Rizal Day

Today is Rizal Day.

More than a hundred years ago today, the Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, was martyred by musketry by a witch-hunting regime manipulated by the clerico-fascist leadership of the frailes.

What saddens me, however, is that aside the customary wreath-laying and flag-raising ceremonies, we Filipinos do not seem to understand the significance of Rizal's death and martyrdom.

In fact, it was on a similar occassion some years ago that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo tricked the country by claiming she will no longer seek election so that she can concentrate on implementing sweeping reforms beneficial to our country and our people without worrying about political backlash. It turned out to be the first in the unending lies of the feisty little woman in Malacañang.

Is she the Maria Clara or the "kababaihan ng Malolos" of Rizal?

Today's commemoration of the martyrdom of Rizal is shrouded by the tales and horrors of a cheating, lying, stealing regime. They are not any different from the colonial power that murdered Rizal. This time, it is a fellow Filipino for whom Rizal died who is murdering the Filipino nation.

Quo vadis, Rizal?

Looking for some thought-provoking statements?

I always read Nestor Torre's collection of television interview bloopers. Here are three from his recent compilation:

Host: What is lacking in your life now? You seem to have everything...
Guest: Oh, there's always something more. You cannot find it, I cannot find it, because it is missing!
***
Host: How important are your friends to you?
Guest: Oh, so important! They're always around even if they aren't around. You know? Friends, we always communicate each other!
***
Host: How do you keep calm in a very tough competition, with so much at stake?
Guest: You just have faith in yourself-and before you compete, you just take a deep breathe!

Oeeeeewh! See all the oil?! That's chicken shawarma plate. I still prefer meat shawarma. Now, I must try the camel shawarma at Crowne Plaza. Will I say "yummy" or "yeooh"?! 

Two in a row.

I was pleasantly surprised that I won the FCT Evaluation Contest. I thought Vicky and Albert would perform really very good. It was Saudi Sa'id Al-Hajri and Bahraini Hassanain Al-Saffar who went home with the second and third places respectively.

This is my second first placer at FCT for this year's (2006 actually) contest season. I wanted to give the Humorous Speech a try. I will also join the International Speech Contest.

As usual, my only motivation is to see if I can deliver a memorized speech. Memorizing has not been my virtue. The last time I tried it, the results are disastrous; I would do anything to rid it from my memory.

Anyway, the contests are good diversions to all my serious concerns... and I have so much of them!

DFA warns Filipinos with tourist-visas bound for Kuwait

I am reprinting this news from the Philippine Star with the highlighted text mine:

The Department of Foreign Affairs Thursday advised all Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) bound for Kuwait to possess the proper work permits and residence visas and not tourist visas in order to avoid problems with immigration authorities in that Middle East country.

The DFA issued this travel advisory upon the recommendation of Charge d’ Affaires, a.i. Ricardo M. Endaya of the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait, who urged “Kuwait-bound OFWs not to proceed to Kuwait if they are just holding tourist visas and hope to find work in this country.”

CDA Endaya warned that Kuwait-bound OFWs with tourist visas “are likely to be exploited by unscrupulous employers and eventually find themselves stranded with their wages unpaid.”

He also informed OFWs that “foreign workers who came to Kuwait with tourist visas that later expired were required to pay KD2 daily (equivalent to PhP370).”

This is the plight of many stranded OFWs in Kuwait, some of them are now staying at the Embassy’s Welfare Center, CDA Endaya added.

The DFA urged all OFWs to take note that the strictness of the Kuwaiti immigration in giving work permits and residence visas. Likewise, CDA Endaya advised OFWs that it is not easy to find good jobs in Kuwait unless he or she is holding Visa –18.

“Majority of Filipino workers in Kuwait have only Visa-20, which is for domestic workers and are not transferable unless agreed upon by the employers,” CDA Endaya said, adding that “a holder of Visa-20 cannot work in hotels, restaurants or offices.”

