THE HEIGHT OF FANATICISM

I am still giving my trust to President Duterte amid of the breaking issues that surface in his young and colorful leadership, but what disgusts me actually is the over-fanatic supporters who are already becoming biased, unreasonable and out of place – the so-called Dutertards.   With no offense, I won’t like to be called one because being one is describes usually as an over-enthused person who obsess over a fandom and act annoyingly about that.  We have this situation: most of these, let’s say fantards, are motivated by blind loyalty, really rude to people who go against their precious fandom and do not practice literary or any type of tolerance (cto).  Nothing is wrong to become loyalist but when you are becoming unfair, one-sided, and difficult to handle, that what make it wrong.  Supporters, like any human being should be fair and diplomatic because that what humanity is.  But there are people who cannot balance emotion and logic wherein comes the prejudice, partisan and blind supporters.  This bunch of devoted supporters are turning into violent verbally and in writing, and known to be really have horrible communication, irrational behavior, no sense of argumentation, short temper and psychotic reaction.  They did nothing but to spread propaganda and positive thoughts promoting their interests, intimidate-attack-destroy their oppositions, defend-explain-rescue the President and their group like a blind worship, and the height of it is correcting the wrongs.

Our parents and teachers taught us that it is bad to curse and foul-mouthed but fantards changed them saying nothing is wrong when you are expressing yourself.   We always believe in the importance of life but when thousands of suspected drug users and pushers were killed in the bloody anti-drugs campaign, they decided that killing those lives is a must.  They do not see anymore which is right and wrong when they insisted the public showing of an alleged private and personal sex video of an opponent but because the president wants it show then it would be fine.  For the longest time we fight the communist and the leftish Islamic group but fantards are mouth shut to free the hundreds of political prisoners as the President green lighted it.  We know very well that we need America for strengthening our military, territorial security and economic assistance but since Duterte is anti-American so the fantards maligned against US, googling negative propaganda about USA and justifying the insignificance of USA.  We knew that China disrespected and harassed us many times but because the President is eyeing China as an ally, the fantards then turned 180 degrees, swing mood and started to tell-all good stories about China.

There is noticeable short temper from fantards that when criticized will react ridiculously.  Every issue, they are on the fighting form to defend and win the issues, rescue or explain when the President was misquoted.  Known for staging character assassination, whoever spoke against them, expect to hit back their retaliation because they will really, really try it so hard to find the weaknesses and flaws of that person.  Even the old past and regretted mistake will dig out just to make appear the person spoke against will put in bad lights until fall.  Senator De Lima, the biggest and staunchest obvious critic of the President was slammed to the full.  When expressed his concerned about the extra judicial killings in the Philippines, US President Barak Obama and EU were criticized.  Even the United Nations and international CHR were attacked when they reacted on human rights violations.  When the President said international aid is not need, the supporters agreed justified that we must not depend on aides.  Former President FVR spoke unsolicited advice and was beleaguered.  Celebrity Agot Isidro stood up for herself and was lambasted.  Name it and you’ll know it.

Sad, it is implicating those good supporters by these ridiculous supporters.  I think the problem with these people, they like to criticize but when they were criticized they react violently.  For them criticism is negative, that there is only one kind of criticism which is destructive – no constructive criticism.   For them, there are only two opponents.  If you opposed or if they cannot convince you, you will either be called yellowtards or drug addict.  This is obviously fanaticism.  They are blind worshiping and trolling who are attracted to fake news sites, no credible sources and love humor and these are exactly the reasons why there were branded Dutertards.  Who doesn’t want changes into better anyway?  We all want it but if you see wrong you should not tolerate just because it is for the changes and this is what these fantards unable to understand and accept.

ANG ATING PAGKAIN

“Anu pa ang kakainin kung lahat ay bawal”, “Huwag na lang kumain”.  Ito ang nagkakaisang sinasabi ng maraming tao kapag sinabihan na mag-ingat sa pagkain.  Sa panahon ngayon, totoo na halos lahat ng kinakain natin ay hindi masustansiya.  Simulan natin sa tinapay, ibat-ibang luto upang maging masarap tulad ng ensaymada, hopia, tasty, Spanish bread, cheese roll at iba pa.  Akala natin dahil tinapay lang ay pwede na pero tandaan na para maluto ang mga ito ay maraming asukal ang inilalagay dito.  Hanggang sa pagpili ng palaman upang maging malasa ang tinapay tulad ng coco jam, mantikilya, mayonaise, strawberry jam, keso atbp., – lahat ng ito ay punong-puno ng mga preservatives at aritpisyal na panimpla at pangkulay.  Tinapay na nga lang ay hindi pa pwede?  Hindi naman dahil may tinapay naman na ayaw lang kainin ng maraming tao dahil hindi daw masarap – yung purong tinapay lang.

