ICT for Development - tap the changemaker in you!

MIS/CS majors might be interested. The professor is from UP and is a recognized expert in the country on ICT for Development. Now who says Development Studies is limited to those in the social sciences? :p be one with us in imagining better

---

DS 165.56 A - INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES FOR DEV’T

Dr. Erwin Gaspar A. Alampay / Sat / 9:00-12:00nn / F 115

» It is the object of this course to help the participants understand how information, and systems for sending and receiving information could be used for development and improve governance. It looks at the role of information and information and communication technologies (ICTs) in development. In discussing the role of ICTs in development, the course will not be limited to computers and the Internet alone. Rather, it will include other ICTs such as the radio, TV, telephone and other indigenous information systems that may be available.

The course also looks at how ICTs are changing organizations and how people work. It will discuss the administrator’s role in implementing these changes to make the change more manageable.

Last, the course will look into important policy issues in the field, foremost of which are access, privacy, security and content (i.e. National ID), and the role of government, private organizations, and ordinary citizens to regulate this dynamic and rapidly changing field (i.e. VOIP).

This course is credited as a Development Management elective

Gross National Happiness

yesterday, while doing my research for my major paper for polity & governance of china, i came across a book entitled "Gross National Happiness and Material Welfare in Bhutan and Japan". i remember Sir Leland's lecture during sophomore year about a country that measured their development via a happiness indicator. imagine that.

here's an excerpt of the introduction of the book. i actually found it quite interesting :) very Amartya Sen ang pinaghuhugutan haha.

"Empirical evidence strongly suggests that modern economic development has not increased subjective well-being in high-income countries, despite manifold increases of income over just a couple of decades. In many domains, people even experience of deterioration of their quality of life as competitive forces grow along with incomes.

Bhutan has taken ownership of its development strategy and has come up with a unique development philosophy under the title "Gross National Happiness" (GNH) formulated by His Majesty the Fourth King of Bhutan in the late 1970s. This expresses the idea that development should serve the well-being of the people and that economic growth is only a means for, not the end of, development. The Bhutanese government is now working on the Bhutan Development Index which will be composed of GNH indicators to monitor and evaluate its development process."

note: GNH indicators are measures over holistic human development and ecological
sustainability [cultural preservation, equitable socio-economic development, good
governance, environment conservation]


with GNH, do you think the Philippines will be able to get a good measure? :O

remains to be seen.

Katipunan Traffic Update

From the Ateneo Physical Plant Office

TRAFFIC BULLETIN
(Thursday, 14 August 2008)

KATIPUNAN TRICYCLES & TRAFFIC

TRICYCLES

1. MMDA personnel informed tricycle drivers and operators this
morning that tricycles will not be allowed along Katipunan starting tomorrow, Friday 15 August 2008. This was confirmed by MR. ALEX A. BAAY,President of the Loyola Pansol Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) and Mr. ROMEO C. MORALES, President of Loyola Heights TODA.

2. Katipunan is part of C5, a major thoroughfare, and tricycles
are not allowed on major thoroughfares.

3. Some LPTODA (Green) and LHTODA (White) tricycles will try to
enter the campus very early tomorrow morning and provide tricycle services on campus.

4. Tricycle terminals will be allowed near Gate 2.5 footbridge and at Gate 3.5 footbridge.

5. Tricycle-riding members of the community may encounter problems going to school and offices tomorrow.



TRAFFIC

1. Campus security has learned from an unofficial source that MMDA will extend the concrete barriers separating northbound vehicles coming from the flyover and the service road till past Gate 2.

2. This means that only northbound vehicles using the service road will be able to enter Gate1 and Gate 2.

3. Northbound vehicles coming from the flyover will have to enter
Ateneo via Gate 3.

Feel free to copy and paste to inform others

Hangad: Noon at Ngayon (a 10th Anniversary Concert!)

"Kung aawit ako nang mag-isa, awit ko'y awitin nga ba?"

Block off your calendars for Hangad: Noon at Ngayon, a 10th anniversary concert for Hangad's first album titled "Hangad". The show will feature inspirational and liturgical standards from Hangad's repertoire -- some in their original form, others with fresh new arrangements -- such as
Panunumpa, Pananatili, and Pag-Ibig Ko.

