Tag: philippines

Marinduque Sidetrip: Island Hopping

Marinduque, being a heart-shaped island in the center of the Philippines, still has several small islands around it perfect for the usual summer activity of island hopping.

We had 2 choices of island groups to visit. There is the usual Tres Reyes Islands located in Pingan, Gasan named as such because they were three islands close to each other. The islands are individually named as Gaspar, Baltazar and Melchor. Only Gaspar island has a beach strip where you can dock and swim. During low tide, a sand bar also appears. There are also several diving spots in the area. Since we were not interested in snorkeling – we saw in Biyahe ni Drew that the dive spots were not that filled with fish and we were not that confident of our swimming skills – we decided to visit another group of islands.

There is another group of islands located in Sta. Cruz on the other side of Marinduque almost opposite the Tres Reyes Islands. There are also 3 islands but each island is bigger and you can actually dock in each one. They all have white sand beaches too!

We went to Buyabod Port to catch a boat to Maniwaya and Mongpong islands – our destination. We decided not to visit anymore the third island, which happens to be the nearest too – the Pulo Island.

You can usually get a boat that regularly travels to Maniwaya and Mongpong. The rate is P70 for the boat to Maniway and P20 landing fee. Since we wanted to take a tour around the islands and when we arrived the regular boat scheduled had already left, we rented a boat to take us around the islands for P2,500. The boat is huge and can accommodate 10-15 persons.

The trip to Mongpong, the farthest island took us around 40 minutes. Circling the entire island took another 30 minutes. Our stop over was the Ungab Beach where there was a nice rock formation.

Photo Credit: Macky Garcera
Photo Credit: Macky Garcera

You can also take a swim in the clear waters of the beach but since we were in a hurry we just took pictures. There were a lot of cool rock formations where you can take pictures of. You can just ask your boat to stop and they will happily oblige. The rock formation we choose was the most famous one – it’s part of promotional brochures for Marinduque. It was breathtaking to be so close to something magnificent – a true feat of nature!

The place was also good for snorkeling. If only we had gears and we were confident of our swimming skills, we would happily stop at any dive site and dive. The water was so clear you can see the bottom.

Our next stop was Maniwaya island. It took us around 20 minutes to reach it from Mongpong. Maniwaya is the middle island between Pulo (the nearest to coast) and Mongpong (the farthest). In Maniwaya, you can see a lot of white beach stretches. It was wonderful! You can land in one of the resorts and rent a cottage or you can select a secluded beach and just dive out and swim in the sea.

We saw several resorts – one of them the famous Residencia which had jet skis, banana boats and the like. We decided not to check in there because frankly, the beach area was so small since the resort’s edifice was built too close to shore. We decided to go around the tip and visit the next resort – Palo Maria. The resort was more open and welcoming without the fences that characterized the other resort. Plus, there was a lot of beach front area to enjoy! Sadly, we arrived close to noon time and the sand was so hot. It was a gamble on our end to swim in the water.

Maniwaya island can well become the next Boracay because of its pristine white sands. Even the beach had very clear water and swimming in it was simply wonderful. We forgot about the sun at all!

Our advice when going island hopping – make sure you come prepared in terms of food! When we went there, we only had knick knacks and what-not as our food. No one thought of actually preparing rice or viand or even loads of water prior to departure. Good thing the resort had some supplies left of canned goods and of course rice that they sold to us. Also, there were some fresh catch of balingkit (some type of snail) from a fisherman who happened to pass by. We bought some as well. We made do with our meager meal before finally heading inland to continue our exploration of Marinduque.

The sad thing with the islands is that it seems the government has lacked in implementing developmental guidelines. There were patches of beach front area which were obviously private properties and the owners decided to build houses right in front of the beach without even providing ample beach front. Some resorts also followed suit. I hope the government, this early on, can impose developmental guidelines in the area so that the development of resorts and residences in the islands would be more sustainable and Maniwaya won’t suffer the same fate as Boracay.

Beyond that, the islands were both amazing and captivating. We visited during high tide and we didn’t see the Palad Sand Bar. It is said that during low tide, the water in the sand bar is only up to 12 inches high. You can walk along the sand bar and see on either sides deep parts of the see with colorful fishes swimming through. During high tide, the sand bar is covered with water 30 inches high.

