The Largest Online Protest in History: No to SOPA and PIPA

Image via SOPASTRIKE: If you wanted to enjoy your FREEDOM of expression and protect your online SECURITY read the message, share it to everyone you know, get out from your comfort zone and join the worldwide online protest.

Many believed that SOPA and PIPA will threaten prosperity, online security, and freedom of expression. Since yesterday some of the blog sites/websites at wordpress were already blacked out to show their protest.

Wordpress.org, Wordpress.com, Mozilla Corporation, Facebook, Electronic Frontier Foundation,Yahoo!, eBay, American Express, Reddit, Google, Reporters Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, English Wikipedia including some Law professors Mark Lemley (Stanford University), David S. Levine (Elon University), and David G. Post (Temple University) opposed SOPA and PIPA.

Today, the said protest has already spread worldwide. Google campaign is calling you to sign the petition urging Congress to vote NO on PIPA and SOPA before it is too late. You can also visit American Censorship Site for details on how you can show your support and to join the worldwide protest – if you wanted to protect your online security and enjoy yourfreedom of expression. Now twitter is flooded with tweets of “Vote NO to SOPA and PIPA”. The protest will last until Jan 24, 2012 – the US Senate vote date. This is the largest protest ever in history!

To read my previous article visit Pruelpo Shares: FCHAR Conducts Its Second Annual Summit in Orlando

