Zamboanga Not A Good Place..For Now..

That's pretty much what everyone is walking around thinking at this point, right? (Overseas readers: we have a falling out in Zamboanga and a lot of people are jaded as hell.)

Truth is, the Philippine peace council got knifed in the back by the MNLF, I haven't really been bothered to keep up with all the latest news. I've purposely not read articles and watched TV about because ..... it's all so disheartening.


What is disheartening?


This.

Kids roam free, fending for themselves. Often dirty, no shoes, no schools. 

People fleeing to evacuation camps.
Not sure when to have a normal life again. 

Armed men are commonplace. 

You can't buy any food. Most stores are closed. 

Sometimes we look for meaning and there is none.

Whoever started it probably don’t have a family.

I believe in free speech, good policy, good government, and a fair go. Schools, hospitals, the elderly .... the vulnerable in our society NEED to be taken care of.

So - the person who is killing the peace talks don't realize the benefits of a true freedom. Sometimes we don't know that we are eaten alive by our broken principles and false honor.

I hope whoever is in charge will take good care of our people.

Philippines is one of the best countries on earth. And I hope it stays that way.

::

AFLOAT

You might be asking how I am so I thought I would tell you.

I am better than yesterday. Thank you.

I think I have visited more than enough hospitals this year, seen few hospital beds and met handful of people, which is good for an introvert like me. I am not shy. I am just big on privacy, personal space and a firm believer of not talking to strangers. So the nurses and doctors I’ve met? You people are amazing. We should give one day in year to honor you.

The past month has been beyond hard. The worst was the weekend before last. But mother is doing well on Letrozole and B-complex and some vitamins. She now laughs a little, speaks livelier and eats healthier. Recovery road is a long travel. And she needs all these synthetic pills, and our constant love and support to live longer. It is expensive, tiring, stressful and depressing. But we need to choose to stand back up again in life. One foot in front of the other is sometimes the best way we can manage.

We did indeed go see her every weekend and every single time we see her, we walk off somehow feeling enriched and better ourselves. She is okay, we are okay.

There's a quote by somebody famous about how, we must not be afraid to share the hard times in our life. Something about poets heralding the darkness, because if it doesn't get documented, how will people know we got through? That they can get through as well?

So. That's where I'm at. I'm ok enough to log on to my computer and upload some photos and write some words, so that's something. I miss the days of just coming to blog and offloading like I used to, without worrying that some people I love will die, and that bad things will still come one day.

At this point I don't care. It's night-time and it's raining. Tomorrow is a whole new day.

::

This verse has kept me alive. I think about it and it made a whole world of sense.

Isn't it?

Drifting Again

Four years ago we began. I suppose we never really ended, chasing the cancer cells through surgery, the terrible promise of Tamoxifen, and hospital visits again and again. Mother found her own way around the cancer there. The journey changed. The path became less clear and more muddled. It's strange in a way. Side effects of breast cancer. The trouble is dealing with that, with knowing it and living in it, walking around each day with that settled on your soul. The adjustment is not pleasant.

In many ways, I'm not sure what to expect.

A day when the thoughts are closer to the surface, when my memory of her good health is more easily accessible and the road to recovery is a little clearer. But it's still just a day. I cried, but not as much as I might have. There is no clarity, at least not anything new. Some days I feel strong, some other days even the shallowest drama on TV would bring me to tears.

She is in a hospital again. Doctors extracted the fluid out of her right lung. No big deal. Root Canal would have been longer. And more painful I guess.



But the day passed on too slow. Again. I’m counting of all the days until she is out of the hospital.

I know better to expect revelations. I know better than to expect anything at all on a schedule. It's been four years and I know that there will be more years to come. I know in the end it will settle. Not settles in the sense that it's ok, or not horrific in some way, but settles in the sense that it is not actively debilitating when it happens. Loss of any kind, especially the loss out of order of someone you love, is not a wound that heals. Closure is an impractical and misplaced goal. Mother is not a torn ligament or a broken bone, something a surgery and a few months of rehab will set right without further ado. You live with it. Your only choice is how you choose to do that.



