Column: Nakikiramay Po

Earlier this morning at 7:00 AM, numerous members of mass media, like television and radio, have gone off the air for one minute as a sign of mourning for the journalists who were among the victims in the Maguindanao massacre. I don’t know with the Pinoy blogosphere—can you put off blogging for one minute at a certain time? o_O Sorry, just trying to elicit a light moment this dark period in Philippine history.

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Yesterday morning, on the way to the gym, I thought of walking through my school, Benguet State University (BSU) just to see how it was doing now. As I was passing through the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) building, I noticed the following hand-made poster on the wall:

Truly, the whole nation rebukes the brutal massacre and sympathizes with the victim’s relatives. It’s comforting to know that everyone has a distinct emotion in this tragedy, and that is conflict-resolution, justice, and tranquility.

If you want to see photos of this massacre, visit Speaking One’s Mind, the personal blog of Ryan Ericson Canlas.

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I can’t believe that I’m still frustrated over the Maguindanao mass murder. Seeing those crying faces of friends and relatives on television, hearing all those descriptions, & reading newspaper articles on that particular act threw me off the board. The fact that a certain political family in Maguindanao possesses a relatively powerful army renders me dead scared. Most of all, just knowing that 57 lives were taken and that the women were raped leave me absolutely stunned. So I’m out of my usual focus, terrified, and don’t know what to think of this tragedy.

A very, very disturbing statement found on yesterday's edition of the Philippine Star.

This recent occurrence and its aftershock convince me that we are all connected. We are drawn to one another. What we do every day, somehow, affects each other’s lives. We are intertwined. This is the reason why we are drawn to the Maguindanao deaths. We feel the pain experienced by the relatives left behind. We feel like we have lost a part of ourselves with their passing; not just because we are Filipinos, but because we are interconnected and sentient human beings. It transcends culture and religion, so even if I am a Christian, I still grieve for the loss of our Muslim siblings. We value life and aspire that everyone accepts and respects it.

But it is not only in death to which we are drawn to. We also convene in happy occasions: Births, baptisms, birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, celebrations. We should always look for ways to turn our bereavement, if not into happy instances, into beautiful interpretations. It is a way of coping, a way in which we could overcome our grief once and for all:

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Repose for the Victims of the Maguindanao Mass Murder

by Recis C. Dempayos

 

Hold tight, little sis
So I will be at peace;
Knowing that HE holds tightly
Thine hand and makes thou at ease.
Never let go
Of lessons taught
And the battles we fought.

Don’t weep, dearly beloved
Though alone I am now;
For never would I forget
Our eternally-lasting vow.
This heart throbs
For thee alone
So I’ll try to make it on my own.

Press forward, guardians of law—
Serve not to injustice,
Rather, to GOD
And to a country as this.
May the work thou hath done
Leave a lasting legacy
For future generations to see.

Hail ye, guardians of truth—
For thou revered responsibility;
Through denied attention
But still pushing without impossibility.
Enter the Hall of Valhalla
And savor thine rewards
Together with choruses of bards.

Never worry, my brotherhood
We will be strong;
Celebrating thy courage,
Marrying in song.
We meet one day
At the Elysian Fields
When justice finally yields.

Forgive me, my countrymen
Thou hath been taken;
Without answers and expectations
So now, I have been driven.
I will fight
For thy innocence in death
Until my last breath.

I light a candle,
I pray for thee.
My soul bleeds,
And I drop to my knees.
Slammed against the ground,
I look up for comfort
That peace prevails yet again
On the land of my birth,
My home so precious;
So may thy passing
Never be lingered,
Never be futile.
I light a candle,
And I pray for thee.

 

I light a candle and I pray for you.

 

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Blog Prayer Brigade–Rogue|Hero’s Prayer for Choosing the Right Successive Philippine Leader

As I was going around the Pinoy blogosphere, I came across this prayer brigade (through Callcenterguy’s blog) that aspires for GOD’s guidance in choosing the right successive Philippine President. I had to pitch in and so, here is my prayer. I fashioned it in the style that our high school counselor taught us on how to make a prayer: First, praise GOD. Second, give thanks. Third, ask for forgiveness. Fourth, pray for someone. Lastly, pray for yourself.

Heavenly FATHER,

I exalt YOU for the amazing things that YOU present me every day. I believe that all that goes on in my life is within YOUR plan. Every detail—that has happened, is now taking place, and will occur—is patterned out. This fact puts me at peace; all praise is definitely to YOU alone.