Another famous island in Marinduque, although costly to visit is the Elephant Island where Bellarocca Resort and Spa is located. It is the famed high-end resort whose rates are in dollars and only the rich and famous can afford to visit (well, unless you get a deal from a group buying site). The island does look like a Santorini from afar. It must be wonderful to experience what the resort has to offer but it has mixed reviews on the net. In any case, if you have money to burn, then why not spend it there?

Photo Credit: Macky Garcera
Photo Credit: Macky Garcera

Island hopping is never complete without some snorkeling or diving. It is something we wish we could have done. So if you are confident of your swimming and diving skills, go ahead and dive. Gears are available for rent and you can always inquire from your resort where you can rent some.

Marinduque is already a great island. Yet it is still surrounded with other beautiful islands. I would definitely go back there even if just to visit the same islands I went to or to explore the ones I haven’t visited yet.

Sue Me! (A Cybercrime Law Post)

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Today, a TRO or temporary restraining order was issued against the enactment of the entire Cybercrime Law. Although it is only good for 120 days, it is better than nothing in this fight for online democracy.

Even though the country heavily needs a law that will preserve order in the online universe, a lot of criticisms were thrown against this highly controversial law. Not because the public is against such a law but because the very manner by which it was crafted failed to fully give justice to the intended beneficiaries.

 

The Need for A Cybercrime Law

So why do we need a Cybercrime Law?

Simply because the Internet has a become a world of its own where it is now possible for people to transact business, become educated, gain new friends, entertain others and be entertained, connect with social networks, find love and many other things that we usually do in a real non-virtual universe. As such, since the Internet now functions as an alternate universe for many, it has also become another avenue for crime such as cybersex, cyber bullying, identity theft, piracy, hacking and many others.

Although these crimes are done virtually and not directly against a person, their impact are still the same, if not all the more grave. A cyber bullied individual suffers greater damage than someone physically bullied since his bullying might transcend not just the physical confines of where he is currently located but the great expanse of the world-wide web. Take for example the case of Chris Lao, a relatively obscure individual who became famous overnight for a mishap he was involved with which others made fun of. It was an injustice to the guy for which he suffered grave emotional and reputation damages.

Again there are cases of maltreated women like those whose private sex tapes inadvertently make their way to the Internet for public consumption. Take for example the case of Katrina Halili and the many other women who were once lovers of Hayden Kho.

There are also those whose identities become compromised by unscrupulous individuals such as the cases of posers – people who steal someone else’s identity and behave in a totally compromising way online.

The list of internet crimes goes on and on. And admittedly, here in the country, there are almost zero law which governs online use. Of course there are laws which would punish the perpetrators described above but these laws pertain more to the real world and have very little understanding or scope on the virtual world.

 

The Philippine Cybercrime Law

So here comes the Cybercrime Law- a law attempting to give justice to the victims of online crimes. In itself, the law is good. The law seemed to cover all aspects. There was a provision for cyber bullies, cyber sex offenders, identity thieves, hackers and everyone else who might find a way to commit a crime online. The law was inclusive.

Yet there seems to be a problem.

Various online articles discussed how, to the trained eye, the law is poorly written. To us who were not educated to understand legal jargon, the law can be very persuasive. But leave it to the experts to dissect it further and expose the many loopholes in the law. If the loopholes exist, what guarantee then do we have that the law would stand trial and be able to prosecute those who are guilty?

 

The Public Reacts to the Law

When the law was passed, it met various protests. Many claimed it was a move to silence democracy in our country. Coincidentally, the law was passed at around the same time the entire nation was remembering the declaration of Martial Law. Many thus associated the act as a declaration of cyber martial law. The day the law was made to take effect, social media erupted in protest as thousands changed their profile pictures in various sites to a plain black photo while others shared photos condemning the said law.

A lot started to fear for their lives while others challenged the government to put them behind bars claiming that there are not enough prison cells in the country to house them. Although most made their threats in jest, there was an underlying seriousness in everyone’s tone.

To date, fifteen (15) petitions against the law were filed in the Supreme Court resulting to a TRO unanimously issued today.

Continue reading “Sue Me! (A Cybercrime Law Post)”

PNoy: Lonely at the Top?

