As I walk this afternoon

This morning, our group report was deferred because we weren’t prepared at all. We chose to postpone it instead of delivering a very elementary type of discussion (which is what I always do in class). So as an alternative to holding a three-hour class, our professor decided to give us a library work.


As usual, my day is gloomy. The weather brings a melancholic atmosphere and I can’t help it. I’m always sad, always feeling alone. Plus I am confronted by many problems as of the moment (problems ranging from the problems of society, to love, to family, health and academics). Dead tired with the system.


While I was on my way home, I passed by Araneta Coliseum, as I always do. Today is the opening of the UAAP and the match is between UP and Lasalle. As expected, UP lost in the game. Forgive me for being harsh but I can’t blame them though. They don’t receive sufficient funding, and sufficient support I guess that’s why. I am reminded of a joke; actually it’s a line UP players throw at their opponents whenever they lose. It goes like this “Mag-exam na lang tayo, sige!” There goes the intellectual arrogance of the cream of the crop. Ang mga matatapang, matatalino at di patatalo na UPians. Will our players benefit from the TOFI? Will it be a factor for their victory? That I don’t know. I just fervently hope they win next time.


I watched the crowd dispersed after the game. Most of the Lasalista, as always, headed to Starbucks, Pizza Hut Bistro and whatever classy restaurant or coffee shop nearby. I am almost near the jeep terminal when it started to rain. Darn, I left my cheap umbrella. But walking under the rain somehow made me feel easy. I love the rain, except rain in the city coz it’s not really soothing. It’s an acid rain and therefore corrosive, (chuckle).


I just had this thought: Intellectual gap between UPians and others is a given, but economic and income gap is very evident. UST students most often than not have cars; an Atenista is likely to be seen in a car discharging loud music while causing traffic along Katipunan Avenue; and a Lasalista in a car beside a girlfriend/boyfriend. UPians on the other hand are usually seen inside jam packed jeepneys. However, because of the changing character and philosophy of UP, majority of the students now belong to higher economic strata.


Nakakainis na TOFI, sana nag-aaral ako ngayon ng Econ 115 pero kailangan ko pang tapusin ang statement ng pagtutol dito. Nakakainis na HSA, kailangan tuloy naming magpa-forum tungkol dito. Nakakainis ang dean, walang tambayan ang mga tao paralisado tuloy ang recruitment at activities. Nakakainis na bagong walkway sa LT at drinking fountains, nahahamig tuloy ang iba na suportahan ang TOFI. (TOFI is an issue of UP being a state university-Prof. Roland Simbulan) Nakakainis na sistema.


Sometimes, a walk under the rain helps you contemplate on things.
It all boils down to commercialization of education, to commercialization of a basic right.(sigh)

Operation UPrising

“ Fighting for greater state subsidy isn’t merely a call for more money. It is a cry to our government to open its eyes and see that it is slowly choking the life out of our country’s youth, our future. It compels the government not just to give money but also assess where most of it necessarily goes.”
-UP Diliman University Student Council

Quotable Quotes from Feminists

"In my heart, I think a woman has two choices: either she's a feminist or a masochist."
—Gloria Steinem

"People think at the end of the day that a man is the only answer [to fulfillment]. Actually a job is better for me."
—Princess Diana

"I think the key is for women not to set any limits."
— Martina Navratilova

"For what is done or learned by one class of women becomes, by virtue of their common womanhood, the property of all women."
—Elizabeth Blackwell
(The first woman in the U.S. to become a physician)

"In passing, also, I would like to say that the first time Adam had a chance he laid the blame on a woman."
—Nancy Astor
(British Politician)

"The day will come when men will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race."
—Susan B. Anthony


“The reason why there are few women at the top is that they have no wives to help them.”

