Day: April 11, 2016
Kudzu – One of the World’s Most Invasive Plants
Ang Matinding Kagutuman
Ang Matinding Kagutuman
Ni Apolinario Villalobos
Ang mga taong hindi nakakaranas ng matinding gutom ay nagkikibit-balikat lamang kung makarinig ng balitang may pinatay o namatay dahil sa gutom. Ang mga taong hindi nakadanas nito ay yong nadanasan lamang ay hindi nabuong tatlong beses na pagkain sa isang araw o hindi nakapag-miryenda, o di kaya ay hindi nakatikim ng tsitserya, o hindi nakainom ng isang boteng soft drink sa buong maghapon.
Hindi nadanasan ng mga taong nabanggit kung paanong humilab ang tiyan dahil sa hindi pagkain sa loob ng dalawang araw o mahigit pa, o di kaya ay kung malamnan man ng masabing “pagkain” ay isang pirasong nilagang kamote o saging sa maghapon lamang, kaya upang makalimutan ang gutom ay idinadaan na lang sa pagtulog ng maaga. Subalit kalimitan ay mahirap ding gawin ito dahil talagang lumalatay sa kalamnan ang paghilab ng bitukang walang laman. Hindi nila nadanasang kumain ng talbos ng mga halamang gubat na hindi pa sigurado kung nakalalason o hindi. At lalong hindi nila nadanasang kumain ng mga itinapong pagkaing diretsong isinusubo mula sa basurahan!
Para sa iba, negative daw itong mga sinasabi ko. Bakit daw hindi masasaya at hindi depressing na mga blog ang gawin ko. Lalo pa at sinasabi din nila na wala naman daw silang magagawa sa mga taong nagugutom. Sana ay unawain ng mga nagsasabing negative at depressing daw ang ganitong uri ng blog, na lahat tayo, nagugutom man o hindi ay bahagi ng iisang lipunan. Hindi ba Pilipino ang mga nagugutom? Hayop na ba ang dapat ituring sa kanila dahil kumakain ng mga galing sa basura?
Kailangang pamukhaan ang mga nakakaluwag sa buhay ng mga nangyayaring kagutuaman sa paligid upang malaman nila na ang isang kutsarang kaning itinitira sa pinggan ay mali…na ang pagtapon ng tutong na kaning hindi naman panis ay mali….na ang pagtapon ng hindi naman bulok pero nalalanta lang na gulay ay mali…na ang pagi-spoil sa mga anak nila na pinalalamon nila ng junk foods sa almusal, tanghalian, at hapunan ay mali…na ang pagbibigay sa nagmamaktol ng anak na gustong mag-Jolibee araw-araw ay mali….na ang pagbibigay sa kagustuhan ng anak na gawing tubig ang softdrink ay mali…etc. Ang mga iyan ang layunin ko, hindi upang sila ay sabihang tumulong sa mga nagugutom.
Walang sinumang taong gustong magutom. Maliban na lang siguro sa mga may gustong maging santo kaya madalas mag-ayuno o mag-fasting. Ang mga nagugutom sa probinsiya ay nasadlak sa kagutuman dahil sa minanang kahirapan na nagsimula nang ang kanilang mga ninuno at magulang ay niloko ng mga mangangamkam ng lupa, at mga asyendero. Kaya ang iba ay lumuwas sa mga siyudad upang maghanap ng trabahong matino, kung saan ay niloko pa rin ng mga illegal recruiter at mga amo nila, at ang iba ay pinagmalupitan pa tulad ng pambubugbog at panggagahasa kaya pinili na lang nilang tumira sa bangketa at mga iskwater.
Ang mga nabanggit ang malinaw na katotohanan kaya kung maaari lang, yong mga nagbubulag-bulagan at makasarili ay tumigil na sa paghusga sa mga nagugutom sa pagsabing kasalanan nila dahil hindi sila nagsikap. Totoo na upang kumita ay kailangang magsikap, pero malinaw din ang katotohanan na ang iba ay yumaman dahil sa panloloko ng kapwa at pagnakaw sa kaban ng bayan!
