Whenever I get wounds, Mama would “spill” alcohol on it. It’s painful, but she tells me (in an angry but loving manner) that it’s the cure because it will prevent infections.
The hostage crisis and the picture of students who posed having the hostaged bus as their background have already wounded the China-Philippines relationship. However, just like the wounds we had, I believe that we will be able to patch things up again and strengthen the centuries-long relationship with the Chinese.
In this blog, I will particularly focus on some practical suggestions on mending the wounds.
1. Admit and Submit- The damage has been done, and we cannot “undone what has been done”. Filipinos should stop pointing fingers. Instead, what we should do is to admit that there were really lapses on the part of government, media, Mendoza’s relatives, and the “usiseros”. At the same time, we have to silently submit to public denouncements by the world—it’s part of the confession, to be condemned. We did something wrong, and even if we argue that this is an isolated case (which I strongly believe, because c’mon, don’t tell me that Philippines isn’t safe; USA wasn’t “safe” too, remember twin towers in 2001?; Spain wasn’t “safe” too, remember the Madrid train bombing in 2004?; India is not “safe” too, remember the Mumbai Attacks in 2008?) we cannot blame them for hating us. I’d like to believe (and I really hope and pray) that this will come to pass. Tolerance, I believe, is the key. It’s not synonymous to cowardice.
2. Recuperate and cooperate- The process of mending the wounds doesn’t stop on the confession level. We have to do proactive moves to “redeem the lost glory”. Specifically, instead of hating the students for the stupidity of their acts, I think it’s more important to move on and cooperate by finally putting a halt on cyber bullying and lambasting; it doesn’t help the situation anyway. Moreover, let me stress out that the majorship of these kids is IRRELEVANT. There are stupid students around us anyway; there are stupid students from both public and private schools anyway—so let’s STOP stressing out that they belong to such and such a department. This is one of the many ways to recuperate and cooperate.
3. Be careful and be tactful- Now that we know how powerfully dangerous the internet can be (just this afternoon, we received an information from PNU Chinese students that the pictures were already published in Chinese newspapers in China) we have to be extra careful on the pictures, videos, and blogs that we upload. At the same time, we should be extra tactful with all the comments, tweets, or statuses that we post. Remember that the world can view your posts, and your posts are subject to acceptance or rejection—or denouncement for that matter. Remember that beyond the computer screens are human beings that have different moral values and cultural traditions. For us, turning the bus into a tourist spot may not mean anything serious, editing the pictures and putting spiderman there may be a joke, but for our Chinese brothers and sisters, this is a direct insult to their fellows who died there.
This morning, I have started to “re-educate” my students with netiquette (network etiquette). I have reminded them to be extra careful with their internet-related activities. Hopefully, they will teach their future students too (who would most probably be in a more “dangerous” cyber world).
I challenge my students, friends, and colleagues to do the same (especially those who commented on the pictures). The condemning part is over. Now, what we have to do is to start teaching.
Instead of spreading the infection, let’s “spill” the alcohol that would cure the wound. Yes, wounds leave scars, but these should be taken positively as reminders: of the wrong that should be avoided, and of the good that should be practiced.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
The Transporter
Every week, despite stressful tasks and tight schedule, I see to it that I find time to escape Manila (even just for a few hours) and go home to Cavite—sleep in my bed and hug my “sweet-scented” pillow. It’s also my way of “recharging” my spirit. Of course, I could just go to any church in Manila, but “church-going” isn’t the reason; it’s more of the ministry. Somehow, my service to God has been tested by adding “struggles” –the struggles of transportation.
Since summer, going home to Cavite has become a very tedious task. Instead of just going to Park n’ Ride to take the bus straight to Silang (and sleep throughout the travel), one would need to choose from a variety of not-so-good options.
Option A: Take the LRT or jeepney bound for Baclaran, and take the bus there (Yep, the bus terminal at the back of Chowking and McDonald’s)
Option B: Go to Buendia and take the Cavite-bound bus. But this has become more difficult these days because the buses are not allowed to enter Taft Avenue anymore (or at least during the times that I have tried going to Buendia). They are forced to drop passengers in Roxas Boulevard, which is very uncomfortable.
Option C: Take the Van parked in front of the Post Office (and be sandwiched inside) However, these vans don’t reach Silang, so I’ll have to take the jeepney to reach our place.
