Actually, although the above has nothing in relation with each other, those are symbols I used for what makes me feel despicable and happy (such an irony eh?) at the same time.
In my biological calendar, my monthly period is fast approaching and so I feel tenderness of my chests, out of this world mood swings and a whole lot more i have to go through every month.
I am easily irritated during my PMS. I get tired easily and hate everyone who laughs and speaks loud. Thank God for chocolate cakes it swept temporarily .my PMS away.
I also feel happy because today is the opening of the Lasallian days, and for a kick-off event, it was pretty awesome. As in A-W-E-S-O-M-E! The human Lasallian Star was so fun I really felt proud while singing the alma mater. The fireworks display was son fantabulous i was screaming my heart out. Yeah, last year i wasn't present in the event for the reason that I don't just like it. But now I attended because I want to be part of it, I want to be active in my last days as a college student. Haha. I understand some people don't see the point in attending that kind of event but hey, without them the event was so successful. I felt that despite differences, the students can be one even just for 15 minutes. I felt that everyone is willing to contribute for the school's success and that they went to the event because of their enthusiasm and love for their school.
Involvement.
For now, I'm off to bed to rest. Actually I dunno why I have been feeling restless these past few days. Ciao!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
I also want this nation for my children, our children
I came from a seminar today where ideals of restoring the pride in being a Filipino through journalism was discussed.
Ms. Lara Parpan, EIC of Women's Health Magazine shared a speech called "A Nation for our Children" by Pepe Diokno. I googled it and I was moved by it. I learned today that more important than feeling hopeless and powerless in political turmoils in our country, is our capability to care and do something for our country.
Find time to read below!
Ms. Lara Parpan, EIC of Women's Health Magazine shared a speech called "A Nation for our Children" by Pepe Diokno. I googled it and I was moved by it. I learned today that more important than feeling hopeless and powerless in political turmoils in our country, is our capability to care and do something for our country.
Find time to read below!
“A Nation for Our Children” was delivered late in 1984. At that time Pepe was deeply involved in trying to unify the opposition against the fascistic but failing regime of Ferdinand E. Marcos. This important and crucial task did not prevent him from delineating in near-lyrical language his dream of a nation for all Filipino children- a just, humane and free society. - Priscila S. Manalang
There is one dream that all Filipinos share: that our children may have a better life than we have had. So there is one vision that is distinctly Filipino: the vision to make this country, our country, a nation for our children.
A NOBLE nation, where homage is paid not to who a man is or what he owns, but to what he is and what he does.
A PROUD nation, where poverty chains no man to the plow, forces no woman to prostitute herself and condemns no child to scrounge among garbage.
A FREE nation, where men and women and children from all regions and with all kinds of talents may find truth and play and sing and laugh and dance and love without fear.
A JUST nation where whatever inequality exists is caused not by the way people act towards each other but by differences in natural talents; where poverty, ignorance, and hunger are attacked and every farmer has land that no one can grab from him; every breadwinner, a job that is satisfying and pays him enough to provide a decent standard of living; every family, a home from which it cannot be evicted; and everyone, a steadily improving quality of life.
An INDEPENDENT nation which rejects foreign dictation, depends on itself, thinks for itself, and decides for itself what the common good is, how it is to be attained, and how its costs and benefits are to be distributed.
An HONORABLE nation where public powers are used for the public good and not for the private gain of some Filipinos and some foreigners; where leaders speak not only well but truthfully and act honestly; a nation that is itself and seeks to live in peace and brotherhood with all other nations of the world.
Is this vision attainable? Or is it just an idle dream? If we base ourselves on today, we would be tempted to conclude that it is an idle dream. For our country today is in a mess. There is no other way to describe its condition.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The never ending story
The danger of being a student journalist comes in when he becomes too cynical and too radical that they tend to peer at every corner of the University’s creamed wall.
Well, that could be an understatement.
I had disappointments to student leaders, rather department underdogs, who knew that irregularities in their very own college exist, but chose not to question and investigate. Most of all, I am losing trust to people who should have lived up to protect the integrity of the University by fostering transparency, and check and balance to its departments but nonetheless connived to hide the inconvenient truth of its dishonesty. Well, I can’t really blame the students if they just shrug their shoulders off every time they come across this topic. Powerlessness. We are powerless given these circumstances, and they who have the power, know very well how to play it.
Wherever the sun shines, in Malacañang, Municipal hall, Police station, Barangay precincts and even inside a private higher education institution, corruption is incessantly happening and hiding. It can be your classmate who collects you a penny for handouts which you really don’t have to pay for. It could be your favorite Social Sciences professor who asks you to buy a copy of his friend’s newly published book to review it, which has nothing to do with your subject matter. It could be your favorite canteen inside the school, your neighbor who sells expired canned tomatoes, and your brother who uses your clothes and shoes when you’re out of the house. Or it could be you, sneaking Php500 from your Father’s stash. Whatever your definition of corruption, it could be found all over the place—even in the holiest and most sinless place you have ever thought of, or so it seems. The feeling of being exposed to misdeeds, dishonesty, bribery, corruption, and power play makes a journalist stand up for what he thinks is right. It is weakening, knowing that behind those warm faces and rhetoric promises are evils hiding— greedy of power, money, and authority. But still, a journalist keeps on investigating, until the day he is gunned down in front of his wife and children.
