APPLE.. EPOL.. EPAL?? u want? :) of course NOT!!!

The 2013 Elections is fast approaching. A lot of government officials began to show-up like mushrooms just to prove they have done something to their city or municipalities. I observed that when the elections are coming there are a lot of government projects like road widening, excavations and a lot more show up. Why is it they do this when election is near? Why not doing it ahead of time? Does this mean they do this so that people will be impressed and will say they are good leaders? Well, if that’s their way pleasing their people, I’m sorry I am not HAPPY.

These politicians are called EPALS, as what Juana Change termed them; they use our own money (the taxes that we pay) for their own satisfaction. They are not effective leaders. They are just “Lider-lideran”, meaning they just use their position so that they can acquire or get people’s wealth. A classic example of this is our Beloved President, Noy2 Aquino, in the campaign period he promised a lot of things like, “gaganda ang buhay natin”. But as what I observed the only life that is good is his life “Lalo siyang yumaman ngunit nagawa niya ba niisa ang mga pangako niya? WALA”. Philippines is now the 131^st richest country (laughs). See!  Bumaba pa nga siguro eh. HAHAHA.

On the upcoming elections, my advice is that you should vote wisely. Pick the most deserving and the most responsible one. Don’t settle on their promises during their campaign period. Remember, the future of our country, lies in our hands.

Sociology 111: My Insights and Realizations

Sociology is not just an ordinary subject that is taught in college. In this subject I learned not just societal problems and things related to society but also it gives me different realizations and true to life lessons. You should be dedicated when you are going to take this course.

During the course of our class, we have learned lessons like the three sociological paradigms which are Functionalist, Conflict and Symbolic interactionist paradigms. The sociological paradigm that I use to ground my experiences on the entire semester in my sociology class is the Functionalist Paradigm. It focuses on how a certain part of society contributes to order and stability. And studying Sociology contributes to order and stability within me because it helps you to grow and be aware on all the things around you. Functionalist theory has other concepts these are Manifest and Latent Functions. A lesson regarding manifest function that is applied in my sociology class is; you should have an advance reading about the topic or you must study ahead of time so that you can answer the quiz or the questions that is asked to you.  It is like going to a war, studying or reading in advance is your ultimate weapon when you enter Sociology class. You must be always prepared. The latent function or the unanticipated event that I encountered during my Sociology class is when there is an unannounced quiz then I got 0 out of 15 because I haven’t read about that chapter. It’s an unexpected event that contributes to order and stability within me because after that event I strive hard in order to have high scores in the succeeding quizzes or exams. My Sociology class also helps me enhance my critical thinking in answering the questions that come your way and doing reflection papers. Critical Thinking is very important because as a student studying Accountancy, critical analysis is required especially in facing difficult problems and Sociology helps me boost my critical analysis which I really need in the succeeding semesters in college.

Sociology helps me realize that we should strive harder in order for us to be satisfied in all the things that we had decided. Remember; “Always do your best, what you plant now, you will harvest it later” (Og Mandino). 

Pre-marital Sex among Teens, a very big Issue!

The rapid increase of teenage parents is a big issue that our country is facing right now. This issue is very common here in our country maybe because we are influenced by the practices of other countries or simply teenagers nowadays are very curious when it comes to sex. What are the causes why there are a lot of teenage parents today? What will be the effect of it in our society as well as to them? How can we, teenagers lessen this kind of issue?

