And the merry-go-round of Philippine politics goes on. With Francis Escudero leaving the Nationalis People's Coalition yesterday, the party now has no standard-bearer for the 2010 presidential elections. It leaves open the possibility of NPC teaming-up with Lakas-KAMPI-CMD or Manny Villar's Nacionalista Party. Now, a Gilbert Teodoro-Loren Legarda or Villar-Legarda tandem can really happen.
The fluidity of the current political scene is highlighted by NPC's declaration yesterday (through Rep. Mark Cojuangco) that they can still field Legarda as its presidential bet. Legarda would look like a proxy candidate (panakip-butas) though, since NPC bigwigs had long indicated its preference for Escudero despite Loren's experience.
What about Chiz? Can he run for president without Danding Cojuangco's billions? As a UP public administration professor said yesterday, no one has won the presidency as "ako bilang ako." Running for VP under under the party of President Arroyo would make him look like a hypocrite (do we have to say why and how?) while running with Villar would betray Escudero's supposed stand vs. corruption.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
URGENT! PLEASE PRAY FOR MS MILGRAY MERIDA'S SAFETY (PLS REPOST)
Her former students will remember her in many ways. The one who reminds them to "be good and make good"; the one who never allows students to report unless they use colorful visual aids and the teacher who "coerces" her students to attend school events as a "socialization requirement." And how can we forget her order for us to have a bank account? And there's also the "energizer" before the class starts (Ye-ye Bonel)!
When I learned that Ondoy has caused flash floods in places like Marikina, Cainta and Pasig, I immediately texted her to know how she and her octogenarian mom is doing because I know they are living near the Tumana river in Marikina. That was last September 26. I have texted her again in the succeedding days and still, no response.
When I visited RMHS yesterday, her co-teachers at the SS Department (like Ms Melania Vitan) that they've been doing the same thing in vain for ten days. This is chilling. Up to now, no one knows what happened to Ms Merida. Yesterday, her fellow economics teacher Linda Sabalza tried to call her, but the phone is "unattended." Right now, I'm certainly not at peace knowing that her fate remains unknown.
To me, Ms Milgray Merida of Ramon Magsaysay High School's Social Studies Department is not just a class adviser. She is my first mentor.We've known each other since she became my trainer for the first-ever city-wide contest that I have participated in, and that was in January 2003. She have seen all my empathic triumphs as well as my frustrations in school. Even when I'm already a UP student, I have always kept in touch with her through text. And she never fail to tell me how thankful she was to me for remembering her, and she'd ask too how my mom is doing.
I am helpless. All I can do is to ask God to save her from harm's way. I can only hope that she's safe now. I hope that you'll pray for her too. We can only hope for the best in this situation. Please ask your batchmates and former classmates to do the same thing too. Please spread the word. If you can, please repost this entry too. Thank you.
MARK PERE M. MADRONA
BA JOURNALISM, UP DILIMAN
IV-EDISON, BATCH 2006
When I learned that Ondoy has caused flash floods in places like Marikina, Cainta and Pasig, I immediately texted her to know how she and her octogenarian mom is doing because I know they are living near the Tumana river in Marikina. That was last September 26. I have texted her again in the succeedding days and still, no response.
When I visited RMHS yesterday, her co-teachers at the SS Department (like Ms Melania Vitan) that they've been doing the same thing in vain for ten days. This is chilling. Up to now, no one knows what happened to Ms Merida. Yesterday, her fellow economics teacher Linda Sabalza tried to call her, but the phone is "unattended." Right now, I'm certainly not at peace knowing that her fate remains unknown.
To me, Ms Milgray Merida of Ramon Magsaysay High School's Social Studies Department is not just a class adviser. She is my first mentor.We've known each other since she became my trainer for the first-ever city-wide contest that I have participated in, and that was in January 2003. She have seen all my empathic triumphs as well as my frustrations in school. Even when I'm already a UP student, I have always kept in touch with her through text. And she never fail to tell me how thankful she was to me for remembering her, and she'd ask too how my mom is doing.
