THE CHILDREN? THE CHILDREN!!!
Below is my interpretation of Jose Rizal’s poem ‘To the Philippine Youth’ . I do not read and understand Spanish so I relied only on several authors’ English translations of his poem in writing mine.
I titled it with a concocted Boie’nen-English title as follows:
AYKO! (OUCH!) HAIKU
Oh children heed thy native land’s place in the sun
Hold your head high, go maximize your potentials
Your motherland’s future rests in your very hands!
Raise your standards, your impressionable mind
Fight your lot with sheer intellect and inventiveness
With talented passion banish oppressions of all kind
With focused industry, your mind rises above the petty
Your natural ingenuity ensures good posterity you’ll see
At the end of the day your future brightened it would be!
Rizal it seems expected the Philippine youth to completely take our Motherland’s future in their very own hands. I cannot find in ‘To the Philippine Youth’ poem any reference to parental care and guidance – wetnursing their potentials’ bloom?
It is not easy for me to write about things that are troubling especially to me.
The recent day’s deluge of media images and sounds had just been overpoweringly disturbing. Still greatly confusing even for someone of my age who I can say have already seen much from deeper and wider perspectives from all over.
It may not be so with most of us who may only perceive events constricted by the proverbial frog’s mouth-of-the-well habitation concept of the sky.
Could many of us be now so emotionally calloused as a result of the constant bombardment especially by daily news media of killings, deaths and violence especially lately from our streets and waters including floodwater?
The television image of that little girl unusually sitting calmly it seems on top of house debris swiftly being carried by the raging-flooded river under a concrete bridge with disastrous consequences obviously. May the Almighty bless her cherubic soul and all other victims.
The images of youngsters clearly having fun and even horsing around safe in the safety of shelter while taping people outside trying to frantically survive in the rampaging flood. Such dirty laundry hung on You Tube for the world to see!
The overall inappropriate demeanor of Chris Aquino in the Television telethon with Tina Monson Palma, Fr. Tito and Pokwang and her inappropriate side comments.
I have more respect now for Pokwang and highly empathize with Tina if she was indeed sarcastic when she said in effect: ‘We have received many donations thanks to Chris.’ These are confusing scenes.
The more I believe we may indeed now are wanting in decorum and sensibility as a people.
But perhaps no. Thanks to Jessie James Nealega’s Matobato Prayer Warrior children video and written post especially on the Buroc’busok Flagstone Flak – the sad exploitation of children there.
LISTEN! Little voices. Little children. Not to be belittled.
If only I could hit a single musical note, I would sing in sincere prayer the song below popularized by The Carpenters.
BLESS THE BEASTS AND CHILDREN
Bless the beasts and the children
For in this world they have no voice
They have no choice
Bless the beasts and the children
For the world can never be
The world they see Light their way
When the darkness surrounds them
Give them love
Let it shine all around them
Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from a storm
Keep them safe
Keep them warm
Light their way
When the darkness surrounds them
Give them love
Let it shine all around them
Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from a storm
Keep them safe
Keep them warm
The children
The children
***
June 26th, 2010 at 3:48 PM
gandng arw po sa lht ng tga buhi,gusto ko lng sana iprting saiyo lalu na k mayor sana mapacin nya ang lugar n mn sa brgy,san vicente buraburan mdming umaasa na mapaayus n ung kalsada at pag ka umlan gring lapuk sna mapncin nyo po mabalus po….
August 12th, 2010 at 1:15 AM
Adi tabing message ko ay gusto kong maipaabot ki MAYOR REY LACOSTE.
Dear HON. MAYOR LACOSTE:
I am writing this letter to you in regards to the places or barrio that needs your huge help.
Basing upon the residents cry; San Vicente (Buraburan)and Burok’busok residents seems that these people are having hard time in the road during rainy days. PLEASE don’t just take a look at the downtown core areas road, try to see what other barrios are in need of. I think the residents would very much appreciate if you could PLEASE take an initiative action of having their road fix.
Theres no question of labor you can make use of the residents in the community, I am sure their arms are open wide to help you, and surely they will appreciate your effort of doing so. Make sure you coordinate with Brgy, Captain of both barrios to have a meeting and it regards to the help you need from residents for fixing the road.
Make use of their taxes and invest it for their road so that next time when you run for candidacy again you will get your majority vote’s. Remember being a mayor is like a student which you are being graded by your people, if your workmanship is of good for the people they will 100% like you without regrets.
ADI TABI SUGGESTIONS KO SASAIMO TATABANGAN TAIKA DAHIL NAPAPARTIHAN KO PA IKA, MAKULOG SANA SA BOOT KO NA AGKO NI BAKLI SASAIMO.
