NPA....no permanent address

I must admit that I am a big fan of Mao Tse Tung and I really admired his works.But I am not about to discuss communism and rebellion in my page, not in this page- I guess...just kidding. Well what I am referring in my tittle is about the NPA or the No Permanent Address Filipinos..the illegal settlers..the informal dwellers....the squatters.

Squatters are people who take over an open area and build their makeshift homes. As per Webster and Colliers- Squatting is the act of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building that the squattee does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use. Squatting is significantly more common in urban areas than rural areas, especially when urban decay occurs.
The national government declared that it will spend about $1.1 billion to resettle squatters in Metro Manila. They plan to construct 265,955 housing units for these people. But these are, nevertheless, the latest in a long, long history of attempts, plans and promises to remove and relocate informal dwellers. Well we can hear these politicians plans and platforms during election time...but thats part of the things they can promise just to get your vote. But remember promises are made to be broken.

Well I can tell you more about squatting and more about plans of the government for these people, but what the heck. Who cares? I myself doesn't have my own place I can call my own. Well as far as I know most of the Filipinos don't have nay as well. It either we rent in a small apartment, live with our parents, the house and lot that were occupying is owned by our relatives or we are squatting to someones property.
Well that's about most of the Filipinos plights. I am confident that you will agree to me that the majority of the people living inside Corinthian Village, Forbes park and the likes were not 100% Pinoy. They are either Europeans, Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Korean who are naturalized Filipino but definitely not the flat nose- brown skin Pinoy.

survey again

Whistle blower or sour graper?

For the past weeks or so, we been hearing, watching and reading a lot of "Jun Lozada and the Senate". I salute the guy for being honest (now) and for having the guts to say things , sacrifices the safety of his own life (and his family). I knew Jun Lozada just like any ordinary Filipino who watches news on tv and reads newspaper, well the guy is the talk of the town but personally I know nothing of him. Well, the guy is a whistle- blower whom other Filipino consider as a hero. I am not a political analyst to analyze things that is happening in our country but I believed that any concerned individual should have something to say, we should speak up. I just hope that if we do, we should research and study the real situation first. I hope we can learn something from the past. As for me, I see things differently and I feel I should keep that on my own.
During my high school days, admittedly me and my classmates friends used do our naughtiness in our class. I remember one time when we are so busy with our own extra curricular activities and we forgot to study for the coming exam. The exam day came and we are not prepared. Then came this temptation in a form of leakage, we don't have any choice so my group ( with my four classmate friends) decided to pay for the leakage. We planned everything before the exam including the seating arrangement and how to pass around the leakage but unfortunately the examiner/ teacher decided to change our seating arrangement. Good thing, two of my friends seated near me. Unfortunately for the other two cause they were asked to seat away from us. At first the exam was going smoothly but before it was ended our teacher approached me and my two other friends. I was surprised when she confiscated our exam papers and asked us to bring our parents the following morning. Well, who do you think was the whistle blower? You're right, my two other friends who was asked to seat away from us and who didn't benefited from the leakage- although they had their own participation. Funny thing though, those whistle blower turned out to be a good example, a role model student and. I was surprised cause someone even taught they were a hero. It's not mine or my friends fault why it didn't turned out right, after all from the beginning it was never right at all. It' s not right to cheat, lie or steal- we in our natural state of mind knew that. I was just thinking what if- our seating arrangement was never change, everything runs smoothly as we planned and we nailed the exam with the help of the leakage, would there be any whistle blower? And would there be any role model amongst my friends? would there be any hero? Are they really a role model or plain bitter and sour graper? Referring to what's happening in our country nowadays- What if they nailed the ZTE- NBN deal? And they pocketed their own commissions and kickbacks? What if everything runs smoothly the way they plan it to be? Would there be any senate hearings, rallies and university tours?
I am happy and proud that there is someone like Jun Lozada who took all the consequences and even sacrifices his own family just to fight for the truth. I salute you sir! Although, I am still wandering if I can consider you a "whistle blower" or just plain "sour graper"?

