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Who is really the “boss”?

                                       (photo courtesy from Google)

Rodrigo Roa Duterte elected as the 16th president of the Philippines on June 30, 2016 at exactly 12 in the afternoon. Who would imagine that a Davao City Mayor now became the President of the nation. His love for the country as well as his love for the people of the Philippines are one of his reasons why he was placed on that position. Indeed, he is ready to start his work for the nation. Unlike what former president Noynoy Aquino pledged to Filipinos, “Kayo ang boss ko”, President Duterte took a great risk of change. 

According to Professor Richard Heydarian, a professor of political science in De La Salle University-Manila said,

 “Duterte presented himself as an independent, competent and simple-living provincial mayor. He promised safety and effective governance.”

These characteristics made him to be the champion of the nation. He promised to the people that in his administration, change would come. According to Dindo Manhit, president of Stratbase-Albert Del Rosario Institute (ADRi) for Strategic and International Studies stated, 

“During Duterte’s campaign, He positioned himself as an alternative to traditional presidential candidates. His unorthodox demeanor appealed to many Filipinos who saw him as unafraid to speak his mind, even to the extent of testing the limits of so-called “civilized” behavior. As a result, the millions of Filipinos that voted for him have high expectations for his presidency.”

Duterte’s aim is to destroy crime, illegal drugs and corruption. I am favored for his agenda because as one of the youth of this generation, we deserve a good and well-disciplined community. I noticed that he was focused in the campaign against illegal drugs and he continue this kind of war with the joint efforts of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He said that whoever makes the lives of Filipinos miserable because of illegal drugs should be punished. He assured that these evil factors would be end in 3 to 6 months but later, he said that he might given a chance to extend another 6 months or even years for these to end. If we remembered in his inauguration, he pledged that there would be promotion, protection and fulfillment of human rights to the people but now that he is on the core of his campaign, however, he praised the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) of suspected or allegedly drug pushers and users. Even though the PNP denied about it, many Filipinos still cry for justice. According to Inquirer.net,

 “On Tuesday, Sen. Panfilo Lacson described as “disturbing” that Filipinos seemed “resigned” that EJKs are part of the government’s war on drugs. On Monday, Pulse Asia’s Survey results showed that 73 percent of the 1200 surveyed respondents believed that EJKs exist in the government’s brutal crackdown on illegal drugs but 88 percent of them still support it.”

Some were killed by vigilantes others by military and police. I was worried about EJKs. I don’t know what is the standard of the current administration but we should still respect our law concerning human rights and even our culture that we are a Catholic nation. Not just about the issue of EJKs is being tackled about even the corrupt government officials have been revealed. According to Los Angeles Times,

 “Dozens of government officials in the Philippines have surrendered to police under Duterte’s administration. Last year, he named 150 officials that he said were involved in country’s drug trade.”

One of the most prominent government officials he jailed was Sen. Leila de Lima. Well, I am satisfied for he really fear not the government officials as long as it is corrupt and greedy in money. But I don’t want his other side where he favors someone due to campaign’s performance before. One of those is the dancer turned blogger Mocha Uson. He rewards her with a position of Presidential Communication Assistant Secretary and now earns ₱106,000.00 monthly. It is okay with me if he is not bias in appointing officials and it would be better if he chooses the right and skilled people regardless its political background. 

Aside from those, I also noticed that among previous administration, President Duterte made international trips for most of the time. According to Official Gazette,

“As of October 2017, he made 11 presidential trips to 16 sovereign states internationally since his inauguration day.”

Well, I doubt no more because his trips serve as an opportunity to foster and maintain relations with other governments and meet other leaders of the countries. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) classifies these trips as either a state visit, an official visit or a working visit. Whatever the purpose of his trips, I assumed that there would be sense and significance in each. He must be aware of the amount of budget releases especially now that Marawi City is under construction and about to rise up. 

There were lot of beautiful plans that Duterte promised to us. According to Philippine Star, there are his plans to carry out:

1. Improvement of government provision of social services which include education (now that we have K-12 curriculum), health (now that he wants to implement the reproductive health rights, children’s rights, HIV epidemic awareness), mass transportation (now that he wants to phase out old jeepneys and implement the modern ones).

2. Provision of assistance to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families.

3. Adaptation to climate change through reducing risk.

4. Preparing for national disasters.

5. Adopting 911 nationwide.

“Duterte intends to overcome the alleged structural dissonance between macroeconomic reform which has been the hallmark of Aquino’s “Daang Matuwid” program and concrete improvement of living conditions and standards of Juan Dela Cruz.”

