Masarap Sana, Subali’t Nakakalito ang Buhay sa Mundo

Masarap Sana,  Subali’t Nakakalito ang Buhay sa Mundo

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

 

Masarap sana ang mabuhay sa mundo, kung hindi magulo at walang mga kalituhan. Dahil ito sa likas na ugali ng taong mapanlamang, mapag-imbot, at maramot na kadalasang  tumatalo sa mga mabubuting ugali na mapagpakumbaba, mapagbigay, at bukas-palad. Kung mapagpakumbaba ka, siguradong yayapakan ang iyong mga karapatan. Kung mapagbigay ka, siguradong itutulak ka lang sa tabi ng mga mapag-imbot. Kung bukas-palad ka kaya maluwag sa loob ang pagtulong sa kapwa, aabusuhin ka naman.

 

Dahil sa nabanggit na mga kalituhan, yong isa kong kaibigan, ay halos ayaw nang lumabas ng bahay upang makaiwas sa mga hindi magandang mangyayari sa kanya. Dahil sa ginawa niya, itinuring siya ng mga ungas niyang kapitbahay na “makasarili”. Sabi niya minsan sa akin, kung magpapaputok siya ng baril sa kalye siguradong sasabihin ng mga kapitbahay niyang “siga” siya. Sinabihan ko na lang na madaling araw pa lang ay umalis na siya at umatend ng misa sa Baclaran o Quiapo, pagkatapos ay mamigay ng tulong sa squatter’s area at kapag padilim na ay saka na lang siya umuwi – walang mga ungas na kapitbahay ang makakakita sa kanya. Sabi ko nga sa kanya ay maswerte siya at ungas lang ang mga kapitbahay niya…hindi mapagkunwari at mainggitin.

 

Hind lang sa pakikipagkapwa-tao ang may kalituhan, kundi kahit na rin sa mga bagay na kailangan upang mabuhay tulad ng pagkain. Kailangan daw ay kumain ng gulay at isda dahil masustansiya ang mga ito. Subali’t sa palengke, hindi lang isda ang nilulublob sa “formalin”,  ang kemikal na ginagamit sa pag-embalsamo, kundi pati na rin mga gulay upang hindi malanta agad. Ang karagatan at mga ilog na tinitirhan ng mga isda ay marumi na rin. Ang mga nahiwang gulay ay nilulublob sa tawas upang hindi mangitim tulad ng hiniwang langkang nakagawiang iluto sa gata at talong na tinanggalan ng bulok na bahagi, pati binalatang gabi, kamote, at patatas. Ang mga gulay sa pataniman ay alaga din sa mga chemical na pamatay-peste habang lumalago. Yong sinasabing mga “organic” daw ay hindi rin sigurado dahil maraming mga nagtitindang mahilig magsinungaling, makabenta lang. Kung totoo man, ay nakakakuha naman ang mga ito ng lason mula sa hangin.

 

Ang mga karne ay may mga anti-biotic, kaya ang akala ng isang kumpanyang nagdede-lata ng produktong karne ay bobo lahat ng mamimili dahil sinasabi ng ads nila na walang sakit ang mga baboy at manok nila – siyempre, dahil alaga sa antibiotic!…talaga din namang kumita lang, lahat ay gagawin upang makapanlinlang. At, yong mga batang lumaki sa gatas at karne ng hayop, ngayon ay may ugaling hayop na rin…dahil kung hindi man bastos ay lapastangan at suwail pa!

 

Ang mga softdrink lalo na ang “Cokes” (tawag yan ng Bisaya sa Coke”), na pampagana sa pagkain kahit bagoong, toyo, o patis lang ulam ay nakakasira ng kidney at atay. Kung mag-ulam naman palagi ng instant noodles na pinakamura at pinakamadaling iluto, subalit ginamitan ng kemikal upand hindi magdikit-dikit, ay lalo namang sisira ng kidney. Mismong bigas na sinasaing ay may mga chemical din upang hindi kainin ng uod at kuto habang nakaimbak sa bodega, kung saan ay iniispreyhan pa sila upang hindi upakan ng mga daga at ipis.