It hasn’t been a week since Jesse Robredo was buried when news sprang of how DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno tried to gain access to his office and condo unit to secure confidential documents. It wasn’t a secret that Puno has been deemed untrustworthy by majority of the people. His constant flaws and the means by how the President brushes through them has earned the ire of many. His questionable credibility as part of the DILG has been part of the news every so often. His apparent rift with the late DILG Secretary, Jesse Robredo has been observed time and again. Hence, his actions at the time when majority of the government’s agency were still under “search and rescue” mode raised a lot of eyebrows.

Many asked why he had to secure the documents at the time when Robredo was just missing, still presumed to be alive. Many wondered why his snooping around raised alarms in Robredo’s household prompting his wife to ask for official security to guard her husband’s properties. Many speculated what those documents were. It was no secret Robredo was unto something and that he was investigating certain things to which many speculated involve Puno.

Yet all this brooding ill feelings remained largely at bay. Until the President decided to speak up in defense of his shooting buddy. The President said he ordered Puno to secure the documents at Robredo’s office. The President said he was prompted by DeLima about it.

But digging further, we see that it was Atty. Leni, upon learning of Puno’s attempt to enter the condo unit, who urged DeLima to protect her husband’s properties. DeLima came into the picture after the fact that Puno tried to access Robredo’s office and living quarters.

Also, we see that the President’s orders were for Puno to secure Robredo’s office. Yet Puno went a step further and tried to secure the latter’s condo unit. Foremost in everyone’s mind was the question: Why Puno? The public was not so fond of him. He had his differences with Robredo. Robredo’s family and household apparently mistrust him judging by their actions. So why did the President pick him? Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said that it was logical since he was the undersecretary. But is that reasonable given everything that is known about him?

This issue is far from over. As Puno prepares to face a Senate inquiry to which Sen. Miriam Santiago promises there’ll be “sounds and fury”, I cannot help but wonder how committed PNoy really is to his vision of tuwid na daan. It’s such a shame because I can see he is making progress. It’s such a shame because I believed in him and trusted him despite the negative publicity he receives every so often. It’s such a shame because his success will be pulled down by his so-called friends.

In any leadership position, there will always be tough decisions to make. Whether you are a class president or the president of a nation, at some point in your reign you will make difficult and unpopular choices which may or may not favor your friends and even your family. Such is the cost of leadership. True leaders know how to make decisions that would be for the benefit of the common good even if it disfavor the people close to them. Because of this, they say that it is lonely at the top. Indeed, it is.

For PNoy, the path he chose for himself is no easy one. He has decided to veer away from the traditional notions of politicians as corrupt and selfish individuals. He promised the entire nation that during his reign, he would make it possible for true public service to shine through the government. He basically promised to restore our trust in the institution set forth to govern us. This is a tough call for anyone. With this promise, there will be many toes which he will step on. Some toes may belong to his friends, perhaps even, family members.

Yet to truly usher in the transformation he promised this country, he needs to be the tough leader who favors no one. He must learn to stand firm by his words exempting nobody. He cannot make excuses for the people he holds dear to his heart. Rather, he must practice impartiality to everyone. If it comes to the point that the people he holds dear to his heart are proven guilty of wrongdoing, he must be strong enough to exact punishment. It is harsh but it has to be done. Only then can the people see his sincerity to lead them through the tuwid na daan.

This impartiality called forth from him will assault his heart. Along the way, his friends may become enemies and his loved ones might find themselves punished for crimes they thought they could get away with. These decisions will be tough on his part but he has to do it. It will be very lonely at the top for him. But that is the price he has to pay.

That is why, true servant leaders are hard to find. They put the welfare of the people they serve first above their own interest, even above their own relationships. They do not leave unpunished the ill doings of even the people they care about. They are ready to make tough decisions even if it means breaking their own heart.

In this regard, much as I admire PNoy, his constant defense of his long time friend, Puno, shows me that he is not the servant leader I have longed for to become our nation’s president.

(Breaking News: Puno has just resigned from the DILG. This does not exempt him from the Senate probe, however. The question that now hangs in my mind is: will PNoy re-appoint him to some other government agency?)

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The Scarborough Shoal Standoff: Unite instead of Divide

This morning, as I was scrolling through my tweet feed for early morning news before I start my day, I stumbled across Sandra Aguinaldo’s tweet saying that the bilateral meeting between Pres. Aquino and Chinese Pres. Jintao will not push through due to scheduling conflicts.

