Looking at Two Sides

It's almost a year now since I wrote my last entry here. There are so many things that have happened lately that I don't want to talk about but what is happening around me can't just be set aside in one corner. I know for a fact that each person is entitled to have his or her own opinion on things that are happening around. So, here I am writing and giving my opinion to what happened for this week. My mind is screaming and telling me that I should get these things in writing. So here it goes...

I know how delicate it is to talk about the hostage crisis that everyone tuned in to last Monday, August 21. News team from around the globe like CNN, BBC, ABC, and Hongkong local news are all simulcast and bringing live coverage of the Ex-policeman who held up a tourist bus and passengers are mostly Chinese nationals in Manila. The hostage lasted I think 10 or 11 hours. I won't elaborate more on what happened within those hours for I'm sure many know what happened. I would like to elaborate more regarding how our local government handled the situation on my own opinion. I'm no policeman or related to any of those investigators or any committee involving taking control of the situation. But what I don't understand is that why it took so long for the authorities to negotiate with the hostage taker? The hostage taker is asking for the police force to give him back his job and to go over or review his charges for misconduct in the office of the Ombudsman. Would it be simple that the negotiator told the ex-cop that they will look into it ASAP? And that they took it into writing or legal documents that they will review the charges or look into what they can do to get him back his job. Legal document that would be signed by people in authority that could help the ex-cop in this situation. I would think that if the ex-cop have a legal document at hand, it have ended up the hostage peacefully. Yes, they did shown him a document from the Ombudsman but the hostage taker just said that it is all trash! At that time they should have not let the hostage taker look at the document that even the authorities know that it won't do them any good. I think they only showed that document thinking that they could buy more time for negotiation or the hostage taker will take the document and just surrender. The incident might have ended up around 5:00 in the afternoon if not for the incident happened to the hostage taker's brother. The hostage taker's brother is also a policeman but seen near the tourist bus wearing civilian clothes and carrying a pistol. Later on, the hostage taker's brother was disarmed and arrested for authorities think that he is an accomplish. The hostage taker seen all these on live television because the tourist bus has a television installed in. This provoked the hostage taker to kill the 8 Chinese nationals ending the hostage crisis sadly after a sniper took shot of the hostage taker when he appeared unintentionally at the door of the tourist bus.


If you look at the whole situation from start to finish, both the hostage taker and the passengers of the tourist bus are all victims of injustice system in the country. Why you ask? Because first what provoked the hostage taker former Senior Inspector Rolando del Rosario Mendoza to do such thing is the slow movement of his case in the Ombudsman regarding charges such as robbery, robbery-extortion, grave threats and physical injuries. All the neighbors, friends, and former colleague of the ex-cop are telling people how kind he was and that he is planning to run as Barangay Captain this coming barangay elections. So what he has turned out to be last Monday is a shock to many who knew him. So it's not the media or ground commander nor the negotiator be blamed for this incident. If not for the slow movement of the case of the former cop, no 8 Chinese nationals were killed including Mendoza. The ex-cop is just seeking justice. I hope that something good will turn out after all these incident.

Let's go for the lighter side of week. August 22, all are watching and stay tuned again to their television and on the internet but not for what happened yesterday. All eyes as the beautiful ladies of 83 countries strutted their way on stage for the Miss Universe pageant. Of course with the news regarding the online poll voting, all Filipinos are excited that the country's representative Maria Venus Raj will win the title. As the top 15 were called in, excitement drew all Filipinos to stay tuned until the end of the pageant. All across the globe, people are waiting who will be crowned as Miss Universe 2010. And so the top 10 are called in, Venus Raj is among them and all Filipinos are cheering and jumping. Before Miss Venus represented our country for the Miss Universe, she had undergone some problem because of her nationality. She was born out of wedlock in Doha, Qatar but when her parents separated, she was brought to Bato, Camarines Sur in the Region of Bicol in the Eastern part of Luzon, Philippines. She went through legal matters to fight for her crown after she was declared Bb. Pilipinas-Miss Universe. The organizers of the Bb. Pilipinas said that they will return the title Bb. Pilipinas-Miss Universe to Miss Venus Raj, if she will be able to get a Philippine passport from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). After I think 3 to 5 months of undergoing legal matters, she finally got her Philippine passport and got her crown back as Bb. Pilipinas-Miss Universe and the rest is history.