Dreams Can Take You Up a Rocky Mountain

The dreams I am talking here are not about those successions of images, ideas, emotions and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. They are about the expression and visualizing of solid thoughts, emotions, and ideas that signal about what you want and what you need for your physical life. They need physical works and efforts. They are there to help you mould your future. Dreams give you strength to face the natural world of your choice to reach success in life.
Thirty-Seven years ago, I visualized becoming an accountant and a writer. But the problem was – how to make them happen. I knew my parents could not afford to send me to school to finish those courses I had wished. However, I did not give up dreaming. In 1976, I was sixteen year old at that time and had just finished my elementary; I decided to leave my parents.
Contrary to the will of my parents I still left them and lived the way I can. Living away from them was not easy and productive. I had slept under pine trees, robustly standing around our town plaza. I had used scrap cardboards and old newspapers as my gasket and beddings. Sometimes I slept on the height of the tower of our town church, inside waiting shades and fish market along with other deserted children. I had become immune from the mosquitoes bites, salty smells and the freezing darkness. There were nights I was weeping, remembering my family but the homesickness for them did not change my decision.
I made friendship with those children who were also at my age. I mingled and associated with them like one family with the same fate. Thus, it became easier for me to be with them. The fish market was our source of living. Lifting of goods of market vendors in exchange of some money to be divided equally among us were exciting and memorable experience. We really enjoyed for doing it.
Until I labored to a construction group, located in front of Felipe Abrigo National Memorial School of Arts and Trades (FANMSAT) now known the Southern Samar National School of Arts and Trades (SSNSAT) in the town of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. At first I felt intense pain on my body, prickly fingers and feet but despite heavy and hard works I was happy to receive the 15 pesos for a day work.
There were nights I was anxious. I could not sleep in the barracks due to chronic fatigue and pain in my whole body. I wept and I wanted to go home but the advent of the future surpassed what I felt – especially when day time came - watching hundreds of young students entering the school gate, I pretended I was one of them carrying books and notebooks. The difficulty and fatigue from hard works eventually disappeared.
Six months later, the constructions of the five units of apartments were done. We moved to another project – a three-story building owned by a Chinese businessman. But before leaving the place, I stood up in front of FANMCAT with my promise that I shall return to study high school.
I was sixteen year old when I finished and received my Grade School Certificate, from Mayana Elementary School, Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Philippines in 1976. I started my high school in 1977 as self-supporting student and received my Secondary School Certificate from Southern Samar School of Arts and Trades, Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Philippines during the school year 1980-1981. Following that year, I took up One Year in Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education from Southern Samar School of Arts and Trades, Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Philippines during the school years 1981-1982. 
The following year I stopped my college education. I went to Manila to look for job but I was not lucky so I decided to go home to my home province, Samar. During the school year 1984 to 1985, I took up One Year in Bachelor of Science in Cooperative Management at the University of Eastern Philippines, Catarman, Northern Samar. Before the beginning of school years 1985-1986, I left Catarman with my school records and decided to study at Leyte Colleges, Tacloban City, Philippines. The college approved. All the units I had taken from the past years in college were credited. I was enrolled as a second year student in Bachelor of Science in Commerce Accounting. However, I did not finish my accountancy course. Just after the first semester I left for Manila again.
December 1986, I dreamed again to raise my own family. Marrying my wife was the best decision I ever made in my life. The love I felt for her was my strength. Now we have three children, all girls ages 22, 20 and 18 and we are now approaching our silver wedding anniversary. I married my wife with a ten peso bill on my wallet. I courted her for six days and on the 7th day, we were married. It happened in 1986. Mrs. Corazon C. Aquino was our new Philippine President.
On December 3, 1986, I started courting my wife. I visited her in the morning, lunchtime and in the evening for about six days. On December 8, 1986, I got her approval to marry me. Quickly as lightning, we scheduled our wedding the next day December 9, 1986. That same day, we brought our plan to her parents and it was approved. Also that same day, we contacted our chosen sponsors and we were advised to see them in the morning the next day at Trece, Martirez City Hall to get the marriage license and other documents needed for the civil wedding. On December 9, 1986 at around 9AM, all the necessary documents for the wedding were completed with the help of our sponsors. At around 10:30 AM we proceeded to the office of the judge located at the second floor of the Municipal City Hall.
The ceremony was simple and very fast. It only took less than ten minutes after the judge declared, “I pronounce you Paul and you Imelda as husband and wife”. Following his declaration were the wishes of congratulations and the signing of our signatures on the documents with his signature and the signatures of our godparents.
Early 1994, I again had dreamed to go abroad. I was lucky though because I did not experience much difficulty in acquiring an overseas job. My uncle-in-law who at that time was a chief accountant of the company Kawasaki Helicopter Saudi Arabia – Finance Department helped me get my current job by recommending me to the administrator of the company. A Philippine based recruitment agency, FB Allan processed my papers and I was able to go out of the country as a documented OFW.
When I arrived in my current location on March 23, 1994, I was first employed as a janitor/laborer. That will be my work position for two years and nine months. The management must have noticed my hard work because I was promoted to be a Facility Records Clerk. After some time I was again promoted to be an Analyst/Bookkeeper and this would be my job for nine years and three months.
The promotion did not stop there. On May 8, 2006, I was assigned as Secretary to the Vice President, then later as an Analyst. At present, the company I am working for assigned me to manage of a new showroom that sells antiques and other home accessories. From being a mere janitor, I had gone a long way and one can say that things just get better and better for me.
Aside from working, I also devote some time for my other interests. While employed, I took up a creative writing course by mail with the Writer’s Bureau in Manchester London during the years 1999-2000. In 2001, I took up Journalism and short story writing course with the ICS, PA, USA by mail.

How to Avoid From Writing Forbidden Contents

Image via Wikipedia

It is said that taboo challenges one's free speech and individual rights to express a subject or issue in need to be addressed.

Dictionary and Encyclopedia define Taboo as any of the negative traditions, objects, or behaviors generally regarded as harmful to social welfare or something that is forbidden by a society as unacceptable or improper. It is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and forbidden based on moral judgment and religious beliefs. Breaking the taboo is usually considered ill-favored or offensive by society.

The below are some taboo subjects that according to some experts should be avoided such as:

(1) Rape –  Until now there are people unhappy to read stories which feature a sexual assault or which has rape as a central theme especially when it is written from the rapist’s viewpoint.

(2) Prostitution – Anything that seems to glamorize prostitution will be frowned on and any story dealing with an underage prostitute may cause you headaches if you describe him/her in any sex act. It is illegal.

(3) Under Age Sex – Any story that deals with children being treated as objects of desire or being forced into sex is out and should not be discussed.

(4) Incest – Sexual relations between people classed as being too closely related to marry each other or about the crime of making-love with a parent, child, sibling, or grandchild.

