ഖി സിസ്-ജെ?

Qui suis-je? Je m’appelle Angelo Louise Jalandoni-Lopez. J’ai 15 ans et je suis né le 11 juin 1993 en l’Hôpital de l’Université de Saint-Thomas à Manille. Je suis un étudiant à l’Université de l’Ateneo de Manille et j’étudie les sciences de la vie. Je suis philippin et j’habite à Marikina. Depuis en étudiant mon cours, je vais prendre medicine être un médicin.

J’adore en sachant beaucoup choses. J’adore en lisant mes livres des les sciences et des les litteratures. Je très aime Harry Potter et Da Vinci Code. J’écris des essays, des poèmes et des histoires-petites aussi. Actualement, j’ai gagné une competition nationale pour le journalisme quand je fus en école secondaire.

Je n’adore pas en étudiant seulement; mais, je fais autres activités aussi. Je très adore danser de preference le ballet. J’ai été dansant le ballet en divers productions compris un rôle danseur en Tchaikovski’s Le Lac du Cygne. Je fais du théâtre et j’ai été en agissant pour plusieurs anée. Aussi, j’aime jouer à l’escrime (Je joue à l’escrime très bien!). J’ai gagné une compétition en l’escrime de le mois dernier. Je joue à la natation aussi mais je ne suis pas bien.

Je rêve d’aller en France ou voyager tout le monde. Je veux voir l’Éiffel et le Louvre (je veux voir le feu d’artifice et La Joconde). En future, je veux être un médicin aider les gens.

MES AMIS:

Connie

Connie est fille simple mais très intelligente. Elle a gagné une competition nationale pour les études scientifique. Elle a une etudes en le cancer recherche. C’est magnifique!

Jess

Jess est une fille douse et charmant. Elle est une bien amie!

Ances

Ances est une fille bruyante à qui voix est forte. Elle est une bien amie aussi!

Kenny

Kenny est une fille creative. Sa imagination est aux couleurs vives.

Elle écrit des poèmes et des essays très magnifiques!

Willie for Senate is not a good idea

Recently, I heard from rumors that Willie Revillame could run for a senatorial position in the 2010 Elections. Armed with the soaring popularity and adoration from the Filipinos especially those of the masses (due to his ever-famous show Wowowee, where huge amounts of money are given to people everyday, however, he has not yet affirmed this statement; but, he exclaimed in an interview that in "2010 may bago, abangan niyo".

On a recent poll conducted by Pulse Asia, Willie has "good chances for 2010 polls". Sampled from 1200 respresentative voters with plus/minus 3% error, clearly, the masses vie for him to run in the senate. They were askes: "Kung ang nasabing halalan sa 2010 ay isasagawa ngayon, sinu-sino sa mga sumusunod na personalidad ang inyong iboboto kung sakaling sila ay kakandidato sa pagka-senador? Puwede kayong pumili ng hanggang 12 panglan.”

I have nothing against Mr. Revillame-- he is indeed a kind-hearted person who has the passion to serve the people, to bring hapiness to the people. Yet, the question is not about his passion to serve, the question is about him as a person "fit" for that senatorial spot.

The Philippine Senate has its own history of celebreties sitting/ed on its seats. The popularity of this celebreties, obviously, paved them their way to have a place in it. However how they are rich and famous, we, the people rarely see them "actively" participating in the comings and goings in the senate (By saying 'actively' participating, it means that they know the processes of legislation). Indeed, we see them, hypocritely, donating tons of money to this foundations and that foundations (though good, but for there own gain), passing boring and lousy and not-so-helping bills that they thnk will be for the benefit of the greater.

If Mr. Revillame runs, will he be a good senator or not? Will he be a hypocrite senator or not?

He is wealthy, adorable, and admirable; however, does he know the comings and goings of the legislation, the laws and all that will help the government govern this corruption-infested country? If he is rich enough to have two yacths, a set of cars, and a grandeur-reflecting house in corinthian Hills, will that be enough to excuse him from corrupting the public funds? We know not.

