True peace lies within...Some people are content to live in mansions. Some people are content to just live.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
And I Sing to Myself...
True peace lies within...Some people are content to live in mansions. Some people are content to just live.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Why the Philippines is Standing Still
A must-read... ..> >
Somebody E-mailed this to me and I would like to share it.
************ ********* ********* ********* *********>
F. Sionil Jose: Why the Philippines is Standing Still
> INQUIRER.net> First Posted 11:27am (Mla time) 07/15/2008> >
Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco asked the National Artist for> Literature Francisco Sionil Jose to share some of his observations of> the current scene. This is the paper Mr. Jose read on that occasion: What did South Korea look like after the Korean War in 1953? Battered, poor, but look at Korea now. In the Fifties, the traffic in Taipei was composed of bicycles and Army trucks, the streets flanked by tile-roofed low buildings. Jakarta was a giant village and Kuala Lumpur a small> village surrounded by jungle and rubber plantations.Bangkok was crisscrossed with canals, the tallest structure was the Wat Arun, the Temple of the Sun, and it dominated the city's skyline. Rice fields all the way from Don Muang Airport - then a huddle of galvanized iron-roofed bodegas, to the Victory monument. Visit these cities today and weep - for they are more beautiful, cleaner and prosperous than Manila. In the Fifties and Sixties we were> the most envied country in Southeast Asia. Remember further that when Indonesia got its independence in 1949, it had only 114 university graduates compared to the hundreds of Ph.D.'s which were already in our universities. Why then were we left behind? The economic explanation is simple. We did not produce cheaper and better products. The basic question really is: why we did not modernize fast enough and thereby doomed our people to poverty. This is the harsh truth about us today. Just consider these: some 15 years ago a survey showed that half of all> grade school pupils dropped out after grade 5 because they had no money> to continue schooling. Thousands of young adults today are therefore> unable to find jobs. Our natural resources have been ravaged and they> are not renewable. Our tremendous population increase eats up all of our economic gains. There is hunger in this country now; our poorest eat> only once a day.> > But this physical poverty is really not as serious as the greater> > poverty that afflicts us and this is the poverty of the spirit. Why then> are we poor? More than ten years ago, James Fallows, editor of the Atlantic Monthly came to the Philippines and wrote about our damaged> culture which, he asserted, impeded our development.
> Many disagreed with him but I do find a great deal of truth in his> analysis. This is not to say that I blame our social and moral malaise> on colonialism alone. But we did> inherit from Spain a social system and an elite that, on purpose,> exploited the masses. Then, too, in the Iberian peninsula, to work with one's hands is frowned upon and we inherited that vice as well.> Colonialism by foreigners may no longer be what it was, but we are now> a colony of our own elite. We are poor because we are poor - this is not a tautology. The culture of poverty is self-perpetuating. We are poor because our people are lazy. I pass by a slum area every morning - dozens of adults do nothing but idle, gossip and drink. We do not save..> Look at the Japanese and how they save in spite of the fact that the> interest given them by their banks is so little. They work very hard too.> > We are great show-offs. Look at our women, how overdressed, over-coiffed they are, and Imelda epitomizes that extravagance. Look at> our men, their manicured nails, their personal jewelry, their diamond> rings. Yabang - that is what we are, and all that money expended on> status symbols, on yabang.
How much better if it were channeled into production! We are poor> because our nationalism is inward looking. Under its guise we protect> inefficient industries and monopolies.> > We did not pursue agrarian reform like Japan and Taiwan. It is not so> much the development of the rural sector, making it productive and a> good market as well. Agrarian reform releases the energies of the> landlords who, before the reform, merely waited for the harvest. They> become entrepreneurs, the harbingers of change. Our nationalist icons> like Claro M. Recto and Lorenzo Tañada opposed agrarian reform, the> single most important factor that would have altered the rural areas and> lifted the peasant from poverty. Both of them were merely> anti-American.> > And finally, we are poor because we have lost our ethical moorings. We> condone cronyism and corruption and we don't ostracize or punish the> crooks in our midst. Both cronyism and corruption are wasteful but we> allow their practice because our loyalty is to family or friend, not to> the larger good.> > We can tackle our poverty in two very distinct ways. The first choice:> a nationalist revolution, a continuation of the revolution in 1896. But> even before we can use violence to change inequities in our society, we> must first have a profound change in our way of thinking, in our> culture. My regret about EDSA is that change would have been possible> then with a minimum of bloodshed. In fact, a revolution may not be> bloody at all if something like EDSA would present itself again, or a> dictator unlike Marcos.> > The second is through education, perhaps a longer and more complex> process. The only problem is that it may take so long and by the time> conditions have changed, we may be back where we were, caught up with> this tremendous population explosion which the Catholic Church> exacerbates in its conformity with doctrinal purity.> > We are faced with a growing compulsion to violence, but even if the> communist won, they will rule as badly because they will be hostage to> the same obstructions in our culture, the barkada and the vaulting egos> that sundered the revolution in 1896, the Huk revolt in 1949-53.> > To repeat, neither education nor revolution can succeed if we do not> internalize new attitudes, new ways of thinking. Let us go back to> basics and remember those American slogans: A Ford in every garage. A chicken in every pot. Money is like fertilizer: to do any good it must be spread around.