Some people don’t know any better. Once they knew about mother, they give us the "cancer eyes." These were the eyes people, from hospital staff to strangers, would give us when they found out mother’s breast cancer. Pity, mostly. The looks I get from these acquaintances are very similar "condolence eyes." Like cancer eyes, I have little patience for them. That's not to say I do not appreciate people feeling bad about what happened to her. Of course I do. But pity does not interest me. To me, that undermines the experience. I prefer sympathy, or empathy. If people want to talk about her, I'm happy to do so. People have told me they were sorry and added something, talked about it. If they're just going to say the words for the sake of saying them though, I'd rather we skipped the formality.



I know this may sound harsh, that people just want to be kind. I know they're trying and do not mean anything by it. Still, I think it's important to recognize what's good to say and what's not. So I suppose I'm trying to say that. I am glad when people talk about her. What I am not interested in is people saying something just for the sake of saying it. Or mocking it. I did not notice it before, but I do now.

::

Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers.

Selfies, Anyone?

Now on Instagram and Facebook, and probably any where else in the social media.

Selfie photos.

A singular image where face is at the center, and an outstretched arm amputated by the edges of the frame. That, and the perennially awkward gesture of pointing your camera/cell phone at a mirror.

You can say many things about the Selfie, a.k.a auto-portraiture, or better yet, ego-photography: that it is the ultimate symbol of Narcissism. You assume that people are so desperate to see your face.

Now, everyone’s an artist. Everyone’s a photographer. In the same way that everyone’s a filmmaker, everyone’s a chef, everyone’s a goddamned food critic or movie reviewer. Everyone’s doing selfies, from Justin Bieber to the Obamas. We’re all guilty of it.

Twenty to thirty years, it would have been unthinkable. It would be deemed a waste of precious Fujicolor or Kodak film. Certain generations remember how they would weep upon seeing a number of damaged/useless/out-of-focus-blurry frames at the photo shop.

But today, there fly mindless shapshots of anything: Lunch plate, shoes, toes and cuticle, dogs, starbucks cup, etc.etc.

Now, let’s sample on our selfie celebrities and tell me who is more vain and desperately insecure.

Mirror on mirror shot: "Jeez, crazy bad hair day, but I am still cute"

Duck Face: Suddenly, I got embarrassed at the thought of a selfie picture. 

Photo-op with another celebrity:" undeniably a fan"

Posing with a boyfriend looking very much in love:"Still not over your ex.."

Ad-lib Shot: "I-am-so-busy-and-cool-I-can't-be-bothered"

Staring at nothing: "How deep.."

::

Do you do selfie too?

Sometimes I Do Politics

For most of my life, April has not been a favorite, however I do fancy it’s clear, blue sky. April is beach and sand and sun burn. April is a spacious train ride to and from work. April is waking up late, longer break fast and TV time.

And this year, April is more hands to shake.

You know those campaigning politicians. I was sitting for a good 30 minutes, talking and laughing with neighbors and not too long came a parade of politicians one after another. And since election came every 3 years, and I get to meet local officials once every 3 years too, I was almost sure I got entertained looking, talking, teasing them with sheer and unbridled enthusiasm. Boy, don’t they look so cool to vent and poked fun at. But of course I can try and fool myself that I was able to make fun of them, knowing that politicians are already used to swearing around, talking around and lying around.

And while I was telling myself to never see a senatorial candidate from as far as Palawan, I saw Hagedorn.

Hagedorn? you know underground river, tubbataha?...moustache? Yeah that's Hagedorn. 

I thought his face hair looks funny.

I am actually not a politics person. I don’t have any political record. I don't even have anything to back up my claim on how to survive election campaign period. But since I am a legitimate voter of this country, and have survived 13 elections already, I can probably add to your election-survival scheme.

That is,

If you’re a campaigning politician:

1. Wear a vest with your name on it. The one that will make you look like a police reporter. It adds a fashion sense. 
2. Wear a toupee. Even if it looks so fake and ill-fitted. It gives you the impression that you can survive your 3-year term without frequent cardiac arrests. 
3. Come with a hoard of followers. It will make you look so important. And rich. 
4. Don’t shake hands looking and smelling like another dog(or cat or any other animal). This can be ground for disqualification. 

And if you’re just a plain citizen, you could have your head hacked by these people if:

1. You tell them they smell like dogs. 
2. You tell them their hair look fake and ask them straight about their age. 
3. You will not laugh at their dull jokes. 
4. You ask them for money.