Moreover, the show features the launch of a commemorative 5-track CD,
also titled Hangad: Noon at Ngayon, featuring new arrangements of
well-loved songs mostly from Hangad's first album, plus the first-time
release of the upbeat "Walang Ibang Hangad."

Hangad : Noon at Ngayon
will be held at

7:00 PM on
August 30, 31 and September 7, 2008,
at the St Stanislaus Chapel of the
Ateneo High School,
Ateneo de Manila University,
Katipunan Ave., Loyola Heights, Quezon City.

Tickets are at Php150, which covers entrance to the show and a copy of
the commemorative CD "Hangad: Noon at Ngayon." Additional "Hangad: Noon at Ngayon" CD's can be purchased at Php100 each.

"Habambuhay iisa ang Hangad: umawit sa "Yo!"

Visit us at www.hangad.com or email us at mail@hangad.com

Imagining the Better

as per request, here's the speech I gave in the cRICEsis forum just this wednesday.

-----------------------

259,135 - that is the estimated number of poor families in Metro Manila alone in 2008. It is a far cry from the 167,316 poor families measured in 2006. Roughly a 155% increase in the span of just two years.

10,000 - that is the minimum monthly income/expenditure needed by a family in Metro Manila to meet basic food and non-food requirements. According to Romulo Virola of the NSCB, that 10,000 pesos is limited to expenses for food, education, health and transportation.

I can go on to spew more numbers and empirical evidence to portray the Philippines’ poverty threshold, income deciles distribution, human development index, and so on. However, I know that all of you here are aware of the utterly cruel reality which our people face -- the unequal opportunity to live a secure and fully actualized life.

For a poor child, to dream of a brighter future becomes a privilege. For a landless farmer, to be listened to and heard by the powers-that-be becomes an ending only found in fairy tales and telenovelas.

What then can an Atenean do? Will we simply be paralyzed by the reason that we are “just students”? Or will we be open to allow the pain felt by our fellow Filipinos to move us to respond in our own innovative ways?

Our role as students does not hinder us from becoming socially involved. There is so much we can do. You can send numerous emails to advocate the need to preserve the environment or protect human rights. Thanks to NSTP, JEEP or immersion, you can post blogs about your experience with the marginalized. Or you can start your own women’s organization here in the Ateneo. You can even utilize your amazing grasp of the English language in order to donate rice grains to the World Food Program via www.freerice.com! Each Atenean has the intellectual, technological and even financial resources to catalyze change for the betterment of the lives of the voiceless and marginalized. It’s only a matter of choosing to respond.

Father Pedro Caluag S.J. once said “The place where God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” It is important to acknowledge that each individual has been gloriously gifted with the skills and abilities that highlight one’s passion. Whether your course is Management Engineering, Computer Science or Philosophy, each of you can help in alleviating, or better yet, eradicating poverty by virtue of your expertise. If we are to endeavor for a sustained battle against poverty, it is important to recognize the necessity for us -- Management, Sciences, Engineering, Social Sciences and Humanities majors -- to band together in order to effectively address social development issues while staying grounded on our course’s proficiency. In short, we are called to be professionals-for-others

Don’t worry, I’m nearly finished.

To imagine is such a powerful human ability. This act of imagining enables a person to envision an alternate reality. The societal change we seek to realize starts with acknowledging that our present reality of inequity and insecurity must not be accepted as the “status quo”. I believe that the power to imagine a better reality for humanity will ultimately bind us in our quest towards a better world.

So my fellow Ateneans, start the habit. Imagine better.

Thank you and good day.

donate rice... ONLINE!

aba'y akalain mong makakapagbigay ka ng bigas.. with just a click of a mouse button?!

visit www.freerice.com

for every correct definition of a word, you donate 20 grains! dapat magpaka-nerd at kunin na ang dictionary para mag multiply ang grains of rice na maibigay :)

now who said you can't be part of the solution even if you're a student/yuppie? :-)

put those thinking caps on!

cRICEsis?