Screenshot of @sandraguinaldo’s tweet at 8:54AM Sept 9, 2012.

PNoy was in Russia these weekend together with other world leaders for the APEC Summit. Apart from the many world issues they discussed, the government hoped that PNoy and Pres. Hu Jintao will meet to discuss the territorial disputes happening over the Scarborough Shoal located in the West Philippine Sea, also known as the South China Sea. Over the past months, China has been adamant about keeping the disputed territories as part of their own despite its apparent distance from mainland China. Up to now, no resolution has been successfully achieved from both parties with the Philippines also claiming the disputed territories as her own.

Yet it seems, China is also in no hurry to make amendments or peaceful talks regarding the matter. As shown in this comic strip, China “appears” to be content in “bullying” other nations to submission.

Source: KAL’s cartoon from The Economist

Yet the way I see it, whichever country lays claim to these islands, the call to preserve them remains the same. I know these countries are all after the resources that they can get from these islands. Yet to mine/gather these resources will be tantamount to disrupting the precarious sustainability of our planet. To me, the real issue here is not sovereignty over these islands but rather preservation of them. It is true that these islands contain vast amounts of resources which could promise wealth to the nation who owns them, but it has also been shown that because of man’s greed to harvest resource after resource, the planet is slowly dying.

Continue reading “The Scarborough Shoal Standoff: Unite instead of Divide”

Naga: What happens now?

Jesse is dead. He is gone. That is the harsh reality of things. He was gone too soon. Naga will feel his loss more than anything else. And not just in the upcoming Penafrancia Fiesta where he won’t be joining the voyadores. He will also be missed in the upcoming elections as Naga starts to feel the dread of what will happen to his legacy.

When he left, it wasn’t clear to whom he passed his baton to. We hoped he will somehow be our leader for a longer time. We had faith in his reforms in the national government. We saw him as a beacon of light – a shred of hope in the hopeless Philippine political situation.

Yet now, we can only pray that the current political line up of Naga will follow through Jesse’s legacy. We can hope. But what if they don’t? Already, “epal” tarpaulins are on the streets. And a lot more similar messages. Already we know of vultures waiting in the fringes for the right time to swoop down and get their spoils. It seems they saw their opening now with Jesse gone.

Do we need a constant reminder who he is?

The real dread has just begun. Perhaps it’s not as clear now since we are all wrapped up in grief and in strangled cries of continuing the legacy he left. But to what will this amount to when 2013 rolls in? When the vultures begin their descent? When political ambition overpowers selfless public service?

Yes, Jesse set an example. He showed leading a town to prosperity was possible without resorting to traditional politics. Yet he was able to do so because he was not greedy for either power or riches. He was not after his own personal ambitions. He was after genuine service to the people. He really was there to serve. Can we say the same to those in power we have now? Honestly, I doubt it. I’ve had my close encounters with them and none came close to what Jesse would have done had he been alive and in the same situation.

Do not blame me for the bitter tone in the middle of everyone’s sweet memory. I am but basing my opinions on experience. I fear for my city just as I’ve always feared for my country. I can’t help the skepticism that flows through me now.

And who paid for this truck? Wasn’t it tax payers’ money?

Yet I dare hope. I take a step of courage as I write this, hoping it springs some sense into our public servants. I try to be brave as I seek to call out the glaring inconsistencies of public servants’ practices with the oath they swore and the legacy they vow to continue. I pledge to remain vigilant in observing their actions.

For me, hope is no longer enough. I’ve hoped for such a long time. Now is the time for action. Jesse may be gone but he set the bar and example for everyone. And if I have to suffer dire consequences for my vigilance, then I’m afraid democracy would have failed us and Jesse’s memory would have been nullified.

Of all the greetings for Sec. Jess I saw around the city, it was only in this tarp that the name of an individual appeared.
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The First of Its Kind

It’s seldom anyone witnesses a momentous occasion that is bound to go down the annals of history. Yesterday, I witnessed just that – a sight like no other. An event that I can tell my grand kids over and over again. It was not an entirely celebratory occasion. It was a death after all. But it was a legendary death.

Black and Yellow Ribbons were tied on trees, posts and fences as tribute symbols to a great man.