 I'll admit that I'm being a little snarky here, so I'll finish by clarifying that there is no real and genuine"election survival plan"; if you fail to do any of these things, then you sir (or madam) are, in for a real trouble.

Don't tell me I didn't tell you.

The Reasons Why Thrifting Is Never Easy

Who is the one always harping about paying cash and staying within your budget?

Me.

Who is scared to go broke days before the payday?

Me.

I pass by department stores everyday to and from work and I see things I think I need but don’t buy. Things is, they are too pricey. Totally out of budget.

So where does a cost-conscious, penny-pinching person like myself go?

The answer is thrift store. Ukay-ukay or Wagwagan,

In hindsight I can tell you that, true to what I had mused about money and lack of it is in the post where I begged for Santa to pay off all of my loans, this choice fit the mold in that it was extremely difficult at the time but ended up being the right one. It’s hard to buy pre-owned stuff right? What if they wore by a dead person? I mean not when he was still alive but say, at his wake?

Oh well, I know they don’t change dead person’s clothing once already inside the coffin. So there really isn’t any chance that they’ll undress him and sell the shirt to a thrift store. But it’s me. I get scared and excited almost by the same things. Remember the post where I related the benefits of buying haunted furnishings and then blogged four days later why horror movies leave me like a zombie. Yes readers, that’s how I rock and roll.

There are so many reasons to love shopping here. For example, I could go on about the amazing P 65.00 never-been used swimwear I wore to the beach where I almost lost a child? The tag inside was still original. Or so I thought. I also got a green blouse for less than a hundred peso.

I wonder why green hangers are common in Ukay-ukay..

However, when you go in these places make sure you have at least 3 hours to haul mountain of clothes. Like you do in an ordinary department store, check for lose buttons, hems and linings. Watch out for the stains in the armpits, chest and other areas. Also you have to dust off before purchase. Forget the smell. Old clothes smell like old people.

These are extra pointers to think when you decided to visit these stores.

1. Know what you are looking for. Ukay ukay clothes come in rows and can be overwhelming. Have in mind the outfit or look you want to for before you go shopping. That way, getting that tie-dyed shirt, flare pants and hippe bad for your seventies retro look will be easier.
2. Have an eye for detail. Sometimes I do look for brands, since they come a lot cheaper than the ones sold in malls. However details are what make clothes interesting. Look for good one-of-kind-prints, delicate embroidery or unusual buttons.
3. Try it on. Always try on the outfits before purchase. Don’t rely on the size on the tag. It may already have stretched or shrunk. Also the L size before may be the S size today.
4. Be patient. You need a load of patience to go through every item if you want to snag a real find.
   
   
   
   And more importantly,
   
   5.Learn the art of haggling. Ukay-ukay stores give you price cuts on these grounds: its their “buena mano”(first sale), when you buy a lot of items, when the business is slow like during rainy seasons, and when you are makulit (persistent)
   
   ::
   
   Who else has thrifting story to share? It doesn’t have to be embarrassing- although that will earn you extra point for being branded as bakya, cheap, broke and well, jologs

Putting His Dancing Shoes On

There’s a reason the area immediately inside the entrance to the supermarket is unoccupied some days. Ordinarily these are the spots where promotional items and bargains are placed. And if you’ve ever wondered why suddenly the sales people gathered around where they should be scattered every where in the grocery store, it’s not because the store managers are dingbats. Same reason why selling areas cannot be dance floors.

Did you ever experience buying at your local grocery and when you’re just about to pick up your eggs, you will be surprised by what looks like a half time show? After a split second you realized you’re watching a dance presentation. At first, you’ll ask why. But unfortunately the moment passes all too soon before you can make actual sense of it.

In fact the shoplifters had just left taking the whole entertainment center with them.

But really, the sellers and supermarket owners have studied us. They observed how we shop and now they’re using entertainment to boost our “dwell” time: the length of time we spend in a store.