For the record, Mr. Revilliame also has a history of alleged molestations, and other acts that lead to suspension of some of his shows during the past. These will not disqualify him, though, for running for Senate; but, will we allow him to grab that position. i dare say, NO WE SHOULD NOT!

The Senate needs more intelligent people to handle its processes. The Senate needs more Miriam Defensor-Santiago's and Jovito Salonga's than those celebreties who only have their popularity as their weapon. The more celeberity we will put in the Senate in the next elections, the more the evidences shall be that the Filipinos are indeed narrow-minded. We protest our government as a puppet of the American Government yet we do not know how to handle such government. If the government is for the people, then we must put proper officials in it: less corrupt, less celebrities, more intellectuals. If the government is by the people, then we must select the proper individuals with proper ideals to lead us to improvements.

On the other hand, for Mr. Revillame and the other celebrities, let them help the peoplen in their own ways without the power vested by government seats.

Inquirer’s Homework is not DepEd’s Primary Homework

December 7, 1998, President Joseph Ejercito-Estrada, as part of his Ten-Point Action Plan, issued Executive Order no. 46 to create the Philippine Commission on Educational Reform to “define a budget-feasible program of reform, and identify executive priority policy recommendations and items for a legislative agenda on education.” The result is the proposal to add a one year “pre-baccalaureate” term between high school and college for students who are found deficient for taking a concentration in order for them to be “equip[ped]…well enough to undertake more challenging university work.”

Every president promulgates a survey to review and reassess the educational system. Marcos has his Presidential Commission to Survey Philippine Education (PCSPE); Aquino, Educational Commission (EDCOM); Ramos, Philippines 2000; Estrada, PCER; and Arroyo, the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) through the virtue of EO 571 (October 6, 2006). All of the said commissions and reforms are tantamount to PCER’s proposal to extend the basic education curriculum from 10 years to 11-13 years. In fact, only last year a bill was passed in the Congress to petition the immediate effect of the proposed K-12 system of learning in Philippine public education that will “improve the ‘level of learning’ in the country, however, it didn’t pass the second reading of the bill because of the side-by-side criticisms and objections.

The primary basis of these commissions and survey is the continuous deterioration of public education. From professional brain drain to the awful ranking of our students in the world’s Math and Science proficiency, it is basically elusive to name the main reason of this deterioration. On an editorial entitled Homework dated February 7, 2009, the Philippine Daily Inquirer suggested that the main reason why the basic education is decaying is the “bloated education bureaucracy that is the underbelly of corruption, waste and mismanagement.” However, this is not the case for a question consequentially follows this statement: If we have effectively exterminated corruption out of the system, will the education cease deteriorating? I think not, for the problem itself dwells within the hearts of the Basic Education Curriculum.

One major revision in the Philippine Basic Education is the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum through the virtue of the Department of Education (DepEd) Order no. 25 s. 2002, issued June 17, 2002. Through this, DepEd envisions every student to be functionally literate, equipped with life skills, appreciative of the arts and sports and imbued with the desirable traits of a person: “maka-Diyos, makabayan, makatao at makakalikasan”. BEC basically restructured the former elementary and secondary education curricula and compressed the ten subjects into five general ones: English, Filipino, Science, Mathematics and Makabayan (a super subject which includes Geography, History and Civics, Values Education, Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) and Music, Arts, Physical Education and health (MAPEH)). With this, BEC is supposed to displace the “theoretical, crowded” previous curricula and teach the basic skills needed by the students in order to apply theories learned in classroom to everyday life. Another question arises from this point: How basic is basic?

