[OPINION]Beyond Margins I: When Stupidity Cured My Fears

The scenario will always be like this: when the dusts are settled, uncertainties will eventually seep in.






When I first heard my name being called as the new literary editor I was very happy. Who will not be, when you finally reached one of your dreams right? Preparation for the coming days is smooth sailing until I realized; part of the job is also doing an opinion column. I am now tasked to write what’s going on around my mind every now and then. Being a blogger for almost four years now, strangely, I felt I can’t do it. I doubt my capabilities to write something that will be good enough to be called as an opinion column. I doubt my thoughts. I doubt my personal beliefs. I doubt if I can entertain or inspire at least someone.

It’s like when a person who used to speak only in front of few people was suddenly standing in front of a huge crowd to give a speech. What will I write? What if I write something that I’ll regret afterwards? What if my thoughts hurt someone? What if I made a mistake?

The dusts were gone and there goes a marching band of uncertainties. Wait, let me erase that one. Uncertain is an understatement. I was not uncertain. I was afraid.


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Few weeks after, ‘afraid’ became an understatement too.

Sunday, June 2 2013 at around 7:30 in the evening, I was riding an almost empty jeepney home-bound. Since I easily forget things, and that includes innocently forgetting to pay fares(emphasis on ‘innocently’), I promised myself quite some time ago that every time I ride a jeepney I will pay immediately once I am comfortably sitting as a passenger. That evening was an exception. How I wished it is not, because when I finally remember my promise and knew I almost forgot to pay again, I realized that I left my wallet at the university which is by then, around 2 kilometers away from where I am already.

I got off the jeep knowing that the driver was very doubtful if I really forgot my wallet or I’m just a regular passenger who mastered the art of doing “1-2-3”. I found myself standing all by myself along the poorly-lit McArthur Highway, with tall grasses by the dark sidewalk, without someone to ask for help, not even a peso in my pocket, and having the urge to hit myself for being too stupid. It only took a matter of seconds for me to know, that night will surely be long and unforgettable. It only took a matter of seconds to cry due to frustration. It only took a matter of seconds for me to feel the huge wave of fears. A long walk alongside a familiar street way back home is not new for me. But long walk along a strange highway is. Yet, I decided to do it since I can’t rely on anyone else but me.

An hour later, I reached BulSU, telling the guard that I forgot my wallet and silently hoping he will accompany me inside since it was very late and the university was almost deserted. Also, according to them Law Building has its own share of creepy stories. But he didn’t grant my silent wish. I was forced to go on my own. Again, I was afraid. I was very scared while I’m walking in, getting upstairs, heart beating fast and loud music to distract me. But maybe, due to everything that happened, I’m too drained to think anymore that moment. All I wanted was to get my wallet, go home, sleep and when the morning comes, I’ll just remember everything and laugh.

28 days after, here I am, still laughing while I remember that night.


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Yes, it is true that when the dusts are settled, uncertainties will always seep in. But it doesn’t end with that. We have to end uncertainties by moving, by risking to know what the next thing to happen, for the reason that if we will be stuck in our state of being afraid, if we let our fears eat us up, then we have nowhere to go anymore.

Thousands of years ago, nobody thought human can reach the moon. It took almost half a century before our country moved to be free from the Spaniards. It took almost 19 years for me to learn how to ride a bicycle. My father must be right; it is very easy for us to think we can’t instead of thinking how we can.

We fear negative things and that’s normal. Yet, most of the time, we focus on those negative thoughts that we forget that there will always be two sides of the coin. We may be rejected but there’s also a possibility of us being accepted. There will be a lot of “No” to come, as well as a lot of “Yes”. The result can be worse, but it also can be better.

I fear writing an opinion column. But I am more afraid to the thought of failing to do my responsibility. Now I’m doing something to move ahead those fears. I write.

[PHOTO] Barasoain Church Preparation for Republic Day

[PHOTO] Lunar Halo or Moon Bow

A view of Lunar Halo or Moon bow at Bulacan State University last January 13.

[NEWS]Sa gitna ng panganib ng 7.2 magnitude na lindol.. 7 sa bawat 10 Bulakenyo, pabor sa Dam Break Drill

Matapos ang isinagawang Angat Dam Break Drill noong Disyembre 13, pito sa bawat sampung Bulakenyo ang pumabor sa naging hakbang ng pamahalaang panlalawigan.

Tinatayang umabot ng 12,000 ang lumahok sa nasabing aksyon ng Provincial Government of Bulacan sa tulong na rin ng iba’t ibang ahensya nito at apat sa mga pangunahing unibersidad ng lalawigan; Bulacan State University, Bulacan Polytechnic College, La Consolacion University- Philippines at Centro Escolar University.

Nagdulot naman ito ng iba’t ibang reaksyon mula sa mga Bulakenyo.