Often people react in different ways. Some of the comments are:

• That’s amazing!.
• It’s a metaphor for the clash of civilizations, the collision of the traditional noisy, disordered palengke and the modern shopping experience as expressed by hips and butts bumping and flying around.
• Ano ba yan, may mga tao talagang walang magawa. (What the hell, some people have too much time on their hands.)
• Kulang sa pansin ang mga yan. Ibigay mo sa kin ang numbers nila at papansinin ko sila. Those guys clearly need attention. Give me their numbers, I’ll give them attention.)
• I wish I can dance that well.

But with a tiny bit of something that almost resembles the closest that I come between shame and pride, I posted his video here. Oh well Hubs could dabble as a dancer for extra cash.


Well danced, Hubs. Well danced.

How I Relate Myself to Oscars

February is a lot of things to people. From Valentines to JS Prom to EDSA Revolution and of course, The Oscars. The Hollywood people's piece of heaven. This and thousands of other occasions man so cleverly concocted and invented, perhaps to ease the burden of daily living. I am not so much of a follower. But this is Oscar. Now, we all know that coming Tuesday everyone will be asking if you saw what Jennifer Lawrence was wearing or how cute Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield were on stage.

As much of a t-shirt and jeans wearing person as I am, there is some part of me that still want to look all dolled up, with curled hair set so beautiful on one side, in gown that will make me Amy Adams for a second. And where else can you see glamorous people in gowns and suits but in this much coveted event. And while it may not be 100% about fashion and style, how about the artistic side of it? Luckily this year offers a much better selection, and I can say with confidence that every film on this list is worth watching (though I have not seen all of them.)

I saw Life of Pi, and glad that I spent time for it. If there’s anything, it’s that this film justifies the existence of 3D. It is so visually ambitious and amazing. And the story, it is so profound but oh so beautifully related on screen.



The cameo appearance of Michelle Obama pretty much tells that Oscar has become a bit of a politics too. The red carpet, in the company of the rich and famous in their priceless Valentino or Dior. I know most about the Oscars it’s the way the movie awards have the power to influence filmmaking. This time of year it’s more and more difficult to tell if certain films are even meant for us, the audience, or if they should solely be shown to the Academy in exchange for little gold men.



Having said all these things, we can actually learn life’s lessons from the Oscar. And these lessons I summed up in 2:

1.There is God, and there are little gods.

2.I have seen them and it makes no sense.

No matter how rich, powerful, brilliant or influential a person is, that person cannot escape the fact that all the things in the world is temporary and short-lived. Fame and fortune will soon fade away and things will boil down to one thing: Character. It is defined by what you‘re willing to do when the spotlight has been turned off when the applause has died down, and no one is around to give you credit.

The Weight of a Woman

There’s no business like show business. Everything about it is appealing. And of course, nowhere can you get that happy feeling.

This line is from a musical Annie. And it also says that there are no people like show people – those happy, flashy, extravagant, over-the-top people who have seamlessly mastered the art of acting, singing and dancing.

They look so powerful and seem well put together. But if you dig deeper ever so slightly the surface, the glamour perhaps the high profile status is torn down and changed into much more humane and common and totally relatable. You see them on cam and you tell yourself how perfect they are. Like all the puzzle pieces just naturally fall into place. You can just tell by the way they talk and carry themselves. It really is a sight to behold, actually. But behind the spotlight, they turned into wives and mothers who are also scared, broken, scarred and worried by life’s imperfections.

These women are beautiful as well as amazing.

And they both have children with severe autism.

Kris Aquino is a celebrity here in the Philippines. She is at the moment a single parent, who loves his two sons so much, including the special child Joshua. He is diagnosed with autism, learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder.

In fact, she has already allotted a big trust fund for the two kids specially to her special child. Her brother, Noynoy Aquino the president of the Philippines, even said that he didn't marry because he wants to take care of Joshua.

She delivered the late night news. Broadcast journalist Karen Davila’s firstborn, David, was 3½ years old when he was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (PDD/NOS) in the Autism Spectrum, a severe form of autism. The development pediatrician said there was no cure for David’s condition.

These women are remarkable. And it makes me feel like, little by little, those walls of stereotypes and misconceptions are being torn down. You see them all glammed up but sure they’d come home to children who need them, like how my children need me. Who can make them laugh, aren't afraid to be silly with them, who knows just the trick to get them to eat their peas – and other tons of things in this world to raise kids, to watch them grow and learn and thrive.

