Monday

Historical Materialism

“History does nothing; it does not possess immense riches, it does not fight battles. It is men, real, living, who do all this.... It is not “history” which uses men as a means of achieving—as if it were an individual person—its own ends. History is nothing but the activity of men in pursuit of their ends.”

- Karl Marx (1818–1883)

Is it right?

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent to the things that matter. Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?' But, conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right.

- Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968)

Ei MLK, Is this right?

Oo, ramdam nga nila ang asenso. Ramdam na ramdam nila ang kaunlaran!

The Price of Freedom

We win freedom by deserving it. Loving the true, the good, and the beautiful, to the point of dying for it. And when the people has reached these heights, God provides the weapons; and the tyrants and idols shall fall, like a house of cards!
-Dr. Jose P. Rizal (Essay: The Philippines a Hundred Years from Now!)

Friday

Country still in grip of 'economic colonizers'

The words of Chief Justice Puno during the 110th Independence Day celebration yesterday rings very true. Just read below.


ON INDEPENDENCE DAY
RP still a long way from freedom--SC' s Puno


Country still in grip of 'economic colonizers'

By Abigail Kwok, Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:41:00 06/12/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines may no longer officially be under foreign rule but the country remains in the grip of "economic colonizers," Chief Justice Reynato Puno said on Thursday, Independence Day.

In his speech at rites in Caloocan City to mark the 110th year since Philippine revolutionary president Emilio Aguinaldo declared the country independent from Spanish colonial rule, Puno said foreign governments and firms continue to wield influence on the nation's economic and political life.

But aside from foreign influence, Puno said Filipinos also have to work against local elites with vested interests before they can be truly free.

Speaking in Filipino, Puno said wealthy foreign nations make loans available but "the bitter payment for these is our acquiescence to business agreements in which their businesses are granted many incentives."

And because the country cannot afford to repay these debts, "they dictate how we should run our political and economic life and oftentimes limit how much we spend to help our poor, educate their children, put food on their tables," he said.

But the chief justice said that, aside foreign nations and corporations that violate Filipinos' social and economic rights, the country's independence is also undermined by those who manipulate elections and by companies that refuse to pay just wages to their workers.

Citing figures from the National Statistics Office, Puno said the prices of commodities increased by 14.3 percent last month and 12 percent last April.

The price of rice, on the other hand, rose by 31.7 percent within a month.

He said that with every 10-percent increase in the prices of commodities, 2.3 more Filipinos join the ranks of the poor.

Puno said the situation he outlined proves that not only is the Philippines free but it has a long way to go to achieve freedom.

Thursday

Shot sa gabi, para hangover kinabukasan.

Whenever things don’t look good in law school, it is not always as bad as you think.
It shall all look good in the morning!

-adopted Gen. Collin Powell (Operation Desert Storm)


So to the robbers, si Lord na ang bahala sa inyo!

Wednesday

Robbery Hold-up Part 1

T'is day, I am still thankful; that though they took my cellphone, they did not take my life!
-Unknown

This person was a victim of hold up yesterday, that which I never thought I would endure. What happened yesterday was really a gut wretching experience on my part, being a victim of a crime for the first time. I managed to get my sim card, though I don't think that it was a good idea because the fan knife the robbers used was about two inch from being inside my stomach (hehe!). But I still tried to get what would be the most important part of that phone, while I tried to wrestle the holdupers and thus prevented the 4 inch knife from being a part of my body.

I asked the assistance of components from the University Belt Area-Police Community Precint (UBA-PCP). We were able to apprehend one of the perpetrators of such grievious acts against unknowing and simple citizens. We filed a case against him in the Fiscal's office of Manila. And he is now under the custody of the police in the Sampaloc Police Station (PS # 4) at Balic balic. 

I finished this story later, complete with the details. I have to make ready for school.

Monday

Daily life quotes, starting today

Well, I'll be starting my blog this week with an innovation. Since my classes shall again hamper my blog updates, I must find ways to quench my writing thirst. So I decided to post a quote, a very relevant and applicable quote, of what has happened or what have I learned single day! Nice di ba?

So, I'll be keeping in touch with my you, my online journal everyday!


Care of the Monkey Priestess


Don't peep when someone is doing it, don't listen lest someone catches you, and don't speak of what happened if someone asks!
-Philosopher Maniac, 1986 - present


T'is the modern day version of the Three Wise Monkeys!

Thursday

Sana pwede akong maging bata muli!

"I tell you with certainty, unless you change and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven."
-The One, 6 BC - 30 AD 


Well, that's figuratively speakin!

Wednesday

Hindi ko alam ano ang pwedeng title nito..I really want to see you!

"First time around, I forgave even without an apology... ...This has made forgiveness the second time around, difficult."

Read this in your multiply.

>>>I don't know if this is the best time to bring it up, or if there would be a better time to do this. Knowing that Julian might have caused you pain. Hindi ko alam kung sino eh, pero kung sino man siya, lagot siya sakin? Kahit muay thai expert pa siya!

Well, I know that forgiveness the second time around is not about me, but the First time around, I am so sure that it is me. I want so much to say this personally, since we never actually had the time to talk things over. Parang, it's just like a snap. It started via text, it ended via text. I really want to patch things up with you. I want to make amends.

Kahit nga matagal nang hindi tayo, kahit alam kong umibig ka ng muli sa ibang tao, at kahit alam kong malayo nang mahalin mo akong muli, I am still in love with. There was never a day that I did not love you. I may have fallen for some other women in the past, still, it is you with whom my heart is. Masakit ngang tignan yung mga pictures mo sa blog e, especially the one with him. Well no one can blame me, mahal kita eh. Sobra! Pagkatapos ng TAYO, walang naging KAMI! It's not that I never looked at other girls. But I don't want to hurt other woman, knowing too well with whom my heart is still.