The Development Society
in Partnership with
the Development Studies Program,
United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP),
and the Sanggunian ng mga Mag-Aaral ng Ateneo


Invite you to


"cRICEsis"
An In-Depth Look at the Current Situation of the Rice Crisis

With
Mr. Stephen Anderson
(Current Country Director of the UNWFP)


on
August 6, 1008
4:30 - 6:00 pm
at
the Escaler Hall
Ateneo de Manila University

** The activity will be on a first come first serve basis. Please be on time.

Paralyzed by incapacity or too entertained to react?

Yesterday, a female Atenean was sitting almost helplessly on a trolley being pushed by a janitor. A female friend of hers was aiding her by allowing her to inhale through a paper bag while a male friend was making sure she doesn't fall off the trolley. All the people in Colayco Pav, at least the ones near the concrete path going to Faura, were staring at this sight. The janitor had to stop once in a while because the weak girl on the trolley kept signaling her female friend. Then these 3 tall and muscled guys stopped to gape -- yes, to GAPE -- at this poor girl who was sitting down on the trolley. They didn't even stop to ask if they could help bring the girl to the infirmary. To make matters worse, when I looked at two girls beside our booth, one of them was looking at the helpless girl on the trolley WHILE furiously messaging away through her PDA. geeez. I was reminded of the Ateneo Gossip Girl like website i just visited. Don't tell me you were too busy documenting what was happening?!

Benjo and I then decided to ask how we could help seeing that they were moving at a snail's pace. I asked the female friend "Anong nangyari?" She responded "Hindi siya makahinga." We asked how we could help. The janitor said that we should go to the infirmary to get a wheelchair.

Benjo and I ran to SocSci building.

And a toink moment happened.

"Benjo, alam mo kung san yung infirmary?"

Silence.

*laughter while running"

Luckily, we were able to find it agad.

To make the long story short, we weren't able to give the wheelchair because another janitor, a lanky and slightly tall one, carried the girl inside the infirmary. Asking what had happened, I distinctly remember the janitor saying "may nakita lang ako.. pinagtatawanan..." I couldn't hear the rest of the dialogue with one of the people from ADSA.

I certainly hope that that girl who was, apparently, hyperventilating and catching her breath, wasn't the butt of any joke.

But what kills me was what I witnessed at Colayco Pav. My Lord. Were those big guys and that PDA-texting girl too entertained and amused to react? Did they think that since there were 3 people helping this girl, pwede na? Wala nang magagawa? Importante bang may i-chismis? Were their moral compasses at a standstill?

Watching CSI Las Vegas last night, I remember Grissom said "Our moral compasses can only take us so far. It can never ensure that we get to the right action."

So, Ateneans, are your moral compasses still guiding you to do the right thing?

allowing oneself to be FOUND

Looking for signs

This gift is in the little everyday things

Paulo Coelho | May 2004

We tend to assume that life will give us another chance tomorrow at whatever came up yesterday and today. But if we really pay attention, we see that no single day is like another. Every morning brings a hidden blessing that serves only for that day and cannot be saved or used again. If we don’t use today’s gift today, it will be lost.

This gift is in the little everyday things. If we experience every minute intensely, in such minutes we can find the solution to a problem, the person we are looking for or the path to a decision that will change our whole future. But how can we find the courage to live this way? I think God talks to us through signs, which are a special language we can learn only through belief and discipline.

Augustine was converted that way. For years he examined various philosophical movements, looking for an answer to the meaning of life. Then one afternoon in his backyard in Milan, deep in thought about the failure of his quest, he heard a child singing, "Pick it up and read! Pick it up and read!" Although he had always allowed logic to be his guide, on impulse he decided to open up the first book within reach. It was the Bible, and he read a passage from Paul that contained the answers he was seeking. From that day on, Augustine expanded his search, making room for belief, and became one of the church’s greatest theologians.

The monks in the desert, who always said that you have to allow the angels to do their work, occasionally did preposterous things, like talking to flowers or laughing for no reason. The alchemists followed the "signs of God," paths that often appear to be dead ends but [that] ultimately lead somewhere. "Modern people want to banish all doubts and uncertainties from life," said the dean of the Cathedral of San Francisco. "In the end, their souls die of hunger because mysteries are food for the soul."

