HALF-HEARTED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH MOVEMENT

It was not surprising at all that our population will be reaching 100 millionth this year. That means an increase of 20 million in a year's time, more or less.  That means 55 thousand babies will  be born in the Philippines every day. Is that shocking? Not really Folks. 

There is a half-hearted push for reproductive health in the Philippines. 

We put so much emphasis on the legalities which by the way is already moving in the Supreme Court. I don't think the Court would stop the implementation of the law backing up our movement. Not at all, when they know that with 55 thousand babies born, that would be translating to P5,500,000 pesos every day if we will be spending P100 per day for food per baby. And that amount does not include yet the children who have been born already. 

Can you imagine Folks, where oh where will the government get the funds to feed these newly born babies?And where will it get the money to give them education in the next twenty years?

This is why not even the legalities would solve this problem at all. Telling a couple, "Hey use contraceptives when coupling," will solve the burgeoning increase in population. Why, because whenever the men go out of the house, they see on the jeepneys, on the roads, whether small streets or big avenues in the cities, women, girls, female tots, even elderly women -- fat, thin, obese, poor, rich -- walking around in short shorts. I have seen the men's faces turn, their eyes getting blurry when they look at those sights of them who do not care how their looks affect the libido of men. 

Even jeepney drivers cannot help stopping for a few moments to gaze at those sights. And some women have the whackiest habit of all to be sitting by the entrance to the jeepney. 

We must have a comprehensive movement to tackle the continuing impregnation of Filipino women. That should include efforts from all sectors, especially education, religion, local government units and non-government organizations. 

I think that Filipino women are losing their sense of Philippine identity,  a case of low self-esteem as they copy with great abandon the fashion that comes from abroad. Whatever they see on the TV screen, with women gyrating in the skimpiest clothes, they ape the same. And who are these latter performers but I do believe, nighttime nightclub performers hired to perform on daytime just so to titillate the viewers and increase their number for more advertising profits. Who is the dancer willing to wear such types of costumes if not those who are comfortable wearing them on stage? Ballet dancers and modern dancers I believe would not agree to wearing them for TV entertainment, except if the script has more valuable message to say.

Now why should we bother about Philippine identity? And why not? The recent declaration of Hong Kong about stopping Philippine officials from entering their airports without visas, is a sign of our lowered esteem in the international circles. The intrusion of China into our waters is another. The preponderance of drug cartels brought in from Mexico, Nigeria, etc. is also a sign of our loose commitment to the higher values of life. 


Aren't there statistics to show that sexual crimes have risen, the most horrible of which is the use of children for cybercrime pornography? 


What about the latest 2008 statistics about the number of sexual assaults recorded by police in our country per 100,000 population? We are number 37 out of a list of 50 countries. It says .025 per 1,000 population. In terms of rape, we are on the 7th level with 2585 per 100,000 population in 2009. 

So, as we lose our international moral standing, and crimes continue unabated in our midst, the Filipino women fashionistas, walk and run in great abandon thinking that this is the way for them to express their freedom -- to show their thighs without thinking of the consequences. 


We used to say that the Philippine revolutions would not have been successful -- the fight for independence from colonial rules -- without the participation of women. Now we say, that the degradation of the country, the economic poverty of the people -- is also influenced by the way women carry themselves today. With few clothes on their bodies, aren't they saying that "Yes, I love my body. You may look at it anytime, anywhere. Now come and persuade me...."

It is a come-on when a woman bares herself, a come-on to appreciate and possibly make her feel sexy all the time, morning, afternoon or evening. That is what revealing their bodies is saying. We cannot go any lower than that. 

All these show that the standards for womanhood of the women have gone berserk. They no longer view intellectual debates or even creative work as prime motivations for appreciating them. Rather, they prefer to use their bodies to bring attention to themselves. Immediately at that. Isn't this a case of low self-esteem?

(That student of UP Manila who committed suicide, wasn't that an example of low self-esteem at work on her part, after her request for continuing attending the school was rejected?)

How come local officials have not said anything about women parading their bodies in the barangay streets, in the city avenues? It is because it is a beautiful sight for the machos who want to feel that men ought to be fed with sexy scenes all the time.  And the women who disagree feel helpless, hopeless about the situation, so some of them join in. 

