Kaibigan ka nga bang tunay?

Sa mundong ating kinatatayuan marami tayong tanong sa ating buhay lalo na pagdating sa ating mga kaibigan. Mga tanong na bumabagabag sa atin. Kung siya ba ay tunay na kaibigan. Kung siya ba ay mapagkakatiwalaan. Kung sasamahan ka ba niya sa iyong pagtawa at pagluha. Kung mahalaga ba sa kanya ang inyong pagkakaibigan. Kung nariyan siya para umintindi sa iyong mga problema. Kung hindi ka niya sisiraan sa mga nangyayari sa paligid mo. Kung bakit siya pa ang kailangan maghila sa iyo pababa. At ang pinakahuli ay kung bakit siya pa ang kailangan magsira sa inyong namuong relasyon.

Sa aking pagtapak sa kolehiyo, marami akong kailangang iayos o kung sa ingles nga ay “adjustments” lalo na pagdating sa pakikipagkaibigan. Pagkatapos ng sekondarya ang mga magkakaibigan ay naghihiwalay para piliin ang pinakamainam na kolehiyong papasukan. Kaya sa buhay ko sa kolehiyo, isa sa mga pinakaimportanteng bagay ay ang paghanap ng bagong mga kaibigan. Mga kaibigan na tutulong sa akin sa hirap man o ginhawa ika nga. Mga kaibigan na sasabay sa iyo sa pagmartsa sa graduation. Mga kaibigan na sasaluhan ka sa iyong mga tagumpay. Mga kaibigan na susuportahan ka sa bawat desisyon na iyong gagawin. Mga kaibigan na hindi ka pagtatawanan ano pa man ang mangyari. Mga kaibigan na hindi nagsasabi ng mga bagay pag ika’y nakatalikod o sa ingles nga ay “backstabbers”. Mga kaibigan na hindi ka kailanman ibabagsak. Marahil sa panahon ngayon mahirap ng makahanap ng mga kaibigan na talagang pinapahalagahan ang inyong relasyon dahil unti- unti ng naglalaho ang mga totoong taon dito sa mundo.

Saan nga ba nagsisimula ang pagkakaibigan? Hindi ba’t sa pagpapakilala kung saan nabubuo na ang magagandang samahan? Mga tawanan na araw-araw laging nakadikit sa atin. Mga birong laging naririnig bawat oras. Mga pagtutulungan mapa quiz man o takdang –aralin at isama mo pa ang exam. Mga kalokohan na tayong magkakaibigan lamang ang nakaka-alam at ating itinatago sa ating mga magulang. Mga sikretong labis nating pinakatatago. Mga kakulitan na kung saan ito’y humahantong sa pagkagalit ng ating magulang, guro at iba pang tao sa paligid, pero sa kabila ng lahat, nariyan pa rin sila para tawanan ka ulit at samahan ano pa man ang mangyari, kaya nga may kasabihan na “all for one, one for all”. Kaya naman ang isang salitang nakadikit sa mga karanasan na iyan ay TIWALA, simpleng salita ngunit makabuluhan naman ang ibig sabihin.

Sa paglipas ng buwan ang ating karanasan sa kolehiyo ay pahirap ng pahirap. Pero sa gitna ng lahat, nariyan pa rin ang ating mga kaagapay. Mas lumalalim ang samahan natin at mas nakikilala pa ang bawat isa. Mas tumitibay ang mga samahan sa gitna ng pagpapakahirap sa aming kurso. Hinding hindi ka iiwan sa gitna ng problema at nariyan pa sila para ikaw ay tulungan. Sasamahan ka sa iyong mga pangangailangan dahil palagi silang nariyan para umakay sa iyo. Nariyan din sila para tulungan ka sa mga liksyon na hindi mo naintindihan sa inyong pinakamahirap na asignatura. Pero hindi sa lahat ng bagay ay nariyan sila para tumulong sa iyo, kailangan ka rin nila pag sila naman ang nangangailangan. Hindi sila palaging nasa tabi mo dahil may mga pagkakataon din na kailangan nila kumatok sa iyong pintuan at humingi ng tulong. Kailangan mo suklian kahit sa pinakasimpleng bagay lamang dahil sila ay mahalaga sa iyo at ganoon rin, ikaw ay mahalaga sa kanila.

