Kagandang Babae

Gising sa umaga, pasok sa trabaho, labas sa hapon, diretso bahay, kain, tulog. Aba’y ganyan nga, kayod ng kayod.

Browse ng internet.

Bukas ganun ulit? Ahahay!

Well, tonight, browse muna sa ganda ng Pinay 🙂

Candid shots of eye candies.

Repost: DSWD – DO NOT DELAY!

I am reposting this blog entry from Ella (http://www.ellaganda.com), a DSWD volunteer, about the ‘hoarding’ of relief goods inside the DSWD warehouse. Ang masasabi ko lang, donations naman ang mga goods na yan a.  At yung mga imported at mga laruan pa yung natira. Tagapamahagi lang sila kaya dapat ipamigay na nang ipamigay! Bahala na kayong humusga! Pasok!

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Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo?
(A special report from a volunteer)
Oct 21st, 2009 by ella

Dear friends,

I’m asking your help to spread the word. Tulungan po ninyo akong ikalat ito. Beyond this, we should also demand action. I disabled a plugin so you can copy the photos of relief goods rotting in DSWD warehouses. You can link this post to your blogs, facebook, websites etc. You can also email the photos.
Philippine News (US based Philippine newspaper) will use this as its front page story this week. Every Filipino has the right to know where the tons of donations from the UN and other counties go. Kahit po nakakahiya sa mga nag-donate. Kung sa ganitong paraan, matutulungan natin ang mga nasalanta, then by all means, let’s do it.
For those who have the time, please try to volunteer sa DSWD warehouses. Getting in was not easy. A friend had to put in a word for us. Let’s see kung madali nang makapasok sa DSWD warehouse ang mga volunteers.
Please read on and good luck to us.

Ella

(This post was last edited Oct 22, 12:30 pm)

Kahapon, tinanong ng Philippine News si DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral:

Editor of Philippine News: Why are the relief goods in DSWD warehouses not moving?
DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral: Wala kasing volunteers.

This short interview was done over the phone. Philippine News wanted to hear her side pero ayaw niyang makipag-usap sa press. After four tries, pinasabi na lang niya ang maikling sagot na ito sa secretary niya – “Walang volunteers”.
I don’t want to accuse her of corruption but at the very least she is showing signs of being totally incompetent. We are in a state of calamity where every second counts. May namamatay araw-araw dahil sa sakit.
In my opinion, these deaths could have been prevented if Secretary Cabral had tried a little harder to do her job.

DON’T FORGET TO CLICK HERE

Deaths from Philippine storms nears 1,000

“Tropical Storm Ketsana left 420 dead and 37 missing when it flooded 80 percent of Manila on September 26, a disaster the government said affected 4.35 million people.
Some areas are still flooded three weeks later and 189,000 people remain in evacuation centres,
Typhoon Parma hit the northern Philippines on October 3 and lingered as a tropical storm for a week, triggering landslides that killed 438 people and leaving 51 missing mostly in mountain communities.
The government agency said Parma affected 4.16 million people, including more than 32,000 who remain at evacuation centres.”

• • •

During the first week after the storm, lumabas ang “bayanihan spirit” ng mga Pinoy.
“Makatulong lang kahi’t konti,” katwiran nila.
Kung walang volunteers, ano ‘to, komiks?

From Stella Arnaldo’s blog:

“At the offices of many civic groups and private organizations, hundreds of people showed up to volunteer in packing relief goods.
At the Tulong Bayan center at the Expo Centro in Cubao, Most of the volunteers were adolescents as young as 10 years old, along with their kuya or ate in high school and college.
They came in huge numbers, many of them barkadas, classmates or siblings, dressed just in their tees and shorts, wearing their Havaianas. All were just enthusiastic to do their share!

Photos by Leah Navarro

Even grade school kids pitched in to help!

Youth volunteers repack detergents for distribution

Making beds from carton boxes

GMA asked world for donations

Our government begged the world for more donations. Sumagot ang buong mundo sa ating panawagan. In less than three weeks, dumaong ang mga barko, ibinaba mula sa mga cargo planes, i-diniliver ng mga trak at container vans ang sandamakmak na relief goods. Cash donations were in the millions of dollars.
But these donations must be coursed through DSWD.
Nagpalabas ng directive ang pangulo. Individuals, private companies and other nations were ENCOURAGED to send their donations to DSWD. I blogged about it here and the video of her announcement here.
This PGMA directive sounded suspicious to me then. Now I know why. Here’s the story.
A group of eight people, your ate Ella included, went to one of DSWD warehouses to help in repacking relief goods. We know they need volunteers pero hindi namin akalaing WALANG TAO TALAGA SA LOOB NG WAREHOUSE!
As in sa isang humongous warehouse (1000++ sq.m) NA PUNONG-PUNO NG RELIEF GOODS HANGGANG BUBONG, ISANG DSWD employee lang at ISANG SECURITY GUARD ang tao!!

