang. Palaban. Malakas ang loob. Si Nanay na noong maliit pa ako ay ipinagtatanggol ako sa mga asong ulol,- o anumang karamdaman at kapahamakan kahit na sa kanilang loob ay may mga mumunting digmaan din silang sinusuong na ‘di niya kanyang ipagtanggol ang sarili:

“…I can never
Afford to lose
This battle,
There is no room for defeat.
I’m bigger
Than life itself!...”

Walang hindi mangyayari kung ang lalaki at babae ay magtutuwang, asawa, kapatid, kaibigan o ina anak at magulang, upang kumilos sa pagbabago ng lipunan sa isang nananampalataya at kumikilos na sambayanan:

“.. we shall face life exigencies,
Nothing
Is impossible with
The two of us…SON
TOGETHER…FOREVER”

Ang tulang ito ay pinamagatang “The Beacon” na handog ng awtor sa kanyang anak na si Jovan Earl Clark. Natisod ko ito sa p. 167 ng aklat na “Understanding Literary Arts and Appreciating Literatures of the World” na isinulat nina Suzette F. Valdez at Debbie F. Dianco na inilimbag noong 2009 ng Mindshapers Co. Inc.

Ang awtor ng “The Beacon” ay si Ms. Doris Funtanilla-Ho na gumradweyt ng Cum Laude sa Divine Word College of San Jose noong 1976 na nagturo ng English sa DWC-San Jose, Mapua Institute of Technology at Philippine Christian University. Lumikha din siya ng maraming teksbuk sa nasabing asignatura.

Mabuhay ang kababaihang Mindorenyo!

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(Larawang kuha sa tinatawag naming Poypoy Evacuation ilang taon na ang nakalilipas kung kailan ay ilang pamayanang Mangyan sa Calintaan ang naapektuhan ng bakbakan sa pagitan ng mga sundalo at NPA. Ilang kababaihan din ang naapektuhan nito. Mula sa file ng Social Services Commission o SSC)

Karapatan sa Pagsagot

Sa isang panayam sa isang local FM radio station sa lalawigan kaninang tanghali (na kanyang pag-aari), ang aming kinatawan sa Kongreso ay tahasang naninindigan na siya ay sumusuporta sa isang panukalang batas sa Senado na inisponsor ni Senador Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel ang Senate Bill No. 2150 at sa Kongreso naman ay ang House Bill No. 3306 na isinusulong ni Rep. Monico Puentevella. Ito ay ang palasak na tinatawag ngayong “Right of Reply Bill”. Kagaya ng inaasahan, palung-palo ang Station Manager ng himpilan sa panukalang batas, imbes na sa pagsusulong at pagtataguyod sa batayang karapatang pantao at sa kalayaan sa pamamahayag. Tsk..tsk..

Personally ay kontra ako dito. Uulitin ko, personal kong opinyon ito at walang kinalaman dito ang tindig ng organisasyong aking kinabibilangan o ng DZVT na istasyon ng radyo kung saan ako nag-a-announce. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang opisyal na posisyon dito ng aking mga bossing. Ang layunin ng mga panukalang batas na nag-aatas sa lahat ng media organization na mag-publish o magsa-himpapawid ng mga tugon ng umano’y aggrieved parties ay imposibleng maipatupad. Ang takot ng ilan na maging biktima ng hindi patas na media coverage o interview ay matagal nang tinutugunan ng iba’t-ibang mga mekanismo ng self-regulation kagaya ng ipinatutupad ng Philippine Press Council (PPC), kabilang ang Ethics Body halimbawa ng Philippine Press Insitute (PPI). Maging ang Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) ay mayroon na rin 'atang ganitong mekanismo noon pa man at may mga kaakibat itong kaparusahan.

Imbes na lumikha ng mga batas kung papaano kumilos o mag-function ang media, ang pinag-ukulan na lang sana ng pansin ng ating mga mambabatas ay kung papaano i-regularisa ng media ang kani-kanilang mga sarili upang maka-likha ng kapaligirang kaaya-aya tungo sa epektibong pagganap o pagsasakatuparan sa nasabing propesyon. Isa pa sana ay kung papaano ma-reregularisa ang mga lokal o pambansang media institution na direktang pag-aari o impluwensiyado ng mga pulitiko na ginagamit upang wasakin sa ere ang kani-kanilang mga katunggali.