Why, the media continually remind them of that as well, from print to TV. Mind you on the radio, have you heard, "Malaki, gusto ko malaki" a girl utters with great frustration, which is a hint of the size of the p_____ of the men. Then another spiel, "Ang tanga-tanga ko talaga" a girl's voice  referring to her lack of knowledge of a radio feature of her celfone. Who wrote these spiels? Why air such spiels if not to regard women as sex objects, as ignoramuses not befitting of equality in society, a complete denigration of the women's movement?

By the way, how come, the education officials have not come up with a dress code for the students of some universities and colleges where girls go to classrooms in short shorts? Why oh Why? The male students have lower grades, lower attainment in these schools.  

Moreover, the existence of gender and development units in these institutions is mere lip service to the women's movement. The officers of these units are not that brave enough to confront their academic officials and most of all the education officials for their moral lapses in enforcing a more appropriate attire for Filipino female students fit for doing academic work and not for lazing around in the beach.

Some religious officials also would rather contend with the government about poverty rather than pointing out the need for a more modest dress for women, something that would make the women be revered like Mother Mary and other female saints (not necessarily dress up like them as they belong to a certain age.) Why don't they express their disgust at all, (and what about the women in the religious sectors) about the very revealing clothes of women in public? 

Why? Why? Isn't the physical aspect also responsible for the uncontrollable impregnation of women and for the increasing number of unwanted and unschooled children?

How many parents could give quality time to the rearing of five or six children? And what quality time are we talking about here? What kind of life will women lead if they would be taking care of babies all their lives?

I think this is also why the crimes against women have become more brazen, more violent, as the sex crimes. 

The women's movement in the Philippines is at its lowest, despite the demonstrations for the non-repeal of the reproductive health law. Maybe it is time for us to take stock of where the movement should be going; its coverage; and who the leading sectors should be. 

So to 2014, Kong Hei Fat Choi, let us have more and more babies!. Bring them on!. Bahala na ang Diyos kung paano silang pakakainin, dadamitan, kung saan ititira at kung paaaralin pa o hindi na. 

HE BELIEVED AND OVERCAME

HE BELIEVED AND OVERCAME

Wilhelmina S. Orozco

25 January 2014

He was in Cebu for team building but had a very strong feeling that something was going to happen. In the evening of November 6^th of 2013 Rod Senense came home to Leyte, earlier than expected.  Typhoon Yolanda was going to come roaring in three days and so he deemed it necessary to prepare for it in advance.

“I had a strong feeling na kailangan kong bumalik ng Leyte upon learning about the super typhoon. So I arrived at 11 pm. On November 7^th, early morning, I went to the market to buy things that would keep us afloat during the typhoon – noodles, water, rice, candles, just enough for 72 hours. Yan ang natutunan ko sa disaster preparedness. Mabuti na lang at nakabili ako kasi after 72 hours, wala ng mabili. Lahat ng stores ni-ra-ransack na.”

The nature of the typhoon was highly unusual, according to Rod. “Yung typhoon kayang baluktutin ang bakal. ” (The typhoon could curb steel.)

To put his children to safety, Rod used his experience in scouting. “Naglagay ako ng table; inipit ko sa dalawang kabinet. Dun ko pinatago ang mga anak ko, dalawang lalaki. “

HANGIN

The wind was going berserk, moving in different directions. Rod recalled, “Ang Tacloban, napapalibutan ng dagat. Ang Palo nasa loob. Kalaban namin yung hangin. Umuugong malayo pa. Maniwala ka sa hindi, ang hangin clockwise, tapos spiral, tapos patayo kung umikot.

Alas 6 ng umaga, onwards hanggang mga alas 9 ng umaga. Tumatahimik ang hangin 6:30, 7:30, 8:30 at 9:30 pero bumabalik. Nung kalakasan ng hangin kitang-kita ko, bumagsak ang bintana."

