October 2015

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The Need to Re-examine the Historical Books About the People whom Spanish Colonizers called "Filipinos"

Posted on Saturday 31 October 2015

The Need to Re-examine the Historical Books
About the People whom Spanish Colonizers called “Filipinos”
By Apolinario Villalobos

It is surprising to know that well-known writers were vocal about the supposedly Malaysian ancestry of the Filipinos, a reference which yet, was imposed by the Spanish colonizers. These early writers obviously based their claim on the “Ten Bornean Datus” and the “Code of Kalantiaw”, the veracity of which, have been questioned, since researchers today consider them as “legends”. Pre-Spanish history books made mention about the natives of the islands of Southeast Asian islands, and with whom the early traders such as Indians, Arabs and Chinese had a prosperous commercial intercourse, and in the process intermarried with them. It could be possible that because of trading ventures, those from the Malay Peninsula who have ventured into the Philippine archipelago could have also intermarried with the natives just like the three mentioned groups of traders, but who were never referred to as the ancestors of Filipinos in general . It is unfair then to make a sweeping reference to the Malaysians as the common ancestors of the Filipinos.

The following are some disturbing quotes:

From the poem,”I am a Filipino Boy”, by Amado M. Yuzon, in his book, “The Citizen’s Poems” (1960), the first two line state:

            “I am a Filipino boy,
              Runs in my veins, Malayan blood;”

From the poem, “Filipinas”, of the same author, from the same book, the second paragraph states:

            “I see its face upon your face,
              My friend, my sister, my brother;
              Your browny skin is its Malayan race,
              The Blessed Damosel(?) its mother.

From the book, “Philippine Civics” (1932), used in elementary schools during the American Regime, and authored by Conrado Benitez, p. 16 of Chapter I, the last paragraph states:

“At this point you should recall your Philippine History. How did the first Malay settlers of the Philippines reach these islands? Did they not come in boats called barangays? Yes, these boats or barangays, were loaded with families of Malay immigrants which were related to one another and which constituted a gens(?), or clan, that was under a headman, or chief, or dato. (He must be referring to the legendary “Ten Bornean Datus”).

On page  220, Benitez, emphasized the “Malays” by stating:

“The activities of these early Malays were characterized by cooperation……” (referring to the early Filipinos).

Another emphasis which the same author made was on the title itself of Chapter XIV:

            “CHAPTER XIV – How Spain Built Upon our Old Malay Government”

Still, on page 270, Benitez, stated, under a sub-chapter, Bill Of Rights: “Under our old Malayan government, the people had few personal rights.”

Practically, the book of Benitez is replete with reference to the Malaysian ancestry of Filipinos, quoting them all would need several blog pages.  At the time of the book’s publication, he was the Director of Business Administration of the University of the Philippines. His family established the Philippine Women’s University (PWU), located along Taft Avenue. While he was still alive, clamors to re-write history books of the Philippines were loud in view of the questionable ancestry of the Filipinos, based on the controversial “Ten Bornean Datus” and “Code of Kalantiaw”, but he did nothing to republish his own book with necessary rectifications. Researchers who may encounter a copy of the book then, but who has no knowledge on the questionable issue of the Filipino ancestry, will definitely, gobble up the information that Benitez presented.

While the issue on Filipino ancestry has not been settled yet, the Philippine government has added confusion by allowing “authorities” in converting the textbooks into workbooks on other subjects, leaving many students ignorant of what really happened in the past, such as the effort of many national heroes who practically shed blood to gain freedom for the country.


On the issue of Mindanao autonomy, there is no need to cite questionable historic references to give it weight, as we, the people of the Philippines are proud anyway, or our unique Filipino race. There is diversity in religion and culture, just like in any other country, but what cannot be questioned is the harmony that unites us all. And, just like in any other country, the world over, the meddling of politics creates animosities in our country, resulting to the suffering of the Filipinos as a people.

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My Personal Encounters that Proved, "God Will Provide"

Posted on Friday 30 October 2015

My Personal Encounters that Proved, “God Will Provide”
By Apolinario Villalobos

Though I take pride in my unquestionable faith, there is still a bit of skepticism left in me when it comes to solving personal problems due to my fatalistic attitude at times. Just like the rest of most Filipinos, I always leave the result of my efforts to fate after having done my best. I did not have the heart to depend always on God because my personality is rooted in the principle on personal endeavor without depending on anybody else, thus, the saying that “God will provide” has always been out of my mind. But my attitude changed due to observable “proofs” that indeed, God does not leave us in times of need.

When I was a Boy Scout in Grade 5, I was only using one white collarless t-shirt to go with my also, lone short khaki pants. There was always a problem if scouting activities were done in two or more consecutive days for as soon as I arrive home, I must wash my t-shirt and pants immediately to be hung-dry overnight. I was then, a drummer in our drum and bugle corps. I could not tell my parents about my problem because I might be told by my mother to just leave scouting. Fortunately, one Saturday, our neighbor and playmate gave me two sets of his old scout uniform. Since then, I stood out in the corps due to my loose t-shirt and khaki shorts because the donor was bigger than I.

When I was in high school during which I became a complete orphan due to the death of my mother, eight months after that of my father, I had no polo shirt of my own. For special occasions in school I had to borrow my elder brother’s. I had a problem when my brother’s shirt was not available as he was scheduled to wear it also on the same school occasion. Fortunately, when I accompanied a cousin-in-law to Davao city, she surprised m with a pre-cut polo fabric with just the right color and design that I wanted.

When I was called for a job interview by an airline company, I was caught by surprise…and, worse, I was without extra money for fare. On my way home that afternoon, I met along the way a relative whom I loaned money, but which I forgot in time. She paid me back right there, and then went on her way after profusely thanking me.

When I underwent an operation in a Makati hospital, I was told by a neighbor that our house was burglarized and my son was also almost abducted. It was the day after my operation, and I expected my attending physician not to allow me to go home even for a quick check of our home, especially, because I am a “bleeder”. My fresh wound might give in to the pressure of travel. Fortunately, a colleague in the office, “Ed”, dropped by for a visit.  After knowing my problem he immediately persuaded my attending physician and nurse to allow me to go home, but he signed some kind of a guarantee for my immediate return. To make sure that I would do it, I was driven by his driver, while he took a taxi back to the office.

During one of my random sharing sorties in Tondo/Divisoria area, I gave all the remaining cash content of my wallet to a family that lived on the sidewalk. As I was on my way home, I thought that the coins in my purse would be enough for fare all the way to Cavite. I was wrong. As I counted the coins when I took a jeepney, what I had was only enough until Zapote in Las Piἧas which is more than five kilometers from my home. I was resolved to walk my way home from Zapote but when I alighted at the jeepney stop, a neighbor driving his car and who was on his way home, saw me and offered a ride.

One time, when I thought that all plans would push through as regards the sending home of a family to their province in Leyte, my expected “professional fee” as editorial consultant was not remitted in time, and worse, my client texted me to request for an extension of one week. I was crestfallen by the unexpected kink. Meanwhile, the excited family which was among the victims of typhoon Yolanda, was all ready to go home the following day as planned. As a last resort I decided to sell  some of my precious collections to cover the cost of the project. Fortunately, just before noon, a follower of my blogs texted me about the money he sent via a remittance center, in reaction to my blog about the victims of Yolanda, temporarily living in Tondo and who collected vegetable trimming in Divisoria to earn a living. What he sent was more than enough to cover the cost for the mentioned family. A significant amount was left for the next family who was scheduled to go home two weeks after. A week later, I received an email from another follower in Canada about her remittance for the same project.

About a month ago, the stock of diapers of a friend whom I, together with the rest of his former colleagues had also been helping, was almost depleted. The supply was bought using the pooled donations from our friends but which was also exhausted. Just then, I received an fb message from another friend, “Manny”, who had been monitoring updates about our ward, telling me that he will call as soon he arrives from the States. He further stated that he will donate to the “diaper fund”. Three days ago, I personally went to see him to receive the money, plus other food items.

 I wrote about an elderly couple in Quiapo. The husband had a stroke and the wife was eking out a living out of her small food stall. The husband was sleeping on the cold concrete floor of his former single-chair barber shop, using only a thin mat. They wanted to go home to their town in Antique, as expenses in Manila were mounting especially for the medicines of the husband who was more than eighty years old. However, I felt that the man was dying as he had been refusing to eat solid food for several days. I did not tell them about my plan of raising fund to raise fund for them. An “angel” from California who read my blog about the couple e-mailed me a short message, “….I am remitting $.....for the couple in Quiapo”.

Those mentioned are just a few of the many incidents that point to the veracity of God’s indirect benevolence.


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Ang Mabuhay sa Mundo

Ang Mabuhay sa Mundo
Ni Apolinario Villalobos


Sa dami ng mga pagsubok na kailangang harapin
Ang mabuhay sa mundo ay talagang napakahirap -
Sa nagdarahop man o mayaman, ito ay nangyayari
Dapat unawaing katotohanan na walang pinipili.

Lahat umaasam na marating, tugatog ng tagumpay
Ginagawa ang lahat sa kahi’t anong kaparaanan
Mayroong nagtagumpay, subali’t mayroong kapalit
Mga hagupit sa buhay na tinanggap, maski masakit.

Para sa iba, pera ang katumbas ng mithing tagumpay
Para sa iba, ang makilala sa isang laranga’y sapat na
Ang iba naman, mga kaibigan ang gustong mapadami
Kaya sa pakikipagharap, pinipilit nilang magkunwari.