And speaking of disabilities in case you ask, would we ever trade your children and exchanged them for somebody who are cuter, chubbier, brilliant, more talented individuals. Our answer? Never.

Things They Didn't Tell Me

Hello readers! Hope you have a good weekend..

Glad it’s over. New Year. Not complaining. Just saying. Sometimes the start of the year makes you over think. A lot more introspective than any other days in the year. All the people want to have a fresh start like new look, new girlfriend, new job, new life. The reasons why we write those tricky little bastards called resolutions, right? You see I have grown a little. I’ve changed. There’s a side of me that whenever this season comes, a change in year, I refused to be drawn in to the fiasco that always, always happens this time around. If nothing is coming, then why bother? Just keep on going. There's always a pause, a moment when you realized that stagnancy of life is not bad at all. And I like that I learnt how to play around things now.

How do we get through the things that we can't get through? How can we make sense of the unfathomable? Can't. Just have to keep going, do what we can. Strip it all back. The most important things in life aren't things. We are wiser than we know.

Dreams, like warts and mole, they grow back. At the precise moment of dreadful failures, the human spirit inside us instantly begins to plot its own survival. And a heart that is broken again and again, is stronger that we thought. It can swallow a big pride without choking, strike old wounds without being hurtful and defensive. Although I still don't understand the magnitude of life, who says we have to?

Saying yes to life makes it open up like an oyster.

My mother appeared at Social Security for the annual confirmation. It is the system’s way to check if the pensioner is still alive. She does this so they will continue her check. My father has pension too. But he died elsewhere, with a different family, years after their marriage broke up. I believe I have four or five younger half-siblings. I also learned that it's the other woman who picks up my father’s annuity.

I felt my mother has few misgivings whether to fight for it or not. Half of me can’t take it. It belongs to mother and she could use the money for her maintenance. And I feel for her. I punched my self-consciousness if it’s right to convince her to claim what’s rightfully hers. It took my whole life to be in a place where I believe I can make a difference. But my other side tells the other family needs it more. My father died a poor man. I strongly believe that we live more comfortably than them.



There’s a deep essence of something I don’t know. I'm just so, so sorry down here. I guess a sister is only as happy as its unhappiest half-sister or brother.

So while I wait for God to tell me what to do, I leave you loads of love, understanding and peace. Supersized, and with refills.

Time Wasting Experiment

Remember we tried “quantifying the world”in my last post?. Well, this is a close cousin. This project of Alison Provax, a sort of audit of how a person spend his time (most times in a wasteful way), was a bit of a reality check. How much of our day is spent waiting for the inevitable, slipping into the depths of our mind? Take in the reasoning and philosophy behind this project.

How do you waste time? What’s your relationship with minutes, days and seconds?

The New Math of Relationships

Ever wonder why we can't easily get to the bottom of life's happiness, success and all that abstract ideas until now? Only if there's a way to take all the complexities and confusions out of relationships and break everything from arguments to honeymoons and down into simple, mathematical equations-you know- a way to "quantify the world", we will all come up to something like these:



{Source via morenewmath}

Just Thinking: How Do You Define Success?

Have you ever met people who seem so successful? They have good paying jobs, living in posh condominiums, even their dogs have some breed of sorts. Their lives are so put together, their polished nails and branded bags are blameless. It’s an interesting notion, isn’t it? Just imagine how many people we randomly encounter in any given day- on the street, in a restaurant, in the checkout counter at the groceries- and half the time we often wonder is this fate or what?

Not in a jealous way, but in why-others-are-abounding- why-others-are-not kind of way. Does fate intervene in our lives more than we even know? I'm not even sure I have my own answer. The practical side of me said that what you think is what is what you are. I won’t pretend to know the science of success, happiness and life’s contentment. But I’m sure each of you who has ever peeked at your friend’s car or seen his latest Iphone Galaxy note has your own back story.



In my book, it’s not about material things that make one person fortunate. Those things that you think are "so for adults" -- managing your finances, taking your career seriously, being reliable and dependable -- are signs good enough to tell that you are taking charge of your life. Remember: learn to be self-reliant. Have faith in God but do hard work to achieve great things. Sadly, many people are still clueless as why scarcity and lack seem to run after them. And why hard work, sweat and tears are not enough. May be it's our attitude not only with success, but on how we face the challenges we meet along the way.