Mahilig Magturuan ang mga Opisyal ng Pilipinas Kung May Bulilyaso
Mahilig Magturuan ang mga Opisyal ng Pilipinas
Kung May Bulilyaso!
Ni Apolinario Villalobos
“Feng Shui” o Pungsoy daw ngayon ang kailangan ng Manila International Airport Terminal 3. Kawawa naman ang nanahimik na terminal na inaakusahang may kamalasan daw. Ang malinaw ay…. mga taong namumuno ang malas dahil hindi nila ginagawa ang dapat nilang gawin! Walang aalingasaw na mga palikuran kung maayos ang management. Walang babagsak na kisame kung bago pinagamit ang terminal ay inayos muna. Hindi mawawalan ng kuryente at ilaw kung maayos ang pamamalakad ng mga pasilidad na ginagamit sa terminal tulad ng mga back-up generator at aircon units. Sino ang mga dapat na responsable sa mga ito?…eh, di mga taong namumuno!!! Bakit isisisi sa mga ispiritu ang mga kapabayaan ng mga tao?
Sa ibang bansa, ang mga namumuno kahit hindi pa napatunayang nagkasala ay nagpapakamatay dahil sa hiya….dito sa Pilipinas ang mga opisyal ay walang hiya!
Sa pagbanggit ng pungsoy ng mga naghuhugas-kamay at kapalmuks na mga opisyal upang maitaboy daw ang malas…..
Ibig bang sabihin, dahil hanggang ngayon ay wala pang love life ang presidente, malas ang pagtira niya sa Malakanyang at pamumuno sa buong Pilipinas? Kailangan din bang ipungsoy ang Malakanyang at buong bansa?
Ibig bang sabihin, dahil inuulan ng mga reklamo ang DSW, dapat ding ipungsoy ito, pero ang sinasabi naman ng iba ay baka malas daw ang buhok ng namumuno ng ahensiya dahil ang maliit na bahagi ng buhok ay regular na pinapalitan ng kulay, kaya sabi ng iba ay nagmumukha siyang squirrel? Bakit hindi siya hayaan kung statement niya ito? Wala namang masama sa pagpa-improve ng likas na ganda!
Ibig bang sabihin, dapat ding ipungsoy ang opisina ng DOTC, pati mga riles ng MRT at LRT dahil “minalas” ang mga namumuno, dahil sa pagbato sa kanila ng mga sunud-sunod na katiwalian? Bakit hindi ituloy ang pangako ng isang opisyal na magpapasagasa siya kung magkakaroon pa rin ng problema ang MRT upang madiligan ng dugo niyang kulay itim ang mga riles?
Ang hirap sa Pilipinas, ang mga itinalaga sa puwesto ng mga namili ng boto at nanalo ay mahilig magturuan. Kulang na lang ay ituro kay Satanas ang mga nangyayari sa Pilipinas upang makapaghugas sila ng kamay pagkatapos nilang humawak ng maruming perang ninakaw sa kaban ng bayan!
The Administrations of two “President Aquino”…Cory and her son, Noynoy
The Administrations of two “President Aquino”
…Cory and her son, Noynoy
By Apolinario Villalobos
Many still view President Cory Aquino as an “accidental president”. The death of her husband, fuelled by the pent-up emotion of the Filipinos against the Marcos dictatorship, propelled her to presidency. Many are still wondering what would have happened if Ninoy Aquino made it back to the Philippines via Malaysia as was the original plan. Would he be the “best” option, as the Filipinos were tired of the Marcos-style of dictatorship? As recalled, Ninoy was alleged to have a “left wing” leaning, so that, would have the Philippines been under a communist administration if he got elected as president?