As she was called in for final questioning for the Miss Universe pageant and as one of the top 10 finalists, everyone is at the edge of their seats. Judge number 2 William Baldwin, one of the foreign actors asked the question to Miss Venus, "What is the one big mistake you've made in your life and what did you do to correct it?". And Miss Venus answered "You know what, sir, in my 22 years of existence, I can say that there's nothing major, major, I mean, problem that I've done in my life because I'm very confident with my family, with the love that they are giving to me. So, thank you so much that I'm here. Thank you, thank you so much!". That lead her to 4th runner-up Miss Universe 2010. Even though Miss Mexico is the winner of the title Miss Universe 2010, Miss Venus Raj is the much talked about contestant in the said pageant.

Because of the word "Major Major" that she said, she became world wide famous as of this writing. Hmmmm... it means no big deal? bonggang bongga? Because she's nervous, she just spilled the words that came first into her mind to answer the question. I know the feeling how it is to answer a question when you are nervous.. Congrats Venus! Filipino people are proud of you! Mabuhay!

You can see her Facebook Fan page here

First of all...

This month of May is my first year anniversary as a blogger. I would like to thank my friend Jules for advising me to create my own blog. I was reading his blog before I made my blog and he told me why don't you make your own blog and it will be your own world. True! This blog of mine became my own world in the Internet. It is a window of my personality and what I am thinking, seeing and feeling. I don't know what title shall I give to my blog and since everything in here is what is one my mind, I finally decided to call it WRITING MIND.

There are times that I wish to write an entry here in my blog but can't find the correct words to express it. I'm not a writer but I am trying to. This is also a training ground for me to learn how to write. If you think I have typing errors on my post, don't hesitate to shoot me a comment and tell me which one I should fix. You can also shoot me some suggestions that you wish to read here at my blog.

I met so many people here in blogosphere. People that became my online friends and some shoots me an email and we chat through email or yahoo messenger. I won't tell who they are and I might miss one of them, LOLz! Anyway, you guys know who you are. I like to thank people all over the world that are visiting my blog and taking time to read my entries. I didn't expect to keep up with posting here because I thought I can't write so many things. I like to share things that I know and this blog gave me the opportunity to do so.

How time flies and already it's my first year in the blogging world. I hope I could post lots of things here as the days move and go by. And I hope you will keep on visiting and reading my entries.

To you who read this Thank you for your time =)

=========================================================================

Today is also Labour/Labor Day here in the Philippines. The first Labor Day celebrations took place on May 1, 1903. I know that crisis affected every country that I know of. Many are still jobless even if our government is telling us that there are lots of companies who are hiring people. Yes, there are companies hiring but not all are qualified for the job.

I was watching the noon time news and companies are telling their workers that there is no wage hike for Labor Day. Previous years, workers get their wage hike every year aside from compensation. Every Labor Day, workers gather and rally around the city of Manila to voice out their needs to the government. It's not that the government is not doing anything with their requests especially about wage hike but there are things that the government cannot handle anymore and there is nothing to be done. I know that it's not easy to find a job. A job that you want. They say that find a job that you want will make your work everyday like playing in a playground. It's easy to say but not easy to find.

There are some companies that are not following the Labor code and taking advantage of their workers. Workers that are working in these kind of companies are afraid to voice out what is happening in their company to the government because they are afraid of losing their jobs if they will reveal the anomalies going on. I hope employers will realize what they are doing and give what is really for their workers. Workers are not slaves. They are here to work in order to live in this country.

May 1 is a national holiday in Albania, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, China, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria, North Korea, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, the Philippines (spelled as "Labor Day"), Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Happy Labour Day!

Just like the sky...

There will always be a time in your life that you are unable to do your daily routine due to you need to attend to other things or you are not in the mood to move here and there. You feel that you need something or someone to motivate you or to inspire you. I know you experience these things and you think and think. When I do my thinking, I love to see the clear blue sky with clouds.

If you think about it, we are like the sky. Sometimes the sky is not clear or there are dark clouds covering the beauty of the sky and then suddenly rain will pour. We are like the sky, the dark clouds are our fears, pains, problems and the like. When we do not know how to deal with the darkness over us, we cry like the sky. As they say when it rains the heavens cry. But I like to see clear skies with white fluffy clouds. Those fluffy clouds represent happiness, joy, and all the positive energy in our lives.

Lucky for me when I looked up in the sky, I saw once again the beauty of the sky. Here are the photos I have taken.


And as the day ends and the night begins, we all have our hopes up that the next day will be another clear sky with fluffy clouds.

P.S. Thank you very much friends, readers and visitors of my blog (I'm not that confident that I have readers but numbers are going up over there >>>>>>) for taking your time reading and visiting here as I am not posting often like I did last month.