DI MO TABI IPAGMAKULOG ADING SAKEN NA SINABI, DIOS MABALOS NA MARAY SASAIMO MAYOR.
August 14th, 2010 at 1:03 AM
Ading tinampo papunta sa Burocbusoc ag Buraburan paporopondo ta oda pondo. Pero magngalas kita alin sa Burocbusoc papunta sa Iriga malauyay ana tinampo. Amo man dyan papunta sa Polangui. PAg alin sa boundary nya Buraburan hanggang sa Polangui halos tapos nang ipasemento. Ono kaya ana problema? Nagi onga sana.
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:49 AM
ADI TABING MESSAGE KO PARA SA NGA BARRIO CAPITAN NIANA BUROCBUSOC SAGCOD BARRIO CAPITAN NIN EITHER POLANGUI OR BURABURAN WHICHEVER BARRIO HAVE PROBLEM:
Once again, mga barrangay captain’s PLEASE don’t get upset with me as what i have mentioned in my recent letter i will help and give any possible suggestions that both MAYOR LACOSTE AND ANY BRGY. AREAS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS. Adi mga ipatngood puede tang pagusipan ta kita man sana ana agko oroorgolio niana saton na banoaan, especially in respito ki Mayor Lacoste and Brgy, Captain’s of Buhi.
Inirerespito kong mga Brgy. Captain’s ken ono man ana kakulangan sa sainyong barrio, kausipon sana ninyo si Mayor Lacoste, ipresenta ana sainyong problema manononged sa sainyong barrio, do it in writing kasi bilang osad na namamayo nin osad na banoaan ay dipesil boke sana orointremes, kadakel ana piisip so probably di yan naririsa nin marahay, (this applies to this two barrios mentioned in this letter) ngoan ken poropondo ana pagpatrabaho sa Burocbusoc ay kaipuhan ana Brgy. Captain of the barrio and Mayor Lacoste have to raise some funds by: 1) puedeng mag ayat nin toll fee doon sa mga jeep na dumadaan sa street na yan. 2) submit the residents property owner of that barrio in municipality of buhi and raise taxes to fund for the finishing of the street cos i understand kulang din talaga ana funds ng local government especially Burocbusoc has probably small population the same as the Brgy. papuntang Buraburan.
‘
and/or
‘
Kailangan pahintulotan ako ni Mayor Lacoste na magraise funds dito sa tindahan ko for this cause. I will ask funds from all filipinos here but I need a letter from the Mayor about that without any letter I can’t ask any money from filipinos as this is against my will, alam mo na ang mga sabi-sabi and i don’t tolerate that mabuti na yung malinis ang gawa pati sa taas ay di tayo mapapagalitan.
Amo sana adi a masasabi ko sainyo ken ako man nagsobra nin sasabihen Mayor Lacoste and Brgy. Captain’s that I mentioned aboved PLEASE don’t make a grudge over me gusto ko sanang magtabang sasainyo. DIOS MABALOS TABI SA SAINYO DIYAN. IPAPANGADIE KO NA MAPAKARAHAY ANA SAINYONG MGA BARRIO…
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:45 AM
This notice is again directed to HON. MAYOR REY LACOSTE AND ALL BRGY. CAPTAIN’S OF BUHI:
RE: REQUEST OF LETTER FROM YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT (NEEDED WITH SIGNATURE OF EACH)
Sirs:
Basing upon the letter I’ve just mentioned aboved, I would like to request a letter from your office allowing me to raise funds from my store for the cause of fixing the street in Burocbusoc and street of either Buraburan. Please understand that without this letter I am requesting from you I can’t raise funds from all filipinos in Toronto. Whatever amount I raise will be sent to your government and will be addressed to Mayor Lacoste and all Brgy. Captains of Buhi.
The address of my store is:
Leonida Sabinorio McNabb
The Philippine Variety Store
240 Wellesley Street East Unit# 106 Toronto, Ontario
M4X 1G5
DIOS MABALOS TABI SA SAINYO NGAMIN….
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:52 AM
Pasensya na po kamo Mayor Lacoste and all Brgy, Captains, di man po ako nagiparariklamo sa sainyo kendi gusto ko sanang makatabang sa kapwa (kabanoaan) ko.
DIOS MABALOS TABI SA SAINYO NGAMIN..
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:40 AM
Nida, advice ko lang tabi sa saimo, much better kin agko ika acct. sa facebook. Adto mo adi ipaabot sa Buhi Online facebook acct. madali ading mababasa nya ngamin na Buhinon. Regards.