What’s In Your Bag?

A person’s personality can be easily deduced from the contents of his bag.

What then can you tell of a person who carries an insect spray, a bottle of bagoong and red horse on their carry-on flight baggage?

A Gauge of Sincerity

Enough of the multitude of excuses from Noynoy Aquino’s handlers. His absence in the second part of the GMA7 sponsored “Isang Tanong, Isang Sagot” forum is a blatant declaration of insincerity, disrespect to the institution of the electoral public and sheer cowardice.

What’s with November 27, 2009? Birthday of his namesake father Ninoy. He could have moved the date of his filing for his Certificate of Candidacy. His father a patriot, would understand. Indecisive as he is the November 27 date was moved to the 28th. He was busy and more lame excuses blah blah. And besides 28 is a good date for fengshui. What fatalism!

Are these dates more important than the people and his supporters? He was the only one absent in the forum and it shows for obvious reasons something is very wrong. He could have taken a stand and appeared at the forum and show that even with his lack of competence and confidence and guilt behind the Hacienda Luisita issue he is sincere. Well if indeed he is sincere.

I am not a noynoy supporter but I am disappointed with his absence kasi kulang wala na akong pakikinggan. I admit that whenever I listen to him I hold myself close to my seat just in case I fall from utter embarassment. Notice how he slumped on his chair during the first part of the forum. He was obviously nervous he talked so fast beyond the comprehension of the viewers. He shrunk on his seat looking like a little wooden boy scared of another beating from a disciplinary sermon. I pity Noynoy and if I were his supporter I’d be embarrassed. And yet I’m still interested to hear and catch bits of novelty from him for, “even the dull and the ignorant they too have their story”.

Its still six months to go before the election. I expect to get the lamest excuses from their party. And I say, enough!

Baguio Residents and Baguio City Local Government on a Deadlock over Garbage Disposal

Smell no more the pine trees!  This time its garbage in Baguio.

Its almost three weeks since I wrote about the mounting garbage uncollected on the sidewalks of Baguio City, for instance on a corner in Leonard Wood Street and several corners of Navy Base. And three weeks hence they still lay on the same territory rotting and attracting a cacophony of insects especially cockroaches, rats and flies.

Baguio City has imposed a “no-segregation no collection policy” since October 1, 2009. Under this scheme garbage will be collected twice a week, one day for biodegradable and another day for non-biodegradable.

But why the mounting garbage uncollected? Who is to blame? Who will give in first?

Accordingly, Baguio has the same policy of “no-segregation, no collection policy” over a year ago. Piles of unsegregated garbage lay waste on the sidewalks for days. That historical mess of an impasse – Baguio City Government Vs Baguio Residents ended up with the former waving the white flag, the latter happy and victorious. This year’s situation may be different. It’s been weeks over rotten wastes and ugly sights and smells in the Philippines summer capital. Who will give in this time?

Should Baguio City Government be held responsible of individual waste? Should it have given time for the residents to learn the value of the environment through waste segregation? (Like the recent catastrophe during the Ondoy and Pepeng typhoon is not enough?) Should residents especially individuals in each household at least take responsibility for their wastes?

This crisis is a tug of war between Baguio City Local Government and Baguio City Residents. But this is a game where nobody wins. I bet it will take another catastrophe for both to wake up from its prideful indifference. Until then, it will be too late. We will reap the garbage sown on the streets.

Catching Up

With only a few months left, I am catching up with my photo collections in PMA. Today, I snapped pictures from the Pre-Recognition Rites of the PMA Pudang-Kalis (Puso’t Dangal ng Kawal ng Lahing Nagkakaisa) Class of 2013.

I have watched the same ceremony many times over but I still get glassy eyed. I am no parent but I understand the pride and joy over seeing the kids in one of the momentous occasions in their life.

These kids will be joining the long gray line. I will not anymore be looking into the eyes of these young minds. I have seen through a hundred souls and I was touched by a hundred hearts. They are enough for me to understand and appreciate life in the military. I will now move on.

Proud Voter The First Time

For the first time, I feel proud to have chosen from among the many presidential bets, Gilberto C. Teodoro. In fact, I have volunteered to formally campaign for him in our province in Misamis Oriental this summer. Lately,  I have started campaigning for him to my relatives and friends however subtly yet.

Last week, I took a leave without pay from work to return home and register. I was home last summer, I did not register yet as I was not keen on even voting. I had not voted for a long time. I had grown cynical over our political system. With Gibo however coming into the picture, different from among the politicians running for public office, the die is cast.

Teodoro gives me a reason to be hopeful and prouder as a Filipino. I know the odds are narrow for him to win the seat given the populist trend in politics. But I have so much faith in him that for the first time I have hopes that we will be changing the political culture in the country.

What I admire about my president are traits one hardly sees in a typical winnable popular-traditional politician. I do not want anymore to compare him with the other candidates. I do not want to earn the ire of their fans. I decided to be diplomatic and descent and that goes with a hidden agenda – to convert my friends and even enemies to appreciate, decide, support and vote for him in the coming elections.

