Body to develop, preserve RP’s other languages

Last year, Inquirer.net reported that the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) was rethinking its purpose and was aiming to preserve RP’s other languages. This is a welcome news since we are slowly losing our identity as our culture is slowly swallowed by the different colonizers that came to ‘teach’ us the proper way. The alibata is almost extinct while there are some dialect that are slowly becoming a dialect only spoken among the senior generation. So, the move by the KWF is welcome news. Personally, I believe if we know our language well, then we have a chance for development and better understanding of other languages. Filipino is based on the Tagalog dialect, strictly speaking if we follow a pure Filipino language not everybody will be able to understand it. My Filipino teacher back in High School pointed out that in Tagalog, month and moon are spelled the same–buwan, so, how do you differentiate month from the moon? In Filipino, (if my memory serves me right), month is buwan and moon is bulan. Some of my Bicolano readers might say–ei that rings a bell. Well indeed it does because the Filipino language, ideally, is a mixture of all the dialect of the Philippines.

Are Filipinos being deceived?

I remember vividly how my ‘political awakening’ came into being. Ninoy Aquino’s arrival was on national TV. I was Grade 3 then, and then the gun shots. I could not believe my eyes that it was really happening but I remember my Dad trembling in anger of what they’ve done and pointing to a certain general speaking on TV looking so tense and shaking while explaining to the press that the former senator was assassinated and showing them the gun that was used.

Two Filipinos make it to Top 20 of “Dance Idol” Contest Down Under

Two Filipino-Australian made it to the Top 20 of So You Think You Can Dance Australia. J. D. Carteret and Demi Sorono hope to wow Australian viewers of the dance reality show. One might consider the show as a counterpart of the “Idol” show.

Plain blackmail

A report over the Inquirer.net caught my eye and I felt disgusted at how blatant some people in “forcing surrender to another party over a hovering threat to their money’s lifeline. ” The report quoted Makati Business Club Chairman Ramon Del Rosario, Jr. talking about a board member of the club who received a text message from a government official threatening to “set loose the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) on the MBC.” The threat is plain blackmail and the MBC shrugged it off welcoming any inquiry from the BIR. As expected there were denials from the government side and while throwing praises to the MBC as an advocate in tax collection, this showed that the BIR, or any other government office for this matter,could and will be used against any group or personality if they become a threat to the state (read: threat to their money’s lifeline).

One blind post

As I was reading the news, my emotions ran high. It was the same emotion when Trillanes took over another hotel. It was exciting and at the same time disgusting. The Philippine Daily Inquirer is vivid enough to put emotions into words. While I’m no De Venecia supporter, I’m just wondering when will our politician sit down or stand up to finally get to work.

Have they heard about the number of Filipinos migrating here in Australia to work as skilled workers, professionals? Or are they blinded that these migrant Filipinos will return some favor to the country by sending remittances? Well, some of the fact here is they are bringing their family here and they do not have anybody else back home. While there’s a claim of increases in OFW remittances and the Philippine economy is becoming a model for other countries, the fact still remains that these small victories does not trickle down to the lowly Pandoy household.

When I read the news, I can’t help but recall an event that I attended back in Puerto Princesa City. The phrase that this man kept saying rang over my ear just like an echo or a ringing bell–“sabi ng Mommy ko… sabi ng Mommy ko…” indulge have a guess, I might say my mind to you about this guy. 🙂 *sigh*

EDSA 2

Got this from Shari.

Bloggers’ Kapihan 3 Event

January 19, 2-5PM
Kape Tasyo (Freedom Bar)
Anonas, Quezon City

Another New Beginning

I wanted to start 2007 right, so I blogged about it and envisioned where I wanted to go. Let’s just take a quick look at some excerpt of that blog and what happened.

Day Care Centers could be good for kids

Day care here in Australia could be costly especially for single parents. It is good that most parents receive some support from the government for their children’s needs. It is almost inevitable to send children to day care centres especially when both parents are working. As to what effect this might have on the child, one still don’t know until now.

Metro Manila Film Fest, etc.

The Metro Manila Film Fest was held last December. It is the time of the year when most of Metro Manila residents get saturated with Filipino films and time for most film producers to make “better than usual” films (well, film makers are expected to make quality films every time but the Manila Film Fest is quite different).

Busy, Busy, Busy… :)

Well, I might be stating the obvious but yes it’s been a very busy past few days/weeks but the good news is that my blogging hiatus came rewarded. 🙂 A poster presentation that I gave at Uni was awarded the first recipient of the Geoff Griffiths Prize and my recent introductory seminar went well (thanks to my colleagues at the trailer trash who came to listen. :)). So, many things happened in the past few weeks, Australia has a new prime minister (now I’m hearing some mates claiming to be proud to be Australians again!), Beckham-mania hit Australia while Trillanes “snapped” and holed himself with his mates in a Philippine five-star hotel, the Spice Girls were re-united and the US becomes the only developed country not to ratify Kyoto.

Thanks to Sasha, by the way, for the invitation to the Blogger Meet and Greet in Manila last 30 November. Well, for another obvious reason, I couldn’t honor the invitation but I would have loved to attend (maybe next year, given the chance). 🙂