The Christmas gift I cannot give

A BISHOP I know pretends to champion social justice, but, right in his own backyard is brewing unrest.

“His true colors now show,” say a group of parish workers.  “He is a moneymaker.”

For instance, he announced that he will celebrate masses in all parishes this Christmas season, and, with over 30 parishes in the diocese, and with the standard Php3,000 stipend the bishop gets per mass, the figures easily translate to Php100,000.  The amount does not include enveloped gifts and the customary bananas and eggs in shiny wrappings.

Notes on the Mall

IF YOU’VE NOT BEEN to Robinsons Ilocos Norte, the province’s first mall which opened Dec. 3, you’re probably 1) too busy, 2) too poor, or 3) too spiritual to care about material things and other ephemeral joys.

But I doubt the third reason very much, dear karikna, because we know how luxurious and capricious a lifestyle our priests enjoy these days.  Not even the religious can resist the temptation to indulge, to the point of hedonism, which explains why the Bishop’s Palace has a swimming pool, and why some parish priests have expensive dogs they feed with imported food an impoverished human being (such as an underpaid parish catechist) cannot even afford to provide his own family.

Anyway, I have been to Rob IN (‘Robinsons almost Laoag’ is how some friends call it), and have seen all three films at the Movieworld there: Twilight New Moon, Ninja Assassin, and 2012.

The cinema is decent.  The chairs are comfy.  The sound system is good but not excellent, and  the video is clear but not crystal (there were line distortions on the screen), which made me wonder if the films have been shown in Manila hundreds of times before they were brought here.

Still, Robinsons theatres are a paradise compared to the rat-infested, archaic Isabel, the only other cinema in the province.

*****

I asked the customer service representative (CSR) at the lobby when a new set of movies will be shown.  To my surprise, the employee replied, “Diak ammo, sir.  (I don’t know),” which was a pity because CSR’s are supposed to be well-trained to answer every query, specially valid ones like mine.

I then advised the young lady never to say “I don’t know” when she is in a position to know.  The better answer would be, “I’ll try to find out,” which she did eventually.  According to her supervisor, the movies last for one week, but due to public demand, they may have to extend the screening of some movies.  The supervisor specifically mentioned “New Moon” and “2012”.

I told this story to my colleagues at MMSU, and one of them, out of curiosity, asked the CSR the same thing when the former went to the mall.  Alas, he also got the “Diak ammo” reply from the lady.

Defending the bakla

I AM OUTRAGED, dear karikna, with the recent rejection of Ang Ladlad’s bid for party-list accreditation. This is the second time the group, which is at the forefront in advancing the rights and welfare of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders (LGBT), is denied the right to be represented in congress.

In 2007, the Comelec ruled that Ang Ladlad did not have a national constituency and was thus undeserving to be accredited. This led me to write to Chairman Benjamin Abalos, and to members of the Comelec Second Division, composed of Commisioners Nicodemo Ferrer, Rene Sarmiento, and Florentino Tuazon, the three medieval musketeers who rejected the LGBT group’s participation in the polls.

The letter, which I personally delivered to their offices at the Comelec National Headquarters in Intramuros, thus read…

*****

Dear Chairman Abalos,

First, let me say thank you for your intention to make this year’s elections, the last one under your watch, fair, honest, credible, and safe.

I am a registered voter of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Region I – Ilocos region, and this is to make a manifestation of my being a part of Ang Ladlad Party’s constituency which the COMELEC Second Division found questionable.

In the Division’s resolution dated February 27, 2007, it was stated that contrary to Ang Ladlad’s claims, “reports from our field offices reveal that it doesn’t exist in most regions of the country.” I am not privy to the manner by which your field staff conducted their verification process, but your records show that Ang Ladlad has no constituency in Region 1-Ilocos Region, please add my little voice to those of other citizens who have already stood up for Ang Ladlad’s accreditation as a party-list group. I know that an appeal is in order, and I pray that this manifestation is considered for all its worth.

Let me note that the constituency of a Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender (LGBT) group is a sensitive and tricky issue. Because of pervading prejudices, broadcasting one’s homosexuality is not as convenient as standing up as a woman, youth, laborer, peasant farmer,or any entity belonging to other marginalized and underrepresented sectors. This suggests that we go beyond a simplistic yardstick of constituency in determining Ang Ladlad’s worthiness for party-list accreditation. I am a very private person, and I would always rather keep my sexual persona to myself and the people close to me. Recent developments however demand not silence and passiveness, but courage against—and compassion for—those who continue to decide not to understand. And so this humble letter.

May the political representation of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders be a part of the Abalos legacy in our electoral history, in particular, and our national life, at large.

Thank you for your attention.

*****

Unfortunately, the Comelec en banc upheld the thoughtless judgment of the Second Division, and Abalos is best remembered today for the NBN-ZTE scandal, and for the Hello Garci controversy.

