Of Celebrating a Milestone, Independence, and Democracy

June 3, 2007

It's been 3 months since I migrated here in i.ph from friendster blog. I used to tell myself not to write anything regarding my this blog but considering how it gives me therapeutic benefits, well here it is…

I never expected to get some comments or even just a shoutout in the message box as for a year of blogging with friendster, I only received a handful of them. But this i.ph blog and the boosters that I encrypted in my sidebar proved effective enough to get a minute share of the traffic. This for me is enough knowing that people are actually reading and lurking around. After 3 months, my sitemeter says I've reached a thousand hits. I'm celebrating this milestone and extending my gratitude to everyone who have left a message, made commentaries, and even just dropped by to read some of the entries I wrote here. This being said, I am making an effort to address all the comments left here even though it might seem too late of a reply. This, I guess, is the only way I could say thanks for the effort you made to react something. Yes, I'm euphoric everytime I receive reactions as most of you can relate to. Again, I really do appreciate the messages and Thank You for the time in dropping by…

Since a bulk of the people lost here are fellow flips, I intend to write something about working abroad in my future posts- some tips, do's and dont's perhaps, that will help some of you who are contemplating on finding or getting a job outside the country specifically in the middle east where my experience has taught me a lot. Or if you have anything in mind to ask, just leave a message. I'd be glad to answer them as much as I can.

So it's June! Month of Independence day for the Philippines. From what I heard, I think the President has moved the non-working holiday to June 11 instead of June 12 to have a long weekend. I haven't made any plans for the extended weekend yet but I think I might just stay in Manila and contemplate on our so called freedom. Freedom that we have achieved from our colonizers yet never really made  to good use. I could only wish that we are still colonized by the americans until now if the kind of freedom is that which we have now - alarming poverty rate, government plague by corruption, undisciplined citizens, continuing and unresolved problems in Mindanao, and what-have-you. Well, reading last friday's business headline in Inquirer, it says our gross domestic product rose by 6.9 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, way above market expectations of 5.7-5.8 percent and the fastest in 17 years. This is an applause for Arroyo's Leadership! I've been ambivalent about Arroyo's presidency but I was never against her. Heck, we have no choice but only her if we talk about credentials. I do hope that the politicking will stop and move on to work for the betterment of the government.

I never voted for the elections, having been passive about exercising the right to suffrage (I guess, I'm one of those who is to be blamed for our deteriorating system), but I wish Trillanes will win. I think we need this kind of person who can stand to his beliefs, as proven with the oakwood mutiny. As circulated in the emails, the continuous decay of our system cannot be only blamed to the government or whatever force there is that we could blame to. Perhaps, it is time for every single one of us to take accountability.  In relation to Trillanes, I hope he could bring his military discipline in the senate. We need not only good laws to be passed in the bills but also the proper implementation. What good is a law if none of which are being implemented and properly followed by the citizens? Discipline is everything. It's what makes a business grow. It's an ingredient for harmony. It's a substance that will drive us for growth. And wish that Trillanes among others will lead a strong leadership to properly implement the laws of our land.

Below is a feedback I've read in inquirer.net. All I could say is, while I have nothing against coexisting with these dimwit muslims, islam is not opposed to democracy, alright!?! In fact, they want democracy badly that they are fighting for an independent Mindanao - a separate entity, an entirely different country all for themselves (muslims). Hell, they are the very reason a lot of people in Mindanao are starving to death and threatened by terroristic attacks, obviously war is bad for business! And even the reason why the Philippines as a whole has been tagged as highly dangerous country when one of 'em western countries would release a travel advisory, which is again BAD for our economy.

Islam and democracy

06/01/07

Posted under Feedback

I AM happy that there are still a few journalists, like Manuel Quezon III, who have the ability to address an issue objectively and without bias. I agree with him when he said that Islam is not opposed to democracy.

While there may be interpretations of the Koran by various groups leading to the idea of anti-democracy, the fact that the Muslims themselves are the ones reporting the electoral fraud, albeit some are in hiding for fear of their safety, signals that Muslims also want to participate in Philippine democracy by having peaceful, credible and honest elections.

The proposal of the bishops for a different political set-up would result in marginalizing the Muslims in the Philippines and reinforce the longstanding claim of some of them for a separate Muslim Mindanao. This kind of thinking is a remnant of that of the Spanish colonizers. Note that there is an increasing number of Muslim professionals (including me) who are advocating for change in the Muslim areas although there names may be unheard of yet.

The act of giving credence to the opinions and decision of elders is shared by all Filipinos, be they Christians or Muslims. It is a Filipino tradition. It is a mistake to say that only Muslims are inclined to honor what their elders say. In the same vein that Muslim areas did not have the monopoly on cheating or violence during the elections. There were incidents of cheating and/or killings in Abra, Davao del Norte, Ilocos, Bukidnon, Cebu (Hello Garci!), Batangas, Nueva Ecija, Bacarra and everywhere else in the Philippines. So to focus on alleged cultural differences as the cause of fraud in Muslim Areas is beside the point.

What cannot be denied though is the apathy of most Muslims toward the election of officials to sit in the national positions, making their votes susceptible to fraud (most of them literally leave blank the space for senators). Most of them do not care, simply because they think that no one in Manila sincerely cares for them. But this is another story.

The point is whether Muslim or Christian, we all want a better country governed by better leaders for the future of our children. Let us address fairly and without bias the issues and not marginalize those who are already marginalized.

– Normina Musor-Datudacula, Quirino Avenue, Manila (via e-mail)