Merong madaling malasing sa nakamtang tagumpay
Mga paa’y halos ayaw nang ibalik sa lupang niyapakan
Animo’y mga kulisap na sa paglipad ay sabik na sabik -
Sa pinagmulang kahirapan, ayaw tumingin at bumalik.

Meron namang sa perang nakamal animo ay nabaliw
Hindi malaman ang gawin kung ibangko ba o gastusin
Sa kasamaang palad, kadalasa’y mawawaldas lang pala
Sa isang iglap, pera’y naglaho, hindi binigyang halaga.

Ang masaklap sa buhay, palaging sa huli ang pagsisisi
Laging may dahilan kung bakit sa paghakba’y nagkamali
Kalimitan, ang lahat ng pangyayari ay hindi matanggap -
Na dahil sa katangahan, nawalang saysay, mga pagsisikap!



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Ang "Singit-Bala" sa Manila International Airport

Posted on Thursday 29 October 2015

Ang “Singit- Bala” sa Manila International Airport
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Lahat na lang yata ng raket ay naiisip ng mga kawatang Pilipino, at batay pa mandin sa mga batas na umiiral dahil sinisilipan nila ng mga butas. Ang pinakahuli ay ang pagsingit ng bala sa bagahe ng mga pasahero sa airport, na ginagawa ng mga nakatalaga sa pag-inspect ng mga ito. Ang kapirasong bala na totoong itinuturing ng ibang mga Pilipino at ng ibang lahi na anting-anting dahil ito ay gawa sa tanso, ay hindi pinapalampas dahil sa katagang “ammunition” na nakapaloob sa batas. Subalit paano naman itong magiging deadly kung walang lamang pulbura at kahit may lamang pulbura ay walang kasamang baril? Magiging deadly weapon lamang ito kung itutusok sa mata o isasalaksak sa ilong ng kaaway upang hindi ito makahinga, o di kaya ay ipangiliti upang mamatay sa katatawa ang kalaban.

Kinakasangkapan ng mga hangal na mga tauhan ng OTS na nakatalaga sa pag-inspection ng mga bagahe ang kagipitan sa panahon o oras ng mga pasahero kaya nagmamadali lalo na ang may mga connecting flight, at upang hindi maabala sa biyahe ay pumapayag na lamang na “maglagay” ng dinidiktang halaga. Nabisto tuloy na talagang may sindikato sa airport na kung tawagin ay “OTS 500”. Hindi lang malinaw kung ang “500” ay tumutukoy sa minimum na lagay ng mga pasaherong ang bagahe ay tinamnan ng bala.

Ang Office for Transportation Security (OTS) na nasa ilalim ng DOTC na pinamumunuan ni Abaya, ay katumbas ng MMDA Traffic Constable Group - mga sibilyan. Ang nakapagtataka lang ay kung bakit nagkaroon pa ng ganitong grupo ganoong mayroon na rin namang AVSECOM, at kung sibilyang security group naman ang kailangan ay nandiyan din ang mga “blue guards”. Marami ang nakakapansin na dahil sa dami nila, karamihan ay pakalat-kalat na lang daw sa loob ng airport, lalo na sa check-in area.

Ang mga tauhan ng OTS ay kulang sa kaalaman sa paghawak ng maselang operasyon sa airport. May mga aspeto ang operasyon na matiyagang pinag-aaralan ng matagal ng mga miyembro ng airport police o aviation security, lalo na pagdating sa paggawa ng imbestigasyon. Subalit kung may nakaplano nang gagawing tulad ng raket na pagtanim ng bala sa bagahe, hindi na kailangan pang mga kaalaman dahil gagawa na lang sila ng “drama”…at ayos na!

Malaki ang problema ng Pilipinas dahil ang bukana nito na international airport terminals ay pinamumugaran ng mga kawatan, kaya pagdating pa lang ng mga balikbayan at turista, masusuka na agad sila sa umaalingasaw na amoy ng katiwalian. Ang pinakahuling raket ng mga kawatang ito ay nakakatawa ngunit nakakaperwisyo ng malaki. Magsunud-sunod ba naman ang mga insidenteng nahulihan daw ng bala sa bagahe, kaya parang lumalabas na bago umalis ang mga pasahero ay dumadaan silang lahat sa Quiapo upang bumili ng bala na gagamiting anting o di kaya ay nakipagkita sa isang ermitanyo sa paanan ng bundok Banahaw upang bumili nitong balang anting-anting. At, dahil sa mga karanasan ng mga paalis na mga turista, paano pang aasahang lalakas ang turismo ng bansa, dahil may kasabihang, : news flies fast by word of mouth.

Ang Malakanyang naman ay walang ginagawa o hindi kumikibo, kahit tumitindi na ang mga pangyayari. Ang patakaran kasi ni Pnoy ay hayaan ang mga ahensiya na umaksyon sa kani-kanilang balwarte. Ang masama lang ay mahina ang mga namumuno kaya walang napaparusahan, dahilan upang lumakas ang loob ng mga tauhang na nasa “ibaba” ang gumawa ng kalokohan. Yan ang matuwid na daan ni Pnoy Aquino…at ano pa nga ba ang pakialam niya dahil patapos na ang kanyang termino?



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Harmony in Diversity Breeds Respect and Love...with Mindanao (Philippines) as a typical case

Harmony in Diversity Breeds Respect and Love
…with Mindanao (Philippines) as a typical case
By Apolinario Villalobos

In the Bible, the Israelites failed their God when they did not follow His instruction to the letter. Instead of annihilating all members of the pagan tribes whose cities they have overran, in some, they allowed the inhabitants to live side by the side with them. Some Israelites even took their women as wives. There was harmony, somehow, although not pleasing in the eyes of their God.

When the Arab and Chinese traders came to the Sulu Archipelago to ply their wares thousands of years ago, they intermarried with the native women, so today, some Tausugs have Chinese and Arab names and the fused cultures are obviously manifested in their physical features. There was harmony, then, for the sake of commerce, but which developed into respect and love that became the foundation of the Sulu Sultanate.

“Conquest” of kingdoms can also be accomplished through intermarriages, such as what happened in Egypt, the Iberian region and Europe. Despite the differences in culture, harmony was developed and bred respect among their royalties, thus, kingdoms were expanded. Still today, some business tycoons, especially, in Asia, have the habit of merging their wealth through marriage. In time, the human “instruments” for the worldly end, somehow develop love for each other.

In Mindanao, Philippines, particularly the Muslim central and southern portions of the island, the migrants from Luzon and Visayas, and the indigenous Muslims live harmoniously in communities as neighbors. Unfortunately, due to politics instigated by greedy desire of the few, animosities developed. Nevertheless, those who are really advocating peace persist in maintaining their warm neighborly relationship founded on love, respect, and lately, tolerance.

There is a story of a couple in which, the wife is from a royal Muslim family, while the husband is an ordinary hardworking Christian. They underwent three marriages – Islamic, Christian and Civil, with the consent of their parents. Their children were not baptized days or weeks after birth, the Christian way, but when they were old enough to choose which faith they preferred. In time, the couple began to raise Christian and Muslim children, but they do not feel any “difference” at all. Today, each of them observes the chosen faith with utmost sincerity in a home that permeates with love.

Lately, the son of a Muslim couple decided to become a Catholic priest. Instead of ostracizing him, the parents prayed over him to strengthen his chosen faith.


Clearly now, the problem in Mindanao is not the difference in faith as despite the diversity, the Mindanaoans are united by love and respect for each other, founded on harmonious relationship. What is happening in Mindanao are the doings of greedy politicians, but hope is not gone from the heart of Mindanaoans who had been longing for autonomy…with God’s help!

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A Day in the Life of a Struggling Blogger

Posted on Wednesday 28 October 2015

A day in the Life of a Struggling Blogger
By Apolinario Villalobos

In countries like the United States, bloggers have no problem because all they need to do is just go to a park, and there, with free wifi connection, they can blog for as long as they want. But not in a third-world country like the Philippines where the government’s promise for free wifi sites in public places is part of nauseating propaganda of the administration. A blogger has to have a landline for an assured strong signal that can be sucked by a modem. An option is to have a USB broadband and portable or pocket wifi which must be loaded. Lucky are the bloggers that can connect to a neighbor with a repeater wifi that he can use, with consent of course.

But for a struggling blogger who has no landline to which a modem for wifi can be attached for a strong signal, or cannot afford a post-paid plan for broadband or pocket wifi, there’s no other choice but a load from a corner store bought for 50pesos which is good for one day. As soon as the load has been registered, the blogger must get to work immediately to maximize the use for the allotted time. The problem is the weak signal, especially, if several blog sites have to be opened for uploads. During unfortunate days with a weaker signal, uploading may take the whole day, instead of the normal four to five hours. During those days the indicator for a successful connection would just turn round and round, almost infinitely.

There are times when blogs which are thought to have been uploaded successfully are trashed due to incompleteness of attempt. Other times, due to the weak signal, uploading process hangs. And, worst, is when the signal is cut off in the middle of uploading!

What aggravates the situation are the promo offerings of servers, enticing internet users to buy their cheap surfing package which are deemed useless because, even until the purchased load has been consumed, no connection has been made! It is like rubbing salt to the wound.

The National Telecom time and again has expressed it s disgust over the inutility of the service of the different Philippine-based servers, but just like the mumblings of other government agencies for show, nothing has been done which is a clear defiance on the part of the servers, an obvious loss of respect to the government. Meanwhile, the internet users suffer, especially, struggling poor bloggers. And, just to assure a little bit of strong signal, bloggers of this kind have to do the uploading in the wee hour of 3AM!



