Tunay na Filipino

Agosto ay buwan ng wika sa kadahilanang sa buwan ding ito ipinanganak ang tinaguriang “Ama ng wika” na ating dating pangulong “Manuel Luis Quezon.” Sa pag gunita ay halos karamihan sa mga paaralan ang nag utos sa kani kanilang mga estudyante na magsuot ng pambansang damit na kapareho ng mga sinuot ng ating mga ninuno, tulad ng Filipiniana, Barong at Saya.

Nagkaroon din sa bawat paaralan ng tinatawag nilang “Lingo ng wika” na kung saan iba't ibang patimpalak sa wikang tagalog ang ipinakita at ipnamalas ng mga estudyante o mag aaral. Nagpakita ng galing sa pagtula ng tagalog, sa pagsayaw ng tinikling at ipinamalas rin ang talento sa pagkanta at pag gamit ng ating sariling wika.

Sa ibang pribadong eskwelahan kung saan ang mga mag aaral ay galing sa iba't ibang bansa o tinaguriang “International School”, ang wikang ingles ang karaniwang ginagamit dito upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng ibang dayuhan o ng ibang Filipino na lumaki sa ibang bansa na ang wikang nakasanayan ay ingles. Marami rin sa mga pribado at masasabi rin nating mamahaling eskwelahan na ang “Usual” o “medium” na pananalita ay sa wikang banyaga o ingles.

Natutuwa at humahanga ang iba nating mga kababayan sa mga batang nakapagsasalita ng tuwid na ingles kahit lumaki dito sa Pilipinas na ang karaniwang salita ng lahat ay tagalog. Ang iba ay nagiisip na maaring sa eskwelahan nakuha o natutunan ng ingleserang bata ang kanyang pananalita kung kaya't karaniwan ay naitatanong kung sa anong paaralan ito napasok.

May mga batang pinalaki ng magulang sa salitang ingles kahit na sa pilipinas naninirahan, ito ay hindi sa kadahilanang nandidiri o nilalait ng magulang ang sariling wika kundi upang sa paglaki ng bata ay hindi maging banyaga dito ang salitang ingles na karaniwang ginagamit sa pag aaplay ng trabaho lalo nat ang ninanais ay makapang ibang bansa upang magkaroon ng magandang buhay. Sa ngayon ang Pilipinas ay punong puno ng problema buhat sa Ekonomiya at Kurapsyon ng gobyerno. Makikita at maihahambing ang paninirahan ng ating ibang kababayan sa abroad na kahit na may tinatawag na “recession” sa kanila ay mas higit pa rin ang ganda ng mga benepisyong naibibigay sa kanila ng gobyerno tulad ng sa ospital, pagpapagamot, mga sariwang pagkain at maliit na porsyento ng krimen.

Sa Senado na ating napapakinggan sa ngayon kapag may mga paghaharap sa kaso, wikang ingles ay naririnig natin sa ating mga pinuno ng bayan kahit na nakakatawa ang kanilang mga “accent”. Kapag nakikinig tayo ng balita sa radyo o kaya ay makikinig sa mga “englishpokening dollar” na DJ, para ka na ring nakikinig ng radyo sa ibang bansa dahil sa kanilang “American accent” na sa aking pagmumuni muni at obserbasyon ay mga lumaki sa America ang karamihan. Maririnig rin natin ang pilit sa pag iingles na mga “callers” para lamang marinig sa himpapawid ang kanilang mga tanong o kwentong wala naming kabuluhan. Sa ibang komentaryo o programa ng ating lokal na mga istasyon, karamihan ay ingles rin ang kanilang pananalita at pagtatanong kahit Filipino rin ang kanilang kinakausap. Ano ang kadahilanan ng ganitong mga gawi? Ang pagsasalita ba ng ingles o banyagang salita ay isang kabawasan bilang Filipino? Naitanong mo na ba sa iyong sarili kung bakit salitang Espanyol ang orihinal na ginamit ng ating pambansang bayani na si Gat Jose P. Rizal ng isinulat nya ang Noli Me Tangere at El Filibusterismo na nagpaigting ng damdamin nila Andres Bonifacio at naging sindi naman ng kanyang kamatayan.

Bakit may Ingles na “subject” sa paaralan na ating sinasaulo at gusting matutunan? Bakit ang mga nakapag aral sa matas na kolehiyo o nakapagtapos ay nakakintindi ng salitang ingles o nakapagsasalita pa ng ibat ibang lengwahe? Sa pag aaral ni Dr. Jubin Abutalebi na ipinanganak sa Germany mula sa mga magulang na Persian na sa ngayon ay labing dalawang taon ng naninirahan sa Italy at nakapag asawa ng isang Filipina, masisisi moba kung ilang lengwahe ang kaya nyang bigkasin? Masisisi mo ba kung ang anak nya ay mas marami pang lengwahe ang kayang bigkasin ngunit masasabi ring isang Filipino na may pagmamahal sa bayan ng kanyang ina.

