Showing posts with label Philippines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philippines. Show all posts

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Change

There are three things that are constant in this world : birth, death, and change. Of course you can add one, tax. But we will discuss tax in another post later.

For non-believers of karma and reincarnation, we do not choose the circumstances of our birth and our death. But for those who believe, we are 100% responsible for everything that happen to us including our birth and death. I am included in the latter group.

But our concern here is change. I guess every one agrees that nothing is really permanent in this world. Everything changes. And to believe otherwise, to hold on and not move on, is a perfect recipe of mental illness and the main reason for loneliness.

Seasons change. Our body changes. Relationship changes. Our views and philosophies change.

That is why, we have to accept change. To be sure, we have to welcome it. Or maybe, it is best to become an agent of change.

Every new year, many people make resolutions. All for change; to become new, to become better.  It is an admirable thing to do. Yet many try, only to find themselves doing the same things over and over again.  Still, in trying, one has planted the seed for change.

What about the Philippines? Well, we just hope there will be change. But instead of just merely hoping, can we not become real agents of change for our country?

And for the world? Oh, how many times have I heard that, if I change, the world changes. And that's it my friends. To change the world, let's start with our own selves. 


Special thanks http://www.fentonvillageplayers.org for the image above

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Philippine Society : Same Yesterday, Same Today

Last Sunday, I was reading an article regarding the respected writer F. Sionil Jose. In the article, he asked why the Occupy Wall Street Movement is not happening here in the Philippines when it should because of the deteriorating social conditions.

The Occupy Wall Street Movement started from you-know-what country and it spread to many other nations. It is a protest movement against Big Business which are the prime cause of the world wide economic difficulties being experience by the poor and the oppressed. 
 
Next day my blogger friend Reese at http://www.randomxthoughts.com
posted an activity at Mendiola which is very similar to that mentioned above. Hmmm at last some Filipinos realized the need to import something from the land of flowing poisons and origin of weapons of mass destruction. And they want to do it at historic Mendiola where once upon a time innocent farmers were butchered in broad daylight during the regime of the mother of this present KING of Malacanang.

Because Mendiola and Recto Avenue are just a stone's throw away from where my cave is, I decided immediately to attend. So I was there yesterday.

The demands of the rallyists are not new. They are older, much much older than the rallyists themselves. Issues such as right to education, higher wages, poverty alleviation were the hot topics during my student days (ehem that was way way back). Now, several presidents have come and gone. And the youth of today are still at it!  

So I joined the young one's in shouting SAWANG-SAWA NA KAMI!!!

Personally, I can choose to live comfortably having a college degree and have worked for several years. But what about the millions of urban and rural poor? There is so much talk of love of country.

My former comrades are no longer here in this land of gold and silver and pearls and squatters. Some are now residents of the country they ranted against when we were marching in the streets before. A few opted to stay but I would be too polite to say they were eaten by the system. Ask them why and they would tell you in your face they need food for their 2 or 3 children. Okay...

I did not stay very long at the rally site due to my aching feet. So I left Recto Avenue with this question : What is the end of all these shouting  and fist-clenching? Will the KING listen to his avowed BOSS?

The answer seems to be depressing but my stomach is already revolting.

Youth activists come to face to face with policemen who prevented them from reaching Mendiola (December 6, 2011)