Kailangang magpa-register at i-schedule ang volunteering

UNICEF Registration (as a volunteer)
The warehouse can only take as much as 50 volunteers at a time or per shift. Here you will find that there is a 4-hour shift, and an option for a 6-hour shift for the volunteers to indicate their availability.

What “volunteers”? Nasaan?
Aside from the 8 of us? Nope, there was nobody there. Bakit kailangan ang scheduling? Feeling hindi ba magkamayaw at nagu-unahan ang mga volunteers?
I know somebody who wanted to volunteer many times. She was always bumped off, laging nirere-schedule kasi “there were too many volunteers” daw. At tuwing Sunday lang daw puwede. What the hell is going on here?
Nakatambak ang donations ng UNICEF sa warehouse, local and international
Mga banig na dapat ay nahihigaan ng mga nasalanta. Mga imported camp beds na hindi na yata masisilayan ng mga biktima. Mga kumot na hindi naman nakabalot sa katawan nila. At mga pagkaing hindi sumasayad sa sikmura nila.
The relief goods are not going anywhere
We arrived at about 8 am and left by midafternoon and yes, you guessed it right. Kami pa rin ang tao bukod sa isang DSWD employee sa loob ng warehouse maghapon. Walang ibang dumating.
The relief goods are not moving. By the way things look, they are not going anywhere. Hindi maglalakad mag-isa ang mga donations na ito papunta sa mga evacuation centers.

LET THE PICTURES DO THE TALKING

Note: Pinagbawalan kaming kumuha ng pictures sa loob ng warehouse. I wonder why.

“Not a creature was moving, not even a mouse.”

Parang haunted warehouse ang dating. May multo na yata.

Kahit na daig pa ang tindahan sa Divisoria sa dami ng naka-stack na kaldero

At walang katapusang kaldero pa ulit

Kahit halos natakpan na ang mga bintana sa dami ng mga kahon

Kahit umabot na hanggang kisame ang stack ng mga kahon

(Close up ng Coleman camp beds sa previous photo) Hindi ito kasama sa ni-repack naming goods. Para sa mga “special victims” kaya ito? Ire-repack kaya ang mga “imported” camp pads na ito ever?

Sabagay, may BANIG naman para sa “ordinary victims”. Ito ang kasama sa inimpake namin. Sayang ‘yung imported.

Ano kaya ang laman nito? Hindi rin pinabuksan. Pang-special victim din kaya ito? (teka, dito nga pala galing ‘yung mga kumot)

Mahiwagang mga kahon from Japan Aid.

(close up ng mahiwagang kahon) Hindi rin ito kasali, of course. Hindi namin alam kung ano ang laman nito. “Imported” are not included, we have concluded.

Marami ito, mga laruang kasinlaki ng tao. Hindi nakunan ng pic kasi nasa tabi ng sikyo.

PORK AND BEANS? Yup, you’d think kasama ito sa relief bag. Pork and beans lang ‘to, puwede na sigurong ipamigay,

Naaah! “Imported” pork and beans from Spain po ito. Sorry, hindi pa rin included

Now let’s take a look at what a victim will get from DSWD

Look Ma, sampung lata ng sardinas! How generous! Kaldero ang unang ilalagay sa sako. Sabong panglaba (bar soap) at sampung sardinas sa ilalim. Siyam na sabon sa gilid ng kaldero. Local goods lahat syempre.

Tapos papatungan ng isang tuwalya at isang pack ng sanitary napkin.

Sisiksikan ng tatlong rolyo ng kumot(?) ang blue water jug tapos ipapatong sa kaldero sa loob ng sako.

Last but not the least, lalagyan ng dalawang banig.

Sabay tatahiin na ang sako. O di ba, parang asong tinapunan ng buto ang mga nasalanta? Eniwey, busog naman sila sa SAMPUNG lata ng Mega sardinas

YOU THINK?? WTF is the matter with these people? Mag-iisang buwan na mula nang masalanta ang mga kababayan natin. ISANG BUWAN!! Do you mean “do not delay ang dati nang delayed”?? Shet.