Maraming mga lumaki sa ibang bansa ang ating ipinagmamalaki sa ngayon na baluktot ang pananalita ng tagalog gaya ng magkapatid na sikat na sikat sa ngayon buhat sa manlalarong Azkals, proud na proud din tayo sa batang kasama ni Lady Gaga na may bilyong hits sa “youtube” na si Maria Aragon dahil masasbi nating kahit hindi nakakapagsalita ng tagalog ay nananalaytay pa rin sa mga ito ang dugong Filipino. Si Lea Salonga na ngayon ay tinagurian na Disney Legend ay may “accent” na sa pananalita na kung napanood nyo ang “That’s Entertainment” noon na tulad ko ay sadyang inglesera ng matatawag at sa ngayon ay ipinagbubunyi ang kanyang kasikatan na nauna pang tangkilikin ng mga dayuhan sa Broadway dahil sa pag ganap na “Miss Saigon” kesa tangkilikin nating una ditto sa sarili nyang bayan. Tunay ngang walang nauunang sumikat sa sariling bayan gaya ni Charisse na kung hindi napapunta sa show ni Oprah, naka duet si Celine Dion at Nakasama sa Glee ay hindi mapapansin sa lupang kanyang hinirang.

Ano ba ang Filipino? Paano ba maipapakita ang pagmamahal mo sa sarili mong bayan? Paano maging bayani? Paano ka itatangi? Paano mo maipapakita ang iyong pagka Filipino? Nang magsalita ng Tagalog na tuloy tuloy sa kanyang SONA ang maal na Pangulong NoyNoy Aquino ay marami pa ring kritiko ang nagsalita kung bakit tagalog ang kanyang ginamit sa kadahilanang hindi raw nila lubusang maintindihan ito. Sa aking palagay, kahit na anong gawin ng isang Filipino, magsalita man ng tagalog o ingles ay mayroon pa rin kritiko. Ikaw paano mo naipakita ang iyong pagiging tunay na Filipino?

Globe Tatt Awards: The greatest in Social Media

"Great recap in your blog!..."- Maria Ressa


"Nicely written" - Hans Roxas- Chua

The Philippines has over 25 Million users and majority from this population shows that Pinoys actively tweet, Facebooking and blogging that’s why we the Philippines is called the Social networking Capital of the world. To recognize the greatness of some netizens who are making a difference in social media, Globe Telecom introduces the Globe Tatt awards.


The First Globe Tatt Awards objective is not to make the winners popular but for everyone to recognized the advocacies and difference not to mention the amount of time they spend online and offline not actually to save the world but to make an impact, be heard and to prove that with the use of social media, a person or organization can spread awareness, empower, convince, encourage and could be a tool for change.


There were 500 unique nominations and two weeks later of checking their won social media sites, Globe Tattoo has narrowed it down to 50 finalists across 10 categories for their first Tatt Awards. This is a different type of recognizing the talents and effectiveness of the words with passion that made and making an impression and awareness distributed around the net that change the mindset of the majority in the cyberspace. They think before they click.

There were 10 categories with five finalists per category. The winners exemplified the Tattoo ideals of “a life without limits,” said Tattoo Head of Nomadic Broadband Dong Ronquillo. "We would like to thank and recognize people who make social media relevant. These are people who make use of the net in a very relevant and impact way. It's not about statistics. It's not about how popular you are. It's about the impact."

The judges for this competition are also advocates and making a name in social media.. They are leaders and empowered individuals in different fields. These people are making a difference already. Let’s get to know them.

Dong Ronquillo is the Tatoo Head of Nomadic Broadband

Maria Ressa is a veteran award winning journalist

Gang Badoy is the Rock Ed Philippines founder

Cecille Zamora-Van Straten is a popular lifestyle blogger and entrepreneur

Rico Mossesgeld is a tech blogger and tattoo ambassador

Kring Elenzano is a director and video blogger

Chico Garcia is a radio Disk Jockey

Hans Roxas- Chua is the President of the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP)

For weeks of online voting and mostly flooding the timeline in twitter, the waiting has ended. August 26, 2011 at Manila Peninsula, Rigodon Ballroom, the amazing awarding was held. The winners are:

For Wordslayer category which is showcasing the mastery of words through witty blog entries. Loi Reyes Landicho of professionalheckler.com
For his videos that shook the Filipino online community, Mike Bustos of youtube.com/MikeyBustosVideos got the Video Slinger award.

Celebrity-host, model and former Pinoy big brother housemate Bianca Gonzales of twitter.com/iamsuperbianca won the #Thought-Mover award for uniting people “around one thought in 140 characters or less” in the local Twitter scene.

For her style. Uniqueness and excellence in photography “that caught fire in the local online art scene,” Jin Joson of jinjoson.com won the award of The Artiste.