Para kay Ernesto Villafuerte, Education major mula sa BulSU, ang nasabing drill ay makakatulong sa lalawigan para maging handa sa maaring maging sakuna ng pagkawasak ng dam.

“Sa pananaw ko bilang isang mag-aaral, ang pagsasagawa ng ganitong drill ay nagpapatunay lamang na tayo ay dapat na mamulat na mula sa mga naranasan natin mga kalamidad sa ating bansa na nagdulot ng maraming pinsala.” anito.

Ganito rin ang saloobin ni Katrina Bautista mula sa Tikay, Malolos Bulacan.

“Nabigyan ng impormasyon ung mga bata tungkol dun sa danger ng Angat Dam if ever nga na masira ‘yon, sa ginawa nilang drill alam na ng karamihan kung paano ang gagawin, hindi ‘yong mamamatay nalang tayo ng walang ginawa,” ani Bautista.

Sa kabila nito, may ilang mga residente na nagsasabing hindi sapat ang drill para mailayo sa tiyak na kapahamakan ang humigit kumulang tatlong milyong Bulakenyo.

“Kasi if ever man na mabibiyak o masisira ang dam for sure kahit may time differential ang pag agos nun dito sa atin, hind nadin ako mag lalakad o tatakbo hahanap nalang ako ng building katulad sa school,” ani Andrew Estrella, IT Major ng BulSU.

Sinang ayunan naman ito ni Heidi Toledo, isang ina mula sa sa Guiguinto. Anito, mas kailangan ng Angat Dam ng pagsasaaayos at pagpapatibay pa kasabay ng paghahanda sa mga tao.

“Mahirap kasi na hinahanda mo ‘yong mga tao pero wala kang aksyon sa dam mismo. Pwede naman siguro na habang tinuturuan mo ang mga tao sa dapat gawin, kinukumpuni rin nila ‘yong Angat [Dam], mahalaga ‘yon, mas tumataas ‘yong chance na makaligtas tayo, kapag drill lang kasi, para kasing naghihintay lang tayo ng pagkamatay natin,” ani Toledo.

Ang kinatatakutan

Parte ang nasabing drill sa paghahandang isinasagawa ng Provincial Government of Bulacan simula nang kumpirmahin ni Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Director Ronato Solidum ang maaaring pagyanig na magaganap sa nalalapit na panahon.

Ayon kay Solidum, isang 7.2 magnitude na lindol ang inaasahang maganap malapit sa Marikina West Valley Fault na nananalaytay hanggang sa isang parte ng Angat Dam. Dahil dito, noong 2009, agad na humingi ng tulong ang noo’y kinatawan na si Governor Willy-Alvarado sa National Government para sa isang agarang aksyon.

““The danger of movement of soil is near within a period of three years, but 2009 nang ako’y magdeliver ng privilege speech, it was already four years ago, hinog na hinog na,” ani Alvarado.

Sinasabing kapag nangyari ang pagkawasak ng dam dulot ng lindol, lulubog ang malaking bahagi lalawigan at ilang kalapit na probinsya.

“Ayon sa pag-aaral, ang ating Dam which is carrying 815 million metric tons of water, ay magdadala ng 30 metrong lalim ng tubig sa lalawigan ng Bulacan, Pampanga at Metro Manila,” dagdag ng Gobernador.

Naudlot na pagsasalba

Matapos ang privilege speech ng gobernador noong 2009, naglabas ng budget si Pangulong Noynoy Aquino noong nakaraang taon na nagkakahalaga ng 5.7 billion pesos para kumpunihin ang dam at patibayin ito. Ngunit ayon kay Alvardo, ni isang kusing ay wala pa ring nagagastos para sa nasabing proyekto.

“Dinedebate pa nila hanggang ngayon kung sino ba ang magpapagawa, ang national government ba o ang K-Water na Koreano, hindi tayo pagmamalasakitan ng mga Koreano, nandito lamang sila para magnegosyo,” hinaing ng gobernador.

Sinabi pa nito na mas makakabuti kung habang maaga pa ay masagawa na ang pagsasaayos sa dam dahil mayroon namang pondo para dito at nang sa gayon ay mapayapa na ang kalooban ng mga Bulakenyo. Sa privilege speech nito noong 2009, naglabas din ng sama ng loob ang gobernador sa hindi pakikialam ng Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) ukol sa tunay na estado ng dam kahit pa 90% ng tubig na kinokonsumo ng Maynila ay galing sa Angat Dam.

“At ngayon, sa halip na pagtuunan ng pansin ang bagay na ito at paglaanan ng pondo ang pagkukumpuni at restorasyon ng Angat Dam upang mailigtas ang libu-libong mga naninirahan sa lalawigan mula sa kapahamakan, ay pagtatayo ng isang bagong Dam ang kanilang inaatupag at pingkakaabalahan. At ang kanilang ikinababahala ay ang inumin ng mga taga-Metro Manila sa 2015!” anito.

