Of Drinking Beers and Disco Lights

                Is drinking a necessity on a typical Friday night? Nowadays, it is already a fact that the number of teenagers who drink liquor is extremely increasing. And I can be a witness to that because I have been to a place where most people are drunk teenagers who think only about dancing, drinking and sex.

                On a typical Friday night, my friends and I went to a famous bar in Cebu. The crowd was ecstatic and everyone was dancing and drinking at the same time. It was a typical party night in the city. As the night heated up, I noticed that most of the people at the bar were teenagers and I must say, they were as wild like animals. They drink liquor as if there was no tomorrow and they lit their cigarettes as if they have no lungs. I know this is now the world teenagers enjoy and live in. But for me, I think that there are still limitations to everything. I know one should party and loosen up, but not to extent that one will have to be drunk and become like possessed wild animal. The attitude of becoming like Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan on party events is becoming a fad to the teenagers. The reason why teenagers drink and smoke is because it is one way to gain friends and be tagged as cool.  Some teenagers just do it for popularity sake or peer pressure.

                Filipinos are really influenced by the western attitude. We always try to become like them. From the way we act, talk to the way we dress and eat. We are becoming western clones without considering our own values and tradition as a Filipino. But still, I don’t think Filipinos look good in a tuxedo considering our dark skin and flat nose, right?

                 

Being Fat is not that Bad

Tambok! Tambok! Baboy! Baboy! These are just some of the words we usually hear to kids when they tease a playmate on being fat and overweight. To some, this might be okay because kids are just kids and they don’t usually mean what they say. But what happens if those kids grow up, would it still be okay for them to tease someone as tambok or baboy?

In the Philippines, where there are so many fat and overweight Filipinos, it is quite known that obesity is one of the biggest problems today. This is might be the reason why the TV reality show, the Biggest Loser is already airing in the country.

 If you would become observant, then you will notice how we usually react if we see an overweight person walking in the streets.  We immediately judge and cast a curse on them and say that they will die early because of high blood or high cholesterol. This is a common situation in the Philippines. Filipinos are sometimes judgmental to others. But if we look closely to the situation, this kind of attitude is a bad example especially to kids. No wonder, kids now are becoming violent and restless, it is always the older one that should set an example.

In my point of view, I don’t see any wrong with being fat. It is usually a decision you make with yourself. Obesity can sometimes traced on the genetics of a person and not on how many cups of rice a person eats every meal. I have many friends who are fat and overweight, and I tell you, they are the persons you really want to be with especially in fiestas or birthdays because they can be your energy booster to eat more.

Also, the fat and overweight people that I know are one of the jolliest people in the world. They are not easily swayed with other people’s judgment on how ugly they look or how fitting their clothes are to their body. I just hope that all of the fat and overweight people in our country have the same attitude with my friends because commonly, these are people who have low self esteem because of the constant mockery and teasing to them.

If our parents or the older people in our circle have told us that being fat is not a crime then we would become more understanding and sympathetic individuals. You see, there are just some people who just grow up with age and not with attitude.

“I am just expressing my individuality”. These words came from one of my fat and overweight friends.  And I totally agree with her. It is not the physical appearance that matters, it is the attitude that always counts.

The Facebook Addiction

Facebook Addiction. It means that you can’t live without Facebook even just for a day. First, it starts as a hobby.  You will open your computer, type in your account name and password. And later on, you will be instantly glued to Facebook and become shock because your whole day is spent entirely to the site.

They say that Facebook is the new media. It offers many benefits like it keeps you connected to your friends, especially those who are far. Facebook also has applications likes chat and photo uploading and sharing. Because of these beautiful offers from the site, Facebook became an ultimate hit especially to the Filipinos. Almost all from the different age brackets in the Philippines have a Facebook account.

However, it was on the news lately that Facebook will be banned to some offices in Metro Manila because it impedes the efficiency of the workers. This is also applied to some of the students who seem to become more present in the online world instead of doing their research.

For me, there is nothing wrong with the use of Facebook. It is actually a beneficial site. But I think the use to the site should be regulated. This means that one should budget the time he/she have so that other responsibilities will not be jammed. They say that too much is bad. And this is actually true to some Facebook users. The site is maybe made for entertainment and not one that could be the reason for a failing grade or being fired from work.  