Elizabeth Angsioco of dswp.org.ph won The Advocate award. A heroin already for fighting the passage of the controversial Reproductive Health Bill.The tatt award is given to her in recognition for “improving the state of a societal cause in the Philippines through social media,”
As a musical band “who fought hard to claim their space in the hearts of the Filipino audience,” the Indie rocker award went to Up Dharma Down of updharmadown.com.

For many who thought that Devine Lee will bag the Stylisimo award for her many fierce followers and fans on Twitter not to mention the so many magazine cover she graced, some were surprised for Laureen Uy of breakmystyle.com who won the Stylisimo award for setting trends in fashion. She is the younger sister of Liz Uy. Derserving she is and wearing a nice dress that night with lot’s of arm accessories.
For her thought-provoking posts “that spread like a virus and took a life of its own,” International actress, Tony Award winner for her role in the Broadway musical “Miss Saigon and a Disney Legend, Lea Salonga bagged the Ball Breaker award.

Mark Macanas of techpinas.com won the Tech Junkie award for sharing the access to latest trends in technology.
A group of Atheist, non- believers and pushing for secularism, Filipino Freethinkers of filipinothinkers.org brought home The One award for leading the pack in terms of online popularity and shaping opinion the local online community. They are pushing secularism, equality and also an advocate of the Reproductive Health Bill and Human Rights.

Special Awards were also given to Divine Lee of divinemlee.com as Tatt Trending Personality, Youtube sensations Arjohn Gilbert and Maria Aragon as Tatt Viral Rookie, Vice Ganda as Tatt Most Likeable based on his Facebook fan page.

Though everyone were excited to greet all the winners and enjoyed the overflowing drinks from the bar after the announcement of winners, everyone until now are talking about the inspirational speech by this veteran and award winning journalist Maria Ressa who herself is always online.

(Keynote speech delivered during the Tatt Awards night on Aug. 26, 2011, Friday, at the Peninsula Manila. Maria Ressa was part of the Tatt Council, which selected the winners.) – Nina Terol Zialzita

The Power in Your Hands
By Maria A. Ressa
August 26, 2011


“Thank you for inviting me to speak to you tonight about the big ideas that have brought us all together. The Internet and new media technology is changing the way we think, changing and playing with the plasticity of our brains, actually rewiring our synapses – and, consequently, changing the way we act. It’s changing power structures around the world – I’ll give you both positive and negative examples. And finally, as many of you here already know, it is giving you power the generation before us never had. We live through it every day and take it for granted, but make no mistake. The changes are cataclysmic.

I’ll begin with you. The first change is physiological. How many of you have Facebook accounts, Twitter? How much time do you spend on social media? Are you addicted? Chances are to some degree, you are. Your dopamine levels, the chemical that causes addiction, increases when you’re using twitter or facebook. It’s proven in FMRI imaging studies. Remember, our emotions are really just chemical reactions and social media is tweaking your emotions by changing the chemical levels in your brain. Because your emotions are heightened, your expectations and the way you behave shifts. I first studied this because I wanted to know how people consumed news. Academics complain about tabloid journalism, but the reality is that it’s now become the norm globally. That’s largely because that’s the way people in general want to get their news.
Why? Because the technology we use has kept us on a perpetual emotional high. This is not just social media but all the interruptions in the modern day world – flooding our brains with dopamine - helping condition us to like “sensationalism” over “objectivity.”

Anyway, the way you think is different. The reason I’m writing a book now is because I wanted to find out how the Internet has affected my brain. And BOY, it has. As a reporter, you tend to live on adrenalin, but this constant dopamine fix of social media has a downside. We are creating a generation that can’t focus, is bad at multi-tasking and lacks concentration. The upside is we’re more engaged. We’re more social. We can decide – with minimal costs – to act TOGETHER. A recent study came out that showed that students on Facebook don’t do as well in school but they’re more developed socially.
So here you are - being changed by the media you consume. While one person can spark or tip towards meaningful change, one person can’t do much on his or her own. You need to harness a group. And for much of human history, scientists realized that the most number of people we could hold together socially or for any meaningful endeavor is 150. It’s called Dunbar’s number. Not coincidentally, that’s the average number of friends people have on Facebook. It requires effort and money to get beyond that number.
For most of human history, there only existed two ways we can harness human capabilities. You either create a company or a bureaucracy – which requires a lot of capital, money to hire, create a hierarchy and communicate internally so you can get the group to achieve a shared purpose. It’s the principle behind companies and governments.
The second way is to create markets, which also requires institutions to set rules, maintain and regulate. That also costs money.
The third way happened less than a decade ago. We now have the power to harness networks – at almost no cost. Let me give you two concrete examples of this: Wikipedia and A MILLION VOICES AGAINST FARC in Colombia.