(5) Phone Sex Lines – They are also considered as taboo even though they are dealt with in a humorous way.

(6) Promiscuity - The state or quality of being promiscuous. In human sexual behavior, it denotes sex with relatively many partners. 

(7) Fetishism – It deals about an object believed to have supernatural powers, or in particular, a man-made object that has power over others or the practice of using an inanimate object as the focus of sexual pleasure.

(8) AIDS – This is also considered as taboo contents. Many people are still uncomfortable to read stories about the subject maybe because some people do not fully understand the condition and still scared by reading about it.

(9) Stalking – Avoid advocating stalking or describing a man lustfully watching his prey undressing or telling the story in a manner through the eyes of the stalker.

(10) Drugs – This is one of the big taboos. Whatever your own personal views – still many people are vehemently opposed to drug-taking in any form.

(11) Child Abuse – No matter how beautifully and meaningfully you wrote the story it is still regarded as taboo. Avoid having a story where an innocent friendship grows between a child and an older man or woman. It will be viewed with suspicion.

(12) Unmarried Mothers – Avoid writing articles dealing with unmarried mothers. Some people still regarded them as forbidden subjects.

(13) Living in Sin – This falls into the same category as unmarried mothers. Some people will still be unhappy about the thought of a couple cohabiting who are not legally wed.

(14) Divorce – Some people are still uncomfortable to read stories about divorce or the split up a marriage.

(15) The Disabled – This is also considered as taboo by some people.

(16) Homosexuality – Avoid story describing homosexual love making. Many people still believed that this can cause grave offence.

(17) Social Irresponsibility – This is also regarded as taboo especially if your story is telling about irresponsible and scandalous behaviour of people.

(18) Violence – This is another of the great taboos especially if against women. It is a big no.

(19) Domestic Violence – Anything that describes domestic violence in any emotionally moving or disturbing way is likely to run into problems such as wife-beating, mysterious black eyes and girlfriends fleeing to refuges.

(20) Poverty – Some people considered it as depressing. The truth hurts.

(21) Old People – This is also considered as taboo.

(22) Minority Groups – Avoid portraying members of minority groups.

(23) Using Black as a Symbol of Evil or Depression – Some people claim that this has all sorts of sinister and racist connotations.

(24) Criminals – People do not want criminals to benefit from their crimes. And there are people uncomfortable to read stories advocating criminals.

(25) Swearing – This is one of the biggest taboos of all!

Taboo contents are hot subjects that can attract people to read and invite search engine crawlers and spiders to hang on. But some people considered them not healthy subjects or topics to discuss and to share them to a decent site.

Is Dialogue Really Necessary--part One

Image via Wikipedia

Take a look at any group at a party. The people who do not speak are ignored. When people open their mouths and speak - it signal that they truly come to life. So dialogue in its simplest form is just a conversation between two or more people. It is just like the chats you hear and take part in every day. Nothing more threatening than that.

Dialogue scares new writers. They will do anything to avoid it – cross the street, move house, change their names. But you cannot run away from it forever. Dialogue must be faced and mastered if you ever hope to make it into print. Have you ever seen a published story that did not contain at least some dialogue? Normally we spend our lives talking to each other and we expect the characters who inhabit the stories we read to do the same. Then why is it so scary?

Correct me if I am wrong that the reason most new writers give is that, deep inside themselves, they are afraid to reproduce conversations that are real; that sound right. So how you would make characters speak like real people in your story? How do you pick up on each person’s individual mannerisms and unique speech patterns? Surely for new writers it is impossible – unless they are trained linguist who have the time to go round tape-recording conversations and analyzing them.

The good news is that you do not have to. In fact, it does not matter if your dialogue is not authentic, as long it sounds as though it might be. Dialogue is not an accurate representation of how people speak. It is a carefully selected series of words uttered by characters that pretend to be real people.

The purpose of dialogue is to put over vital information – about what is happening, how people feel, the tension of the situation or the background of the main characters. It puts over information in much the same way as your descriptions do. It tell the reader important facts and snippets of information he needs to know.

