Back from the dead

Wow. I almost forgot about this blog. For the past year, the 2 attempts to sign in was a failure. I realized I was using the wrong e-mail address. Now, I'm back!

Napaka-trying hard blogger ko talaga.

The logic of the kuliglig

Ang pagmamaneho ng kuliglig ay coping mechanism ng mga maralitang taga-lungsod para mairaos ang pang-araw araw nila. Katulad din yan ng mga sidewalk vendors na kung ituring ng mga mayayaman (o feeling mayaman) ay eyesore. Palibhasa, wala namang maialok na disenteng trabahong nakakabuhay ng pamilya ang estadong ito. At hindi katulad ng mga mayayaman (o feeling mayaman) ang problema ng mga kuliglig drivers noong December 1 ay kung saang kamay ng diyos nila kukunin ang pang-kain, pambili ng gamot at pambaon sa eskwela ng mga anak nila. Kaya sa mga nagreklamong na-traffic daw sila papuntang work or school dahil sa mga naka-hambalang na kuliglig: ANG LAKI NG PROBLEMA NIYO. WOW. NAKAKAMATAY ANG PAGKA-STUCK SA TRAFFIC. GRABE. PASENSYA NA KAYO, HA?


Para naman sa gobyerno ng Maynila (at sa gobyerno in general), anong karapatan niyo para lipulin sila? Kayo na nagpapakasasa sa pera ng mamamayan. Kayo na de-aircon ang mga kwarto. Kayo na naka-SUV. Kayo na may mga master's at doctorate degree. Kayo na wala naman matinong programang pangkabuhayan, edukasyon (babawasan pa nga ang badget, e!). Kayo na sa loob ng isang daang taon ay hinayaang maging bansot at atrasado ang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas kaya pirming naka-sandig tayo sa mga imperyalista. Kayo na pumapatay at nandudukot sa mga taong kumikilos para sa tunay na pagbabagong panlipunan. Kayo na malinaw na pumapanig sa mga malalaking negosyante at panginoong maylupa. Kayo na ayaw magpamahagi ng lupa sa mga nagbubungkal nito at ayaw magtaas ng sahod ng mga manggagawa sa pabrika dahil sa takot na mababawasan ang milyon-milyong pera niyo sa bangko, o di kaya ay mabawasan ang mga SUVs sa garahe ng mansyon niyo. Kayo na mga walang ginawa kundi sumali sa tree planting at run-for-a-cause ng ABS-CBN at GMA Kapuso Foundation, magtayo ng bahay kasama ng Gawad Kalinga, mamigay ng limos sa mahihirap bilang inyong idea ng "governance" at "uplifting the poor". Mga wala kayong alam! At mga wala kayong alam dahil wala kayong pakialam sa tunay na kalagayan ng lipunang ito.


Sa pag-ban sa munting kabuhayan ng mga kuliglig drivers, para mo narin silang pinatay. Gut-level at historical ang usapin ng mga kuliglig. Bahagi ito ng isangdaang taong pakikipaglaban para sa lipunang makatarungan. Tama lamang ang ginagawang pag-aalsa ng mga kuliglig drivers. Tama lamang ang ginagawang pag-aalsa ng mga estudyante laban sa budget cut. Tama lamang ang ginagawang pag-aalsa ng mga magsasaka sa hacienda luisita at sa lahat ng hacienda sa Pilipinas. Tama lamang ang pag-aalsa ng mga manggagawa para sa dagdag sahod accross the board, nationwide.


Kahit kailan hindi naging mali ang mag-alsa para sa isang lipunang makaturangan. Kahit kailan hindi naging mali ang mag-alsa para wakasan ang daantaong pagka-api at pagka-alipin. At hanggat patuloy ang pagsasamantala, pambubusabos at pang-aapi, hindi matatapos ang pag-aalsa ng mga mamamayan. Kasaysayan na ang nagturo sa atin nito. Ang tao ang mapag-pasya. Oras na mangyari ito, magtago ka na, Mayor Lim. Ang tunog ng kuliglig ay magiging dagundong. Dagundong ng pinagsamasamang lakas ng bayan na siyang puputol sa sungay mo at ng mga kauri mo.


Dec 2 2010| 3:50 pm

The revolution is love

Para sa mga allergic sa romance at nababaduyan sa pag-ibig:

"At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality.” - Che Guevarra

Nov 13 2010 | 12:04am

Digital post-it

I first discovered digital post-its in 2005 while I was still with Fox-GSK. I remember my desktop being covered with to-dos written in digital post-its. I have been an avid note-taker ever since. I am a calendar person. I am a to-do list person. I am a planner person. I would printout those printable calendars from the internet quarterly. (I don't print the 12 months at a time). And I would just keep it folded in half, and slid inside a notebook. I am thrilled by the folds and stray marks, and the unruly penmanship and the different pen colors. Mukhang gamit na gamit! For some weird reason, I enjoy juggling different things at the same time. Since college, I was never just a student. I was a leader of several organization. When I was working, I was not just a yuppie, I was an activist and a member of a band, and a graduate student. Sometime 2006, I quit my regular 8-5 job and worked as a college instructor, freelance researcher and a graduate student while still an activist and a band member. When I was in a very demanding corporate office, I still had a band and maintained my activist life. But since the schedule was less than flexible, which means I had to focus on just work and reduce others to mere free-time activities, I decided to quit. Right now, I am an NGO worker, a freelance researcher, an activist and a graduate student, and a musician. And I am thrilled (and stressed) at the idea of having to juggle all those.

However, recently, I tend to forget and care less compared with how much I was up on my toes a year ago and before that. Not that I have become whatever goes. I still enjoy planning and marking things on the calendar, or putting plans in writing. I just keep on forgetting things. I hope this condition is nothing medical or clinical.

Last night, I decided to download the digital post-it once again. On my tiny desktop, I divided it into three of my work spheres. First, for the NGO, 2nd for the small research agency I'm running, and 3rd for graduate school. There should be a 4th - social life. It takes my time also, and sometimes I choose it over work. Haha!

Nov 8 2010 | 12:42 p.m.

Sleep

I slept for 12 hours straight! It felt so good and liberating to just sleep on some work to do.

1. Read related literature for my thesis
2. Watch a feature on Carol Banawa on Rated K
3. Prepare a compensation package proposal for work
4. Listen to NU 107's last hour (12 midnight)
5. Hygiene stuff

The 5th made me feel icky the following morning; while the 4th made me nostalgic. I didn't care much about items 1 to 3. Hehe.

Nov 8 2010 | 12:24 p.m.

Balik UP

This is it! I finally got the seal of approval of three "appropriate bodies" who decided upon my fate as a graduate student: the department chair, the graduate school chair and the dean. This afternoon, my request for readmission and extension was granted. I have one year to finish everything. It is almost surreal to finally be able to enroll again tomorrow after more than two years.

It means I will have to endure the tireless lines again.

It means I have to start looking for a new thesis adviser.

It means I have to start working on my research.

It means that my time starts now!

Nov 3 | 1:01 a.m.