Anong ginagawa ng mga donations na ito sa warehouse?? APAT na warehouse ang nasa loob ng compound na ‘yon! APAT na warehouse na punong-puno ng inaalikabok na relief goods! Relief goods na ayaw yata ibigay sa mga nasalanta. Halatang-halata.

Marami pang pabubulukin

Wow! May bagong shipment na naman! At the rate DSWD is moving, next year na madi-discover kung ano ang laman ng mga kahong ito.

“The first of two of the largest high-energy food shipments from the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) arrived in the country two days ago for victims of storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng.”
The biscuits were fortified with essential vitamins and minerals for supplementary feeding to children, pregnant women and the elderly in evacuation camps. Another 100 tons of biscuits will arrive on Oct. 24, in a continuing effort to provide food assistance to flood victims.
Sige, ideretso ‘nyo ulit ‘yan sa DSWD warehouse. Para AMAG naman ang abutin ng biskwit… at sapot ng gagamba.

Conclusion

Sa maghapon namin sa warehouse,nakagawa kami ng 150 sacks of relief goods. 150 bags of relief goods lang ang lumabas sa warehouse na ‘yon that day. At nandoon pa rin sa loob ang mga imported relief goods, safe, sound and packed as the day they arrived.
Nakisakay kami palabas sa isang DSWD delivery van. Gusto sana kaming ihatid ng driver hanggang Makati pero wala raw siyang sobrang gasolina. Ibinaba na lang niya kami sa gitna ng EDSA. Millions of dollars in donations, walang extrang pang-gasolina.
Susulpot din siguro ang laman ng mga mahiwagang kahon at mapapasakamay din ng mga tao…sa ARAW NG ELEKSYON. O mabibili na nila ang mga imported goods na ‘yon sa mga puwesto sa Quiapo at Divisoria.

Suggestions lang po sa DSWD:

• Alam ‘nyo palang walang mag-volunteer sa inyo, bakit hindi kayo mag-hire ng mga tao? Bayaran ‘nyo ng arawan para mag-repack. Ang daming walang trabaho, makakatulong pa kayo. Hindi naman malaking kabawasan ‘yon sa bilyong pisong donasyon na natanggap ninyo.

• Isa pa, gaano ba karami ang mga sundalo natin? Hindi ba puwedeng ipagawa sa kanila ‘yan? Baka isang araw lang, tapos na ang problema ‘nyo

• Bakit hindi ‘nyo ibigay ang trabaho sa mga NGO, churches, private charities, TV stations? I’m sure they are more than willing to help. Time is of the essence. Huwag kayong suwapang. Obvious ba, hindi ‘nyo naman kaya.

Kung talagang gugustuhin ninyong makarating agad sa mga kawawang biktima ang mga donasyong ‘yon, nagawa ‘nyo na ‘yan. Maraming paraan…kung talagang gusto ‘nyo lang.
You are the government. You have the power, the resources and the money. You just have to really care.

StarCraft 2 Battle Report 4: Gang, Psi Storms and Nukes

This is the latest report featuring one on one battle between Protoss (Yeon-Ho Lee) and Terran (David Kim) (mas magagaling nga ba ang mga Koreans?). It shows the classic massive land units battle and value of research to advance in the game.

Part 1:

Kumpara sa original StarCraft, mas mabilis na ang spell casts and a small group of units can really decide the outcome of the battle at syempre, pamatay ang graphics. Based from all the released battle reports, mukha namang ballanced ang tatlong races so far. Ang tanong: Kelan ga ito mare-release??

Link for part 2/2 here.

StarCraft 2 FAQs here. System requirements not available yet.

Smartmatic: Auto-dagdag-bawas sa 2010 elections?

Automation n. The automatic operation or control of equipment, a process, or a system.

Automated elections. P7.2 billion tax payers’ money po ang inilaan para dito, nang sa gayon ay mapadali, mapabilis, mapawalang-daya ang ating eleksyon sa taong 2010. Pero bago tayo maging excited sa bagong proseso,  tingnan muna natin ng pahapyaw ang record ng provider, ang Smartmatic International and Total Information Management (TIM), base sa mismong istorya ng isang taga-Venezuela – ang bansang pinagmulan nito. Pangit di ba? Eh yung ‘bribery’ kay Ms Ellen Tordesillas?