Thank YOU so much for the experiences, lessons, and opportunities that YOU have given me. Thank YOU for the blessings, forgiveness, guidance, and healing. Thanks very much for being there in every phase of my life. Most of all, thank YOU for directing me to this blog prayer brigade that asks for YOUR guidance in choosing the next rightful leader of our homeland. Thank YOU oh so much for convincing and pushing me to be a part of it.

Forgive me, LORD, for my wrong thoughts, desires, and actions. Forgive my countrymen who continue with everyday wrongdoings or offenses to YOU. Forgive us Filipinos for our ignorance and misplaced stubbornness. Forgive us if we are set apart from YOU and are indifferent to one another because of blood feuds, culture, language, physical obstructions, philosophies, and religions. For every transgression, we ask for YOUR pardon.

LORD, I pray that YOU would grant each and every Filipino the guidance to choose the right paths and to make the right decisions. Most of us don’t know what to do and are lost on the roads of life. Shine a light, LORD, on what we should do, where we should walk, when we should traverse it, and how we would do it. Principally, help us to understand why it should be done. I ask this especially now that the 2010 Presidential elections are fast approaching. Guide us to choose not the good, rather, the right President for our country—someone who embodies YOUR Word; and in doing so, would maneuver us to progress. Do not allow us to be blinded by mere ads & representations and endorsements by the famous. Help us to protect our votes, our decisions, from unscrupulous buyers, cheaters, and the corrupt. Help us to maintain the integrity of the 2010 elections. Guide every Pinoy to be proactive in the elections. I pray that they we will understand and take up our roles and be part of this progressive movement in Philippine history.

LORD, I pray for peaceful elections. I pray that family and social wars related to politics would cease. I pray that people will respect and accept life and the occurrences that YOU allow to happen. I pray for tranquility for the victims of political violence and for the families they have left behind—specifically those killed in the Maguindanao mass murders. I pray that the executioners will follow their conscience and answer to their wrong deeds.

LORD, YOU alone are the leader of our homeland. In the end, every decision, act, and outcome is in YOUR control. YOU will always be the Father of the Philippines, now and forever and ever.

AMEN.

I was supposed to post this last Tuesday, but with the recent news on the Maguidanao massacre, I felt that I had to change the prayer that I composed then to fit the current situation. I posted the prayer on the sidebar, hopefully to inspire other Pinoy bloggers who go here to do the same. I’ve tagged nine Pinoy bloggers to join this prayer brigade (also found on the sidebar), and am looking for others to add to the list.

Here is my pledge:

I, Rogue|Hero support the cause of the Blog Prayer Brigade for the Election of the Future President of the Republic of the Philippines and I do solemnly promise to recite the prayer, which I wrote, in my own convenient time and regularly as possible until the 2010 Presidential Election commences. Let it be written, let it be done.

     

I tag the following bloggers whom I have never met to do the same in their blogs and in their daily prayers:

Albert

deejay

Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD

Jane

johnonline

Lisa A.

     

I also tag the following bloggers whom I know or have come to know:

Angus Miranda

Angus Miranda

Peter S.

the scribbler on the roof

     

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If you would like to take part in this, simply do the following:

1. Write a short, sincere and meaningful prayer, (in your own words and according to the customs of your religious affiliation) about asking God in guiding our country and fellowmen in choosing the right candidate to vote for in the coming 2010 Philippine Presidential Elections. It can be in your own vernacular, and can be short and long as you please. Remember, the goal of the prayer is not only for Peaceful Election but most of all “for the guidance of choosing the right Presidential candidate to vote in the election”

2, Publish the prayer for everyone to Read in your blog.

3. Go to the Blog Prayer Brigade Main Page which is located here, and get one of the badges or banners for the brigade. Place the badge or banner in your Sidebar until the 2010 Presidential Elections commence.

4. Make an oath by filling the blank below with your handle/or name

I, _____________________(name) support the cause of the Blog Prayer Brigade for the Election of the Future President of the Republic of the Philippines and I do solemnly promise to recite the prayer, which I wrote, in my own convenient time and regularly as possible until the 2010 Presidential Election commences. Let it be written, let it be done.

5. Tag at least 7 Pinoy bloggers you know who haven’t done this before so that the prayer will spread wherever there is a Pinoy blogger present.

6. Keep you promise of praying for the Presidential Election so that God may guide us in choosing the right leader for our country.

7. in January 2010, we will gather all the names and prayers of each participants and publish all their prayers in one Blog. We will also feature in the blog the most beautiful prayer ever composed in this project.

