Tired of sad, bad, tragic and scary stories? Well, I do. Mere looking at these pictures make my life and this world a better place to live in. My eldest cum laude mathematics teacher, together with my special daughter: my beloved Jeulyanna.

Eyebrows “raising”? Don’t waste that muscle. Please read first!

Election is just around the corner. Only in the Philippines where 99 hopefuls are vying for the highest post:: the President of the Philippines. Glad I did not finalize my intention and if ever I will: sorry Me, it’s too late: candidacy filing ends last November 31, 2009 (wheeew! glad there’s no extension!)

Thinking twice before leaping? Yes, because if the following reasons are check with YES, then I will run.

The Checklist:

1. Increase the salary of the President!
I still can’t believe that the salary of the president and the rest of the high ranking public officials like the VP, senators, congressmen, etc.: is considered to be a joke: an annual salary of P300,000.00 for the president of the republic of the Philippines. What the f___??? For me, this is one of the many reasons why corruption is but natural in this highly religious country. Imagine spending a billion pesos during the campaign period for this few hundred thousand pesos monthly salary? I’m still sane that’s why I’d rather apply as a president of a multi-national private Company because my salary is more than this plus free car and more benefits.

2. A brand new set of COMELEC officials with matching automated election process!
Unless otherwise there is a new set of COMELEC personnel, running for president is a no-no to me. Manual election process is loved by the “trapos” (traditional politicians), and I hate it.

3. Strict penalty for corrupt officials up to their last kin!
An everyday affair in the Philippines: corruption. Name it, you will feel it from the lowest position of Barangay captain up to the highest leader of the Country: the President. It’s a natural process. The best penalty is Death or skinning then rolled in a bed of salt…and yes, organic salt (it’s healthy!)

I still have so many additions to this list but the above three are the most important. I will not run for president if the above are not yet implemented.

Being the most unpopular president of all time, agreeing with her decision is a miracle to consider. But in the recent event in Maguindanao, my thumbs up is with pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The mutilated bodies of the 57 helpless victims are so enough to say that lawlessness is very much present in Maguindanao. If the armory of weapons found in the vicinity of the Ampatuans are not enough to constitute that rebellion is in the offing, I don’t know whom to believe anymore.

Martial Law

The imposition of martial law created a stir. Endless debate and negative comments can be heard and read from TV to radio, newspapers and tabloids, internet: blogs etc… For me, martial law in Maguindanao is very okay if this is the only way law and order will be back to its proper place: a real government does not exist in a place where law and order do not exist. And for this reason alone, Martial law for me is a MUST!

57 dead: All civilians in Maguindanao. How’s this one: for the records? What a shame!

For a country with so many warlords, election violence is just an everyday affair. The sudden loss of 59 innocent lives is too much to bear. These pictures will speak more.

The prime suspect belonging to the “untouchable” Ampatuans was taken into custody on Thursday (Nov. 26), 3 days after the gruesome murder. As usual, denial of the century words “”The reason I came out is to prove that I am not hiding and that I am not guilty,” suspected Andal Ampatuan said to the local reporters.

My teeth was again grinding,wheeww! And who do you think killed those innocent people? Who allowed the use of the backhoe obviously owned by Maguindanao province with painted name of the Governor which happened to be an Ampatuan too? Magic?

For a country known to be a haven of warlords specifically in Mindanao, this senseless killing will never stop. The troubled long-running Muslim separatist rebellion should be put to a halt once and for all. HOW? Only a leader with strong political will can waive the “magic wand.” Now that another election is just around the corner, will killings of the same kind be stopped? Only time can tell.

A country visited by storm more than a dozen times, The Philippines. The recent one was “Ondoy”, internationally named “Ketsana”, left millions of people homeless, and dead bodies beyond recognition. Most of the flood victims lost everything in the flood. What will happen next to these people? Their homes were washed-away by raging floodwaters and rampaging landslides.

The people have been informed to move in another place as the result of the recent government’s pronouncement of its incapability draining the floodwaters in a month’s time. The many flooded villages and towns are no longer fit to be inhabited by families because safety is no longer assured. With the continuous released of water by the dams, coupled with more rains coming, danger is always in the offing.