Out of the topic ---- I was watching the live airing of the fertilizer scam on TV yesterday. And I was disgusted with what Senator Biazon is asking and reiterating to former under secretary of the Department of Agriculture Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante. Joc-joc already stated that he was afraid to go home here in the Philippines to attend the senate hearing of the fertilizer scam due to his life is in danger due to death treats. He do not know whom he will appeal because he do not know who are the person behind his death treats. I understand Joc-joc because if you are in his shoes and your life is being treaten by somebody that you cannot identifiy, you won't really get back in your own country. I mean you do not know who you should trust and tell them that you cannot go home yet because your life is being treatened. Joc-joc is not putting our country in shame when he told this in the United States Court. He is just AFRAID and seeking help to protect him from these treats. There is fear, fear that once he hit the Philippine airport there might be a sniper waiting to take him down just like what happened to former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino. Nonetheless, I just hope that something good will come out of this hearing unlike what happened to the ZTE scam.

Random Thoughts o_O

It's just now that I feel the air is getting cold at night. It's about time that we feel the Christmas air smoothly, freely, and touching our Christmas spirit. I think part of my work is stress. And sometimes lack of sleep. Others say that there is another job or work for you out there. Easy for them to say that but being a bread winner, I can't resign and just stay at home while finding another job. Not at this time where we are at crisis.

Senator Barack Obama the 44th elected United States President is the first African American President in the history of United States. His Vice President Joe Biden. Everyone celebrated even the Filipino community celebrated with Senator Obama's declaration as US President. This is new to all of us not only to our American friends. This is really something new. I just hope that president elect Obama will do something about the crisis that US is now facing and the fact that we are affected too. I'm just scared of the rumors that if Senator Obama wins for presidency, call centers in the Philippines will be pulled out leaving jobless Filipinos and the work at the call center will be given to the Americans. I don't know what will happen now. I just hope that everything will be fine and good in our Lord's time.

I'm not pro or against any political personality in the US, I just wanna make sure that I still can support my family and provide them with their daily needs. I know that each of us are affected with this crisis. I'm just wondering why Philippines is ranked number 5 in the whole world and ranked number 2 in Asian countries that people are hungry. Where in everything that we buy and eat has 12% VAT (Value Added Taxes). I'm now wondering if our taxes really have values.

There are a lot of issues and concerns that we are facing at this time. Well, it has been the same in the past decade or years. In my years of living in this world, the same issues and economic crisis are always there. We cannot just ignore them. And then also comes Global Warming, another crisis. What I'm hoping now that as this year ends and another year starts, I just hope that in won't come to worst in the coming next year.

Vintage...

Before I went to work, I heard on the news that the Inflation Rate of the Philippines went down for September to 11.9% from 12.7% last August. This is because of the easing prices particularly in food and petroleum products. Hmmm... But how come commodity prices aren't lowering yet? Why is it that when dollar rate goes high, prices goes high BUT when dollar rate went low, prices stays the same. Lucky for us, we are not having the same crisis as what United States (no offense to my American friends) is currently experiencing right now. I'm crossing my fingers that we don't get the same experience. They say that we will see lower inflation rate in the first quarter of 2009, I hope so. This is what I call Vintage issue.

Due to the fact that prices are going high as I have mentioned in my previous blog, we need some alternatives. My father, brother and I decided that we get back to biking since transportation fare especially tricycle fare is getting too high even if you are just going to a near place. I see more people now riding their bikes going to work or just going to the market. That is why I'm seeing different kinds of bikes and some amazes me. It's like bringing me back to the old days. So my brother and I decided to restore an old bike that our late grandfather handed to our father. In some places here in the Philippines, the old bikes or what I call Vintage bikes are popular now that transportation fare is high. Biking is good for our body. Here is the restored bike that I am referring to. It's a bit dirty because my brother went out for a spin. I forgot to take the photo of how it looks like before we restored it.

On Melamine content products

This melamine content products are really scary. Even though we know that kidney failure will not only result from taking melamine, we still need to be aware of what are the products that are being tested that might have melamine in them. I have read and heard on news that there are already products that are already tested and proven to have melamine content in them.