Some Filipinos, taunted wherever they are, are ashamed to admit they are Filipinos. I have, myself, been embarrassed explain for instance why> Imelda, her children and the Marcos cronies are back, and in positions of power? Are there redeeming features in our country that we can be> proud of? Of course, lots of them.> > When people say for instance that our corruption will never be banished, just remember that Arsenio Lacson as mayor of Manila and Ramon> Magsaysay as President brought a clean government. We do not have the> classical arts that brought Hinduism and Buddhism to continental and archipelago Southeast Asia, but our artists have now ranged the world, showing what we have done with Western art forms, enriched without own ethnic traditions. Our professionals, not just our domestics, are all> over, showing how an accomplished people we are!> > Look at our history. We were the first in Asia to rise against Western colonialism, the first to establish a republic. Recall the Battle of Tirad Pass and glory in the heroism of Gregorio Del Pilar and the 48> Filipinos who died but stopped the Texas Rangers from capturing the President of that First Republic. Its equivalent in ancient history is> the Battle of Thermopylae where the Spartans and their king Leonidas died to a man, defending the pass against the invading Persians.
> > Rizal - what nation on earth has produced a man like him? At 35, he was a novelist, a poet, an anthropologist, a sculptor, a medical doctor, a teacher and martyr.
> > We are now 80 million and in another two decades we will pass the 100 million mark. Eighty million - that is a mass market in any language, a mass market that should absorb our increased production in goods and> services - a mass market which any entrepreneur can hope exploit, like> the proverbial oil for the lamps of China. Japan was only 70 million> when it had confidence enough and the wherewithal to challenge the United States and almost won. It is the same confidence that enabled Japan to flourish from the rubble of defeat in World War II.
> > I am not looking for a foreign power for us to challenge. But we have a> real and insidious enemy that we must vanquish, and this enemy is worse> than the intransigence of any foreign power. We are our own enemy. And> we must have the courage, the will, to change ourselves. > May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from the> other. Genesis
Somebody E-mailed this to me and I would like to share it.
************ ********* ********* ********* *********>
F. Sionil Jose: Why the Philippines is Standing Still
> INQUIRER.net> First Posted 11:27am (Mla time) 07/15/2008> >
Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco asked the National Artist for> Literature Francisco Sionil Jose to share some of his observations of> the current scene. This is the paper Mr. Jose read on that occasion: What did South Korea look like after the Korean War in 1953? Battered, poor, but look at Korea now. In the Fifties, the traffic in Taipei was composed of bicycles and Army trucks, the streets flanked by tile-roofed low buildings. Jakarta was a giant village and Kuala Lumpur a small> village surrounded by jungle and rubber plantations.
> Many disagreed with him but I do find a great deal of truth in his> analysis. This is not to say that I blame our social and moral malaise> on colonialism alone. But we did> inherit from Spain a social system and an elite that, on purpose,> exploited the masses. Then, too, in the Iberian peninsula, to work with one's hands is frowned upon and we inherited that vice as well.> Colonialism by foreigners may no longer be what it was, but we are now> a colony of our own elite. We are poor because we are poor - this is not a tautology. The culture of poverty is self-perpetuating. We are poor because our people are lazy. I pass by a slum area every morning - dozens of adults do nothing but idle, gossip and drink. We do not save..> Look at the Japanese and how they save in spite of the fact that the> interest given them by their banks is so little. They work very hard too.> > We are great show-offs. Look at our women, how overdressed, over-coiffed they are, and Imelda epitomizes that extravagance. Look at> our men, their manicured nails, their personal jewelry, their diamond> rings. Yabang - that is what we are, and all that money expended on> status symbols, on yabang.