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Magandang Asal and Dapat Ipakita ng Mga Opisyal ng Gobyerno Upang Sila ay Respetuhin

Magandang Asal ang Dapat Ipakita ng Mga Opisyal
Ng Gobyerno Upang Sila ay Respetuhin
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Sa nag-viral na video tungkol sa “pagwawala” ng isang babaeng opisyal na taga-NAPOLCOM, na si Anna Paglinawan, at ayon sa balita ay “acting chief” ng Administrative Division ng nasabing ahensiya, marami ang mapupunang blunder o pagkakamali, tulad ng mga sumusunod:

·        Ang “pagwawala” o pag-eskandalo ng babae, na hindi dapat. Nagpakahinahon sana siya at kinausap ang mga sangkot sa kaso, sa loob ng Barangay Hall. Subalit mabuti naman at inamin ng babae na naging emotional siya.

·        Mali ang ginawang pagtapon ng babae sa cellphone ni Kagawad Mike Almanza. Dahil ang pinangyarihan ng insidente ay pampublikong lugar kaya hindi bawal ang kumuha ng video o retrato maliban lang kung may nakapaskel na pagbabawal at galing sa local authority.

·        Hindi dapat nagbitaw ng mga salitang “addict na kagawad” ang babae na ang tinutukoy ay si Almanza dahil hayagang paninirang-puri ito kaya maaari siyang mademanda, maliban lang kung sa oras na yon ay may hawak siyang ebidensiyang magpapatunay.

·        Ang mga pulis na nasa eksena ay mali rin dahil kung hindi sila tinanong ng babae tungkol sa ID nila ay hindi pa nila kinuha upang ipakita. Ang ID nila ay dapat nakadikit palagi sa uniporme nila kung sila ay nagdo-duty. Halatang naunahan sila ng sindak dahil ang babae ay nagpakilalang taga-NAPOLCOM, kaya sa kabuuhan ng video, makikitang wala silang ginawa.  Ang lalong nagpasama sa sitwasyon ay ang pagtanggi ng isang “koronel” na kinausap niya ang babae dahil lumalabas  sa video na kausap siya nito sa cellphone. Madalas gamitin ang ganitong style ng mga sinisitang mga matataas na taong may nagawang violation lalo na sa trapiko…gasgas na gasgas na kaya hindi epektibo.

Ang magandang ginawa ng NAPOLCOM ay ni-relieve ang babae sa puwesto habang ginagawa ang imbestigasyon. Subalit malakas ang mga “sigaw” sa social media na dapat daw itong tanggalin agad upang hindi pamarisan. Hindi naman ito puwede dahil may “due process” na dapat sundin batay sa internal administrative policies ng ahensiya at Labor Code ng Pilipinas. Ang malinaw na hindi magandang resulta ng insidente ay pagbigay ng “black eye” na naman sa kapulisan at kay Pnoy. At ang nakapanghihinayang ay ang 27 taon ng babae sa trabaho na mawawalan ng kabuluhan sakaling mapatunayang may pagkakamali siya.  Sa nabanggit na katagalan niya sa trabaho, malamang siya ay magri-retire na. Kaya siya itinalagang “acting” sa isang Division, ay malamang upang gawing regular din talaga para pagdating ng retirement niya ang batayan ng kanyang mga benepisyo at pension ay ang huling mataas na position sa trabaho. Dapat bantayan ang kasong ito.

Maganda ang ginawa ni Almanza na hindi na nakipagbangayan sa babae. Bilang elected na local official, ipinakita rin niya ang kanyang kahinahunan na tulad ng ipinakita ng dalawang pulis.

Maaari namang kontrolin ang hinahon at gumawa ng mga pagkilos na naaangkop sa pangangailangan ng pagkakataon, at ito ay inaasahang gagawin ng mga nasa gobyerno. May mga seminar para dito at malaki ang ginagastos ng gobyerno upang ang mga opisyal at mga empleyado ay maging karespe-respeto sa paningin ng mga mamamayan. Bukambibig sa kapulisan ang “self-control and tolerance” o pagpipigil sa sarili at pagpapaubaya. Sa kaso ng nag-viral na video, nakita ang dalawang katangiang ito sa dalawang pulis na hindi nagri-react sa ginagawa sa kanila ng babae, pati na kay Kagawad Almanza. Ibig sabihin, epektibo nilang nagamit ang natutunan nila sa training at seminar.

Ang babae naman ay hindi nakapagpakita ng pagkontrol sa sarili na inaasahan sa kanya, bilang bahagi ng isang ahensiyang nagsisilbing “Ombudsman” o “Sandiganbayan” ng kapulisan. Ang mga nasa NAPOLCOM ay inaasahang mga piling-piling mga pulis o sibilyang empleyado na malawak ang kaalaman sa pagpapatakbo ng hukbo ng kapulisan. Ang ahensiyang ito ang nagsisilbing “utak” ng nasabing hukbo kung saan ay ginagawa ang mga patakaran. Kaya sana ang pangyayaring napanood sa nag-viral na video ay “isolated case” lamang.

Ang isang government official na alam na rin ng buong Pilipinas na hindi nahihiyang magpakita ng galit subalit tinatanggap ng publiko dahil sa magandang dahilan ay si Mayor Rod Duterte ng Davao City. Hindi siya nagagalit ng walang dahilan at ang pinagbubuntunan ng galit niya ay mga masasamang tao. Kaya siya nagagalit ay hindi siya pinapakinggan ng mga taong binibigyan niya ng babala at pagkakataong magbago…sa halip ay tila sinusubukan pa nila ang kanyang pasensiya kung hanggang saan aabot ito. Walang magawa si Mayor Duterte kundi ang kumilos ayon sa hinihingi ng mga taong tinutukoy, kaya napipilitan siyang dumesisyon ayon sa nararapat – ang ipakita sa mga tiwaling ito kung sino ang tama dahil ang inaalala niya ay kapakanan ng nakararami.

Inaasahang kumilos para sa kapakanan o pangangailangan ng mga mamamayan ang mga nagtatrabaho sa gobyerno lalo na ang mga nakatalaga sa matataas na puwesto, sa paraang karespe-respeto. Ang tawag sa mga taong ito sa Ingles ay “public servants” o “tagapagsilbi sa publiko o mamamayan”. Sinusuwelduhan sila ng mga mamamayan upang magtrabaho ng maayos. Ang masama lang, marami sa kanila na wala naman masyadong binatbat, kundi nakasuot lang ng uniporme ng isang kilalang ahensiya, animo ay presidente na ng Pilipinas  kung umasta.

Ang dapat tandaan dito ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan ay: kung may mga kamag-anak  na may mataas na katungkulan sa gobyerno, huwag nilang ipagyabang at isalang sa kompromiso. At yon namang mga nasa gobyerno lalo na ang may sakit na kayabangan, huwag ipagmalaki ang  mataas na katungkulan nila. Ang pagtawag sa kanila ng mga “inaapi” daw na mga kaanak o kaibigan ay hindi rin nila dapat gamiting  oportunidad o pagkakataon upang makapagyabang.



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Ang Nakakatawang Pagsisikap ng Ibang Pilipino Upang Mapagtakpan ang Kanilang Tunay na Pagkatao

Ang Nakatatawang Pagsisikap ng Ibang Pilipino
Upang Mapagtakpan ang Kanilang Tunay na Pagkatao
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

May mga Pilipinong nakatira ngayon sa ibang bansa na nagpipilit pagtakpan ang kanilang pinagmulang bayang Pilipinas at lahing Pilipino. Hindi sila nagtatago dahil may mga papeles naman sila. Ito ang mga taong wala yatang kaluluwa dahil ikinahihiya “lang naman” nila ang bayang sinilangan. Ayaw ko sanang gawin ang blog na ito. Naudyukan lamang ako ng nadamang inis nang hindi ko inaasahang mapanood ang isang lumang youtube ng XFactor na paligsahan sa pagalingan ng pag-awit, nang pasyalan ko ang isang kaibigan. Ang XFactor competition ay nangyari sa ibang bansa.

May isang babaeng kasali, na sa mukha pa lang ay halata nang Asyana, kahit pa nagpakulay ng buhok upang maging brown. Hindi naman masyadong pango ang ilong, subalit sa hilatsa ng mukha ay nagsuspetsa na akong Pilipina talaga. Ang halos kamukha lang naman ng mga Pilipino ay yong mga taga-southeast Asian countries, subalit hindi naman mahilig sa pagkanta ng English, kaya hindi ko naisip na ang babae ay Malaysian, Indonesian, Thai, Cambodian, o Burmese.  Sa pag-English niya ay nahalata ko nang Pilipina talaga! Subalit nagtaka ako dahil dinagdagan niya ang kanyang first name ng isang letra ganoon din ang apelyido kaya kung bibigkasin batay sa spelling ay naging tunog banyaga.

Tama ang kutob kong Pilipina nga dahil sa caption ng retrato niya na lumitaw sa screen ay sinabi ng Pilipinong nag-upload, na ang contestant ay isang “kababayan”, subalit nang interbyuhin ng mga judges at tinanong ang pangalan niya ay binigkas niya ito sa tunog banyaga at ang pinanggalingan daw nia ay isang lugar ng bansang may pakontes. Isa sa mga judges ang nagtaas ng kilay.  Ang hindi ko makalimutan ay nang banggitin niya ang kanyang apelyido na maaaring ang original na spelling ay “Tagle” pero ginawa niyang “Teagle”, kaya nang bigkasin niya ay naging “Te-gel”, hindi “Tag-le”. Kung dinagdagan pa siguro niya ng letrang “N”, siguradong masagwa na itong pakinggan - censored. Ang mga judges ay halatang umaasang sasabihin niyang taga-Pilipinas siya tulad ng ginawa ng ibang Pilipinong kasabay niya na binigyan ng standing ovation. Hindi na-impress ang mga judges sa kanyang pagkanta….nakarma!

