Election fever

Election fever is up again, and here we go again.

A lot of new movements and organizations are on the rise. Dinky Soliman’s Change Politics Movement has been formally launched. So are DDB Group’s Ako Mismo, a youth group of Fr. Robert Reyes and ABS-CBN’s Ako Ang Simula. Personally, I look at these organizations as a healthy democratic practice. I even signed up with Ako Mismo, because I believe in their advocacy.

The only concern is, while these and perhaps more groups will be launching one after the other, can’t we get our acts together? I am concerned for more impact and results of the efforts we are doing. And since we do not unite under one umbrella, chances are the 2010 elections will just be as divisive as the ones before, resulting to an elected government by plurality which will in the end be “more of the same.”

Even in politics, the trend is the same. There are so many political parties, each having their own candidates. It is a predictable future – déjà vu 1998 and 2004 – elected leaders that do not possess what we have been ideally telling our people to choose because the mass electorate is just as confused as we are.

It is even sad that everyone is capitalizing on the young, especially the first time voters. I hope that in the process we do not frustrate their idealism, just as how much frustrated we, their elders have become – of the system, the politicos and society in general.

Really sad that we cannot find a good rallying point among the crops of leaders that we now have. There must be a miracle - a miracle that will open our minds and really see what and who do we need in these trying times when the economy is in bad shape, when peace is so elusive, poverty is so pervasive, injustice abounds especially victimizing the most vulnerable of our women and children, and the environment is in such a state that threatens our very existence.

But hope springs eternal. It is still barely a year before the 2010 elections, so let us keep praying for that miracle.

Climate Change

From the materials I recently gathered (thanks to Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources), I wish to share with you the following:

What is climate change?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) refers to climate change as "any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity."

What are the impacts of climate change?

Climate change is indeed a global environmental problem. As industries, the transport sector and other human activities continue to pump more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the planet is now becoming more vulnerable to potential impacts. Ranging from severe droughts and heavy downpours to ocean acidification and spread of vector-borne diseases, climate change rapidly becomes a major threat in various parts of the globe.

The IPCC Fourth Assessment Report cited that coastal areas, especially heavily-populated megadelta regions in South, East and Southeast Asia, will be at greatest risk due to increased flooding from the sea and, in some megadeltas, flooding from the rivers.

The whole world will be affected by rising sea levels. Changes in weather and climate could severely affect fisherfolks and coastal communities because of floods. When there is too little or too much rainfall during growing seasons, agricultural productivity will suffer, thus affecting food security.


So now the clarion call is sounded: Let us do our share in helping conserve our environment before it becomes too late.

Climate Change

The past two or three days of rains is really mind-boggling. Yesterday, April 22nd, Metro Manila was flooded causing a nightmarish traffic all around the city and outskirts. So I checked some documents on what exactly is climate change, as claimed by weathermen to be happening abnormally, during this otherwise scorching summer. And I wish to share the following helpful information:

Climate change refers to any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). As through much of its history, the Earth's climate is changing. Right now it is getting warmer. Most of the warming in recent decades is very likely the result of human activities (IPCC, 2007). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) State of the Climate Report and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Surface Temperature Analysis indicate the average temperature of the Earth’s surface has increased by about 1.2 to 1.4ºF since 1900. Other aspects of the climate are also changing such as precipitation patterns and storminess.

The Sun drives the Earth's weather and climate. The Earth absorbs energy from the Sun, and also radiates energy back into space. However, much of this energy going back to space is absorbed by “greenhouse” gases in the atmosphere (see Figure 1 of Greenhouse Effect). Because the atmosphere then radiates most of this energy back to the Earth’s surface, our planet is warmer than it would be if the atmosphere did not contain these gases. Without this natural "greenhouse effect," temperatures would be about 60ºF lower than they are now, and life as we know it today would not be possible.

During the past century humans have substantially added to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, oil and gasoline to power our cars, factories, utilities and appliances. The added gases — primarily carbon dioxide and methane — are enhancing the natural greenhouse effect, and likely contributing to an increase in global average temperature and related climate changes.

Summer Rains

In the last three days, I have experienced showers that are literally unexpected during a hot summer such as this. For as long as I can remember, this is really phenomenal because I have not had the same experience. The weathermen say it is a result of an Inter-tropical Convergence Zone or ITCZ, but poor me, I have a bad feeling that something is really changing. I do not even know if I should consider myself lucky to have witnessed this.

My interest therefore in global warming and climate change has been incensed. In the next blogs, I promise to share whatever I will learn - in the most layman's terms I can. I hope I get some help.

By the way, a youth group in the Philippines is hosting an international conference dubbed as World Creative Youth Forum on Sustainable Development. The young from all over the world will gather to see what is their role on the matter and how they can help. Please visit http://www.worldcreativeyouthforum.net/ for more details.

Gabby's 6th Birthday

John Gabriel, my third son, celebrates his 6th birthday today (Feb. 10).