Game: Facebook Mafia Wars

Taas ang kamay ng mabait! Oows? Siyanga? Ok, sige ,mas lamang kang mabait kaysa baratingas. Pero kung mabibigyan ka ng pagkakataon na maging Boss Godfather ala Vito Corleone, or kung local version, as Pinoy Mafia Amo Paquito Diaz, gagawin mo ga? Aminin… sa loob-loob mo, gusto mo ano? Gusto mong subukan paano nga maging boss ng sindikato, magkamal ng ari-arian at pera, tirahin ang mga kaaway mo, lumuhod sa iyo ang maraming tao, at ituring kang papo. Asa ka pa hehe. Virtually, pwede. Punta ka sa Facebook, open ka ng account. Add mo yung Mafia Wars application, at simulan mo nang maglaro. Doon pwede kang maghari-harian. Paunawa lang, addictive ang game na ito. Be ‘resourceful’ na lang kung ayaw mong mapuyat at ma-hook!

Streema – Social Radio Tuner – Internet Radio

Ikaw ba’y nalolongkot? Nababato? Naririnde na sa radio station na pinakikinggan mo araw-araw? Ikaw ba’y isang OFW na namimiss na ang Tagalog, Bisaya, or Ilokano mong DJ? Ay eto na ang sagot sa all of the above: STREEMA Social Radio Tuner, Internet Radio. Kung PC user ka, kelangan mo ng updated na windows media player. Kung Mac naman ang PC mo (ano ga yun), Real Player lang. Mapapakinggan mo na halos lahat ng radio stations worldwide. Searcheable din kung anong genre (hauy hindi ‘jenre’, kundi ‘zhahn-ruh’, duh!). Of course, pede mo ibookmark ang mga stations once you’ve created an account. Yun nga lang, kung ang internet connection mo ay napakabagal, or nag-subscribe ka under limited data package, yari ka.

Urban (rural) Legend of One Heroic Sekyu

I’m trying to do some research about my hometown, San Luis Batangas, and I stumbled into this Philippine jurisprudence entry from The LawPhil Project database, about a robbery case from the only bank I know that exists in our town – Rural Bank of San Luis (I used to ride a bicycle when I deposit cash when I was 11). Eto pala ang kinukwento sa akin ng aking Lola Conching, meron isang matapang na sekyu na bumanat sa isang jeep ng holdapers. Mantakin mong isang sekyu lang vs pitong holdaper! Naalala ko tuloy si Lito Lapid … The security guard’s name is Julian Agojo. I imagine ala Max Payne with car chase pa ang kwento. Read the full entry HERE.

Lumang Topic: Pinoy Religion and Government

Kung natatandaan nyo pa, ang madalas na topic sa history classes natin magmula pa elementary hanggang college ay ang pagkakaugnay ng simbahan at pamahalaan. Isipin natin sa panahon ngayon kung ano ang posisyon ng dalawang sangay ng lipunan – ang pamahalaan (administrasyon) at simbahan (naging oposisyon). Mi napapala pa ba ang Pilipino mula sa kanila?

Sirkus ang araw-araw na balitang napapanood at nababasa natin sa media. Ang kinagisnan na ng kabataan ay mga isyu ng corruption, uncontrolled damages dahi sa kalamidad, mga krimen dahil sa kahirapan, malisyosong mga balita at iskandalo, mga bagay na ikinasanay na nating  lahat. Wala nang bago kapag gising mo kinabukasan.

Wala na bang moralidad sa pamahalaan? Ang aral ba ng simbahan ay balewala na lamang? Baka dito nga lang sa ating bansa! Ipaghalimbawa natin ang isang bansang Muslim, ang Malaysia. Sa bansang ito, ang simbahan at pamahalaan ay halos iisa. Ang mga aral ng Koran ay napapaloob at ipinapatupad sa pamamagitan ng batas, at mahigpit itong binabantayan. Bakit walang sirkus? Wala halos balita ng korupsyon sa mga pahayagan. Kung may mababasa ka mang pulitiko, ay yaong makukulong dahil nagnakaw sa kanilang pamahalaan. Wala ring baha, sabihin mang hindi gaanong dumadaan ang bagyo, dahil malinis at malawak ang kanilang lansangan at kanal. Walang ring away trapiko at malagim na aksidente dahil walang nagmamaneho ng lasing.. dahil bawal! Bawal ang uminom. Bawal ang hindi sumunod sa kanilang bibliya. Nagsisigawan ang mga mambabatas para ipaglaban ang tama. Hindi sila nagsisigawan para mag-iskandalo at maglabas ng baho ng kapwa senador. Nagdadamit sila ng tama. Ang damit ng kanilang mga ninuno. Makakakita ka pa ba ng nagbabaro’t saya at barong sa mall? Mahal din nila ang mga puno at kalikasan. Ang gawang tao na gusali ang nakikibagay sa kapaligiran. Hindi nakatuon ang atensyon sa mga siyudad kung saan pinagpupugaran ng mga iskwater at dumi ng lipunan. Karangalan para sa mga Malay ang makapagtrabaho sa pamahalaan. Hindi upang kumita at umasa sa pagnanakaw ng kaban na dapat sana’y nakalaan sa pagpapaunlad ng pamayanan. Pareho lang naman tayong third world, pero bakit mas bulag ang mga tao, mas bingi, mas pilay.

