February 25, 2011 4:30 pm
Tears were flowing freely down my cheeks. I was watching the historical reenactment of the “Salubungan” during the height of the People Power Revolution at EDSA 25 years ago. It was difficult to describe how I felt.
I was there at EDSA with my fifteen year old son and some other members of the Altinig Choir. We were actually far from where the “Salubngan” occurred because we were not able to come near due to the bigness of the crowd. As we move around we sang songs of our choir.
I recalled how my son and I went there each with a bag for wet towel in plastic for the tear gas just in case, candies and water should we get hungry or thirsty and flashlight in case of blackout. Our bags were tied to our waists to prevent them from getting lost. I asked my son what he would do should we get away from each other due to commotions. He said he would look for a car with Ayala Alabang Sticker so he could be back where we then resided.
The atmosphere then was festive even if one had to pay P1.00 to be able to spit and step over the pictures of the conjugal dictators. We were there when the Marcoses fled to Hawaii. The nation was jubilant. We expected great changes but nothing much happened.
Now, 25 years later we were still hoping to feel the change that we all expected. My 15 year old son who was with me then was now an Australian citizen as well as my youngest son, the EDSA boy of the new generation.
My tears continued flowing down my cheeks as important symbols of EDSA were being handed down to the youth in front of the People Power Monument, for them to continue the spirit and the tangible reality of the EDSA People Power Revolution. My other youthful daughter was now a Canadian citizen.
To dramatize the need for Unity, Ateneo and La Salle choirs joined to sing “Magkaisa” together. Artists from competing channels 2, 5 and 7 also jointly gave their presentations. So many young people attended the 25th Anniversary celebration giving hope to every Filipino that Unity was still possible and attainable.
With tears now drying from my cheeks, in time with the historic speech of President Noy Aquino. I was praying that I live long enough to be able to finally experience the reality of EDSA’s dream. With all my children abroad holding dual citizenship I believe that they will still have the chance to be back to their country feeling safe and at peace with themselves and their own families.
I was aware that my Patriotism was greatly wanting…even corny. But my patriotism was congenitally imbedded in the center of my heart.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
POLICEMEN CAME TO "RESCUE ME"
POLICEMEN CAME TO ‘RESCUE ME’
I was talking to my friend who asked me where my wife was. I said she was in Manila and I was alone except for the gardener.
“Aren’t you afraid being alone?” asked my friend. I said No, because I have a long list of several relatives and friends whom I can summon to help me in case of emergency, by simply touching my Send message at my cell phone.
My friend wondered how I could call so many people at the same time. So, I took my cell phone and showed him the list of the people I want to come to help in time of need with a message: HELP! PLEASE QUIETLY BRING POLICEMEN! I added the word quietly to avoid commotions.
I was showing my friend my draft box where I save the message and the names and while in the process of demonstrating I accidentally touched the send button. It was too late for me to send another message that it was a false alarm.
In no time at all, three nieces, two nephews, several neighbors and friends all came rushing and panting, together with three policemen plus many other curious kibitzers.
It was a funny though embarrassing incident but in a way it turned out to be a drill just in case a real need for policemen came. It was consoling to discover that my neighbors immediately guarded my backyard with long, big pieces of wood ready to strike possible escaping suspects.
It was also then did I realize my truly concerned friends, neighbors and relatives.Knowing how so many were ready to help made me feel very good. But most of all I felt genuinely protected, aware that policemen were ready to offer their help…our towns finest indeed.
I was talking to my friend who asked me where my wife was. I said she was in Manila and I was alone except for the gardener.
“Aren’t you afraid being alone?” asked my friend. I said No, because I have a long list of several relatives and friends whom I can summon to help me in case of emergency, by simply touching my Send message at my cell phone.
My friend wondered how I could call so many people at the same time. So, I took my cell phone and showed him the list of the people I want to come to help in time of need with a message: HELP! PLEASE QUIETLY BRING POLICEMEN! I added the word quietly to avoid commotions.
I was showing my friend my draft box where I save the message and the names and while in the process of demonstrating I accidentally touched the send button. It was too late for me to send another message that it was a false alarm.