Tunay na lahat ng tao,- pulitiko man o karaniwang mamamayan, ay dapat bigyan ng karapatang sumagot sa mga inaakusa sa kanya o sa kanila. Ang akin lang ay hindi kayang maglaan ng patas na panahon o espasyo para sa mga ganitong pag-reply o kasagutan sapagkat lalabas na ang midya ay maaaring magamit sa iba pa nilang layuning pulitikal, lalo na kapag panahon ng eleksyon. O sa propaganda kaya.

Naniniwala ako na ang bagay na ito ay hindi na kailangan pang isa-batas. May kakayahan ang alinmang midya dito sa Kanlurang Mindoro na hindi pag-aari at direktang impluwensiyado ng mga pulitiko na mag-self regulate. Ang DZVT, Spirit-FM, DZYM at Radyo Natin halimbawa ay kayang i-regulate ang kani-kanilang mga sarili. Kalokohan lang ang panukalang batas na ito sa ganang akin.

Sinasagkaan ng Senate Bill No. 2150 at House Bill No. 3306 mga batayang kalayaan na ginagarantiyahan ng ating Saligang Batas,- ang freedom of the press and freedom of expression. May mga isinasaad pa nga palang multa sa mga hindi tutupad dito.

Ang dalawang panukala ay nagsasaad ng ganito: “all persons…who are accused directly or indirectly of committing, having committed or intending to commit any crime or offense defined by law, or are criticized by innuendo, suggestion or rumor for any lapse in behavior in public or private life shall have the right to reply to charges or criticisms published or printed in newspapers, magazines, newsletters or publications circulated commercially or for free, or aired or broadcast over radio, television, websites, or through any electronic devices.”

Itinatakda rin na ang mga sagot o reply ay dapat, “published or broadcast in the same space of the newspapers, magazine, newsletter or publication, or aired over the same program on radio, television, website or through any electronic device.”

Ganito naman ang pananaw ni Prof. Danilo Arao ng UP College of Mass Communication : “The danger in the right of reply bill is that it would legislate what the media OUGHT to publish or air, while casting a chilling effect that could dissuade the more timorous from publishing or airing what they SHOULD.” Idinagdag pa ng batikang mamamahayag sa kanyang blog na: “The bills would free public officials, especially the corrupt – and they are legion – of accountability and give them carte blanche to force their lies on the suffering public.”

Hindi naman ako ay nag-mamalinis bilang isang local media practitioner. Mayroon din akong malaking pagkukulang marahil sa usaping ito. Naiintindihan ko ang sitwasyon ng mga "kaawa-awang" pulitikong basta na lamang binibira't inaakusahan nang hindi pinasasagot. Sa Kanlurang Mindoro ay ganito ang kalakaran lalung-lalo na sa mga istasyon ng radyong pag-aari o direktang impluwensiyado ng mga pulitiko. Pero ang kasalanan ng ilan ay huwag naman sanang gawing sangkalan sa pakyawang panunupil sa sagradong kalayaan sa pamamahayag at freedom of expression. Kapag nangyari ito, lalong magtatagumpay ang lisyang pamamahala at maling pamumulitika hindi lamang sa ating lalawigan kundi sa buong bansa. At lalong patay tayo diyan kaya...

...Ibasura ang House Bill No. 3306 at Senate Bill No. 2150!!!

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(DZVT File Photo. Sen Loren Legarda with Vice-Gov. Mario Gene J. Mendiola in one of her visit to Occidental Mindoro last 2007)

Hapon Na Naging Mangyan?

Ganito rin ang aking nararamdaman kapag naaalala ko ang pangyayaring ito. Ilang taon na kasi ang nakalilipas, may isang panayam sa radyo ang isa naming lider ng lalawigan at sinabi niya na kapag naaprobahan ang JPEPA (Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement) ay tuluyan nang maaayos ang pangunahing mga kalsada sa Occidental Mindoro. Blooper ito sapagkat alam natin na walang kinalaman sa pagpapagawa ng national highway ang nasabing kasunduan. Ang JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation) baka pa mayroong kinalaman. Tampok din ito sa isang pinag-usapang blog post ng aking mga ka-lalawigan noon na maaari ninyong silipin ngayon dito.

Napapahalakhak sa isip nang mag-isa at halos katusan ko ang sarili sa pinaghalong tuwa at inis kapag naaalala ko ito...!