Ang buhok ng Pilipino ay likas na itim, hindi brown, subalit marami ang nagpapatina upang magmukha silang “foreigner”kuno. Mabuti na lang at nauso ang mga glutathione drugs na nagpapapusyaw ng balat kaya nagreresulta sa pagputi nito, na pwedeng bagayan ng brown na buhok. Pero ang walang pambili ng glutathione ay nananatiling kayumanggi kaya hindi nababagayan ng brown na buhok, lalo na kung ang mga features ng mukha ay hindi naman kagandahan. Nagmumukha tuloy silang Badjao o native ng Papua (New Guinea).

 Ang mga may colonial mentality naman, na nakalanghap lang sandali ng hanging banyaga ay nagkaroon na ng amnesia…nakalimutan nilang galing sila sa isang mahirap na bansa, subalit biniyayaan ng Diyos ng magagandang tanawin. Nakalimutan nilang bahagi ng pagkain nila sa bansang pinanggalingan ay tuyo, bagoong, pinakbet, kangkong, etc. May mga kuwento kasi na ang ibang Pilipino sa Amerika ay nagpapalusot na Mexican daw sila, pero ang alam na Spanish ay ilang pirasong kataga lang. 

Mabuti na lang at marami pa ring mga kababayang nakatira sa ibang bansa ang nagsasabi ng buong katapatan na talagang miss na miss nila ang Pilipinas. Bilib naman ako sa mga apo ng isa kong kumpare, at sa Amerika ipinanganak. Nang minsang kausapin niya ang mga apo sa Skype, matatas silang sumasagot sa mga salitang Ilokano at Tagalog. Napansin ko ring kapag lumingon sila upang pasingit na kausapin ang kanilang nanay, ay sa matatas na Ingles naman. Nang kausapin ko ang tatay ng mga bata, sinabi nitong, “mga Pilipino po kami dito sa bahay, uncle…mga pagkain namin ay Pilipino rin, hindi kami nawawalan ng bagoong…kumakain kami ng pagkaing Amerikano sa labas lang kapag namamasyal…at sa labas lang din kami umi-Ingles”. Ganyan dapat!

Ang ibinahagi kong kuwento ay taliwas naman sa sitwasyon ng pamilya ng isa kong kaibigan na nasa Pilipinas pero umaambisyong pumunta sa Amerika. Pinagbawal nilang mag-asawa na kausapin ang mga anak nila sa Tagalog. Wala tuloy tumagal na kasambahay sa kanila. Pinagsabihan ko ang kaibigan kong walang masama kung maging bi-lingual ang mga anak nila dahil kahit matuloy sila sa Amerika, kailangan talagang marunong ng sariling salita ang mga bata, dahil kung hindi ay pagtatawanan sila ng mga kalaro nila. Hindi ko lang masabi na hindi naman maayos ang pagturo nila ng Ingles sa mga anak nila, dahil sila mismong mga magulang ay maraming mali kung gumamit nito . Isang beses narinig ko ang nanay na nagsabi sa bunsong anak ng, “stop the cry or I will pak you”…(papaluin daw yata, pero hindi alam sa Ingles ang katumbas ng “palo”, kaya ang ginamit ay tunog nito na “pak”). Sa malas, tin-edyer na ang mga anak nila ngayon ay hindi pa rin sila nabibigyan ng tourist visa man lang….karma pa rin!


Ito ang panahong dapat magkaisa tayong mga Pilipino. Ang mga nasa ibang bansa ay dapat magpahiwatig na mayroon silang pusong-Pilipino. Ang mga nandito sa Pilipinas ay dapat  maging halimbawa sa pagpapakita ng tunay na damdaming Pilipino. Kailangang makita ng buong mundo na batbat man ng korapsyon ang gobyerno ng ating bansa, at marami tayong pilit nilulusutang pagsubok, matatag pa rin tayo, marunong sa buhay kaya hangga’t kayang magsikhay ay nakakakain maski papaano. Dapat ay maipakita nating hindi lang pera ang maaaring magpaligaya sa isang tao, kaya kahit programa sa telebisyon na “Aldub” ay sapat na upang tayo ay sumaya. Hindi tayo maselan bilang Pilipino, dahil kahit maliit na biyaya ay pinapasalamatan natin sa Diyos. Kaya, hindi natin dapat ikahiya ang ating pagka-Pilipino…dapat nating  ipagmalaki ang balat nating kulay kayumanggi at maitim na buhok!

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Thoughts in Loneliness

Thoughts in Loneliness
By Apolinario Villalobos

Alone with just the whisper of the wind that breaks the silence,
the moment of bliss keeps me afloat me on the ocean of happiness.
Mind void of frenzy, becomes filled with thoughts…overpowering
And like in a forest, they all become jovial birds…singing, chirping.
Meandering thoughts bump each other in my once empty mind
And, puzzling, though, got to choose just one of them at a time:

-on a world that seems to shatter…is there hope?
 that, even at the last moment
 whatever remains of its innards
 be spared to weld its fragments
 long molested without diffidence?
    
-on man’s greed, selfishness…will he still survive?
 despite never ending quest for more
 that stacks up hatred from disquieted
 who hesitate to act for the sake of unity
 but now feeling abused due to disparity?

-on man’s blatant arrogance…to where does it lead?
  when his reason for being, he questions
  thinking that a force alone has made him
  into what he is now, thinking all the while
  with intelligence, to no one he’ll reconcile?

-on the children’s gleeful prancing…will this go on?
  when the air they breathe, stained with death
  fill their aching lungs, makes their head spin
  and the river they wade in is grossly infected
  but, sadly makes only a few sincerely worried?

-on oceans and forests…how long can they hold on?
  for the sake of the fish and others on ocean floor
  the birds seeking shelter on their lush, cool foliage
  and many other creatures that call them their home
  when dynamites and chainsaws spelled their doom?

Alas! All I can do is shiver in anger and helplessness
With those thoughts in my abject state of loneliness…  
 
 
    

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Ang Hindi Kapani-paniwalang Pag-asenso ng Ekonomiya at Totoong Pagdoble ng Badyet ng Pilipinas

Posted on Monday 26 October 2015

Ang Hindi Kapani-paniwalang Pag-asenso ng Ekonomiya
at  Totoong Pagdoble ng Badyet ng Pilipinas
ni Apolinario Villalobos

Kanit anong pagpipilit ni Pnoy na talagang umasenso ang Pilipinas, marami pa rin ang ayaw maniwala, lalo pa at ang mga report ay ginawa ng mga banyagang researcher. Kinokontra naman kasi ang mga ito ng mga report tungkol sa mga tunay na nangyayari na ang gumawa ay mga Pilipino. Ganoon pa man, ang talagang totoo ay ang pagdoble ng pambansang badyet na mula sa 1.5 trillion ang badyet noong unang taon ng panunungkulan ni Pnoy ay naging 3 trillion na ngayon. May balak ang gobyerno na taasan pa ang badyet sa susunod na taon, at ito ang nakakagimbal!...dahil, siguradong ang panggagalingan, maliban sa mga uutangin pa ay mga ordinaryong Pilipino na lalong pipigain upang makuhanan ng karagdagang buwis. Pasok ang planong ito sa loob ng mga nalalabing mga buwan ng panunungkulan ni Pnoy.

Ang pinakamagandang gawin ng gobyerno ay magpakita ng listahan ng mga totoong proyekto na ginastusan ng mga karampatang halaga at dapat ay tumugma sa taunang badyet. Kasama ito dapat sa accomplishment report ni Pnoy dahil magtatapos na ang kanyang panunungkulan. Ang problema nga lang ay siguradong mahirap pagtugmain ang inilabas na mga badyet sa mga totoong ginastos dahil bistado namang pinagkitaan ng malaki ng mga kurakot sa gobyerno.

Ibig ko lang linawin na tanggap ang katotohanang “halos” wala nang natirang malinis na opisyal sa gobyerno. Kaya hindi tama ang madalas itanong na, “sino ba sa kanila ang hindi nangurakot?”. Ang punto ko ay hindi dahil alam nang may kurakutang nagaganap sa gobyerno ay dapat tumahimik na ang lahat tungkol sa bagay na ito. Hindi pwedeng itago ang mga impormasyon dahil lang sa katotohanang, “halos” lahat naman ay gumagawa nito. Kawawa naman ang mga hindi gumagawa dahil nadadamay sila sa mga pangkalahatang akusasyon.

Kaipokrituhan kung sasabihin na hindi tanggap ng pandaigdigang lipunan ang nagaganap na kurakutan sa gobyerno. Alam na ng lahat ng mga tao, saan mang panig ng mundo na sa mga gobyerno nila ay may ganitong ginagawa. Ang masama lang,  sa Pilipinas ay “sobra-sobra” o “labis-labis” ang ginagawang pangungurakot na pagpapakita ng lakas ng loob ng mga walang kaluluwang mga opisyal sa gobyerno. Dahil sa ginagawa nila, sino ba namang nagugutom at naghihirap na Pilipino ang hindi magkaroon ng sama ng loob at mainsulto?