Pero sa paglalim ng pagsasamahan, nakikita rin natin ang tunay na kulay ng isang tao. Lumalabas ang tunay na mga ugali na naitago sa loob ng ilang buwan at dito na nagsisimula ang pagtatampuhan. Dito ko maihahambing ang katagang “walang sikretong di naibubunyag” dahil ang totoong kulay ng isang tao ay lumilitaw din sa pagdaan ng panahon na sila ay iyong kasama o kapiling. Sa paglipas ng panahon, hindi pa naman natin masasabing “sayang” dahil hindi pa naman ito ang katapusan ng isang namuong pagkakaibigan ng dahil lamang sa isang naibunyag na totoong kulay ng isang tao. Kaya pa rin natin ito tanggapin dahil siya nga iyon at ang tanging magagawa natin ay baguhin kung anu man ang di natin gusto. Wala naman tayong karapatan para pilitin siyang magbago kung ayaw niya talaga dahil iyon na ang kanyang pagkatao.

Pero ano pa nga ba ang magagawa natin kung ayaw niya na talaga magbago dahil hindi naman natin siya kontrolado. Pero ang mahirap sa ganyang karanasan ay kung diyan magsisimula ang pagkawasak ng pagkakaibigan. Hindi naman ito simpleng bagay kung tutuusin dahil isa itong malaking rason para ang iniingat ingatang pagkakaibigan ay masira. Siguro nga hindi natin kayang tanggapin kung sino talaga siya pero kailangan parin natin isipin na dapat hindi ito masira. Kaya kahit sa pinakamaliit na bagay ay maisasalba ito. Ngunit sa maraming pagkakataon kahit anong pilit mong pagsalba, ang kagustuhan ng Diyos ang dapat masunod, mayroon siyang rason kung bakit hindi puwedeng magtagal ang pagkakaibigan dahil mayroon pa siyang mas magandang plano para sa iyo at para sa iyong mga kasama.

Bakit nga ba nagiging dahilan ng pagkakasira ng pagkakaibigan ang isang tagong ugali? Una sa lahat kaya ang isang tao ay kinaaayawan ng kanyang mga kaibigan ay dahil sa hindi nila gusto o kaya ay hindi nila makasundo ang nakasanayang ugali ng isang tao. Mahirap na ibalik ang dating saya ng magkakaibigan lalo na kung sa huli ay balewala lang ang mga nangyari. Ang mga kaibigan na pilit umiintindi sa isa pang kaibigan ay nawawalan rin ng pasensiya dahil sila ang pilit na nag-aayos ng relasyon. Masasabi nating pwedeng maging manhid ang isang tao dahil hindi niya alam kung ano na ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng kanyang kaibigan para malaman niya o kaya ay makaramdam siya sa mga hindi kanais nais na nangyayari. Marami pang halimbawa ang pwedeng sagot sa tanong na ito, ang isa pa ay ang pagsasabi ng mga masasamang bagay pag ika’y nakatalikod, pag nakaharap ay masayang masaya kayo pero may halong “plastikan”. Tinatawanan ka ng isang tao , ng isang “kaibigan” kahit sa PINAKAsimpleng bagay na mayroon ka, gawin nalang nating halimbawa ang payong. Halimbawa, ano ba ang mayroon sa payong bakit ikaw ay pinagtatawanan nila, marahil, masasabi natin na ang “teen” ay dapat hindi “KJ”, na dapat sumabay ka sa takbo ng mga hindi nagiging kahiya-hiya. E ano ba naman ang kahiya-hiya sa isang payong, kung ayaw mo lang naman umitim o kaya ayaw mo mabasa, dapat ba ikaw ay tawanan ?. Simpleng bagay hindi ba? Pero ginagawang napakalaking isyu. Hindi ka naman naghahanap ng away pero sila ang nagsisimula. Ayaw mo naman sirain ang namuong relasyon pero nariyan sila para gumawa nito. Dito mo na maitatanong kung sila ba ay kaibigan mong tunay?