Wag nating sayangin ang nakapanghihinayang mawala, bago mahuli ang lahat, bago maubos ang ating pagka Pilipino.

How can you blame him?

Masisi mo ba si BF?

You can blame him on Ondoy's wrath...

Isang artikulo mula sa isang si…

 

Isang artikulo mula sa isang simple, pero mulat na mamamayan. Gising na Pinoy!

To: All Filipinos Everywhere – A Must Read

Your opinion is important! Your stand is important! Your actions are important!

____________ _________ _________ __

Remember, KUNG HINDI TAYO KIKILOS, SINO BA ANG HINIHINTAY NATIN NA KIKILOS PARA SA ATIN, KUNG HINDI NGAYON, KAILAN PA KAYA, KUNG HULI NA ANG LAHAT?
Dear Friends and Relatives,

Here’s a wonderful letter to all the Filipinos written by a brave woman. She wants to do her bit in these trying times of our nation.

Please pass to as many persons if you think her article is worth reproducing via email.

God bless

Fr Francis Gustilo, SDB

– – – – –

To all Filipinos Everywhere:

I used to think that corruption and criminality in the Philippines were caused by poverty. But recent events tell me this isn’t true. It is one thing to see people turn into drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves and murderers because of hunger and poverty, but what excuse do these rich, educated people have that could possibly explain their bizarre behavior? And to think I was always so relieved when petty snatchers got caught and locked away in jail because I never fully realized that the big time thieves were out there, making the laws and running our country. Can it get any worse than this?

Every night, I come home and am compelled to turn on my tv to watch the latest turn of events. I am mesmerized by these characters. They are not men. They are caricatures of men – too unreal to be believable and too bad to be real. To see these “honorable” crooks lambast each other, call each one names, look each other in the eye and accuse the other of committing the very same crimes that they themselves are guilty of, is so comical and appalling that I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. It is entertainment at its worst!

I have never seen so many criminals roaming around unfettered and looking smug until now. These criminals wear suits and barongs, strut around with the confidence of the rich and famous, inspire fear and awe from the very citizens who voted them to power, bear titles like “Honorable”, “Senator”, “Justice”, “General” and worse, “President”. Ironically, these lawless individuals practice law, make our laws, enforce the law. And we wonder why our policemen act the way they do! These are their leaders, and the leaders of this nation – Robin Hoodlum and his band of moneymen. Their motto? “Rob the poor, moderate the greed of the rich.”

It makes me wonder where on earth these people came from, and what kind of upbringing they had to make them act the way they do for all the world to see. It makes me wonder what kind of schools they went to, what kind of teachers they had, what kind of environment would produce such creatures who can lie, cheat and steal from an already indebted country and from the impoverished people they had vowed to serve. It makes me wonder what their children and grandchildren think of them, and if they are breeding a whole new generation of improved Filipino crooks and liars with maybe a tad more style but equally negligible conscience. Heaven forbid!

I am an ordinary citizen and taxpayer. I am blessed to have a job that pays for my needs and those of my family’s, even though 30% of my earnings go to the nation’s coffers. Just like others in my lot, I have complained time and again because our government could not provide enough of the basic services that I expect and deserve. Rutty roads, poor educational system, poor social services, poor health services, poor everything. But I have always thought that was what all third world countries were all about, and my complaints never amounted to anything more.

And then this. Scandalous government deals. Plundering presidents pointing fingers. Senators associated with crooks. Congressmen who accept bribes. Big time lawyers on the side of injustice. De Venecia ratting on his boss only after his interminable term has ended, Enrile inquiring about someone’s morality! The already filthy rich Abalos and Arroyo wanting more money than they or their great grandchildren could ever spend in a lifetime. Joker making a joke of his own “pag bad ka, lagot ka!” slogan. Defensor rendered defenseless. Gen. Razon involved in kidnapping. Security men providing anything but a sense of security. And it’s all about money, money, money that the average Juan de la Cruz could not even imagine in his dreams. Is it any wonder why our few remaining decent and hardworking citizens are leaving to go work in other countries?