Sa darating na eleksiyon, malinaw na gusto talaga ni Pnoy na manalo si Roxas na pag-asa niya upang maipagpatuloy daw ang “pagtahak sa tuwid na daan”. Hindi naman bobo ang mga nakakaunawang Pilipino na gusto lang niyang manigurong hindi siya makakasuhan ng mananalong presidente na kontra-partido. At dahil gusto niyang manalo si Roxas, pati suweldo ng mga government employees ay kinasangkapan dahil itataas daw ito. Ginawa niya itong pangako dahil alam niyang mismong mga empleyadong gobyerno ay nangangampanya laban kay Roxas. At, ang ipinangakong suweldo, ayon mismo sa lider ng mga empleyado ay madadagdag na naman sa marami nang ipinangakong hindi natupad.

Hanggang ngayon ay problema pa ang maliit na sahod ng mga health workers, mga gurong hindi pa lisensiyado subalit ang trabaho ay hindi naman naiiba sa mga lisensiyado na, mga nurses at doctor na noon pa dapat tinaasan ng suweldo, at allowance ng mga sundalo. Idagdag pa diyan ang isa pang papoging pangako na dalawang libong pisong dagdag sa pension ng mga retiradong SSS pensioners, na pagkatapos banggitin ay kinalimutan na. Bakit hindi paghihinalaan ngayon na ang ginawang bagong pangako ng pangulo ay may kinalaman sa darating na eleksiyon? Dapat mag-isip ng mas magandang ilalaman sa mga talumpati ni Pnoy ang mga gumagawa nito upang may mabago naman sa pandinig ng mga Pilipino para hindi siya mag-tunog sirang plaka na paulit-ulit ang tinutugtog.

Kung manalo man si Roxas sa susunod na eleksiyon, at kahit sinasabi pa na halos wala naman talagang maayos na pagpipilian, kasama na siya, dapat lang na kahit papaano ay may malaman ang mga Pilipino kung anong klaseng tao o mga tao ang kumikiling sa kanya. Manalo na kung manalo si Roxas pero dapat mabigyan ng babala ang mga Pilipino sa inaasahan nang mangyayari dahil halata namang nakaplano na.


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Tokens of Love for the Beloved

Tokens of Love for the Beloved
By Apolinario Villalobos

One need not be rich
to show the love that throbs in his heart.
Tokens are not measured
by the weight of gold and value of paper bills...
not even by the vastness of the land he owns,
or fleet of cars in his garage.
A sincere token of love can be felt by the beloved -
even a peck on the check,
a hug that need not be chokingly tight
but warm enough,
to send a tinge of assurance
that he is just around.


Tokens of love need not be
the oft-repeated promises
broken in a fleeting second by temptations.
A sweet smile that parts the lips
and a touch of one’s finger tips
are enough for tears
to roll down the beloved’s face
and a suppressed sob -
at last, that she lets out
as his love for her…
she can no longer doubt.



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On Extra-Terrestials, Man's Evolution,His Toxic Food and Self-Destructive Habits

Posted on Sunday 25 October 2015

On Extra-Terrestials, Man’s Evolution,
His Toxic Food and Self-Destructive Habits
By Apolinario Villalobos


I believe that man went through evolution to become what he is now, but via genetic manipulation by the ET’s who came to earth thousands of years ago, and not through the “natural” process as Charles Darwin alleged. When before, scientists were skeptical and avoided discussion about the issue, today, they are more than open and willing, even going to the extent of bringing out to light long-kept dissertations and clippings. Even the Vatican has dipped her finger into the issue, as there are sketches and paintings with religious themes, and with landscapes that include controversial spherical objects hovering in the background. Some painted Nativity scenes are depicted with UFOs as the source of the light illuminating the manger, instead of a star. Even the “angels” whose ability to fly is symbolized by feathered wings are now presumed as ET spacemen equipped with flying gear.

Images from the past in the form of sculptures, paintings, and embossed renditions used “symbols” to indicate different qualities of leaders and gods, represented by animals, such as lion, leopard, cat, dog, eagle, bull, etc. These representations were made by early earthlings, who were artistically skilled but limited in scientific knowledge. The symbols, then, literally manifested the physical characteristics of gods being presented without the need for text in any form.  Along this line, the bull horns and lion have been, since the early time, used to represent power and strength, that is why, most gods are shown wearing headgear with horns, or whose head is that of a lion. These images purportedly represent visiting ETs.

Different ET’s that may have landed on different regions of the earth, could have “developed” their “own people” out of the upright walking creatures that they found, particularly the apes. This process could have involved the use of their (ET) own genes to modify or improve the earthlings’ characteristics. For doing this, the ETs may have selfish motives. It should be noted that apes are not just of a single kind, and their characteristics depend on the region where they thrive. The gene modification could have resulted then, to early earthlings with different characteristics depending on their region, and which have manifested in the color of their skin, height, shape of the face, kind of hair, etc. In the Old Testament of the Bible, there are mentions about races or tribes that suddenly appear from nowhere.  I thought of this because different races in the Bible kept on insisting about the power of “their own” god ….a recognition that they give to the power of their “creator”.

Each race even had a name of its own god. This is how I reconciled the differences of races that are populating different regions of the earth, such as the blacks in Africa, the white-skinned and blond-haired in the western and northern hemispheres, the chinky-eyed with white skin in the east, and the slightly to dark brown, short people in the south, and southeast. Obviously, they did not evolve from fish, lizards, etc that Charles Darwin had insisted in his theory of “natural” evolution, more so from apes, otherwise, today there should already be hairless, pretty and handsome apes with curly or straight hair, black or blond hair,  broad or aquiline nose, or walking fish and lizards. On the contrary, the apes of the thousand years ago are still the same apes that we find today.

In laboratories today, gene modification, cloning, and organ transplant are being done, as if scientists are dissecting frogs…meaning, the three mentioned processes are being done with ease because of modern medical technology. Where did such knowledge and ability come from? Of course, not from the early earthlings!  It is a big question that the religious and the overly skeptics still hate to hear. But for sure, they did not come from apes!

The health-conscious of today are against the scientific process of gene modification when applied to vegetables, grains, and fruits. They forgot however, that the modern fruits and grains are the result of this process to make them juicier, seedless, soft, sweeter, etc. The corn that we know today did not come in cobs, thousands of years ago. The corn of long ago had grains, instead of the big and chewable kernel. Corn is among those mentioned as food in the Bible, but they did not come in cobs, that is why nothing can be found in the Bible about “roasting of corn cobs”, but “baking of corn grits”, when what they meant actually were “corn grains”.  

Other grains that were supposed to have originated in a region, somewhere in Turkey, were developed to improve their size, and even rice originally grew in swamps not on land. It should be noted that Turkey is among the regions purportedly used by the ETs as their landing ports, according to myths in the Bible.  In some regions of America, wild rice is still being harvested from swamps. Today, there is an effort to make rice resistant to floods, short of saying that it is being returned it to its former watery habitat.

Cross-breeding is one way of altering the genes of plants and animals, and this process still fall under the process of gene modification. There are many other genetically modified organisms (GMO) that are discreetly introduced. Lately, however, just because scientists would like to make vegetables last long and resistant to pest, health-conscious groups, are overreacting by  declaring them dangerous as they could alter the “characteristics” of man, and worse, even as unhealthy. When did man start living healthily, anyway, when all these claims for healthy living are full of deception?

These western groups are the ones that flood the social media with the contra-indications of natural substances and drugs. They feed the internet with information about fruits that should not be eaten together with certain meat or fish. They even come out with “findings” about certain fish not fit for consumption, such as tilapia because of the level of toxic substance in its meat, when practically all fish that thrive in the oceans have high toxin level, especially those in the European waters that have become dumping ground of toxic materials.  Why single out tilapia? Because of their allegations, all fishes should better be banned as they are poisonous!

These groups promote “organic food” – vegetables, fruits and meat that are not supposedly fertilized and fed with the harmful synthetic chemicals, but they forgot that the air is replete with toxin. In other words, the “organic food” that these groups allege to be safe are still contaminated due to the toxin from the atmosphere that they absorb since the first day of their growth.

Ironically, man continues to fill the air, the oceans, lakes and streams with the sediments of modern technology that he invented to be used for his survival….an unconscious(?) self-destruction. No food in its “pure” state can be found anywhere on earth. The quantity of toxin, though, that is taken in by man, depends on the region where he lives, thus, determines the length of his stay on earth….of course, with special consideration to available modern medical technology. In this regard, the third-world countries that have become the “catch basins” of these toxins, but without modern medical facilities are at the mercy of the highly progressive nations due to their factories that spew toxins in various forms …while their people enjoy the protection of their modern medical facilities.

This blog is not meant to destroy the faith in God. I believe that the universality of God is such that whatever faith we have in Him, could have just been passed on to us by the “better kind” of visiting ETs thousands of years ago. And, as regards the issue on creation, the ETs could also be the creations of God and who just delved in science to modify other creatures to suit their needs, hence, the evolution of the earthlings from the modified ape. This is what the highly intelligent earthlings are doing today…modifying creations to improve their “quality” and maximize their usability. So, why make the issues on UFOs, ETs, God, Creation, and Man very complicated that just result to unnecessary confusion? Are the religious and scientific authorities hiding information from the rest of the earthlings….though, may be divulged at the most appropriate time?