When you look at a story, you will see that the way the characters talk is not realistic at all. There are no ahs and ums, no woolly phrases or sentences that drift off at a tangent, no sentences left unfinished. Everything is clear, quick and clean.

Yes, dialogue is vital. Characters need to speak. They need to be heard – out loud. If you writer do not let your readers hear what the character thinks and feels out of his own mouth, he will remain forever a symbol – not a living, breathing, individual and your reader would not care about him or what happens to him. Dialogue brings the readers closer to the characters. A story without dialogue is boring. You writer is like summarizing only events rather than letting them unfold in real time. You will end up telling instead of showing!

To Live a Normal Life is Everyone’s Dream

Image by weighn via Flickr

I would remember that summer, when I asked my grandpa about Uncle George. I could see his face blushed and his voice roared, telling me “Forgets your Uncle, to me he is dead!” I was terrified to hear what he had said to me! It had confused me about his attitude. He’s a religious man, who always loved and used to preach people the words of God but he had never loved his son!

Nobody could oppose God conviction, what He had said was final. When He created man, it had been for His love to nourish man’s heart. He had created him according to His will and had taught him to appreciate the beauty to all His creations. Is it fair to see men controlling everything?

Somewhere in 1971, in my home province Samar, Philippines, I would always remember the place where my grandpa and I got used to live in a small village. It was approximately nine to 10 km away from the proper town of Guiuan. To get there, you had to have motors cycles. It would take you 45 minutes to one hour or by a long walk, which was a good exercise.

The folks were friendly and would welcome you with their sweet smiles. Around the village, you could see mountains with green virgin forest – a jump-off point for treks. The villagers were religious people. They had a primary and elementary school where the kids used to love studying. They had a catholic church where there was mass every Sunday. They had avillage hall for parties. They had a play ground for children. I really missed the village, a congenial place to live in and to enjoy.

To see Grandpa was Exciting and Memorable

It was summer, the classes were closed for the children to enjoy the summer. I turned eleven. During that summer, I had always used to visit grandpa’s place, which was 3 km away from our home. Grandpa was a widower. He had two sons. One was my father. My grandpa was 65 years old. He used to live in a hut, built of nipa woven leaves and scraped bamboo poles. It was surrounded by a bamboo fence. Surrounding his nipa hut was a vegetable plantation. At the back of his nipa hut was a big mango tree where he got used to sit with his old rocking chair that was made from narra tree. 

That morning to see grandpa was exciting and memorable. At his age of 65, nobody could tell he was that dirty old man. He was strong and still could lift up a 50kls of rice. He could be strong to rule over the villagers: they called him “captain”. Grandpa was a religious man. He always loved and used to preach the words of God in the village.

Sometimes in that summer, I had mingled with the villagers for my grandpa’s preaching. He had preached that man would always stand in his nature, in his heart and all his control especially in times of troubles. His preaching was well remembered by the villagers. It had taken us couple of hours for meditations and listening to his preaching before we left for home.

Uncle George had Grown Differently

Uncle George was a math’s professor in a private school in Tacloban, a neighboring province of Samar. He was 30 year old at that time, a bachelor and he also had managed a fast food chain business. Uncle George was 5’8” tall, dark skinned and handsome. When you saw him, you could tell he was really a man in nature for a woman to feel, to touch and to enjoy. But he was gay. I was thinking what would be part of the possibility for Uncle George to live according to my grandpa’s preaching. Some feminine feelings and desires drove him.

At fifteen, Uncle George had discovered that he had grown differently. He had thought and believed it was just a part of growing up. The changes that were taking place inside him were strangely confusing and desirable for a while. He had tried to live a normal life but he had fumbled helplessly. The more he tried to change, the more obvious became his femininity. At other times he had challenged the Lord, for creating him that way – a man living the life of a woman! It was maybe the reason why grandpa had abandoned him!

Uncle George is a human. Yeah. He was living differently among others. He would have hearts to love and understanding. Would you ignore this person because of his differences? Would you care for him?

Grandpa Died with Hate in his Heart

My grandpa had died in 1985. He was 79 years old and I had known he was a righteous man especially for the villagers. Yet, he had left me feeling confused about his preaching. He had missed the truth, that God had created man for his love, love that would nourish man’s heart and minds to appreciate all His creations. He had died with hate in his heart. His blessings and forgiveness for Uncle George had been closed and locked. But it had kept me remembering the way he was. I missed my grandpa.