The ability to harness networks and move people to action is called crowd-sourcing, and a development that will change businesses and institutions globally. James Surowieki wrote a book called THE WISDOM OF CROWDS where he wrote that “large groups of people are smarter than an elite few, no matter how brilliant – better at solving problems, fostering innovation, coming to wise decisions.” He listed the four criteria you needed to make that happen: diversity of opinion, independence, decentralization, aggregation.
This is the idea behind the citizen journalism program I led at ABS-CBN. Now every news organization in the Philippines has one, but when we started in 2005, it was a novel idea since most journalists were wary of mixing with non-professionals. Well, that’s another idea that’s been tossed out the window.
Professional journalists have to redefine their roles today because now everyone is a journalist. Everyone in this room has the power to publish – something only large organizations with money could afford to do in the generation before us.
Let me end with some big examples of the power of crowd-sourcing and social media, new ways of connecting networks of people. Let’s go to the phenomenon of the Arab spring, the huge protests in Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya. It set off a debate about Facebook and Twitter revolutions – with people saying yes it is, no it isn’t. Regardless of what we call it, the Internet – and social media in particular – ignited long-standing grievances, broke walls of fear, spread courage and fast-tracked what may have taken months and years without instant communications – all this leading to the downfall of dictators.
The medium that carries the message shapes and defines the message itself. Social media’s instantaneous nature pushed the speed at which these revolutions unraveled and spread discontent – and courage – virally across the region. The first messages created ripple effects, amplified and pushed further by countless, nameless people spreading not just the message itself but their emotions – what psychologists call emotional contagion. It’s extremely powerful, and it created protest movements that were difficult for authoritarian governments to control. Why? Because they were modeled on the networks of the web – loose, non-hierarchical, leaderless. You don’t know whom to arrest, no political parties to tear apart, no underground revolt to dismantle. This is the people, and any government that fights its people will ultimately fail.
On the flip side, it can also make it easier to organize looting and riots as we saw recently in London. British officials actually talked about controlling or shutting down social media.
Every powerful tool can be used positively and negatively. I think the earlier we focus on the positives, the sooner we can think of innovative applications. So the internet can bring down governments, empower its people, help spread democracy. What other things can it do? A lot more. It can help in governance. It can help change behavior and infuse new meaning into political processes. For countries like the Philippines, there’s a great opportunity for journalists and the people to come together and help identify needs and push for solutions. Many of you are doing this now in your areas of influence, but we are envisioning something that puts all our energies together. A group of friends and I are now working on a project that aims to evolve journalism and use new technology to harness citizens for nation-building. We are creating a pilot, scalable model that can be used in countries like ours with weak institutions and weak governance. I want to see change in my lifetime, and technology now gives us the ability to do it ourselves.
If you get a chance tonight, you can see a little of this conversation on Facebook. Visit Move.PH on Facebook and tell us what you think. Be part of the experiment and watch it evolve.
Let me end the way I began. It’s a time of cataclysmic change. The sooner we recognize that and embrace it, the sooner we can begin to think of new applications, new ways of doing things, new systems for harnessing collective efforts … the sooner we step into the future.
Thank you, Tatt Awards, for giving me the opportunity to see the work of so many talented Filipinos who have embraced this brave new digital world. I learned a lot by being part of this process. Remember, we should be at the forefront of this revolution because we are officially the social media capital of the world according to ComScore.
Every day, I wake up and try to assess how the world has changed since I fell asleep. Of course, the first thing I do is look at Twitter and see what others around the world have sent me. Social media connects us globally now. How many of you guys saw Inception? That’s my metaphor for our world today. The Internet is the second level of reality that is quickly changing reality. What we do in the virtual world is changing the real world.

Congratulations to the winners tonight! You all are amazing and already know first-hand the power you wield to influence people. Now we just have to make sure we use it wisely. May the Force be with you!"


PICTURES! PICTURES!

Blog Watch is the ultimate Advocate

Blog Watch is a social media tool that connects people online and offline. The news published by this citizen watch dog are based on their experiences after attending the rally about human rights at Congress, after attending the seminar about child labor at Los Banos, Laguna, after attending a forum about Reproductive Health Bill, after doing a feeding program for instance at Laguna and Aklan or after conducting a forum which the contributing writer organized. The writers are real and ordinary people who have the same and different advocacies of their own.

The published news or opinions are from the common or private citizen of this country who happened to be aware about the poverty, who happened to be empowered to help, who happened to be in need of change and justice and who happened to know that Blog Watch could spread the news because social media today is the best and effective tool for dissemination of information not to mention the fastest way to reach the target audience who are the Filipino People, the Philippine Government and the world.

Blog Watch is composed of Photographers from Pampanga and Manila and Writers as far from Laguna and Bulacan who are contributing their skills, knowledge and talent for FREE even risking their life like the interview with Governor Toto Mangudadatu of Maguindanao just to promote and spread the news about what is the truth and justice that could empower, encourage and influence the readers.

The team composed of different bloggers and writers who are successful in their own way. With Engineers, Journalist, Students, Radio Station Host, Stay Home Mother and Entrepreneur who are willing to give time, who are exerting an overwhelming effort and who are sacrificing their own family and life just to prove what is right. They are not only fighting for the rights of the minority few but for the rights of everyone, rich or poor, believers or non believers or even the rights of the unborn.