Rod could only pray over the seemingly unconquerable force of the typhoon. Although he is scientific in his approach to life, he could only attribute unusual occurrences during the typhoon to the intervention of God. “Saan ka nakakita na yung bahay, tinayo nung 1970 expected ko na magigiba. Ini-expect ko na magigiba. So nagdasal ako, 'Lord, tirhan mo kahit kalahati lang.' Ganun nga ang nangyari. Natira kalahati, natanggal yung 70 to 80% nasira. Pero hindi nag-iba lahat.”

Even the trees in front of their house, the normal tendency of which was to drop on their house, suddenly fell away from it. “May dalawang puno sa harap ng bahay namin, kaymito at mangga. Anytime, puwedeng tumama sa bahay. Sa awa ng Diyos, nang bumagsak, hindi tumama sa bahay namin.”

One memorable occurrence which he felt so much in his heart was when the pictures of his children when they were still young, suddenly fell on the waters. “Noong nagkakagulo, nahulog yung picture ng dalawang anak ko noong bata pa sila. Kaisa-isa lang yun. Gusto kong kunin. Pero bago ako bumaba nagtalukbong ako ng plastik na silya. Ewan ko kung bakit ko ginawa yun. Noong nasa baba na ako, biglang may nalaglag sa ulo ko, isang haligi, puro pako.

Talagang nangilabot ako. Pero kinakasihan pa rin ako ng Diyos. Siguro, may naramdaman na akong may mangyayari kaya tinalukbungan ko ang ulo ko."

For many, many years, Rod and his family have been living in Tacloban peacefully. Suddenly their life became topsy-turvy, a complete overhaul of their lives. “No communication, no lights, no food. Outside, there was anarchy. Walang batas. Nakawan, lahat ng establishments, Robinsons, kinuha lahat ng mga goods ng mga magnanakaw.

I went to Baybay, Leyte to get a signal (for my celfon), to inform my relatives in Manila. Pagdating ng Baybay, lobat na ang celfon ko. Naghanap ako ng macha-charjan ko. May isang tao, my generator. Napakabait, pina-charge ako. 'Magcharge ka,' sabi sa akin. Nagcharge ako ng dalawang celfones. So I was able to talk to my wife, my parents."

The media at that time was already releasing names of people who were missing in Tacloban as reported or texted to them by survivors. Three of those missing were Rod and his two boys.

“ I had to make that call kasi ang labas sa media, patay na ko.”

Rod's networking business under the King Dnarmsa Spirulina Inc. was a great help to him. In this hehas built a huge network selling Humus Plus - a kind of soil conditioner which helps increase the yield of the land - to farmers in Eastern Visayas – Leyte, Samar, including Cebu. His co-networkers are highly inspired by his leadership that they are already the top money-earners in the Visayas.

Hence, Rod cannot be said to be really lacking in resources. “Maraming pumasok na pera sa akin noon. P200 thousand one day, P200 thousand the next day padala through Cebuana Lhullier. Nagpunta ako roon para kumuha ng pera. Pero hindi ako maka-withdraw. (Siguro baka dahil maubusan ng pondo ang tindahan. Maraming nagwi-withdraw) Ayaw akong bigyan.

So I pretended to be a policeman. (Kung ikaw ang nanduon, hindi ka dapat mawalan ng disposition.) May flashlight ako ng pulis. Bisaya ang mga pulis dun. So nag-Bisaya ako.

“'Ma'am, maraming patay. Perang yan gagamitin ko.'” So binigyan ako. Ginamit namin yung pera para pamasahe papuntang Maynila."

WATER "Ang main source of water namin ay putol. Pero after 3 days, nagkatubig na. Binuksan. Pila-pila sa tubig, isang kilometro ang haba ng pila. Ang tubig namin, sprite. Pero meron akong sinuhulan, kako, “Bigyan mo ko ng isang container, P200. Binigyan naman ako.”

PAGKAIN

"Nagluluto kami ng noodles, tinitipid namin kasi di namin alam kung kailan kami makakapunta sa Maynila."

THE LONG TRAVEL TO MANILA

"Sa Tacloban airport walang masakyan. Limited ang pasahero. Pila pa. Yung priority mga may sakit, babae, nakatatanda. So from there, nagpasya akong pumunta kami sa bus terminal"

Rod could feel the greed permeating the society then. It was highly sickening, from food distribution to water fetching, up to traveling to Manila just to escape the hellish and anarchic situation.