What is the Tagalog translation... (just for laughs)

1. black hawk down - ibong maitim sa ibaba
2. dead man's chest - dodo ng patay
3. i know what you did last summer - uyy... aminin!
4. love, actually - sa totoo lang, pag-ibig
5. million dollar baby - 50 million pisong sanggol (it depends on the
exchange rate of the country)
6. the blair witch project - ang proyekto ng bruhang si blair
7. mary poppins - si mariang may putok
8. snakes on a plane - nag-ahasan sa ere
9. the postman always rings twice - ang kartero kapag dumutdot laging
dalawang beses
10. sum of all fears - takot mo, takot ko, takot nating lahat
11. swordfish - talakitok
12. pretty woman - ganda ng lola mo
13. robin hood, men in tights - si robin hood at ang mga felix bakat
14. 4 weddings & a funeral - kahit 4 na beses ka pang magpakasal,
mamamatay ka rin
15. the good, the bad and the ugly - ako, ikaw, kayong lahat
16. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone - adik si harry, tumira ng shabu
17. click - isang pindot ka lang
18. brokeback mountain - may nawasak sa likod ng bundok ng tralala
/bumigay sa bundok
19. the day of the death - ayaw tumayo (ng mga patay)
20. waterworld - basang-basa
21. there's something about mary - may kwan sa ano ni maria
22. employee of the month - ang sipsip
23. resident evil - ang biyenan
24. kill bill - kilitiin sa bilbil
25. the grudge - lintik lang ang walang ganti
26. nightmare before christmas - binangungot sa noche buena
27. never been kissed - pangit kasi
28. gone in 60 seconds - 1 round, tulog
29. the fast and the furious - ang bitin, galit
30. too fast, too furious - kapag sobrang bitin, sobrang galit
31. dude, where's my car - dong, anong level ulit tayo nag-park?
32. beauty and the beast - ang asawa ko at ang nanay nya
33. the lord of the rings - ang alahero

Freed(om)

“If the freedom of one man oppresses another, is it then still freedom?”

Here are some of the comments by the people who received my text:

Cheng Abarquez:
“One man’s oppressor is another man’s freedom fighter.”

Her point? Freedom is relative.

Mam Baguilat:
“Freedom comes with responsibility otherwise there will be an abuse of ones freedom.”

I believe that every thing comes with responsibility. Academic freedom goes hand in hand with academic responsibility. And so does other things.

Sir Arcilla:
“Freedom enlarges people’s capacities and power. It is not a zero sum game. Freedom is structural, dapat lahat ay nakikinabang, hindi lang iilan kasi kapag ganun kahit na the oppressed are free to fight dapat ang alipin ay malaya na. History is a continuing struggle for freedom but the fact that it must be gained with the blood of the oppressed means that freedom is not solely individual based. Society, in a given time, defines what freedom is, based on the interest or power of those who benefit from such a definition. It then uses all of its apparatus, armed/non-armed to preserve the discourse.”

Sabi ko relative naman po ang mga bagay-bagay. Ang kalayaan po ba ng oppressed ay nangangahulugan na matatapakan iyong freedom ng mga naghaharing-uri?

“Freedom is always relative. But be careful of falling into an ideological trap. Freedom for the oppressed does not mean less freedom for the oppressor; in the struggle, the oppressed are redefining freedom.”

I am fond of using the theory of relativity mixed with the concept of subjectivity as an excuse for making standards and definitions.(harhar) Most of the time, defining things is a hard task :showing to someone what freedom is is easier than explaining it. In the process of defining freedom, you are already restraining its concept. I haven’t come up with my own definition of freedom yet because Jose Diokno said:

“ For what is freedom when there is no food, or justice when there are no jobs? A starving man does not have much freedom of choice and there is no justice in poverty. Food without freedom, jobs without justice, would be like leaves without a tree. Food and freedom, jobs and justice-these are the key to peace.” -Jose W. Diokno

For now, let’s stop defining things but rather let’s act to redefine things.
Now don’t ask me what freedom is. I’ll just show you what it is. (*wink*)

See the difference

Sabi ni Recto pagkatapos matalo sa eleksyon:
"Honey, I’m home."

Sabi ni Loi ng hindi na muling tumakbo sa posisyon:
"Erap, here I come."

Sabi ni Palatino (KP Nominee)ng di pinalad ang KP na manalo:
"Mga kasama, hinihintay tayo ng masa."