Kaya sa mga ganitong pangyayari ang maaari mong gawin ay maghanap ulit ng bagong kaibigan. Pero sa maraming kadahilanan, maaaring hindi mo parin ito makakamit dahil nariyan parin ang iyong “dating” kaibigan na pumipigil sa iyo para humanap ng bagong kakaibiganin. Pilit sinisiraan, pilit pinaglalayo, at pilit pinagbabawalan. Ikaw na pilit lumalayo para hindi na lumala ang sitwasyon ay nagiging dahilan pa para ikaw ay lumabas na masama. Sila na nga itong nagsira sa inyong pagkakaibigan, sila pa ang may balak na maghiganti. Sa pag-aaway na ito, magkampihan na ang magkampihan, lumayo na ang dapat lumayo. Masasabi mong sinusubok nito ang tatag ng pagkakaibigan, pero iyon ay depende rin sa sitwasyon. Sa aking halimbawa, iba na ang usapan pag sinabi mong ito’y sinusubok lamang.

Marami pang mga kadahilanan kung bakit nasisira ang pagkakaibigan. Mapasimpleng bagay man ito o napakalaking dahilan, dapat huwag parin tayo mawalan ng pag-asa na maayos ito at huwag agad agad magsasara ng pinto para sa pakikipag-ayos. Hindi naman natin a mahuhusgahan ang isang tao kung siya ba ay tunay at totoong kaibigan o hindi, dahil kailangan muna natin ito kilalanin ng mabuti. Maaaring isang araw nawalan ka ng isang kaibigan pero darating din ang panahon na makakahanap ka din ng tunay na kaibigan. Huwag muna natin husgahan ang darating na bagong kaibigan dahil hindi dapat natin gawing basehan ang mga nagdaang pangyayari. Gaya nga ng sinabi ko, may plano ang Diyos, at nariyan siya palagi para ikaw ay gabayan. At isang araw bigla nalang iyan darating at matatanong mo sa iyong sarili kung siya ba ay isang kaibigang tunay?

MUTIT

CARPE DIEM

By: Monique Chan

Carpe Diem. A common Latin saying which can be traced to a poem which was written by Horace. Two words which may change the course of a person’s life. In our world today, human beings are all living in a rat race. We may all forget to apply carpe diem. Do you?

Living life day by day, surpassing each problem with a smile and each success with another added memory. Growing, changing, moving, and excelling, these are what we want to happen in our lives. We all want to grow- grow in the positive light. While growing up, we are all taught our manners- to say po, opo and making mano to the elders and so many more, along with our values and our being brought up to be a well-rounded person and to be the best that we all can be. Is there anything missing?

The youth, the individuals that are moulding the future. The heads that will soon carry the prestige, the ideas and the name of our country and with some already doing so today. The people that will in the very near future raise our flag up, high and proud. The youth with their developing minds and their interests in many various fields may it be in the field of arts or in the field of science, they are sure to make their mark and make their presence felt. The people with many ideas and publications that are sure to stand out. Are your ideas such?

With the youth moulding the future and moving towards a better future along with their dreams, aspirations, and goals, one must always remember to mix business with pleasure. As two words in Latin that when translated would mean “enjoy, make use, or grasp the day”.

Sitting in your rocking chair and reminiscing the past-all you remember are black and white photographs and monotone music. That is not what should be the case. Everybody is creative and fun, exhilarating and exciting, these would be more than enough to be put in the legacies that our generation would leave. The pages of you life should be well written, this should be splashed with every color of paint imaginable and with every musical instrument played. There is no better moment than today!

Stand. Imagine. Breath life for every moment is precious.

Stand. Shout. Make a name for yourself!

Stand. Smile. Continue writing the book of you life.

Stand. Be proud. Be Filipino. Be yourself!