How much better if it were channeled into production! We are poor> because our nationalism is inward looking. Under its guise we protect> inefficient industries and monopolies.> > We did not pursue agrarian reform like Japan and Taiwan. It is not so> much the development of the rural sector, making it productive and a> good market as well. Agrarian reform releases the energies of the> landlords who, before the reform, merely waited for the harvest. They> become entrepreneurs, the harbingers of change. Our nationalist icons> like Claro M. Recto and Lorenzo Tañada opposed agrarian reform, the> single most important factor that would have altered the rural areas and> lifted the peasant from poverty. Both of them were merely> anti-American.> > And finally, we are poor because we have lost our ethical moorings. We> condone cronyism and corruption and we don't ostracize or punish the> crooks in our midst. Both cronyism and corruption are wasteful but we> allow their practice because our loyalty is to family or friend, not to> the larger good.> > We can tackle our poverty in two very distinct ways. The first choice:> a nationalist revolution, a continuation of the revolution in 1896. But> even before we can use violence to change inequities in our society, we> must first have a profound change in our way of thinking, in our> culture. My regret about EDSA is that change would have been possible> then with a minimum of bloodshed. In fact, a revolution may not be> bloody at all if something like EDSA would present itself again, or a> dictator unlike Marcos.> > The second is through education, perhaps a longer and more complex> process. The only problem is that it may take so long and by the time> conditions have changed, we may be back where we were, caught up with> this tremendous population explosion which the Catholic Church> exacerbates in its conformity with doctrinal purity.> > We are faced with a growing compulsion to violence, but even if the> communist won, they will rule as badly because they will be hostage to> the same obstructions in our culture, the barkada and the vaulting egos> that sundered the revolution in 1896, the Huk revolt in 1949-53.> > To repeat, neither education nor revolution can succeed if we do not> internalize new attitudes, new ways of thinking. Let us go back to> basics and remember those American slogans: A Ford in every garage. A chicken in every pot. Money is like fertilizer: to do any good it must be spread around.
Some Filipinos, taunted wherever they are, are ashamed to admit they are Filipinos. I have, myself, been embarrassed explain for instance why> Imelda, her children and the Marcos cronies are back, and in positions of power? Are there redeeming features in our country that we can be> proud of? Of course, lots of them.> > When people say for instance that our corruption will never be banished, just remember that Arsenio Lacson as mayor of Manila and Ramon> Magsaysay as President brought a clean government. We do not have the> classical arts that brought Hinduism and Buddhism to continental and archipelago Southeast Asia, but our artists have now ranged the world, showing what we have done with Western art forms, enriched without own ethnic traditions. Our professionals, not just our domestics, are all> over, showing how an accomplished people we are!> > Look at our history. We were the first in Asia to rise against Western colonialism, the first to establish a republic. Recall the Battle of Tirad Pass and glory in the heroism of Gregorio Del Pilar and the 48> Filipinos who died but stopped the Texas Rangers from capturing the President of that First Republic. Its equivalent in ancient history is> the Battle of Thermopylae where the Spartans and their king Leonidas died to a man, defending the pass against the invading Persians.
> > Rizal - what nation on earth has produced a man like him? At 35, he was a novelist, a poet, an anthropologist, a sculptor, a medical doctor, a teacher and martyr.
> > We are now 80 million and in another two decades we will pass the 100 million mark. Eighty million - that is a mass market in any language, a mass market that should absorb our increased production in goods and> services - a mass market which any entrepreneur can hope exploit, like> the proverbial oil for the lamps of China. Japan was only 70 million> when it had confidence enough and the wherewithal to challenge the United States and almost won. It is the same confidence that enabled Japan to flourish from the rubble of defeat in World War II.
> > I am not looking for a foreign power for us to challenge. But we have a> real and insidious enemy that we must vanquish, and this enemy is worse> than the intransigence of any foreign power. We are our own enemy. And> we must have the courage, the will, to change ourselves. > May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from the> other. Genesis
Monday, July 28, 2008
SONA: State of the Nation Address
State of No Advantage
What is the State of the Nation?
- Poverty
- Corruption
- Apathy
- Discontent
What was the most significant promise made?
- Php0.50 on Text messages
What was that?
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Call to Change, Why we are Poor.
I got this from E-mail. Lots of People sent me this exact E-mail but I'm sharing it to the Pinoys out there who haven't seen it. It may open your eyes.
***
Why Is The Philippines Poor?
THE DIFFERENCE
The difference between the poor countries and the rich ones is not the age of the country:This can be shown by countries like India & Egypt , that are more than 2000 years old, but are poor.
On the other hand, Canada , Australia & New Zealand , that 150 years ago were inexpressive, today are developed countries, and are rich.
The difference between the poor countries and the rich ones is not the age of the country:This can be shown by countries like India & Egypt , that are more than 2000 years old, but are poor.