 

Ang instant na kape ay dumaan din daw sa mga paraan o process na nangailangan ng mga kemikal na hindi maganda sa katawan kahit pa sabihing nakakatulong ang inuming ito sa paglusaw ng cholesterol at bara sa daluyan ng dugo patungo sa puso. Ang asukal na puti ay mayroong bleaching chemical na nagpaputi sa dating manilaw-nilaw na katas na ito ng tubo. Naka-imbento ng artipisyal na asukal upang makaiwas sa diabetes, subalit nakakasira naman din daw ng kidney.

 

Pati mga bitamina na ginagawa sa mga laboratoryo ay pinagdududahan na rin. Kahit maliit lang ang sumobra sa naimon ay magsasanhi na ng overdose na maaari pang maging sanhi ng sakit. Sa puntong ito, ang mga gamot na akala natin ay nakakapandugtong ng buhay ay hindi rin pala magandang basta na lang iinumin, kaya mismong anti-biotic ay hindi na rin ligtas.

 

Ano pa nga ba at, animo ay nag-uunahan ang mga bahagi ng katawan natin kung alin sa kanila ang unang manghihina hanggang bumigay  dahil sa mga pagkaing akala natin ay pampahaba ng buhay, yon pala ay may mga lasong unti-unting nakakamatay. Kaya siguro, madalas na payo ng doctor sa pamilya ng pasyente na may taning na ang buhay, ay pagbigyan na lang ito sa lahat ng hihilingin niyang pagkain dahil wala na rin namang mangyayari bunsod ng lasong nagkakaiba lang ang dami sa bawat pagkain.  Ang maratay dahil sa sukdulang epekto ng lason na nakukuha natin sa mga pagkain at hangin ang ultimate na sitwasyon kung saan ay talagang angkop ang kasabihang, “no choice” at “…no turning back”.  Ang kalagayan ring ito ang nagpapakita na ang tao ay nagsi-self destruct!

 

 

 

 

The World is a Maze of Confusion and Conflict

The World is a Maze of Confusion

And Conflict

By Apolinario Villalobos

 

Here are some of my personal observations:

 

1. The only “order” that can be felt and experienced in the world is the 24-hour cycle divided into night and day that further accumulates into seven days in a week, further accumulating into the 28/30/31 days in a month and finally into 12 months in a year – according to the Roman Catholic calendar, however, the Chinese, the Jews, and the Muslims have their own calendar in this regard.

 

1. The long-respected Bible is now being touted as a source of various confusions, especially, because many religions have allegedly thwarted the original contents written in the original language, to serve their own purpose which is to prove their having the “true religion”. So, today, instead of being enlightened, many people became confused that they have gone to the extent of leaving the religion of their birth to become Atheist, Agnostic, or Satanic. They should not be blamed because they followed their own judgment, and nobody can rightly say that they are wrong, after having gone through the harrowing confusion.

 

1. Due to survival instinct, countries have become hypocrites. Openly, leaders deal amiably with each other despite differences in ideology, and proof to this are photos splashed on the different social media where they are shown smiling at each other and shaking hands, but days after, the same leaders make pronouncements that run counter to their friendly stance shown earlier to the world. Citizens are confused which of the two “expressions” should be believed.

 

1. Drugs are invented to prevent the onset of diseases and cure people of ailments but most of these drugs have contra-indications when used at the same time due to simultaneous inceptions of disorders. Even the long-traditionally used drugs, one of which is aspirin, are deemed to have negative effects on some organs. Most antibiotics today are also declared as ineffective and can harm many organs if used unabatedly, especially, without prescription. This confusion resulted to the loss of confidence to physicians by skeptic patients who have resorted to herbals, instead.

 

1. Confusion did not spare the foods, as many of them are not just fit for anybody. Some people get sick when they drink milk, eat seafood, beans, and even peanut. Some people vomit when they eat any fibrous vegetable or get a sniff of banana. The list of foods that are not supposed to be eaten by some people is still getting longer by the day. This deprivation is confusing, for how can sources of nutrients for the body become poison to others? Explanations are offered by experts, but the question still remains because life is supposed to be viewed as full of promises, including health and happiness. But how can it be possible if one is deprived of things needed to live happily and glowing with health?