But Ang Ladlad is not a group that is easily disheartened. It strengthened its presence in all regions in preparation for the 2010 polls. There is no way the Comelec can now claim that the group has no national constituency.

However, Comelec is denying, yet again, accreditation to Ang Ladlad, this time on grounds of immorality.

*****

The Pahayagang Malaya hit the spot right in an editorial published November 16. Part of it reads:

Homosexuality is now a contagious moral and spiritual disease from which our youth need to be quarantined?’

The Commission on Elections decision last Friday denying accreditation to the Ang Ladlad is the very proof that gays and lesbians are so marginalized they need to be represented in Congress.

They are discriminated against on the basis of their sexual preferences. They are powerless against the dominant culture that classifies them as aberrations of nature. They are victims of beliefs that treat them as moral misfits.

The Neanderthals in the Comelec, in effect, disenfranchised a class of citizens on the basis of a set of prejudices.

The grounds cited by the Comelec second division are laughable.

“Should this Commission grant the petition, we will be exposing our youth to an environment that does not conform to our faith,” it said.

It then gratuitously added that homosexuality is against Christianity and Islam.

Are Christianity and Islam now state religions that citizens who do not subscribe to their tenets should be stripped of their right to be voted into office? There is no religious test for running for office. This follows from the doctrine of separation of state and church. Let’s not confuse a sin with a crime. Gays and lesbians certainly have not committed any crime that would disqualify them from forming a political organization by preferring their own sex.

“As an agency of the government, ours too is the State’s duty… under the Constitution to protect our youth from moral and spiritual degradation,” the Comelec said.

Accrediting a party, which is fighting against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, leaves our youth open to moral and spiritual degradation? What drivel is this? Homosexuality is now a contagious moral and spiritual disease from which our youth need to be quarantined?

Homosexuality, if we understand the Catholic doctrine correctly, is not a sin although acts are. These old farts at the Comelec are trying to be more popish than the Pope.

*****

This Nicodemo Ferrer added insult to injury by saying that there are already a lot of gays in Senate and congress, and, ergo, no more need for party-list representation. He is probably right, and I say gays are abound in all other institutions, including the media, the church, the academe, and even the military. But that LGBT’s in these institutions cannot “ladlad” on fear of discrimination and prejudice is the issue.   Otherwise, Ferrer could have named names.  Truth to tell, many “closet gays” are gay bashers par excellance.

Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby missed a shot at greatness when they sued Lolit Solis for libel a few years ago when the latter insinuated in her column that the two may be lovers.

The two hunky actors went ballistic over Solis when they could have simply said, “we would not mind being gay, but just that we are not.” Instead, Piolo and Sam denounced Solis’ insinuations as if being gay debases human dignity. All muscles, no substance.

*****

Hello to Daryl Velasco, a Legal Management student of Divine Word College of Laoag, who expressed to me his discontent over the Comelec’s rejection of Ang Ladlad. Outraged by the election body’s reasoning (or the lack of it), he vowed to join the struggle for the emancipation of the Filipino gay against stereotypes and prejudice.

Now is the time to come out. Now is the time to unite. Now na.

Thank you, Ramos Family

THE ILOCOS TIMES turns half a century plus two years in the service of the Ilocano, and it is fitting that we thank the family behind the institution.

While this paper is a family business, I don’t think its continuous operation is driven by profit.  Community newspapers are not known as big earners.  Truth to tell, many local newspapers in different provinces have folded up into oblivion on account of financial woes.  In Ilocos Norte alone, a couple of weeklies have come and gone, and only The Ilocos Times remains legitimate and strong.

Members of the Ramos Family, I’m sure, make sacrifices to let this paper thrive.  I assume there are issues when advertisements do not suffice to cover the cost of printing, even as the paper is sold at only seven pesos a copy, one of the cheapest in the Milky Way galaxy.

Musings of a motorcycle crash survivor

I AM, in true fashion, a bicyclist, but I bought a motorcycle last May to keep up with my burgeoning responsibilities at work.

I always knew then how treacherous a vehicle it is, but I got enamored by the sense of freedom the ‘motor’ makes me feel that I even bought another one in July.  So I have a Yamaha Mio Soul Automatic scooter and an EM-100 motorcycle.  I bought two so I can use one in Laoag, where I reside, and another in Batac, where I earn bread and some butter.

I always thought I was a very careful driver.  My Laoag to Batac drive takes me almost thirty minutes while other riders swear it only takes them fifteen.  But accidents choose nobody, and no matter how good a driver you may be, you cannot always expect others to be as careful.  Worse, much as you wish, you cannot always trust yourself to be as cautious as humanly possible.  There are times when deep thought distracts you, and, occasionally, your senses simply betray you.  Or it could be the weather. Or the infrastructure.  Or the vehicle itself.