Blog Watch deserves the “Advocate” Category award at the Globe Tatt Awards. We all know that words is mightier than the sword, that common people with common interest for the universal good is better than a group of people fighting for only one right. Blog Watch is not here for the popularity but here to be a servant for mankind, to be the pioneer in social media advocacy, to be known as the tool who believes in equality, honesty, integrity, freedom of expression, talent and skills of everyone and most of all, Blog Watch is here to tell the world that the Filipino people is worth for every word and cannot be bought.

An advocate is someone who believes, fight and vocal. An advocate is not a coward, who speaks about the truth, who fights for justice not for himself but for others. An advocate in any means will be seen whether through his writingsb about his advocacy or in the road rallying to prove that an advocate is walking the talk. An advocate is doing what is right, proving what is right and risking his own life without asking for rewards or anything in return.

Blog Watch contributors are writing for Free, a service for mankind, a selfless deed for awareness, for without awareness no one will be concerned. Blog Watch is an advocate of many advocacies like Change, Truth, Justice, Human Rights, Environment, Health, Equality, Reproductive Health, Transparency, Fight for Poverty, Fight for Child Labor, Animal Rights and Freedom and with all these Blog Watch is the ultimate Advocate.

VOTE for Blog Watch for the ADVOCATE Category here http://tattoo.globe.com.ph/tattawards

Article 133 and 201 in this modern and digital world

August 9, 2011- Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 4, it’s another day for Carlos Celdran, a Manila tour guide, Cultural activist and a performing artist and the fifth time to be in this place since the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines filed a complaint against him for allegedly “offending religious feelings” last September 30, 2010 which was at around 8 p.m. the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) filed charges against Celdran for alledgely "offending feelings of the faithful," which is prohibited according to Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code. Article 133: Offending the religious feelings. — "The penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period shall be imposed upon anyone who, in a place devoted to religious worship or during the celebration of any religious ceremony, shall perform acts notoriously offensive to the feelings of the faithful."

Like a usual ceremony, Carlos and his supporters were met at Starbucks SM Manila then headed to the court at 1:30 in the afternoon. Still and always clad with a derby hat which is the same hat design he wore when he protested last September 30, 2010. Last time, CBCP even brought a witness and described what she saw as “the man with a out of this world suit.”  According to the internet news, Carlos Celdran staged a protest action against Church opposition to the reproductive health bill. Dressed as José Rizal or Crisostomo Ibarra, Celdran entered Manila Cathedral during an Ecumenical mass with Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, the Papal Nuncio Archbishop Edward Adams, and other bishops, priests, catholics and even different religious organizations present, standing before the altar with a sign with the word "DAMASO" -a reference to the villainous, power-wielding clergyman from Rizal's novel Noli Me Tángere, who fathered a child and in  which touches on the abuses of the Spanish friars during the 19th century. He shouted "Stop getting involved in politics!" before he was taken away by the police at around 4:30 p.m. Once outside, Celdran said the Church officials "need to hear what the Filipinos are saying: that 90 percent of the people want the RH [Reproductive Health Bill]."

Because CBCP doesn’t have any present representative, the court hearing is reset to this coming September 14, 2011. With a lot of issues that the government is facing today like the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) scandal, The CBCP SUV expose, The Ampatuan massacre, Meralco price increase, Toll fee gigantic increase, Climate change, Attack in London, Corruption, Second Hand helicopters and more much disturbing and important issues locally and around the globe, what will be the benefit and moral lesson with this kind of case like Carlos? Does the CBCP have more important things to do like saving the life of the faithful who are still living in poverty and in their own backyard as squatters?

photo from the internet

 In case of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) which is known for showing the highest standards in terms of arts, the first controversy for this decade was came from a simple but powerful art exhibit from Mideo Cruz. Called as blasphemous and the most controversial art in the Philippine scene, a lot of people are arguing and have a never ending debates about the freedom of expression and what really constitutes the word moral.

In the Philippines with more or less 80% are Roman Catholic, the images of Jesus Christ and his mother Mary are treated with respect. That is the influenced of the Spanish regime for almost 400 years of occupying the Philippines.

A little background from the internet about the location of the controversial exhibit. The purpose of the CCP aims to showcase Filipino artistic achievements as well as inspire to create original works with Filipino themes and tradition that will help make the arts accessible to all sectors of Philippine society. It cooperates with local groups in initiating and supporting the regional and local cultural centers through outreach programs. It also covers film and broadcast arts and literary and visual arts to encourage growth and development of arts in the country. It gives workshops and seminars as well as anthologies, exhibits symposia, competition and awards.

