VLOG #1: WALKING

Winter 2018, KSA

"Its weekend today, and I just need some walk. I get up from BED at 6:45 AM. And I PREPARED myself very shortly, and now I'm doing this 45 minutes trail walk."

"So… I am now halfway of my trail, and it means I am already working for more than 30 minutes."

(sound of gasping) "So this is last part of my trail. It took me more than 45 minutes to do the walk. And you see the building over there? 'That' is where I stay.

"It's actually more than one hour. So, I'm done. See you next time."

2018

Maaalaala ko ang 2018 bilang madamdamin na taon.

Bago ko isara ang pahina nito,

wala akong maisip kundi ang aking ina.

Ang pagpanaw ng aking nanay nuong ika-15 ng Marso ay nagdulot sa akin ng luha.

Pinaghandaan ko na ang araw na iyon ngunit kapag dumating na ang katotoohanan, parang hindi pa pala ako handa.

Nang malaman ko ang nangyari, ora mismo ay gusto kong mapag-isa.

Gusto ko ng katahimikan, umakyat ako sa pinaka-taas ng aming bahay at tumingin sa langit.

Madilim, hindi nakikita ng gabi ang aking pag-iyak.

Madrama?

Oo, pero hindi ko na inisip kung maging madrama.

Nakatingala, kinausap ko ang Diyos.

Sinisi ko ang aking sarili sa pagiging makasasrili,

sa hindi ko napagsilbihan ng mabuti ang aking nanay sa panahon ng kanyang karamdaman.

Humingi ako ng kapatawaran sa aking mga pagkukulang.

At nakatingin lang ang gabi sa akin.

Parang pinatigil ko ang mundo.

Walang nanginginbabaw  kundi ang kalungkutan.

May isang ina sa dako roon ang wala ng buhay,

narito ang kanyang anak sa malayo,

gustong lumapit pero walang magawa.

Ipinagdasal ko ang aking ina.

Ipinagdasal ko ang kanyang kapayapaan.

Ipinagdasal kong makarating siya sa langit.

Sandali ng katahimikan, hindi ako kumibo o kahit nagsalita.

Nakaupo lang sa kadiliman, malungkot,

katulad nuong kanyang nalalabing mga huling araw.

Hinihintay na kausapin ako ng Diyos.

Ngayon na dumating na ang takdang oras,

nagluluksa ako, habang nag-iisa sa itaas

Ilang araw hindi ko naisabuhay ang normal na mg araw.

Hindi ko kaya.

Hindi ko kayang magsaya, manood ng telebisyon, magbukas ng internet, maging makamundo sa mundong ito.

Nalulungkot ako sa kanyang pagpanaw.

Unang Mahal na Araw, unang Pista, unang Pasko, unang Bagong Taon, unang Kaarawan.

Mga una na wala siya, mahirap maunawaan na ang buhay ay hindi na katulad ng dati.

Lumipas ang mga araw,

hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin lubos-maisip kaylan ma’ay hinding-hindi na kami magkikita pang muli.

BAGGING A BEAUTY TITLE

Philippines may still need more resources to a become developed country but it does well when it comes to international beauty competition and it will not coin powerhouse country for nothing.  In the new millennium, Philippines just collects various crowns from international major and minor beauty pageants.  Recently, another prestigious title added on its list when Philippines’ representative Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray clinched the 67th Miss Universe title in Thailand, securing Philippines’ fourth MU crown since 1969, 1973 and 2015.

Destined to be Miss Universe, Catriona had lost during the 2016 Miss World where she was most favored to win.  Aside from her credentials, Catriona topped some pre-pageant events which is the format of the contest, making her the most anticipated winner.  Prior to the coronation, a psychic released a fearless prediction that a lady would not win the crown but will win in another pageant and time.  Fast forward 2018, the same psychic predicted that the winner of MU 2018 has unconditional love for children and charity, has knowledge of 3 or 4 cultures and would be crowned when draped in red and golden yellow dress”.  I don’t go for predictions but this is really amazing.