Gabby as we fondly call him is a “guapo (goodlooking) toddler. Endowed with great talents in his studies as a pre-schooler, he is also skilled in fixing things around the house. He would normally fix his broken toys without help from his siblings or parents.

What makes Gabby so special to me is that he was just a newborn baby when his Ate Jo-Anne, then three and a half years of age, died. My fond memories of her include seeing her attend to baby Gabby despite the fact that she was not feeling well. When she died, I almost lost my resolve in life that I kind of take for granted the other kids for a while. Since Gabby was the baby at that time, I remember being left by her mom to take care of him whenever she would have to do some things outside the house. Since Gabby was such a “good” boy, I did not have a hard time taking care of him as I would just put a toy or two and his feeding bottle inside his crib and I would not be bothered by him for hours unless he is already wet and requiring to have a diaper change.

Gabby has since become a symbolic “pet” of her Ate Jo-Anne, even showing a lot of her resemblance in looks. As he grew older, Gabby is a typical toddler who would sometimes be so naughty, sweet and playful. Since he is so “suplado” or discriminating, we would tease him to be a “bakla” or sissy or girl-like. Although I have no doubt that he is not to grow up as gay, we just took fun teasing him for his not-so-ordinary tendencies, like refusing to drink in a glass used by a sibling, refusing food given by a neighbor, or simply being too talkative.

I am a little bit sad that on this day, he is quite sick of fever. But I am also happy at the thought that my son is now six years old, and soon will also grow up to be an adolescent. My prayer is that may God be with him all the days of his life, grow in HIS grace and wisdom, and lead a very successful life.

KP, my eldest is 14

Want to really know for sure how much you are ageing? Well in my case, I simply look at my eldest child, and realize how time flies.

Today, he has turned fourteen (14), his second teener year, endowed with good looks that should work well for him as he engages two or three female teens of his age, maybe more, into what I would describe as “puppy kind of love” boyfriend-girlfriend relationships. I hope nothing turns out serious yet as he still has a lot to learn in life before getting into real life’s troubles.

But modesty aside, while my eldest son, Kyron Paul, is a typical teener who commits a lot of heart-breaking mis-adventures for his parents, I am still proud of him. He was a long time favorite, the firstborn, who is undoubtedly closer to his “papa” than to his “mama.” He was the apple of my eye for long.

He is growing up, and my prayers are that he becomes a good, caring and responsible person. That he be able to establish a better life, a good family and career or business in his own time.

It is difficult to explain to kids these days why they are being admonished to refrain from doing certain things, that we as parents know and believe are harmful to them or their future. But I still trust that this generation, like mine, is smart enough to learn on their own, the very basics of life skills- that will allow them to blend well into society without putting themselves at risk and the ability to discern what is right and beneficial. More importantly, never to repeat the mistakes of their parents and elders.

For now, my heart is joyous, happy birthday my son!

I BELIEVE

I believe that everything happens for a reason and purpose, and it serves me.

I believe that there is no such thing as a failure. There are only results and learning experiences.

I believe no matter what happens, I should take responsibility.

I believe it is not necessary to understand everything to be able to use everything.

I believe that people are my greatest resource.

I believe that work is play.

I believe that there is no abiding success without commitment.

I believe that there are no limits to my learning and earning capacities.

I believe that I will reap exactly what I sow.

I believe that adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.

I believe what I think of myself is much more important that what others think of me.

I believe that there exists limitless opportunities in every industry, where there is an open mind, there will always be a frontier.

I believe that the superior man makes demands upon himself, the inferior man makes demands on others.

I believe times will change for the better, when I change.

I believe if happiness is not already found within, it will never be found outside.

I believe that every resource I need is already with me and within me.

I believe that if I have to live in peace of mind, I have to live each day in accordance to, and in harmony with, my values.

I believe that the past does not equal to future.

I believe giving is at the core of human relationship. Give time, commitment, energy, support, prayer and love.

I believe that I should seek my joy in what I give and not in what I get.

I believe that we are all energy, and that we have a need to express this energy.

I believe that unexpressed energy causes dysfunction and disease within our body, mind and spirit.

I believe that our purpose for being here is to experience, express and expand our understanding of, and capacity to love.

I believe that the way we think, what we say, and how we act creates our reality.

I believe we can all attain peace, happiness, abundance and contentment.

I believe that no one needs to suffer.

I believe that suffering, stress, guilt, worry, jealousy, etc. are man-made devices that stem from fear.

I believe we come into this life with a script, designed by the areas within us that need healing and the circumstances of our life are the perfect circumstances to help us heal.

I believe that everything in our lives stem from two thought forms - love or fear.

I believe that we respond to our experiences through actions of love or actions of fear.

I believe that the only thing we ultimately have control over in our lives is whether we are happy or sad.

I believe that addiction is a fear-based search for an answer - something to make us "okay".

I believe that what we are truly addicted to are negative core messages, and these messages create beliefs that take on many different physical forms in everyone's lives.

I believe that we can all achieve authentic and enduring healing.

I believe that God loves us all infinitely.