I have always prepared myself, psychologically, for the eventuality of an accident.  At one point or another, a driver meets one, minor or otherwise.  Accidents happen, and the catch is you’ll never know when until it strikes you like lightning or like a Manny Pacquiao left hook, whichever is faster.

The “sorry” we are yet to hear

DR. AURELIO SOLVER AGCAOILI, the University of Hawaii professor who publicly called the late President Manuel L. Quezon “stupid” three months ago, has not apologized for what many felt was an arrogant and irresponsible remark.

I have written about this a moon ago (Brilliant Agca, Stupid Quezon), so let me refresh your memory. Last July, Dr. Agcaoili, a well respected educator and multi-awarded writer, was one of the presenters in the first Mother Language Education (MLE) forum in Ilocos. Held at MMSU Laoag Campus, the activity was attended mostly by teachers from all levels. Students, creative writers, journalists, and politicians were also present.

A week after, Mark Limon, a teacher from the Department of Education, contributed to The Ilocos Times a news article headlined, “University of Hawaii prof calls Quezon stupid,” which prompted Agcaoili to write a lengthy Letter to the Editor which attacked, in a scathing manner, Limon’s grammatical flaws and minor factual errors. He even insulted the teacher, saying, “Maasiak kadagiti adalan daytoy a maestro a din sa met nakasursuro.”

Yet Agcaoili, who demanded a public apology from Limon, never clarified whether or not he called Manuel L. Quezon, a former president venerated by many Filipinos as hero, “stupid.”

Did he?  If he did, why?

Nang pitong araw na hindi nag-smile ang araw

NAMISS natin sobra ang maliwanag na sinag ng haring araw.  Kung dati ay panay ang reklamo natin dahil sa init ng panahon, ngayo’y ating napagtanto na di hamak na mas mahirap ang basang-basa at madilim na buhay.

 Nakalulunos ang pinsalang idinulot nina Ondoy, Pepeng, at ang pampagulong si Quedan.  Ilang buhay ang nasawi, mga bahay na nagiba, ari-ariang tinangay ng agos, at mga kinabukasang nawala na parang bula.

 Gayunpaman, ang trahedyang ito ay patunay na naman ng pagkamasiyahin ng Pinoy, ng ating kakayanang bumangon mula sa anumang pagkakalugmok, ng ating magaan na disposisyon sa buhay. Napangingiti na lamang ako kapag nakikita ko ang mga biktima ng mga pagbaha na panay pa ang pagkaway at pakyut sa likod ng mga reporter sa telebisyon.

 Marami akong mga kaibigan sa NCR na labis na naapektuhan ni Ondoy. Habang naglilinis sa kung anuman ang natira sa kanilang mga putikang bahay ay panay pa ang hagikhikan. Itong si Dennis, ang kaibigan kong nasa Amerika, bagama’t nalulungkot at sinira ni Ondoy ang kanilang bahay, kagamitan, at pati na rin ang bahagi ng kanilang kabuhayan sa Cainta, ay labis ang pagpapasalamat at wala namang nasawi sa kanyang mga mahal sa buhay. Natatawa siya nang ikuwento sa akin na ayaw pa sanang umalis ng kanyang tatay sa kanilang tahanan bagama’t napakataas na ng baha, subali’t napilitan din itong lumikas nang lumulutang na ang hinihigan niyang kama.

Nasken nga Ilokano ti pagisuro

Iti agtultuloy a panagsuek ti kalidad ti edukasion iti pagilian ken iti umad-adu a sukisok a mangipakita a nasaysayaat ti panagadal dagiti ubing no maaramat ti nakayanakanda a pagsasao iti panagisuro kadakuada kadagiti umuna a tukad ti elementaria, impaulog ti Departamento ti Edukasion ti DepEd Order No. 74 Series 2009 a napauluan iti Institutionalizing Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education wenno Mother Language Education (MLE). Iti Kailokuan, maaramat ti Ilokano kadagiti umuna a tallo grado iti elementaria. Kalpasanna, in-inut a maiserrek ti Filipino ken Ingles kadagiti nangatngato a tukad.

Adtoy ti makuna ti maysa nga eksperto, ni Dr. Lily Ann C. Pedro, agdama a hepe ti Center for Teaching Excellence iti MMSU College of Teacher Education, maipanggep daytoy nga isyu.

Honest janitor hailed in world wide web

I USED TO HAVE a great disdain for government employees. I always imagined them as inept, inefficient, corrupt, and good only in petty gossiping. Your karikna also considered them as insensitive, arrogant and proud, what with clerks acting like the proverbial “langaw na nakatungtong sa kalabaw.”

As fate would have it, however, I myself am now a civil servant, and, providentially, with an agency highly regarded for its exacting standards and well-earned feats. Thus, I now swallow, with little difficulty, some of my words, and acknowledge that there are actually honorable men and women in the service of the Filipino people.