Yes, there were lot of good plans of Duterte’s administration. Some are implementing and some are still in the line of waiting. However, you are wondering why this essay is entitled, “Who is really the boss?”. Despite of his good achievements in his first year term, still, I must say that his character is more important than anything else. His character will reflect on his actions. His decisions are always changing and some are not put into practice. Did you remembered when he said that he would place our Philippine flag and protect the West Philippine Sea from China but what happened now? Well, I think he just did that because he wanted to maintain foreign relations in China. Did you also remembered when the family of Mary Jane Veloso cries for mercy and help to save her from death in Indonesia but what our president replied? “Follow your own laws, I will not interfere”, he said. Well, I think he said that because during that time he was so aggressive and angry when it comes to illegal drugs issues. I want to extend my deepest condole for those families who have been involved in EJKs. I am not satisfied for what’s happening in war on drugs. Though I like his agendas but the way of executing his people, that is another story to be concerned about, I am also worried about “Dutertards” thingy that is supposed to stop because there must be equality between government groups. No more “dilawans’’, “pula”, or even “asul” groups reigning in our country. At the end, the people itself will be suffer. 

Well, how we will called the boss if even the president prefers to listen in his own decisions. Is there a possibility that we could lose our justice forever? Indeed, no one can stop the administration in governing us. In fact, he said that, 

“There is no due process in my mouth.”

“You can’t stop me and I’m not afraid even if you say that I can end up in jail.”

                                                                               - President Rodrigo Duterte

He sometimes called joker to the point that he once reported in media the fake news information about the bank account of Sen. Trillanes IV. Is it still a joke? Our president should realize that he is no longer running for campaign but he is now leading the country towards victory. He should think first before releasing a statement since all his words will now be treated seriously. Even though his hallmark was “Change is coming”, change can not be done immediately rather it is gradually happened. Changing one country is not just a responsibility of a single person rather it is done by the unity of the people whose mind, decision and passion are for good. 

Though the administration is busy in fighting illegal drugs and criminality and sometimes the president admits that his decision is the decision of all, they should be reminded that we, Filipino people are still living in this country and we’re waiting for the government’s better quality of service. They should not disregard the voice of the people because at the end, the government is created to serve its constituents.

After all the events happened under Duterte’s administration, the question came up to my mind, 

“Who is really the boss? The Filipino citizens, the president or the speculators inside the government?”.  

[jovieannramos-blog]

Nerve: The Scary Truth About Social Media

Film is one of the forms of media. For me, the best way of expressing art is through motion pictures. So here’s a thriller-genre movie called “Nerve”. I did find myself enjoying while watching it but I couldn’t help, but notice the truthful and timely message behind the movie.

1. Think (twice) before you click.

The story revolves on how a 24-hour online game can change a person.

So here’s an introvert teenage girl named Vee, short for Venus, being secretly in love with a hot football player, JP Guerrero. In a scene, her extrovert with a bitchy attitude friend, Sydney, awkwardly approached JP and pointing out Vee to be his girlfriend but she was rejected. After that humiliation, Vee attempts to sign up in an online game called Nerve. She knew at first that Sydney was crazily obsessed in playing this game to the point that it became a popular player. She thought that the game could change her as what happened to Sydney. But little she doesn’t know, she’s not actually playing the game rather the game is actually playing her.  

“Are you a watcher or a player?”

This game is not a joke. It literally means; if you click “Watcher”, you will watch the players and be their witness while when you click “Player”, prepare yourself for all the dares that will be given to you. If you complete the dare, money is wired in your account, but when you failed, everything will be lost.

2. Internet culture is invading us!

This generation is highly based on technology. Getting information, data collection, doing research and such are easy now to access because there’s internet. This movie is really an eye-opening. Personally, I have an easy attachment with the movie because it really shows how our/my generation works. Teenagers today are always trying to be liberated on social media. They try to get the most followers, taking pictures for Instagram, and will even put their lives just for the sake of adventure. You can easily see videos of people climbing in the high mountains or walls and then hanging off the edge thinking that they’re cool. In the movie, Vee took the dares like kissing a stranger for 10 seconds, riding in a motor with a 60kph speed while Ian was blindfolded, walk across a ladder suspended by being pulled through two windows in a tall apartment building in order to gain more watchers than Syd, escaping from a dress shop with just wearing undergarments. People accept the dangerous dares to prove to everyone that they can be adventurous. Sad to say that in real life, it happens.

3. Play responsibly.

Not all the games, you can consider them as just a game. We got so attracted in the charm of social media and technology. The watchers in the game are like those people who film videos of fights and post them, thinking that it’s funny. They pressure others into doing dangerous things not knowing that it could be their last. We do everything just to impress others--- impress our followers. In the movie, it teaches us to be responsible in all areas of our life. Whether you are a player or a watcher, you are obliged to be responsible.