 

1. Universities and colleges are supposed to breed intelligent graduates who are expected to be part of the effort in the development of their nation and betterment of society. But why are there corrupt government officials and even leaders who are supposed to have even earned Masters and Doctorates from these institutions of learning? Why are there evil-minded scientists, whose intellect and moral values have been bred in these institutions where only what’s good for mankind is supposed to be taught?

 

The confusion is compounded by greed that has muddled man’s mind making the upshots of his intellect become tools for his self-annihilation!

Bonifacio E. Valdez: an image of hard-earned success

Bonifacio E. Valdez: an image of hard-earned success

By Apolinario Villalobos

Friends call him “Boni”, lanky and tall, though, with a sure gait when he walks. He was the Corp Commandeer of the PMT in high school, aside from being an orator, debater, athlete, and as expected, valedictorian in their high school batch of 1972. Born to a farming couple, he and his siblings were disciplined in the ways of Ilocano – thrifty and hardworking.

Life after graduating from high school was not as rosy as he expected, especially, because he had to deal with culture shock when he left Tacurong which was a typical third-class municipality at the time, to live in Manila, where he took BS General which he finished in 1976. It prepared him for a medical course which he finished in the Lyceum Northwestern University of Dagupan in 1980.

He went back to Manila in 1981 for an internship at Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center and later transferred to another hospital in Teresa, Rizal, then moved on to the Medical Center- Manila. During those years, he sold drugs on the side, the earnings from which augmented his meager allowance as an intern. Finally, he was taken in, as a company physician by the First Holdings Company, his first full-time job.

To enhance his calling, he took up Anesthesiology as a Fellow at the University of the Philippines Anesthesiologist Center for Western Pacific. His endeavor pushed him further when he got employed at the Ministry of Health, in the Sultanate of Oman where he honed his medical profession from 1987 to 1991. Another opportunity knocked at his door, this time, a better job in the United States, but he opted to go home to Tacurong where he had been dreaming to build a school.

To better prepare himself as an educator in the field of medicine, he took time to refine his skill in anesthesiology in the different hospitals of Tacurong, neighboring towns, as well as, the Davao Medical Center, now, the Southern Philippines Medical Center, a high-tech medical facility in Davao City. During his stint at the aforementioned medical center in Davao City, he sacrificed going home Tacurong on weekends to be with his family.

His struggle paid off when he finally established his school, the VMMC in 2002, with a system derived from what is currently prevailing in the United States. Initially, the VMMC trained caregivers for Canada where he had established tie-ups with healthcare agencies. The long-ranged planning of Dr. Valdez, earned for VMMC a reputation as the first institution in the province of Sultan Kudarat to offer an immediate employment abroad after several months of training. Today, the VMMC also offers basic education and TESDA courses, aside from functioning as a hospital.

In recognition for his achievements, he is currently involved in the different undertakings that pertain to education, health care, and medicine. He is the Vice-President of the Higher Education Institutions in Region 12; Chairman of the Red Cross – Sultan Kudarat Chapter; Board Member of the Mindanao Technical, Vocational and Educational Training; President of the Sultan Kudarat Association of Private and Technical Institutions; and Board Member of the Regional Technical Skills Development Council for Region 12.

Over a simple lunch in  an Adriatico mall, Malate, Manila, we relished the happy days in the campus of the Notre Dame of Tacurong College during its struggling days. He also shared with a hearty laugh, his experience in Manila, especially, during the twilight days of the Marcos-imposed Martial Law. He was seriously engrossed in his political activities that his name got included in the “hot list” of student activists. To save his neck, he bid his comrades goodbye and went home.

The indefatigable Dr. Valdez confided that he has other plans for his beloved birthplace. It is not surprising for a guy whose dreams and struggle brought him far despite his family’s financial handicap. Being used to a simple life, he added that he is contented with his frugal lifestyle and foremost in his mind today, is on how he could share the blessings that he earned by dint of hard work. From being a farmer’s son once, he is now an educator, resource person on community leadership and holistic health, and a medical practitioner, though, with a bigger dream….and of course, with his fellow Tacurongnons still in mind.