On the other hand, Canada , Australia & New Zealand , that 150 years ago were inexpressive, today are developed countries, and are rich.
The difference between poor & rich countries does not reside in the available natural resources. Japan has a limited territory, 80% mountainous, inadequate for agriculture & cattle raising, but it is the second world economy. The country is like an immense floating factory, importing raw materials from the whole world and exporting manufactured products. Another example is Switzerland, which does not plant cocoa but has the best chocolate in the world. In its little territory they raise animals and plant the soil during 4 months per year. Not enough, they produce dairy products of the best quality! It is a small country that transmits an image of security, order & labor, which made it the world's strongest, safest place. Executives from rich countries who communicate with their counterparts in poor countries show that there is no significant intellectual difference. Race or skin color are also not important: immigrants labeled lazy in their countries of origin are the productive power in rich European countries. What is the difference then? The difference is the attitude of the people, framed along the years by the education & the culture & flawed tradition.On analyzing the behavior of the people in rich & developed countries, we find that the great majority follow the following principles in their lives:
1. Ethics, as a basic principle.
2. Integrity.
3. Responsibility.
4. Respect to the laws & rules.
5. Respect to the rights of other citizens.
6. Work loving.
7. Strive for savings & investment.
8. Will of super action.
9. Punctuality.
10. and of course...Discipline
In poor countries, only a minority follow these basic principles in their daily life. The Philippines is not poor because we lack natural resources or because nature was cruel to us. In fact, we are supposedly rich in natural resources.We are poor because we lack the correct attitude. We lack the will to comply with and teach these functional principles of rich & developed societies.If you do not forward this message nothing will happen to you. Your pet will not die, you will not be fired, you will not have bad luck for seven years, and also, you will not get sick or go hungry.But those may happen because of your lack of discipline & laziness,
your love for intrigue and politics, your indifference to saving for the future, your stubborn attitude.
your love for intrigue and politics, your indifference to saving for the future, your stubborn attitude.
If you love your country, let this message circulate so that many Filipinos could reflect about this, & CHANGE, ACT!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
OFWs
11 percent of the population of the Philippines are all around the world working as a contract worker. This number is still rising.
President GMA praised the Global Pinoy is helping the economy, raking in dollars. Men and women go abroad and earn better for their relatives back home. They are heroes.
This is the bright side but what about the darker side of the coin?
Yes, they earn money but what about the family left here. The children who, in their growing years, need their parent more than the money. Families are broken when this happens. Worse if one parent goes and the other is left to take care of the children.
I knew of two different people who's husbands were having extra marital affairs while the wife was away. When they came home, no more money, the guilty spouse left and the families are broken. "Sumakabilang-bahay" was the joking term given.
Broken families. That is one of the results of OFWs.
So many people studying nursing. People who are accountants, bankers and even doctors take up nursing and go to the States to work. What is a problem is when they do not go back. They petition their families to go there and they stay leaving their heritage behind. They vehemently proclaim their new nationality and forget there was even a country called Philippines.
What about people here in the Philippines? All our nurses, good or bad are leaving the hospitals. They lacked the passion of being a nurse, of helping people get better. They do it now for the money.
Can the good thing justify the bad side of OFWs? One can say that cases are subjective. We cannot judge a person's reasons for working abroad. Opportunities are wooing our countrymen and for the starved, dollars sounds better than our measly minimum.
President GMA praised the Global Pinoy is helping the economy, raking in dollars. Men and women go abroad and earn better for their relatives back home. They are heroes.
This is the bright side but what about the darker side of the coin?
Yes, they earn money but what about the family left here. The children who, in their growing years, need their parent more than the money. Families are broken when this happens. Worse if one parent goes and the other is left to take care of the children.
I knew of two different people who's husbands were having extra marital affairs while the wife was away. When they came home, no more money, the guilty spouse left and the families are broken. "Sumakabilang-bahay" was the joking term given.
Broken families. That is one of the results of OFWs.
So many people studying nursing. People who are accountants, bankers and even doctors take up nursing and go to the States to work. What is a problem is when they do not go back. They petition their families to go there and they stay leaving their heritage behind. They vehemently proclaim their new nationality and forget there was even a country called Philippines.
What about people here in the Philippines? All our nurses, good or bad are leaving the hospitals. They lacked the passion of being a nurse, of helping people get better. They do it now for the money.
Can the good thing justify the bad side of OFWs? One can say that cases are subjective. We cannot judge a person's reasons for working abroad. Opportunities are wooing our countrymen and for the starved, dollars sounds better than our measly minimum.
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