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Ang Eat Bulaga Magpapatayo ng mga Aldub Library sa Buong Bansa...pero ang Gobyerno ay Hindi, Hinayaan pang "Mababoy" ang mga Textbook

Posted on Saturday 24 October 2015

Ang Eat Bulaga Magpapatayo ng Mga Aldub Library sa Buong Bansa
…pero ang Gobyerno ay Hindi,  Hinayaan pang  “Mababoy” ang mga Textbook
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Nagsimula ang adbokasiya ng Eat Bulaga sa pagtulong sa mga estudyante at mga paaralan nang magsagawa sila ng “basura para sa silya”, isang proyekto na tungkol sa pag-ipon nila ng mga plastic na bote mula sa mga komunidad na sumasali sa mga pakontes. Ang napagbentahan naman ay ibinibili nila ng mga armchair para sa mga estudyante. Sinundan ang proyektong ito ng isang nakakagulat na kalye seryeng “Aldub”, dahil makalipas lamang ang ilang linggo ay nanguna na sa viewership at bilang ng twits na umaabot ng milyones – sa buong mundo.

At marami uli ang nagulat nang ang climax series ng kalye seryeng tinagurian “Sa Tamang Panahon” ay ginawa sa Philippine Arena, Oktubre 24, 2015, at ang nalikom na pera ay ipagpapatayo ng mga library para sa maliliit na paaralan lalo na sa mga liblib na lugar, subalit babahaginan din ang mga nasalanta ng hagupit ng bagyong Lando. Mula sa puso ng mga fans ang bawat sentimong ibinahagi nila para sa proyekto, sila na tinaguriang “Aldub Nation”.

Simple lang naman ang gagawin ng Eat Bulaga – magpapatayo ng mga library at lalagyan ng mga ido-donate na mga libro. Kung hahatiin ang mahigit ng konti sa sampung milyon na nasabi nang naipon,  marami na ring library ang maipapagawa kung tatantiyahen ang isang gusaling magkakahalaga ng hindi bababa sa Php300,000 – labor at materyales. Sa liit ng halagang kailangan, bakit hindi ito magawa ng gobyerno? Samantala, naglalaan pa ito ng milyones para sa mga proyektong drowing lang pala, dahil ang inilaang badyet ay hinayaan lang na manakaw.

Nakita ng Eat Bulaga ang kahalagahan ng edukasyon kaya gumawa ito ng proyektong makakatulong ng malaki sa mga estudyante, lalo na ang mga nasa liblib na lugar – mga library na paglalagakan ng mga librong napakahalaga upang makalinang ng dunong ang isang bata. Ang nakita naman ng mga tiwali sa gobyerno ay oportunidad na makapagnakaw sa mga proyekto kahit na ito’y sobrang pangangailangan ng mamamayan.  Hinayaan pa ng gobyernong mababoy ang mga textbook na ginawang negosyo ng mga nagsabwatang publishers at mga opisyal ng pamahalaan na may kinalaman sa edukasyon. Kung ano-anong mga libro ang mga pilit na pinapagamit sa mga bata, kaya kung pumasok ang mga ito ay animo magbabakasyon sa malayong lugar dahil halos malita na ang hila-hila sa pagpasok.

At ang masakit, pagkalipas ng isang school term, lipas na rin ang kahalagahan ng mga librong ginawang “workbooks” dahil ang mga tanong sa mga bandang hulihan ng mga tsapter ay pinagsasagot ng mga gumamit na esudyante, kaya hindi na maaaring gamitin ng nakakabatang kapatid o ibang walang kayang bumili ng mga libro.


Talagang bantad o walang hiya na ang mga opisyal ng gobyerno dahil sa kabila ng nakikitang mga kaganapan na maaari nitong tularan tulad ng mga proyekto ng Eat Bulaga ay dedma lang sila… na para bang nagsasabi pa ng “pakialam namin sa inyo”. Kungsabagay, bakit pa ba sila mamumrublema kung namumutok na sa pera ang kanilang bulsa?

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We Can Minimize, Delay, or Prevent the Devastating Effect of Diseases...discipline and patience are the keys

Posted on Friday 23 October 2015

We Can Minimize, Delay, or Prevent the Devastating Effect of Diseases
…discipline and patience are the keys
By Apolinario Villalobos

Caring for our physical make up is our responsibility in the first place, and not somebody else’s. We can prevent diseases from pestering our body by espousing discipline and patience. We must be disciplined as regards our diet and vices. And, we must be disciplined in being consistent with the preparation of remedies not prescribed by doctors. We must not wait until a disease has set in before we toe the line in clinics for a costly diagnosis. Unfortunately for others, before they know that what they “feel” is a disease, and not just a fatigue or temporary pain, it is already beyond cure, so that the last resort for the doctor is to prescribe pain killing drugs, and loads of antibiotics and other strange sounding-named tablets and capsules.

Drugs are basically sourced from plants and enhanced with chemicals to preserve them as capsules, tables, suspensions, and injectibles. Curative properties of plants are “cloned” in laboratories to come up with their synthetic equivalent. But not all curative properties of plants can be cloned as in the case of guyabano (soursop), the information about which has been suppressed by drug laboratories for so many years. Due to their failure in cloning its curative properties, they finally let go of the information to confirm what have already been circulating anyway, about its anti-cancer substance.

Man since birth is already doomed with diseases that can manifest at certain points of his life. Fortunately, there is now a medical technique of predetermining the diseases that may befall infants by “reading” their genes at the time of birth with the use of their blood. At certain points of their life, diseases are already detected, thus, medications are already prescribed to prevent the onset. This is possible for those who will be born in hospitals and clinics, but for those in villages, this medical effort is not heard of, as in third-world countries like the Philippines. These children then grow without knowing that at a certain point of their life, they are bound to develop diabetes, rheumatism, heart failure, cancer, etc.

There’s again the problem with poor parents in urban areas who are told about the diseases that may befall their newly-born infants, because they cannot afford the prescribed drugs. Consequently, their children, though born in hospitals, grow just like those in the villages, without taking the preventive drugs for the detected diseases that may manifest at a certain age. Prescriptions are just set aside to be thrown later on.

The Philippines and the rest of countries in Asia and South America are profuse in herbal “medicines”.  Long before the western colonizers came, the natives were already thriving on these. The folk medicine men who are unfairly called “quack doctors” have been prescribing leaves, barks and roots of trees, vines and shrubs to dispel diseases. For instance, guyabano or soursop was first used by the South American Indians, particularly, those living in the jungles of the Amazon, while the use of tanglad or lemon grass was first used in Asia. In every country of these regions, there are always nooks and corners occupied by herbal vendors. In Manila, these can be found in Quiapo, while in the provinces, one can find them in public markets. But most of all, these curative plants are found in neighborhoods, or if not, can be planted just anywhere, even in pots.

Discipline is needed if one is really interested in preventing the onset of a disease. A ritual is involved, because every morning, all the necessary leaves, seeds or barks have to be boiled in a kettle dedicated for this purpose, followed by the preparation of the concoction to be drunk with coffee or as is. Most often, this simple effort is abhorred by most, as they would rather take synthetic drugs in capsule or tablet form which is a very convenient way. But then, the danger with such “convenience” is the latest finding that not all components of these drugs are dissolved, thus, turning into sediments that get deposited in the liver and kidney, eventually resulting to a disease that destroy the said organs.

Those without discipline in their diet are also easy victims of diseases. They are not satisfied with having tasted certain unhealthy foods and should have told themselves “enough”. Unfortunately, they want these to be part of their daily fare on the dining table. Parents who have this kind of attitude pass it on to their children, who will later on pass it on to their own, and so forth. And, when members of the family develop and die of diseases, they blame their ancestor!


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Ang Pagmamalasakit ay Hindi lang Dapat Para sa Tao

Posted on Thursday 22 October 2015

Ang Pagmamalasakit
ay Hindi Lang Dapat Para sa Tao
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Ang sabi ni Francis, ang santo papa ng mga Katoliko, dapat magmalasakit ang tao sa kanyang kapwa….maging compassionate. Sa opinion ko naman, hindi lang sa kanyang kapwa dapat magmalasakit ang isang tao. Lahat ng nilalang ng Diyos na may buhay, kahit nga ang mga walang buhay tulad ng kalupaan, kabundukan, karagatan, at mga ilog ay dapat pagmalasikatan. Kung ang may buhay ang pag-uusapan, dapat kasama ang mga halaman at mga hayop na malaking bahagi na ng buhay ng tao. Samantala, ang mga hayop na sinasabing nananakit o mababangis ay hindi papalag kung hindi sila pinapakialaman ng tao.

May mga taong mahilig mag-alaga ng mga “laruang” hayop o pet, lalo na yong may lahi,  hindi lang upang makaaliw sa kanila kundi upang maging palamuti din sa bahay. At, dahil mamahalin, ginagamit din silang palatandaan ng karangyaan ng isang tao. Nagagamit na rin sila ngayon bilang therapies o pampagaling ng sakit, lalo na ang mga psychological. Sa mga taong talagang taos sa puso ang pag-alaga, okey ito. Ang hindi tama ay ang ginagawa ng mga taong nanggagaya lamang dahil sa inggit sa ibang meron ng mga ito. Bibili sila ng mga nabanggit, subalit dahil likas na walang hilig talaga, ay napapabayaan kaya nagkakasakit hanggang mamatay.

Ang kapalaran ng mga halamang pampalamuti ay hindi nalalayo sa nabanggit na mga hayop na binili ng mga naiinggit sa kapitbahay, kaya napabayaan hanggang mamatay. May mga tao kasing dahil naiinggit sa malagong halamanan ng kapitbahay ay nagtatanim din ng mga ito sa bakuran upang mapantayan o malampasan pa ang nakikita sa kapitbahay. Subalit dahil wala rin talagang hilig sa tanim kundi naiinggit lang, ni hindi nila pinapansin ang mga halamang nagkakandalanta dahil hindi nila nadidiligan.

