In the eye of the storm

Nobody knew how it felt to be in the middle of a ravaging tornado nor a super typhoon blazing in the tropics. Not even a slightest feeling of how it is to be in deepest hole in world or in the highest cloud in the atmosphere. Simply put, there are just some feelings that cannot be defined by words.

However, visualization has changed the course of feeling. Crumpled paper can now be established by the brain but not with the senses. 3D images has changed the paradigm of visual communication, at least for now. But being in the eye of the storm? Great, a daily feeling I've been in for over three months.

Being in the center of attention, the barbecue of their grill and the chicken to their frying pan, God knows how it felt. As the outer wind turns and turns, I spin myself around too to go with the flow. Little did I know it was a hard time going out.

But yes, I wanted to be in there for some time. All the perks, the glam and the glitter. The eye made me happy for an achievement without hard work. I thought I could control the storm, but it was overtaking me. I fought my way yet it has been so good at putting me down. The storm has been deceiving the whole community with an aim of ravaging it to their own favor.

Sooner or later, the truth will come out and all winds would calm down. As of now, I'm climbing up the tall walls of the storm seeking to destroy the eye and run for my own life.

** The writer is talking about a real life situation.

Been around the world

I guess it's every woman's dream to go and travel the world. Maybe not just for women only. Our Asian History class even wanted to travel around Asia just to get a feel of what we will be talking about for the whole semester. Sadly, it seems just so impossible with this age (^^) and time. 

However, we have resorted to an option of going around the Philippines, or if not, then we'll settle for the least - taking a tour around Cebu City and it's different temples. I've been told there's a Tibetan temple uptown and I've been taking frequent visits to a Buddhist temple back when I was still a part of an orchestra. I don't find it bad at all. In fact, it'll be a great idea. Less hassle plus less expenditure. Yet, there is also one way of taking a "feel" being around Asia or for my case, the world. It's no other than the number one resort for the happy, depressed and mad - FOOD.

Yes, food! The actual things you eat and shove into your mouth can let you experience a flavor of a foreign land. Last Saturday, I was one of the privileged few who understood what it meant when the world flattened. With this, food became easier for everyone to share. Our common food isn't really ours.

UNITED STATES - Casa Verde's BIG BIG BIG burger and fries.

ITALY - Alberto's Pizza

PHILIPPINES - Budbud Kabog and Sikwate

MEXICO - Nachos and Salsa

CHINA - Pancit Canton

\

SINGAPORE - Nasi Goren

I've even been to Iran but I wasn't able to take a picture of the Dal Curry and Pita bread from Persian Palate. Point is, with the flattening of the world we have been exposed to another country's cuisine without even us noticing. Still thinking of traveling? I'll let my stomach do the journey. I'm game for restaurant hopping in my own homeland.

Justice for Leftys

I've been a Left-handed or a "lefty" since I was born, I'm so sure of that. I recall my family members positioning a big crayon on my right hand and I'd secretly transfer it to the left. Over and again, we'd repeat the same process until they finally gave up and knew my fate was to be a lefty.

It was hard growing up being branded as a lefty. In elementary school, it was weird me just using my left hand to write and raise my hand. I received scornful looks from my classmates. When I moved up to the intermediate level, I had a hard time writing on an armchair until I reached high school. My friends complained at how our elbows bumped during meal times, and even was not accepted at the most unimaginable places to the point of being labelled as abnormal. I just shrug if all off convincing myself I was normal.

Writing with my left hand

Well, I was, at the very least. Born by a mother, having two hands and feet, and a brain that could count in 5 languages! According to an article entitled left handedness, some cultures find using the left hand as improper. Yet, it IS normal. Sciencedaily.com said that, "Left handedness is not a disease nor an illness." So?

