Kahirapan... Sakit ng Lipunan, Sakit ng Kabataan

Sa aking paglalakad nasalubong ko ang isang ale, nagtitinda ng yosi sa kainitan ng araw.
Para ba akong napunta sa kawalan, di ko mapigilan ang sarili sa pagtitig sa kanya.
Ilang saglit lang ang lumipas, napansin ko na may dalawang bata na lumapit sa kanya
at kasabay nito ang pagbatok nang ina sa isa sa kanila. Sa wari ko, ang dalawang bata ay mga anak ng ale.
Lalo pa ako napahinto nang makita ko na pareho silang may dalang mga tindang kendi at yosi
bagamat sila ay musmos pa lamang.Ewan ko ba kung ano ang pumasok sa akin at ang eksenang iyon ang tumama
sa akin. Malakas ang tama. Napakaiksi nang pangyayari ngunit ang bigat nang dating.
Sa oras na iyon, naisip ko ang salot na matagal nang namemeste sa bansang Pilipinas, higit sa lahat
sa mga kabataang Pinoy.Ang kahirapan ay ang pangunahing problema ng maraming bansa.
Ito ay isang salot na mahirap hanapan nang lunas. Ang Pilipinas ay isa sa mga bansa sa Asya
na nagtatamasa ng matinding salot na ito. At sino ang higit na naghihirap? Ang kabataan ng Pilipinas.

Ang kabataang Pinoy ay mga biktima ng matinding kahirapan. Maraming pamilya ang nahihirapan
sa pagtustos sa mga gastusin sa bahay. Bigla kong naalala ang aleng nagtitinda ng yosi.
Magkano kaya ang kinikita nya sa isang araw?

isa lamang sa mga karaniwang eksena ng kahirapan sa Pilipinas. Ito ay sumasalamin hindi lamang isang lugar ng Pilipinas.
Ito ay sumasalamin sa isang mabigat na problema ng bansang Pilipinas.
Ang dalawang batang iyon na nagtitinda ng yosi sa langsangan ay sumisimbolo ng paghihirap ng mga kabataang Pinoy
na nagtatamasa ng salot ng lipunan, ang kahirapan.

Sa isip ko, isa isa kong binigkas sa aking sarili ang mga problemang dinaranas ng mga batang nagdurusa sa kahirapan.
Marami sa mga kabataan ang nagdurusa sa malnutrisyon. Ito marahil ay dahil karamihan ng mga pamilyang Pinoy
ay naghihirap matustusan ang pangunahing pangangailangan ng kanilang mga anak, ang sapat na pagkain.



Ano nga namang sustansya ang makukuha sa isang piraso nang sardinas at kapuranggit na kanin?
Marahil swerte ng matatawag kung ang isang bata ay makakakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw.
Ito marahil ang dahilan kung bakit isa sa pitong bata ang namamatay nang dahil sa ibat ibang karamdaman.

Nang dahil sa matinding kahirapan, ang mga batang Pinoy ay
napagkakaitan ng tahanang masisilungan. Normal na lang matatawag na sila ay nakatira sa mga tinatawag na "squatter’s area".
Marahil ay hindi na bago sa pandinig kung malalamang natutulog sila sa malamig na semento nang lansangan at wala ni
sapat na pananamit para malabanan ang lamig ng gabi.

Sinasabing ang kabataan ang pagasa ng bayan. Ngunit ang paniniwalang ito ay unti unti nang naglalaho lalo pa
at maraming kabataan ang napagkakaitan ng tamang edukasyon. Swerte na siguro kung matapos man nila ang elementarya.
Bakit nga naman gagastos ang magulang sa paaralan kung ang kanilang kinikita ay kulang pa para sa pangaraw araw
nilang pangangailangan. Sa katotohanan, marami sa mga bata sa murang edad ay pinipilit na magtrabaho ng kanilang
mga magulang para makatulong sa mga gastusin sa bahay.