There is a meditation exercise that entails explaining every action for ten minutes each day. For example, you might say, "I am reading the newspaper because I want to be informed. I am thinking of certain people because a particular subject I just read about made me think of them. I am walking to the door because I am leaving the house." And so on.

Buddha calls this "conscious attention" If we catch ourselves repeating the most mundane, routine actions, we become aware of the wealth of detail that fills our life. We then understand every step and every posture. We discover important things and useless thoughts.

If we have the discipline to do this for a week, we become more conscious of our flaws and absent-mindedness. But we also see that at certain moments we do what we do for no reason at all and instead are following our intuition. We then begin to understand the silent language that God uses to point us in the right direction. We can call it intuition, a sign, instinct or coincidence – the name is irrelevant. The important thing is that through conscious attention we realize that we are often led to the right decision, which gives us more faith and makes us stronger.

---------------------------------------------

i haven't been able to voice this out but, hey, here goes..

I've been spiritually dry since the time that my dad passed away.

I don't know just why that happened given the fact that I have always been quite close to the Big Guy.

I guess you can say I got a wake-up call just last night when I lost my cellphone.

Pathetic, I know. But you won't understand it unless you knew the value (not monetary) of that phone...

That was the last gift that my dad ever gave me.

I guess my professor's statement summarized the pain of the loss ...

"it's time to move on.."

Going back to my spiritual condition, I have still been going to mass but I guess

I couldn't deny the emptiness I seem to feel..

I was trying so hard to hold on however fragile the threads of my faith seem to be..

I wanted myself to go back to that "spiritual high" I used to have..

Like Fr. Arnel told my brother before "At times we may get lost and wander from His path.. But the point is to allow yourself to be FOUND by Him"

Am i looking for signs?

Yes I think I am.

And I'd like to believe I just witnessed one

When I just finished highlighting this text -- "We then begin to understand the silent language that God uses to point us in the right direction" , Fr. Dan McNamara stopped right in front of me (Im in the library near the exit) and then smiled and waved his hand. I've always been in awe of him because he always seemed to keep His presence and practice it in his life. Add the fact that his homilies have, many a time, compelled me to think twice, thrice and even more about how I live my life and what I choose to value among other things. Let's not forget that my friends in ACMG and I have dubbed him Fr. Dan "Voice of God" McNamara.

I haven't been able to go to confession for more than 6 months.. a FIRST, actually.

and right then and there, after Fr. Dan said hi and headed to the exit, I decided to run after him.

"Fr. Dan!"

He turns around.

"Would it be okay if I hear confession?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow for Davao but I'll be back next week, on the 21st. You can email me so that we can meet."

A smile suddenly lights up his face. Even his eyes seem to twinkle as he patiently waits for my reply.

"oh, i see... Next week then..?"

He nods, with the eye-cheek-smile never vanishing from his face, turns to his colleague and exits the library.

On my way back to this computer, I realize -- THAT was it. THAT was the silent language. I had just been found.

I'm ready to go back home.

Natural ng pilosopo

"Ang pag-iisip ay hindi laro kundi taimtim na paghahanap sa totoo ...

Kung mamimilosopiya ka sa Ingles habang ang nagwawalis sa kalye, namamasada sa jeepney, ay nag-iisip sa Filipino, anong uri ng paghahanap ng katotohanan ito?

Kailangang kilalanin na ang ordinaryong tao

ay namimilosopiya din at naghahanap ng katotohanan."

- Padre Roque Ferriols, SJ

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

can't wait for Philo 103 next sem. I even started reading Pilosopiya ng Relihiyon by Padre Roque.. Turns out my brother still kept his copy. Hehe.

God willing, I'll be able to get Tagalog Philo again (and if I get lucky, Sir Roy ulit teacher ko :p)

Sir, pa-reserve naman ng slot. hahaha.

random.

I've been reading the novel "Rule of Four" the past few days. It's been awhile since I've been this excited to turn from one page to the next! haha. i looove exciting novels. Maybe that's why I couldn't forget Tennyson's Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles. There's something about mystery that enthralls me and besides, imagine just paying 95pesos for a bestseller! haha. Me LOOVE BookSale! (p.s. may 60pesos na Tipping Point pa! hahaha)

This is one of the "wounding" lines of the novel. There's a lot, believe me. I just haven't had the time to take note since I'm too excited about finishing the book. haha.

