Prostitutes have price tags

People today still have a negative connotation when the words ‘hooker’, ‘prostitute’, and ‘whore’ are being mentioned. For them, these women are considered to be deviants of the social norms, immoral and carrier of sexually transmitted diseases; while media often portray them as a symbol of cultural and moral decline.

I’m not an advocate of women prostitution but I have several reasons to say why prostitution is not bad after all. Prostitutes are not committing an inherently harmful act. While the spread of diseases are possible in the practice of prostitution, criminalization is a sure way of not addressing such effects. Human beings have the nature of pursuing something which is prohibited to them. So if you prohibit prostitution, people will engage more on doing it.

Although prostitution is stereotypically considered as crime, it is still a victimless crime. Victimless in the sense that no one is necessarily harmed by doing it since the parties involved have both wanted it.

Often times it puzzles me why our society would jump with the conclusion that these prostitutes are trash, do not respect their body and are morally wrong.

If they are trash, then why is it that there’s still lot of men who would go into trouble just to have them. Trash is unworthy and priceless. Prostitutes are desirable with price tags.

If they do not have respect for their body, then why would they still bother to wear make up and make themselves beautiful. Respect comes with giving value and time to one’s self.

There are still lots of things to be considered morally wrong than just prostitution itself. In some countries, prostitution is being criminalized. I wonder why it is morally wrong for two people to go inside the room for sexual pleasure and money but it is not morally wrong for two men to  go inside the boxing ring and beat each other for money.

The dark side revealed

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Advertising has grown to be the leading industry world wide. It is present almost everywhere. From billboards, newspapers, internet, and even in the simple packaging of products—advertising is always there.

In the world where every public spaces and where media has flooded and saturated with ads and endorsements, one question arise, is having widespread advertising good for a society?

Although advertisements help the consumers decide what to choose and what a certain product could offer, I believe this extensive advertising can be harmful to a society. It makes people want too much. It makes people get disappointed when they don’t have something they want very much. And it makes people open to risk of feeling insufficient and empty for not having something they can’t afford.

Advertising now days is just too much. You cannot start your day without being bombarded by these widespread endorsements. You walk down the streets and you’ll see posters of different businesses glaring at you. You try riding in a bus and you can’t reach your destination without having a glimpse with these giant billboards towering over you. Try listening to radio or watch television and you’ll have enough of these ads aired over and over again. This is how people are being attacked with information they do not necessarily need. Information that they may not want but are being imposed for them to embrace.

Some might say that no one is forced to look at these advertisements or one could even argue that you can switch the TV channels, or just flick past ads in newspapers if you don’t want to see these advertisements. Well, people cannot just choose to ignore advertising because advertisers use techniques to ensure that their messages cross their audience. Print ads for example have attention grabbing words or provocative pictures while TV and radio ads employ subliminal messages and effective jingles for easy recall.

Also, many advertisements do more than just advertising products. Some try to make people feel inferior if they don’t have the product. Perceptions of beauty and fashion have been defined by these media advertisements. Many young people have low-self esteem and live unhealthy lifestyles because they feel that slim body figure and white complexion makes a person beautiful.

Another downfall of having extensive advertisements around is that it makes people too materialistic. People now a days gives value more on material things because this is what’s being exposed to them most of the time. They tend to always want the latest product because advertisements portray that if you have it, you are on the top. People become selfish because they always think what they want. They put these material and superficial things on higher pedestal forgetting other things which value most like family.

Advertising is not bad. But having too much of it is a great deal to handle.