Ang mga pagkaing-karne ng baboy, baka at manok ay katakam-takam ang lasa mula sa mga mamahaling restaurant hanggang sa mga turo-turo, ang mga ito ang kadalasang kinakain natin dahil aminin natin na ito ang mga pagkaing mahirap tangihan dahil masarap ang mga ito lalo na kung sila ay iniluto sa paborito nating ulam.  Mula adobo, afritada, mechado, kaldereta, hanggang sa ultimong sinabawang nilaga, sinigang, tinola at bulalo, isama pati ang bar-b-que, mga laman-loob at lahat ng lutong ipinirito kahit gulay pa man yan – ang mga ito ay namumutiktik sa mga taba at mantika na siyang pinaka sanhi ng ibat-ibang karamdaman.  Totoo na hindi kumpleto ang araw natin kapag hindi tayo nakakain ng kahit isa lang sa mga ito.  Idagdag pa na ang mga restaurant na ito ay naglalagay ng mga pampalasang asin at betsin.

Hindi rin tamang kainin nang madalas ang mga processed foods tulad ng karne-norte, bacon, hotdogs, tocino, longanisa, tapa, instant noodles, meat loaf, luncheon meat at iba pang mga de-latang pagkain dahil ang mga ito ay ginawang maalat upang magtagal sa merkado.  Pati ang mga dairy products tulad ng ice cream, keso at butter.  Kahit ang mga comfort foods tulad ng pizza, hamburger, doughnuts, junk foods, mga street foods tulad isaw, fishballs, chicharon, atbp., pati ang mga inumin tulad ng soft drink, refreshment drinks, kape, at alak, kahit ang maliliit na pagkain tulad candy, chocolate, mga kakanin at panghimagas – mga ordinaryong pagkain ito ngunit may hatid na hindi maganda sa ating katawan.  At kung ang mga ito ay hindi mabuti, ano pa ba ngayon ang natitirang tamang pagkain na dapat kainin?

Bawat isang pagkain naman na nabanggit mula sa simula sa itaas ay may hatid na maganda sa atin ngunit maliit lamang iyon kumpara sa laki ng maidudulot nitong hindi maganda kaya hindi sila dapat kainin nang madalas at marami.  Kung hindi pwede ang mga ito, ano pa nga ba ang maaaring kainin?  Ito pa rin – dahil hindi naman sinabi na bawal kundi huwag lang madalas at marami.  Marami kasi sa mga pagkaing ito ay hindi healthy hindi dahil sa mismong pagkain kundi dahil sa pagkakagawa o pagkakaluto.  Kaya nga sinasabi na huwag silang kainin nang madalas.  Ang kailangan lang malaman ng mga tao ay kung paano at gaano ba dapat ang madalas at bihira.  Dito ngayon nagkakatalo dahil para sa marami, ang minsan sa isang linggo ay tama na ngunit ang tanong ngayon ay iyung bang sinabing minsan sa isang linggo ay para sa isang pagkain o para sa pagkakagawa o pagkakaluto?  Dahil malaki ang pagkakaiba nito na siyang dapat maunawaan ng mga tao.

Sa pangkalahatan, ang tamis, alat at mantika ang siyang pangunahing sangkap na dapat iwasan sa mga pagkain na siyang naroroon sa karamihan ng pagkaing nakahayag sa atin.  Simple lang naman ang pagkain pero iginawa ng mga tao ng ibat-ibang panlasa at pamamaraan ng pagluluto kaya ang resulta ay nagdulot sa atin ng ibat-ibang pinsala.  Wala namang bulalo, sinangag na kanin o minatamis na gulaman nuong panahon nina Adan at Eva pero nabuhay sila nang malusog.  Hindi sinasabing ibalik sa sinauna ang ating buhay kundi ang punto dito ay gawing simple ang buhay dahil sa simpleng buhay, walang maraming komplikasyon.  Malaki na ang pagkakaiba ng buhay nuon at ngayon at malaki na ang ipinagbago ng ating pagkain pero lagi nating tatandaan na kailanang maghinay-hinay lamang tayo sa lahat ng bagay dahil kahit anumang panahon, ang labis ay masama.