Bloggers as Leaders: Adel Tamano at MBS3

The Third Mindanao Bloggers Summit was graced by Atty Adel Fabel Abbas Tamano. He was an unlikely guest speaker so I thought. I don’t know much about him except that he is the speaker for the opposition, a muslim brother from the south, a lawyer, and now just recently, he is celebrated as the lawyer of the famous Dr. Vicky Belo. And one thing more he is good looking.  He comes from a political clan of the Tamano family in Lanao del Sur, whose family member also was once a president of Mindanao State University (MSU), and whose cousin also a PMA alumni. Well so much for that…

The organizers were beaming when he came. He was good looking indeed especially with those dimples. Did I say I’m a sucker for one?  Just like anyone running for a political office, he came to our table to give everyone of us a handshake. And yes it was firm and sincere. I almost jumped from my seat out of excitement. My seatmate could not help but cry, “Sir, you’re so gwapo!”.

Anyway he was introduced as this and that. As for the new things I know about him and in addition to my little portfolio about Adel Tamano is that -he is a Harvard Law School graduate, he used to teach in MSU, and currently is the president in the Pamantasang Lungsod ng Manila (PLM).

His speech was actually centered on his achievement as the president of the PLM. True enough and I want to believe he did a lot of changes in the school. This is an experience which he takes great pride in and from which his principles of leadership evolved. The principles are simple.They are very  basic and yet so deep that it requires both a leader’s unwavering faith and commitment.

Leadership is a vision. A leader should see beyond the present and into the future. He takes the limited or lack of resources a challenge never as an obstacle. Out of the box thinking is required of a visionary leader. A visionary leader is what our country needs so desperately today.

Leadership is empathy. Putting oneself in another’s shoes. Easier said than done. I’ve had several leaders in the several changes of administration in the organization that I come from. To me, this one is critical. I’ve had leaders who pretend they do. They are so great in doing that, that they are only unmasked when they leave their offices leaving the coffers empty.

Leadership is anti-corruption. I value integrity in a leader in as much as I also look for one in my relationships. Integrity is one value that I learned from and admired of my father who never profited from his work apart from his monthly salary. In a world that is upside down it is a lot more difficult to keep one’s integrity intact without being shaken. It takes a fool to survive and it takes a greater fool to be had with those who have sold their soul to the devil. Integrity is what we espouse in the Academy and yet … harder .. Need I say more…?

These principles are shared to the Mindanao Bloggers in the light of the summit’s objective to project a positive image of the island. I want to take Atty. Tamano’s speech further to look at bloggers as the next big leaders.

Bloggers are the new journalist in the 21st century. Bloggers are the opinion shapers. Bloggers are relevant to Mindanao development with the pen (the keyboard actually) they can make or unbreak a deal. Bloggers are  very infuential. They reach out to a  global audience breaking all the barriers of age, race, ethnicity, gender and class. Most importantly bloggers are the watchdogs for good governance both local, national and global. Bloggers are leaders in whatever niche they choose in the blogger’s world. They are leaders as they shape the minds of the readers. They are leaders as they bring information and share their knowledge to their audience.

Bloggers therefore should be visionary. Information technology is dynamic as it is fast-paced. To gain an edge and be competitive we learn from our past, we do the best of the present and look forward to the changes to be embraced in the future.

Bloggers are empathic. We may write our opinions but we are also open to the idea of an intellectual cyber exchange of opinions and thereby learn from and understand each other better. Blogging is an avenue for cultural exchange. Blogging is a way to enhance our cultural intelligence (CQ). I just invented that word – cultural intelligence – to mean greater sensitivity of  and understanding of cultures different from ours.

Bloggers are anti-corruption. We keep our eyes and ears to help to keep watch of this very critical part of governance which is money. This can be done in our own little and yet extensive way to share information to the world. Bloggers are powerful enough to do this.

Bloggers are leaders.

Flight your Garbage and your Life

Since I was talking about garbage anyway – its the first thing I noticed and maybe missed about Baguio after two days in my beautiful south – let me talk about something related to it.

I took a picture of this transparent bin in the airport (Terminal 3 of NAIA) on my way to Cagayan de Oro City last Thursday. These items will automatically join the category of garbage.

If you are not mindful enough in packing your stuff especially your carry-on luggage. They will surely end up inside this bin. Let us check what is inside.

Steel tape measure (baka civil engineer or interior designer) Packaging Tape, Masking Tape, Bombilya or light bulb (siguro pundi na ang ilaw nila sa bahay), Air Freshener, Posporo (ano kaya ang gusto niyang sindihan?), Lighter,  Knife, Gel, Spoon and Fork (baka maselan eh), Scissors, Pins and Needles and Thread (siguro mananahi siya), Swiss Knife, Balisong, Deodorant, Alcohol, Hair Spray,  A roll of metal chain, Shave, Inflatable Balloon at marami pang iba.

Just a reminder not to bring these stuff in your hand-carried luggage. If you carry lotion, limit it to less than 10 ml. Or if you carry a tool for self defense. You can have one like this. I was lucky to have this in my carry-on bag without being detected.