Ang child labor ay isang malaking problema ng Pilipinas. Meron nga namang batas na tumutuligsa sa child labor sa Pilipinas.
Ngunit sa katotohanan, talamak parin ito sa maraming sulok ng bansa. May mga nagtitinda ng kendi, yosi at bottled water
sa kalsada. Di nila alintana ang init ng araw at ang panganib sa mga naglalakihang bus at trak.
Meron ding nagbubuhat ng mga mabibigat na kahon sa piyer sa halip na mga libro ang kanilang dala dala.
May mga namamasukan bilang katulong at marami rin ang nagtatrabaho bilang mga factory workers.
Ang pagahon sa kahirapan ng bansa ay isang salot na matagal nang pinipilit malunasan nag pamahalaan.
Kailangan ko pa bang hintayin ang aksyon ng gobyerno? Marahil aabutin ako nag isang daan taon bago ko makita ang pagbabagong ito sa lipunan.

Bakit ko hihintayin ang solusyon ng gobyerno kung ako mismo ay makakatulong? Kung gusto ko ng pagbabago, simulan ko sa sarili ko.
Ang pagbabago na naguumpisa sa sarili.

GOOD FRIENDS

We need friends for many reasons,
all throughout the four seasons.
We need friends to comfort us when we are sad,
and to have fun with us when we are glad.
We need friends to give us good advice.
We need someone we can count on to treat us nice.
We need friends to listen to our problems
and to help us think of ways to solve them.
We need friends because we are social in nature
and having friends makes us feel secure.
We need friends to remember us once we have passed
sharing memories that will always last.

The Best Moments In Life !!!

1. Falling in love.

2. Laughing till your stomach hurts.

3. Enjoying a ride down the country
side.

4. Listening to your favorite song on
the radio.

5. Going to sleep listening to the
rain pouring outside.

6. Getting out of the shower and
wrapping yourself with a warm, fuzzy
towel.

7. Passing your final exams with good
grades.

8. Being a part of an interesting
conversation.

9. Finding some money in some old
pants.

10. Laughing at yourself.

11. Sharing a wonderful dinner with
all your friends.

12. Laughing /Crying without a
reason.

13. "Accidentally" hearing someone say
somthing good about you.

14. Watching the sunset.

15. Listening to a song that reminds
you of an important person in your
life.

16. Receiving or giving your first
kiss.

17. Feeling this buzz in your body
when seeing this
"special" someone.

18. Having a great time with your
friends.

19. Seeing the one you love happy.

20. Wearing the shirt of a person you
love and smelling his/her perfume.

21. Visiting an old friend of yours
and
remembering great memories.

22. Hearing someone telling you "I
LOVE YOU"

I Can Only Imagine - Click here for this week’s top video clips

FILIPINO ODD JOBS:onli in da pilipins

If there is one thing I am most proud about my people is their resiliency. Standing side by side to China or Japan, I admit that we’ve got a long way to go as far as economy and stable employment opportunities are concerned. But despite this national debacle and the insufficient opportunities to make a fine living, some of my fellow Filipinos have managed to survive. They continue to find ways to earn and provide for their needs. Some of them take on menial, yet decent jobs. Rain or shine, day and night, these guys work with a smile on their lips and determination in their hearts. That is a true testament of their resiliency, smarts, and hardwork.
Ladies and gentlemen, these are the people in my neighborhood and soon... yours!

The “takatak” boys

They are young and not-so-young men that sell bubble gums, menthol candies but basically cigarettes on the street. Hence, they are called cigarette vendors. “Takatak” is a coined term derived from the sound that the cigarette box’ lid [where their money is put] make when it slides up and down in rapid succession. Vendors usually do this to call customer attention.

How they can help you: Well, if you’re stuck on traffic in your own private car and you want to smoke a pipe, they will be there.

Mga Takatak boys - The cigarette vendors... may hawak na isang kahon na punong puno ng yosi... kaya tinawag na takatak boys ay dahil may compartment sila na lalagyan ng napagbentahan nila sa kahoy na kahon na kilikilik nila habang nagbebenta sila. Ito'y ini islayd nila na may tunog na takatak takatak takatak.. to attract attention sa mga drayber na baka kinukulang na ng nikotine ang mga baga ng mga drayber... Vitamin N or C ika nga... Vitamin nicotine at vitamin cigarette. Para sa mga drayber sila ay street doctors at herbolaryo... hehehe... pag matrapik nag yoyosi karamihan sa amin para di mainip... kahit may no smoking sign sa dashboard... ibig sabihin nun... no smoking for passengers... hehehe...
Onli in da Pilipins
Saan ka ba makakakita ng takatak boys, at pati na rin ang mga newspaper boy, mani vendor at kropeck vendor na nagdudulot ng saya sayo lalo na’t nasa gitna ka ng traffic?