Ang mga kahayupan sa gubat at kalawakan ay ginagamit na target ng mga mangangaso, pampalipas ng oras lang nila, kaya maraming endangered species ang nawala na talaga. Bandang huli ay nagtuturuan ang mga NGO at pamahalaan kung saan nagkaroon ng diperensiya sa pagpapatupad ng alituntunin.

Ang ibang mga nature lovers kuno, tulad ng mga scuba divers, snorkelers, trekkers at mountaineers ay nagmamalaking mahal nila ang kalikasan. Subalit kung umakyat ng bundok ay nag-iiwan ng basura nila sa camping sites. Hindi man lang nila naisip na magbaon ng trash bags upang lagyan ng basura upang mahakot pagbaba nila, kaya maraming kabundukan sa Pilipinas, na ang mga trails ay maraming candy at biscuit wrappers, aluminum cans ng softdrinks, upos ng sigarilyo, satchet ng instant noodle, sanitary napkin at toilet paper. Ilang taon na ang nakalipas, ang Mt. Everest ay isinara ng kung ilang linggo upang malinisan ang mga trails at camping sites sa kapatagan hanggang sa tuktok na tinambakan ng mga empty oxygen canisters, mga bote, at iba pang klase ng basura.

Ang mga dalampasigan o beaches, tulad ng mga kabundukan ay nasasalaula din ng mga burarang nature lovers kuno at mga negosyante. Ang isang halimbawa ay isla ng Boracay na puno ng mga naglalakihang resorts at hotels na ang septic tanks ay tumatagas sa dagat kaya tinutubuan na ng mga lumot ang ilang dalampasigan, tanda ng pagkakaroon ng mikrobyo sa tubig-dagat. Hindi sapat ang sinasabing paghakot ng basura at sinipsip na dumi mula sa septic tanks at dinadala sa Caticlan, na ginagawa ng gobyernong lokal, dahil hindi naman perpektong nakakalinis ang mga ganitong mga paraan.

Ang mga bundok ay kinakalbo ng mga illegal loggers na ang iba ay mga gahamang opisyal ng gobyerno at ang iba naman ay dummy ng mga foreign financiers. Animo ay minamasaker nila ang mga kabundukan. Kaya tuwing tag-ulan, ang rumaragasang tubig mula sa kabundukan na nagdudulot ng baha sa kapatagan ay kulay brown o pula, na ibig sabihin, mga lupa silang hindi na napoproteksiyunan ng mga ugat ng mga kahoy o mga damo man lang. May mga yumamang iilan, subalit ang nagdusa ay libo-libong mahirap na mamamayan, at ang masakit pa, ay mga dayo ang yumaman!

Ang mga bigtime na mangingisda ay gumagamit ng makabagong mga instrumento na kumakayod sa sahig ng karagatan, kaya lahat ng madaanan ay tangay – mga korales na kung ilang milyong taon na ang gulang, mga maliliit na isda, at mga inahing isda na dapat ay mangingitlog pa lang.  Ang ilan pa ay gumagamit ng lason at dinamita, at itong mga tao ang may gana pang magtaka kung bakit nauubos ang mga isda malapit sa dalampisagan kaya wala na silang mahuli!

Ang tao pa rin, sa kagustuhang umasenso agad ay gumagamit ng makabagong teknolohiya para sa mga pagawaan. Gagamit ng langis upang magpaandar ng mga makina, at ang latak ay tinatapon sa ilog na dumadaloy hanggang sa dagat o lawa. Ganoon din ang mga nagmimina na ang latak ng kemikal na ginagamit sa paglinis ng namimina ay iniimbak sa mga reservoir subalit ang katatagan ay hindi mapagkatiwalaan, kaya pagdating ng panahon ay tumatagas rin kaya sinisipsip ng lupa na ang resulta ay pagkalason ng mga nakapaligid na bukal. Kung ipampaligo ang tubig mula sa mga ito, sakit sa balat ang dulot, lalo na kung gamitin sa pagluto na ang dulot ay tiyak namang kamatayan. Sa isang banda, ang usok mula sa mga pagawaan ay pumupunit sa kalawakan na dapat ay humahadlang sa tindi ng init ng araw na tumatama sa mundo.


Pagkagahaman at kawalan ng pagmamalasakit ang dahilan ng lahat ng mga nabanggit, at kakambal na yata ng tao. Walang mangyayari sa panandaliang pagsasantu-santohan upang makapagpakita ng pagmamalasakit dahil sinabi ng santo papa. Kailangan nating maging consistent o tuluy-tuloy sa pagpapakita ng malasakit. Paanong maisasakatuparan ito kung ang maayos na pagtapon nga lang ng basura mula sa bahay ay hindi nagagawa kaya naaanod sa mga ilog, dagat, at estero? Kaylan tayo magbabago? 

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Sa Panahon ng APEC Summit Daan-daang Flights ang Kakanselahin!

Posted on Wednesday 21 October 2015

Sa Panahon ng APEC Summit
Daan-daang Flights ang Kakanselahin!
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Ang APEC Summit, November 16-20, na tinanggihang i-host ng isa pang southeast Asian country na mas hindi hamak na may kakayahan, at sinalo naman ng Pilipinas ay magdudulot ng trahedya sa industriya ng biyaheng panghimpapawid dahil sa daan-daang kanseladong flight. Ang dahilan ng MIAA ay upang bigyan ng kaluwagan ang airport para sa mga darating at aalis na mga eroplanong gagamitin ng mga pinuno ng mga bansang dadalo sa nasabing pagtitipon. Sa panahong yon ay magigigng katawa-tawa ang Pilipinas sa paningin ng ibang bansa, dahil nagpauto at nagyabang na naman. Ang mangyayari sa Pilipinas ay parang isang probinsiyanong gumastos ng malaki upang makapaghanda ng todo pagdating ng kapistahan sa lugar nila, ganoong inutang lang ang pera. Ang kayabangan nga naman, kung umiral!

Maliban sa pagkansela ng mga flight, ang gobyerno ni Pnoy ay maglilinis ng mga bangketa at kalsada sa metro Manila upang walang makitang pagala-galang mga gusgusing nagtitinda ng mineral water at mani, lalo na ang mga nakatira sa bangketa na ang tinatawag na “tahanan” ay ang tinutulak na kariton. Siguradong mamumutok sa dami ang mga pampublikong gym, at covered courts ng mga barangay na pagdadalhan sa kanila. Subalit masuwerte ang madadala sa mga mamahaling resort tulad ng nangyari noong dumating si pope Francis, ang pinuno ng Vatican. Samantala, ang mga pamilya naman ng kawawang mga Pilipinong umaasa ng kabuhayan sa paglalako ngunit walang puwesto sa palengke ay isang linggo ring magugutom.

Gustong ipakita ni Pnoy sa mga bisitang akala niya ay hindi nagbabasa ng mga balita sa internet, na “totoo” nga ang sinasabi ng mga survey na umuunlad ang bansa. Ganoong sa totoo lang, ay pekeng pag-unlad pala! Bilang respeto, aayunan siya ng mga bisita, pero sa loob-loob ng mga ito, alam nila ang tunay na kalagayan ng bansa, dahil hindi naman sila mga bobo at tanga.

Ilang bilyong piso ang hindi inalintana ni Pnoy na mawawala sa mga negosyong apektado ng walang kuwentang pagtitipon. Pero, sa isang banda, hindi naman kaya sila pinangakuan ng “kapalit”, halimbawa ay “kaluwagan” o “write off” sa buwis? Wala namang cash na pang-refund ang gobyerno sa mga kalugian, eh di, idaan na lang sa collectible na tax!

Wala namang kabutihang idinudulot ang APEC at kung anu-ano pang kaek-ekang mga organisasyon ngayon ng mga bansa dahil kinokontrol lahat ng China, lalo na ang ekonomiya ng mga ito. Dahil dito, ano pa ang pag-uusapan ng mga pinuno, ganoong mas marami silang mga domestic problems na dapat asikasuhin sa bayan nila, tulad ng nalulugi nilang ekonomiya, krimen, droga at marami pang iba? Anong pagtutulungan ang pag-uusapan kung ang mga kalakal at paggalaw ng mga ito ay kontrolado ng China? Gumastos lang sila para sa junket na pagtitipon, samantalang lalo namang pinagdusa pa ni Pnoy ang mga kawawa nang mga Pilipino dahil sa abala at gastos na walang silbi!

Sa buong isang linggong pagtitipon ng APEC, luluwag ang kalsada dahil halos walang bibiyaheng mga bus at jeep. Gutom ang mga driver. Ang mga may kotse ay pupunta na lang sa probinsiya kung meron silang mapapasyalang kamag-anak upang makaiwas sa isang linggong gastusan kung sa resort sila titigil. Ang masaya ay mga may-ari ng malls at internet café dahil siguradong iistambayan ng mga magsasawa sa kapapanood ng Aldub kalye serye. Malamang, bukod tanging LRT at MRT ang mamamayagpag sa pagbiyahe, ang problema nga lang ay palagi namang naaaberya. At ang nakakatakot, ay baka lahat ng mga mamamasyal sa Luneta ay kakapkapan for security reason! Kaya itong gawin dahil may mga gate na ang Luneta na isinasara pa nga kung hatinggabi at binubuksan sa umaga, na para na ring mall. Yan ang Pilipinas sa ilalim ni Pnoy!