Kismet

It begins with nothing. You’ll never know when will it come and go. Unfortunately, you can’t predict what is yet to happen. You only want the truth but you cannot have it. I too had been a part of those mysterious days, and, until now, still can’t I find answers.

How would I know if he feels the same when all he does is stare at me? The moment I laid eyes on him was not the very moment I felt it. I knew that I was going to fall, and I tried to prevent it, but I failed. I admit that he is not an eye-catcher. And I hate what he does. I judged him based on what he was trying to show and I felt guilty about it. Yes, he is good. And his mind, I think, is close to being perfect. I never reached his level of intelligence and every time I talked to him, I felt small—smaller than what you could ever imagine. We don’t talk too much and we often argue about the most stupid things in our daily school life. It feels crazy seeing him whenever I walk inside the room. And his personality, specially being a show-off, irritates me a lot. He even calls me stupid, and I just let him—because at times I really am stupid. A day without an argument with him seemed not to be enough.

I never wanted to ask him any sort of question, because I do not want any answer from him. Until the day I felt something strange. I felt like I wanted to ask him millions of questions, but this time, I was afraid of what the answer could be. I didn’t know how it all started. I just woke up and felt like going to school at the earliest possible time. I saw him arrive and I just ignored. He walks towards me and asks stupid school questions. I answer, and then he leaves. That was the everyday scenario. Days went by and I noticed that I was getting close to him. I tried to avoid him but he keeps on bugging me—like he was missing having arguments with me. The moment I decided to avoid him was the very moment I decided not to. By then, I was confused where to stand. He always tries to pretend and act natural around me. But I knew what he was trying to hide—I hope. I would often ask my friends how they got along easily with him. I got curious on who he really is and how he makes other people like him. But when I reached that point, I wasn’t sure if really wanted to pursue it. Days would start and end fast that I didn’t even notice that those loud and unstoppable arguments turned out to be the sweetest and most remarkable moments of all. It was like a dream—the most meaningful and beautiful dream I ever had. If only I could stop this precious time whenever I talk to him, then I would. I often catch his eyes looking at me; obviously, I was looking at him too. He brightens up my day with a simple smile. And I wonder if that smile is for happiness or hidden emotions, too. I seek for answers in his daily acts. I got some, but I was not sure which of them are true. I even became his savior whenever he fails to do his homework. Well, with his level of intelligence, he also served as my tutor in times of confusion. We had a give and take process. We even bet on who gets the higher score. That way, he became an inspiration. We had chances of talking but it was plain and pure school work. I wouldn’t even bother ask him a personal question because I was afraid that he would take things a little too fast and conclude easily. Every day was a new day and a new challenge for me. I didn’t even know how to face him. I breathe too fast—faster than every pump of blood in my heart—whenever I talk to him. He shows a little sign of interest for he talks to me whenever I wouldn’t. The reaction on his face was somewhat strange whenever other people tease him on me. I don’t know if he is numb or if he struggles just to pretend to be one. He questions the way I dress and I can’t figure out what his purpose was. I get conscious and shy whenever he does that. I try my very best to hide the feeling but I just can’t explain why this smile is automatically placed on my face whenever he plays jokes on me. I got even closer to him and that’s the time when I saw his other side. It was his nature being a show-off, and I accepted that in the shortest time. We talked about everything and anything under the sun without being aware on what is happening around us. It was so ironic. Every moment was the happiest, yet, the loneliest. My feelings were in danger and I can’t prevent my heart from falling—deeper. The feeling was a daze and I couldn’t catch up. I often catch myself lost in illusions. What if he would confess? What if he knew about my feelings? What if he cared? Or maybe, What if he loves me too? Question would always remain as questions and I badly need downright answers.