Cebu Sinulog 2007

THE SINULOG FESTIVAL

Now January sets in most of people of Cebu City are excited and preparing themselves for the coming of the festival.." THE SINULOG FESTIVAL".....VIVA PIT SENYOR SANTO NINO...
Sinulog festival is a celebration in honor of child Jesus also known as Senyor Santo Nino.The event is held every 3rd week of January in the city of Cebu,Philippines. Sinulog is actually a prayer dance ritual characterized by the movement of two steps forward and one step backward imitating the flow of the river or sulog.

HAPPY SINULOG ......VIVA PIT SENYOR

World Most Amazing Accidents - video powered by Metacafe

The most extreme accidents, face plants, explosions and crashes put togheter in a single clip.

UNCERTAINTY

UNCERTAINTY

On my way home from a work one night, I took the jeepney as always.
I was only the passenger.
And I immediately noticed that occupying the front seat were the driver,
his wife and three children.
It was the first time I saw a driver bring his entire family with him.What really
caught my attention was the driver's mood.It was around 8:30 pm and passengers
seem so hard to find .I heard the driver sigh:
"Haaay...buhay...pag inaalat ka naman(Life really sucks when you run out of luck)."
Then his oldest son,who was seated beside him,repeated his the exact same words.
At the age of 7 or 8 years,he already seemed to understand
the meaning of those words,if the conviction he put behind them
was anything to go by.

Then it struck me:How does an 8 year old react to situation like this?
Does he fret that there wont be enough KITA (income) for his father to buy
enough food on the table for the entire family or an extra toy or shirt?
Or does he just accept it as a fact of life like an adult?And how does a family
of five survive on the meager income of a jeepney driver who only
gets to take home what is left of his earnings after the boundary and
the expenses of gasoline are deducted.I began to wonder:
Is this the right environment to raise a child?Is it all right to expose him
to the harsh realities
of poverty?


I can consider ourselves lucky by normal standards.I have a steady income.
We're not rich. but we are all healthy.And we owe nobody some money.
But still there are times when I get frustrated.There are times when I feel
I'm not earning enough, or I can not save enough from what I earn.
There are moments when. like the driver and his family.
I feel that Ladyluck is not on my side.In times like these,my children
and I would start our endless discussion about migrating and working abroad.
My parents are already there,but we have to wait 15 years
before we can join them legally if we bank on their petition.
That's too long a wait for us.


But I think the real reason we want to leave is that I don't want
my children to be exposed to the kind of environment in which we are living now.
I dont want them to see poverty and what it does to families,
and how it debases the children.Street children have to knock on car
windows begging for money.I don't want them to see fathers,mothers
and children sniffing rugby in open daylight for everyone to see.
Children forced to sell sampaguitas(flower jasmine) or rags on the street.
Children who instead of studying in school or playing in the shade,
must try to earn a living under the heat of sun or drenched by pouring rain.


Like any parent,I want what is best for my children.
And that meansfirst of all,living in country which takes care of its people.
I want them to grow in an environment where people matter more than anything.
I want them to grow imbibing the values of honesty integrity and discipline.
Of course they can be taught this at home .But realities is out there.
I can't control what they will see and hear outside our home.
And with that kind of society.I don't feel I can
expose them to real world.

I have always dreamed about this country becoming great someday.
I've always pictured myself growing old here and waiting to see it happen.
Most of my friends have gone to foreign lands with their families.
But as much as I want to jump on the bandwagon something always
hold me back.I don't want to give up my hopes for my country.
I still want to do my part as a citizen of this land.

I want my children to grow a Filipino in heart and mind.
Someday my children will make a difference in this society.
When I looked at my children's eyes. I see a brighter future
and a whole new world of opportunities.