Marami tuloy ang nagsasabi na bumunot nga ng barahang panghuling hirit si Pnoy, bulilyaso pa. Kaya madadagdagan na naman ang malalagay sa pahina ng libro ng kasaysayan ng Pilipinas tungkol sa kanya, bilang presidenteng puro palpak daw ang ginawa, hanggang sa huling sandali ng panunungkulan. Baka gusto rin niyang magkaroon ng pelikula na tulad ng kay Heneral Luna, yon nga lang iba ang tema….siguradong hindi aayon sa kanya.

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The Entry of Great Britain in the "China Scene" Shows that Everything is Alright with the Dragon Power

The Entry of Great Britain in the “China Scene”
Shows that Everything is Alright with the Dragon Power
By Apolinario Villalobos

President Xi of China was accorded a very warm reception recently when he visited London. The Prime Minister of the host country admitted that such warmth was equivalent to investments that could be equated to thousands of job.

The Security Council of the United Nations is permanently occupied by the world’s four powers – the United States, Russia, Great Britain, China and France. Of the four, only France has not yet shown an obvious affinity to China. However, with what happened in London, will the nation of great chefs, follow suit, by coming up with an alibi to invite China to their romantic country and entice the touted richest country today, to invest, too? But the biggest question is: what will happen to the United Nations, now that the “check and balance” is lost?

Clearly, the lesser nations shall be at the mercy of the four nations’ charades. It will not be long when the four will finally talk among themselves on how to fairly divide the sickly sphere among them. The United States and China have been patting each other’s back indiscreetly, as while the former has been releasing “threats” of incursion in the latter’s artificial boundaries in the West Philippine Sea… China likewise releases “threats” of appropriate actions as needed – all press release. But in the eyes of those in the know, such are just charades. China’s relation with Russia has no problem at all, as there is a silent understanding about the difference in their respective interest – that of Russia in Europe and that of China in Southeast Asia and even the whole of Asia and the Pacific area, thus, her claim of the West Philippine Sea.

Initially, when China released a statement about her reclamation of islets in the West Philippine Sea, only the United States was specially mentioned that can use the facilities to be installed. Later, general statements were made about the use of facilities for maritime rescue, but still no mention about the claimant countries’ involvement. Very obvious is the ultimate objective of China for a one sided compromise, in her favor, of course. China will definitely not allow the dismantling of her installed facilities if the United Nations will decide on the illegality of reclamations. And, in this case, China has found a new and almost equally powerful supporter – Great Britain, a fellow member of the UN Security Council.

Great Britain has been known for condoning piratical activities of her adventurous seafaring people, notorious among them was Drake. Although, the piratical activity was draped with political intents on the issue of maritime boundaries in conflict with Spain, still the selfish and illegally notorious motive was there – piracy.  In her effort to rid her main territory of criminals, she dumped convicts in the far away island of Australia, to make sure that criminals would not be able to swim their way back home. Finally, her colonial effort resulted to the peopling of the New World – America, that later became the “cradle” of world democracy. By the way, Great Britain supports Malaysia against the Philippines on the issue of Sabah.

Today, the wisdom of China seems to have tamed the world powers. The dragon is, indeed, wise when it has awaken again after thousands of years of slumber.



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Standardizing the Wage Shall Discourage the Influx of Job Seekers in Urban Areas

Posted on Tuesday 20 October 2015

Standardizing the Wage Shall Discourage
The Influx of Job Seekers in Urban Areas
By Apolinario Villalobos

Obviously, the regional wage boards are not doing their job as they have no realistic data on the real situation in the provinces, such as prices of prime commodities that are the same as with Manila’s, also those of education, rental, and many others. The wage issue has been the most neglected since the First Republic. Until today, the labor sector’s cries are not heeded, to give it a serious consideration. As these inutile regional wage boards are useless, they should be removed from the government system, as the people behind them just add to the expenses of the government spending.

The primary reason why job seekers flock to Manila and other urban areas, is the lure of the high wage. A regular employee for instance in the province, earns 6thousand pesos a month, compared to the more than 10thousand pesos of those Manila, and there is still the opportunity of side jobs to augment the take home pay.  The cost of education in Manila is no different from the one in the province, and the student can still work as a service crew in a fast food chain to earn additional allowance. With those situations, the resourceful provinciano can definitely live in Manila with comfort.

The local governments can do their share in enticing investors by offering attractive investment packages. Between Manila and the laid back atmosphere of the provinces, for sure, investors shall choose the latter due to the absence of traffic and clean air. There is no longer a problem with the transportation being an important aspect for commerce, as practically, major provinces, and all cities have airports and those in the coastal areas have safe ports served by Ro-Ro’s and major shipping lines. One can practically leave Manila on a bus and reach Davao or Cagayan de Oro, still on the same bus. Thanks to the intricate transport system which got launched during the incumbency of Gloria Arroyo.

Manila is practically breaking at the seams, giving the national government a headache on how to eliminate depressed areas where many city employees live. The problem with the government is that, it will embark only on projects that are “beneficial” to the corrupt officials. They always think of infrastructures that are heavy with “built-in” commissions. The fact is that, infrastructures are not always the solution to labor and poverty problems. The issue is the WAGE, for which is needed a truthful and serious study….unfortunately, this effort does not promise a fat commission.


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Ang Pinaniniwalaan ay Dapat Gawin

Ang Pinaniniwalaan ay Dapat Gawin
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Marami ang may gustong maging “in” sa lahat ng bagay, kasama na diyan ang tungkol sa mga bagay na ispirituwal. Yong iba ay dumadalo sa mga weekend preaching ng mga sikat na evangelists, dahil alam nila na may mga dumadalo ding celebrities. At lalung-lalo kung may slot ito sa TV, kaya sikat, magandang pag-usapan sa mga party. Para bang sinabi nila na dahil okey sa mga celebrities ang preacher at may TV slot, okey ito sigurado. Ito yong mga excited sa pagkuwento na ang preacher ay magaling dahil mga de-kotse pa nga ang dumadalo, mga sikat na tao, mga artista.

Ang mga sini-share ng mga preachers na ito ay ganoon lang din naman, mula pa noong magsimula ang Kristiyanismo hanggang ngayong may mga pari at mga pastor na, na ang iba ay nasobrahan yata ng “paniniwala” kaya naging makasalanan na rin. Lahat ay tungkol sa pagmamahal sa Diyos at kapwa. Bakit kailangan pang makarinig ng salita ng ibang tao upang gawin ito, ganoong marami na tayong nakikita sa ating paligid na dapat ay gamitan nito? Ilang libong taon na mula nang sabihin ito ni Hesus, nababasa sa Bibliya, naririnig sa mga simbahan….hindi pa rin ba natin naiintindihan?

Marami sa mga ganitong mga spiritual kuno ay ni wala ngang concern sa mga miyembro ng kanilang pamilya, lalo na mga anak. Marami diyan na hindi na natakot sa pagsabi na pagod na sila sa pagiging tatay at nanay nila, ganoong may mga anak pa silang maliliit. Nirereklamo ang masamang ugali ng anak…kaya yong isang nag-open sa akin ay binara ko ng, “bakit hindi mo tinuruan ng magandang ugali ang mga bata noong maliit pa lang sila?”.  Dinagdagan ko pa ng pasaring na alangan namang kapitbahay pa ang magtuturo sa mga anak niya. Mayroon diyang nag-aalaga ng mga hayop at halaman, hindi naman inaasikaso na mabuti, dahil ang gusto lang pala ay ayaw patalo sa mga kapitbahay na may mga ganito ring alaga. Ang inggit ay isang napakasamang ugali, hindi man ituro ni Hesus….common sense lang ang kailangan.

Nakakapanindig-balahibo ang ugali ng iba na ang pakay lang pala sa pag-attend ng mga religious activities, tulad ng Misa at weekend preaching sa mga kilalang venues ay upang magdispley ng bagong damit, ang iba backless at plunging neckline pa, pati mukha ay may makapal na make-up! Ang iba, ginagawang dahilan ang pagdalo sa ganitong mga pagtitipon, para sa susunod pa nilang “family bonding” kuno….isang biyahe na nga lang naman. Pero masama pa rin ang dating ng dahilan, dahil sa halip na magkaroon ng sincerity sa pakay ng pagdalo sa religious na pagtitipon, ang isip ay nakatuon na sa kung saang restaurant kakain pagkatapos. Para ring “paggunita” sa pasko na nakalimutan nang ito ay tungkol sa questionable na birthday ito ni Hesus….dahil ang sa isip nila tuwing pasko ay mesang puno ng pagkain, gifts, kumukutitap na bumbilya, Christmas tree, etc.

Simple lang naman ang dapat paniwalaan ng tao pagdating sa spirituality….na may Diyos, mahalin Siya, mahalin ang kapwa-tao at ibang nilalang na may buhay, respetuhin ang kalikasan at mundong tinitirhan natin…at ipakita ito sa mga kilos, hindi lang sa salita upang masabi lang ng iba na may alam ang isang tao…at nang hindi isiping nagkukunwari lang pala siya.

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My dear, little ones...

My dear, little ones…
by Apolinario Villalobos

It pains me to see how the world
Crumbles under the weight of greed
How life buckles with the pain of despair
I am so sad that what will be left for all of you
Will be a world shrouded with the bleak sorrow.

Gone will all the birds be, that fly
Grass and flowers in the meadows
Fish in the oceans, rivers, and creeks
The butterflies and bees that seek nectar
And, so will the wind…stilled by the dire war.

All those are due to man’s greed
So ravenous are his appalling desires
But let’s not lose hope…pray, pray, pray
As the kindly Lord, to us, may again take pity
That tomorrow’s world, be blessed with His mercy!