Echoing "My Senator"

Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., a fellow Caviteño was asked about his position on the proposed parliamentary form of government. This is what he said:

"That means we'll have a unicameral form of government and I prefer what we have now, having two houses, the Congress and the Senate. Kapag parliament na, the people will lose their chance of directly choosing the President. Mawawalan din ng checks and balances. Okay, mabilis nga in approving kung anong gusto nila aprubahan, but what happens kung mali naman 'yung gusto nilang paaprubahan, di ba? Ang makikinabang lang diyan, 'yung iilang taong magkokontrol ng gobyerno."

Wow! I never even thought "my senator" would actually take this position considering his extreme loyalty to the Arroyo leadership.

I never voted for him in all the elections he joined even during the first time he sought an elective position because I am not convinced he is prepared to tackle government work. Besides, his father was one of the biggest jokes at the Philippine Senate. However, in fairness to the younger Revilla (Bautista in real life), he seems to be doing fairly well in the Senate unlike another action star who also once served as provincial governor.

Now, I can confidently claim this Revilla as "my senator".

Winter in Bahrain, Finally!

After a number of false starts, I believe yesterday's cold weather means it is definitely winter in Bahrain. I woke up to an ice-cold shower today. And I started cursing unknown persons for the awful job they have done on our water heater. Unlike my heater in Riyadh, this one does not afford me to enjoy steam! This simply means, the water does not heat very well. Worse, the water is only hot for twenty minutes after that, you will see the dial gradually drop and the water start to freeze and hurt your skin. Worst, after they repaired our water heater, you can barely squeeze water from our sink!

I know it is definitely winter because I saw many garbed in their jackets and sweaters. Many have cold.

I know it is definitely winter because I finally saw the same characters fight for the air conditioner control - one would turn the switch off while another would switch it on.

I know it is definitely winter because I am getting headaches once again. I always have migraine during the change of seasons. Although, I must tell you my migraine is out of control in summertime. :(

I am really glad that it is winter because this is the time when I can once more enjoy leisure walks around Bahrain. ;)

Winter in Bahrain is like a weekend in New England. It reminds me of the one true love who has kept me on my toes throughout life. Thus, despite the biting cold, the lonely night and the cruel chill, I love winter in Bahrain...

...But thoughts of me, holdin' you, bringin' us near

And tell me
When will our eyes meet?
When can I touch you?
When will this strong yearnin' end?
And when will I hold you again?

Time in New England, took me away
Long rocky beaches and you by the bay
We started a story whose end must now wait

And tell me
When will our eyes meet?
When can I touch you?
When will this strong yearnin' end?
And when will I hold you again?

I feel the change comin', I feel the wind blow
I feel brave and daring!, I feel my blood flow, oh
With you I could bring out all the love that I have
With you there's a heaven, so earth ain't so bad

And tell me
When will our eyes meet?
When can I touch you?
When will this strong yearnin' end?
And when will I hold you again?

I love you, Jenn!

"My Short Essay about the Philippines"

"My Short Essay about the Philippines" was written in simple, imperfect English, and understandably so, for it was penned by a young Korean student named Jaeyon Kim. Professor Marlon Aves Diloy, a Filipino professor of Information Technology as well as English at the Yeungjin College in Daegu, Korea, shares with all Filipinos this essay, which sparked a renewed sense of nationalism and love for country for the thousands of Filipinos in South Korea. Diloy hopes that it will also touch your heart, the way it has deeply touched them.

FILIPINOS always complain about corruption in the Philippines. Do you really think the corruption is the problem of the Philippines? I do not think so. I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines.

Let me first talk about my country, Korea. It might help you to understand my point. After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Koreans had to start from scratch because the country was destroyed completely during the war, and we had no natural resources.

Koreans used to talk about the Philippines, for Filipinos were very rich in Asia. We envied Filipinos. Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine. My father's brother died because of famine. Korean government was awfully corrupt -- and is still very corrupt beyond your imagination -- but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans really did their best for the common good with their heart burning with patriotism. Koreans did not work just for themselves but also for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired young men with the spirit of patriotism.