I avoided him for I thought it was for the best. It confused me even more when he avoids me back. Was it a sign that he was afraid to admit that he was falling too, or just because he was irritated on me being around him? I never asked him these questions, because I never had the courage and I was afraid of being rejected. Besides, I am a lady and I can’t violate norms. Yes, it might be stupid but that’s the only thing I could do. And I guess that that is the saddest part of being a girl. I couldn’t even express myself, because every time I am around him, I just feel like dying in my most alive consciousness. I was far from being perfect and I was afraid not to meet his expectations. It made me feel small and weak. It cuts me deeply whenever I hide what I feel and prevent myself from saying words I always wanted to say. This time, I look away when he looks at me, and he would do the same every time I would. We ignored each other’s presence and I didn’t know what to feel and how to react about it. It was hard—harder than what I thought. Seeing him and being with him in the same room for the whole day made things more complicated. The world was too small for us to grow. It became harder and harder everyday and every time I look at him. It was like oblivion, and it made me feel so alone. The hardest decision I made turned out to be the biggest mistake I ever did. I regret avoiding him and I could not stand a day without him. I look for him when he is not around. But the saddest part is he got used to living independently. Like my absence was something he wouldn’t notice. And if I had the power to turn back time, I wouldn’t bring it back to the moment I met him, but rather, I would choose the time when I had to let him go. Because that time was the moment I let him take a part of me. I impart a small piece of myself to constantly remind him that I was once present in his life.

I tried putting things back to where they used to be. And it was not as easy as it seems. It was harder than avoiding him. I would even act stupid around other people just to catch his attention. He plays hard to get. And as always, he hides what he feels. Even his smiles were hiding just to pretend that he did not hear the jokes I cracked. Eventually, I got his attention again. And just like the old times, we tried to pretend that nothing has changed. He remained to be a show-off and my only choice was to accept his flaws again. We were happy but still the questions remained unanswered. I think I just have to go with the flow and seek for answers little by little, hoping that it would not be too late when I found them out. Our so called friendship was the most mysterious friendship I ever knew. It was not honest in any sort. It was full of pretentions. We remain friends until this very moment and I still seek for answers. I just need to work things out and think about it more critically. Our story is yet to unfold and I am still hoping for the best. All I want is his honesty. I may be hurt in what he would say, but at least I knew how he feels. By then, I would know how to make him stay or let him go.

I just can’t keep myself from asking questions. I just wonder why people had to leave. Why do they have to arrive if they wouldn’t stay at all? Maybe, they would teach us and make us discover unrevealed and beautiful sides of life. I just have to be honest and the best results are fast approaching. Maybe, I meet new people for valid reasons and each of them plays a special role in my life. Maybe, they all have their purposes and I am the only one responsible in knowing what those purposes are.

Then maybe it was kismet. It was destiny when I met him, and falling for him was my choice. I blame myself for feeling this kind of feeling. I never intended to. And maybe, it remains as a choice—living my everyday life this way. And maybe, just maybe, kismet would keep us together.

jDm

Ikaw EDUKASYON ang siyang LUNAS!!

Ibig bang sabihin kung wala ka ng pera, huwag ka ng mag-ambisyong makapag-aral, ayon sa kasabihan ng CHED na “Quality Education is Expensive.” Sa totoo lang maraming nilalang ang makasarilli. Kahit na gayon ang kalikasan ng ating mundo, ang mga tao, salungat sa natira sa kalikasan, ay hindi pinagkalooban ng panloob na pag-uugaling programa, at sa gayon tayo ang nangangailangan nito. Mapalad ang mga nilalang na nabibigyan ng pagkakataong makatung-tong sa paaralan upang ranasin kung ano ang edukasyon. Pero ano nga ba itong tinatawag na edukasyon? Ito ba ang pagpasok sa paaralan kahit wala kang natutunan? Ito ba ang pagbabayad ng walang hanggang pagtaas ng matrikula. Ito ba ang kopyahan sa loob ng silid aralan o ano? May naitutulong ba ito sa ating kapaligiran at may malaking papel kaya ito sa paghubog ng ating lipunan?