photo from the internet

As of today, the exhibit has been closed due to threats and a request or more so a direct message from malacanang to close the exhibit not to mention the visit of the former first lady who is also the founder of CCP which gave her final verdict for the art as preposterous!. Politeismo is part of the 32 exhibits by the University of Sto Tomas in celebration of the 150^th birth anniversary of the Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal. It cause steers to the majority of the public eyes because of the absurd presentation of the portrait of Jesus Christ with a male organ attached to it’s face. Right now the CCP Visual Arts Division director Karen Flores resigned, this is after the closure of the exhibit. Let us check some laws in which the CCP officials and the artist are allegedly violated.

photo from the internet

Article. 201. Immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions and indecent shows. — The penalty of prison mayor or a fine ranging from six thousand to twelve thousand pesos, or both such imprisonment and fine, shall be imposed upon:

(1) Those who shall publicly expound or proclaim doctrines openly contrary to public morals;

(2) (a) the authors of obscene literature, published with their knowledge in any form; the editors publishing such literature; and the owners/operators of the establishment selling the same;

(b) Those who, in theaters, fairs, cinematographs or any other place, exhibit, indecent or immoral plays, scenes, acts or shows, whether live or in film, which are prescribed by virtue hereof, shall include those which (1) glorify criminals or condone crimes; (2) serve no other purpose but to satisfy the market for violence, lust or pornography; (3) offend any race or religion; (4) tend to abet traffic in and use of prohibited drugs; and (5) are contrary to law, public order, morals, and good customs, established policies, lawful orders, decrees and edicts;

(3) Those who shall sell, give away or exhibit films, prints, engravings, sculpture or literature which are offensive to morals. (As amended by PD Nos. 960 and 969).

Mideo Cruz is an atheist according to his friend. According to Wikipedia, Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively, atheism is simply the absence of belief that any deities exist. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which in its most general form is the belief that at least one deity exists.
The term atheism originated from the Greek ἄθεος (atheos), meaning "without god", which was applied with a negative connotation to those thought to reject the gods worshipped by the larger society. With the spread of freethought, skeptical inquiry, and subsequent increase in criticism of religion, application of the term narrowed in scope. The first individuals to identify themselves as "atheist" appeared in the 18th century.

photo from the internet

From the exhibit of Mideo, was it an expression which from him is based on the Philippine culture or just a plain attack of religion? As an atheist who doesn’t believe to any god, does he do it to provoked the faithfuls or just a plain scrap from waste? For many, an art is something that tells a story, so what really is behind Mideos mind? In that part only him could tell.

Takbo para sa Kabundukan

Ang “Takbundukan” ay hango sa dalawang salita na ang ibig sabihin ay takbo at kabundukan. Si Father Robert Reyes na kilala sa bansag na “Running Priest” ang nagpasimula ng pagtakbo sa ibat ibang bundok sa Laguna, Batangas at kung saan saang panig ng kapuluan. Ang kanyang mithiin ay upang ipaalam ang kahalagahan ng ating kalikasan at makapagbigay ng eduksayon hindi lamang sa kabataan upang pati na rin sa mga namumuno ng bayan mula sa lokal na gobyerno hanggang sa nasyonal.

Si Father Robert Reyes ay nagtapos ng PHD sa University of the Philippines, Diliman na may kursong Cultural Anthropology. Sya ay nabansagan ding ‘Aktibistang Pari” sa kadahilanang hindi sya nangingiming ipakita at sabihin ang kanyang nasasaloobin sa gobyerno kahit na taliwas sa mga gustong isulong ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan.

Agusto 1, 2011 ng magsimula ang Takbundukan sa Laguna na nagbuhat sa University of the Philippines Makiling Botanical Garden na nasa bundok ng Makiling sa Los Banos pababa sa Bay. Laguna. Masayang salubong mula sa mga estudyante ng Barangay Maitim ang natunghayan ng grupo. Nagbigay ng pananalita tungkol sa kalikasan si father Reyes sa paaralan ng Brgy. Maitim pagkatapos ay naanyayahang tumungo sa munisipyo ng nasabing lugar na kung saan ang mga estudyante naman ng Liceo De Bay ang nagaantay kasama ang butihing Mayor ng nasabing bayan na si Joe Padrid at ang kanyang mga kasamahan sa munisipyo.

Masaganang pagkain ang inihandog ni Mayor Joe Padrid ng Bay, Laguna sa grupo at nagkaroon ng konting kurokuro tungkol sa pagbabayad ng buwis sa ilang kumpanya na kanyang nasasakupan. Pagkatapos sa Bay, tumakbo ang grupo papuntang Calauan, Laguna na kung saan ay binubuo ng 17 na baranggay at kung saan dumarami na ang populasyon dahil sa National Housing Authority na kinalalagukan sa ngayon ng mga napinsala ng mga bagyo at kalamidad sa ibat ibang panig ng kamaynilaan na humigit kumulang sa 10,000 katao.