MEN LIKE RONALD

Well everyone tries to become the ideal person they can be but we know that no one is perfect.  There is no way to be perfect but through this idea of trying to become ideal one, at least we become the best that we want to be.  Everyone tries to be nice and we should not belittle and misjudge those people that are far from our standard measures of ideal person.  Ronald used to have many antics in the past during his youth that enough to brand him not the typical responsible youth.  He had two or three girls at a time, spent all-night drinking with buddies, and in times tried petty “illegal” teenagers’ things for curiosity and experience.  But despite these, Ronald was a loved person by his friends not because they were birds on the same feather that flocked together but because these friends were the first who know the real Ronald.

Some people seem to look like gangster but when getting to know them even more, we’ll learn their heart is not to oppress but to serve.  Robin Hood is the ideal explanation of this personality.  Yes, they can do wrong, evil, disrupt and yes, the end doesn’t justify the mean and a mistake cannot be corrected by another mistake, but we cannot deny that within the strong and unpleasant habit and features of a person, there are still soft spot on their heart that people have to see.  Sometimes it is because these people know they’re doing undesirables so they would rather like to do good things to make remedial to their wrongdoings.  We have to see that.  Because no matter how “bad” a guy is, there are still small “good” in him.  All people are deserved to our second look, let us not prejudice with what our naked eyes can see because there are things that only our heart can see.

Other men who at some point of their marriage have became unfaithful to their vow no matter how they truly love their better half.  Categorized the weaker sex and born polygamous, men are often prone to fall in love easily anytime, anywhere and whatever situation, exemption to very few.  Although men are assertive, they are susceptible in the situation they get into leading to an extra marital affair.  But because they truly love their wives, these husbands ended confession, asked forgiveness and made pact.  They are not perfect, they are already having crack, but still they can admit their fault, face the consequences and fix their life to become ideal.  It depends in person to person anyway.  Some wants a little bit rough than a very gentleman but boring – case to case.

Ronald has many imperfections.  In his early years, young Ronald used to go along with the flow to experience the colors of life.  As aggressive teenage, he enjoyed whatever life has to offer for a teen be it good or bad.  He went along with the fad, danced the hip-hop, listened metallic music, raised the new wave genre, sung love songs when in-loved, laughed the outrageous teenager antics.  But despite these, he kept his responsibilities and respect to his parents.  Ronald values family and relationships.  Once friend, he keeps, shelters, looked after and cares them.  In his group he used to serve as the father of his friends.  He does the kitchen, the laundry and housekeeping on their shared pad just what he does in his own home.  Because he believes friends are family that should stand one for all and all for one.  As said, he has imperfections.  In several occasions he got involved in warm affairs before and after marriage until he decided to stay loyal to be an ideal husband.

Our life is made up of opposites and full of ironies.  We have made good and bad too, sometime up sometimes down, we like some and others not.  We have the other side of us.  We hid little devil in ourselves, we have dark secrets that are better not to dwell.  What makes us good today is learning the lessons from those not so good pasts.  Like Ronald, we make up for our wasted and lost moment of being an ideal person.  We correct ourselves to become a better person today than yesterday because what matters most are our today’s character, behaviour and morals.

By Alex V. Villamayor

October 18, 2016

MAJA BLANCA

At first I thought this will going to be difficult but not really when I tried it.  Maja Blanca is a famous Filipino desert made from coconut milk, cornstarch and sugar as the basic ingredients but over time, others ingredients were added.  Milk, corn, macapuno and langka are added to make varieties or flavours of Maja Blanca depends on one’s taste buds.  Below are the ingredients for a special Maja Blanca:

• 4 cups coconut milk
• ¾ cup cornstarch
• ¾ cans of condensed milk (395g)
• 1 ½ cup fresh milk or 1 can evaporated milk (400g)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 can kernel corn (198g). Jackfruit and macapuno can be added too)
• 5 tbsp toasted grated coconut

   1.   Bring the coconut milk into boil.

   2.   Add the sugar, condense milk, kernel corn, jackfruit and macapuno then stir well.  Let them boil for 5 to 10 minutes.