But I am curious to what are these products are since I love to eat almost anything edible. I did a search on the internet and some of the products that are proven to have melamine content are White Rabbit and a Koala cookie from Lotte. I love to eat both of those and after knowing that they have melamine, I don't think so I can eat those again even though Department of Health (DOH) said that it will take 15 cups of milk with melamine content everyday for several months for an adult to have kidney problems due to intake of melamine. For an infant, it is risky because they drink lots of milk since that is where they get their daily nutrients even if it will take 2 cups of milk with melamine content everyday for several months. Countries all over the world are now testing and making lab examinations on all their dairy products. Milk Products from New Zealand and Australia are safe to take.

Here are the products that are currently being tested for melamine content at the Bureau of Food and Drug (BFAD). Again this is the partial list of milk and other milk products undergoing testing for possible melamine contamination.


Below is the partial list:
1. Anchor Lite Milk
2. Anchor Wam Froot Milk Drink Mango Magic
3. Anchor Wam Froot Milk Drink Orange Chill
4. Anchor Wam Froot Milk Drink Strawberry Spin
5. Anlene Milk
6. Anmum Materna 180 g
7. Anmum Materna Chocolate
8. Dutch Lady Pure Milk
9. Farmland Skim Milk
10. Green Food Yili Pure Milk
11. Jinwei Drink
12. Jolly Cow Pure Fresh Milk
13. Jolly Cow Slender Low Fat Milk
14. KLIM instant full cream milk 1.8kg
15. M&M Chocolate Brown 40g
16. Meiji Hokkaido Azuki (Red Bean Ice Cream)
17. Meiji Ujikintoki (Red Bean and Green Tea Frozen Confection)
18. Mengniu Original Drink Milk
19. Mengniu Pure Milk
20. Milk Chocolate Bars/China
21. Milk Chocolate Candies/China
22. Milk Boy repacked
23. Milk Boy repacked
24. Monmilk Breakfast Milk Walnut Milk Beverage
25. Monmilk High Calcium Low Fat Milk
26. Monmilk High Calcium Milk
27. Monmilk Milk Deluxe Pure Milk
28. Monmilk Pure Milk
29. Monmilk Suan Suan Ru Sour Milk Beverage (mango flavor)
30. Natural Choice Milk Ice Bar
31. Nespray
32. Nestle Carnacion Calcium Plus non fat milk powder 1.6 kg
33. Nestle Chocolate Flavor Ice Cream cone
34. Nestle Dairy Farm Pure Milk
35. Nestle Vanilla Flavor Ice Cream Cone
36. Nutri Express Milk
37. Nutri Express Milk 15 Nutritional Elements (Blue, Red and Orange label and cap)
38. Nutri Express Milk
39. Nutri Express Milk Green Apple
40. Prime Roast Cereals 28g
41. Pura Fresh Milk
42. Snickers brown 59 grams
43. Strawberry Sorbet
44. Trappist Dairy Low Fat Yogurt Drink
45. Vita Fresh Milk
46. Wahaha Orange
47. Wahaha Yellow
48. Want Want milk drink
49. Yili High Calcium 250ml
50. Yili High Calcium Milk 1 liter
51. Yili High Calcium Low fat milk beverage
52. Yili Low Fat Milk 1 liter
53. Yili Milk
54. Yili Pure Milk 250 ml
55. Yili Pure Milk 1 liter
56. Yinlu Milk Peanut

as of September 27, 2008

Prevention is better than Cure...

Sleepy head....but still thinking

Just like these dogs, that is how sleepy I am right now. I had only 2 hours of sleep and then get to work on a night shift. My eyes are about to close but I need to stay awake to do my work. I think I am getting to night off mode now because it's my night off for 2 days later. Coffee no longer has effect on me. While I am being sleepy, I am thinking that tomorrow is a legal holiday, no double pay for me huh, LOL! June 12 is Independence day and it's a Thursday. How come they changed it June 9 on a Monday where in the nearest day to a weekend is Friday. Then it should have been moved to Friday and not Monday. I wonder why, I wonder why... hmmmm....

After the holiday tomorrow it will be the start of the school year here and the start of a new week for me. Another week, a new journey for everybody. Goodluck to the students going back to school and to the unsung heroes, our teachers that will take their time, energy, strength, ability and witts to face new and old students to impart knowledge for another school year. Oh Wow! Deep huh?! I miss teaching and my students that I treat as my friends. Classroom set up to Office set up, I may have jumped from one world to another but I still miss teaching. What I miss most of it is applying and imparting knowledge at the same time.

Nevertheless, I still look like this guy .... sleepy.

June is here!

The month of June is here! June is the 6th month of the year. I personally remember the month of June because of 3 events that usually happens during this month.