Francis Kong, a very good motivational speaker has mapped out these 5 different personalities and traits associated with each type…

1. Cop-outs. They set no goals and make no decisions.

2. Hold-outs. They have a dream, but afraid of the challenges. They’ve lost their childlike faith.

3. Drop-outs. When the going gets tough, they quit. They don’t pay the toll.

4. All-outs. They set goals. They never quit. They keep on keeping on, even when the toll gets heavy. They’re dedicated. They’re committed.

But I do hold out hope, friends. I hold out hope that all of you find real things that will make you happy. And real courage to make your life better than it is today.

How I Feel In Photos

As a sleep-deprived new dad adjusting to life with daughter, I find these pictures completely funny but totally relatable. The images are of Dave Engledow and daughter Alice Bee. What started as a single photo, became a viral hit in Facebook. The pictures, all 56 of them, are planned to make into a calendar. The goal of the project has always been to create something that, although funny, also offers lessons to both parents and non-parents. Really, I have yet to see a new dad too excited to be left alone at the house with a baby. They would rather defuse bombs than change nappies.

These father and daughter portraits are exactly as amusing as they are sweet. What could be more charming than a baby with a lit match next to a pile of fireworks?

P.S. Sorry for guys who are more excellent as mothers than their female counterparts. I know its not flesh and blood but heart that makes a good parent.

Probably My Most Meaningful Prayer Ever

Lying on my side, eyes closed but not asleep. Half of my body lying awkwardly outside the bed, and my sleeping daughter’s messy hair just above my own messy hair. There’s just the two of us. And the house, silent enough to hear my own thoughts. It occurred to me that this must be how God wants to talk sometimes. You will know its coming. You know that any moment there’s nothing more to do but face Him up. So I didn’t move a bit.

I had wanted it to be emotive and yes, slightly melodramatic as I usually do when I pray in front of people. But when I came down to it this morning, I didn’t feel like my words belong to me. That’s when I realized that my prayers are borrowed. All the fancy verbose I hear and read and copied from great writers, speakers and pastors, although astounding to the ears, but they are not from my own heart. It’s no wonder I don’t feel the power some days. And sadly there I realize that I can never float away for as light as my head feels, my heart is like a lead, keeping my words and my praises heavily chained.

And in that moment, I came to Him in this simple worship.

My Father in heaven, I worship and adore you with the kind of love and reverence my imperfect heart can love you. You own everything I have and I am in great awe of what you have done, been doing and will do for the rest of my life. I don’t deserve it but your blessings continue to pour in.

My loving Jesus, my Savior and Redeemer, I will bless your kindness and goodness to my family, my mother, and siblings. We are not the kind of people you will like 24/7 but in your unconditional heart, your love traverse all our shameful acts of selfishness, neglect and lack of commitment.

I come to you in deep desire to look upon my husband and children in their everyday errands. Thank you for giving them to me because they lend stability and genuine happiness to my life. Bless them with good health and life in all the days of their lives.

Although I didn’t want to go back to the day my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, but the life you’re giving her is more than enough I could be thankful for. You are bigger than any cancer cells. Stronger than any tumors that grow, enlarge or swell. May she continue to live comfortably, happily and strong for what is left of her senior years.

And I know it’s hard to raise kids alone, whilst husband working overseas, I rest in your unfailing mercy that you will bless my sister with peace of mind, strong arms and solid faith to get through chaotic days of raising stubborn teens. May you bless them and keep them in your sake.

My words are cheap and flawed. But my heart means it.

This is my prayer in the sweet name of Jesus. Amen.

===

In case you may not know this but October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Very quickly I'm going to give you the basic three things about breast cancer to be aware of: 1-a new lump or mass in the breast that you can feel. A lump that is painless, hard, and has uneven edges is more likely to be cancer. But sometimes cancers can be tender, soft, and rounded. So it's important to have anything unusual checked by your doctor. 2--Often, an abnormal area turns up on a mammogram, so have yourself tested. I know its horrifying to finally know you’re sick, but the earlier the better. There is help out there. 3--Your biopsy show you do have it. Now what? you got to know cancer specialists. If you developed a good relationship with these doctors, you may want to stick with them. But go ahead seek second opinions if you must.