   3.   In a bowl, pour the evaporated milk and add the corn starch then dilute.

   4.   Then mix the evaporated milk and corn starch to the cooking coconut milk and flavouring ingredients.

   5.   Low heat and stir it until the desired thickness is achieve.

   6.   In a tray, pour all the cooked mixture and flatten the top, set aside until cool down.

   7.   As an option, garnish with toasted grated coconut shred or toasted coconut milk (latik)   8.   And lastly, just eat right.

Half size:

2 cups coconut milk

1/2 cup condensed milk

1/2 evap or fresh milk

1/2 corn starch

1 or 1/2  can kernel corn

FINDING GOOD OUT OF BAD

Often referred to US, EU and the UN, the rhetoric of President Rodrigo Duterte in several occasions drew negative feedback from both local and international community.  Seems encouraged from earning criticism from one rhetoric after another, the President uttered even more negative pronouncements against those who are criticising his administration’s crime against war and extra judicial killings.  Raising his middle finger, calling in particular “son of a whore” and hypocrite, telling "go to hell" to those international critics.  All these are tantamount to losing our foreign relationship, jeopardize the Filipino overseas workers and harm our economic opportunity.

Cursing is not good and if it is coming from someone holding the highest position in the land, it is unbecoming for a respected, elected and entrusted person for the position.  In many occasions, the President categorically said that he doesn’t want US.  Accordingly, he is saying the American, as long as here in the Philippines, peace will not achieve.  Again, his anti-American comments he unleashed regarding the human rights violations and another about the joint military exercise of USA and Philippines.  In a speech, another rhetoric was made when he dared the US, EU and UN to withdraw their aid to the Philippines.  Adding that if they think it is high time for them to withdraw their assistance, they can go ahead.  They can go away and bring their money to somewhere else.   He is saying, Philippines will not beg for it, Philippines is not mendicants and Philippines will survive as a nation.  Philippines will never compromise its dignity as a Filipino.  All of these successive tirades are expected to attract different reactions from both pros and cons.

Amidst of the hates and unfavourable reactions, I want to try to find the positive side of all these negative feedback coming from all sides of stories.  So I thought why don’t we, maybe we Filipinos, should take these turn of events (especially the casting out of US and EU) as good opportunity for us to prove ourselves to make the best out of what we can to become independent as one nation?  Why don’t we take these as challenge that we can stand on our own.  Maybe it serves as a wake-up call to all Filipinos to disown the personal interests, political party, and take time to unite for the sake of our country.  Maybe it is about time for corrupt government officials to finally start anew as honest public servants for the sake of the real Change.  May all these things serve as starting point to use, cultivate, empower and enrich our available resources, enhance our skills and ourselves into a better Filipino to prove that we can really survive.  Good or bad they are experience to keep, lessons to learn.

I think I am sharing the same intuition and presumption with the President the reason to believe that we can do it on our own.  Why am I saying this is because when the world’s strongest typhoon Yolanda hit our country and the monetary aides from international community flooded us, the people of Tacloban seemed not really benefited from these generous and abundant aides.  We heard from the grapevine that international donations were looted, politicised and mishandled.   If that is the case, it shows that the present condition that we are seeing now in Tacloban is the fruit of the government’s funds and Filipinos’ volunteerism called bayanihan, that meaning to say even without the billion aides of our neighbouring countries, the Philippines can still make it through our own government resources and we will really survive.

I am not supporting the renouncement of alliance or diplomatic relationship, glorifying arrogance and tirades, and disregarding effort to become independent but what I am trying to point here is the positive side that we can still get out of these controversies.  When the President wanted to stop the joined military exercise per se of Philippines and US in the country, it was not the joined force that the President stops but the American alliance to slam the door on the West and make opportunity with China and Russia.  And I am not in favour of this because we do not need to make enemies to make new friends and no one in this earth can be alone.  As I have said amidst of this chaos, I am still trying to be positive and look the brighter side.