IN THE EYES OF UNFORTUNATE LITTLE CHILDREN

September 18, 2007
Wednesday, 9:00 P.M.


I just stayed on my room for the rest of the day on this particular day. I was a little bit tired because of the birthday celebration I attended the last night. But then I decided to go home on the evening. I took my ride from UP to Philcoa by jeep and then I waited for an aircon bus going to Pasay. Unfortunately, no aircon bus passed by for almost 30 minutes so I didn’t have any choice but to take an ordinary bus (which has no aircon). I left from Philcoa at about 7:00 P.M. As usual, there was a built up traffic from Philcoa to Pasay taking the EDSA route. To get away from being bored, I got my cellphone, tuned it to an FM station, and then I had just listened the music in my favorite FM station (guess what’s this station, lol).


The bus arrived at Pasay at around 9:00. I was so hungry that time so I went to a carinderia to buy some food to eat. In the table of this particular food stall, I saw four kids who, by judging on their physical appearance, are that of the street children. They were wearing rugged clothes, no slippers, and obviously hungry. The two of them were carrying styrofoams where there were leftovers and they were eating it. I felt compassion for them. I would be very guilty if I would not give them some food to eat. I asked the saleslady or the carenderia attendant to give them some food and I would be the one to pay for their expenses.


As these four kids were eating, there were some flashbacks that registered on my mind. I remembered myself many times starved from food, from clothing, and from the basic things that a child should have. Though I didn’t experienced being a street child, I experienced asking for help from people to the point that I seemed to be a beggar, crying in front of people whom I was asking for help. And most of the times, people just ignored me and left false hope on my heart. The faces of my two younger brothers suddenly appeared on my mind as if they were in front of me. I always keep on telling myself that as much as possible, I don’t want my younger brothers to experience what these kids are experiencing and the experiences I had gone through in the past. I have to do hard work for my brothers. I love them so much.


As I looked at these kids, I can’t help myself but to cry from my heart. Though no tears actually fall from my eyes (there were many people there, it’s a high way, and I don’t want to cry in public, hehehe), these two mirrors of light got tired seeing these kids. While they were eating, I saw the happiness on their eyes, on their actions, on their laughs. I asked each kid’s name and they politely told me their names and called me “Kuya”. They kept on thanking me. I let them felt comfortable in front of me, and we had a great conversation. I found out that they were just living under the LRT station and they’re living without their parents here in Manila for they came from the provinces except for the one kid. After they ate, they volunteered to clean up the table. They put the trash on the proper place. As they were about to leave, I told them to always take care of themselves. And they responded by saying, “Marami pong salamat Kuya sa pagkain. Ikaw din, Kuya, ingat. Ingat sa biyahe.” I was so happy to hear these words from them, not because I want to earn praise but I could see the simplicity of their personalities and the kindness of their hearts.


These things prompted me to think while riding on the bus from Pasay until I arrived home in Cavite. What kind of future will these four street children be waiting? Or is there any future for them after all if this is the scenario? How I wish I could have helped them more. How I wish our government could properly address this kind of problem. How I wish their parents are responsible enough to take good care of their children. How I wish there is no poverty in this world.


May we all have compassion for people who are starving from the basic necessities of life, who are thirsty for love and affection, and who are longing for a sense of belongingness. May we, who are more fortunate than others, be not judgmental, self-centered, and selfish.


Let God intervene and may we, His creations, be channels of blessings to these kinds of people around us, even in the simplest way we know.

Isang Kwento ng Taong Walang Magawa sa Buhay

(This is my first time to write while I’m drunk.. There may be some grammatical errors here but that is not my concern in this writing.. I am just curious what the output would be.. Trip lang, p’re..)


I am writing this now because I don’t have anything in my mind to do except to write the following words and phrases, right now, at this very moment…


The East 2 Republic, as what our wing is called, is one of the eight wings in Ipil Residence Hall in UP Diliman. It is an all-male wing (homosexuals are also included of course, hehehe). Our wing is noted for having residents who are fun loving, intellectually minded persons (like the rest of the residence hall residents, haha), and ever united for a common cause. Some guys take master’s or Ph. D. studies in philosophy, environmental science, physical sciences, engineering, social sciences, and other courses. Others are students of law school while few are undergraduate students.


From 9:00 in the evening (September 17) until now (September 18 @ 12:30 am), we are celebrating for the three natality days of our wing mates, Kuya Reggie my dormmate, Adrian from Cebu, and Reagan our corridor representative and who hails from the island of Bohol. It is customary in our wing to prepare food and drinks whenever someone celebrates his birthday. There are many chicherias on the table and bottles of gin .We eat and drink. Kuya Liu got his digicam and we took lots of photo shots.


As usual, guys got drunk and started to discuss something, and in this occasion, it was all about sex. Topics range from sexual intercourse between a male and a female, homosexuality, bestiality, transgender, bisexuality, AIDS, sexual disorder and other sex topics. I participated on the discussion after three of my wing mates and I watched the movie of Albert Einstein, one of the greatest physicists in the world. I got two mugs of gin (yes, it’s my mug that I’m using right now while drinking, lol)…


I became interested in the discussion because I will participate as an interviewer in a research to be conducted this month about HIV/AIDS. The research is about assessing the vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS of Filipino seafarers. This study is commissioned by the Department of Health with participation of the Asian Development Bank. I hope that I could get some ideas from the discussion. Well, I always cherish participating in the intellectual discussion in my dormitory. First of all, these guys are either taking their master’s or doctoral studies, and they are the best in their chosen field of studies, hahaha, and that most of them are raised in the UP environment where free reasoning, academic freedom and excellence are encouraged and maintained. So I am quite sure that I would gain insights from them.


Each of us shared what we had learned about the central issue, drawing whether from our personal experiences or just heard it from our professors or friends. Well, I don’t want to talk the details of our discussion (you may search in the net search the keywords that has something to do with sex, and you’ll find thousands of entries there)..


Ohh I hear them now laughing.. and I hear the sounds of glasses… I got tired of listening and talking so I walked out from the group, entered my room, and then begin typing these words you’re reading now.. Ohh, I feel weak and sleepy now, so I have to sleep now.. I’ll be at the computer laboratory tomorrow to do some work for my master’s thesis, parental home leaving of Filipino adolescents.. So shall I say gudnyt and gud morning to you? Well, have a great day today.. Smile and enjoy your life God gave you.. God bless you, dude!

former president estrada found guilty of plunder

The much awaited day arrived. Some people called it The Judgment Day. After six years of trial in the Sandiganbayan, the three justices proclaimed the verdict: Erap was found guilty of plunder. But he was, on the other hand, cleared of perjury case. He was sentenced for life imprisonment.

"I thought the role of justice would prevail here, but really, it's a kangaroo court.", says Estrada. For many Filipinos, especially the poor masses, the verdict has become an emotional stigma. "This is a sign that the Arroyo regime has no regard for the plight of the masses," said one of the protesters, Ver Tustauuio. "Erap is the symbol of the dreams and aspirations of the Filipino masses."

Both camps have their sentiments. Anti Erap supporters perhaps be "happy" for the verdict. But whatever it is, we must move on. Our country needs everyone of us.

For the military and police, sobrang OA yata kayo ngayon. Is Madame President afraid of another EDSA Uprising, the same uprising that put her in power?


IBA'T IBANG MUKHA

Sa bawat araw na pakikisalamuha sa lipunan,
iba't ibang mukha ang ating nasisilayan.
Dito umiinog ang ating mga buhay.
Bawat isa ay umuukit ng kapalaran sa lipunang ginagalawan.

--The King's Rebel--