some plans and some random muni-muni again

Like I always tell my younger friends, it's never too late to change the course of your life.  Before I reached 30, I faced what seemed to be the hardest challenge of my life.  But then, here I am still standing and ready to take the next challenge life has for me.

Since I was a child, I've been lured by the glitz and glamour of showbiz.  I felt like I was born to be on the spotlight, to perform and entertain people.  For me, theater and showbiz is more than passion, it's a vocation. 

I always believed life revolves around this passion on pleasing everyone and making people happy. And that made me pursue a communication arts degree and got myself involved in a theater guild.  Armed with the experiences and learnings from the school and the organization, I landed my job in the TV network and the rest is history.

I am not yet a big shot where I am now, there's still a lot to learn and a lot of people (clients and bigwigs) to deal with.  Though I haven't exhausted everything yet in this job, and with 3 years more before I reach my 10th year of service, I know I need to plan ahead.  What else can I do to make my existence here on earth remarkable (to my standards, at least).

Perhaps due to docu-drama overload here in the office, my eyes were opened to crises underprivileged families in the far-flung areas face.  And with that, I feel the need to make a step to at least help them ease their burdens.  The big question now is HOW?  I don't even know where to start, and what to contribute.

There has been a resonant voice inside me saying I need to make a bit of sacrifice, that is, to leave my comfort zone and reach out to the less-fortunate.  But I am not ready for that yet.  There are still dreams i want to reach, places I want to go to, and things I want to acquire for myself and my family.

After a decade of working in the TV network that exposed me to these social problems, will I be able to face that challenge of leaving the comfortable city life to serve in the outskirts? 

Oh well, 3 years is long enough to prepare and save up for that.  Unless some wicked guy steals my heart, I might not go and serve elsewhere. :p

something new

September marks a new chapter in my life.

I'm so excited for the new baby in the family.  Another bundle of joy is expected  and I just can't wait! Last weekend, we shopped for baby things, so cute and everything in sky blue. 

Also this September, I'll be stepping in a new university as a student.  Enrolling for this course has been a long-time dream that finally materialized.  After two years in the music school, I guess it's now time for formal schooling.

One setback though is missing the Sagip kids every Saturday.  And no out-of-town trips for the meantime, but I think it will be worth the sacrifice.


With all the blessings I receive, the more I feel grateful that I know i should serve Him more.  Which, by the way, reminds me that September is also the start of SFC-Claret's Christian Life Program and 14th anniversary.

So happy that there are so many things to look forward to the last quarter of 2011.  I should say, 2011 is the Alta year.  This is our year. :)

I'm OK

I am glad to finally realize that I am OK.

Perfectly fine.

And ready to open myself to possibilities again.

I can say that I have finally come to this time that I know I can get up again.

I am fine, perfectly OK.

And if you will show up at this right moment, 

who knows, I might welcome you with open arms

to make our lives a bliss.

Anti-RH Bill

I am saddened by the fact that a lot of people are so pro-RH without even reading the entire bill.  Surverys say that around 60% of the respondents are ok with the bill.  But did you know that these same surveys also say that only less than 5% of those who said yes to RH Bill have actually read and understood it? Just plain reading the full manuscript of either the ammended or unrevised House Bill 4244, setting aside religious issues, one can easily conclude that the bill is no good.

Been stormed and bothered by Pros the past weeks that I decided to write down my reasons why I am so against this bill:
 
1. I am against the use of contraceptives.  Call me Manang, KJ or whatever, I don't care.  Because I care more for the health of women like me. Currently, these contraceptives are readily available in health centers, being distributed to women from poor families.  Are these women even oriented of the harmful effects these contraceptives can bring?  I have a friend who once used pills and later developed a lump in her breast.  Her OB gyne (from a reputable hospital) admitted that the lump can be an effect of the pills she herself recommended my friend.

2. Hence, I wouldn't want the taxpayers' money be spent on these.  According to Rep. Roilo Golez, the RH bill is only 99th in the priority list of the Congress.  Now it puzzles me why is there an ardent force pushing this bill be passed soonest.  As a taxpayer, I'd rather have the money be spent on really basic needs like food, shelter and education.  Recently, I watched a documentary on TV showing how poorly managed rural schools are.  There was a school with blackboards and roofs ripped off by the past typhoons. Some children have to walk 7kms or more and cross wild rivers just to reach school since there isn't any in their barrios.  Considering such situations, why is the government slashing the budget for education?  Why aren't there enough books and classrooms?  Don't you think it would be better if we allot the budget for causes like this instead of purchasing contraceptives and distributing them to the poor.  If you ask a beggar on the street, I am very sure he'll choose a cup of rice over a handful of condoms.

3.  Current population is not the cause of poverty.  Corruption is.  The Philippines is very rich in natural resources, our teachers in HEKASI once taught us.  But what happened to these resources? Only a few people has access to the country's God-given riches.  Also, our fiscal reserves that should be used properly for projects that will benefit the people go straight to the fat anomalous bank accounts of selfish corrupt. Just thinking about this wearies me off much. 

4.  Values education over sex education.  Values ed should not only be taught to kids but to grown-ups as well.  What happened to "Honesty is the best policy" posted on the walls of our classrooms when we see dishonesty so rampant these days?  We were taught that telling a lie is a sin but why do we see good actors during hearings, acting as if innocent?  We were asked to memorize the Ten Commandments in elementary but why are crimes so common now?  As grown-ups, have we forgotten what we were taught in school?  With all the negative things happening around, which do you think is more important: Values education or sex education?  As morals are strengthened early in life, people will naturally embody discipline, respect and faithfulness.  And if each of us will practice these virtues, do you think we will still need to be taught sex education?