Basically, the BEC only teaches the basics in the classroom and thus, provides the students no mastery in the said learning areas. For example, in the subjects English and Filipino which are continuous throughout the curriculum, grammar is taught extensively and redundantly. As soon as the pupil enters grade one, parts of speech are introduced one by one while usage is taught simultaneously. Apparently, there is no significant flaw in this part; however, as the student enters the succeeding grades, the same topic is still taught, however, in a more difficult sentence structures. This system will continue until the end of the curriculum. What is the apparent flaw in this system is that other learning areas connected to languages (such as literature, communications, et cetera) is simply overlooked. Though these subjects oftentimes include Basic Journalistic Writing, the fact that it is basic journalism can only contribute a minimal effect to the student’s academic reservoir. Therefore, even though a student mastered the grammar (which is contradictory from the results of the World’s English Proficiency tests which suggests that the Philippines ranked 42^nd out of the 43 countries), s/he could not use his/her grammar because it is not applied in various learning areas.

In Mathematics, on the other hand, arithmetic is taught throughout grade school. The variability of this subject is that the level of difficulty of the computations as the student progresses up into the ladder of education, is basically dependent on the increasing number of digits of the given. Polya’s Four Step Problem Solving is taught; however, it does not promote critical thinking to the students. Mathematics in the Basic Education Curriculum is definitely a waste of time. Instead of teaching and providing mastery for the students in the primary level (first grade to fourth grade) in the arithmetic while the intermediate level teach pre- and algebra proper so that higher mathematics is taught in high school (Trigonometry, Geometry and Elementary Calculus), BEC lets the students absorb minimal skills which contradicts to the objective of the BEC itself.

All of these minute problems that have accumulated over time are partly because of the incompetent teachers teaching our students. What will we expect from the teachers that learned from the same redundant, ineffective Basic Education Curriculum? How will a blind help another blind?

The Philippine Daily Inquirer, however, seems like overlook this major factor that contributes to the continuous deterioration of the Philippine Education. Instead of addressing the greater problem, the editorial deflected the issue into an easier aspect that takes a little effort to rebut (corruption) — indeed, a flamboyant and intricate form of red herring. It does take into account that corruption in DepEd’s bureaucracy affects the education system; however, indirectly. Exterminating corruption in the bureaucracy (though it will take a greater effort for the government to do this) will contribute to the efficiency of the government but will not address the problem in education directly (as well as any other problem in different areas of the government).

Questions shall arise from this point: If the elimination of corruption in the bureaucracy does not address the issue-at-hand, then how can we mend the problem in education? What are the basic steps in order to fully implement the solution as questioned by the previous statement?

The answer in the first question is very obvious: Mend the curriculum itself— that is, come up with a concrete solution not with additional criticisms. I suggest doing the following:

1. Since the current Basic Education Curriculum main objective is to provide the students with necessary, basic skills that are applicable in real life situations, upgrade the BEC into a problem-based curriculum that will present reality simulations. A concrete example of this is the integration of laboratory work in the theory-based learning.

2. Widen the scopes of the subject, that is, integrate relevant learning areas into the incumbent subjects. For example, grammar should only be taught in the primary level so that the intermediate and secondary level will be able to teach communications, literature and journalism. Moreover, pre-algebra and algebra proper should be taught in the intermediate level so that basic higher and advanced mathematics should displace the said subjects in high school.

3. Scrap MAKABAYAN. Instead of clumping the humanities subject into one, why not teach them individually. Arts and Music must be strengthened and the degree of importance with these subjects should be leveled equal to Physical Education. Also, history must be promoted in order for the students to understand their rich heritage. The subject Technology and Livelihood Education should be scrapped and let computer education replace this.

4. Strengthen the foundations of the students in Sciences. Instead of integrating Science and Health into the English subjects of Grades I and II, let the pupils learn the fundamentals of natural sciences. With this, we can prepare them as early as those levels for learning and understanding of higher aspects such as Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

5. Offer elective subjects such as foreign languages, entertainment arts etc. With this, we can let them develop their talents and excel in their own chosen area.