Make no mistake, there are still many rotten tomatoes in the basket, but the refreshing virtue of a few overshadow the stench of many.

Leoncio A. Pagtama, 52, a janitor at the MMSU College of Engineering (CoE), is one of them good fellows, and he is increasingly gaining popularity in cyberspace due to his honest deeds.

Pagtama, who joined MMSU in 1983 as a casual employee, has, on several occasions, returned lost items ranging from wallets containing thousands of pesos to calculators and watches.

Students hold presidential mock election

The Sociology Guild, an academic organization in MMSU, sponsored a series of activities on political education and election volunteerism during the Sociology Week, Sept. 7-10.

With the theme, “Agtutubo: Preparing the thumb for the stains of politics”, the weeklong affair engaged the students on issues surrounding political education and election volunteerism in light of the national struggle for emancipation from traditional politics, transactional leadership, and morally-bereft governance.

The activities kicked off on Sept. 8 with the opening of an art-exhibit-cum-election-precinct at the CAS Lobby. In the exhibit area, a presidential mock election was also held to feel the pulse of MMSU students on their preferred presidential candidates for the 2010 elections.

Immediately after the precincts closed on Sept. 9, 3 p.m., the ballots were appreciated by student volunteers, and the results were analyzed by Social Sciences faculty members.

A total of 1,524 students, representing 23.7 percent of the tertiary-level populace in the Batac campus, participated in the poll.

Sen. Francis Escudero, the youngest among the presidentiables, garnered 33.72 percent of the votes, and emerged on top, ranking first in all colleges. Sen. Manny Villar took the second spot with 21.12 percent while Sen. Noynoy Aquino got 17.25 percent and landed third.

With 11.74 percent of the votes, Vice President Noli de Castro was in fourth place with Sen. Loren Legarda and former President Joseph Estrada settling for fifth (7.74 percent) and sixth (4.79 percent) places, respectively.

Other possible presidential candidates voted by students are Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando (1.24 percent), Sen. Jamby Madrigal (1.24 percent), evangelist Eddie Villanueva (1.11 percent), Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro (0.59 percent), Sen. Richard Gordon (0.39 percent), Carlos delos Reyes of Ang Kapatiran Party (0.32 percent), and Gunless Society bet Nicanor Perlas (0.26 percent).

Dr. Violeta B. Alonzo, chair of the Social Sciences Department, hopes to have the mock polls periodically, with the next one eyed after Nov. 30, the deadline for filing of certificate of candidacy for the presidency. Dr. Joselito L. Lolinco, CAS dean, has thrown his full support for the undertaking.

Other activities include “The 2009 Sociology Forum” held Sept. 10 at the University Training Center, and a roundtable discussion at the CAS Lobby. Speakers, led by Trinity University of Asia professors Ruel F. Pepa and Glenn Agbing, and Ilocos Times columnist Steve Barreiro, tackled the national and local political climates, and how the youth can help institute reforms.

A film show featuring “Batas Militar,” a documentary on the imposition of martial law during the Marcos era was held Sept. 11, the birthday of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

ABS-CBN featured the activities in their regional news program TV Patrol Ilocos, and might air it in their nationwide broadcast as well. The media giant took interest in the MMSU mock election because it appears to be the first school-based poll conducted in view of the 2010 national and local elections.

Representative of other schools have called up the MMSU organizers so they can replicate the mock polls in their own constituencies.

MMSU students have been invited by ABS-CBN to participate in the Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo registration to be held at the Laoag City Ampitheatre, Sept. 21. An online voter registration will also be administered by the Commission on Election in the venue.

Boto mo, iPatrol Mo aims to empower the youth to help ensure clean and honest elections.

 

Brilliant Agca, ‘Stupid’ Quezon

BY ALL YARDSTICKS, Dr. Aurelio S. Agcaoili is a brilliant man.

Prior to his joining University of Hawaii, he held tenured appointment at the University of the Philippines Diliman.  He is a creative writer and social researcher who has reaped coveted awards.  Above all, he is a well-meaning iconoclast.

Last July, Dr. Agcaoili was one of the presenters in the first Mother Language Education (MLE) forum in Ilocos.  On that same occasion, the Nakem Conferences also launched Sukimat: Researches on Ilokano and Amianan Studies, a publication he co-edited with two MMSU professors.

I am quite a big fan of the man known by many as “Agca”.  In fact, after the MLE forum, I requested him to autograph my copy of Dangadang, his award-winning novel.  My admiration for the man’s writing prowess is matched by my adulation for his ideas.  His courage and candor are awe-inspiring.

The other week, however, Agca shocked me with his Letter to the Editor published in The Ilocos Times. 

Preparing the thumb for the stains of politics

One of the letters I received was from William S. of California USA.  His letter merits attention, because he suggests I write about something he finds important.