Studies show that hand orientation is developed during the early stage of being a fetus. It is also possible that a gene handed down the line may cause such. Oops, it looks like there is nothing to blame but your own bloodline. No, not the environment, not the influence but your own body birthed by your parents. Actually, a lot people made names being left handed and there weren't abnormal either. Say, like, USA President Barack Obama and the man before him George W. Bush, even Bill Clinton. Don't get me wrong, even Manny Pacquiao does power punches with his left knuckle.

We aren't meant to be treated as the other way just like LGBT's don't. They are just hands for crying out loud and mind that sees things in reverse. It wasn't our fault, forgive us. I wouldn't trade my hands for a normal one and give up my ambidexterity and all the other perks of being a lefty. I'm creative enough to let loose. Who's with me? Raise your left hands up, Leftys!

Badjao Conversion

Girls are self-conscious, or so they say. I guess we've caught them (or us) staring at them mirror for a million times wondering what and which fits us the most. Who can tell better on what looks good on you? For some its the hair that's been the object of attack.

Some opt for hair straightening treatments such as relax, rebond, reborn and what "re"s the salon could think of.  Others may want a new hair cut, believing in faith that old hair throws off the bitter past that was left behind. But for this season, many of us stepped forward to saying goodbye to brown black dark asian hair. New hair color, come to mama.

Badjao family in the water

When a fellow of mine walked the hallway of the school with her new hair color, someone asked her, "Nag pa convert lagi kag Badjao? (You converted yourself to being a Badjao?)". 

You see, this ethnic group known for its excellent diving skills are also known for its signature orange to yellow colored hair. Their longer exposure to the sun makes their hair lose the melanin ending up their hair colour in such.

Badjaos are originally from Mindanao and according to studies, they have reached big cities such as Cebu to try their luck so they would breathe out of poverty. Yet, nothing happens. They still roam the streets carrying an infant to provoke pity amongst street people or sit by the pier and amuse tourists on how they can swim into deep stretches of waters. Even their babies can dive into the dangerous waters of the ocean. They leave their own ethnic culture and living just to gamble their lives with nothing in return.

New hair color, no need for stereotyping

I really don't know what is there in return with an almost orange head, aside from the Ammonia overload that's been on mine for days. As a woman, there is nothing with changing hair color. It may be a metaphoric message being conveyed for some but hair will still be hair, no need for stereotyping.

That's entertainment

THE MAASINHON TRIO has been trending over all local networking sites since Sunday night during the Pilipinas Got Talent finals night. A lot of people have been ranting over twitter and facebook such as "It's Pilipinas Got Singing Talent" and "Season 1 - One voice, Season 2 - Two voices, Season 3 -Three Voices. To win the fourth season, form a quartet." The pattern has been observed. It may be cooked or in vernacular luto kind of judging, or maybe... It's just reality.

The Maasinhon Trio

Reality TV shows started around the early part of the millenium when the hit reality TV series of placing a number of people on an island, Survivor, broke out. Since then, there have been a lot of choices ranging from reality cooking, to singing, to dancing, to modeling and even reality living. However, the big question still rings out. Is there such thing as reality in television? Maybe no, maybe yes. What we see is really real but producers and editors choose what to show. The like resemble patterns such as the element of drama, fighting, jealousy, etc. Emotions which are relevant to humans.

Talent is even an issue. A million people audition for one title yet there are still some who manage to make fun in front of the camera. Personal choice or production team's choice? A chuckle can buy, a hysterical laughter sells. Bingo, dollars on their pockets for high ratings. The truth with television. A big box full of business.

Not that I'm against the industry as I am planning to go into such field but there might be really something wrong with entertainment these days. Where are variety shows which showcased pure talent, and late night talk shows that sprung out fun? That's Entertainment, sure I remember.

Photo borrowed from entervrexworld.wordpress.com

A Smile, Laugh, Anyone?

Initiative and resourcefulness - most of the simple traits in life gone unnoticed. We guess this generation is so engrossed with the what-not's of technology that we rely too much on tekkie's ability. I for one, have taken on tekkie's toll by abusing it day and night, night and day. From school papers to career work to leisure and communication. You name it, the computer does it and so does my awesome windows phone. Go figure.

