Rallies on the Streets

It was a Monday afternoon, I had no class for my classes are only up to 12 noon, so I planned to go to church for a mass. I’ve prepared myself, took a bath, ate some snacks and then had a ride on a jeepney bound to the metropolis.

When I reached the terminal, I decided to walk from the terminal to the church for the church is not that far.

As I was walking my way to my destination, my attention was caught by a faction of young individuals with banners and cards shouting and yelling while forming an assembly on the streets. I stayed in my position for a while and started observing what these people are doing.

          

    

I heard them shout about education, about their right to education and the like. There was a man holding a mega-phone and was shouting his sentiments to everyone;

“And edukasyon ay para sa lahat, ang edukasyon ay karapatang dapat ipagkaloob ng bulok na gobyernong ito sa atin”, he said.

A reporter went near on one of the rallyist, they’ve conversed for a short while and was both speaking in English, the interviewee had all the conviction and the vigor as she was answering the questions of the reporter;

“Education is a right that we, the youth, should enjoy”, those were some of the words that I’ve heard from her.

As I looked at their faces, most of them looked very tired and were full of sweat, I asked the vendor near me of some details of what those people were doing before I came, she said that they were there for hours, beginning at around 8:00 am and never even had lunch.

Some ideas were then formulated inside my mind;

“Why do these people shout about their right to education? I believe that they were enjoying that right already; first of all, these people won’t learn how to speak fluently in English or even in Filipino if they’re not schooled. Why would they shout about Filipinos having the right to go to school? On the first hand, they are students and they’re on school. It’s like that, they’re kids, complaining and crying because they want a lollipop, but if you’ll look at their hands, they’re already holding one on the left and one on the right.

“These people have parents; these people’s parents are expecting that during that time, as they’ve given them their “baon” or allowance, they’re on their classrooms learning algebra, history or physics, but instead, they’re on the streets, dehydrating and exhausting themselves of a thing they’re shouting which they have taken  for granted that very time, they had classes during that day I guess, it was not a national holiday”.

“You’re shouting that you must have the right to go to school, but during that time you’re supposed to be in school, yet you decided not to go to school because you want to shout out to the whole world that you must be in school!” What was that?

I had many realizations that day! What an experience; so I continued my way to the church, and as the mass went on, I thanked God for the new knowledge I learned that afternoon of Monday.

-Ronnie John Dohina Barrientos

A Parent to Children - Government to People Analogy

There had been two famous types of parents, the first one, the extremely conservative, and the second one, the extremely liberated. There had also been two famous types of governments, the first one, the extremely socialist, and the second one, the extremely democratic. The family is the basic unit of the society and the society the foundation of the government; therefore, understanding and knowing what we may do with our families may pave way on the understanding and knowing of what we may do on our government.

A parent to children: government to people analogy.

If the parents of a conservative family is very strict on their child, exaggerated 5 pm curfews; no night outs; no night swimming; no boyfriend; not this, not that; do this, do that; “or else I’ll cut off your allowance”; “go to your room”; “you’re grounded, what, because you came home at 5:05 pm?”; the church-school-house-house-school-church rule and the like; obviously, if the children will not turn into robots then there is a possibility that they’ll turn into rebels.

In a socialist state, where all decisions are from the government and you don’t have any choice but to follow every decision they make, if the government is too strict; like, we don’t allow this, we don’t allow that; you can’t do this, you can’t do that; you can’t say this, you can’t say that; you can’t own this, you can’t own that; do this, do that or else you’ll end up in jail, you’ll have your hands cut off, you’ll be buried 6 feet below the ground or worse you won’t even have a proper burial for your body will be found floating in the river without any questions, explanations and reasons as long as the government finds your action/actions wrong without even hearing your side of the story or having a proper trial; if the people will not watch CIA movies, Alias, Ninja-Assassin, Salt and other assassin-like movies to know some assassin-basics in order for them to be able to personally assassinate their own government leaders, then there is a possibility that they will result into a revolution.

On the other hand, if the parents of a very liberated family would have no grip of their child; “okay, let it be”; go there, go here; have multiple boyfriends; sleep on your boyfriend’s house; “no problem, you’re already 18 now, you’re allowed”; here’s some money, drink, smoke, have some coke, it’s okay”; “you’re saying bad words, it’s okay”; you have your freedom; if the children won’t have the initiative to discipline their own-selves, then, there is a possibility that their children will become professional junkies and bitches. Where would the essential tools for the cognitive development of the child come?