Part of his letter reads:

“I am one of your avid readers in the Ilocos Times Online.  Based in the west coast USA, I make sure I read your column on a daily basis during my free time at work. It is a matter of principle that we really need to give you due recognition for providing enlightening information on the various social issues in the provincial and national levels. The issues you tackle span the judicial system, social economic system, political system and educational system. I admire some of your articles when it bites the “status quo” of those people in power, whether in elective or appointive positions, who are holding and discharging their duties for their own and circle-of-friends’ benefits. I also came to believe that the Ilocos Region seems to be the “Wild-Wild-North” of the entire archipelago since it is all the same since I left to this date. The conflict resolution in the political arena undermines the rule of law.

“The reason for this email is to suggest that we educate the local voters for the upcoming 2010 local and national elections. I was wondering if you could mention in your column how to value their votes for the right candidates in the upcoming election. There has to be a way to gauge budding political figures versus those who would like to perpetuate the political family dynasty. The electorate has to realize that there is always an alternative, a fresh start and new faces to select from instead of the “traditional.” There is always a political process to use if we elect the person who does not meet the people’s expectation. We also need to address those folks in the rural areas to stay home during election day if they are not aware of the issues affecting them and if they do not know the political agenda of the candidates. We need to emphasize to the rural folks and others that a few cans of sardines and a couple kilograms of rice should not subvert the voice of the people during elections.”

T.Y.

FOLLOWING last week’s column, a good number of readers wrote your karikna to greet “Happy First Anniversary,” and to express their appreciation for this space.  Most of these well-wishers come from the silent majority of our readers, who suddenly decided to make their presence felt.  I was overwhelmed, not only because of their number, but more because of their generous words.

It’s really heartwarming when people you don’t know suddenly come forward to say “thank you” for things you never realized you have done.  I expect to have helped readers form their stands on issues, but I was surprised when Filipinos abroad consider my articles an antidote to homesickness, or when young people say the column has inspired them to pursue their meaningful passions in life, such as the case of Vincent, who shares that reading one of my articles moved him to take up a course in the arts, his true love, although his folks and peers pressure him into taking up nursing.

For his part, Jun-b, our Editor in Chief, sent me a text message that read, “Happy anniv to your good column, more power!  I think we should celebrate it one of these days when you’re free, my treat.”

I was touched by the message, and here’s why.  In the last fifty five weeks, our weekly exchanges would be:

“Have you sent your Riknakem already?”

“I will send later”

“Ok.”

“I have sent already. Thanks.”

“Ok.”

So, thank you, dear readers, for helping me usher this column into its second year and beyond.  It’s a sunny Friday morning as I write this, and Jun-b texted me three hours ago, “Have you sent your article already?”

Back to normal then.  Back to work, karikna.

Happy 1st anniv, karikna!

AROUND this time last year, you and I gave birth to this humble column.

While I was not exactly new to writing—having previously published my works in newspapers, books, and websites—the thrill of composing an article on a weekly basis was unparalleled.

Among all the columns written by local journalists, Riknakem has appeared most frequently and most consistently in The Ilocos Times. In the past one year, I failed to pass my weekly article but once.

I still wonder how I do it. Teaching, we all know, is a very demanding job. In addition, I also work at the media office of MMSU, carry out research projects, and serve other publications either as writer or consultant.

Of course, it is not without sacrifices. There have been many times of whole nights spent out of bed, and vacations spent in front of the computer. Having this column also meant less time for my bicycling, which I used to do during my free time.

There are times when I am tempted to miss a column, but my friend Ianree Raquel always reminds me of my responsibility to readers, and I oblige.

But, no, I am not complaining. I have never looked at writing as a burden.

Siyete-Tres

(For those who can’t understand Iluko, you may proceed to the second part, an essay in Filipino. I write in the vernacular once every year on a day in August.)

“Umabot sa 7.3% ang GDP growth rate ng Pilipinas”

7-3 man, ading, order ni Mang Isidro sadiay karinderya ni Nana Dionisia.

Kris Ablan

Saramsam Cafe, Laoag City, July 7 (Tue), 6pm. Kris has undergone a successful Lasik Eye Surgery but continues to wear his glasses because people have difficulty recognizing him sans the spectacles. Interview held while lone bodyguard waited outside.

IT’S BEEN five weeks since I did an interview with the young man, but I have been dilly-dallying on writing about him.

    And it’s not because the congressional-son-cum-Sangguniang-Panlalawigan-member is uninteresting. In fact, Kris is any journalist’s ideal interviewee. He is brilliant, conversant, open, candid, reflexive, and, above all, sincere. He is also sensitive. You can talk to him for hours (in my case three) without ho-hum.

    But then you may say that I am an academic, and, being such, I can stand long conversations even with the nerd of nerds with the thickest spectacles ranting with nosebleed-inducing jargon. Maybe so, but not quite.

