There is Something Wrong

   

Whenever I watch TV or read articles or just listen to radio news about racism, there are random thoughts that pop out of my head and some questions which bother me sometimes as if they were national problems that needs immediate answer. Though these are only nonsense, I am sure that I’m not the only one thinking about this…….

• ·         My first question is, Why do Westerners call Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, which are almost alike in physical features, Asians but don’t call Iranians, Indians or Israelites Asians where in fact they are citizens of the country that is situated in Asia.

• ·         Have you observe that the United States citizens call themselves Americans but call a Latino a Mexicans or a Brazilian and etc. when in fact they are also Americans? Isn’t that all living in the Americas has the right to be called Americans not only those living in the US?

• ·         Egyptian should also be called Africans since they’re from Africa, isn’t it? After all, the blacks are just part of the diverse race of Africa. Think about this, if Obama is a Libyan or an Egyptian descent but is not black, would he still be considered African-American even if he’s not black but with an African root?

So what exactly is my point here? A society should perhaps stop labeling a person base from his or her color. As we label people we create barriers instead of connections.

Education and Students: A Change of Perspective by Borj Borja

    

      There were few like me out there who have questioned whether, or not education has changed its goal. I am referring to Education becoming a commodity while students becoming resources of some big companies out there. What we know, and how much we know determines, mostly where we will go in next stage of our life. One area in which we can quickly do damage to our schools reputation is the question of the degree to which we will treat education especially students as a product that is not different from the raw materials and manufactured goods we export. The damage has already been done, the perception of education as a product that arose with globalization has led to a situation in the Philippines where some Private and State colleges and university education today is worth less reliant on one's field of study than vocational levels or a high school diploma back then. This unfortunate reality is that in the era of globalization and a technology based economy, education and students is indeed a commodity.

        Gone are the days were students are free to choose what course they want which will hone their God given talent instead choose which course belongs to hot pandesal courses. We cannot blame them; hence the change of perception in choosing a course is caused by economic problems in the country not to mention the problem within the countries educational curriculum.

     This perception of education as a product has worked very well in fact, to change education into a commodity. Unfortunately, this has only worked to increase the contest to get into schools where the education is considered to be worth the student's or their parent's money, and to increased costs to cover the cost of promoting or least to say marketing one's school in the education market. Critics says some private schools are charging excessive fees, in the range of above what middle-class family can afford to pay, to make up for insufficient government support. As the recent news on TV about tuition fee increase indicated that many private schools charge high tuition fees to students in order to increase the salary of their employees and enhance the educational services but not to mention covering the costs of marketing their schools.

    Filipinos have a deep regard for education, which they view as a primary path for upward social and economic mobility so investing in education pays off just as investing in a market, provided that you are willing to invest more and have the patience to wait and watch the value as it grow, before one receives a payoff. Attending a better school can land you a job in a big company with a better income. In other words, a certified level of education is a need, something that is helpful and can be turned to profitable gain. The reality that schools are institutions imbued with social meaning does not disagree with the reality that schooling is also a product that can be bought and sold, one whose supply responds to cost and demand and other rules of economics.

     Education in the era of globalization is a product and as such, it is labeled, branded, marketed and sold to eager young consumers, concerned to give themselves with the best education that money can purchase, figuring that the more exclusive one's education is, the more payoffs the investment will have in the end. Unfortunately, the value of an education is subjective and in many cases, the investment never pays off well. 

     Education is much like a precious metal. Although it does not take physical form, it can be bought sold and traded for monetary value. This view of education as a product has widened to include primary and secondary schools as well as institutes of higher learning. This has also had a negative effect on the market because the number of graduates far outweighs the availability of employment in a given field. One of the most serious problems in the Philippines today concerned the large number of students who completed college but then could not find a job appropriate with their educational skills. If properly utilized, these trained workers could assist economic development, but when left idle or forced to take jobs below their qualifications, this group could be a major source of dissatisfaction. The commercialization education has also created rising costs at many top-notch secondary schools and universities, as they need additional funding to cover the costs of promoting their schools. The increasing costs and competition of achieving an education is an issue that young people and their parents will continue to face today and in the future. One simple fact remains in that our educational systems must work to guarantee that the quality of the education that they offer does not weaken.

ANDRES BONIFACIO: RETHINKING HISTORY by NHCP

On November 30, 2013, the Filipino people will celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio. Each year, Filipinos observe and commemorate this event as much as Rizal Day is celebrated every 30th of December. Nonetheless, does anyone wonder why we celebrate the birthday of Bonifacio instead of his death? Does this follow that his death was of lesser importance to Filipinos relative to his birth? If yes, what is the historical basis for such perspective? This is only one of the several controversies which need to be addressed “officially” in mainstream historical literature.


Having read historical accounts about his early life, marriage, the Katipunan and other related events, how these facts were presented in most of our history books needs to be questioned. Such need also applies to other historical discourses taught in schools and other public institutions. Do our history books represent the “truth”? In this particular case, how authentic are these facts with respect to the way Andres Bonifacio was perceived, interpreted and regarded?


Historian Ambeth R. Ocampo has significant insights on certain controversies about the life and political career of the “Ama ng Katipunan” (Father of the Katipunan). According to Ocampo, definite answers are required in textbooks and quizzes as people want facts, not lessons or perspectives. As such and above all, both the academe and the public deserve to know which accounts are “facts” and which are not.


Let us review one particular controversy about the Supremo and the Katipunan as shaped by history.


Tearing of Cedulas

So far, what do we know about the tearing of cedulas? There are sources which claim that Bonifacio tore his cedula more than once; others claim that there was no such thing. Furthermore, there are some accounts which state that the cedulas were torn in two different places. Which among these is “true”?