Forty years ago, President Park took over the government to reform Korea. He tried to borrow money from other countries, but it was not possible to get a loan or attract a foreign investment because the economy of South Korea was so bad. Korea had only three factories. So, President Park sent many mine workers and nurses to Germany so they could send money to Korea to build a factory. They had to go through a horrible experience.

In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow money. Hundreds of Koreans in Germany came to the airport to welcome him and cried there as they saw the President Park. They asked him, "President, when can we be well off?" That was the only question everyone asked to him. President Park cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well off if everyone worked hard for Korea. The president of Germany got the strong impression on them and lent money to Korea. So, President Park was able to build many factories in Korea. He always asked Koreans to love their country from their heart.

Many Korean scientists and engineers in the US came back to Korea to help in developing the country because they wanted their country to be well off. Though they received very small salaries, they did their best for Korea. They always hoped that their children would live well off country.

My parents always brought me to the places where poor and physically handicapped people lived. They wanted me to understand their life and help them. I also worked for the Catholic Church when I was in the army. The only thing I learned from the Catholic Church was that we have to love our neighborhood. And I have loved my neighborhood.

Have you cried for the Philippines? I have cried for my country several times. I have also cried for the Philippines because of so many poor people.

I have been to the New Bilibid Prison. What made me sad in the prison were the prisoners who do not have any love for their country. They go to Mass and work for the church. They pray every day. However, they do not love the Philippines. I talked to two prisoners in the maximum-security compound, and both of them said that they would leave the Philippines right after they were released from the prison. They said they would start a new life in other countries and never come back to the Philippines.

Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so we can share our wealth with our neighborhood. The owners of factories and corporations distributed their profits to their employees fairly so that the employees could buy what they needed and saved money for the future and their children.

When I was in Korea, I had a very strong faith and wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the Philippines, I completely lost my faith. I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable situations in the Philippines. Street kids always make me sad, and I saw them every day in the Philippines.

The Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia, but there are too many people here. People go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has changed. My parents came to the Philippines last week and saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much poorer than the present Philippines when they were young. They are so sorry that there are so many beggars and street kids.

When we went to Pagsanjan, I forced my parents to take a boat because it would fun. However, they were not happy after taking the boat. They said they would take the boat again because they sympathized with the boatmen, who were very poor and had a small frame. Most of people just took a boat and enjoyed it. But my parents did not enjoy it because of love for the boatmen.

My mother who has been working for Catholic Church since I was very young told me that if we just went to Mass without changing ourselves, we are not Catholic in deed. Faith should come with action. She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good things for them because all of us are same and have received great love from God.

I want Filipinos to love their neighborhood and country as much as they love God so that the Philippines will be well off. I am sure that love is the keyword that Filipinos should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once; it should start from the person. Love must start in everybody on a small scale and have to grow. A lot of things happen if we open up to love.

Let's put away our prejudices and look at our worries with our new eyes. I discover that every person is worthy to be loved. Trust in love because it makes changes possible. Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts and relationships. It changes the world.

Please love your neighborhood and country. Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we do to Him. In the Philippines, there is God for people who are abused and abandoned. There is God who is crying for love.

If you have children, teach them to love the Philippines. Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and country. You know that God also will be very happy if you love others. That's all I really want to ask you Filipinos.

Pilipino

Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, one of the leaders of the so-called Oakwood Mutiny, has filed bail and is on his way to being released. Then, he did the unthinkable - he opted to run away.

Alone, it is impossible for him to wage war against our corrupt, illegitimate government. But on the internet, the battlefield is levelled. He launched an crude website as his opening salvo.

I sympathize with Capt. Faeldon. I have reservations about the Oakwood mutiny then, I am very certain about his advocacies now.

Capt Faeldon says in his website, "I leave to join the fight of ordinary men, out to accomplish something extraordinary. If in the process I die, I die in peace; I know that I die fighting for the Filipino people."