Nagbigay naman ng grade na 9 out of 10 ang Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region III Director Josefina Timoteo sa ginanap na drill.

“Ganito rin po sana ang maging tugon ninyo sa aktuwal [na Dam Break] upang maiwasan ang pagkakitil ng buhay,” anito.

[NEWS]In spite of the issue of being ineffective… APO runs for the 8th time castigating PDAF scam

Alpha Phi Omega (APO) Epsilon Kappa Chapter held their oblation run again for the 8th time, reminding the Bulacan State University on the issue of Public Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) Scam, December 4.




Carrying the theme of ‘Sino ang dapat makinabang, Nawawalang kaban ng bayan?’, a total of 30 members of the fraternity participated in the event, urging the students and BulSU community to keep their eyes on the issues of PDAF scam amidst national calamity brought by Typhoon Yolanda.




"Yong pinaglalaban natin ngayon or 'yong gusto naming i-address ngayon ay 'yong issue sa PDAF. Kasi alam naman natin na nagkaro'n tayo ng mga kalamidad pero hindi naman natin sinasabi na 'wag nating i-etsapuwera 'yon. Nakikisimpatiya kami do'n, kaso nga lang sana wag makalimutan ng mga tao na before that meron tayong issue nA malaking kinahaharap which is PDAF. Masyado nan nakakalimutan 'yong issue." said Jerone Sanchez, APO Epsilon Kappa Chapter Chancellor.




Aside from the issue of PDAF, the fraternity also supports the fight against Roadmap to Public Higher Education Reform (RPHER). But inspite of different advocacy that the runners want the community to be concern of, students have different opinion about the effectiveness of the fraternity in informing the BulSU community.




“Siguro para sa akin, effective naman kasi naca-caught naman ‘yong atensyon ng university dahil sa ginagawa nila eh, ‘yong way naman kasi ng pag-iinform nila sa atin, ginagawa na rin ng ibang university pero at least, sa atin, meron din at may gusto silang mabago kaya ginagawa nila ‘yon,” said Luisa Andrada,from CAL.




While others still believes that the annual run is still effective as advocacy campaign, some students says otherwise.




“Sa tingin ko po hindi na s’ya gano’n ka-effective na way para marinig ng mga estudyante, kasi may ilan na kaya lang nagpupunta e para makakita ng mga bagay na gusto nila makita, pero kung tutuusin, hindi naman nila nakukuha ‘yong mensahe na gusto iparating ng pagtakbo ng APO. Pumupunta lang sila for the entertainment factor,” said Carl Espiritu.

[PHOTO]

UNMASKED. After running for their advocacy, an APO member took off his mask and hopes that their message will echo across the university.

[NEWS]Maguindanao massacre not yet hopeless.. Journalists, students, Bulakenyos still cries for justice

The long wait is not yet over, still, not hopeless.

Local journalists, students and advocates trooped again infront of Provincial Capitol of Bulacan to commemorate the still hanging case of Maguindanao Massacre, November 21.

The ceremony started with a parade around the capitol with placards showing different messages about the case. "Justice by 2016" is the main cry of the crowd composed of journalists from different local and national newspapers, Bulacan State University students and faculty, and La Consolacion University of the Philippines students. After the parade, various representatives from different sectors gave their speeches with the same theme; for the case to be resolved and to stop the culture of impunity in the country.

"Expected ko na, na aabot ng ganito katagal. Una palang, umaattend na ako ng ganitong activities nong estudyante ako, ngayon nagtratrabaho na ako sa media, parte na ako ng mga practitioners, nandito pa rin tayo, so i-expect natin na matagal talaga 'yong pagkakataon na makukulong kahit na sino man sa pamilya ng Ampatuan. May hope pa naman sa kaso dahil lahat naman ng ebidensya, nagtuturo sa kanila[Ampatuan], kailangan lang talaga natin tanggapin na minsan 'yong hustisya, may pinapanigan," said Ron Lopez from Manila Bulletin and former Journalism student of Bulacan State University.

Furthermore, it is not only journalists who has a say on the issue but also aspiring ones.

"As a communication student, mahalaga talaga na may ganito tayong activities, mahalaga na namumulat tayo sa buhay ng mga mamamahayag, na sa totoong work na, nakalagay ang isang paa natin sa hukay. Pero kung talaga desidido ka, ang kailangan mo lang talaga gawin ay 'yong sabihin 'yong totoo, kasi 'yon ang dapat. At kahit may ganito, patuloy natin kalampagin ang gobyerno," said Danica Mae Puevo, Communication student from LCUP.

After the speeches is a candle lighting ceremony where everyone offered a prayer for the souls of the 32 journalists who died four years ago, and also for the victims of the Typhoon Yolanda.