I Saw It, At Last!

Finally, I got to watch Disney’s latest 3D animated flick, A Christmas Carol, which stars Jim Carrey as the voice of the protagonist, Ebenezer Scrooge.

As this movie is obviously based entirely on the Charles Dickens Christmas classic novella, I will not delve into the story. Go read the book. I find it a must to do so in order to comprehend the movie. If you go into the story of A Christmas Carol for the first time through the film, you will not understand it and you may be disappointed for paying so much just to see it. The language is in the old British-style English and, knowing Filipinos’ comprehension of this type of spoken English, you might never get to understand the dialogue. This is not to mock every Pinoy; take it from me, because while watching, I wasn’t entirely listening to what the characters were saying. I was just engrossed in the visuals and relied on what I have read on the story for the script. Basically, it is essential to read the text first and formulate your visual interpretation in your own head.

Downloaded wallpaper from Disney's minisite of "A Christmas Carol."

Critics have given it a moderate rating—not exactly a very much anticipated ranking, considering that it is from Disney and is based on a classic. Some critics have said that it is an excellent visual version of the classic Dickens story, but lacks in heart or spirit. I have to agree. I didn’t feel exhilaration or a sense of inspiration after watching it. It was plain fun with elements of comedy, horror, and drama. The thrill, in my opinion, was absent. Even if Scrooge was being chased down the alley by a huge horse-drawn carriage, I wasn’t at the edge of my seat, hoping that he wouldn’t get caught. I just stared, watched, and enjoyed the 3D ride.

A heartless and worldly-possesive Christmas critic and atheist...

If I could have my way, every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips should be boiled in his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart!

–Ebenezer Scrooge

...transformed into a caring and fun-loving jolly man.

Catches himself laughing like the Ghost of Christmas Present:

‘I’ve heard that laugh before…’

Resumes laughing.

–Ebenezer Scrooge

There were several scenes that were non-existent in the book. Although I hate a love-hate approach to this kind of practice by directors, I approve of it for this particular movie due to the interpretation and significance that it lends to A Christmas Carol. Take for instance, the death of the Ghost of Christmas Present. In the book, it wasn’t stated that he died—he simply vanished into thin air. In this animated movie, he actually grew old (and fast!), stumbled, and was shed of his skin up to his skeleton. He was laughing the whole time he was dying—even his skeleton was laughing. Afterwards, his remains were blown away like dust. I have formulated the significance of this scene: The Ghost of Christmas Present, albeit dying, was laughing because finally, Scrooge was being stripped off of his “Ignorance” and “Want”—worldly and selfish characteristics of man. It meant that Scrooge has finally come to his senses and is willing to propagate change into him. It was a laugh of triumph in being able to divert a man from his greedy ways.

Of the three Spirits of Christmas, I prefer the Ghost of Christmas Present just because he is so damn jolly! His laugh will make you want to laugh along--simply infectious!

I applaud the visual-creation department of Disney and Pixar. The environment was very much realistic. The humans were hardly recognizable as CGIs if shrouded in shadows. The only thing that made them look like CGIs was when they were moving too fast and performing feats not seen in reality. I also liked the style where in the end, Bob Cratchit suddenly evolved into Charles Dickens himself, stating the closing lines of his book. I have to say, he really did look like the man himself. Not really surprising, but still, a surprise.

Hey guys, don't you just love it when at an old age, you can look back to the day in your life when you fell so hard in-love? That special girl, how she looked back then, and how everything all around, including time, seemed to stop and just vanish. *sigh!* Yeah, I'm a hopeless romantic.

All in all, I could say that my excitement for the movie has paid off, but it never reached my expectations. I was hoping for a film that would get through me, more than what the book did. Still, it was a great cinematic panorama, and it certainly helped me understand certain vague points in the novella. The 3D experience was fine, but not enough to convince me that 3D cinema is best enjoyed in live action films.

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”

It’s already a month to go before the 25th of December and, I have decided to change the theme of Scribe’s Express–from Bryan Veloso’s ChaoticSoul to Vermillion Christmas by Christmas WordPress Themes. This is to liven things up–I’ve been using dark shades like black and grays way too long.