My friend Bong (who takes up Law at PCU) said the Cavite-bound bus companies are the ones to be blamed because they didn’t file (or something like that) their franchises on time. However, I can’t help but wonder other possible reasons for not allowing the Cavite buses inside Manila. If it was about traffic, then I suggest that the Manila Traffic Bureau castigate SM Fairview buses (particularly Universal Guiding Star buses, which transformed Pedro Gil corner Taft Avenue, specifically in front of PCU, into their terminal) and Alabang-bound buses, which similarly transformed the south-bound lane into their terminal.
Moreover, I am really curious why no one seems to take care of this problem that really affects passengers, particularly students and employees who travel everyday from Cavite to Manila and vice versa. Fortunately, the Philippine Daily Inquirer had a tinge of discussion of the matter in their Editorial last Sunday (August 7, 2010) and hopefully, this could be the start of something that would solve the problem. Here’s a portion of it.
How traffic control can run out of control can be seen in Manila, where Mayor Alfredo Lim has banned provincial buses from entering the city since April 1, in violation of the buses’ franchises. Gravely inconvenienced are the daily commuters from the provinces who work in offices or study in schools in Manila.
The ban is obviously politically motivated: Lim does not want the provincial buses to park at the Park and Ride on Lawton, which had been built by his predecessor and political foe. The complex has become a white elephant, a waste of taxpayer’s money, as a result. During the election last summer, to appease irate commuters, Lim promised to further waste taxpayer’s money by putting up a public bus terminal at the old Manila ice plant site at the foot of Quezon Bridge. The pledge indicated that it was wrong in the first place to ban provincial buses from the Park and Ride, but Mayor Lim would not admit that. In the meantime, he complains that Manila’s income has dipped. Why? Of course, because he has banned people from the provinces from entering his city and, in effect, from shopping and doing business there!
A country that aims for progress should not just look into the roads that would bridge places; it should also prioritize the modes of transportation that are available for the majority of commuters and traders.
Since summer, going home to Cavite has become a very tedious task. Instead of just going to Park n’ Ride to take the bus straight to Silang (and sleep throughout the travel), one would need to choose from a variety of not-so-good options.
Option A: Take the LRT or jeepney bound for Baclaran, and take the bus there (Yep, the bus terminal at the back of Chowking and McDonald’s)
Option B: Go to Buendia and take the Cavite-bound bus. But this has become more difficult these days because the buses are not allowed to enter Taft Avenue anymore (or at least during the times that I have tried going to Buendia). They are forced to drop passengers in Roxas Boulevard, which is very uncomfortable.
Option C: Take the Van parked in front of the Post Office (and be sandwiched inside) However, these vans don’t reach Silang, so I’ll have to take the jeepney to reach our place.
My friend Bong (who takes up Law at PCU) said the Cavite-bound bus companies are the ones to be blamed because they didn’t file (or something like that) their franchises on time. However, I can’t help but wonder other possible reasons for not allowing the Cavite buses inside Manila. If it was about traffic, then I suggest that the Manila Traffic Bureau castigate SM Fairview buses (particularly Universal Guiding Star buses, which transformed Pedro Gil corner Taft Avenue, specifically in front of PCU, into their terminal) and Alabang-bound buses, which similarly transformed the south-bound lane into their terminal.
Moreover, I am really curious why no one seems to take care of this problem that really affects passengers, particularly students and employees who travel everyday from Cavite to Manila and vice versa. Fortunately, the Philippine Daily Inquirer had a tinge of discussion of the matter in their Editorial last Sunday (August 7, 2010) and hopefully, this could be the start of something that would solve the problem. Here’s a portion of it.
How traffic control can run out of control can be seen in Manila, where Mayor Alfredo Lim has banned provincial buses from entering the city since April 1, in violation of the buses’ franchises. Gravely inconvenienced are the daily commuters from the provinces who work in offices or study in schools in Manila.
The ban is obviously politically motivated: Lim does not want the provincial buses to park at the Park and Ride on Lawton, which had been built by his predecessor and political foe. The complex has become a white elephant, a waste of taxpayer’s money, as a result. During the election last summer, to appease irate commuters, Lim promised to further waste taxpayer’s money by putting up a public bus terminal at the old Manila ice plant site at the foot of Quezon Bridge. The pledge indicated that it was wrong in the first place to ban provincial buses from the Park and Ride, but Mayor Lim would not admit that. In the meantime, he complains that Manila’s income has dipped. Why? Of course, because he has banned people from the provinces from entering his city and, in effect, from shopping and doing business there!
A country that aims for progress should not just look into the roads that would bridge places; it should also prioritize the modes of transportation that are available for the majority of commuters and traders.
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