What is a cedula? In the nineteenth century, a cedula served as an identification card which was the basis of being a “documentado”. One who was caught without a cedula was detained by the Guardia Civil. Today, a cedula is only used for legal documents. It has been documented that Bonifacio had the habit of carrying forged cedulas; that is, he had more than one cedula in his pocket.  Ocampo claimed that probably, this enabled him to “inspire” various groups through the act of tearing his cedula in front of the public.


This does not end here. The place where the cedulas were torn is also one point of contention. In the academe, students are told that the tearing of cedulas occurred in the house of Melchora Aquino commonly known as Tandang Sora. The question is, is this the only place where the KKK met? Other sources say that the Katipunan also met at several other houses. There were the houses of Juan Ramos and Apolonio Samson; and the house of Juan Ramos’ son also named Juan Ramos. Interviews and extensive research conducted with persons “remotely” connected to the event ended up with Pugad Lawin (now part of Barangay Bahay Toro, District II, Quezon City) as the actual site of the tearing of cedulas.


Historians say that what differentiates history from other disciplines is its dynamic nature. One cannot simply box history since existing facts are continuously bombarded with new ones; thus, contesting the former’s credibility. Nonetheless, what is important is how sources play in every historical data being presented. The quest for truth never ends as history can be rewritten, retold and rethought. 

source: www.nhcp.gov.ph

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A Teacher Story

I don't own this story. I just want to share this.

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her 5th grade  class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath.And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught,  she was required to review each child's past records  and she put Teddy's off until last.  However, when she reviewed his file,  she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote,  "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh.  He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."
His second grade teacher wrote,  "Teddy is an excellent student,  well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life  at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote,  "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she wasashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her studentsbrought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbonsand bright paper, except for Teddy's.His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middleof the other presents. Some of the children started tolaugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of thestones missing and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume.She stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimedhow pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing someof the perfume on her wrist.
Teddy stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you  smelled just like my Mom used to."After the children left she cried for at least an hour.
On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic.Instead, she began to teach children.Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive.The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy,telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, second in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that whilethings had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college  with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she  was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stollard, M.D.

The story doesn't end there.  You see, there was yet another letter that spring.  Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married.  He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson, did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing.  And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Teddy whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear,"Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong.You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

Pag-unlad ng Pilipinas: ilusyon o katotohanan

Laman ng mga pahayagan ang mga magagandang balita tungkol sa bumubuting lagay ng ekonomiya ng bansa. Madalas ay ibinabandera sa mga istasyon ng telebisyon ang mga numero na nagbibigay indikasyon sa paglago ng merkado, ngunit hindi maiwawaglit sa isang mamamayan na nakararanas ng gutom o kakulangan sa kita upang matustusan ang pangangailangan ng pamilya kung totoo ba ito o sadyang propaganda lang ng gobyernong nagsisilbi sa kaniya.

Mahirap magbigay kumento sa isang bagay na alam mong hindi mo alam ang kalakaran, ngunit kasalanan din naman kung mananatili ka na pipi at bingi sa iyong nararamdaman sa kasalukuyang lagay ng iyong bayan.

Madalas naisip ko, maganda rin naman na marinig ang isang balita hinggil sa patuloy na paglago ng ekonomiya ng bansa ngunit hindi lamang ang numero o balita ang indikasyon ng lumalagong ekonomiya ng bansa kundi ang estado ng pamumuhay ng mga mamamayan nito.  Kung umuunlad nga talaga ang bansa, bakit sa tuwing baling ng iyong paningin sa paligid ay maraming tao ang namamalimos, madaming nais umalis ng bansa upang maghanap ng ikabubuhay sa ibayong dagat at madalas mong marinig ang talamak na krimen gaya ng pagnanakaw? minsan nga naisip ko, nagiging kabuhayan na ang pagnanakaw ng mga taong hindi makahanap ng disenteng trabaho.

Ngayon, isipin natin kung ilusyon o katotohanan ba ang pag-unlad ng bansa. Ilusyon sa aspetong hindi masyadong maramdaman ng kagaya kong indibidwal ang totoong pag-angat. Kung totoo ito, sana ay tumataas ang sahod naming manggagawa, at bumubaba ang presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin, pero hindi eh. baliktad ang nangyayari. Kung umuunlad ang bansa, sana ay mabilis na natutugunan nito ang ilan sa pangunahing pangangailan ng bansa kagaya ng Kalusugan ng mga mamamayan, edukasyon ng kabataan kung saan ay hindi siksikan, hindi kulang sa libro, upuan at silid aralan at higit sa lahat sa aspeto ng edukasyon ay hindi ginagawang kalakal ang mga mag-aaral para sa kapakinabangan ng mga negosyanteng ganid sa pera kundi para sa kapakinabangan ng bansa, mga mag-aaral na nais makatulong sa bansa at sa pamilya. Mga mag-aaral na balang araw ay malayang mamili ng nais nilang kurso hindi dahil ito ang indemand.Higit sa lahat, kung umaangat ang bansa, dapat gayon din ang kakayahan nitong ipagtanggol ang karapatan ng bansa sa loob at labas man, ngunit sa nakikita natin ngayon ay kulang sa aksyon ang pamahalaan. Nagiging isang kawawa tayo sa mga pang-bubully ng mga kalapit bansa dahil sa mahinang kakayahan natin sa aspeto ng depensa.

Sana ang pag-unlad na ito ay isang katotohan at hindi nararamdaman ng mga upper class lamang. Dahil kung ito ay isang katotohan, ito'y dapat na nararamdaman ng bawat sektor ng lipunan hindi ng iilan.