In an extremely democratic state, where all decisions are made in the approval of the people ( the majority); “we would like to propose RH Bill, the people say no, okay”; “we would like to propose this and that, the people say no, okay”; “we would want this action for our country, the people say no, okay”; the government does this and the people will go to the streets and rally, the government approves this and the people boycotts and paralyzes the business firms, the government invites visitors, then the people burn the visitors’ flag in front of their faces and throw stones on their cars; a government official promotes an act, the media doesn’t like it, give negative reviews and comments, and he will loose on the next elections; if the state will not be able to have all the miracles in the world to be able to have a way to uphold itself then would you think that there’s still a chance for such a country to achieve development?

If the government is too tight, people will revolt, if the government is too loose, there will be no societal discipline that is essential to development such as a family so strict that will have rebellious off-springs and a family too open that will produce not so beneficial new actors in the society.

The point is that, too much of everything is bad, we can have a hybrid of both, a not so strict family but still have limitations and moderation and a not so strict, controlling and suppressing government but still uses its powers of vested authority.

At the end of the day, government officials, by nature, will seek for ultimate control so the people must now allow it and must limit it, and every individual, by nature, will wish for ultimate freedom, so the government must not allow it and must limit it.

-Ronnie John D. Barrientos

Bollywood in Pakistan

Since the 1947 bloody partition of India and Pakistan, the two countries had a rough road relationship with each other. Though living as neighbors for so many years, constant conflicts between religion, culture and beliefs still exist. It’s so hard to imagine how these states would start opening doors for each. Will a phenomenon be able to bring these two age-old enemies together?

According to the Times of India, some experts say Pakistan is now one of Bollywood’s top five overseas markets and could soon rival the business done in Australia. Film executives told beyondbrics that Pakistan is making up more and more of their overseas revenue, while offering an extra market that has the added benefit of shared history and culture.

 “As of now the top markets are North America, UK, the Middle East, Australia and then it’s Pakistan,” said Mahesh Ramanatha, COO of international distribution at Reliance Entertainment, which has released three of Bollywood’s most successful movies in Pakistan: 3 Idiots, Bodyguard and Don 2.

Pakistan becoming one of Bollywood’s fastest growing markets outside of India seems hardly a surprise. Who would have thought that the two could agree on some things? 

The spread of Bollywood movies in Pakistan doesn’t mean that the two countries are now open for finishing their long-term dispute. But although both countries share countless cultural differences, the fact that some Pakistanis are now having fun watching Indian films is a sign of things to come.

"Salad Oh! Init Pa!"

-Salad Oh! Init Pa!

Are you familiar with this phrase, “Salad oh, init pa”? Recently, I’ve been hearing such words whenever I go to the market, school, malls and even inside the church.  But what do these words really mean?

“Salad Oh! Init pa!” is a phrase originated from a vendor selling commercial fruit cocktails from Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. The vendor shouts the word, “Salad Oh!” which tells of his product-the fruit salad. Mostly, he uses it when he sells his products at Night Market and Night Cafe in Cagayan de Oro City. Later then, the word was being added by “Init pa!” (HOT) which is basically, the irony of it (it should be like “BUGNAW pa!” (COLD)). After which, it was used by one of the Disc Jock of an FM Station and was introduced to the people (made popular by Totoy Bugoy of MOR 91.9 FM).

So, what does this phrase mean?

Simple! It is a Visayan phrase for “GORGEOUS and SEXY”.

What a compliment, right? But don’t be flattered, before, it’s true that it had been used like congratulation for a girl, but it no longer connotes such nowadays.

Aside from being popularized by a radio DJ, the phrase had also been made famous by junkies and men mostly in the cities of Davao and Cebu. The term which was previously used to describe a “hot and sexy lady” had already been a slang used to say that, “Hey there’s a slut!”, for them, a “BURIKAT” or a lady selling herself is like a salad, so hot, and is being sold to hungry and craving men.

Many use the phrase for it’s popular, many finds the phrase as a “cool”, “in” and “trending one, and worse, many say such words to girls but doesn’t even know what it meant. 

Every lady deserves every guy’s respect! Now that you already know, the next time you see a beautiful girl; refrain from saying “SALAD OH! INIT PA!”.