survey

Rugby cement sniffing republic

As I browse the word "rugby or rugby cement" over internet, I found out that Rugby is a place somewhere in Europe, Europe version of football and Rugby happens to be the manufacturer of these glue type cement or adhesive we used in fixing or joining things together. It is basically handyman tool.
Although we used to refer this cement/ adhesive by it's manufacturers name- Rugby, just like referring colgate as our toothpaste, shellane as our cooking liquifide petroleum gas and Milo as chocolate drink. Well this cement/ adhesive is not only for shoes, many people use this in many other ways. Many ways as in for fixing things or joining one thing to the other. Commonly used in making or fixing wood parquets, shoes and vinyl tiles. The good thing about this "Rugby cement " is that you can buy this in any hardware store- over the counter, so useful and so easy to get. Well honestly, little did I know that this cement/ adhesive is not only a handyman weapon in fixing or joining things. It can also augment hungry stomach. Well I am not suggesting, I was just so shock about what I over heard from a group of street kids.

One night I was waiting for a jeep ( my ride going home) along Malate, Manila when I over heard a group of street kids, more or less about five street kids. As per their conversation I assumed two of those kids are brothers and sisters, the girl being the older one. The little brother was holding a bottle (of mineral water) filled with yellow orange substance.
One kid approach that kid with bottle and said, " Pahingi naman, lagyan mo naman itong plastic ko?"
The little boy with bottle said," Ayoko nga! Kanina pa nga akong umaga di kumakain, hihingi ka pa!"
Another kid replied," Ang damot mo naman, pag kami meron nanghihingi ka rin naman, sige na gutom na rin kami e!"
The third kid agrees," OO nga, ang damot mo, kaunti lang lagyan mo lang tong panyo ko, di pa kami kumakain!"
Then came the sister to the rescue, " Magsilayas nga kayo, kaninang umaga pa hindi kumakain yan kapatid ko, hayaan nyo na sa kanya yan, ! Kanina pa nga yan gutom na gutom! At saka titirhan pa nya ko dyan, hapunan na namin yan!"

On that point, I got curious what is it inside that bottle which seems so delicious. I decided to approach them and ask but before I could ask them, I smell the content of that bottle and I am pretty sure it is Rugby cement, 100 percent sure. The same cement/ adhesive we use for fixing shoes and vinyl tiles is what's inside that bottle and that is what they are sniffing. That rugby cement their sniffing what they considered aid for hunger. That rugby cement their sniffing can augments hungry stomach! But I am sure it is not only for their stomach, It is more likely an aesthetic to them for the hunger . To keep them vulnerable from the pain and suffering that their taking everyday. Well they maybe right in a way, you can buy five pesos worth of rugby cement in any hardware but you can not buy five pesos worth of good meal, for two people.

I never recall any instances in my childhood days that my mom will prepare rugby cement for our dinner. Well were kinda big family, twelve to be exact including my parents. I am with an average family, so there are instances that my parents will equally partition food so we can all eat together. Like dividing one piece of mango into three parts, or counting the grapes by pieces so we can all have our own shares. There are times that we fight over some food, petty quarrels but those are childhood days. I never recall fighting over a bottle of rugby cement so we can feed our hunger. I felt sorry and ashamed for myself because I can't do anything about this situation, my hands are tied and my pockets are empty. Well some people can, some people can't, but most people who can- refuse to do so. Some people care but caring is not enough, it needs immediate action!

As our national hero once said " Ang kabataan ang pag- asa ng bayan!" Are this kids the hope of our nation, if it does then we are suck. These kids might be a small percentage of our youths today, but hey, this kids are still kids who have the right to be educated and taken cared of. These are some of the people, I hope we still consider them human who are most of the time taken for granted by the government- and by us.Well it may be a smaller amount of youths today but this is a part of the bigger picture. A bigger picture of our country that says "it is sick and dying", so we have to act now and do our share. This is the reality that this country is sick with "corrupt politicians, unfair justice system, rich became richer while poor became poorer, Filipino considered illegal settler in their own country, criminal hiding in nice suits, malnutrition, unemployment and many others" And reality bites!