4. Woke up like this!

This movie tells us if we or something doesn’t change, internet and technology could control and change us forever. This can definitely become a real thing. “Go for the war of getting most “Likes”?, or “Go for the stakes even your life is in the edge of death?” You can choose. You can decide but be firm in your decision. Stand on it! That said, if you’re kind of a person that addicted to social media, this movie is for you! You’re gonna woke up like this! I wish it awakes you!

The scary part of the movie is that, it’s not far in reality tho. It shows how an open-source works, GPS tracking, hacking, video sharing; everything was so easy now to see with a naked eye.

May this movie teach us more lesson and be learned. It’s not just talking about media but it speaks for all. Maybe, it’s not too late for us to be aware. Don’t let the technology and dare culture change you, rather, control them. Because God gave us the power to rule on everything He has made!

[jovieannramos-blog]

“Hindi man kapansin-pansin pero kailangan mo pa rin

Umulan man o umaraw, hindi sila titigil

Para sa iyong kaligtasan, sila’y buong araw nasa lansangan

Minsan binabalewala pero sa kanila ito ay tama

Minsan nakakagalit pero ‘pag hindi mo sinunod, buhay mo ang kapalit

Kaya kahit isang beses lang kapag nadaanan mo sila

Isang ngiti at salamat para sa taong sa trabaho’y tapat”

In celebration of 148th birthday of Dr. Pio Valenzuela, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for our city management officials especially for the traffic and pedestrian enforcers. For me, there are many things to be appreciated inside this city but these people get my attention the most. We might have seen them on the road for many times, forget their importance and think that their job is easy but it never was. In fact, they’re always on the road doing their responsibilities rain or shine. They help pedestrians, especially the aged, children and students like me to cross the street. They help people who might have lost their way. They observe and advise traffic violations that’s why if we are running out of patience, let us understand their purpose first. Whether we like or not, we need to be slow to anger because they’re just doing their job.

According to Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the Valenzuela City remains to be one of the few local government unit in Metro Manila that doesn’t relying on the traffic personnel deployed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Our city government sees to it that they must be professional and have a highly ethical standard in their field. To level up their abilities and skills, traffic management officers from the Valenzuela City Traffic Management Division (TMD) completed a 15-day basic motorcycle riding course at the City External Services Office (CESO) on August 22, 2016. This program aims to professionalize their skills and equip their course training includes defensive driving, escorting, parading and other disciplines. As of 2016, TMD has a total of 254 enforcers including 123 motorcycle traffic enforcers. Marlo Dulap, a head instructor when it comes to proper road and traffic management, stated that they aim to increase our enforcers’ visibility.

Imagine a city doesn’t have traffic enforcers, is there a place of full security and a well-disciplined citizen? We must be thankful for what our city government has done for us. They’re giving their best for the people’s own sake and safety as well as for the development and growth of our city. I am fully blessed and highly favored to belong in this disciplined and well-mannered city. 

Indeed, I am proud to be a Valenzuelano! 

[jovieannramos-blog]

News ache: Marawi Clash’ crushed my heart

Reading the Marawi Clash’ posts by one of the journalist gives me a heartbreak. It’s so distressful because I experienced the know-how; to know how the war works or happens and it made me to know I thinks and feels about the war. I became informed about what’s happening and I experienced the feeling of being there. From the guns and bullets to airstrikes, from the rising of the flag to increasing of people’s death, from the security to the risky point and from the restless down to hopeless. She intensified the feels of being in the war. Her kind of attack through words was impressionable. It’s easy to influence me unlike when I’m watching news on T.V, the information I gathered impacted me nothing. Her style of giving information was totally different. 

Most of her posts were not formally written. This was my first time to read a journalist’s article that wasn’t  formally written but I was totally engaged. Most of us wouldn’t believe in an informal style of news writing but when I encounter her “directed to the point” thoughts, I started to believe. 

Yes, it gives me an ache but it familiarize me, anyway. 

I love the way she writes.

I love how she thinks.

And I admire how she put the out-of-the-way information into a closely and intimate way of telling a story. 

In the end, I found out, not everything that gives you a heartbreak cause you to be broken and stay with pain but sometimes, it was made for you to be changed. It change my mindset to fear not the menace (war) but to understand the nature of it. After reading her posts, it talks to me like “Hey! This is war, this is happening, this is the reality!”. You couldn’t ever change anything but to accept it. 

Marawi is a far place from us. I don’t even know how it looks like but because of this journalist’s powerful words, I’m not afraid of war anymore rather I understand it more.