Ang edukasyon ang tanging kayamanan na natutuhan at makakamit ng isang tao na hinding-hindi mananakaw ng sino man. Ito ay kinabibilangan ng pagtuturo at pag-aaral ng isang kasanayan., ang pagbabahagi ng kaalaman, mabuting pag-husga at karunungan. Pero paano makakamit ng ating bansa ang magandang edukasyon kung hindi naman maayos ang sistema nito. Malaking ibendinsya na lamang ng mga ito ay maraming paaralan sa bansa ang kulang-kulang sa gamit, nagkukulang sa mga upuan at mga mesa, may mga paaralan na kulang-kulang din sa mga guro at ang iba estudyante na lang nagtuturo bilang pamalit sa mga kulang na guro. Ang uliran na panumbasan ng guro sa mag-aaral ay 1:25 ngunit sa mataas na paaralan ng kalayaan sa Pilipinas ay 1:100 o higit pa ang tinituruan. Ang edukasyon ang pangunahing problema ng sangkatauhan pero ito naman ang tunay na sulosyon sa pagkalugmok natin sa sa kahirapan. Kung bibigyan lang natin ng wastong tuon ang edukasyon at patuturo ang kahit isang henerasyon, matiyak na ang darating na henerasyon ay mapalaking maayos at mamuhay sa sukdulan. Ito ay dahil sa bawa’t pansing ating binibigay sa wastong edukasyon ay maari at magkaroon ng sapat na paunlarin ang susunod na henerasyon

Tunay lamang na bigyan ng sapat na atensyon ng bawat kabataan ang wastong edukasyon. Dapat pansinin ng bawat Pilipino kung anu-ano ang mga nangyayari sa ating kapaligiran lalong-lalo na ang mga magulang. Huwag tayong magbulag-bulagan sa mga nangyayari sa atin bago mahuli ang lahat. Malaki ang parte ng mga magulang sa anak dahil dapat nilang pagtuunan ng pansin ang kanilang mga anak, dapat palakihin nila ang mga ito sa maayos na paraan at bigyan nila ang kanilang mga anak ng karapatang magkaroon ng edukasyon. Sila ang pangunahing guro nila sa pagturo ng kagandahang asal, magandang pag-iisip, kung paano nila mahalin ang kapwa nila tao at ang sarili nilang bansa at dapat din nilang ilapit ang kanilang anak sa puong-maykapal. Ang magulang ang siyang may obligasyon na palakihin ang kanilang mga anak sa maayos dahil alamnamn nila na malaki ang maitutulong ng mga kabataan sa paglutas ng mga suliranin sa ating sariling bansa. Dahil kung makakapag-aral ang mga kabataan ay malaki ang maibabahagi nila sa pag-unlad ng ating bansa. Sila ang mga mabisang sandata upang palayain ang sambayanan mula sa pagkakaalipin nito sa larangan ng kultura, ekonomiya at politika. Ang edukasyon ay tutugon sa interes ng ating sambayanan hindi sa interes ng dayuhang kapital. Ang edukasyon ay maari ding sandata para hubugin ang ating mamamayan sa maling pananaw. Kaya tayong mga kabataang Pilipino bigyan nating halaga at sapat na pansin ang edukasyon sapagkat ito ang susi sa pag-unlad ng bansa nating Pilipinas. Ito ang panunahing lunas upang makamit natin ang kalayaan na matagal na nating inaabot. Tunay na mahalaga ang parte ng mga kabataan at sila ang matatawag na pag-asa ng bayan. Sigaw nga ng karamihan kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan! At para tapusin itong sanaysay na ito nais ko lang ibahagi ang wikang “Ang tunay na aklat ng isang mag-aaral ay ang lipunang kanyang ginagalawan, ang guro niya ay ang sambayanan, at ang kanyang pagsusulit ay ang pakikilahok niya sa pakikibaka ng masang-api.

by:Alona Jinky Lopez

GRAFFITI

As I take the brush and paint, I couldn’t think of anything but to engrave on a canvas those things revolving around our little worlds. We can never refute that our country has its great decline when everyone had his own way of moneymaking and threw these off towards the fire that caused a lot of lives to plunge.

Almost each day, shrill cries echo in every corner of our country…cries seeking for justice and freedom. Freedom---are we, Filipinos, indeed free? Or are we simply tucked up in a dungeon suffocated by crimes and captivity?