In no time at all, three nieces, two nephews, several neighbors and friends all came rushing and panting, together with three policemen plus many other curious kibitzers.
It was a funny though embarrassing incident but in a way it turned out to be a drill just in case a real need for policemen came. It was consoling to discover that my neighbors immediately guarded my backyard with long, big pieces of wood ready to strike possible escaping suspects.
It was also then did I realize my truly concerned friends, neighbors and relatives.Knowing how so many were ready to help made me feel very good. But most of all I felt genuinely protected, aware that policemen were ready to offer their help…our towns finest indeed.
Friday, February 4, 2011
POSITIVE CRAB MENTALITY
CRAB MENTALITY
Granting that crabs have mentality, it has a negative connotation deeply imbedded in the Filipino psyche. It is erroneously considered to be a kind of trampling at each other in a race towards a common goal. It is believed wrongly to be a kind of backbiting or jostling to prevent the progress of those getting ahead.
But come to think of it in a positive light and analyze the crab behavior more carefully. You will notice that the escaping crab from a basket is not actually being pulled down to the bottom but in reality is being pushed up on top of the pyramid formed by the other crabs.
The maneuver actually is a kind of reward or recognition of the achiever; a salute to the stronger and daring member; actually a kind of appreciation for the more adventurous and heroic crab in the clan. It is in fact a strategy for unity to keep the family together.
Scientifically the technology of pen culture also known as “aquasilviculture” is an intelligent positive application of crab mentality of socializing together whereby ‘crablets’ are enclosed in bamboo pens festooned with nets to keep them in one place. Plastic is wound on the upper portion of the net to discourage them from escaping the pen so that they can build many pyramids of fulfillment to keep them together in idle mangrove areas that can eventually be turned into economically protective sites without disturbing the natural ecological state.
If Filipinos could only apply this positive crab mentality there shall be less fighting, less hunger as we shall be congratulating the winners and praising the victorious. We shall be preventing them from going away from us to serve as our mentors, helpers and inspirations.
We certainly can possibly learn many lessons from the crabs. Let us help our leaders to stay up and cooperate with the good things they are doing instead of degrading their achievements. Let us build many pyramids for the many heroes and heroines of our society. Let us stick to one another as a family and as a nation.
There is definitely nothing wrong with the crabs or their mentality but there seems to be something unclear about the Filipino culture and the application of the Filipino mentality.
Granting that crabs have mentality, it has a negative connotation deeply imbedded in the Filipino psyche. It is erroneously considered to be a kind of trampling at each other in a race towards a common goal. It is believed wrongly to be a kind of backbiting or jostling to prevent the progress of those getting ahead.
But come to think of it in a positive light and analyze the crab behavior more carefully. You will notice that the escaping crab from a basket is not actually being pulled down to the bottom but in reality is being pushed up on top of the pyramid formed by the other crabs.
The maneuver actually is a kind of reward or recognition of the achiever; a salute to the stronger and daring member; actually a kind of appreciation for the more adventurous and heroic crab in the clan. It is in fact a strategy for unity to keep the family together.
Scientifically the technology of pen culture also known as “aquasilviculture” is an intelligent positive application of crab mentality of socializing together whereby ‘crablets’ are enclosed in bamboo pens festooned with nets to keep them in one place. Plastic is wound on the upper portion of the net to discourage them from escaping the pen so that they can build many pyramids of fulfillment to keep them together in idle mangrove areas that can eventually be turned into economically protective sites without disturbing the natural ecological state.
If Filipinos could only apply this positive crab mentality there shall be less fighting, less hunger as we shall be congratulating the winners and praising the victorious. We shall be preventing them from going away from us to serve as our mentors, helpers and inspirations.
We certainly can possibly learn many lessons from the crabs. Let us help our leaders to stay up and cooperate with the good things they are doing instead of degrading their achievements. Let us build many pyramids for the many heroes and heroines of our society. Let us stick to one another as a family and as a nation.
There is definitely nothing wrong with the crabs or their mentality but there seems to be something unclear about the Filipino culture and the application of the Filipino mentality.
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