I can't hate rain

It had been raining continuously for the past nine days already. And it had successfully taken its toll on me. As I made my way to office earlier, I frowned at the wet, darkened concrete; I relented at the cold and moist wind that stuck my skin; and I was miserable than ever looking at the empty faces of people.

There was too much gloom! And too much gloom, always, brought too much retrospection.

I did realize something useful though. And perhaps, I got a little thankful for the rain. 

I was not the writer I used to be before.

It was the truth and it did hurt me. But, let's just say that missing my old reliable writer self was even worse than the hurt itself!

Haaaay....

I missed the time when I would write for my blog regularly. Before, I was always brimming with ideas, opinions and beliefs. But more than the ideas, opinions and beliefs, I always found the right words to express myself.

Now, I still think about important matters... Sometimes I would formulate a good topic. But in the end, the lack of time, the lack of supporting thoughts, the laziness, and every other excuses I could conjure, hindered me.

And the story passes away. It got buried in the membranes of my brain, together with other forsaken stories. I bet I already had a cemetery of dead tales by now.

Haaaayayay....

But, I did found a solution! Thank heavens! And, it was simple!

That I'd keep things personal.

Yes, that was how everything started right? I opened myself for the world to see, rather to read. And I guess it's about time that I return to my comfort zone.

Which is "I". :D

So therefore, I never really hated the rains.

I would start again. I would commune with myself again. I would open up myself again. All through writing.

Welcome me back. I would write again!

Though, I must admit this blog entry itself was already a struggle! Visiting some of my favorite blogs that I used to frequent before did help though! I was spared a little inspiration!

But I would write again. And you--yes you!--would be reading about me again, whether you like it or not.

Bayan muna

Minsan ang sarap sabihing "Lintik ka Amerika." 


Hindi ko kasi maintindihan kung bakit maraming Pilipino ang naakit sa "greener pastures" mo. Nagpupunta sila dyan, nagtatrabaho para sa iyo. Nagbabayad ng tax mo. Sumusunod sa mga batas mo. Nag-iingles at nagkakaroon ng "American accent." Tapos uuwi dito sa Pinas, maganda na ang buhay nila. Nagmamataas. Nagmamayabang. Pilipino ka ba talaga? (Hindi ko nilalahat, pero aminin na natin, may katotohanan ang naturing kong iyan.)


Subukan nga nating ikumpara ang Amerika sa Pilipinas . . . Baka sakaling malinawan ang isip ko. 


Dito sa Pilipinas, kaka-onti ang trabaho. Maswerte kung mag-invest ang Amerika at magbukas ng factory ng Forever 21, katulad ng mga iba pang factory ng mga signature clothes mula sa bansa nila. Maraming blue-collared jobs ang magbubukas. Pero bakit dito? Mas mura ang labor sa Tsina, at mas maraming tao sa Tsina. 


At kung sakaling may trabaho ang isang regular na mamayan, ang sweldo naman nya hindi sapat sa pamilya nya. Nagpapakapagod, nagpapakahirap, pero kulang pa rin ang lahat. 


Tapos dito rin sa bansa, ang mga manggagawang nagbabayad ng tax, nakikinabang ba sa tax nila? Maraming kwestyon tulad ng bakit hanggang ngayon nakatiwangwang pa ang kalsadang proyekto ng alkalde mo? 


At higit sa lahat, sino nga naman bang gugustuhin dito sa Pilipinas kung isa ito sa mga bansang may pinaka-corrupt na gobyerno sa mundo. Impeachment trial ay circus! Tangna, kanya-kanyang pagmamalinis. Sino ba sa inyo ang hindi nagnakaw at nakinabang sa kaban ng bayan. Alam kong mayroon pang malilinis, pero hanggang kailan kaya sila hindi mababahiran ng dungis...


Pero, huwag din natin kalimutan na dito sa Pinas, ang teleserye paulit-ulit ang istorya (patay na, buhay pala). Ang mga aktres at aktor, nagsasapakan. Ang mapupulot sa PBB Teens ay ewan. 


Kaya naman pala! Bakit hindi tayong lahat magpunta sa Amerika? Kayo na lang siguro. Pero hindi ako. 


Hindi ako pupunta sa Amerika, o sa ibang bansa, na ang iniisip ko lang ay ang kapakanan ko. Tangna, kaya nga ako pinanganak na Pilipino e. Ibig sabihin, ang pananagutan ko ay sa bansa ko. 


Dito lang ako kung saan dapat magsikap, dapat magbayad ng tax, dapat magmatyag sa gobyerno, at hindi dapat manood ng PBB.


Dito ako sa Pilipinas. Magsusulat ng ganito. Maaring pagtawanan ninyo ako. 


Pero malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa mga bayani nating nakipaglaban para sa kalayaan natin? Sa lahat ng Pilipinong sumalungat sa Katolikong simbahan. Sa lahat ng Pilipinong tinalikuran ang Amerika. Sa lahat ng Pilipinong nagbuwis ng dugo sa kamay ng mga Hapon. Sa mga matatapang na Pilipinong ipinaglaban ang bansang ito. 