At some point, development of illicit trade arose. Now, have you ever heard about the illegal drug trade? Of preys of prostitution, pornography, sexual maltreatment, forced labor and reflex servitude? This eleven-letter word that kills young minds and souls…TRAFFICKING.

We can never deny that wheeling and dealing, whether human or drug, has been a big-time craze for those people who hunger for a bundle of money and power. It has been a drug-addiction, or simply, a passion for those who can’t get off without any box of treasure in their hands. Nowadays, drug trades are common anywhere in the country. Look at your left. Then, to your right. Everyone seems to overlook that what they do is illegitimate, what they just see are the treasures it might bring. Drug trafficking is indeed a fast-way-giving-money; so why spend your time for a useless job when in fact you can do this and that---well, you might really get a million prize but a billion impurities in your heart. On the other side of the painting, we see young women saying “We need to do this for our family…” Do you need to be a prostitute and dish up as a slave of illegal trade of your carcass to other people? You seem to remove your dignity and sinking yourself in mud!

Well, some could really just be victims of shameful and useless people who don’t know how to care. It’s a pity that human trafficking slaughters dreams of children…it’s a pity that the society’s backbone loses its hope and dignity. And it is indeed a pity that a big part of this canvas is painted black---hopelessness for the motherland.

Let us open our eyes! Let us not remain voiceless and very deaf! Let us not waste our lives swimming in wealth, instead, let us go hand in hand in promoting ‘anti-trafficking’ with our dignities raised up. Let us treasure His gifts---the motherland, the natural re4sources, and most, the people. Like a drug, too much money can thrust you into water and smolder your identity! Speak out…show off the world with optimistic ideas…be aware of the things around you…

Keep in mind that even the future doesn’t promise a more pessimistic evolution in our country. It is in our hands to bring back the bright colors of today’s painting. It is in our hands to erase all the dullness in her and bring back her sovereignty. It is in our hands to paint off the tears tainted on the canvas and totally give light to the darkening land. What we actually need is accord and teamwork of thoughts to avert and heal our dying land.

Let us realize that we can do something---with our paints…and our brushes…

ide

RIZAL KO

There are vast differences in the way people view the death penalty. Some oppose it and some agree with it. There have been many studies trying to prove or disprove a point regarding the death penalty. Some have regarded the death penalty as a deterrent, and some have regarded it as state sanctioned murder and not civilized. The death penalty has been attributed to societies for hundreds of years. More recently, as we become more civilized, the death penalty has been questioned to be the right step towards justice. The death penalty is a highly controversial subject. No one knows who’s right or who’s wrong-it’s fifty percent speculation and fifty percent research. It’s just a lot of thoughts and beliefs from people who have contributed to the death penalty hype. Who’s right and who’s wrong? That is the question.

First I need to highlight briefly into to the history of the death penalty to fully understand why people feel the way they do about the death penalty. Almost all nations in the world have had the death sentence and had enforced it in many ways. It was used in most cases to punish those who broke the laws or standards that were expected of them. Some of the historical methods of execution were restricted only by one’s imagination they include flaying or burying alive, boiling in oil, crushing beneath the wheels of vehicles or the feet of elephants, throwing to wild beasts, forcing combat in the arena, blowing from the mouth of a cannon, impaling, piercing with javelins, starving to death, poisoning, strangling, suffocating, drowning, shooting, beheading, and more recently, electrocuting, using the gas chamber, and giving lethal injection.

The people who oppose the death penalty have very different reasons than people who agree with it. Those who oppose it feel that no matter how bad of an offense that the criminal has committed, they should not be executed. One argument is that the convicted could be innocent. Once the state kills an innocent person, the effects are irreversible. There have been at least 96 instances since 1973 of wrongfully convicted people set free before the states had a chance to kill them. If there are 96 cases, caught before they could be sentenced to death, then think about all of the cases that haven’t been caught. DNA evidence has come a long way to help these innocent people to their freedom. The following person is an example of one of those people wrongfully condemned by lack of evidence.

