The Philippines Should Have Not Suffered

August 23, 2010 – The Philippines was shaken when a retired police hijacked a tourist bus in front of the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila. Former senior inspector Rolando Mendoza attempted to win his job back and clear his name through this dangerous and “no-win” scheme. Rolando was allegedly dismissed due to drug trafficking without having any chance to properly defend his self.

The Hong Thai Travel tour bus containing 25 tourists was followed by gunman Rolando asking for a free ride. Naturally, the driver barred the gunman from entering but was handcuffed and the bus; hijacked. The 10 hour-siege where Mendoza and eight hostages reached their death were captured live on television.

The hostage drama led the Philippines to consequent crises and a bundle of negative opinions. Tourism security issues were questioned. Hong Kong issued a top-black travel alert for the Philippines while France advised its people to be vigilant while on stay in the country. The government’s effectiveness, moreover, was criticized. President Benigno Aquino and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim were immediately put on hot seat.

Not including other nationalities, Filipinos themselves expressed their disappointment over the government and the SWAT. Comments and articles are posted throughout the Web deliberately mocking the President and the members of SWAT. Pictures of students and the police taking pictures with the hijacked bus as background are quickly spreading. There were games, moreover, that were made immediately after the hostage. These games make the player ‘shoot the disgruntled police who hijacked a tour bus.’

As for me, I’m more worried about the Filipino Hope. For Filipinos, this could have been a year of change. This could have been the start of improvement and progress. Such circumstances should not be happening, but if written, this should have occurred a few years later or earlier. Not now, when all hopes are high. Not now, when everyone’s willing to make that change. Just….not now.

Just as far as the Earth and the Sun

“No, I want Java rice please,” I asked. My tummy was grumbling inside since I haven’t eaten my lunch yet. Moreover, a dish with Java rice seemed very satisfying and hunger-lessening. And so, I ordered. As expected, the dish was very tasty and delicious. However, at the back of my head I was complaining since that Java rice made me remember my hatest subject of the semester, yes, Java programming.

It’s quite ironic to know that my most favorite and hatest things actually have the same name. I sometimes even wished that the satisfaction I feel after eating Java rice can as well be the satisfaction I feel every time I finish a Java program. But it’s not. It’s as far as the earth and the sun.

Upon finishing that semester full of sleepless nights caused by Java, no one can ever compare to the fulfillment I felt. Furthermore, I even cursed that language for causing my eye bags double. So I decided to never look back to Java language and continue with my upcoming programs for the next years.

However, when summer came, I felt like my happiness won’t last long. I will still experience Java. Yes, Java. I still need to learn JAVA SERVER PAGES. I felt like my world as an IT student would end at that very moment. Well, I exaggerated there. But, what would you actually feel if you were in my case?

But since I’ve already enrolled and can never turn back time, I tolerated the entire summer. “It’s not like I will experience this all the days of my life,” I thought. So I actually programmed using Java. It felt like a retake of my past lessons, however, I needed to mix it up with HTML.

Upon learning JSP, I realized that it was actually not as difficult as I thought especially now that I seemed to have remembered everything I learned in Java programming. Moreover, I consider HTML my favorite programming language. (Laughs) It’s also very satisfying to help my classmates analyze and debug the files and actually see the eye-catching output. (Laughs again)

In the end, after thinking that Java language can never compare to the satisfaction I feel every time I finish a whole Java rice, I realized I was wrong. I actually felt that kind of satisfaction. It just proves that the earth and the sun can actually meet.

A Professional turned TV Laughing Stock

So shiny, so eye-catching, so enticing…

The Biolink Virgin Coconut Oil has been portraying this kind of hair for months now. It had been a talk to most individuals from the time it had been aired on TV. The Biolink Virgin Coconut Oil allures many with a hair that’s so good to look at its back and you would even think it’s owned by a lady. However, as the owner of this hair faces front, a funny-looking face appears and even winks.

This kind of strategy proves its effectiveness as many Filipinos are now talking about it. Many might’ve probably been tempted to buy the product. Many had also uploaded this commercial on Youtube. Many had done those things without even concerning on that guy who has become Filipinos’ laughing stock.

While I was shuffling the channels in our television, ABS-CBN grabbed my attention when Sharon, a talk show, featured normal individuals who had been popular being commercial models. One of these individuals is the guy portrayed in the advertisement. It’s shocking to know that an assistant director would actually accept such offer despite his profession and would actually risk becoming a laughing stock for the sake of money.

Many had thought of this as a shower of good luck to the guy but if you think about it clearly, it actually is not. Yes, it had caused a pot of money and even popularity to the professional but he had accepted such in exchange for becoming a laughing stock for years.