To really jump-start my Christmas mood, I went to the mall’s 3D cinema to line up for the first screening day of Disney’s A Christmas Carol. I have waited for this for some time and was obviously excited to get to see it. I checked the screening times online: The second would be at 01:10PM. When I got to there, they told me that the movie started at 10:50AM. F*** up! That’s one thing I never anticipated: Screening schedules that are susceptible to change! Again, I’m disappointed. So I thought, “I could wait for the next screening time (2:50PM) but what would I do for the two-hour wait? Besides, I need to get home on or before 3:00PM!” *sigh!* Maybe it’s just not meant to be today. I’ll just try to see it tomorrow…

Column: Bad News, Good News

I woke up to bad news being aired on the television: More than 40 civilians were massacred in Maguindanao yesterday at around 10:30 AM. Their bodies, as of this moment, are being retrieved. Reports have suggested that the root cause of these brutal killings is political and is also stemmed in a long-standing family feud. The main victims are Mangudadatu Vice Mayor Eden Mangudadatu (sister of Buluan Vice Mayor Toto Mangudadatu), Genalyn Tiamzon-Mangudadatu (wife of Toto, who was raped before being killed), and their supporters. Bai Eden was on her way to file her and her brother’s Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) for the upcoming elections. She was with a convoy of three vehicles composed of supporters and journalists covering the COC filing. All individuals in the convoy were reportedly shot and/or beheaded with chainsaws; and the women, raped. Toto Mangudadatu, who was not with the convey, is vying for the gubernatorial seat in the May 2010 elections. His clan has had a long-running feud with the family of the current Maguindanao governor, Andal Ampatuan Sr., who is known to have his own private army of infantry and armed civilians.

Read the story from GMANews.tv:

Maguindanao massacre claims at least 36 lives – Regions – GMANews.TV – Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs – Latest Philippine News.

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

You can also read the story from Yahoo! Philippines News:

Maguindanao massacre

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That was one shocking news item! It always happens when elections are nearing. I am used to hearing of countless bodies turning up here and there. But to hear of a mass massacre that involved more than 40 people–I’m sorry but that is already too much! What is it with power that people kill for it? Is it the money? The prestige? The opportunity to control ordinary people?

Here is another story that I found on GMANews.tv:

In Maguindanao, no one dares cross the Ampatuans – Regions – GMANews.TV – Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs – Latest Philippine News.

Just look at the title! Political dynasties are running amok! They don’t care for your life if you go against their wrongdoings! What is happening to this land? What has become of democracy? It is now being abused! Something has to be done here to ensure the protection of our innocent countrymen. Justice and order is slowly fading away.

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I can’t believe that the stories of corruption, political connections, powerful clans and personalities–all those that I have read in books and seen on TV and film–are actually true! DAMN! And Christmas, the time when things should be at peace, is just around the corner! These news make me want to get down on my knees and pray–beg the LORD–for HIS intervention to stop all these senseless violence and to prevent lives from being taken away.

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I know that GOD has a purpose in all these things and that our Faith shouldn’t be blinded by what is happening. No matter what happens, I want everyone never to think that there is no GOD. We may not understand the reason behind everything–mainly because there are some things that we are not meant to understand. We just have to maintain and increase our Faith.

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On a lighter side, I am so thrilled that Efren Peñaflorida, Jr. was named the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year. He embodies the servant who fights to make better places and better people out of society.

The initiator of the "Kariton Klassroom," also called, Dynamic Teen Company (DTC).

I first read about his work on For Him Magazine (FHM) Philippines (July 2009 issue) and was completely amazed at his dedication to help the youth located in marginalized areas. Everyone is definitely entitled to an education and every means should be utilized to reach out to those who cannot afford the high cost of gaining intellect. In his case, he used a “pushcart classroom” along with other volunteers to educate children.

Congratulations po, sir Peñaflorida, Jr.!

Congratulations, Mr. Peñaflorida, Jr. on your achievement and may your unselfish work inspire all of us to embrace volunteerism for the betterment of society.

Read the source story on GMANews.tv:

RP’s Efren Peñaflorida is 2009 CNN Hero of the Year – Nation – GMANews.TV – Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs – Latest Philippine News.

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It just goes to show that we, the Filipinos (despite all the bad news), are capable of sentient decisions and work–as opposed to what some foreign nationals think of us. Think about it–Manny Pacquio triumphed over Miguel Cotto, thereby giving us space in the field of sports; Charice, Arnel Pineda, and Lea Salonga are making waves in the worldwide music industry; numerous scientists and inventors like Agapito Flores, Daniel Dingel, Edward Caro, Rolando dela Cruz, and young school groups are contributing to the world’s science and technology. At last, we are slowly making competitive names for ourselves.