The feeling of a journalist fighting for honesty, fairness, and integrity makes him look like a powerless guinea pig strangled to death and laughed at by a fat, old, and bald politician. It is weakening. In the school setting, the feeling of being exposed to dishonesty, conspiracy, and corruption makes a student journalist apprehensive. It makes him think what could be the danger of exposing a misdeed to him, all the while thinking for the students’ right to be informed, the students’ welfare, and student service. Unlike regular students, a student journalist would not have the same pride that he has as he first set foot in that institution. He won’t have the same delight he had before because as he enters the school, it would remind him of the conceited personalities, the power play, corruption, and all others he wished he should have not known. Though apprehensive, a student journalist will continuously sniff the lead of the story; he will verify all the facts, and get all sides of the story. The feeling of a student journalist fighting for students’ right to question and information is weakening. It makes him feel like walking on a labyrinth road with a label posted on his forehead which says “I am a student,” and who he talks to is a person in authority.
Yes it is an understatement.
Student journalists will not become too cynical if they were not exposed to misdeeds of officials who work for them. Student journalists will not be suspicious and pessimistic if we are not aware of the wrongdoings of officials. Student journalists will continue to be vigilant and inquisitive until progressive change and transparency surface inside the institution—no matter how trying hard they seemed to be in the eyes of passive students, and no matter how annoying they seemed to be in the eyes of the officials. Student journalists will seek the truth and write for it. As long as there are irregularities happening but hiding being tipped off by concerned employees and students to student journalists like us, the story will never be finished, and our work as student watchdogs will never end.
Well, that could be an understatement.
I had disappointments to student leaders, rather department underdogs, who knew that irregularities in their very own college exist, but chose not to question and investigate. Most of all, I am losing trust to people who should have lived up to protect the integrity of the University by fostering transparency, and check and balance to its departments but nonetheless connived to hide the inconvenient truth of its dishonesty. Well, I can’t really blame the students if they just shrug their shoulders off every time they come across this topic. Powerlessness. We are powerless given these circumstances, and they who have the power, know very well how to play it.
Wherever the sun shines, in Malacañang, Municipal hall, Police station, Barangay precincts and even inside a private higher education institution, corruption is incessantly happening and hiding. It can be your classmate who collects you a penny for handouts which you really don’t have to pay for. It could be your favorite Social Sciences professor who asks you to buy a copy of his friend’s newly published book to review it, which has nothing to do with your subject matter. It could be your favorite canteen inside the school, your neighbor who sells expired canned tomatoes, and your brother who uses your clothes and shoes when you’re out of the house. Or it could be you, sneaking Php500 from your Father’s stash. Whatever your definition of corruption, it could be found all over the place—even in the holiest and most sinless place you have ever thought of, or so it seems. The feeling of being exposed to misdeeds, dishonesty, bribery, corruption, and power play makes a journalist stand up for what he thinks is right. It is weakening, knowing that behind those warm faces and rhetoric promises are evils hiding— greedy of power, money, and authority. But still, a journalist keeps on investigating, until the day he is gunned down in front of his wife and children.
The feeling of a journalist fighting for honesty, fairness, and integrity makes him look like a powerless guinea pig strangled to death and laughed at by a fat, old, and bald politician. It is weakening. In the school setting, the feeling of being exposed to dishonesty, conspiracy, and corruption makes a student journalist apprehensive. It makes him think what could be the danger of exposing a misdeed to him, all the while thinking for the students’ right to be informed, the students’ welfare, and student service. Unlike regular students, a student journalist would not have the same pride that he has as he first set foot in that institution. He won’t have the same delight he had before because as he enters the school, it would remind him of the conceited personalities, the power play, corruption, and all others he wished he should have not known. Though apprehensive, a student journalist will continuously sniff the lead of the story; he will verify all the facts, and get all sides of the story. The feeling of a student journalist fighting for students’ right to question and information is weakening. It makes him feel like walking on a labyrinth road with a label posted on his forehead which says “I am a student,” and who he talks to is a person in authority.
***
The danger of becoming a student journalist comes in when they become too cynical and too radical, that they tend to peer at every corner of the University’s creamed wall.Yes it is an understatement.
Student journalists will not become too cynical if they were not exposed to misdeeds of officials who work for them. Student journalists will not be suspicious and pessimistic if we are not aware of the wrongdoings of officials. Student journalists will continue to be vigilant and inquisitive until progressive change and transparency surface inside the institution—no matter how trying hard they seemed to be in the eyes of passive students, and no matter how annoying they seemed to be in the eyes of the officials. Student journalists will seek the truth and write for it. As long as there are irregularities happening but hiding being tipped off by concerned employees and students to student journalists like us, the story will never be finished, and our work as student watchdogs will never end.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)