6. Periodically equip the teachers the right knowledge in order for them to teach efficiently our students. Moreover, raise their salary and benefits so that they will be not discouraged in their profession (Note that public school teaching is one of the jobs that is virtually paid the least). Upgrade the curriculum of Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, if deemed necessary.

Of course all of which will be maximized if the officials are transparent enough.

The answer to the later question, however, will serve as a conclusion. In order for us to implement a certain executive reform on education, we must first learn to recognize the long-term benefits that we can get from it. The pandemic replies of the public with accordance to current and previous educational reforms are very negative: Educational reforms will just add up to the burden of parents for their children. We should realize that these reasons or excuses are indeed myopic and a concrete proof that Filipinos are narrow-minded. With this, we could not come up with an effective educational reform that will help us stabilize the foundations of our economy. Let us not, therefore, deflect all issues regarding these reforms to corruption, which is of course a different issue; instead, let us recognize that there is a need for change and this change is necessary. We must think outside the box so that we could analyze the system and see the real roots of the problems. However, it will take us years and costs in order for us to see the returns, yet the investments will turn out to be useful. Let us be reminded of the importance of education and literacy for our economy. If we fully implement an efficient executive priority on education ceteris paribus, we will witness a growing globally competent labor force that will salvage the sunken economy of the Philippines.#

A Myopic Fallacy

If the Malacañang waits for lauds and commends for the recent survey stating that our country is "an island of calm", they should lose all hopes on it.

The full page advertisements which displays the "high-rated reviews" of the Philippines amid the global crisis are nothing but myopia. As the Malacañang would know, the global recession affects the entire world, thus excusing no one--- even the Philippines. The problem is, the administration seems to content itself from a mere optical illusion of "economic stability"in medias res--- which is definitely a short-sightedness.

While celebrating these short-term "glory" increases hope, the government must take the necessary actions in order to halt the coming obstacles. However, as the effects of the meltdown slowly gnaws upon our "stable economy", law-makers and the cabinet seem to continue their never ending corruptions. As multi-national and international companies cut their costs, the government boosts the budget, not for the consumers expenditure powers but, for them to buy their positions for re-elections by expanding their pork barrels into suspicious amounts.

The labor department reports that 15000 OFWs have lost their jobs and projects an increasing trend with these numbers in the succeeding months. With these, thousands of Filipino families will suffer from unemployment. Moreover, the resting stone of the Malacañang's alleged "economic stability"--- that is, foreign remittances--- will eventually decrease simultaneous with the recession. Therefore, we will suffer the consequences of the government's propaganda of false hopes.

If the president thinks that Obama will "nourish [our] starved bodies and feed [our] hungry minds", she must recognize that the America is still suffering the greater impact of the recession. His projected number of jobs to produce in the next few years are only restricted, of course, for the Americans. In fact, Obama is not insane enough to work hand-in-hand with the Philippines, whose global fame deeply relies on the government's big time corruption, just to survive the scourges of the crisis. Therefore, as much as Obama envisions to rebuild Americ, Ms. Arroyo should try to do something good for our country right now in order to, at least, balance out her worst deeds during her administration.

Ms. Arroyo should stop social climbing in international fora.

The Evolution of Thinkers

A couple of minutes ago, I was reading Discover Magazine (December 2008 issue) cover article entitled 50 Best Brains in Science. I was amazed by the veterans who influenced the academe, who researched the unexplored realms of science and universe and who challenged all odds to enable us to fully understand the mechanisms of life. However, I was most amazed by the featured scientist who are "20 under 40". While most of them had acquired their Ph.D's early, some of them are still students!

Looking at the pictures of these young and veteran thinkers made me ponder if these people really have those names included in the list. The people reflected on the pictures are young, plain and simply like an ordinary persons. I had expected to see lens-aided persons whose get-up is in the geeky fashion. However, I had seen the complete contradictory of this. I was simply astounded by the fact that geeks undergo evolutionary trends that enable them to conform to the "taste" of the time.