However, there are simple things in life that has taken for granted; needs appreciation. Take this, a dalmatian spotted car found running through the North Highway. Neat. Fascinating.

How about the initiative to use adhesive tape such as to make a single music stand for two instruments. Isn't that just wonderful?

Never would I thought that I'd end up smiling at the simple things that makes us smile, or laugh in hysteria. Say "aye" when your just as guilty as I am. Take a break dear, say "aye" still. I'm sure we've just had enough of bloody news, care to have fun for awhile, mate?


Photos by Annie Fe G. Perez

Saving Today's Children

During the first half of this year, Cebu has been daunted with a lot of cases on child cyber sex pornography – the act of forcing children to be photographed naked or asked to take off their clothes in front of the camera where the material will be circulated online.

CLB Staff campaigning on Child Abuse

                The Children’s Legal Bureau (CLB), a non-stock, non-government organization has been always in action towards giving legal assistance to children eighteen years old and below who are victims of such cases and many others that defy children’s rights. For the past years that CLB has been active in its advocacy of putting a stop to cyber sex pornography, they have encountered a lot of challenges on the way.

Laban Bata Paralegal Training

                CLB has two programs laid out for the different cases against children’s rights which include anti cyber sex pornography in it. The Children’s Rights Protection Unit (CRPU) and Laban Bata have been working hand in hand in empowering and providing legal assistance. However, the good intention of CLB to help young children out of their misery is sometimes returned with a result which they never anticipated.
                According to Lawyer Joan Saniel, executive director of the organization, there are cases of cyber child pornography where the parents are the one who force their children to go with foreigners so they will be potential sources of the pornography business. “They (children) don’t do anything about it because they are scared of their own parents, or they think it is just a way of life,” she added.

                Lawyer Noemi Abarientos narrated, “As soon as they (children) are rescued from this (cyber sex pornography), they escape out of the children’s room or the pink room just to go back to their lifestyle.”  “Some even do not want to be rescued by our organization. Parents are very hard on this because they claim to have custody on their children yet they don’t realize they are wrong,” added Saniel.

                When this happens, the organization cannot anymore coerce citizens to stop such acts. “Wala na gyud mi mabuhat ana (We cannot do anything about it). Besides, dili namo sila ma blame kay (we cannot blame them because) these foreigners provide for them not only with a huge amount of money but with groceries and expensive clothes,” explained Abarientos.

                The organization though has tried suing the parents of the children.  But to no avail they still do the same with an explanation that this can only do no good and cannot provide for their day to day needs. Even training and seminars cannot get through their heads; information dissemination can only do so much.

                “The ultimate solution is to resolve the issue of poverty,” says Abarientos. “If jobs are available for these parents to earn decent wages, it will help alleviate the problem of sex tourism and cyber sex pornography,” she added. True enough the parents where areas of sex tourism and cyber sex pornography are prevalent do not have decent jobs nor have jobs at all. These areas include Cordova, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay.

CLB Workers

                Despite these challenges, CLB is glad to help victims and families. “We still conduct trainings and seminars,” says Yowee Gonzales, CLB’s Sustainability coordinator. CLB gives discussion whenever they are invited to speak by the government or private entities. So far there are have been good results with the Anti Sex Tourism project of this organization. “Even if all cases have not yet been given a decision by the court, we are on the winning side are such foreigners have no fight against us,” says Saniel who represents the children in court.

                There are also some parents who are reformed after much discussion with the organization and social workers. “They realize their shortcomings and would like to change despite the poverty they are facing,” Abarientos gladly reports.

                The challenge to put this issue to a stop relies on so many factors. CLB and the government working hand in hand plus the citizen’s initiative can save these children giving them a brighter future.

**Published in the Sun.Star Cebu paper on October 17, 2011