The truth behind a Photograph

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January 12, 2010— the day that left a mark on the hearts and minds of people in Haiti and sent alarms on the people around the globe. A major earthquake with 7.0 magnitude struck the poorest country in Southern hemisphere which brought buildings and concrete-block houses knocking down. This made people running all over the streets looking for their loved ones, trying to save their lives and at the same time deeply contemplating what would be the future that awaits them and how could they start a life with nothing left to them. To the eyewitness, the scene made the whole world shaking. It made the whole world screaming— screaming for the lives lost and screaming for the horrible fate of the earthquake victims.

flickr.com

flickr.com

Looking in this photograph you could see how buildings and houses have broken down. Broken houses that may be equated to broken dreams and broken hopes. Houses that have been part of the lives of these people are now turned into pieces. Some doesn’t only have to deal with a missing family but a missing shelter as well.

flickr.com

flickr.com

Looking at the picture you could see how people are suffering especially the children who are the major victims of this kind of incidents. The photographs show how these innocent minds feel—the pain, the sorrow and the distress. You could see how their eyes plead for help. You could see how this kind of incident had greatly affected them.

I may not be present during the incident but these snapshots show how it feels to be there and how the subjects of these pictures are feeling. Yes, it may be just part of what happened but the details in these pieces of material show the part of what happened, the part of the truth and the part of what these people are actually trying to convey. Yes, pictures do lie at times but at some point of time, the best messages prefer to travel through photographs.

Now you see them, tomorrow you don’t

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The Dinagyang festival has been one of the highlights of celebrations in Iloilo. For several years, it has catered to different faces: a major attraction for tourist, an avenue for commercialization and a time for religiousity. This year another face of the celebration has been uncovered—its political side.

Observing deeply along the street, you could see the competition behind every political print ads of the different politicians. Being in a crowd, you could see several supporters giving out campaign paraphernalias such as calendars, flyers, fans, etc. that embedded the names of their supported candidates. A little longer you will notice the crowd growing in a specific area. You may wonder why, then you’ll realize that these politicians have joined in the celebration giving their utmost attention and biggest smiles on their potential voters.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that these politicians are not welcome to celebrate the festival with Ilonggos. I am only trying to understand why of all time do these politicians have to be here in Iloilo and rub elbows with the masses. Of course, the answer is too definite shouting loud and clear to our faces— for political agenda of publicity. Come to tink of it, Iloilo has been celebrating the Dinagyang festival for how many years without the appearance of these politicians. Several Dinagyang had passed without seeing their shadows in the background. Then suddenly they will show up just because of the fact that they need support for the upcoming election.

It’s quite pathetic. Politics seems to have a great deal in their blood that they couldn’t detach themselves away from it even just for  moment.

A call for a Nation Care

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(This entry is a response to the article “How Do things Stand Today?” posted in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on January 21, 2010.)

It is indeed true that the increasing cost of services and lack of appropriate social protection have become the major concern of every Filipinos especially those who belong on the marginalized society.

The Philippine Constitution of 1987 declares health as the right of every Filipino citizen. This means everyone shall have an equal access to effective health services—so this is where the concept of Universal health care enters the picture.

The universal health care is a vision that aims to provide the highest possible quality care which will be available to every Filipino. This will provide health services that will cater to the needs of its patients regardless of his social or economic status. There are two important characteristics of universal health care: an increased focus on primary care and comprehensiveness. This means the presence of a competitive health workforce and facilities accessible to the time the patients need it will play the vital role .

In order to materialize and sustain this dream of having a universal health care, financing is of vital importance. As mentioned in the article, “Financing must be fair. There must be a progressive contributions where those who can afford to pay more, contribute more.” This is the statement that I would like to address. First, who will be contributing on these project? And secondly, how will you persuade these people to pay more than the others if we know for a fact that money is of great issue today.

However, I say that this project, universal health care is indeed a brilliant idea. This is the perfect time where the government would show its care towards its citizens. Health is one of the most important pressing issues which is most of the time neglected in our country.

I have observed several public hospitals wherein if you take a look at its facade, you would say how organized and competitive it is. But behind those structure lies an uncompetitive health staffs and unequipped facilities. A staff that caters to the rich and care less to the poor.

This is the time where we should demand for a universal health care that would give a fair assistance to everyone and not just for the rich one.