Adulthood is a glacier encroaching quietly on youth. When it arrives, the stamp of childhood suddenly freezes, capturing us for good in the image of our last act, the pose we struck when the ice of age set in.

Amen to that.
--------------------------------------
"My father viewed the Hypnerotomachia as a
tribute to the love of man for a woman.
It was the only work of art he knew that
mimicked the beautiful chaos of that emotion."

Invisible Hugs

be kind to those you meet, whether you know them or not, for they might be facing a battle far greater than your own.

For the Sake of Strangers by Dorianne Laux
No matter what the grief, its weight,
we are obliged to carry it.
We rise and gather momentum, the dull strength
that pushes us through crowds.
And then the young boy gives me directions
so avidly. A woman holds the glass door open,
waiting patiently for my empty body to pass through.
All day it continues, each kindness
reaching toward another—a stranger
singing to no one as I pass on the path, trees
offering their blossoms, a retarded child
who lifts his almond eyes and smiles.
Somehow they always find me, seem even
to be waiting, determined to keep me
from myself, from the thing that calls to me
as it must have once called to them—
this temptation to step off the edge
and fall weightless, away from the world.


"The poem is about the experience of continuing through daily life despite feeling immense grief. Although "For the Sake of Strangers" is about an individual who is struggling with emotional pain, Laux creates a picture of hope as she describes strangers, unaware of the speaker's pain, showing kindness. The poem depicts a remedy to loneliness and hopelessness. The pain felt by the poem's speaker is a common problem, but the solution is somewhat unexpected.

She draws understated connections between the people in the poem, pointing to the universality of human experience. The people are strangers to the speaker in the poem, but they are not strangers to the speaker's pain. They have compassion for her because they, too, have felt grief."



-------------------------------------------------
have you seen Me in the sun that shines each morning?
have you heard the ramblings of a child?
have you felt Me in the gentle touch of rainfall?
and known the kindness in a stranger's eyes?

I am the joy that rings in your laughter.
Mine is the Hand that soothes your pain.
I am the strength when dreams are broken and done.
I am the hope that will not fade.
- Love Untold, The Easter Journey
Lyrics by Paulo Tirol

Buhay Atenista. Mismo!

saw this sa multiply ni sheila. how true haha!

Every New Semester (comment:eager beaver pa!) After First Week(comment:whew): After Second Week: Before the Mid-Term Test(pffft): During the Mid-Term Test: After the Mid-Term Test(sabaw): Before the Final Exams: Once You Get to Know the Final Exam Schedule (nagtatanong tanong na lang): 7 Days Before the Final Exam: 6 Days Before the Final Exam: 5 Days Before the Final Exam: 4 Days Before the Final Exam: 3 Days Before the Final Exam: 2 Days Before the Final Exam: 1 Day Before the Final Exam (master crammer ako): The Night Before the Final Exam: 1 Hour Before the Final Exam: During the Final Exam: Once Walk Out From the Examination Hall (specifically post-philo orals): After the Final Exam, During the Holiday:

Syntesis sa Pilosopiya: Pinananagutan

natapos ko na yung syntesis! woohoo! share ko nga rin. natuwa ako sa ginawa ko kahit na sobrang pinahaba ko at parang run-on sentence na yung ginawa ko :))

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ang pamimilosopiya ay ang pagsabi na likas sa bawat tao na 