Rihanna and her “Man Down” Controversy

Rihanna has been through her own version of ups and downs in life. Her battle for justice against the abuse scandal from her ex boyfriend Chris Brown made the whole world watching. She had become the instant role model for anti-violence for women. The whole scandal made her famous and up to now, Rihanna has become better and stronger version of herself.  But, lately when the BET premiered her latest song, “Man Down”, Rihanna faces the controversy again, saying that her latest video promotes violence and crime.

The “Man Down” video begins with Rihanna shooting a man in a crowded train station. This man later on was revealed to be the same man that raped her. The video tells a story about a woman coming out for revenge. It depicts the value of woman independence and strength.

 If you are a Rihanna fan, you would agree that her Man Down video is one of her best music videos to date. She looks stunning and the song is good to the ears. However, music critics and even parents from all over the world, have other opinions about the video.  They say that the video is not promoting good morale to the youth. It implies violence and harm. Others even say that the video should be banned.

In my own perspective, the Man Down video is a perfect example of a woman taking a stand on a relationship abuse. The message of the video is about revenge. Also, the video tries to impart a lesson to many women out there to always be careful in relationships. For me, Rihanna’s video is very timely, powerful and realistic.

Regarding to the issue of violence in the video, I say killing someone out from revenge could be a bad thing to do. But if people will try to put their feet on many cases of women who have been raped and suffered physical abuse from a boyfriend or family member, then they would think otherwise. Maybe Rihanna’s intention is to make the whole world notice that rape and physical abuse to women is now one of the biggest problems in the world but is just taken for granted. She had been to an abusive relationship in the past so she definitely knows how it feels to be physically ridiculed and hurt. Rihanna and her Man down video is not promoting revenge and crime as a good thing, she just tries to expose the reality that women has also rights and they deserve it.

Fish Kill Phenomenon: Another Havoc Filipinos Have to Conquer

It’s all in the news today. Massive fish kill in the Philippines is now greatly affecting local Filipino fishermen’s income, family and lives. Could this be another havoc Filipinos have to conquer?

                The fish kill phenomenon in our country is now the main reason why many people no longer buy fish. This massive problem is now already ruining the fish industry in the country. Experts said that one of the reasons for the fish kill is the violation of fish cages’ sizes and depth. Fish cages should be 10 meters. Also the fish pens should have 10 tons of cultured fish only and if this exceeds, the fishes will have to compete for oxygen thus could result, massive fish kill. The constant change of weather is also cited to be one of the things that contributed to the problem.

                In the Philippines, where six out of ten Filipinos only eat three times a day, this fish kill phenomenon is a big problem. Take for instance, Mang Isko. He is a simple fisherman who has six children to support. If he will have no fishes to sell because of the fish kill, then only God knows what will happen to him and his family. Mang Isko is just one of the fishermen who are greatly devastated by the fish kill. Until now, experts are still unsure of how to solve the problem.

                Moreover, the massive fish kill is now affecting other lakes in the country. This means that more Filipino families will be affected. Let’s just hope that this problem will not worsen and instead put trust and faith to Him.               

But looking to the other side of the coin, Filipinos have undergone many problems in the past. And Filipinos have remained strong and positive. Filipinos know how to make both ends meet during these hard times and learn to adapt and adjust to the present situation.

Filipino's LOVE for Family

Filipinos are family-centered people.  We give value and importance to them not just because it is part of the norm, but we Filipinos are just close to our families. In every important event in our lives, we want our families to be there, supporting us and become proud of us.

In the Philippines, where the economy is not that great, Filipinos rely to their families for inspiration and strength.  We help each member of our family in the emotional, physical and financial aspects in life. Moreover, Filipinos have also a tight relationship with their relatives. It is part of our tradition to never forget our first-degree cousins, ninangs and ninongs, tito’s and tita’s especially during events like Christmas and New Year. 

During times of hardships and trials, we always look for our families for help. One of the best characteristic of a Filipino family is that it accepts each member of who and what he/she is. We never judge our family members.

