Birthday wishes and more

I was once asked about the origin of the song “Happy Birthday to You” and who was the “you” being referred to by the composer.

I responded with a shrug, and said it was intended for everybody.

The friend shook his head and said I was wrong. He said it was for Jan-jan. With a puzzled look on my face the friend explained by making beats with his hands while singing, “janjaranjanjan…. Happy Birthday to You!”

Wow, lucky Jan-jan, whoever he is. He got to be sung to even in our jokes.

A birthday is the most exciting day for a person every year. Aside from the parties and gifts (which eventually die down as you age by the way), is a marker of yet another year in the world. It reminds us of our privilege to still be part of the present era, where digitalization is the trend and that somehow we are still here to fulfill a mission.

I find birthdays very exciting too. My fetish for my natal day led me to counting down the days before it actually happens. I mentally plan how it will go, what will I receive and who will I spend the day with. Of course, not all plans always push through. But for the heck of it, I visualize well to feed my pleasure.

I spent nine years celebrating my birthday in McDonalds. Yes, nine years dancing with Ronald McDonald. It spawned my attachment to the fast food chain, even if I am now an adult.

With every lit candle blown, I make a wish for my whole year. This year there were no candles to blow, no cake to slice. There was milk tea to feast on and some nachos to bring the house down. Despite the absence of the symbolic flame, deep inside I made a wish hoping that the next year would be kind enough to fulfill my wish. Well make that wishes, I could accommodate more.

If you ask what they are, I couldn’t really tell you. The jinx master might just be around the corner. What I can share though, is a vision of what the next year for me will be.

It was said during The Freeman’s forum last week that the Senate is working on the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill. There are high chances that it will be passed into a law next year before the elections.

When this is passed, I see a very democratic and systematic way of getting the information we need, not only for journalists, but for all Filipinos who needs certain information from the government.

Maybe in the next year too, the children of the next generation would be very cautious when it comes to using gadgets and the social media. I can foresee that the campaign on responsible social media networking would bear its fruit.

In a US study, there are over five million children on Facebook. Why so? This is because the site is an avenue for them to talk to their friends and family members. As for a college student like me, we use social media sites for academic purposes and entertainment, as well. Social media is also becoming a venue for corporate communication.

Also, I hope that in the following months, we would be getting a fresh slate of elected officials. 2013 is such a crucial year for the Filipinos as we choose who will lead us for the halfway mark of Aquino’s presidency.

But we cannot really tell what is in store for us in the coming year. Maybe Jan-jan does.

**Published in the Freeman newspaper on September 25, 2012

Nursing Cebu's pride

CEBU, Philippines - The released results of this year's Nursing Licensure Examination (NLE) made Cebu gleam with pride as Cebu Normal University (CNU) made it as a top performing school with a hundred percent passing rate and 12 topnotchers.

What makes it more incredible is the presence of a 2nd placer!

Erika Pino is just like any other CNU nursing student. She graduated from Mactan National High School in 2008 with the hope of becoming a registered nurse someday.

In college, she was one of the many who struggled to get a passing mark in any given exam.

"I also whined about school, duties and responsibilities," she said noting, that she is just like the rest. However, she learned how to do her best especially when in a difficult situation because nursing at CNU is a tough life.

When she graduated, she knew she was equipped to be the nurse CNU trained her to be, but this didn't make her any confident to take the board exam.

"I studied harder than before; I prayed the hardest in my life," Pino narrated her preparations for the exam. She reviewed at Powerhouse Training and Review Center.

It was her family, friends and mentors who kept her going despite the difficulty in review classes. Her parents most especially were the people who drove her to success and she can't thank them enough.

"They inspire me to be the best I can possibly be," Pino added

Her achievement, however, was not something she expected.

"I could not understand how I feel although at the top of my mind, I feel happy. Happy not only for myself but for those who believed in me," she said.

Passing and topping the board are only a few of the things she wanted to do in life. Now that she has done it, she wants to try other things, too.

"I'm in a crossroad right now, but with God's grace I know I will find my way," she explained with hope.