mag-isip at makagawa ng pag-unawa sa Meron – sa madaling salita,

isang paggawang umuunawa at pag-uunawang gumagawa. Sa 

patuloy na pag-unawa ng indibidwal patungkol sa kinagagalawang 

Meron at sa syempre sa pagdanas niya sa Meron, natutuklasan niya 

na ang bawat tao ay likas na magkahawig at magkaiba sa kanilang 

buong pagkatao, na ang bawat indibidwal ay nagmemeron bilang 

sarili. Ang realidad ng pagkakaiba at pagkakabukod-tangi ng bawat 

nilalang ay nagpapahiwatig sa indibidwal ng kanyang pagkatao -- na 

may hindi Ako, hiwalay sa Ako na hindi ko masasakop at 

maikakahon. Ang pagkakahiwalay-pagkakaiba na ito ay mararanasan 

sa pagharap sa Mukha, na nagdadala sa indibidwal sa kanyang 

pagpapakatao -- ang panagutan ang kapwa sa pamamagitan ng 

pag-akò ng  kanyang pag-akó. Ang pagiging bukas sa pagdanas at 

pag-unawa sa Meron ang dahilan upang, kahit papaano’y, lubusang 

matuklasan ang Sarili para itaguyod ng mahusay ang ikabubuti ng 

kapwa.

Desiderata (Tagalog version)

I don't know who translated it.. pero mas maganda pala pag Tagalog :p (biased!)

---------------------------------------------------

Humayo nang panatag
Sa gitna ng ingay at pagmamadali, at tandaang
May kapayapaang matatagpuan sa katahimikan.
Hangga't maaari nang walang pagsuko,
Makipagkapwa- tao.
Bigkasin ang iyong katotohanan nang mahinahon at
Malinaw, at makinig sa iba, kahit sa mapurol o mangmang:
Sila ma'y may kanilang salaysayin.

Iwasan ang mga taong maingay at magaspang; sila'y
Nakakarindi sa diwa.
Kung ihahambing mo ang sarili sa iba, maaaring
Maging hambog at masamain ang loob pagka't
Laging may hihigit sa iyo at may hihigtan ka.
Masiyahan ka sa iyong mga natamo, gayundin sa iyong mga balak.
Manatiling buhos ang iyong kalooban sa mga gawain, gaano man
Kababa; tunay itong kayamanan sa nagbabagong panahon.
Maging maingat sa pakikipagkalakalan pagka't ang mundo'y
Batbat ng panlilinlang. Subalit huwag hayaang
Makabulag iyon sa anumang kabutihang mayroon; maraming
Nagpupunyagi para sa mga adhikaing dakila; at sa lahat ng dako,

Ang buhay ay lipos ng kabayahinan.
Huwag magkunwari lalo na ng pagmamahal.
Huwag ding tatalikuran ang pag-ibig, pagka't sa gitna ng
Katigangan at kalungkutan, kailanma'y uusbong
At nabubuhay itong tulad ng damo.
Maluwag na tanggapin ang payo ng katandaan; banayad
Na isuko ang mga bagay ng kamusmusan.
Arugain ang tibay ng loob na sasalag sa mga biglaang
Sakuna. Ngunit huwag panlulumo sa mga guni-guni.
Maraming takot ang dulot ng pagod at kalungkutan.
Sa kabila ng malusog na disiplina, maging mabait sa iyong sarili.

Anak ka ng sanlibutan, tulad ng mga punungkahoy at bituin;
May lugar ka rito. At malinaw man sa iyo o hindi,
Walang alinlangang bumubukadkad ang daigdig ayon sa nararapat
Kaya maging panatag ka sa Diyos, anuman ang pagkakakilala mo sa kanya,
At anuman ang iyong mga gawain at mithiin, sa maingay na
Kalituhan ng buhay, panatilihin mong panatag ang iyong kalooban.
Sa kabila ng panlilinlang, kawalang-buhay at mga gumuguhong pangarap,
Maganda pa rin ang mundo.

Mag-ingat. Magsikap lumigaya.

Sumilao Support Groups' General Assembly Tomorrow (March 7)

re-posting again from SLB's multiply site. Punta na!

--------------------------------------------

We thank you all for your continued support and prayers for the Sumilao farmers.

We are humbly inviting you and your group to attend the Sumilao support groups’ General Assembly 5:00PM tomorrow (March 7, Friday) at Caritas Manila (Jesus St., across U.N. avenue, near Nagtahan bridge)

The meeting is for EVERYONE (Religious, Teachers, Students, Leaders, Members, Advocates etc) who believes in the cause that the Sumilao farmers are fighting for - MARTSA – March for Agrarian Reform, Truth, Social Justice and Accountability.