These homeless people are again an added burden of the government. Where will the government resettle them? A question until now remains a question.

Scheduled to compete for the annual Shell chess championship game, my daughter Jerika was in a hurry because she woke up late and might miss the free ride provided by the municipal government.  It was a windy 8th of August, 2009 and nearly a hundred participants from our municipality joined the annual Chess event.  Pass 8am, I thought my Jerika was already late but alas, the driver was nowhere to be found.  Around 9am the driver arrived with a big bus enough to accommodate the raging elementary and secondary student participants with their respective buddies. Off they went to SM city: the venue of the chess championship game.

Teeth-grinding day

I did not go with my Jerika because I have so many things to attend to at home. Jerika arrived at around 9pm and was happy to announce she won 3.5 games out of 4. Not bad for an amateur player. And since the championship was scheduled for two days for the 7 games, the Sunday of August 9 was another teeth-grinding time. The game was scheduled to start at 10am and the driver was again nowhere to be found:  t’was already pass 8am.  A furious me asked the head of the group about the late driver…again. And this time, it’s no longer funny. The scheduled game was the final 3 and the venue was an hour ride from our municipality. Imagine the time to be raced? It’s already passed 8 plus another hour plus the traffic, blah, blah, blah…I was already fuming mad. And since I don’t want to waste the game, I decided to commute and go with my daughter despite my busy schedule. And since there were other players who were also soon-to-be champions, I told them to go with me and not mind the transportation expense.  Off we go: 24 participants plus me and my two daughters, a total of 27.

Race against time

We rode a half-full  jeepney fifteen minutes before nine. Remember, the final “lap” was to start at 10:00am.  And since the jeepney was doing lots of stop-over to look for more passengers, I decided to transfer to a big bus to race against time. And t’was the right decision because we arrived at pass 10am and again, we ran till we dropped.

Arrived safely and… won

We arrived at SM at around 10:30 and hurriedly told the participants to rush to their respective chess tables notwithstanding the pressure of being tardy.  My Jerika was able to manage a tie in spite her only 10 minutes remaining game. And the rest of the 24 were all winners in their own right. Imagine the pressure, but it’s worth it. My Jerika won 6 (5 plus two ties) games out of 7.

My Jeulyanna’s first day at nursery school was a big step towards her achieving a normal life. However, there are circumstances that need to be handled with care because she is not the usual student whom you can wake up at the wee hours of the morning.  Getting her to prepare at an early morning hour makes my heart cry because I know she needs that sleep. But I can’t also sacrifice her right to learn not just the basic ABC’s but also the needed mingling with normal kids.

Building her skills

If only my Jeulyanna is as “normal” as the other kids in the nursery school, she will experience no stress at all. But I will do my part in helping her cope with the “normal” attitude of her schoolmates.

When books were distributed, I can’t help but shed some tears (of joy) seeing my Jeulyanna reading (as if she was truly reading-lol).  At least her being a book lover never fades. Give her candies or cakes or any fancy food, she will still go for books.

I help her read but she will insist on her “expertise”. Instead of me teaching her, she will ask me to say what the picture is all about. In short, she will point to a certain picture and ask me to say what it is instead of me doing the “questioning” (LOL).

My Jeulyanna is now looking forward to seeing her “mam” and the kids in school every morning. As usual we are always late.

I was shocked to hear about the recent bombing in Cotabato City.  Although killing was just a usual “affair” there, this bombing was nerve wracking because it was done in broad daylight during the 8:00 to 9:00am mass just outside the Immaculate Cathedral. I can’t imagine the scene if the bombed was detonated in a throng of people outside the church.  Wheew!

Evil on Earth!

I know evil is everywhere but for a truly religious country like the Philippines, I can’t fathom why unjustified killings  like this is happening.

Another religious war?