Pino also wants the next set of nursing students to believe in God as she did herself. "We (Philippines) are facing challenges such as the big number of Registered Nurses. However, trust in God and your dreams will come true.

Erika Pino is just one of the many nursing topnotchers who have given pride to Cebu.

With the growing number of registered nurses but few hospitals, it is their challenge to give whatever they can contribute to the betterment of the country.

**Published in the Freeman newspaper on September 15, 2012

Easier to say 'Whatever'

CEBU, Philippines - There is a difference between ug and og in the conversational Cebuano. There is even a proper way to spell the equivalent of star. Is it bituon or bitoon?

It took me a while to figure out what these meant in the Cebuano language. What's worse is the absence of people who could teach me the proper way to say things. I get confused with how Cebuano words are spelled and spoken. No wonder it is more comfortable to speak the lingua franca.

The spoken Cebuano language is rarely praised for its beauty. I walk downtown and see products labeled with Chinese characters. The road signs are in English. The songs blasting from the videoke players are inTagalog. Where has the identity of the Cebuanos gone?

Long ago, we were well-versed in poetry and literature. I am studying Cebuano literature in college and I am amazed by the creativity of our forefathers. Entertainment long ago was not composed of a big screen and popcorn. Their entertainment revolved solely around their ability to create verses about their simple life.

There were poems intended for the gods (harito), riddles (tigmo), and a poem for a lonely sailor out at sea (saloma). What kept them awake during funerals were verse contests, not mahjong or tong-its.

All my life, I have been speaking a language which we do not really own. The wonders of Cebuano were kept from me even in childhood. I grew up to be an English-speaking child. At home or in school, I was required to speak in English. If not, I was subject to punishment.

I felt like I was robbed of my true identity. I was born and raised in Cebu, without even knowing what makes a Cebuana. Or worse, how tospeak in Cebuano. It was only in college when I was introduced to Cebuano, and the proper way of speaking and writing it. For 16 years prior to college, I found myself submitting to western culture. I grew up shunning anything native.

I am not alone in this plight. Majority of the youth these days do not know the mere difference between ug and og. Why would it matter? It is so easy to say "and" or "a" in English. More so, it is easier to say "whatever" than find the right words.

But the language is part of our culture. No matter how hard we try to eradicate our words from our own vocabularies, Cebuano blood runs through us. There is a gap that needs to be filled otherwise it will be totally lost.

The Cebuano language is in decline. We are trying so hard to speak Englishwhen we do have our own language. No, Cebuano is not bakya or baduy. It is an indicator that you know who you really are, and not trying to be someone else.

We have too much of a colonial mentality when we can move forward with our own. Our only hope lies in continuing to search for the pieces that would fill the gap missing in Cebuano culture in this generation.

By the way, we say ug for "and" and og for "a" or "an". 

**Published in the Freeman newspaper on September 18, 2012

To Martial Law

The story has been told and tried to be forgotten by the Filipino people. This story has pained the nation and taught us to rise again. Yet, no matter how hard we try to bury the memories of the past we cannot forget that sometime during the month of September in 1972, we were robbed of freedom.

This isn’t sarcasm but thanks a lot, Martial Law.

I was not born yet when it happened. I only heard the endless stories of raids, closures, confiscations, incarcerations and tortures. They were all very unjust, some were even unreasonable. It was as if we were their robots and a single failure meant termination of the machine. But we weren’t, we were humans after all.

I could only imagine the rights that were trampled on and the words that were silenced. There was nothing to say, unless you spoke of them, their family and their prominence. If you did that during that time, you were saved from every possible punishment.

For a long period, the press submitted to the authoritarian rule of the dictator who only wanted to look good to the public and to the world.

But the press weren’t as shallow as that. We knew who we are and what we deserve. It was freedom, press freedom. I cannot fathom the stories between the Martial Law regime and the press that were written and told for many years.

However, the more I heard, the more I realized how it taught us to be great.

Press Freedom was robbed, yes. But this didn’t stop the press from giving information that the Filipino nation needed. Inquisitive and intuitive as we are, we found ways like we always do.

It was then that the alternative press rose. Xerox Journalism and Tape journalism surfaced.