Also, we work hard for our families. We even go abroad, accept any job just to give money to our families.  It is the family that inspires us thus, it is also the family that gives us inspiration to work hard and give them a bright future in any way we can. And that is how great Filipinos love for families. It is not just a Filipino tradition but part of the Filipino lifestyle.  

It’s June: Do we hear Wedding Bells?

It’s June already. For students this is the time to prepare the uniforms and school stuffs because this means school is back. But for lovers, this is a special month. This is the time to prepare for the day of white dresses, wedding bells and sweet vows.  Yes. June is the month of in-loved couples ready to tie knot- it is indeed, the wedding season.

For many, weddings are the most important day of their lives. It is the moment where you are going to be united with the one you love. However, some couples may find it difficult to achieve the wedding that they desire because of the expenses weddings entails. So here are the tips for those couples out there who like to achieve their own dream wedding in a low cost.

1.       Don’t invite everybody- Trim your guest list because many guests means bigger budget on the catering, rentals, dresses and many more.

2.       Use the Net wisely – Say goodbye to traditional invitational cards. Use the internet for free and invite your friends online. This will make you save for the print bills on the traditional cards.

3.       Learn to ask for help – If you happen to know a friend who is a musician, designer or a wedding planner. Win them out and invite them. In this way, you are not just sharing your special moments with them but you can ask for their free service as their wedding gift for you.

4.       Shop in the internet- Learn how to search valuable items for your wedding at trusted sites in the internet. In this way, you can find exciting stuff for your wedding in a low price.

These are just some of the few example tips for couples who want to tie the knot but still don’t have the budget. Remember: the most important thing in the wedding is both of you. Not the flamboyant cake or the expensive wedding decoration. As long as you are saying your sweet I do’s to each other then it will be start of your magical journey together as husband and wife.

The TRUTH behind RH BILL

I know that we are all tired about the constant debate of lawyers and senators about the RH bill. But it is still gratifying to become aware of the issue so that we can air our opinions and become a vigilant citizen. After all, we are still the ones who are going to be affected by this bill, if this may be pursued in the future. So what is really RH BILL? Okay. Let us start.

In the house of representative and in the Senate today, there are six bills pertaining to reproductive health that have been filed and the most controversial of these bills is House Bill No. 96 authored by Rep. Edcel Lagman. This house bill is also known as the "Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act of 2010”.

Several people especially the pro-life, pro-family and pro-God groups, regardless of creed or religion are airing their discontentment about the bill. The Roman Catholic Church also had expressed its opposition against it, most especially the distribution of family planning supplies like the condoms in jeepneys all over Metro Manila. Also, the Catholic Church are in disagreement of the Bill on the account for  women taking oral contraceptives (OCs) or using intrauterine devices (IUD), post-fertilization. According to scientists and other medicinal findings, the effect of this is to prevent women from getting pregnant.
                Pro-life groups and many medical professionals are now saying to understand and respect the beliefs of women who want to bear a child in her womb. “Women should be liberated and have the right to choose”, they say.
               However, the position of the Catholic Church and the pro-life groups does not mean that they despised birth in any family. But the sexual act that should after marriage should be properly exercised within marriage only. If there are reasonable reasons for disowning pregnancy, such really serious medical conditions in the mother, poverty reasons, then the Catholic Church teaches that married couples may take advantage of the natural cycles of the reproductive system and use their marriage precisely use the natural family planning.

                 Other aspects of the bill being presented are the questionable safety of the family planning supplies given by the government. And instead of the pursuing money on these supplies, the government should give allotments in pursuing health programs that targets communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria.
                   The very point of the RH Bill debate is the right to life. The Philippine Constitution says that the State "shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. If artificial contraceptives are medically proven to induce abortion as one of their mechanisms of action, then using the contraceptives is clearly unconstitutional and illegal.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Friends. They say that it is one of the best gifts a person can have. They can be our family extension when we feel sad, alone or we need someone to talk to. We have so many definitions of friends. But for me, my friends are my family. And when I’m with them, my world feels better. 

I’m a kind of person who doesn’t share much to my parents especially with matters to the heart. And it is my friends whom I can really say my emotions and true feelings. It is with them that I laughed the hardest. It is with them that I am comfortable showing who I am without the fear of judgment or prejudice.