Paano ko ba to sasabihin, korni oo, pero pinagmamalaki ko ang bansang ito. Ipinagpapasalamat ko ang 114 taon ng kalayaang tinatamasa natin. Isinasapuso ko ang pagka-Pilipino ko. Atsaka, it's more fun in the Philippines diba?!


Simpleng paalala lang ito para sa lahat ng kapwa ko, kahit nandito ka o sa dayuhang lupain man, wag mong kalimutang Pilipino ka. Wag kang sakim. Magbayad sa bayang nagluwal sayo, maliit o malaki. Siguro kung lahat ng Pilipino, may kahit kakapiranggot na commitment kay Perlas ng Silangan . . . 


Naniniwala akong ang "commitment" na iyan ang pag-asa ng bawat isa sa atin--hindi si Willie o si Pacman. 


Pero teka! Hindi ako yong moralistang preacher na tinutukoy ng kaibigan ko. Puro salita (o sa akin puro sulat) lang, walang gawa. May pangarap po ako para sa bayan ko. :) Sana po, magawa ko, pagsisikapan ko.


***
"Una ang Panginoon. Pangalawa ang bayan. Pangatlo ang pamilya. At huli ang sarili."


Ang pinakamahalagang aral na natutunan ko Mababang Paaralan ng Taguig. Sa guro ko na nagbigkas nyan, salamat po. 


Maligayang Araw ng Kalayaan Bayan ko!


p.s. Buti pa si Google, hindi nakalimot. 

Proud to be fun, fun to be proud

Originality is only a matter of how one makes something his own.

I was taught years ago that if I want to write, I should first read good works/writings of authors that I like and then try to copy their styles, as long as in the process, I could develop my own style.

And weird enough, it worked for me. I realized what I wanted and what I didn't. I found out how I would send my message across (research/facts as legs, positivism as body, criticism/idealism as arms, and humor as the pretty face that catches attention, haha!).

So to all those writing styles that influenced me and I copied, I could say that by now, I had made it my own. 

Basically, that explains my definition of "original" that best describes my stand on the issue about the 2012 Department of Tourism (DOT) campaign slogan "It's more fun in the Philippines." 

This was what happened: 

The 2012 DOT campaign "It's more fun in the Philippines" was launched early last Friday (Jan.6) under the leadership of new Secretary Ramon Jimenez. 

This was made known to me when I opened Twitter and saw that #itsmorefuninthephilippines was already trending BIG. 

Filipinos, and even foreigners, had something to share why it's more fun in the Philippines—most pointing out "food, hospitality, travel destinations" and many more (uplifting and even absurd). 

From this alone, I already felt the optimism revolving around the campaign. It gave Filipinos the chance to promote the country in their own little ways, with the help of the Internet and technology. It’s a simple but very catchy idea that gives everyone the freedom and creativity to think what makes it more fun in the Philippines in their own ways. 

An article written by Maria Ressa for Rappler.com that I read has all the sensible details you need to know. Especially Secretary Jimenez's "conviction" and how "crowdsourcing" and "social networks" will be the campaign's tools. 

However, just hours after the official launch, a picture from 1951 saying "It's more fun in Switzerland" also went viral in the Internet. Considering how the 2011 DOT campaign "Pilipinas Kay Ganda" was criticized for being a copycat of a Poland logo, many became cynical. Even our paper The Manila Times went with a banner story "Department of Tourism bungles branding anew". 

Well, if you judge a book by its cover, most definitely you'll see that the "coincidence" (as Sec. Jimenez defended it) as lack of originality.

Sec. Jimenez immediately tweeted "No one can own the expression "it's more fun" but it's very true for the#Philippines so it becomes ours. #ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines" and "The line isn't a manufactured slogan. It's simply the truth about our country. Don't be swayed by people who are trying to punch holes in it".

I agree. What makes Switzerland fun is totally different as to what makes the Philippines fun. 

Isn’t drinking Red Horse (RH) beer from dusk till dawn with barkada the most fun here? Isn’t partying at whitesand Boracay the most fun here? Isn’t Ilocano food with names Puki-Puki and Kabatiti the most fun here? Isn’t a Filipino’s smile the most fun (and beautiful)? 

So many fun and original things only here at the Philippines! So many fun and original things only we Pinoys could offer! 

So quoting Sec. Jimenez again, "The national line is a goal, a constant reminder to ourselves why we can tell travelers it’s more fun here than anywhere else. It needs everyone’s support for it to stay true—we need to make sure people’s experiences in our country are positive, enjoyable, and most of all, fun.” 

Our country is unique and special in many ways that we seem to forget. The 6-word phrase is a challenge to prove and defend this. Or even better, it wants us to be proud of ourselves again.