Uncle George already retired. He is still a bachelor. He is happy with his life. He said, “Life is the most precious thing that God bestowed upon us. No matter what you are or who you are you have to appreciate it. Know your limitations and enjoy life as prescribed by heaven – that way you fulfill God’s objective.”

To Live a Normal Life is Everyone's Dream

Image by weighn via Flickr

Nobody could oppose God conviction, what He had said was final. When He created man, it had been for His love to nourish man’s heart. He had created him according to His will and had taught him to appreciate the beauty to all His creations. Is it fair to see men controlling everything?

Somewhere in 1971, in my home province Samar, Philippines, I would always remember the place where my grandpa and I got used to live in a small village. It was approximately nine to 10 km away from the proper town of Guiuan. To get there, you had to have motors cycles. It would take you 45 minutes to one hour or by a long walk, which was a good exercise.

The folks were friendly and would welcome you with their sweet smiles. Around the village, you could see mountains with green virgin forest – a jump-off point for treks. The villagers were religious people. They had a primary and elementary school where the kids used to love studying. They had a catholic church where there was mass every Sunday. They had a village hall for parties. They had a play ground for children. I really missed the village, a congenial place to live in and to enjoy.

To see Grandpa was Exciting and Memorable

It was summer, the classes were closed for the children to enjoy the summer. I turned eleven. During that summer, I had always used to visit grandpa’s place, which was 3 km away from our home. Grandpa was a widower. He had two sons. One was my father. My grandpa was 65 years old. He used to live in a hut, built of nipa woven leaves and scraped bamboo poles. It was surrounded by a bamboo fence. Surrounding his nipa hut was a vegetable plantation. At the back of his nipa hut was a big mango tree where he got used to sit with his old rocking chair that was made from narra tree. 

That morning to see grandpa was exciting and memorable. At his age of 65, nobody could tell he was that dirty old man. He was strong and still could lift up a 50kls of rice. He could be strong to rule over the villagers: they called him “captain”. Grandpa was a religious man. He always loved and used to preach the words of God in the village.

Sometimes in that summer, I had mingled with the villagers for my grandpa’s preaching. He had preached that man would always stand in his nature, in his heart and all his control especially in times of troubles. His preaching was well remembered by the villagers. It had taken us couple of hours for meditations and listening to his preaching before we left for home.

Uncle George had Grown Differently

Uncle George was a math’s professor in a private school in Tacloban, a neighboring province of Samar. He was 30 year old at that time, a bachelor and he also had managed a fast food chain business. Uncle George was 5’8” tall, dark skinned and handsome. When you saw him, you could tell he was really a man in nature for a woman to feel, to touch and to enjoy. But he was gay. I was thinking what would be part of the possibility for Uncle George to live according to my grandpa’s preaching. Some feminine feelings and desires drove him.

At fifteen, Uncle George had discovered that he had grown differently. He had thought and believed it was just a part of growing up. The changes that were taking place inside him were strangely confusing and desirable for a while. He had tried to live a normal life but he had fumbled helplessly. The more he tried to change, the more obvious became his femininity. At other times he had challenged the Lord, for creating him that way – a man living the life of a woman! It was maybe the reason why grandpa had abandoned him!

I would remember that summer, when I asked my grandpa about Uncle George. I could see his face blushed and his voice roared, telling me “Forgets your Uncle, to me he is dead!” I was terrified to hear what he had said to me! It had confused me about his attitude. He’s a religious man, who always loved and used to preach people the words of God but he had never loved his son!

Uncle George was a human. He has been created in God’s own image. Yeah. He was living differently among others. He would have hearts to love and understanding. Would you ignore this person because of his differences? Would you care for him?

Grandpa Died with Hate in his Heart

My grandpa had died in 1985. He was 79 years old and I had known he was a righteous man especially for the villagers. Yet, he had left me feeling confused about his preaching. He had missed the truth, that God had created man for his love, love that would nourish man’s heart and minds to appreciate all His creations. He had died with hate in his heart. His blessings and forgiveness for Uncle George had been closed and locked. But it had kept me remembering the way he was. I missed my grandpa.