When it was declared that Jesse Robredo was to be given a state funeral, at first, I did not understand what it was. I knew it to be some pompous funeral rites to be held in honor of great men. And indeed it was befitting Mayor Jess (as we call him) since in our eyes and our hearts, he probably was the greatest man to grace this planet. We all love him. How can we not? But the gravity of how huge or important the occasion was lost to me.

At first I thought this was the first time the country will hold a state funeral in the longest time. But upon further research, I learned that the last state funeral actually happened just last July 4, 2012. This was for a National Scientist, Perla Santos-Ocampo. National Scientists and National Artists by virtue of law have the right to be given a state funeral. Apart from them, heads of state (president, vice-president, senate president and speaker of the house) are also entitled to state funerals. Diosdado Macapagal was the last president given a state funeral which happened on April 1997. But does any of us remember what happened during those state funerals? Frankly, I don’t. I was still a kid in 1997 and the state funeral last July 2012 was probably not given much attention by the media (which is sad because she was a great scientist).

Despite the blistering sun, the Basilica grounds were packed with people, paying homage to their great leader.

And so, it was not until yesterday, while under the blistering sun; amid the grief and sorrow that plagued the collective hearts of us Nagueños, I saw just how pompous the rites were. After the usual mass was said and the priest’s moving homily was given, came the eulogies delivered by Atty. Leni and Pres. Noynoy. But before the eulogies, Mayor Jess was awarded the Legion of Honor, the highest award the President can give without approval from Congress. The medal was really huge. And it was such an honor for the entire Naga to have our beloved mayor awarded with such.

After the eulogies, the rites were performed. Fancy dressed military personnel paraded in the space in front of Basilica. When the casket was brought out, the Philippine National Anthem was played amid 19- gun salutes performed in nearby Eternal Gardens. It was a sight and sound to behold. Although I did not follow the procession to the crematorium, I later watched replays in TV of how the rites, as pompous as ever, were carried out in front of the crematorium. Each step – each process – was a tribute to the greatness of Jesse Robredo.  Such pomp was never really synonymous with the simple man. As to Atty. Leni’s words, if Jess was alive, he would say that everything was too much. But just this last time, we all want to give him the highest form of honor we all can.

In my mind, I can’t help but think, how even in death, he brought prestige to our humble city. Our city, who was once riddled with various woes and problems typical of 3rd class cities. Our city who thru him has earned various recognition for matters that has helped each one of us progress into the kind of citizens we are now. Mayor Jess, in his true fashion, served us to the very end. With his death, he brought national attention to Naga City. Even USec. Manolo Quezon said in a tweet, that for yesterday, Naga was the capital of the country. Major media networks flew in their top anchors and reporters to cover the events. Dignitaries and VIPs graced our streets. The world saw what kind of a city Naga truly was.

Whereas before, my friends from Manila would have a hard time deciding where Naga was, or what Naga looked like, now, everyone in the country, even abroad, knows of this humble, land-locked city existing as a living testimony to the possibility of good governance; the possibility that honest public servants exist amid the sea of corrupt traditional political dynasties.

Policemen line up the paths to guide people where to go. Order was ensured during the entire funeral. I overheard some policemen remarked how Nagueños were very disciplined.

Mayor Jess, even in his death, gave us great honor, for which we are grateful for. In his death, he brought the country’s – and the world’s – eyes to our doorsteps. He showed the entire nation that progress is possible if only public servants would become true servants and citizens would become active constituents. Mayor Jess showed how democracy should really be played out – where the leaders craft solutions and where the constituents participate actively not just in the implementation but in the crafting of such solutions. Where leaders can impose but constituents are welcome to debate and argue with their impositions. Where such discussions are held in a civil manner, not in the streets as most often portrayed by the media as the only means for citizens to air out their sentiments over certain issues.

Much laud and praise have been accorded this great man. Stories, both from ordinary citizens and from well-versed writers, have been told over and over again. Those are just but a taste, a glimpse, of how truly great he was and how much impact he has made in all our lives. Not just in the present, but in the future as well. Naga City, hasn’t been accorded this much honor, this much publicity, this much praise, as it has been given now. And we all owe it to him, our faithful and dedicated Mayor Jess who even in death, served us well.

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On Railroads and the Strict Philippine Law

Laws are crafted by men to govern men. It’s what creates order in our society. Yet there are times when one would question – how effective or efficient are our laws really?