 In my friends’ circle, we support each other from crushes up to family problems. We always make it to a point to be there to each other no matter what. Yes, our friendship also went from misunderstandings and fights. But at the end of the day, our love and care for each other remains the most important thing.

It is really true that no man is an island. We need friends to survive. We need their constant pat on our backs, their GOOD LUCK text in our cell phones and their warm hugs and advices. So I say we should take good care with our friends. After all, friends are one of the hardest things to find. 

FILIPINO TIME to FILIPINO ON TIME

Filipinos are always late as an old adage goes. It has become an agreement by many Filipinos that every event will start late because of FILIPINO TIME. But what is Filipino time, really? Why do we tolerate such a bad attitude? Is this the reason why most of us don’t succeed in life and becoming Juan Tamad instead?

It has a become famous phrase that Filipinos are always late. From every party, school events and etc, still it will start thirty minutes aftr the agreed time. It is ad to know that this embarrassing attitude have become a known act by Filipinos. Is there still hope to become early and throw the bad image we have?

However, I still believe there is still hope. If we could learn to manage our time and give importance to others then maybe, everything will not suffer from being late. It is a very bad act for a new employee to be late in his works same as bad to let audiences wait for a show because the city mayor is still on the other side of the planet. If we just have to become more concern on others and become conscious about time, then FILIPINO time will become FILIPINO on TIME.

I know that Filipinos are not late because they want to become Juan Tamad. In fact, the Filipinos I know are hard workers and persistent laborers. Hard workers Filipinos have dreams in their heart. And have plans for their family and loved ones. They have to work in order to put food on the table. And to thjose Filipinos who are inconsiderate and lazy. Well, one thing is for sure, when everything has all passed. WE CAN NEVER TURN BACK the TIME. WE should spend our time wisely and let’s not give others reasons why Filipinos are lazy. Because this is not TRUE! 

True Love: Is it still TRUE?

                Love.  It has many forms and meanings. It could be love from family or love from friends. But one of the most important forms and meanings of love is the love from our special someone, the person who they describe as our better half, the one who inspires us to wake up every day and makes us happy, jealous or mad.

                Everybody is in search for love and we always have our picture of how it is going to be.  We even set up rules for ourselves. Tall, dark, beautiful or handsome. These are just some of our standards when we search for our special someone. But often times, these standards will be disregarded, because once we are hit by cupids’ arrows. We don’t care anymore about how tall, how handsome or beautiful they are but instead we accept them of who and what they are.

                However, once we are in love, we always feel that our love stories are like romantic movies or teleseryes and that we’ll eventually have our own version of happy ever after.  But in reality, this is not the case.  Relationships will always have misunderstandings, fights and even breakups. There will be no fairy god mother or magical star to wish upon. Every relationship needs trials and problems to test how great the love of the two people has for each other. 

                They say love is just a temporary thing. Others even debate love is just a fleeting emotion. But in today’s generation, can you still believe in true love? 

Gaga over Lady Gaga

From her wacky costumes to top hit songs one after the other, indeed there is no stopping the phenomenal singer/composer, Lady Gaga.

 Everyone has different tastes in everything ranging from music to food to clothes and etc. But for me, I like Lady Gaga because I enjoy her music and the publicity she's giving about gay and lesbian rights. As of now, a lot of people are treating her as their inspiration and she has created awareness about being true to one’s self and becoming confident of who and what she/he is.

I know that Lady Gaga's will have fans and haters just like any other musicians and that’s life.  
Her songs are just standard pop/dance music wrapped up with meaning that makes music enthusiast love her more. She has become an icon for music and style.

One thing I like about her is that she's different. 
    
                She's not like other stereotypical song performers. She has a high degree of talent. She started out as a songwriter caught the attention of a few people who gave her a chance because they knew she'd be a hit. She emulates fantastic performers such as Queen and David Bowie and pushes the envelope with her fashion. Her fashion is at the limit of being too weird but still, people still like it.

                Even though some of her hit songs have been love related (LoveGame and Bad Romance), they were done in a fresh way. Poker Face was ambiguous and what the song is actually saying is even more amazing. 

               Lady Gaga also has an appropriate level of scandal to be interesting but not too sleazy. She has a history of drug abuse, but she's no Amy Winehouse. 