First is going back to school for many Filipino kids, young and old. Education is for everyone. But now that tuition fees increases and because of economic crisis that we are encountering today, only a few can manage to go back to school. It really saddens me when a person has the motivation and enthusiasm to go to school but because of financial problem and financial stability, they can no longer attend school. Yes, there are scholarships that they can take advantage. But today, I seldom hear scholarships because only a few now gives them to those who are eligible. Even college plans are no longer being heard. As economic crisis burdens our country, many will try to look for work in order to survive instead of going to school. My heart really saddens when I see on the television children that are no longer going to school but wants to go to school but cannot due to financial problem. I wonder, what happened to the "pay now, study later" program. I no longer hear that too.

Second, when the month of June comes, June brides rings a bell! Many are planning to have their wedding to take place in the month of June. Hmmm.. I wonder why =)

Before wedlock, the couple needs to attend a seminar to know more about the life of married couple and to also ask themselves if they are really ready to tie the knot. Wedding is also like fiesta where in you need to prepare, really prepare for your guests. There are a lot of things to consider and preparation for a wedding. Of course, the wedding gown and the suit of the groom, the sponsors, brides maid, best man, flower girls and many more. The couple must list things to do in order not to forget even the little detail. Little details still is important in a wedding. And also, wedding now a days is very expensive. If you are planning to have a simple wedding with only family and relatives as your guests that will still cost the couple. I have no idea how much exactly will the wedding and reception will cost but whether it is simple or not, it is still expensive. By the way, if you do not wish to go through the hassle of planning your own wedding just hire a wedding coordinator. Just tell them your concept and what you would like to have for your wedding and they will arrange it for you. Best Wishes to those who are set to have a wedding this June!

And lastly, I remember the Philippine Independence Day... The day that I wish I was there when the Philippine Flag was raised as a sign of freedom and celebration of the Filipino people. Isn't it amazing to be a part of an historical event?

I wonder what do the children of today thinks about the Philippine Independence Day. Just a bit of facts, on June 12, 1898, prior to the formal conclusion of the Spanish-American war, Filipino revolutionary forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the Philippine Islands from the colonial rule of Spain. The declaration, however, was not recognized by the United States or Spain, and was not generally recognized by other nations. The Spanish government ceded the Philippines to the United States in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, in consideration for an indemnity for Spanish expenses and assets lost.It was really an independence for the Filipino people.

Those are the things that I remember when the month of June comes every year.

mOtIvAtIoN.... do you have it?

A friend of mine is a blogger here and I have read some of his blogs that motivated me to create and write my own blog. At first I was hesitant to create a blog, my very own blog and my friend said try it and it would be your own world. I said WOW! my very own. To cut the story short, here is my blog now.

Many or some of us are afraid to try new things in life because of the possibility of failure or getting negative feedback from other people. Me too, sometimes I am afraid to try new things in my life but if I really wanted to try it or someone or something motivates me to do it, I'll find time to pursue it.

There is so much to do and many things that we can do but at this point in time with all the crisis and nature problem that we are encountering, many are busy to cope up with the crisis by working hard and making sure that everything will be fine. Some already forgets how to mingle, socialize and relax. Family first, that is what I think in these times of crisis. It is only now that I feel the crisis in this country and no wonder many would like to work abroad. Me too if given a chance because it is not only for me but for my family. That is the motivation for me to work everyday. To get up and fix myself and be ready to get to work.. my Family. I think most of the people thinks of their family first. Especially in a Filipino setting, family first is what most of my kababayan or countrymen thinks first.

What is Motivation? According to Mr. Webster, it means the act or process of motivating, the condition of being motivated, a motivating force, stimulus, or influence.

Is there such thing as good and bad motivation? For me a good motivation is applying your effort towards doing good to yourself, family, friends and people around you. Taking your time and effort to doing good and the outcome is to benefit yourself and people around you. Benefit in a form of feeling good about yourself but not the benefit of getting favors or material things. Of course, bad motivation is doing things that would outcome negative things or not acceptable to the society. Why are there some people takes time and effort to do things that are not acceptable? Is it because they are the only one that would benefit on that effort? Sad to say, but that's what it looks like.

But why do things that will only benefit you and why not do things that would benefit the many people? If you are still thinking why, just look around you and what is happening around you. What is happening now in this crisis is because in the past, people intend to do things that will only benefit them and not looking towards the benefit of the many people in the future. If we will not motivate ourselves or motivate others in giving importance with water, electricity and food, then in the coming year of 2024, it might be true that all water, electricity and food resources will be lost. We must motivate ourselves and others to use them appropriately.