5. Empower the poor than controlling them.  Instead of considering our people as liabilities, why not see them as assets.  Instead of controlling childbirths, why not empower the poverty-stricken families by teaching them skills to help alleviate their current situation.  More and more people are in the streets begging because of lack of employment opportunities.  Most of them have not even gone to school.  If budget will be allocated to skills training, more people will be able to get the right jobs for themselves here and abroad.  Consequently, these people can later on support their own families as well as contributing to the progress of the society.

6.  Overpopulation is a myth.  We feel the metro is so congested, hence concluding there is overpopulation.  So we love going on out-of-town trips to relish the greens in the countryside.  With this experience, can you say that there is overpopulation when are still areas of undeveloped land in the provinces?  The cities have gone crowded because there are no employment opportunities in the rural areas.  Thus, families migrate to the metropolis in the hope of getting a job to ease their poverty.  If equal job opportunities and infrastructure are given to the provinces, do you think people will take the a gamble in the urban jungle?  Even quality health care is only concentrated in the city.  Once I went to the Philippine General Hospital in Manila and found out that people from the farthest corners of the country come there waiting in long queues for their turn since a medical facility is not available in their province. 

7. Pregnancy is not a disease.  I am deeply bothered by the way RH Bill addresses pregnancy as if it is a dreaded disease.  Sure, pregnant women should be treated with utmost care and health services should be readily and affordably available.  Pro-RH guys keep on insisting that this bill will answer the increasing incidence of maternal deaths.  But did you know that this section on "pre-natal and post-natal care" has already been included in the approved Magna Carta for Women (2009)?  In Section 13, it says that women should have access to: (1) Maternal care to include pre- and post-natal services to address pregnancy and infant health and nutrition; (2) Promotion of breastfeeding; (3) Legal, ethical, medically safe and effective methods of family planning; 

This Magna Carta for Women has already been approved, why then is this aspect of the law not enacted?  If this is effectively carried out, do you think there is still a need for the RH bill? 

Giving our lawmakers a benefit of the doubt, perhaps the RH bill sponsors also have their good intentions.  But in my opinion, with several groups opposing, I think our congressmen should pause and think why after several years, amendments and presidents, this bill remains unapproved and controversial.  I am standing against the RH bill not because I am a staunch follower of the Catholic Church.  In fact, I was once believed that RH Bill is the answer to poverty until I researched and attended several fora that I fully understood what it really is all about.  If you'll notice, I only pointed out objective and medical reasons why I oppose the bill and not focused on the moral implications, otherwise I will sound prejudiced.

I hope this answers why I am fighting against the RH bill and somehow enlightened those who still don't know what their stand is.  For more info, please read http://fightrhbill.blogspot.com/

transition

Im surprised at my morning prayer today. I don't know where it came from but it seems to have sprung from the deepest recess of my heart.

It's funny that the first person i thought of the moment I woke up today is the guy I've been crushing on for almost 2months now. I've met him way way back and never saw him the way i see him now until we got close, became seatmates and chatted for a short yet sensible moment. That was like, my sleeping heart leapt from deep slumber. After that first encounter, i tried to erase every memory of him, still scared to entertain thoughts of a possible lovelife since i just came from a major heartbreak. But destiny is really playing on me. As time went by we became closer and closer, and i got to realize that we have so much in common. And i am even surprised that i can be myself around him: i can chat all day at any topic and goof around without reservation. The tough girl that I am didnt even hesitate to get out of my shell when i am near him.

As i relish this new found friendship, ironically, i pray that my feelings for him would eventually fade. If this person isn't meant to stay long in my life, I hope he'd just go while still in this early stage. After several failed relationships, i don't want this to be another failure. So before I totally fall in love with this person, i pray that I may be given the courage to simply walk away.

Change

People and things change constantly.  And sometimes, these changes cause people to drift apart.

Through the years I've seen changes as they affect me.  Moving out of an old neighborhood, taking a new job, death and losing a loved-one.  Changes, both positive and negative, contribute to who you are at present.

I've gone a lot of change myself, coping with gains and losses in this life.  In every decision or undertaking, there is change.

Feelings, like our surroundings, change.  The people who you esteem so high before may be the person you least admire now.  Couples break apart because of certain "change of heart".  People go astray when there is a shift in priorities.

As change affect me, either positively or negatively, I know I shouldn't fret. Somewhere, someone or something is also changing for me.  Changing to fit my needs perfectly.

And amidst these changes, there is one thing I can count on:  the Love of God is constant .

leader

The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly. ---Jim Rohn

This week in our household, we discussed the traits that we look for in a leader.  And here are our ideals:

consistent
 - practices what he preaches

persistent
 - and persevering

flexible
 - can adapt to different personalities in the group he is handling

happy
 - not grumpy; diffuses fumes of happiness in the group

open
 - openness to suggestions and being able to put himself in the shoes of other people

genuine
 - can tell you point-blank what's good and bad in you

sincere
 - can communicate with you with utmost sincerity, can emphatize at your highest and lowest moments

humble
 - leadership is service

not self-centered
 - thinks not only of his own welfare but also of others.  Can sacrifice for the group.

Now that a lot of us are being called to be leaders, I hope that when it's my turn to be one, I can be guided by these points so that I can be the best person I can be.