Lately, with the recent improvements in the PNR (Philippine National Railroad) system, there have been more reports of accidents involving trains and reckless vehicles and people. There’s the accident of an Innova who crossed a railroad even when everyone around him had already stopped to allow a passing train to pass by. There’s the accident involving a drunk man who slept on the tracks and as a result was killed by the passing train. Recently, there’s the accident of an overloaded tricycle who passed by a railroad track despite insistent warning sounds of the train driver. All these accidents resulted to multiple deaths and injuries. And who did the law blame? The train driver.

The Provincial PNR Train

By law, the one who survived the death in a vehicular accident is always the one accused of causing the accident, even when it was the other way around. Pending further investigation, the survivor remains the culprit. I think that in the case of trains, this is utter nonsense! How is a train driver supposed to stop a train from moving in just a split second? It’s not a car where you can simply hit the brakes! And even if you can do that, how is the train driver supposed to know that a vehicle would dare cross his path despite all his dire warnings that he is coming? Lastly, who is stupid enough to even consider railroad tracks an extension of someone’s home let alone a safe place?

I think accidents involving trains, at least here in the country, are 99% the fault of the one who choose to clash with the train head on. What ever happened to the age-old warning of Stop, Look and Listen that we have been taught of as a child. Was this just a childhood warning that as adults we are at liberty to ignore? It’s true that in the Philippines, with the years of inoperation of the PNR system, the concept of safety around railroad tracks has been all but erased from the minds of people. In the province, communities have sprung around railroad tracks and people had used them as innovative means of transportation.

But now that the PNR has been rehabilitated, then the society should start moving on from their previous unsafe practices and should consider alternatives to their current lifestyle. The government needs to recognize this need in society and provide for these people. We aspire to become more like the developed countries in terms of transportation technology. In countries like Japan and Europe, their train systems are way advanced that they can travel far distances with them. Trains after all, when really advanced, allows for really fast travels.

The Rehabilitated PNR (This train services Metro Manila)

I know our country is trying to rehabilitate what was once a prestigious railroad operations to the provinces. It can be done. It is already beginning. But more than just upgrading train cabs and train stations, we also need to educate the people who has found their homes alongside the railroad tracks. These people need to know that although law is at their side, in the end the law will turn against them. They need to realize this and start looking for better alternatives. If they do not and this trend of train accidents due to recklessness of the people around the tracks continue, then we can say goodbye to transportation diversity and improvement.

Stop, Look and Listen (Source: PNR Official Website)
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Suicide: Resolve Not Condemn

Our society has been rocked by another tragic news before the year ends. Though it is not as tragic as the number of casualties due to Typhoon Sendong, it is equally as disturbing as yet another actor commits suicide. Though not entirely popular, fact remains that he was still a showbiz figure for several years.

Tyron Perez, one of the first Starstruck stars from GMA7 who later went to ABS CBN, was found dead according to one source in his car while another source said the cause was suicide. No details are clear as of the moment yet. He became a trending topic in Twitter with fans tweeting their condolences. I guess there was also much speculation and judgement going on around about the cause of his death.

Suicide is something not talked about in the Philippines much. The latest available statistics for the Philippines was in 1993 with an overall rate of 2.1 (2.5 for males and 1.7 for females). It’s a taboo topic in this mostly Catholic country of ours. The Church has propagated that suicide is a sin and is against the laws of God. Thus the difficulty in obtaining the data.

Indeed, it is a sin. The Bible is clear on that. But this doesn’t justify our society in judging the people who commit suicide. Just because it is a sin is not enough justification that we have the right to condemn the people who commits such. Judgement and condemnation are not ours to give. Only God has the right to do such. Because of society’s judgement on suicide, most of the time families choose to register the cause of death as accidents. At least accidental deaths get proper burials and are given prayers. Suicides are not. Thus it was a huge thing that when former AFP Chief Angelo Reyes committed suicide, the Church choose to overlook the cause of death and allowed him a proper burial.