Nagaantay na ang natalagang Mayor ng Calauan na si Mayor Felisa “Baby” Lim Berris sa harap ng munisipyo upang salubungin ang mananakbong grupo. Ipinaalam ni Mayora na nagkaroon din noong nakaraang lingo ng “Padyak Calauan “ sa pagoorganisa ng Calauan Police na kung saan siya ay nakilahok. Pagkatapos sa munisipyo ay nagtungo ang grupo kasama si Mayora sa Liceo De Calauan na kung saan ay sumalubong ang mga estudyante ng paaralan na kung saan din ay nagaantay ang butuhing Vice Mayor ng Calauan na si Allan Dong Sanchez at ang principal ng highschool ng nasabing paaralan. Nagbigay ng paliwanag si Father Reyes tungkol sa kahalagahan ng edukasyon, tamang pagtatapon ng basura, eye to eye contact sa pakikipagusap, kahalagahang mawala ang dynasty sa mga namumuno sa pulitika, kahalagahan ng pagmamalasakit sa kalikasan at mga hindi magandang naidudulot ng pagpunta sa mall na kung saan kanyang binanggit na mas makakatipid kung sa mga bundok na lamang napunta ang mga kabataan sa pagpapalipas ng oras o pamamasyal.

Mula sa Liceo De Calauan ay tumungo ang grupo sa Brgy. Imok sa bayan pa rin ng Calauan sa paanyaya ni Konsehala Vangie Mendoza. Si Konsehala Vangie ay isang magbubukid at environmentalist. Siya ay isa sa namumuno ng isang kooperatiba ng kababaihan sa nasabing barangay na nabigyan ng ibat ibang makina mula sa Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) na nakakatulong sa pag asenso ng mga kababaihan.

Mula Barangay Imok ay nagtungo ang grupo sa bayan ng San Pablo City ngunit walang sumalubong sa Diocese of San Pablo City o sa katabing paaralan sa kadahilanang umuulan daw. Mula sa simbahan ay nagtungo ang grupo sa Pamahalaang Lunsod ng San Pablo City upang magbigay pugay na kung saan ang City administrator na si Loreto Amante ang sumalubong kasama ang ilang lokal na mamamahayag at kawani ng pamahalaan.

Pagkatapos sa lungsod ng San Pablo ay nagtungo ang grupo sa bayan ng Alaminos, Laguna na kung saan magtatapos ang takbo sa Laguna sa nasabing petsa.

 Mula August 2, hanggang August 4, 2011 ay nagsimula sa Alaminos ay nagtungo ang grupo sa Sto. Tomas Batangas, umulan o umaraw ay tuloy ang takbo upang maipakita na ang pagmamahal sa kalikasan ay walang pinipiling panahon. Nagkaroon ng pagpupulong mula sa Lyceum of the Philippines at si Father Reyes na kung saan ang mga estudyante ay bumanggit ng kanilang hinaing tungkol sa pagwasak ng ilang kapitalista sa mga bundok na ginagawang mga subdivision sa kanilang lugar na sa kanilang plagay ay sanhi ng pagbaha sa kanilang lugar.

Nang sumapit ang grupo sa SM city sa Calamba ay nagkaroon din ng pakikipagugnayan ang mga opisyal ng mall kasama ang mga magsasaka na sumusuporta sa adbokasiya ni Father Reyes, ang mga magsasaka ay galing pang Canlubang na kung saan sa kasalukuyang panahon ay humihingi ng tulong sa pamahalaan upang maibigay ang kanilang hinihinging lupa na kanilang sinaka na sa ngayon ay ipinagkakait ng may ari na halos 500 hectares na lupain.

Mula Calamba ay bumalik ang grupo sa Los Banos, Laguna upang makadaupang palad naman ang mga estudyante ng Liceo De Los Banos. Ipinahayag muli ni Father Reyes ang kahalagahan ng edukasyon sa mga mag aaral pati na rin upang makapag pugay sa mga bayani ng kalikasan na nagbuwis ng buhay sa pakikipaglaban para sa pagpepreserba ng kagubatan.

Nagtapos ang pagtakbo sa pamamahinga sa damuhan kasama ang mga magsasaka. Ang ibang mananakbo ay nagmungkahi na maulit muli ang pagkakataong kanilang naranasan upang maipamahagi ang impormasyon na kailangan upang magsilbing gabay sa pagmamahal ng kabataan sa kalikasan.

Ang kahalagahan ng pagbibigay ng edukasyon sa kabataan ang magsisilbing ilaw para sa kanilang kinabukasan. Ang kalikasan ay iisa lamang na kung saan ay kailangang mapangalagaan dahil ito ang ang ating ginagalawan. Disiplina ay kailangan upang makamit ang ganitong hangarin. Sa panahon ngayon na nagiiba na ang klima at ito ay atin ng nararamdaman at kalamidad ay natutunghayan, kailangan nating lahat na magkaisa, bata o matanda upang hindi na umulit pa ang Milenyo o Ondoy na ating kinatatakutan.