Sana makapag-usap na tayo. Kung hindi na pwedeng maging tayo, at least maayos ko natin ang buhay natin. I know it is my fault. You were not to blame for it. kung hindi mo na nga ako paniwalaan, maiintindihan ko eh. Pero sana, bigyan tayo ng time ni God para makapag-usap. Sana bigyan niya ako ng lakas ng loob. Pati ikaw, now that you are facing another challenge in your life. If I can lessen the pain, I will. To lessen it, I want to ask forgiveness.

Hope I could do it in person. I really want to see you!

The white ink is for privacy. At least, if you can read this, ikaw lang.
<<<

Law School is here! Again!

Hello Ian! We are your books and cases, and we're back!

Summer break is over, Barong and ID days are here again!


A few more days, I shall start a new chapter in my law school career. A straggling freshman a year ago, I am now a full-pledged sophomore law student. It has its advantages, as well as its not so “dis”-advantages. Let me enumerate them:

First, I now have my first Remedial Law subject, CRIMPROC. By such, I shall have working knowledge of the procedural requirements for criminal cases and the remedies that I can avail in those cases. I shall be exposed in trials of crimes, related Supreme Court rulings, and tons and tons of doctrines and flowcharts. I can better give advises in criminal law as I can now give my friends advices both on substantive and procedural law.

Second, I’ll encounter more Civil Law subjects, i.e. Property and Sales. At least, I can now understand Land Titles and Deeds if I happen to study it again in the future. Further, there are a lot of property cases in our record books. As for Sales, it is one important area of law that is of familiar usage in common day scenarios. So for fast and accurate street law, it is a must that I treat this 2 unit subject with respect. And if this 2-unit subject demands respect, what more shall a 4-unit Property subject…waaa! This is bitter sweet. Knowing the law, yet knowing that you know nothing. I guess the saying is true, the more you now, the lesser you know. But still, if I ace these subjects as I did the previous 3 Civil Law subjects (Persons & Family Relations, Obligations & Contracts and Land Titles & Deeds); I’ll be one step closer to finishing my Civil Laws.

Third, I’ll round up several core subjects, which I have a slight background. Political Laws, by taking up Administrative Law, Election Laws & Law on Public Corporation, and Labor Law by taking up Labor Relations. The first is a course regarding the Administrative Code of the Philippines, the Omnibus Election Code and the Local Government Code. Except Administrative Law, election laws and local laws are a favorite of mine. Way back in college, I breeze through these subjects, literally and figuratively, of course. Thus, I find no problem with those. But a typical law school attitude, don’t say its over unless it’s over, and even if it’s over, it’s not yet over unless you say it is. Well, most of you will get it if you go to law school. As for Labor Relations, it covers from Articles 211 to 302 of the Labor Code. It deals with the recourses of labor and management in cases of disputes.

Finally, I shall have my first legal elective subject (although I took my first elective during summer class, it does not count as it is taken in advance of the regular course of study). I decided to take Alternative Dispute Resolution as an elective. I remember my Ninong, Atty. Noli Lazaro, tell me that it is good to take mediation, arbitration and conciliation, as it is a rising field of law in the Philippines. It is probably because the courts are settling more of the cases filed before it through non confrontational settlement proceedings. It de-clogs court dockets and is good for justice and law administration. It promotes efficiency and effectivity in the judicial system.

Probably, many are wondering where the disadvantages are? In all of my words, it seems that these are the advantages. Well, it is true. These 4 are advantages, but they are also disadvantages at the same time. Why? Because studying law is a life long process. Everything is a test of character and determination. It is not just about wits, but also about skill. It finds the weakest spot in a would-be-lawyer heart and blasts it like a fire brand blow torch, as hot as a furnace. It tries to set away the impurities, melts the metal to its core and build it again, brand new. It redefines you as a man. You may cry your heart out. But so said an adage, what does not hurt, makes you stronger. Maybe it does, and I believe it does.

So where do I go from here? I shall be back to a semi secluded rhythm. Study, sleep, pray; eat while study, eat, pray, study, prepare, transport, study, eat, transport, study, pray, then back again. Gimmicks on appointed days, or when the professor yells at you for a giving a really stupid answer to a very hypothetical question that requires only a not so silly answer. Go out of the door, respected by your neighbors and almost everyone, except by your professors who hate you when you say pass, or I did not study the materials (although I have managed to do that once, especially with a lady professor who is really attracted to me, Hehe!). But with the male professors, you may sh*t blood but you cannot give a wrong answer, (Jan naman swerte ang mga babae kong classmate). But anyways, I miss the thrill of law school. And I am gearing to be back. So everyone, watch out!


I become really messy at times when I study!
Just see for yourself!


(Left) all of the reading materials I had during my entire FOUR (4) years in Political Science.
(Right) Reading materials for ONE (1) year of Law. See it is almost as tall as I am.


Study while drinking coffee, till the wee hours of the morning and at the same time, pondering if I gave the right answer during the day's recitation.


My hair, moustache and beard/goatee shall grow full length for good luck until the semester's end, then have it cut after the final exams for good looks and change.


I say hello again to the Red Horse Group and the Rus Parcia Movement, plus a lot of beers and alcohol on appointed days.


We eat again at Mister Kebab.


So I say hello again to my dearest classmates (LLB4101, now LLB4201)


To the brods and sis!


And to the dearest law building!
Where our dreams were formed, shaped and fulfilled!



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