And worst of all, we are once again saddled with a power-hungry president whose addiction has her clinging on to it like barnacle on a rusty ship. “Love (of power) is blind” takes a whole new meaning when PGMA time and again turns a blind eye on her husband’s financial deals. And still blinded with all that is happening, she opts to traipse around the world with her cohorts in tow while her country is in shambles.

They say the few stupid ones like me who remain in the Philippines are no longer capable of showing disgust. I don’t agree. Many like me feel anger at the brazenness of men we call our leaders, embarrassment to share the same nationality with them, frustration for our nation and helplessness at my own ineffectuality. It is not that I won’t make a stand. It is just that I am afraid my actions would only be futile. After all, these monsters are capable of anything. They can hurt me and my family. They already have, though I may not yet feel it.

But I am writing this because I need to do something concrete. I need to let others know that ordinary citizens like me do not remain lukewarm to issues that would later affect me and my children. I want to make it known that there are also Filipinos who dream of something better for the Philippines. I want them to know that my country is not filled with scalawags and crooks in every corner, and that there are citizens left who believe in decency, fairness, a right to speak, a right to voice out ideas, a right to tell the people we have trusted to lead us that they have abused their power and that it is time for them to step down. I refuse to let this country go to hell because it is the only country I call mine and it is my responsibility to make sure I have done what I could forit.

Those of us who do not have the wealth, power or position it needs to battle the evil crime lords in the government can summon the power of good. We can pray. We can do this with our families every night. We can offer petitions every time we celebrate mass. We can ask others to pray, too, including relatives and friends here and overseas. And we can offer sacrifices along with our petitions, just so we get the message to Him of our desperation in ridding our nation of these vermin. After all, they cannot be more powerful than God!

I implore mothers out there to raise your children the best way you can. Do not smother, pamper, or lavish them with too much of the material comforts of life even if you can well afford them. Teach them that there are more important things in this world. I beg all fathers to spend time with their children, to teach them the virtues of hard work, honesty, fair play, sharing, dignity and compassion – right from the sandbox till they are old enough to go on their own. Not just in your homes, but at work, in school, everywhere you go. Be good role models. Be shining examples for your children so they will learn to be responsible adults who will carry and pass on your family name with pride and honor.

I call on educators and teachers – we always underestimate the power of your influence on the minds of our youth. Encourage them to be aware of what is happening in their surroundings. Instill in them a love of their country, inculcate in them the value of perseverance in order to gain real, worthwhile knowledge, help us mold our children into honorable men and women. Encourage our graduates, our best and brightest, to do what they can to lift this country from the mire our traditional politicians have sunk us into. The youth is our future – and it would be largely because of you, our educators, that we will be able to repopulate the seats of power with good leaders, presidents, senators, congressmen, justices, lawmakers, law enforcers and lawful citizens.

I ask all students, young people and young professionals everywhere to look around and get involved in what is happening. Do not let your youth be an excuse for failure to concern yourselves with the harsh realities you see. But neither let this make you cynical, because we need your idealism and fresh perspective just as you need the wisdom of your elders. YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU! Let your voices be heard. Do what you can for this land that gave you your ancestors and your heritage. Use technology and all available resources at hand to spread good. Text meaningful messages to awaken social conscience. Try your best to fight moral decay because I promise you will not regret it when you become parents yourselves. You will look back at your past misdeeds and pray that your children will do better than you did.

Remember that there are a few handful who are capable of running this country. You can join their ranks and make their numbers greater. We are tired of the old trapos. We need brave idealistic leaders who will think of the greater good before anything else. Do your utmost to excel in your chosen field. Be good lawyers, civil servants, accountants, computer techs, engineers, doctors, military men so that when you are called to serve in government, you will have credibility and a record that can speak for itself.

For love of this country, for the future of our children, for the many who have sacrificed and died to uphold our rights and ideals, I urge you to do what you can. As ordinary citizens, we can do much more for the Philippines than sit around and let crooks lead us to perdition. We owe ourselves this. And we owe our country even more.

Remedios C. Paningbatan
Administrative Officer
Office of the General Counsel
Asian Development Bank
Tel (632) 632-4248
www.adb.org