"Yung bus naman, sinisingil ako ng isang libo para pamasahe. Nagrason ako: 'E nawalan na nga ako ng bahay, bakit mo pa ako sinisingil ng ganyan?' Hindi ako pumayag. Nakakita ako ng tricycle, sabi ng driver P400. Tumawad ako P350, binigay naman."

Then Rod and his two children reached the terminal wherein they would board a bus to the pier;  and from there, the bus would get on the Roro, the roll-on-roll-off ferry boat that links Leyte to Samar.

"Sa normal bus travel, 21 hours papunta sa pantalan, sasakay sa Roro. Inabot kami ng 39 hours. Na flat pa kami ng dalawang beses."

Even the buses allowed to leave Northern Samar were limited to certain companies only. “Ang priority sa Roro na mga bus, from Northern Samar, mga Philtranco at Silver Star lamang. Ang Roro tatawid papuntang Bicol. At yung bus, tutuloy ng Maynila."

Because of the critical situation where anyone could easily cash in, drivers who were not regularly employed suddenly surfaced. The driver that took Rod and his sons to Manila stopped so often along the way. "Ang driver hindi alam. Nagtatanong sa daan, 'Boss dito ba ang papuntang Maynila?'” But he could not complain at all since it was even pure luck that he and his sons were able to get on the bus. 

Rod looked not so haggard when he was being interviewed at  the office of the KDSI. But on his face is marked relief from a disaster that usually would only be seen in full as horror movies. 

However, everytime someone asks him how he is now, after that harrowing experience, his eyes belie a certain sadness – because for one brief moment, all the efforts at building his networking business nearly collapsed totally although he is still grateful because he and his two sons are alive. 

Rod and his team in Eastern Visayas did not suffer much, and he was even advised not to return yet to Leyte. They still have the guts and the roaring energy to start the business again, one that helps the farmers, the victims of the typhoon, to recover their lands, and make them productive again, through the application of the humus plus.

Sabi ko ngayon, “I am resurrected.”

"Everything happens for a reason. Sa likod ng tragedy na ito, may opportunity. Yung crisis – what happened in Leyte – is more than a crisis May opportunity dito sa tragedy sa Leyte. Magiging faithful ang mga tao. They will recommit themselves" prophetically, Rod said.

“I learned many lessons here.” 

Great lessons for him are always trust in God; no human being will be deserted ever; and people will overcome so long as they believe. 

 

WHY GOD?

Wilhelmina S. Orozco
Why do people worship God? Actually some don't or they just forget to pray and worship God. Others do so very religiously, praying upon waking up, before meals and after, and before retiring at night. All these are done with a sincere heart, most of the time. I am not being skeptical, but I give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

Actually, I really like communing with God not only when I have problems but when I have unanswered questions about people, about issues, about problems at home, or even of the country. Like I ask God, "What shall I write about God? How shall I write it?" And with peace and quiet, the answers reveal themselves one by one.

I think some people have forgotten how to pray intimately with God and prefer collective worship. So they go to Church, whether in short shorts or long skirts, then kneel, sing, recite the missal, and do all the rituals inside the Church, even if the next agenda to the service is a litany of expenses and income necessary to run the Church.

No Folks, I am not seeing that as a negative thing -- to think and meet about how to run the Church. But perhaps, such discussions should be done outside of the Church, somewhere where we do not see the altar, where presumably we have just listened to the word of God, have just experienced the aura of holiness surrounding each prayer said.

Maybe I am a conservative when it comes to religion. Actually, I don't really fancy organized religion. So I worship alone. But I do join some collective worshipping now and then. I go by the flow of my spiritual energies because I want to be true to myself.

I have attended masses when I was young when I would smell incense, and the mass said in Latin. That was at the Old Sta. Mesa Church. I really liked going there especially every first Friday when I used to have a novena to the Sacred Heart because I wanted to get an honor in the elementary grades. I did -- salutatorian. Prayers answered.