My teacher once narrated her experience in smuggling Xerox copies of statements from Cebu to Cagayan, praying that with each checkpoint by the military she won’t be arrested. She said she was willing to give up her fear just to get the message across.

The media knew what agenda to set back then. That’s how media works according to great communication theorists such as McCombs and Shaw.

That is why it is out of the question why the Filipinos responded in a very patriotic manner when the news broke out.

The instruction was to go to EDSA. They prayed, they waited and they won. With the people’s hands gripped tightly together with sweat dripping from their foreheads, the dictatorship tumbled down. The people rose, hence the term “people power.”

They mayhem didn’t only happen in Manila, it was in Cebu, too. There are countless stories of the hardships the Cebuanos and the Cebu media went through. We are just as privileged as them to have our press freedom back. Media’s connection to democracy is a thick solid line that nobody can steal again.

As a young writer enjoying this space and sharing my stories to you, there is much I owe to those who fought for freedom.

And so, as this week has been filled with forums and programs that the media industry is busy about, we remember the time of the year where we celebrate the victory and the sweet fight. We commemorate the story of how we were robbed of a gem and how we acquired it again. Today we see the democracy that we now enjoy after years of struggle. To answer why we celebrate press freedom week, the whole story is the answer.

So thank you once again, Martial law. For the lessons learned and the stories to share.

More than cats and dogs

The sun was scorching hot, typically for a tropical country like the Philippines. It was a school day, and I was in casual clothes. I pulled out my umbrella to protect myself from the heat and crossed the street to attend class in the other building. On the way back after the class, rain poured. It poured so hard, that, saying “it’s raining cats and dogs” is already and understatement. The rain was more than cats and dogs!

This has been the weather in Cebu for the past week or so. In one moment the sun heats up like a mad oven. After a few hours, the rain pours madly. In some instances, it drizzles while the sun is up.

It is a crazy weather, indeed.

“Uwan, init, pista sa langit,” is what people say to describe unexplainable weather. But if it is true that there is indeed a celebration in the heavens during such situations, we on earth are surely coping with the result of such celebrations.

When it rains, the roads of Cebu get flooded due to the lack of or absence of a good drainage system. Students, workers and commuters alike are stranded for many hours on the street. 

You’re lucky if you have a private vehicle. But then again, you are not exempted from the monstrous traffic. This was the scenario last week. Heavy rains flooded streets in the metro. The University of San Carlos – Talamban Campus driveway and the SM City Cebu are among the areas that were flooded. There were no alternative routes to take. With every turn, vehicles are forced to fall in a long line moving approximately an inch every five minutes.

Meanwhile, when the sun is too hot, we complain about the heat. The allowances of students like me are spent on cool drinks. Some even get heatstroke or sunburn.

Whether it is the rain pouring, the sun shining or both, the situations are already getting on everyone’s nerves. And we only have ourselves to blame for what is happening. We are now experiencing the effects of global warming. Mother Earth is waging weather warfare with us.

One reason is our garbage. Just look around you and you will know what I mean. And I’m pretty sure that garbage is also a problem in other areas in the Philippines. There is just not enough space for our garbage. Yes, there are already recycling efforts but these are not enough. There is nobody to blame for all these garbage, which are mostly plastics, but ourselves.

**Published in The Freeman newspaper on September 11, 2012

The different color of love

CEBU, Philippines - Red symbolizes many things. The most common interpretation is love and passions that come with it – anger, war and rage. However, the stage play Berde gave love a different color. According to its tagline, “Hindi lang pula ang kulay ng pag-ibig” (Red is not the only color of love).

Cast of Berde

Berde is Filipino for green, a combination of yellow and blue and the compliment of red. It is a subtle yet striking color. For the first few minutes of the show, the connection between the title of the play and its message seemed to be a blur. However, the colors red, blue and yellow were at par in the different scenes of the play. It was only towards the end when green light flooded the stage. Hence, the title Berde.

Staged last August 4 at the CAP theater, the play changed viewer’s perception of relationships as it featured a story of a boy who was struggling with his sexual identity. He also wanted the acceptance of his father, mother and society.