Catriona is sure winner, a consistent crowd favorite and tops the hot pick.  From day-1 of her stint during the competition, Catriona aced every single days.  She is well prepared and she did by heart every step on her way to the crown.  She studied her moves and the place, she worked her materials and did her assignment.  She knows what she’s doing.  This makes Catriona the most prepared candidates sent to MU stage.  Her journey is full of hard works, perseverance, strength and mental preparation which she personally done by herself with the help from closed people.  Her dedication was over the top.  Aside from beauty and brain, Catriona’s performance deserved her in the title.  And what’s best with Catriona is her communication skills and presence of mind.  She is well-spoken, speaks fluently, with substance, continuously and she can answers back very fast without losing focus.  She may not fit into what society to see deep curves to describe the best body but she taught critics a lesson or two about the standards of beauty and being your best self.  Actually, beauty should not be the case.  Beauty is indefinite.  The definition of beauty differs from one’s norms to another.   That is why it is in the eyes of the beholders.   All ladies are beautiful, besides there is no exact definition of perfect beauty, but while everybody in the competition are all beautiful, the attitude, humility, performance and intelligence make Catriona’s edge over the other 93 gorgeous ladies.  Beauty is not a question, it is just a matter of wit, performance and attitude.  This what differs her from the rest.

Some says a pure-blood Filipina must send to international beauty pageants to represent the true beauty of the country’s Filipino women and stop patronizing not real Filipina.  Actually they try to be patriotic but their act just doesn’t sounds as what they tried.  We should not discriminate these Filipina mestizas or half-Filipinas who brought honor and pride to our country.  They may not look like the typical local beauty of a Filipina but these ladies have true heart and love for the country more than those who criticize them.  Catriona is far ahead nationalistic compare to them.  She represented the country well, promoted the culture and values of the Filipino and showed patriotism to the country in every single thing she is doing in the pageant.  She carried the flag, spirit, and the name of the Philippines.  Whatever she does, she dedicates and honors for the country, everything she does, she uses Philippines’ identities.  It is not for herself anymore but for the 104 million Filipinos and for the country.  These are the responsibilities and traits that many of the critics are loud at but do not have and posses.  The only Philippine representative that I never doubted to win, indeed Catriona is bigger than world.  She is universe.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY IS IMPROVING?

The following article is made for a student report.Our government authorized representatives are flaunting the good numbers that show the positive side on our economy.  Our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) recorded expands of 6.9% in 2016, 6.7% in 2017, and 6.8% in the first quarter of 2018.  But despite these good numbers, it is fact that we had these record-breaker figures in inflation rate, dollar rate, unemployment rate.  Accordingly, the country’s annual inflation rate as of October 2018 is at 6.7 percent.  Looking at the trend, the rate is growing from 3.4% in January of the same year.  While the dollar exchange rate continues to remain at 50 pesos per dollar. 

In the eyes of the common Filipino, these numbers are just merely numbers that cannot help to ease their sentiments: poverty.  The prices of food commodities are soaring high especially the basic goods and services such as rice, diesel, transportation fare, and vegetables to cite a few.  The dollar exchange rate is still at record high.  No matter how they flaunt these good numbers, this is nothing if the basic needs of the common people will be not addressed and if their daily lives will not be impacted by these they called economic growth.

Given these mentioned numbers, we can say our economy is improving or somehow stable if not improving.  Well thanks to the ever reliable overseas Filipino worker’s remittance who still keep our economy afloat. Then next to Business process outsourcing (BPO).  But then again, these numbers did not change the life of the ordinary people.  Numbers mean nothing for the common Filipino level which is the masses.  Let’s admit, at this point it is very hard to believe that the Philippine economy is improving.  Did your one peso or one thousand pesos give you a purchase you feel fair enough the price?  Did the masses get incentives from working very hard when they received their salary?  Did the number of OFWs decrease because there is increase in available fair compensated-job opportunity in our country?  Is our life easier now?  Did the masses experience to go local travel tour?  Are they not afraid now to see doctor for medication?  Your answers are same as mine.

The Philippine economy may be growing but along this, our neighboring countries are improving too.  Philippines actually improved between the years 2010 to 2015.  To compare our economy today against 2016 where the new administration took over, despite the political controversies, ambitious Build-Build-Build project, high inflation due to TRAIN law and peace and order issues, these factors slow down our economic improvement but still it remains to be manageable.  Our economy is still stable which should be attributed to OFWs and BPOs contribution.

The rollback of price of diesel that happens today is not for long term but for temporary and for the meantime only especially these holiday season and upcoming mid-term election.  To answer if the country’s economy is improving is difficult to directly answer.  It is tricky because it needs to take years to effect any growth of numbers in GDP.  And more importantly, when those years come, it will be depend on the number of population that will share on that growth of GDP.  While improving the economy, we must work hand in hand to manage the population explosion, unemployment and peace and order.