Cory’s gift and Steve’s burden

ICON. HERO. SAINT. Every possible tribute has been paid to Corazon Aquino, now touted, and rightfully so, as the most loved Filipino of all time.

    Still, allow me to give mine. After all, I have always been a Cory fan long before today, when it has become fashionable to be one. Dennis Estacio, my grade school seatmate at the old Divine Word College of Laoag would attest to this. To the consternation of our teachers whose lectures we occasionally disrupted, albeit unintentionally, Dennis and I, then only in Grade 1, often had impassioned debates on politics. As with almost all Ilocanos, Dennis was maka-Marcos. I was maka-Cory.

    In 1986, I accompanied my dad to the voting booth, and bent his hand into voting for Cory. That was the second best thing to voting for her, which I could not do yet because I was just seven. The teachers did not mind that I accompanied my dad. To them, I was just a child.

RVP can be VP… but IF AND ONLY IF he cheats

YES, I PROMISED to write on Kris Ablan, the congressional son who now wants to be congressman.  But I will reserve that for next issue as something more pressing has come up.

Entering Laoag via the Gilbert Bridge at dusk is the most soothing part of my work day.  It marks the end of my travel from a workplace tens of kilometers away.  It means I am home.

On Tuesday (July 21), however, what I felt while crossing the bridge can only be as soothing as a root canal performed without anesthesia by a sadistic pseudo-dentist.  That afternoon, plastered on the lampposts of the bridge were tarpaulin streamers welcoming Ronaldo V. Puno, the Interior and Local Government secretary of the Arroyo regime.

Empanada Festival awe-inspiring but untruthful

As promised, I am featuring in this column a critique written by Ianree Raquel on the Empanada Festival held recently in Batac City. Raquel, who teaches Arts and Society at the Mariano Marcos State University, is cultural coordinator of the College of Arts and Sciences, and is an alumnus of the renowned Nasudi Cultural Troupe.

Read on…

Batac: from a city-that-was to a city-that-could

We can only imagine how difficult it is for Batac, a two-year-old city, to revert to a municipality following a final and executory ruling by the Supreme Court. Along with the fiscal mess the reversion caused are dampened hopes and hurt egos.

In his speech during the Empanada Festival, an activity originally intended to highlight Batac’s charter day celebrations, Mayor Jeffrey Nalupta lashed out at the High Court saying, “If only the Supreme Court is not deaf and will stop from being blind,” it will see the reality that Batac and 15 other newly created cities deserved to be recognized as cities.

Nalupta, of course, was oversimplifying the case. I trust that the justices handed down their decision, with the Chief Justice himself concurring, based on law and sound reason, and not of whimsical blindness. But we do understand the young mayor. He had to let out his frustration and exhaustion on this highly charged issue. People struck with deep emotions are oftentimes not rational, and to them society is magnanimously forgiving.

No, sir, we are not peaceful

Asked about his thoughts on Eddie Gregorio’s murder carried out recently by motorcycle-riding men in Laoag City’s business district, Mayor Michael V. Fariñas said what any common politician is expected to say. He called the shooting of the 28-year old lawyer an “isolated case.”

Firmly believing that “the situation in the city is still peaceful,” the father of the city may have had the best intentions in mind. He wanted to keep an atmosphere of calm and sobriety among a people still distraught over someone so young, so brilliant, and so promising to be so dead.

What perplexes me though is his succeeding statement, “A crime can happen anywhere, anytime.” In broken Iluko, he continued, “no agplano iti maysa a tao, hanna a pilien whether in the morning, lunch time, malem wennu rabii.”

An average student of logic would not miss the inconsistency in the mayor’s pronouncements. First he says the incident is an isolated case and then concedes that such crime can be planned and executed anytime, anywhere.

The mayor gave two contradictory statements which cannot be both correct. If one is true, the other must be false, and vice versa.

I buy the second statement: crimes can happen, and in fact they do, anywhere murderers decide to, even here in Laoag.

Young, brilliant, promising, and dead

“AS STUDENTS and professionals, where are your eyes focused? Are they just focused on things ephemeral, temporary joy or happiness? If this is true to your life, I tell you are missing a lot. You are missing the greatest undertaking under the sun. You are missing the path to your prepared great destiny.

“When I was a kid, I had a vision… to be a lawyer and at the same time a doctor. I wrote it on the wall of our house using charcoal (uring), I was even scolded by my mother because that writing destroyed the beauty of the wall in my room. It seemed impossible for me to attain that vision because we live in a far-flung area. My father finished only grade 3 and my mother finished only 2^nd year high school. They are both farmers. However, that vision pushed me, moved me and energized me.

“Immensely blessed, I graduated as magna cum laude with a degree in Political Science and then law, leading batch 2002 and law class 2006 graduates of Northwestern University. I managed to do well in academics even as I served as president of the Supreme Student Council. I reaped the bounty of my toils which made my family so blissful of my academic achievements.