Promises are made to be broken

Katilingban sa Kahanginan (KaKâ) in cooperation with the Commission on Election (COMELEC), Kabataan Partylist (KP) and College of Arts and Sciences Student Council (CAS-SC) organized a Voter’s Education at University of the Philippines Visayas- Miagao. These organizations aim to orient and educate the voters on the new election process.

The forum revolved on the automated election procedure, Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machine, and the role of youth on the forthcoming election. The discussion were participated by 75 students of different academic organizations. The activity was considered a success basing on the attendance of the audience which exceeded the expected number of participants. However, the downfall of the said activity is when the COMELEC failed to present the PCOS machine to the audience as what they have promised.

COMELEC’S representative explained that they cannot bring the PCOS machine for demonstration because they still have to present it to the City Government. Instead, they have proposed to bring the machine on the 19^th of February.

This is an obvious case of negligence. COMELEC’s Regional Director, Dennis Ausan approved the request of bringing the machine to the Voter’s education forum, but they weren’t able to make it. What’s frustrating is that they have given their word. They didn’t just make the organizers expect but as well as the audience who were so disappointed because they have expected the PCOS machine to be presented in order to observe how it works. The expectations were not met.  What happened to the COMELEC? They should not have given their word if in the first place they are not sure if they can make it.

Smoker who doesn’t smoke

‘Smokers never grow old. They die young.’ Although everyone is not new to the apparent fact that smoking can kill, there are still people who embrace this big vice. Although ads and campaigns supported by the administration tell that ‘Cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health’, the government still allows it.

There’s one question that really bothers me. Are people just hard-headed or simply stupid? They are afraid of dying yet they keep on indulging in this kind of activity. They know the possible consequences yet they remain blind and deaf on the possible harms.  Smokers claim that they are not harming anyone other than their selves. I say they are totally and completely wrong because people around them get affected too. And these are innocent people who can be a baby, an old man, a school girl along the street or a mere by-stander who are forced to inhale cigarette smokes at their workplaces or in public places. We call them ‘Second hand smokers’— a smoker who doesn’t smoke.

Second-hand smoker (passive smoker) who inhaled the smoke exhaled by the smoker is more at risk since the particles in the exhaled smoke are smaller. They reach deeper into the lungs of the passive smokers. The unfortunate non-smoker exposed regularly to second-hand smoke is prone to specific health risks which include increased risk of heart disease, increased risk of lung cancer, increase frequency of respiratory infections and asthmatic bronchitis in infants and children and chronic irritation of the eyes, nose and throat especially among children. How ironic, they have to suffer more than the culprit.

Why does the government allow and protect an industry that victimizes and kills people? They keep on reminding us that smoking is hazardous to our health yet they legalize it. What for?  Because the government earns a lot in this kind of industry through the taxes they are paying. The government who is supposed to be taking care of the citizen’s lives is the one who contribute on the shortening of their lives. It’s quite unfathomable why the government legalizes it and spends millions of pesos on researches that would discover antidote on tobacco-induced diseases such as stroke, cancer, hypertension, heart disease, etc.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not blaming it all to the government. What I’m just trying to say is that how Juan dela Cruz could be persuaded to stop smoking if the government itself allows it. If the law makers who should know better doesn’t stop it. A law for restriction is not enough, in this severely ill society, what we need is total abolition of smoking practices.

For every person who smokes, there are two who do not. This means for every smoker, there are two people who are closer to facing death without them having to do with it. Let us show mercy to the innocent— quit smoking!

Public-market-theater

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In a place where most of the people depend their tomorrow in the little business they have. In a place where vendors call it home. In a place where most people often took for granted its importance— there’s a story behind.

Public market is a place where you could shop items in its minimum cost compared to highly commercialized establishments. It is a place that can be simply compared to a theater which is open for everybody. But in this theater, vendors play the lead role.