I am helpless. All I can do is to ask God to save her from harm's way. I can only hope that she's safe now. I hope that you'll pray for her too. We can only hope for the best in this situation. Please ask your batchmates and former classmates to do the same thing too. Please spread the word. If you can, please repost this entry too. Thank you.
MARK PERE M. MADRONA
BA JOURNALISM, UP DILIMAN
IV-EDISON, BATCH 2006
My heart bleeds for the people of Brgy. Bagong Silangan, QC
If you have been watching the news since Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) wrecked havoc in much of eastern Metro Manila, you have certainly heard about Brgy. bagong Silangan. Even as you read this, much of the area remains submerged in knee-deep mud. But that's the least of their problems. Hundreds (if not thousands) of Brgy. Silangan residents, including children and elderly, are staying in the Bagong Silangan High School (who had become their evacuation center).
Most, if not all of them, had their homes washed out by Ondoy last September 26. They've lost evry thing, evry single possession that they've worked hard for. About 50 residents lost their lives as well. In fact, both the evacuees and the dead can be found side-by-side at the BSHS. When I learned of this disaster the other Saturday, I became restless. After all, Brgy. Bagong Silangan is close to me.
For CMC students who had their CWTS in summer of 2008, you should know what I'm talking about. More than half of our class (under Prof. Rachel Khan) worked for Gawad Kalinga at that time. We were assigned to the GK Community in Brookside - one of the eight puroks in brgy. bagong Silangan. Since houses had already been built there, we only had to improve the place by repainting and "beautifying" it.
It was May 12 2008, our last day at the area. We are having a thanksgiving/farewell party when strong rains abruptly ended the fun at around 1PM. An hour later, Ate Marife, a resident of Sta. Clara St., told me to leave the place. She told me that since the rain is so strong, the nearby creek might overflow which might cause a huge flood in the area. I obliged and left, even if most of my groupmates are still enjoying "Prinsesa ng Banyera."
A few hours after I got home, the unimaginable happened. Floods high enough to submerge the residents' entire homes appeared, forcing the residents and even my groupmates to seek refuge in the rooftops. In a visit a month later, I saw first-hand how easy it ease to lose everything (TVs, DVD players, karaokes) in a snap. And mind you, construction worker lang naman ang trabaho ng kanilang mga family breadwinners.
Yes, it is easy to destroy - but it takes months, if not years, to stand again. My heart bleeds for them.
Most, if not all of them, had their homes washed out by Ondoy last September 26. They've lost evry thing, evry single possession that they've worked hard for. About 50 residents lost their lives as well. In fact, both the evacuees and the dead can be found side-by-side at the BSHS. When I learned of this disaster the other Saturday, I became restless. After all, Brgy. Bagong Silangan is close to me.
For CMC students who had their CWTS in summer of 2008, you should know what I'm talking about. More than half of our class (under Prof. Rachel Khan) worked for Gawad Kalinga at that time. We were assigned to the GK Community in Brookside - one of the eight puroks in brgy. bagong Silangan. Since houses had already been built there, we only had to improve the place by repainting and "beautifying" it.
It was May 12 2008, our last day at the area. We are having a thanksgiving/farewell party when strong rains abruptly ended the fun at around 1PM. An hour later, Ate Marife, a resident of Sta. Clara St., told me to leave the place. She told me that since the rain is so strong, the nearby creek might overflow which might cause a huge flood in the area. I obliged and left, even if most of my groupmates are still enjoying "Prinsesa ng Banyera."
A few hours after I got home, the unimaginable happened. Floods high enough to submerge the residents' entire homes appeared, forcing the residents and even my groupmates to seek refuge in the rooftops. In a visit a month later, I saw first-hand how easy it ease to lose everything (TVs, DVD players, karaokes) in a snap. And mind you, construction worker lang naman ang trabaho ng kanilang mga family breadwinners.
Yes, it is easy to destroy - but it takes months, if not years, to stand again. My heart bleeds for them.
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