Pero hindi ito ang aking paksa ngayon. Naalala ko lang dahil usapang Japan ang bahig natin ngayon …

Kahapon ay may bisita kaming isang Japanse citizen na si Ms. Chiho Tanaka, Representative ng Volunteer Section ng Japan International Cooperation Agency o JICA. May isang programa kasi ang JICA na pagtutuwangan ng Social Services Commission (SSC) na opisinang kinakatawan ko. Pero hindi rin ang JICA Project na ito ang aking pupuntiryahin ngayon.

Bagamat hindi ito kasama sa itinerary o tunay na pakay kahapon ni Ms. Tanaka, may nakiusap sa amin na kapanayamin ng aming bisita ang isang matandang Mangyan, na 90 anyos na raw,- dahil may hinala ‘ata yung nakiusap sa amin na dating sundalong Hapon noong Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig ang matanda na tawagin na lang nating Mang Simon. Tunay na may mga kaibigan ang matanda na naniniwalang siya ay isang Hapon. Sa palagay ko nga, mas sila pa ang naniniwala na Japanese straggler ito kaysa sa may katawan! Hindi kaya nase-second childhood na lang ang matandang katutubo?

Si Mang Simon noong medyo malakas-lakas pa ay malimit pumasyal sa ilang kaibigan sa sentrong bayan para bisitahin at tumanggap ng mumunting tulong mula sa mga ito. Kabilang ang ilang pari sa kanyang mga kaibigan. Kuwento sa amin ng isang malimit na maka-huntahan ni Mang Simon, ang matanda daw ay malimit nagsasalita ng lenguwaheng sa kanyang palagay ay wikang Hapon. Pero itong si Mang Simon kaylanman ay hindi nag-claim na siya ay Japanese soldier dati o tunay nga siyang Hapon. Simula kasi nang sumuko si Lt. Hiroo Onoda sa Isla ng Lubang sakop ng Occidental Mindoro, maraming umutlaw na urban legends na sa mga kabundukan ng Mindoro hanggang ngayon ay mayroon pang mga Japanese stragglers na nakikipamuhay sa mga Mangyan o dili kaya naman ay tuluyan nang pinangatawanan umano ang pagiging katutubo. Mga claim na authentic ang ilan pero mas marami ang peke o hoax kagaya ng kaso ng isang 85 anyos na Mangyan na si Sangrayban. Ang kaso ni Capt. Fumio Nakahira na natagpuan sa Mt. Halcon noong Abril 1980 ay napatunayang authentic. At marami pang kuwentong Japanese-Straggler-turned-Mangyan na mababasa sa registry na ito ng Wanpela.

Kahapon ay halos isang oras naming nilakad ang kinaroroonan ni Mang Simon sa Sitio Salapay, isang pamayanan ng mga katutubo sa Brgy. Monte Claro sakop ng bayan ng San Jose. Wala namang problema sa lakad, sanay kami sa ganitong lakaran. Kung minsan nga mas mahaba at mas matagal pa dito ang aming tinatahak. Tumawid kami sa patay na ilog at umakyat ng ilang gulod hanggang sa magharap na nga si Mang Simon at si Ms. Tanaka. Hinayaan namin silang magkasarili. Halos isang oras silang “nag-usap”. Agad silang pinalibutan ng mga batang katutubo, karamihan sa kanila ay kaanak ng matanda.

At komo mahuhuli na kami sa tunay naming pakay sa mga cooperative member na talagang may kinalaman sa JICA Project, kami ay bumalik na sa lugar na kinaroroonan ng aming sasakyan. Habang kami ay naglalakad tinanong ko si Ms. Tanaka tungkol kay Mang Simon. Isang matamis na ngiti lamang ang kanyang iginanti sa akin at isang misteryosong iling. Isa lamang ang tiyak ko, hindi na muling maghaharap pa si Ms. Tanaka at si Mang Simon kaugnay ng isyu ng pagiging straggler ng huli.

Hanggang kaninang umaga ay napapahalakhak ako sa isip nang mag-isa at halos katusan ko ang sarili sa pinaghalong tuwa at inis dahil naalala ko ito...!

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(Photo credit: www.wanpela.com.. Relatives of Lt. Hiroo Onoda waiting for him to come down from the mountains of Lubang, Occidental Mindoro)