Now, a day in January is always devoted to the Nazarene, the image of a suffering Christ. Expected to attend could be 10 million devotees, clad or shoeless following the image around Manila and ending at the Quiapo Cathedral. I just passed by today the Quiapo Church and I saw how two videos were screening the mass inside thit. I was rather surprised -- not knowing how I would react.

Should I decry the use of technology, the lack of silence, of holiness in the streets of Quiapo where the sermon of the priest is being blared? Should I cringe at the scenery of a woman reading the fortune of a customer with her tarot cards? Or should I pity the vendors who probably did not have time to go inside, or may be could not squeeze themselves inside the Church and pray to the black Nazarene?

Whatever, I think that the Nazarene parade around Manila is really going haywire already. Shouldn't the Church start rethinking of how the people could be theists, without appearing idolatrous?

The devotees surely are looking for a Christ now, someone who possesses the qualities of Jesus who looked after the welfare of the poor, the miserable, the sickly, the downtrodden of society. A Christ who is sincere in helping and also one who knows how to speak in parables, someone who is intelligent and can deal with and speak the language of the rulers and the ruled, who could rebuke the oppressors without hesitation if need be, yet would secretly hide himself once his security is endangered so that he could continue to share the wisdom of God.

Maybe we need real live Christs, priests and nuns, or even lay people, who speak, behave and act out the ideas of Jesus Christ so that the people would not be looking pathetic, running after a kiss, a touch, a pat of any part of the Nazarene and then leaving with the thought that for a year, they would be blessed and protected from economic and whatever harm could be awaiting them in this world.

Oh, God, let us rethink processions and find new ways of worshipping the ideas of Christ. Don't allow us to wallow in self-pity but rather with great discernment and moral courage, permit us to face the world's challenges. Give us that foresight to see the future and what we should do to reach our dreams -- simple though they may be a three square meals a day, shelter, clothing, education for children, and a peaceful sleep every night. Amen

WHY GOD?

Wilhelmina S. Orozco
Why do people worship God? Actually some don't or they just forget to pray and worship God. Others do so very religiously, praying upon waking up, before meals and after, and before retiring at night. All these are done with a sincere heart, most of the time. I am not being skeptical, but I give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

Actually, I really like communing with God not only when I have problems but when I have unanswered questions about people, about issues, about problems at home, or even of the country. Like I ask God, "What shall I write about God? How shall I write it?" And with peace and quiet, the answers reveal themselves one by one.

I think some people have forgotten how to pray intimately with God and prefer collective worship. So they go to Church, whether in short shorts or long skirts, then kneel, sing, recite the missal, and do all the rituals inside the Church, even if the next agenda to the service is a litany of expenses and income necessary to run the Church.

No Folks, I am not seeing that as a negative thing -- to think and meet about how to run the Church. But perhaps, such discussions should be done outside of the Church, somewhere where we do not see the altar, where presumably we have just listened to the word of God, have just experienced the aura of holiness surrounding each prayer said.

Maybe I am a conservative when it comes to religion. Actually, I don't really fancy organized religion. So I worship alone. But I do join some collective worshipping now and then. I go by the flow of my spiritual energies because I want to be true to myself.

I have attended masses when I was young when I would smell incense, and the mass said in Latin. That was at the Old Sta. Mesa Church. I really liked going there especially every first Friday when I used to have a novena to the Sacred Heart because I wanted to get an honor in the elementary grades. I did -- salutatorian. Prayers answered.

Now, a day in January is always devoted to the Nazarene, the image of a suffering Christ. Expected to attend could be 10 million devotees, clad or shoeless following the image around Manila and ending at the Quiapo Cathedral. I just passed by today the Quiapo Church and I saw how two videos were screening the mass inside thit. I was rather surprised -- not knowing how I would react.

Should I decry the use of technology, the lack of silence, of holiness in the streets of Quiapo where the sermon of the priest is being blared? Should I cringe at the scenery of a woman reading the fortune of a customer with her tarot cards? Or should I pity the vendors who probably did not have time to go inside, or may be could not squeeze themselves inside the Church and pray to the black Nazarene?