The hope of the Filipinos when Cory took over the reins of the government from Marcos, to have a “better” life did not materialize…dashed to dust in a puff. Ass-lickers in the government just changed their color, from red and blue (Marcos) to yellow (Cory Aquino). Sanitizing cordon around the president still prevailed, as were “whisperers”, because even Jovito Salonga, himself, as the first chief of the PCGG complained of not having enough liberty of approaching the lady president for matters about the “stolen wealth”, cases of which were being heard in the United States. The administration of Cory was also characterized with several attempts of take over from disgruntled junior officers of the military, albeit, did not succeed. The perpetrators are now active senators and even running for the vice-presidency. But worst, Cory’s tenure saw the occurrence of the celebrated Mendiola and Hacienda Luisita massacres, the blackest mark ever to what her followers consider as an “immaculate administration”.
The only significant accomplishment of the Cory administration was the reduction of the price of “galunggong”, touted as the poor man’s fish. The hoped-for recovery of the country’s wealth, supposedly stolen by Marcos became just but a dream. The subsequent administrations that were expected to double the effort for the recovery were also disappointments, as corruption, instead, became just more apparent.
The son of Cory Aquino, Benigno III (Pnoy or Noynoy) took over as president, as a result of alleged political manipulation which is common in Philippine politics. He made use of the “tuwid na daan” (straight path) as the essence of his administration, which was supposed to be “the way of a non-corrupt government”. This quixotic quest proved to be a worse disappointment right at the beginning, and still got worst at the closing of his administration. The slogan became a big joke and boomeranged on the president with a big bang.
Just like the administration of his mother’s, Pnoy’s own is also characterized not only be indifference but more massacres – those that happened in Zamboanga City committed by MNLF; Mamasapano (Maguindanao), still being investigated; and Kidapawan (North Cotabato) committed by the police against the farmers who just want a few kilos of rice to tide them over the onslaught of the El Niἧo. Still worse, the devastations that whipped the country, particularly, the eastern Visayas area by typhoon Yolanda has put the country in a shameful spot in view of the misused donations from foreign donors, and the unchecked pilferage of same, as well as, the embarrassingly inferior quality of government habitation projects for the victims, and which until today, after many years, are not yet complete. What the government people, especially, the DSW, present in their reports as completed are projects of the NGOs.
Government facilities that are supposed to counter the worsening of traffic, such as the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT), have become subjects of investigation for incessant commission of corrupt deals. It took a long, long time for Vitangcol, the chief to get down his post. Accordingly, he was a close associate of the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communication, Jun Abaya. Even the national police chief, a close friend of the president was not spared by the resignation calls, but they proved useless as they fell on the deaf ears of Malacaἧan Palace and the guy, himself, Allan Purisima.
There were calls for the resignation, too, of Abad, the chief of DBM, also Soliman of the DSW, and many more of Pnoy’s people….but his indifference is such that they remained shamelessly glued to their seats. Such display of arrogant assurance has manifested the famous line, “what are we in power for?” As if the puns were not enough, Pnoy Aquino’s administration was dubbed “Student Council”.
Finally, even though the administration swears to high heavens about the absence of pork barrel in the approved trillionic budget, expert lookouts and observers are insisting that they are hidden behind new references. It’s as if Pnoy has just paved the way for another wave of corruption after he leaves Malacaἧan Palace. Such unwavering indifference is like not giving a damn to a people who, for him, has not had enough of misfortune under the administrations after the Martial Law!
Drawing
Shade, light and dark
A little bit more
I’m getting closer
A bit closer
To the image
I adore most
But my right hand
Started trembling
And the lines drifted
Away and away
And to deformity
It paved way
I need to erase
And retrace
And catch moments lost
While I slowly drifted
To the sea of mistakes,
Ocean of distress.
I’ll try again and again.
I’ll keep trying till I make it right
At least, till I make it right.