It is, therefore, possible for an ordinary person to be as great as these persons. Forget about the Einstein hairs, the lenses and the unquantifiable number of facial blemishes for all of us can be intellectuals. Now, I was left pondering if who am I in these coming years....Hmmmmm...we'll see.

We can do it!

A few minutes ago, I was listening to Obama's Inaugural Address and how he is eloquent enough to silence everybody and to let them lend their ears. As I was watching the video in awe, I was left to wonder why is the Philippines failed to produce such persons, like Obama, who are dignified and simply magnificent.

The Philippines, in fact, has produced hundreds, if not thousands, of intellectuals. However, none as the nation has ever witnessed that a person stand on a podium as a president who can speak a dignified, eloquent rhetoric. There is nothing wrong with the people: There is something wrong in the system.

Barack Obama, and as well as the other president of the United States, is a concrete definition of democracy. That is majority.

For decades, our country has been voting simply the plurality for presidency. It was impossible for us to attain the majority because of our system of choosing the right one. In fact, the candidates for presidency are neither fully transparent nor qualified enough to hold the seat in which the country's prosperity will depend for the next six years. We have been witnessing a serious of failures which cover our mediocre successes. For decades, we haven't achieved a milestone in democracy because we are simply not educated and blind for truth. Our country is poor: in health care, in education, in economy. Thus, we are simply poor in everything.

Of how many times we failed, we tried to stand up again but never recovered because corrupt persons are leading us. We have not produced a great leader: a leader with a powerful discernment and a just judgement. America is a democracy like us and they have established a majestic name in earth. I know we can do it. If they procure change, we also can. We can all do this in 2010. God Bless the Philippines!

Why beat the boy?

Last Saturday, I was riding a bus going to our home in Bulacan. Unknowingly, there was this boy, who I think is a little older than me, sitting on the bus's aisle. Then it came to a time that this boy started to ask for money from me, claiming that his wallet was lost. As much as I would want to give him money, I couldn't because I didn't bring extra money. So, he started to ask a few passengers.

My seatmate, a guy, became irritated to him that he cursed to the boy and threated him to kick his ass out of the bus. Same is true to the other passengers with whom he asked money. Then suddenly, the conductor approached him and let him stay to the bus and promised that will drop him off in his destination. Seemingly, the boy quieted on the aisle.

I really don't know what happened next, but after several minutes, there is this old man who started to slap the boy's head with his slippers. The old man hurled curses and insults to the boy saying that he is "makulit" and whatsoever. I felt nothing but sympathy to the teary-eyed boy who started to speak of what it seems to be on a dialect. As much as I pity the boy, I felt a anger towards the guy and I blurted "Stop it, nakakawa na nga yung bata ginaganyan nyo pa. Kung wala kayong pera, wag nyo nalang panisinin. (Stop it! If you cannot give alms, then the least you can do is to not give him attention.)"

I could not feel any regrets from what I had done. How could he do such thing like that to the boy? Why not say no?

I started to ponder if these people are really Filipinos, with whom I grew up with. Is this the state of our morality? Are we still the Filipinos to whom the world sees as people with high regards to brotherhood, sympathy and hospitality?

I know that the world is suffering from crisis and the people are getting a hard time to earn. Yet nonetheless, this must not excuse us from staying away from our traditional values. It is not enough for the man to justify his actions by saying he doesn't have money and the boy is making kulit to him. As I will repeat, he is of the same set of people, specifically Filipinos, with whom I boxed Ms. Borres on-- discriminative, abusive, and leeches to the society.

The Philippines doesn't need you!

On Ms. Borres' note

Last night, I have a short chatting session with my friend about this girl form my school who blogged about her experiences in an immersion trip up in the mountains where Aetas lived. Her blog contains explicit, discriminative notes about the natives lifestyle. Since I find this notes very offensive I would not post her blog here.