Paghahanda ang kailangan at paguumpisa na mahalin ang kalikasan ang gustong ipamahagi ni Father Robert Reyes. Kasama ang ilang mananakbo mula sa Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, Do it right advocacy at mga pribadong mamamayan na nagaadbokasiya sa kalikasan ay nagsusulong upang maintindihan ang kahalagahan ng tamang pagtatapon ng basura, Zero waste, Recycling, pagtatanim, bawal magsunog o magkaingin, kwalidad na edukasyon para sa kabataan at malinis na pulitika.

Women today have broken the granite ceiling

My Father taught us to be strong, decisive and honest. “Don’t do to others what you don’t want others to do unto you” is his shared wisdom to me and to my two other sisters. I am the eldest of three, graduated as an Engineer and a graduating student under Masters in Management major in Engineering Management and currently working for 7 years now to my own Construction Firm. As the only woman in a group of ten per house construction project, I need to be strong, ready to lead and with firm decision making in terms of the implementing rules with regards to scope of work and quality of each project down to the details of each designs.

As the designer of the house with a structural and architectural plan to follow, my role is not to satisfy the client’s need or specification but to exceed their expectation. Total quality management is our objective for every work that will only achieved with a contribution of manpower and upper management. Together the result is overwhelming.

My mom was a kindergarten teacher for 15 years. She was well loved by her peers with a ready smile for every glance. She loves to teach, taught me how to dance and told us to be the best for all the things we are going to do. When the typhoon Ondoy wrecked everything, I used social media for supports and my classmates in school for donations of anything we could give to the fatalities. That was weeks of picking up old clothes from different towns, received diapers from my classmates and a stock of computer monitors from the artist I helped at the Museum of Contemporary Arts and Designs in Manila. I wonder how can those computer monitors could help those people in need of food, so I asked my friends if they would accept the monitor as an art souvenir in exchange of a sack of rice. At the end we got 98 paper bags with full of rice and clothes for one town at Bay, Laguna where the typhoon Ondoy hit most in this province.

When I became aware about the House bill number 4244 or the Reproductive Health Bill, I supported it right a way, I made a social media page where all advocates could share their thoughts and current information about the progress of the bill. We educate one another and even we are all from different parts of this nation, we have a common ground to discuss everything. The group from the page became a group outside the page when I asked all members who could attend for a meet up to do a possible event about the youth awareness. I conducted the meeting in Manila and from there the event “RH:Through the eyes of the youth” was organized with the objective of telling to everyone that the voice of the youth must be heard especially on the issue of the Reproductive Health. On May this year, student leaders from different schools, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender leaders (LGBT) and youth leaders attended the event that last for more than 4 hours.

In Philippines, The population is more or less 95 million and majority is living under the poverty line. I live in Calauan, Laguna where from 54,000 people became 70,000 due to the relocation site from the government program. The National Housing Authority is located in Barangay Dayap which doesn’t have enough manufacturing companies that could give job to the relocates. In between March and April 2010 I did a Free call center training to those attendees from different barangays and jobs to those who are qualified and for this year 2011, just this July, I did another Call Center orientation at Victoria, Laguna. People need to have skills to have jobs. A certain job might not be for everyone but giving them skill through this kind of seminars and orientation could give them an edge in applying for work.

In this decade, we saw a woman president, a woman general, the first woman speaker of the house, a woman pilot and a lot of empowered women in mans field. Long gone were those house wife who are just waiting for their husband after work, long gone were those women who would just agree to the opposite sex for his desires and long gone were those women, daughters, mothers who are just quiet and never speak their minds. Today, women are the source of strength, fighting for every right. Women are empowered now. You can see them in the tallest building as the head of one organization. We have broken the granite ceiling, what men can do we can do it too.

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An environmental cause

 August 1, 2011- A man of faith, Father Robert Reyes who is known as the Running and Activist Priest together with some runners from the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources and runners from Los Banos, Laguna started the much awaited Takbundukan event. A fun run to different mountains of Laguna that started from Makiling Botanical Garden inside the University of the Philippines in Los Banos down to different municipalities and city such as Los Banos, Bay, Calauan, San Pablo and Alaminos.

Students waited for the group together with Mayor Joe Padrid of Bay, Mayor Felisa Berris of Calauan, Councilor Evangeline Mendoza of Barangay Imok and San Pablo City administrator Loreto Amante. Father Reyes discussed the advantages of clean living, advantages of being aware about what’s happening with the environment such as Climate Change and on how one could help in his little own way. He discussed also the benefits of education to young students from Baranggay Maitim, Liceo De Bay and Liceo De Calauan.

Father Reyes wants everyone to help save the environment from illegal mining, illegal cutting of trees, environmental killings and corrupt politicians. With the degree in PHD major in Cultural Anthropology from University of the Philippines Diliman, Father Reyes is telling the students to finished college education for a possible better future. He made a point to have an eye contact with his listeners and telling them that it’s a one way for good communication.

As an environmentalist he made a point to tell the students the benefits of waste management system, planting trees and even tackled about the issue in the Philippine government such as dynasty and charter change. Takbundukan will ends on August 4, 2011 in Los Banos, Laguna.