Uncle George already retired. He is still a bachelor. He is happy with his life. He said, “Life is the most precious thing that God bestowed upon us. No matter what you are or who you are you have to appreciate it. Know your limitations and enjoy life as prescribed by heaven – that way you fulfill God’s objective.”  

Are You in Favor for Demonstrations and Rallies

Image via Wikipedia

Mr. Jura had decided to join and lead a labor union. He had no idea that a catastrophic event was about to change his life. The new management of the company he worked with had taken over the former management - started reorganization and changed some of the company’s policies. Mr. Jura had worked for seven years as an accounts officer with the company.

The new management hired new personnel and employees. But on a certain account, they used cost – cutting procedure. They used to cut on the number of employees on a certain department. The company had introduced forced labor effectively. It affected to the old employees especially. They obliged their employees to do the jobs and responsibilities as the same as supervisors.

He explained, “I handled so many loan accounts, including monitoring, collections’ procedures, and other legal documentation. I could see that there were discrepancies. Promotions and salary increases were awarded and mostly enjoyed by the newly hired personnel. I have a pending promotion that the company had promised. The harmonious relationship between the employees and the employer had become chaotic. Favoritism had become obvious and the situation became worst.”

Those strategies that the company practiced had increased Mr. Jura’s desire to organize a labor union, of about two hundred members, with the primary objective of protecting the employees against the unfair labor practices of the company.

During his active Leadership – Mr. Jura noted that some of the union members were afraid to negotiate with the employer. He said, “There was a strong warning by the company, to terminate employees involved to such activity.” But despite the management cautionary action, the union stood its ground vigorously and there were more struggles. 

“I concluded two Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) with the employer. The first CBA had taken us by eight months to negotiate with the employer. In the middle of negotiation with the company, they offered me promotion and money. But I had never accepted it until it ended up with deadlocked bargaining. Those eight months of bargaining with the employer had brought us too much difficulty. I really needed the money to sustain my mother’s hospitalization and to support my family. It was really hard for me to handle the situation. But this had not affected my strong desire to lead the union. But it was difficult to render a visible protest against the company’s unfair labor practices,” he said.

The plans on a Yes – to – Strike. The union members wore arm – bands with slogans, and had picketed in front of the administration’s building. It took them a month. But the company still did not alter its decision. They felt that their crusade had failed. Their struggles seemed to have no success. These were months of desolation. It affected Mr. Jura greatly. That period of his crusade with the union had made him crippled. His mother’s condition had affected him. The agony had penetrated his heart, brought by the disturbing events, but he had never deviated from his decision. Courageously, they have said, ‘Yes to strike,’ through a consultation with the Department of Labor Employment (DOLE). 

The plans on a Yes – to – Strike by the union had worried the company. So the company bribed one of the employees of DOLE to release an assumption order to stop the possible strike of the union. But the union went through with their crusade that urged the company to grant some of their demands. 

In that provision, all employees, either union members or non – union members will receive 3% profit shares from the company’s annual income.

According to Mr. Jura, the first and second distributions were in good faith, while the third time of distribution was shocking. They found that the non – members received a greater amount than the union members. This urged Mr. Jura to request a consultation with the management, but to no avail. The management justified it as their prerogative. This made the union open their second CBA. 

Their second CBA with the company was not as fruitful. Their legal counsel (union) had renewed some of the existing provisions stated in the CBA. The management (company) bribed their counsel with some money.

“We continued our struggles. We filed the case with the National Labor Counsel. The issue was for equal profit sharing. Luckily, we won the case, after two long years of labor hearings!” he said. 

Mr. Jura felt jubilation to win the case. He never sold his principle and dignity to the company. He would cherish it throughout his life span and share it to his kids. He resigned from his job with dignity and pride. He said, “Courage and Unity were the best weapons to Victory.” 

“It was really difficult to handle the situation. I lost my job. I have a family that needed my support. Those disturbing events that happened to me did not diminish my strength and willingness to live and survive, but I strive more to keep on living,” said Mr. Jura.