The primary reason of the immersion program offered by the university in which me and Ms. Borres go is that in relation to the school’s vision. Moreover, it is also used to expose the students in to the realms of the poors which will consequentially develop a full awareness of what is happening our country. Unfortunately, Ms. Borres seems like she sticks to the stereotypical icon of the university student.

My claim about this is that she shouldn’t have said those things– even if it was meant only for her friends to see her humours. She is studying in one of the country’s top universities and yet she didn’t realized that there are things that is more proper to say than to write. I will not condone her friend’s treachery but nonetheless, she must’ve known that writing, especially in blogs, needs special care about the choice of words. I respect her freedom of speech but she shouldn’t have used and/or abused it like the way she have done to criticize the Aetas’ way of life.

I pity my her because she haven’t seen the real objective of the immersion program. I understand that she grew up in a well-to-do upbringing but nonetheless she is a Filipino herself. I suggest that she must go take every courses she had taken from our university in order to understand the graveness of her commentaries. After all, the Philippines doesn’t need persons like her– discriminative, abusive and a leech in the society.

Persons like her are the primary reason why our country does not develop.

Goodnight, Benjamin!

Those were the last words of Daisy (Cate Blanchett) in the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). I can't help myself but cry while her soul departs her body during the hurricane. I believe that her unconditional love towards Benjamin (Brad Pitt) was finally rewarded through death, in which she can spend the eternity with him-- forever.
More often than not, we always see movies that projects the "conquering" of death through love-- of how the lovers successfully fulfilled their solemnly sworn "Till death do us part". However, by emphasizing the peculiar case of Benjamin Button's growing younger, the movie gave a new meaning in immortalizing love beyond the limits of life and death by elimination of the bias of age.
Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story of the same title, the story tackles the journey of Benjamin Button on growing in reverse: that is, from an arthritis-bed-ridden old "baby" up to his juvenile "dawn of life". Benjamin's conflict was highlighted by the love story between him and Daisy. The story progresses by emphasizing friendship, family, difficulties of long-distance relationship, fidelity and faith, and life and death. As Benjamin himself narrates every minute of his life through his diary, the story goes on with revealing points of clarification and of understanding in Daisy's and as well as Caroline's (their child with whom Daisy hid the truth that Benjamin was her father) characters.
After many years of living their separate lives as a ballet dancer and a sailor, Daisy and Benjamin finally settled as a couple once they meet at the exact same age. Realizing that the succeeding years they will separate in terms of aging, Benjamin becomes afraid of tearing Daisy's heart apart because of his condition. After their daughter celebrated her first birthday, Benjamin secretly left the mother-and-daughter pair "secretly" late at night in order to liberate Daisy from him while leaving her a chance to find "a father for their child".
Years passed, Benjamin traveled while Daisy became a private baller instructor and had his new husband. Benjamin revisited Daisy on her ballet studio with the same age as their daughter. Afterwards, they made love with each other for the last time before Benjamin become a little boy.
Years passed and a call from the home for the aged was sent to Daisy regarding about a boy who suffered from dementia and does not remember who he is. Later, it was revealed that the boy itself was Benjamin and Daisy took charge on caring for him not as a wife, but now, as a mother. Sooner, Benjamin "grew up" into a small little boy and died looking directly to Old Daisy's eyes.
It is sad of how life cheats unto the life of everyone, of how it suppresses the life of a true-lover. However, in the constant scourges brought forth by life, there is love that gives color and calmness to it. Daisy's condition was so hard that she had still love Benjamin for the rest of his life even though his memories deteriorated. Both of them were given justice and thus given eternity to spend with each other. Daisy and Benjamin just danced their own real-life pas de deux and thus were given aces after their final bow.
Heart-warming, touching and inspiring, the movie gives light to how people are differentiated in living life yet nevertheless bounded by a force that will enable them to live harmoniously and that force was LOVE.