But most of all, don’t forget that Jesus is our help. More potent than any Tamoxifen Citrate that you can get.

In The Heat of the Moment

Let’s check out some funny quotes found on Twitter regarding the much talked about Anti-Cybercrime Law.



Again, I invoke my right against self-incrimination.

Cute Sommeecard eh?

Let's Talk Anti-CyberCrime Law

As I’m sure most of you all know that the Anti-Cyber Crime Law is in full swing starting today. I usually don’t care about things unless if it will cost me my dear life. So if it is not about me, I could sit around all day and not have to worry about any thing. But in very, very brief terms, I'm going to tell you, my fellow bloggers, why you should be fight tooth and nail to get this act revised, modified, amended or repealed.

The full name of the law is the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. As a normal citizen, I’m all about Copyrights. Claiming one’s material you do not own is next to theft and robbery. So hackers in a way, are close cousins of thieves and stealers. As bloggers, I know that we bust our heads to create the stories that we write and will unleash holy hell on anyone who steals them. And I also know that it’s difficult to think that with millions of file sharing sites there are, that we would actually “waste” money to buy, for example, a music album. Why do it if we can get it so easily? However shame on me if I tell the whole world I love Regine Velasquez but cannot shell out five hundred pesos to support her to make music that I love.

I am for one appreciates the backbone of the anti cyber-crime principles. They are up against:

• child pornography

• computer-related fraud

• identity theft

• computer-related forgery

The question is: Is the whole thing a good thing?

The Anti-Cybercrime Law may have been crafted with the best of intentions, but the final version of the bill poses nothing less than a most serious threat to our freedom of speech.

What it does is expand the coverage of libel.

Imagine a young man who has just turned 18. He is now legally an adult. In a fit of anger, he blasts his neighbor in his Facebook page, or in his Tweeter and calling that person all sorts of names. Under the anti-cybercrime law, he can be imprisoned and may not be released until his 30th birthday.

Ridiculous perhaps, but it’s the law.

I am speaking as a mother – one who is concerned not just for her children but for all the other young kids out there who spend so much of their free time on the internet and are unaware that they are covered by some repressive provisions of this law.

Let’s look at some possible scenarios:

Scenario 1: An allegedly libelous status is posted on Facebook. Your child ‘likes’ the post. The offended party can claim that by ‘liking’, your child seconded or gave approval to the libelous post.

Scenario 2: An allegedly libelous status is reposted/shared/retweeted by your child. That may be considered, under this law, to be republication or re-publishing, and your child can be held liable.

Scenario 3: In an impulsive, angry moment, your child could post something online against a classmate or friend. The angry parents of the offended child cry ‘Libel’ and bring a case against your child. Your child is faced with possible jailtime.

What should be done instead?

Well, first of all, there are several other acts that are already in place to protect copywritten materials.

Art. 353 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines defines libel as follows: “a public and malicious imputation of a crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status, or circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit, or contempt of a natural or juridical person, or to blacken the memory of one who is dead”.

The thing with libel is that it isn’t whether what you said or wrote was true or not. Truth is NOT a defense. Something is libelous if MALICIOUS INTENT is shown. With all the slipups, defects, blunders our present law against libelous act, would we want to make our lives harder by adding the Anti-CyberCrime Law? This law is so loosely constructed that any person including any site with any kind of copywritten material on it could be shut down as a violation. And kids, in their lack of knowledge, can also be incriminated.

As one blogger said, the social media is so intertwined in our children’s lives but it can be misused and abused. But shouldn’t this be addressed differently? After all, if no one bothers to teach the youth proper social behavior online, how can we fault them for crossing the line from non-libelous to libelous?

As a mother of 8 year old boy who is active on Facebook, who clicks and likes and shares and plays anything that caught his attention, I can limit his use of computer. But he can always go to his cousins anytime and watch actual normal child birth via You Tube.

The thing is, we really can’t stop the changing times. And I believe that our children are this country’s future. And the way to make them future leaders is to shape and form them in body, mind and spirit and that includes their online lives. As parents, we should take conscious effort to help them realized that no one should be maligned, bullied, disrespected, stolen with, gossiped, or insulted in any manner. That they should always be responsible for their actions, with or without the Anti-CyberCrime law.