“I am in the graduate program to soon earn a doctoral degree. I have my own business and a job. I am telling you this not to say that I am intelligent, but to tell you that there is indeed an equal opportunity for everyone. No matter who you are, your family, status, or the educational attainment of your parents, you can succeed.

“When the opportunity knocked on me, I grabbed it. I tell you, opportunities had been knocking on to you and are still knocking on to you even this time, grab it now and for sure you will all become prosperous and successful.”

*****

What you have just read are excerpts of a speech Eddie Gregorio delivered before an audience of students and young professionals two years ago.

Church unwittingly endorses vice; notes on the sacred and the profane

(Note: This is an improved and elongated version of an earlier post)

SOMETHING CAUGHT my eye when I visited the Catholic church in Batac recently. Among the souvenir items they were selling at the parish office was an ash tray imprinted with the name and logo of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish.

While I would not say that smoking is evil and that smokers are baaad folks, I feel uncomfortable with this apparent endorsement of the vice.

“It would have been perfectly okay if it were a candle holder, but an ashtray?!?  And the name of the Blessed Virgin is even there.  That’s so off,” say my friends who were shocked to see the item.

Hail the Marunggay Fairy and her green leafy wand

The Marunggay Fairy during the launch of Malunggay in the City in Metro Manila

TRC Director General Tony Ortiz and MMSU President Miriam Pascua enjoy malunggay ice cream

During a TV shoot for "Negosyo, atbp." aired on NBN

Everyone who enters Laoag City via the Gilbert Bridge is welcomed by a humungous “M” sign. The golden arch is trademark of a global food chain that is home to fatally cholesterol-laden food products including French fries, fried chicken, and burgers.

Somewhere in the city, however, another big “M” is gaining ground, slowly but surely, thanks to a lady who has extensively researched on, developed, and commercialized a greeny wonder.

Seafarer’s son tops CFAT, takes up nursing

Ananda and her first school notebook...

with her classmates singing their first song in school...

with her first teacher...

...and Tito Herdy, her biggest fan.

(I am tempted to write about my grandniece Ananda’s very first day in school but the euphoria of seeing our beloved baby begin her educational sojourn is yet to subside, and I lack coherence when I feel euphoric, so I will do that in another column. For now I will share with you the story of a lad who leads the new batch of freshmen in the region’s finest higher education institution.)

DANE MIKHAEL S. Calica, eldest child of a sea-based Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW), topped this year’s College Freshman Admission Test (CFAT) taken by almost 5,000 high school graduates seeking admission to the Mariano Marcos State University. His father Gary, who was in Spain when Calica finished high school, began working as a seafarer in 1992, the same year Calica was born. His mother Marilec is a full-time mom.

Scandal!

PIDDIG sex scandal, Burgos scandal, Pangil scandal, (rumored) Dingras scandal, 5-sisters scandal, Hayden Kho scandal, and all those campus scandals.

If you cannot beat them, join them? That we do nothing to kill the monster we call pornography; that we have accepted perversion as part of everyday life; that we have turned a blind eye to the exploitation of the least of women and children, our women and children, that to me is the gravest of all scandals.

How does one solve a problem like pornography?  This issue has always been the subject of fierce debate.  What delineates art from pornography?  Does censorship infringe on our freedoms of expression and of the press?  Is digital exhibitionism an inevitable consequence of modernity?

Mga Larawan sa Maharot na Dilim (Huling Bahagi)

(Heto po ang ikalawa at huling bahagi ng sanaysay na sinulat ng isa sa aking mga pinakamahusay at pinakamasigasig na mag-aaral—si Cherry Gatiw-an. Tungkol ito sa kanyang mga karanasan sa pagsasagawa ng pananaliksik sa red district dito sa Ilocos. Si Cherry ay isang third-year Sociology student ng MMSU. Siya ay tubong Pudtol, Apayao.)

SA CLUB NA IYON, walang guwardiya. Mas magulo. Mas marahas ang mga tagpo.

Tumayo ang isang pareha at lumapit sila sa may counter. Halatang lasing na ang babae, nakaakbay sa kasamang lalaki. Kung tama ang dinig ko, may nabanggit na “1500″.

“Ana ‘diay 1500?,” siniko ko ang kasama ko.

“Bar fine!”ang maikli niyang tugon. “Inruardan.”

Saglit pa, humarurot na sa labas ang isang motosiklong tatlo ang nakasakay. Nakapagitna sa dalawang lalake ang babaeng sa tingin ko ay mas bata sa akin ng di hamak.