It is said that relationships have changed these days. Edwin, the main character played by Jan Alife Bartolome, believed in this ideology so much. It was his belief that men can fall in love with men and women can do the same with fellow women. For him, love’s boundaries are not limited to that of a man and woman.

However, his father, Arman, played by Christopher Lingao, disagreed with this silliness. As an army captain, he wanted to take care of his reputation of being a man. A gay son would only destroy it. For him, a normal relationship was between a man and a woman, not between people of the same sex. That is why he disowned his son Edwin. Arman thought his son had a disease or a psychological disorder.

On the other hand, Edwin’s mother, Charo, accepted what her son was. Played by Andrea Pateña, Charo was submissive to her husband but permissive with her son. Her secret agenda only led her to lose the trust of the two people whom she held dear.

The love story of Edwin and his partner, Butch, as portrayed by Clint John Solante mirrored how society could not accept another minority. As events in the story did not turn out right, it proved that love conquers all, even if it is not of the color red.

It is true that the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community has been calling on their rights to be heard, to have a relationship with one another out in the open and to be accepted by society. The sad reality of gender obscurity and stereotyping has driven the members of this community into continued hiding.

Berde has indeed served its purpose of sharing the message of ending gender discrimination to the people through theater and Focus productions continues to strive for more plays that address the concerns of the unheard.

**Published in the Freeman newspaper on September 5, 2012

Paperless, CJ said

A few weeks ago, the President of the Philippines swore into public duty the new Chief Justice. One who said to expect a more tech-savvy supreme court.

She is Maria Lourdes Aranal Sereno and her appointment is no shocker.

She graduated as valedictorian at the University of the Philippines (UP) School of Law in 1984. She then proceeded for a master’s degree at UP School of Economics with Master of Arts in Economics. Not only that, she completed another master’s degree at the University of Michigan with Master of Laws.

Sereno is the first lady Chief Justice and the youngest ever appointed. She is also brave enough to have her SALN disclosed, a move made to regain the trust of the people in the judiciary.

The environment is also her concern as she wants a paperless court. “We have to do our share in minimizing the amount of trees cut down due to more paper demand,” she said.

Noting that the Philippines is flood prone and frequently visited by typhoons, less paper would mean more trees to act on rain water. It is also to save the documents of the Supreme Court when it will be (knock on wood) flooded, sooner or later.

This move would mean a digitalized system for all the documents of the judiciary.

All necessary documents vital to the operation of the judiciary would be accessed via a computing device. No more issues on paper. This cuts off the heap of book-like cases sitting on their desks day after day waiting to be decided on.

Although she is right with her environmental concern, this type of system may also flop.

If we think of it, there is no system yet. We are lucky enough to have our Department of Science and Technology scholars study the sciences and help the country. Many of the students are on information technology programs. Yet, how sure can we be that their careers would be in line with their course if they are not even guaranteed a job after graduation? Who makes the system, another import perhaps?

Nowadays, people who want to get what they want, get it no matter what. When the system changes, it becomes more vulnerable to unrestricted access and even to viruses which may corrupt the whole system. The files may bid a goodbye.

A public office takes care of the welfare of the people. Some of its information may be classified as confidential. A leak or two may destroy what they have been trying to regain – the trust of the people. Well, there may be exceptional cases when pegged with a very good security feature.

Lastly, it is not healthy. Looking the computer screen all day trying to decide on whether or not to accuse or acquit a person is a tough job. This does not only concern the eyes but the muscles as well. Studies show that people who sit in front of the computer for how many hours tend to be prone to illnesses and muscle pain. We wouldn’t want our justices and the new chief justice in pain.

For some there is hope for this type of change. According to Agusan del Sur Vice Governor Santiago Cane Jr., “paperless courts is very doable” who implemented this scheme in his local unit.

But whatever the verdict, the work to be done is huge.

It is now Sereno’s call to push through with her ideas and hopes for a new Supreme Court. If this move deems to be successful disregarding the factors stated above, then it is job well done. But then again, what happens to those in the bottom of the hierarchy in the judiciary?

Send your blessings down, please.