Garbage City

It is so depressing to arrive back in Baguio and see the same piles of garbages uncollected and mounting like Mt Apo. The sight is repulsive and so is the smell. There are really a lot in every corner. I don’t know why penalties cannot be imposed on individuals and residences throwing their rubbish.

In our little hometown in Lugait, Misamis Oriental, households are fined  one hundred pesos (P 100.00) for unsegregated wastes. The garbage collectors with the garbage checker do this at the level when garbages are picked up from each households. At the time these garbages reach the dumpsite. The garbages are even further segregated. Recyclables will go to the recycling centers and biodegradables are composted.

I also noticed that cities and towns in the south are a lot cleaner than the famed summer capital of the Philippines. It must be the culture of panilhig (sweeping). Households and even owners of establishments clean up their surroundings with the walis tingting every morning. Every morning in my hometown the neighborhood goes out in their frontyard and even beyond to clean up. It is not just a routine. For my mom, it is her form of exercise. If it is not cultural then it must be a function of the abundance of coconut trees in the area. In Baguio, there are no coconut trees and besides, its cold to be sweeping the areas outside.

Early morning last thursday I arrived in Cagayan de Oro noticing the obviously clean surroundings. It is a far cry from the heaps of garbages I see daily in Baguio. My senses were probably so adapted to the garbage that I noticed its absence or lack of it in places I visit. It’s the same in Iligan, in Davao and the many places I get to visit in Mindanao.

Once more, if the city government of Baguio has difficulty in managing the city’s waste then it is also up to individuals, all of us to reduce, re-use and recycle. I think that it also calls for a change in our lifestyle.

Hyogo Protocol

The Hyogo Protocol is a good read relevant to the disasters both natural and human-induced beset by our country.

Dalawang Dosenang Bading

Diyos ko po! Ang daming bading!

Dalawang dosenang bading and nakasakay ko sa bus kahapon. Sa una ay akala ko mga lalake. Akala ko ay sinuwerte ako pero habang minamasdan ko sila ako ay biglang nawalan ng gana. Diyos ko po! Habang masayang nagsasalita ay sumasayaw pati ang mga kamay sa indayog ng kanilang kwento. At dahil sa ako ay isa ring babaeng bading, hindi pwedeng di ko mapansin ang pataas at pababa na kilay at pagdiin ng mga labi habang sila ay masayang nagkwentuhan.

Marami akong mga kaibigan na mga self-confessed gays. Mahal ko sila. Sila yung tipo na mga bading na dahil wala na silang dapat itago pa ay masayahin. Isa dito si Allan na classmate ko sa elementary hanggang high school. Si Francis na magaling magsulat at palaging may note sa akin sa facebook. Si Anac, Roland, Nelson at si Arthur na nakita ko sa airport kaninang umaga lang. Sila ay mga talented, matatalino at successful na sa buhay. Sila yung mga bading na mataas ang aking paggalang at respeto.

Pero meron ding bading na kina-iinisan ko. Yung dalawang dosenang bading sa bus ay biglang nagpa-alala sa akin sa aking galit sa isang bading na hindi ko masikmura. Sabagay nakakaawa kasi siya ay closet queen at pinagpipilitan na kunyari ay lalake kahit na siya ay kumi-kendeng kendeng din.  Ang hinding hindi ko lang maintindihan ay kung gaano kayabang na kunwari ay maraming alam at kunwari ay tama na hindi naman.  Ang akala ko ay magiging maganda ang pakikipag-kaibigan ko sa mga bading. Pero sa bading na ito ako ay nawalan ng respeto. Sabagay siya rin naman ang mananagot at hanggang inis na lamang ako. Ayokong makisalamuha sa mga arogante na bading na tulad niya.  Mahal ko pa rin sina  Allan, Francis, Anac, Nelson at si Arthur!

Maraming nagsasabi na ang mga bading ay salot sa lipunan. Ang masasabi ko naman isa lang ang bading na salot sa ating mundo at alam nyo na kung sino. Hayy naku! Maraming magandang maidudulot ang mga bading sa lipunan. Hindi lang sa larangan ng sining kundi pati na rin sa paglaki na populasyon. Kung sila ay maging matatag at totohanan sa kanilang napiling sexual orientation ang ibig lang sabihin nito ay hinding-hindi sila magkaka-anak. At ang ibig sabihin niyan ay hindi na madadagdagan ang problema ng Pilipinas at ng buong mundo sa paglobo ng populasyon.

Dalawang dosenang bading. Kung sila ay naging lalaki sabihin nalang natin na sila ay magkaka-anak ng mga dalawa o tatlo. Yan ay pitumpu’t dalawang anak sa henerasyon ngayon. Isipin din natin na ang pitumpu’t dalawa ay magkaka anak ng dalawa. Gawin mo na ang math. Yan ang mangyayari.

Dalawang dosenang bading. Nguya ng nguya parang kambing. Hindi nauubusan ng pagkain.

Dalawang dosenang soyal at inglesero na bading. Sila ang nakasakay ko kahapon sa bus. Sila rin ang naging libangan ng aking malilikot na isip.

Dalawang dosenang bading. Diyos ko po na mahabagin!