Miagao’s Public Market is one of the cleanest. But behind its façade, there are underlying issues and problems that the main characters of this theater have been experiencing. I would like to focus this discussion on the most common issue experienced by our lead casts in the “dry market—theater”. This is about the high amount they pay in order to have a permission to sell their products within the area.

It is an obvious fact that people in this business could hardly contain

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themselves with the income they get. Manong Tony, a fruit vendor who pays more than P4,000 a year for his permit said that this amount is quite heavy. He also pointed out that what’s wrong in the process is the government counts their capital and not their profit as basis for their rental. Manang Violina has to pay P1, 800 for selling “Kakanin” while an “Ukay-ukay” vendor, Manang Jossie has to pay P3, 000 for their annual permit.  But aside from that, they still have to pay an additional amount every weekend.

These people more than anyone need a proper attention and understanding from the director of the show. The government should at least re-check their protocol that concerns this issue. The lead casts of this theater do not only work just to serve its audience nor to satisfy the director/producer. They work for their own need too. Need to support themselves and their family. A need that the government should fully understand for the success of the “production” in the Public-market-theater.

Automated poll machine: advancement or just another form of manipulation

www.thepoc.net

For the first time in Philippine history, the country will be using an automated poll machine for a quick, easy, and transparent counting that will minimize fraud. For the past elections of manual voting, several problems were encountered such as slow results of vote, “Dagdag-Bawas scheme” and vote buying. Things like these become the reason for the adaptation of an automated election in Philippines.

Miagao’s local election officer, Jessie Borro, said that there is no much problem in the use of the automated poll machine. Borro pointed out that if ever there would be a problem, it will not be in the voting process but within the voter’s themselves.

For the past months since the consortium of Smartmatic-TIM won the Philippine election automation project, questions and discussions have been raised about the system as well as the machine itself. While many already concluded that the machines are susceptible to hacking and vote modifications, Smartmatic-TIM have continuously denied such allegations and defended that their system are not prone to hacking.

Although these new system will ensure a quick election result, there are problems that I would like to address. First, in the world of illusion and cyber security, it is widely acknowledged that nothing is impossible and everything could be hacked anytime. With extreme planning and knowledge about hacking of the system, one can do the hacking and go away with it without being identified. Next is, the votes shaded in the Optical Mark Recognition ballot are easily exposed to tampering and ballots are vulnerable to advance shading which can be done by a single person. Such tampering of ballots would be very difficult to trace or determine.

May it be manual or automated, complications in election is inevitable. I guess it will all boil down on how Filipinos will play the game. Honesty — such an easy word but seems the hardest thing to do. It is the only key if we really want a clean and successful election.

Coals can kill

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In Iloilo, there is a plan to operate a coal plant in the city. Some business groups and government officials believe that building a 165 MW coal-fired power plant is the answer for the poor quality of power supply in Iloilo. It will not only provide electricity to the Province of Iloilo  but to the whole Panay as well.

However, the Catholic Church, civil society, academic and environmental groups believe that the idea of building a coal-fired plant is “stupid” since there are clean and safe energy technologies such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass which are readily available.

Greenpeace activists argued that the increase of extreme weather events in the country results from climate change. And according to scientists, climate change is being caused by the increasing emission of greenhouse gases, which coal  plants are considered to be the greatest contributor.

This is an issue that doesn’t only concern our environment but also the lives and health of the local residents who will be the primary victims if this proposal will be materialized. Operating this coal plant will contribute to the global climatic crisis and local pollution.

Last year, the typhoon Frank devastated the whole Iloilo with mud flood and just recently, the tropical storm Ondoy and typhoon Pepeng hit Luzon just the same. Do we still have to wait for another storm and typhoon before we could realize that our environment is already heavily damaged? Do we still have to wait for future victims to get sick and worst die before we would be back to our senses and finally realize how big this threat that confronts us.

The negative impacts of having the coal-fired power plant outweigh any benefit that we could get if having it means losing  lives and contributing to the disease of our environment.