Hope not!  Cotabato City is the center of Mindanao and people from different religions like Christians, Muslims, Hindus,  Buddhists, and other denominations are harmoniously living here  although differences sometimes resulted to an outcry, this does not justify the killing.  The recent bombing makes Cotabato City the center of attention after the AH1N1 scare.

A feat I can’t believe I achieved in just a few months of working hard. I received the good news today – June 2, 2009 at around 8:40pm.  To prove I’m telling the truth — not bluffing LOL  -> see the badge at the right (THIS WAY PLEASE –>)

The Story

On January 2008,  I asked our Heavenly Father to give me an additional income to support my family. I bargained HIM for a job that will not cost me a penny in going to and fro – in short- no transportation expense at all.  A sideline work that will make use of my talents and yes, a sideline that may somehow allow me to mingle and be with my children any minute any hour of the day – 24/7. But sad to say, HE did not grant it. I did not blame Him though. I settled to writing articles.

Imminent Plant Closure

The Company in which I am employed as an administrative assistant told me about the imminent plant closure.  Out of  one hundred plus workers, only three will stay – Me, the manager and the warehouseman. A recession of sort…

Prayers Answered

This was the time the Lord answered my prayers (remember my January request?). He showed me the way to oDesk. A Catholic magazine in which I am a regular subscriber “told” me about oDesk. I joined their forum and there I voiced out my request for a work sideline that will somehow help me augment my income – again for my family.

ODESK helps…

I immediately searched for the website and yes, applied but was hesitant at first because of …. never mind. I again consulted the Kerygma catholic magazine forum for answer…and YES, they told me to go ahead and apply as it was a very legit offering.

Without any much ado, I applied and was hired in less than a month.

Will be with oDesk until….

I reach the age of “maturity” – (150 years old and counting…) LOL…

THANK YOU ODESK!

Gossip mongerers will surely “spread the cheapness, no respect at all, and all sort of oppressing words” to the bereaved families if Green Funeral is applied. In this scenario, the materialistic instinct still prevails. Have you noticed that it is very costly to die than be alive? It is because the rich including the poor are so keen on giving the most sophisticated, and glamorous casket coupled with expensive burial services to the max for their dead love one. I’m just wondering, is this a requirement to reach the so called heaven? If only this concept is challenge by the beauty of going green, surely the materialistic views will now be a thing of the past.

Just what exactly is Green Funeral?

From the word “Green“, it simply connotes being Earth-Friendly, Environment-Friendly and all things and ways that may save our beloved planet earth from “destruction”. We are killing our mother earth slowly and would you believe…SURELY?

Oh my, and how do we exactly stop the slowly but surely “killing” of our mother earth?

There are many ways, but I will tackle this Green Funeral thing. Green funeral is simply the treating of the dead body without the usual pumping-in of embalming fluid. Going green is easy and very cheap. The less resources needed makes it easier for the dead body to become a natural part of the earth when buried. But sad to say, this is still not appreciated by many.

Here are few of the many ways to go Green during funeral:

• Direct burial. an A.B.S (automatic burying style) no visitation and viewing therefore no toxic embalming fluid.
• Refrigeration. If the bereaved families want a last view of their dead love one, they should “refrigerate” the body (not in an ordinary refrigerator)
• Less or no cars during funeral procession. Inform the mourners about the importance of walking as an exercise.
• Use biodegradable casket such as cardboard (A CARDBOARD???? A cardboard, yes my dear but this is not the usual cardboard of milk products or whatsoever. This is purposely made to replace the costly casket. Cloth shroud may also do wonders.
• Request to receive financial donations in lieu of the usual flowers. The dead cannot bring those lovely, imported flowers to his destination. You will only give the bereaved families trash to clean after the burial. What a waste.
• Don’t use cemented burial tomb. Remember, cement is costly and untidy to look at.
• A tree (may I suggest fruit bearing) instead of a tombstone – as a way to remember the dead. Isn’t it sweet to see them still “growing” even if already dead?

Green Funeral or the Traditional Way

It’s just a matter of choice. Just don’t forget to inform your conscience that it is very practical and environment friendly to go green instead of doing the annihilating traditional funeral.