Please come and participate in the following:

· Updates on the Sumilao case (with a brief film showing)

· Planning for the next steps

· Eucharistic celebration (6:00 p.m., please bring food offering in the form of canned goods, noodles, coffee, sugar etc. to support farmers’ daily sustenance)

· Candle lighting (on Nagtahan bridge facing Malacanang)

· Unity meal with the farmers (please bring your own baon)

· Solidarity program (groups who want to perform are most welcome with very spartan provisions)

The Sumilao case is not just about the “stolen” 144 hectares but about agrarian reform in general especially because CARP is expiring this June and there seems to be efforts by the powerful to thwart this. Most especially, this is a test case for the universal fight for Social Justice.

Be one with us as we give voice to the marginalized oppressed by the country’s unjust system.

Manalangin. Manindigan. Makialam.

SIMBAHANG LINGKOD NG BAYAN

Make that Change.

mula sa blog ni Ginoong Roy Allan Tolentino, ang aking propesor sa Pilosopiya:

"I was a senior in 2001, and we sped towards graduation propelled by what seemed (then) a great moral victory. Having taken to the streets and toppled a gangster-president, we were filled with hope and urgency.

The years have jaded me somewhat. After all, the gains of EDSA Dos have been squandered and the moral victory tarnished by betrayal upon betrayal. As I told my Ph 102 class the other day, we Filipinos have become experts of the brusque and of the short-term; coup d'etats and revolutions to-go are our specialty. What we need to work on is our ability to last for the long haul: the slow and steady pace needed for the slow and steady work of development. Patience, consistency, and integrity appeal more to me now than flash-in-the-pan action; energy in a steady pulse, not in sudden bursts."

naalala ko yung sinabi ni GMA na "nakakahiya" kapag magkaron pa ng EDSA 3.5 (di ko gets bakit may .5 but.. what the hey) kasi sasabihin ng mga taga-ibang bansa na napakahilig ng mga Pinoy sa mga mabilisan at biglaang pagbabago. kumbaga, sa instant noodles, tatlong minuto lang at presto! kainan na.

ngunit bakit nga ba tayo napupunta sa ganitong solusyon?

marahil nagsasawa na ang mga tao sa pagsunod sa "tamang proseso" na inilatag ng mga struktura ng ating gobyerno. ang usad-pagong na sistema ng pagpataw ng desisyon sa ating hudikatura at ang samu't saring kapalpakan sa pagpapatupad ng ating mga batas ay nakakawalang gana (fyi: ang Pilipinas ay isa sa mga bansa sa Asya na may pinakamaganda na mga batas. kinokopya ng ibang bansa ang mga batas natin i.e. public policy advocacy by NGOs/CSOs, indigenous people's rights).

nariyan pa ang walang katapusang sinasambit ng iba't ibang Pinoy tungkol sa mga tao sa gobyerno: "pare-pareho lang naman sila.. mga kurakot at garapal. nagpapayaman habang nakaupo." laganap na ang kawalan ng pag-asa. halatang halata naman sa dami ng lumilisan mula sa ating bansa. minsan ko nang narinig mula sa isang mag-asawa patungkol sa kanilang paglipat ng States na "wala nang mangyayaring maganda sa Pilipinas. mas mabuti pang lumipat na lang para magkaron ng magandang buhay."

noong klase ko sa kasaysayan sa ilalim ni Padre Jose Arcilla noong Huwebes, nagkwento siya tungkol sa huling sulat ni Rizal na kanyang ginawa pagkatapos nilimbag ang Noli Me Tangere. ang sulat na ito ay para kay Blumentritt. sinabi niya na kapag siya ay sumakabilang buhay, nais niyang masagot ang tanong ni San Pedro: kung ano ang ginawa niya tungkol sa mga kawalan ng hustisya sa kanyang paligid, sa kanyang lipunan.

mapa-people power man o patuloy at walang katapusang pagkayod sa pagbago sa ating gobyerno, importanteng alalahanin ang ating telos -- ang silbi ng ating ginagawa sa mundo. importanteng pagtuunan ng pansin ang nabanggit ng kahanga-hangang Rizal sa kanyang sulat. may ginagawa nga ba tayo sa mga pang-aabuso o kawalan ng hustisya sa ating bansa? ang kawalan ng hustisya ng diskriminasyon, ng pagkagutom, ng kawalan ng trabaho, ng kawalan ng dignidad.