There are those that are pro-death penalty advocates. They believe that the death penalty serves as a deterrent. They believe others will see that the offender is getting executed for their heinous crime, and this will deter them from ever committing such an act. They feel that not only is the person who is executed unable to commit another murder, but other potential killers may also be dissuaded from killing. Not those who act on emotion or the heat of the moment. One could argue that there are far more rational civilized people in this country than there are emotionally disturbed people. The death penalty works because it instills psychological resistance to the act of murder, not because it offers a rational argument against committing the act at the time that the decision to murder is made. So every day citizens have instilled into their heads that it is bad to murder someone. But murders still occur on occasions when people are in an irrational state of mind. Even though a person may be rational one day they could become irrational on another day. The irrational people are mainly at the hands of alcohol and drugs, but there are occasions where unusual circumstances exist. For example, a husband catching his wife in the act of adultery could drive him mentally into a rage and into a very irrational state of mind, which could ultimately lead to murder. But there are also those people who are just straight up mentally disturbed that kill for no reason at all.

Another reason pro-death penalty advocates give for their belief is that it serves as retribution, or an eye for an eye. These are the two main types of retribution: revenge, in which the victim gets satisfaction, and “just deserts”, which the offender should have an obligation to repay society . An eye for an eye relies on what people deserve for their crime, which determines what kind of punishment they will receive. Or in other words we should treat people the way they have treated others. If someone murders someone, then they should be murdered. This type of punishment would not have any prejudice, because they would receive whatever they dished out. It tells us that the punishment is to be identical to the crime. Which in a way is a repayment towards the victim’s family, or “just deserts”. This view of the death penalty wouldn’t rely on a jury to decide what should be done to the offender. Let’s say the offender was black and raped a white woman, and the jury sentenced them to life in prison. People could say in the same circumstances a white man would only get ten years. But using an eye for an eye, both men would be raped in return. No discrimination. And the same goes for the death penalty, there wouldn’t be no prejudice, it would just simply be “you kill, you die—end of story”, enough said.

Nobody can really prove that any of these views are right or wrong. In my opinion, God should have the final say on life. But on the other hand the offender didn’t let God give the victim a die. So who knows what to do? As a society we should determine the fate we have dealt ourselves. We have developed these offender’s, we should therefore deal with them as a society. It is true that the varieties of ways in which men have put one another to death is horrific. It is society that should determine if we (as a society) want to be murderers. These offenders, murderers, and killers are a mirror image of our own reflection in society. Two wrongs don’t make a right! You choose! Civilization or Brutalism?

VINOYA, Engelbert Ferrer

SUFFERING

What is suffering? Do you know the meaning of suffering and its different form and how to cope up with it? In this topic, we will study the different form and how to cope up suffering.

Suffering is the state or experience of one person that suffers. We may face suffering in a different form. Suffering may encounter in physical, mental or in spiritual form. In physical form of suffering, for example is pain, it is the most common form of suffering, because it is the most common form of suffering, it is also the most easiest form that we can encounter. The fact that we have known some pain makes it possible for us to feel compassion for those who are suffering. In this sense, pain contribute to human solidarity. It delivers us from narrow concern and make us feel oneness with other humans. And mental and spiritual suffering, it is associated with other frustration, deprivation, failure, and losing our faith. In this sense it involve the unhappy conscious, it is happen when a person realize her/her infinitudes. To know and accept infinitude is perhaps the most important step towards personhood and only the suffering of failures, frustration can bring to us proper self-understanding. Guilt, a kind of inward pain or discomfort and a warning that something is going wrong at the leve of human personal being. And we suffer vicariously- it is the most acute suffering at all, we could endure suffering affecting us but not that which affects others/love ones which can not do anything about it. Suffering promotes compassion and concern.

the easiest way of coping our suffering is to pray and let God hold everything and will take care of it. Their is a verse in a BIBLE that says " come to me all of you whoa are tired, and i will give you rest. And do not see the problem as a suffering, because problem helps us to be come strong.

COMPOSED BY: RONALD D. TORRES