                In short, I think she's interesting. She's like glitzy-glam Amy Winehouse, who doesn't do drugs quite as much. Her look is sexy because it's different and she's non-traditional looking. I think she's sexy because of what she does and how she does herself up.

 These are just some of the reasons why people love Lady Gaga. And I can go on and on with it. Maybe some don’t like her. But who cares? WE still be gaga over Lady gaga. J

Money Matters

                Everybody needs money. That’s a proven fact. We go to school, graduate then find a job. That’s a typical responsible person would do. Money equates food, clothing and other necessities. But what is it about money that people are making it as their ultimate goal?

Have you heard of the famous Filipino line “ Ug madato ko, mupalit gyud ko ug dako na balay ug nindot na kotse”. Even from the start of childhood, we were exposed that money is really important. People are even willing to join from TV competitions just to earn money or engaged in illegal transactions just to put food on the table, parents are even leaving their families and go abroad just to earn more money. Almost all of our actions, the main goal is money.

No one can blame people on how they make their diskarte in looking for money. In this world, it is survival of the fittest. If we can’t make the cut, then we will end up sleeping in the streets. It is one of the harsh realities in life. That is why people are doing the best they can to make money out from everything from recycled materials to anything under the sun. We all live and breathe for money because in this fast-changing world, money do matters. 

After Graduation, What's Next?

June is fast approaching. It’s now time again to wake up early in the morning to prevent tardiness during the 7am class. It is also time to welcome assignments, deadlines, group works and exams. Indeed, the life of a student is stressful but fun. But what comes after schooling? Are all our efforts going to be paid off and immediately be hired after graduation? I guess not.

                I can still remember my first day of class. I was a bit reluctant but at the same time excited with my new classmates, teachers and friends. But college wasn’t all fun. For four years, my journey was tough. I have to juggle everyday deadlines, adjust to different attitudes and work on my daily budget.  In short, my college experience was a roller coaster ride. So, when the day of my graduation came, I felt the four years of sacrifices and hard work finally paid off. I thought it was the end of my sacrifices. But I was wrong.

                Graduating from college isn’t the end of the journey but just a bus stop. It is actually the beginning of the long years of hard work and dedication. Applying for a job is not easy.  We will all get to experience rejection from companies that we want to apply for and slowly, the stress of looking for a job that has a good salary will make us want to give up and quit. But sooner, if we are really determined, we’ll get to land on a job that is rightfully ours.

I know life is not easy. We need our diplomas to have a decent job to put food on the table. We will no longer need our parents’ weekly allowance because we are earning for ourselves. That is why we should be persistent and learn to love our jobs. After all, it is the main reason why we went to school right? 

Pinoy's Love for Beauty Pageant

From the success of Maria Venus Raj in the Miss Universe Pageant and the instant hit of her major major tag line. There is no reason why Filipinos should not love beauty pageants. In the Philippines, the word beauty pageant is no longer just a beauty pageant but is already part of the Philippine culture. In every part of the country, beauty pageants are always part of town’s fiestas and anniversaries. But what is it about beauty pageant that Filipinos love so much?

When I watched the recently concluded Miss Philippines Earth 2011, I witnessed how die-hard fans Filipinos are for beauty pageants. From the loud cheers, colorful banners and thunderous claps, indeed, Filipinos really persevere for such event. Also, one of the things that we love about beauty pageants is the colorful and artistic national costumes, candidates’ irresistible bodies during the swimsuit competition and of course the question and answer portion.

They say that Filipinas are not just born beautiful but also intelligent. So far, most of the Filipina beauty queens are really the mixture of two. Take for instance, Miriam Quiambao, where she wowed the international audience with her wit when she accidentally slipped over the stage and still stood up with poise and acted as if nothing happened. Also, Precious Lara Quigaman, where she out bested the foreign beauties during her question and answer portion and brought home the Miss International crown. Miriam and Lara are just some of the examples why Filipinos love beauty pageants. Aside from the fact that they bring the name of our country during the international events, the honor that it will give to our country will still be priceless.

Filipinos really excel from almost everything. We are known to be hard workers and talented individuals. As of today, Filipinos are making names in the field of sports, filmmaking, music and soon, in the world of beauty pageants.