He added, “If it happened to you and you lost your job come down and never get mad. It is not the end of the world for you. There are more opportunities for you to find a job. Jobs are there just around you. Think positively. Don’t just put yourself in a corner, remembering those bad experiences that happened to you before. Maintain a good relationship with your family. Trust and understanding are really needed in this situation. 

“Your family is your outlet to discuss what is good. See your friends. They are willing to help you. They can refer you to another company that needs your services. Deliver yourself to the Good Lord. He is always behind you to support you, to guide you. He is the first and the last to seek for help because hope is there.”

At present Mr. Jura is working as a Secretary at a Construction Company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It is said that Demonstrations and Rallies are adding to the fear of investors depriving ourselves of the investments needed to kick-start the economy but they also help to check our officials wrong doings!

This article was written with the permission from Mr. Jura.

How True That Word is Sharper Than Sword

Image via Wikipedia Lapu-Lapu

Some Filipinos claimed that Magellan spread Christianity in the Philippines through friendship before people had accepted Christianity. However, I am still doubtful for that claim - my reason is that if Magellan really utilized friendship to spread Christianity in the country, there will be no bloody fight occurred between him and Lapu-Lapu that led to his death! I can say it now that Magellan used also swords to propagate Christianity not like Makdum, an Arabian missionary used his persuasive powers to introduce Islam in Philippines.

Many of us Filipinos are not aware that Islam is 141 years older than Christianity in the Philippines. 

The Christian religion came to our land when, on March 16, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan landed on Homonhon Island of Samar on an expedition sent by King Philip of Spain. The primary objective of the expedition was to conquer some spicy islands and to spread Christianity. The inhabitants of Homonhon Island, who were pagans, were the first to be converted.

The expedition took Magellan and his forces to Panay and Cebu also. While the people of Panay accepted the new religion, Lapu-Lapu in Cebu opposed him. A war ensued, and Magellan was killed. Following his death, King Philip sent more expeditions, with soldiers and preachers, to spread Christianity. As a result, the Philippines became the first Christian country in Asia.

In contrast to the general welcome Christianity received in the archipelago, it found resistance in Mindanao where the inhabitants were already Muslims. Makdum/Mukdum, an Arabian missionary and scholar who arrived in Tubig Indangan, in 1380, introduced Islam in the Philippines. He introduced Islam with his persuasive powers.

The point I wanted to make is that Islam is not an interloper that came to a Christian country. It has been in the Philippines for approximately 631 years, compared to the 490 years that Christianity has been there. 

In 1990 records, the Christian population in Philippines has reached to 91.5 percent of the total population compared to 5 percent of our brother Muslim Filipinos. And the other 3.5 percent are comprising other religions.

I still remember that during my elementary, high school and college days no teachers taught me about Islam that is part of Philippine history.  

Dondon: The Dragonfly Who Always Love Flying Now Cannot Fly

Published on Socyberty, May 10, 2011 Category - Society

This is a short review on Dondon's plight. Dondon is one of the million OFWs presently in Saudi Arabia but on KSA Deathrow after he killed a Saudi national for "Self-defense". He was imprisoned here in Dammam Central Jail since August 15, 2000. He was sentenced to death by Beheading.

Self-defense or private defense according to Wikipedia is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one’s property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many jurisdictions, but the interpretation varies widely. And to be acquitted of any kind of physical harm-related crime (such as assault, battery and homicide) using the self-defense justification, one must prove legal provocation which means one must prove that he was in a position where not using self-defense would most likely lead to death, serious injuries and property damage.

This article was written with permission from Dondon. For details please refer to the following links Tutubing Lumipad sa Piitan ay Bumagsak and at pruelpo.wordpress.com

Now he is appealing help from our Philippine Government to save him from Death Sentence. He uses social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube aside from sending text messages and sending emails to friends to seek help.

Lumayo si Dondon sa sariling bansa upang sa ibayong dagat ay hanapin ang suwerti, ang kapalit ay mga sakripisyo sa buhay, relasyon, kinabukasan at marami pang iba.