hindi kailangan maging televised at popular ang pakikibaka natin laban sa mga problemang ito. maaari natin gawin ito mismo sa sarili nating mga buhay. ang patuloy at walang humpay na pakikipaglaban sa mga kondisyon na kinalulugmukan ng higit sa kalahati ng populasyon ng Pilipinas ay nararapat na isabuhay.

hinahangad kong masilayan ang panahon (nawa'y sa aking buhay) ang isang karanasan na nabanggit ni Coelho dati: "..that the meaning of 'injustice will be found only in dictionary definitions and never in the lives of human beings."

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"I See The Kids In The Street,
With Not Enough To Eat
Who Am I, To Be Blind?
Pretending Not To See
Their Needs
....

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change"

- Man in the Mirror, Michael Jackson

beautiful noise.

check out http://paulocoelhoblog.com for his quotes of the day

-----------------------------------

The divine melody

Zaki heard Xa asking his friends what was the most beautiful sound on Earth.

‘The sound of the flute,’ said one.

‘Birdsong,’ said another.

‘A woman’s voice,’ said a third.

They continued the discussion late into the night, without reaching any conclusion.

Days later, Zaki invited Xa and his friends to supper. In the room next door, the best orchestra in the world was playing lovely music, but there was no food on the table. Around midnight, by which time his guests were all starving hungry, Zaki finally served up an exquisite banquet.

‘After hours without eating, isn’t the clatter of cutlery on plates a divine sound?’ remarked Xa.

‘I am simply answering your question about what is the most beautiful sound on Earth,’ replied Zaki. ‘It could be the voice of the woman we love, the singing of birds, the clatter of plates, the breathing beside us in bed of someone dear to us, but it will always be the sound that our heart needs to hear at that precise moment.’

Pananagutan sa pinananagutan.

Levinas na ito! haha.

re-posting Jaymee's email. support her social enterprise!

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IMPUKAN - Impok at Ugnayan Para sa mga Kababayang Nasalanta

"Walang makapipigil sa dilubyo.
Tumulong bago sumalanta ito."

Donate to IMPUKAN via GCash! To send, just type: DONATE< space >AMOUNT< space >4 digit M-PIN< space >SLB and send to 2882 Ex. DONATE 100 1234 SLB and send to 2882

For more details, contact: +63916-3683717 / +63929-5849026 or visit http://impukan. multiply. com/

Tumulong na sa mga nasalanta sa Eastern Samar. Maaaring ibigay ang inyong mga donasyon sa IMPUKAN o sa Ayala Foundation. Nasa ibaba ang mga detalye.

The province of Eastern Samar has been declared to be under a State of Calamity after the heavy flooding and landslides in the area caused by the 15 days of continuous rain. Thousands of families, livelihood and infrastructure have been affected.

As of 25 February 2008, the following had been reported
Affected: 33,385 families or 165,930 persons
Casualties: dead: 11; injured: 28; missing: 3
Damaged houses: destroyed: 498; partially damaged: 2,913
Damages to agriculture: No rice production harvest expected since 100% rice fields are submerged.
Health problems have already arisen. Cases of diarrhea were detected in all localities in Eastern Samar due to the contamination of water sources.

To ensure reliability of the report, the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Borongan confirms these numbers through the parishes for reliability.

abnormalities. haha.

i tag: kaybee, teen, reg, maycee

Instructions:
Each player of this game starts with 6 weird things about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state the rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

1. i have a weakness for sandals and accessories. i hardly get to use my necklaces and earrings though. haha.

2. i need two pillows in order to sleep. but in case there's only one pillow available,
it wont be used to cushion my head. i need something to hug ;p

3. when stressed or lonely, mcdo's hot fudge sundae can make it all better. yey.
haha.

4. milo and rice is yummy ;)

5. i have a pink birthmark located at the space between my left thumb and
pointer finger. my lola had it too. classified as a "strawberry patch" ;p

6. i can sing and you'd think it was a guy singing... seriously. haha.