Yet what is the real reason why people commit suicide? I guess it’s obvious. It’s stress and problems perceived to be too large to handle in this life thus death becomes an escape from the harsh reality. I’ve heard stories of people committing suicide because they are faced with poverty and no prospects to get out of it or faced with the pains of a break-up or perhaps financial struggles. The wife of Ted Failon was an example of someone who struggled financially and rather than admit it to his husband committed suicide instead. Another one was the DBP executive who was faced with the prospect of interrogation for some corrupt deal. He ended his life also. I know of a student from my fomer high school who committed suicide some say because of love; others say because of studies.

Whatever it is, people commit suicide because they’re under so much stress, they can’t cope. But what are we doing about it? Are we doing enough to address this need of society? Has the Philippines recognized yet that mental health is as essential as physical and emotional health? Are psychologists and stress centers as easily accessible? Or is it only the rich who can afford them? Or is there a stigma that if one goes to a shrink he or she is cuckoo?

These are issues enveloping our society. Silent but deadly. Unless we can find a way to address them and change the mindset of our nation into something more positive and empowering then we may see the incidence of suicide rising not just among the popular ones but also among the common folks. Let us not wait for that to happen.

Where is PNoy?

With everything happening in our country now, one wonders where is the President in all this? It’s almost Christmas – the time for merrymaking before the year ends but there will be no rounds of holiday cheers in devastated Mindanao – particularly Cagayan de Oro. The place has been ravaged by Typhoon Sendong to the point that funeral homes are now faced with the dilemma of burying the almost 500 casualties. Aside from the usual call for relief goods, there is a plea for additional coffins, formalin and body bags.

It is indeed devastating. The country is left grieving at such destruction so close to Christmas. And amid all these turmoil, where is the President?

In a tweet by a celebrity, he is allegedly enjoying himself at a night of party laughing candidly at said celebrity’s jokes. In a follow up tweet, the celebrity apologized if her earlier tweet was deemed insensitive. She claimed that the President did has his duties to his employees and that enjoying a party didn’t mean he was not thinking of ways to help out the devastated parts of the country. This statement was made amid the issues created by such tweet.

Indeed I cannot blame PNoy for wanting to enjoy the holiday cheer. I can just imagine the stress he’s in and the pressure being a President has put on him. In fact, I do not doubt if he is regretting being president right now. He was not so keen after all to run for President during the 2010 elections. He was more like forced into it by the death of his mother.

This is also not the first time PNoy has been accused of being inactive in the face of a national crisis. There’s the Quirino Grandstand Hostage Taking which people felt PNoy could have done better; there’s the devastation by Typhoon Pedring and Quiel where PNoy visited the sites – after the devastation was over. He doesn’t like being showy about his support. He doesn’t even like photo shoots.

PNoy has his own brand of governance which many perceive to be laid back. He has even been called lazy by some. He simply doesn’t like being in the thick of things. He is not like past presidents which immediately travel to devastated areas, surveying the damage and rallying the supports. That simply is not his brand.

The question though is – does he have the liberty to run the country in his own style? Is he taking too much liberty in running it the way he wants to? I do not question his cleaning up the government – impeaching an Ombudsman and a Supreme Court Justice – if that is the way for his tuwid na daan to push through. I do not question his putting a higher priority in eliminating corruption over improving the country’s economy. But I sincerely question his action in the face of adversity – or the lack of it.

Given that he, in his own private ways, away from the lenses of cameras, is deliberating ways to help out the calamity stricken citizens. Given that to somehow lessen the stress and pressure he is feeling, he went to an official party (it was his employees’ Christmas Party after all) and enjoyed his evening. He is doing something after all and de-stressing is simply part of the deal. But the public needs his presence more than anything else.

In a time of nationwide crisis, apart from the behind-the-camera work he is doing, what the public needs is his image – surveying the damage and rallying the troops. He was elected into office not just to lead the country and serve the people but to also inspire and give them hope. Just like the kings of medieval times whose presence are needed in battles to give the soldiers hope, our country’s President, to become effective, need to also make his presence felt. Of course he need to work on real concrete and effective solutions but then he must also be visible and public.

Once he embraced the life of a public servant, specifically that of the highest rank in the land, he forego most of his privacy and lived his life in complete service to the people who placed him in office.

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Sidenote: The celebrity also has her share in the blame. As they say, think before you click. She should have thought out the implications of her tweet before sending it to cyberspace. However, the public would have been more forgiving and understanding of PNoy’s behavior if his behavior is one of active involvement instead of laid back action.