Evangelists Should Dwell on Virtues Rather than Supposedly “Weaknesses and Sins” of Rival Religions
Evangelists Should Dwell on Virtues Rather than
Supposedly “Weaknesses and Sins” of Rival Religions
By Apolinario Villalobos
I cannot comprehend how some “evangelists” can have the heart to lambast rival religions or sects by citing their supposedly “weaknesses” and “sins”. With arrogance, these “evangelists” delight in mocking them in front of TV cameras and microphones in radio stations. In the first place, these “evangelists” are in no way, have the right in pointing their dirty and accusing finger at other churches. Who are they to judge, anyway? Proudly, they hold up in the air, their “bible” as the source of their accusations.
Obviously, these unfair and egoistic “evangelists” who translate Bible passages literally have outdated information about it, as it is no longer viewed as “unchanging” and “reliable” due to discovered inconsistencies by no less than authorities of different churches. Despite such findings, however, for the sake of maintaining the staunch belief of the faithful, the Bible is still held in high esteem by the “sane” and “reasonable”, or better, “intelligent” evangelists who emphasize its essence around which revolve virtues taught by Jesus. Their effort is commendable in dwelling on the goodness and relevance of brotherhood, implying that despite differences, many religions worship only One God.
The proud, loud, and blubber-mouthed “evangelists”, on the other hand, are the reasons why animosity developed among religions and their sects. Instead of espousing the virtues such as love, compassion, charity, etc. – all positive, and innately common among the faithful, they insanely and with animated hand gestures, yet, proudly claim that they have successfully “exposed” anomalies in rival religions. These proud “evangelists” obviously failed to realize that ALL religions and their sects have their respective “uniqueness” in manifesting their faith which comes in different ceremonies and rituals. On the other hand, the arrogant “evangelists” claim that only they have the right to salvation, as though, they are God’s chosen people!
I may offend fanatics but for me, it is immaterial whether Jesus is the Son of God or one of the Prophets sent by God, because the focus should be on his teachings, as those of Mohammed, the Buddha, the various Saints, etc., who not only revealed God’s messages, but act out what are uttered by their lips.
Ramon Gantang, Jr. Wakes Up at 5:00 AM to Prepare Jesus Christ Majesty “Chapel”
Ramon Gantang, Jr.: Wakes Up at 5:00AM
To Prepare Jesus Christ Majesty “Chapel”
By Apolinario Villalobos
It was a Sunday, almost seven in the morning and I just arrived in Sta. Cruz, struggling with a box full of notebooks, books, pre-used copies of Bible and pens for the Jesus Christ Majesty “chapel” along F. Torres. I was hoping against hope that it would be open that early. The service was yet to start at 10:30AM, but I expect the venue to be ready because of the musical instruments that had to be set up. I was downhearted when I found the folding gate closed though the chairs which were stacked up were obviously ready for their usual arrangement, but the musical instruments were already set up.
Luckily, when I tried calling, a smiling guy peeped from the far end of the corridor. He approached the closed gate and after I introduced myself, he opened it and invited me in. Still smiling, he introduced himself as “Jay R”. Excusing himself, he went out in haste and after several minutes, was back with two styro cups of coffee. I was glad that he was told beforehand by Sister Mayette about my plan to drop by, preferably on a Sunday, in time for their worship.
I looked around and could not help myself from getting amazed at how Jay R could singlehandedly transform the big room, from its “carenderia” setting into a “chapel”, with all the musical instruments such as, keyboard, drum set, and the stacks of chairs. He confirmed my assumption that he wakes up as early as 5AM.
Jay R’s story is about a journey from another denomination towards the flock of Pastor Allan and Sister Mayette Guerrero at the Jesus Christ Majestry Ministry. It all started two years ago when he found about the humble New Christian ministry in the midst of a busy section between Ongpin and Sta. Cruz. That was the time when he got employed at the Philippine Ports Authority with the help of the couple, who are also with the same government agency. Just like other spiritually restless souls, the Divine Providence guided him towards the humble house of worship.
Pastor Allan and Sister Mayette, further helped him by offering the office which doubles as a “Sunday School” for children, for his lodging. The office also serves as a repository for their scant reading materials, as well as, the musical instruments. This arrangement eventually, proved to be convenient for Jay R who used to commute from his job at the port area to Quezon City. At 49 today, he serves as the ministry’s in-house overall Coordinator, Secretary, and on worship days, as a “Worship Leader”.