Honestly I really don't know what to do and I don't have any clue. A friend of mine said, "A pedigree dog is much more luckier than those street kids, they can eat expensive dog foods, go to vets for check up and take vitamins while those kids are fighting over a five pesos worth of rugby cement for their dinner! Five peso rugby to keep them vulnerable from the pain of knowing how sick this corrupt government is!"

Thats how odd this republic is...this Kamote republic- a rugby sniffing republic...

Why?

Why is there so many poor families in our country? Why is it there so many beggars and mentally ill people roaming around the street? Why is it our place is not as beautiful as compared to other countries? Why is it our place smells like cockroach and chicken shit as what some foreign people said? Why is it there is no enough jobs for us here in our country? Why is it there are so many Filipinos who are considered squatters in their own country? Why it's so expensive to go to school? Why it's so hard for a Filipino students to finish schooling? Why is it there so many people in our country, it seems like we have a factory of kids? Why is it theres no opportunities here? Why is it there so many broken marriage/ families? Why is it theres so many corrupt government officials? Why it's not safe to roam around metropolis during night time or sometimes even in broad daylight? Why is it we tend to cross the street even there is a sign that forbid us to? Why do we build "over pass", underpass, pedestrian lanes and stop signs but never use them? Why are we not happy when someone becomes succesful but instead get envy on them or what we called crab mentality? Why do we hurt people we care? Why can't we work hand in hand and help each other so we can make this place a better world? Why don't we act now, instead of procrastinating? Why don't we do our share of our own sacrifices to make our world a better place, not only for us but for our children?
Well some people care, some don't! And some don't give a damn! I am just curious, why?

A Filipino kid's dream........

I used to remember those days when I was in grade school. During class, our teacher usually asked us what do we want to be when we grow up? Some will say, " I want to be a doctor!", " a nurse!", "a dentist and so on... In my case I always said "I wanted to be a priest someday!", and I remember myself joining the Knights of the Altar as a sacristan in our parish- in my opinion a stepping stone to my dream. But that was just a dream, a mere dream that never materializes. Well maybe because of the financial constraint, maybe I didn't received any support from my family, maybe I lost my focus on it or maybe I really don't know what I'm talking about that time. Well I may sound sour graping with feeling of regrets,nah... of course not. Not at all, I am happy with whats going on with my life. Not contented because there are still room for improvement, but happy. Though, I am still trying to seek answers to so many questions bugging in my mind.

I have this short reminisce of my childhood days because of what I've experienced a few day ago. While going to my Mom's place one day, I passed by a group of kid's playing while discussing pertinent matter regarding their future. Well they are discussing about their dreams, what they want to be when they grow up. One kid said " Me , I wanted to be a doctor!", another kid replied, "My mom said it's hard to be a doctor nowadays, cause you'll end up being a nurse or caregiver abroad after a few months working as a doctor here!" Then he said "My mom told me to be a dentist, but I don't like it! Instead I'll be a boxer someday like Manny Pacquioa!", The third kid joined them and said "Me, I wanted to be a billiard cue artist like Efren or Diango!"
Some kid said caregiver, some said singer and dancer so they go to Japan. And what fascinate me most, is this kid who said "Me I wanted to be a call center agent, so I can have a big salary someday!"

No offense and discrimination meant, I once worked in Dubai as a waiter and been involved in a call center industry for four years, but I was just amazed to the level or urged of their ambition in life. Do these kids knew what their saying, do they really knew how to dream? Or don't they know how to dream big? As our national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal once said (" Ang kabataan ang pag asa ng bayan!") The youths are the hope of our nation!". But if this kids first step in planning their future is mess up with idolizing TV characters and personalities, and imitating people- I guess it will be hard in attaining that future. Is it the responsibilities of the parents and these TV characters and personalities to teach these kids to do good. Isn't it right that they should act as a role model. I believe it is more important to tell our kids to study hard, focus and dream big.

Or are we really contented (again no offense meant to concern parties) to let our kids wash and clean the butts of foreign people in their country? Are we contented in letting them do household chores for others? Are we contented in letting them receive curses over the phone? Or are we contented in letting them be an eye sores in our community? Did you ask your child recently what he or she wanted to be when he or she grows up? You might be surprise on their answer..

In Shala!