Nanggagaling ang kita ng mga bahay-aliwan mula sa mga perang ipinapasok ng mga GRO. Sa bawat lady’s drink na inoorder ng mga kostumer, 50 pesos ang komisyon ng GRO at sa management ang 100. Ibig sabihin, tumataginting na 150 ang bayad ng isang bote ng inumin na inoorder para sa tumeteybol na GRO. Depende sa tapang ng sikmura at tibay ng katawan, ang isang GRO ay maaaring kumita ng humigit-kumulang limandaang piso sa bawat gabi. Kung makuha nito ang kiliti ng kostumer, may tip pang dagdag iyon. Hindi pa kabilang diyan ang nakokolekta nilang 20 pesos na show charge sa mga kostumer. Show charge ang tawag sa bayad ng panunood sa mga floor show, ang sayaw ng mga GRO. Kinokolekta iyon pagpasok pa lang sa club. Sisenta porsyento ng kabuuang koleksyon ang paghahatian ng mga nagsayaw, ang matitira ay para sa management.

Mukhang ayos ang kita, ‘di ba?

Mga Larawan sa Maharot na Dilim (Unang Bahagi)

(Nais kong ibahagi sa inyo ang isang sanaysay na sinulat ng isa sa aking mga pinakamahusay at pinakamasigasig na mag-aaral—si Cherry Gatiw-an. Tungkol ito sa kanyang mga karanasan sa pagsasagawa ng pananaliksik sa red district dito sa Ilocos. Si Cherry ay isang third-year Sociology student ng MMSU. Siya ay tubong Pudtol, Apayao.)

PARADISE of the Low-Flying Palomas kung tawagin ang lugar na iyon. Ang mga babae ay mga mumunting kagamitang may katapat na presyo, mga paninda. Bilang isang babae, nasasaktan ako.

Hawak ang kapirasong sulat na pirmado ng aking guro, pinuntahan ko ang kontrobersyal na pook. Agad kong hinagilap ang pangulo ng samahan ng mga may-ari ng mga bahay-aliwan. Pagkaraang makatanggap ng pahintulot mula sa kanya, agad kong sinimulan ang aking pakay— ang gumawa ng pananaliksik kung ano ang totoong nangyayari doon. Sa tanang buhay ko, noon lamang ako nakapasok sa tinatawag nilang night club.

Hindi naging madali ang pagpunta ko lugar.

Paano ko makalilimutan ang taas-babang tingin sa akin ng mga tricycle driver sa tuwing sasabihin ko kung saan ako papunta? Ako na pabalik-balik sa bahay-aliwan—paano ko sila mapaniniwala na hindi ako tulad ng iniisip nila?

Portrait of a writer as Ilocano:A tribute to Sozimo Ma. Pablico (1938-2009)

(Sosimo Ma. Pablico, agriculture columnist of The Ilocos Times, passed away last April 22 at age 70. Survived by his wife Barbie and son Paul Ethelbert, his remains lie in state in San Fernando, La Union.)

I FIRST knew about SMAP (read as ismap, by which he was fondly called) when I was doing research as a graduate student in Sociology. I came across an article he wrote about Ilocano rituals and practices for the dead, which was published in a national daily. Short but instructive, his article was of great help to my study.

When I applied for a teaching post in MMSU, I was excited to meet the man, to tell him how much he has inspired me as a writer and social researcher. Thrilled I was to be assigned to the Social Sciences Department of the College of Arts and Sciences where he belonged, only to find out that he had retired a few years earlier. I had to be content with looking at his face in a group picture (which proudly adorns a wall in our office) with other “pillars” of the department.

Later on, SMAP and I would cross paths, albeit only in the pages of The Ilocos Times where I write an opinion column, and where he was the agriculture columnist. Having no agricultural background, I must admit that I could not fully understand most of his articles. Behind the technical jargon, however, I could sense his intense desire to uplift the life of farmers, and to promote efficient and sustainable farming methods and strategies. In his writings, I felt the energy of a man many decades younger his age.

Laoag dads dignify ‘palakasan’, adopt Mikey Arroyo as son

JUAN MIGUEL “MIKEY” MACAPAGAL ARROYO, eldest child of the most distrusted president in Philippine history, was recently declared by the Laoag City council as an adopted son of the city.

Based on a news report written by Dominic Dela Cruz and published inconspicuously in an inside page (meaning: treated as a story of little significance) in last week’s issue of the Ilocos Times, city officials explain that the resolution “seeks to recognize Arroyo’s assistance to the marginalized sector of the city through his endorsement of their medical cases to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) which in turn granted medical and social services to the needy constituents of the city”.

The sponsor of the said resolution is Laoag Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president and city council ex-officio member Chevylle V. Fariñas, who is strongly convinced of Arroyo’s worthiness of said recognition.

According to the feng shui-guided Fariñas, also the city’s first lady, the PCSO would not have denied the people’s request but that the Pampanga solon’s recommendation—being a son of the President of the Republic—made it easier and faster (emphasis mine) for those who need help to be granted their requests.