The twinkle in Jay R’s eyes shows that he enjoys what he does on the day that he was supposed to be resting or just killing time around the city, after the tedious job of receiving and transferring calls.
The Double-Whammy Misfortune of Kidapawan City
The Double- Whammy Misfortune of
Kidapawan City
By Apolinario Villalobos
THE CONFLAGRATION OF MT. APO…….
Kidapawan has been the traditional jump-off point of trekkers who delight in scaling the slopes of Mt. Apo any time of the year, but most especially, during summer. The attraction of the sacred mountain has been enhanced by the various exotic fruits of the locality and the tribal festival….all those have put the city in the map of adventurous tourists, both local and foreign.
The village of Ilomavis that used to be just pockmarked with huts of Lumads became the site of a thriving resort that extended up to the hot springs of Lake Agko. Unfortunately, with the conflagration that started at the camping area, halfway to the summit, and which did not spare the “moss forest” where thrive indigenous orchids the famous of which is the “waling-waling” (vanda sanderiana), patches of wild strawberries, and the meadow carpeted with dwarf bamboos, the mountain has become just an object of admiration from a distance, with all its sorry parched state. Another hundred or more years are needed to develop another “moss forest”, for the meadows to coax dwarf bamboos back to life, and for the patches of wild strawberries to take root.
The cool slopes of the mountain have provided exotic tropical fruits such as durian, rambutan, mangosteen, and that of rattan vine’s, with a blissful haven. But this will now be just a thing of the past. The Lumads and the various indigenous tribes that used to live peacefully in the slopes and who used to eke a living from the fertile volcanic soil are now left with no recourse but seek inhospitable nooks in the valleys farther away from the convenience of Kidapawan City where their children go to school and where hospitals are for their sick. Worst, if they will be helped by the non-government organizations (NGOs) that are suspected by the government military to belong to the “red side”, as the Department of Social Welfare admits its difficulty in penetrating the inhospitable valleys, these peaceful tribal Filipinos and Lumads will be accused of cuddling communists.
THE KIDAPAWAN MASSACRE……
Even while the conflagration of Mt. Apo is going on, another misfortune has put Kidapawan in a bad light due to the so-called “Kidapawan massacre” that resulted from the killing of farmers who were just asking for the promised rice, to help them through the devastating effect of the El Niἧo. Instead of a few kilos of rice, bullets were unscrupulously sprayed to them that resulted to the death of some and the wounding of others. The dilly-dallying of the provincial government has caused it all, despite the calamity fund for the promised rice to have been approved in January 2016, yet. People then began to ask where the calamity fund went. Unfortunately for the North Cotabato provincial governor, because of the incident, her records were checked which yielded an anomaly, forcing the Ombudsman to file a graft case which could eventually land her in jail. The provincial governor is Emmylou Taliἧo- Mendoza.
The anomaly is about governor Mendoza’s direct and unauthorized purchase of diesel fuel from the gasoline station owned by her mother…all without the pre-requisite approval of the Bidding Committee that should have approved the qualified bidder/supplier. The Ombudsman found her guilty of the graft amounting to more than Php2 million. The case made many eyebrows rise and sarcastic comments that connect it to the calamity fund for the purchase of rice intended for farmers who are suffering from the effect of El Niἧo.
The “Kidapawan massacre” has greatly tarnished the amiable and peaceful image of the city because of the provincial government leadership’s irresponsibility. Reports are rife even about the provincial leadership’s refusal to accept donated rice for the farmers, when all that the Provincial Crisis Committee that Mendoza heads was suggest that the donation be brought to custody of the Methodist Church that has been all out in helping the farmers ever since, if she does not want her administration to handle the distribution. The grossly despicable attitude of the provincial administration is capped with the “massacre” of farmers…. a tarnish of a lifetime in the image of Kidapawan City, though clearly, not of her own doing.
penpowersong 