Whatever, I think that the Nazarene parade around Manila is really going haywire already. Shouldn't the Church start rethinking of how the people could be theists, without appearing idolatrous?

The devotees surely are looking for a Christ now, someone who possesses the qualities of Jesus who looked after the welfare of the poor, the miserable, the sickly, the downtrodden of society. A Christ who is sincere in helping and also one who knows how to speak in parables, someone who is intelligent and can deal with and speak the language of the rulers and the ruled, who could rebuke the oppressors without hesitation if need be, yet would secretly hide himself once his security is endangered so that he could continue to share the wisdom of God.

Maybe we need real live Christs, priests and nuns, or even lay people, who speak, behave and act out the ideas of Jesus Christ so that the people would not be looking pathetic, running after a kiss, a touch, a pat of any part of the Nazarene and then leaving with the thought that for a year, they would be blessed and protected from economic and whatever harm could be awaiting them in this world.

Oh, God, let us rethink processions and find new ways of worshipping the ideas of Christ. Don't allow us to wallow in self-pity but rather with great discernment and moral courage, permit us to face the world's challenges. Give us that foresight to see the future and what we should do to reach our dreams -- simple though they may be a three square meals a day, shelter, clothing, education for children, and a peaceful sleep every night. Amen

SIMPLE AND HEALTHY LIVING

by Wilhelmina S. Orozco 

Folks, why do we need electric current? To run our household appliances, our lights, radios, TV, and computer. Outside, we need it to light the streets at night, to keep the traffic lights going, and to light up the signs on the road. 

Without electricity, our leaders will not be able to hear each other well inside the halls because their microphones would not be working. The hall will not be properly lit up as well and the air con won't be working. 

Without electricity, the manufacturing firms will have a hard time creating and finishing their products.Without electricity, the theatres, moviehouses, entertainment houses will not be able to conduct shows or present movies. In other words, Folks, electric current is a very basic need for a society and a home to function well and allow the human beings to achieve their utmost potentials, attain their dreams, and create a humane society. 

In other words too, electricity should not belong to the commercial side of our economy. It should be subsidized by the government because it is supposed to take care of the citizens, and not milk them for cash in order to keep up the lifestyle of the officials. 

Meralco earned P17B in 2013 which translates to P 46,575,342 per day of 365 days. Earning P47 million a days is not chicken feed Folks. We are making the stockholders of Meralco rich everyday. And who are they? 

The fact is that electric current in this country has become a commercial undertaking not anymore a utility that should serve the interests of the public. We deserve an explanation why this government continues to hold us hostage to the extremely high charges of Meralco despite the fact that we are protecting their interests -- not really going out into the streets to protest about the high charges -- not yet anyway. 

I think it is highly terrible for the government to have deregulated the oil industry and allowed the rates of Meralco, the oil prices to go up and down, and mostly up. We can no longer lead a normal life. Our days are always filled up with fears of how much we are going to pay for electric current usage, how much transportation fares will go up, how much vegetable prices will be raised. No, this is not normal living. We should not be subjected to the ups and downs of an economic state that can be controlled if we wish to. 

Apparently, political will is very much important here. PNoy banked on the good records of his parents, are pure idealists and nationalists who wanted human rights to be restored in our country. Sure, we have so-called human rights, but how about our right to live daily without threat of getting impoverished by electric and water bills? Human rights should cover our ability to live peacefully, to sleep well at night without always thinking where to get the next earnings to cover the bills that we will pay for breathing and being alive. 

I think that our government should start asking and answering the question, what is government of the people, by the people and for the people. Let us stop just merely quoting statements that look good at occasions. Let us make them a reality, and the people are you and me, the hoi-polloi, the pedestrians, the commuters, the readers, the ordinary folks who watch the movies once a month or not at all, who hardly take the taxis or who occasionally eat at restaurants if only to taste good food once in a while and not the food that could be quickly eaten like noodles or fried eggs and boiled rice. 

PNoy should live up to the expectations of the people -- that the name Aquino signifies a better life than what we have known in past administrations that did not carry that name. To be an Aquino is not to be a name in the marquee, but rather a fighter for justice for the people, our right to simple but healthy living.