The rapid increase of teen pregnancy has its own causes and effects. For me the causes of this issue are curiosity, lack of guidance and unplanned pregnancy. First, curiosity, for me it’s the main cause why teens got pregnant because teenagers show interest and want to explore more about the topic of sex, that’s why they wanted to experience it to themselves to know what, is the feeling of it. This also happens because they lack guidance from their parents, teachers, or people who have authority to them. Parents should be there to guide their children and also children should follow what their parents taught to them. Last, because of unwanted or unplanned pregnancy. Some adolescents today are being abused and raped by the person who is older than them and this abusing may result to unwanted pregnancy. This issue has its own effects on the person and their society. The effects of teenage pregnancy are overpopulation, poverty, they have to take the responsibilities of being an adult and teenage pregnancy can also lead to different health complications both the mother and the child. First, it leads to overpopulation in a way that every child that is born each day contributes to our country’s population. I remember a scene in the news that there is a hospital in Metro Manila in which a single bed inside a ward is shared by 4-5 mothers with their newborn babies. Imagine, if that room is very populated how much more the entire country. And this overpopulation leads to Poverty, some teenage parent experience this because they can’t find job for them to sustain the needs of their children. Next, teenage parents have to take all the responsibilities of being an adult because they must prioritize first the needs of their children before their personal needs and in this case teenage parent don’t enjoy their teenage life. Lastly, teen pregnancies may lead to some complications both the mother and the baby. Doctors say that the body of a teenage mom is not that strong, there are some cases that they experience miscarriage which is very harmful to them and their child.

Early pregnancies can be lessened if we, teenagers know our limitations. Don’t try those things that in the end give us big problems. Obey your parents’ advice because they know what is right for you. Remember, regret is always at the end.  

Child Labor in the Philippines it's CAUSES & EFFECTS

Child Labor is defined as any work or economic activity performed by a child that subjects him or her to any exploitation, or is harmful to his or her health, safety, physical, moral, mental, and psycho-social development. It is stated in the Rights of Filipino Children that “A child should not work before a minimum age and never when that work will hinder their health, moral, and physical attributes”. Children are supposed to go to school, not seeing them working, especially doing those hazardous works.

The latest survey of the National Statistics Office say that out of 29 million Filipino Children, 3 million of them are engaged into Child Labor and a huge percentage of them enters into a hazardous type of work.  For me there are two leading cause why Child Labor happens in our country, these are Poverty and lack of decent and productive work. Poverty, in a way that the parents of the child can’t afford to sustain the needs of their children especially education and food, that is why children are forced to work to earn a living for them to help aggravate their situation. Next, there is a lack of decent and productive work for the parents. If the parents of these children don’t have a stable job the effect would be it is hard for them to sustain the needs of their children, and because of this, children are forced to work even though they are not yet qualified to work. Child labor leads to different problems to the child. The effects of Child Labor to children are; it deprives a child of a proper childhood, they may suffer from mental and physical problems and they become mentally and emotionally mature very fast.

Child Labor indeed is a big problem. We all know children play a big role in shaping the world when they grow up. It is necessary that Child Labor should be stopped. Children should be studying at school, not seeing them doing hazardous works. That’s why we should help each other for us to stop Child Labor, before different bad effects start to show up.

Mining Industries? Is it a friend or a Foe?

Mining is one of the industries here in the Philippines. It is where large number of Filipino families earns a living especially those who live at the rural areas. Many issues nowadays began to show up regarding the mining industries in the Philippines, like the passing of different ordinances regarding Anti-mining. Does mining help us? Is mining good or bad? What are its effects to our society? These are some of the questions in my mind regarding to the issue of mining industry in the Philippines.

Mining industries have both good and bad sides. The good effects of mining are; it provides employment to those people who are unemployed. As a result, there will be a job to those people especially the ones who live in the rural areas. Next, it gives a large profit to the company and contributes to the economy of a country. On the other hand, mining has its bad sides. First, there will be deforestation. As a result, flash floods and landslides may happen. Mining also contributes to pollution especially in the bodies of water, because the chemicals coming from the mining site go immediately to the bodies of water like seas and rivers. And it threatens the lives of the people living near or working at the mining site. There is always a possibility of landslides especially when the rain pours hard. To avoid such problems, the Local Government of Davao passed an ordinance that bans mining within the city. I think the local government made a right choice of passing an ordinance regarding this. Even though mining industry helps many people regarding money, still you should think of your safety first. What will be the sense of earning salaries in this type of work when there is a high possibility of danger in your part? Think about your family who depends on you.

Mining operations should be stopped. We don’t want to see our environment being destroyed. We also don’t want to see other people suffer because of the danger of entering this kind of thing. We must help one another to stop this before it’s too late. 

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

The title of the book that I am reviewing is The Five People you meet in Heaven, written by Mitch Albom. This book tells the story of a man who begins his journey to heaven and along his way he met five people who made a great impact to him when he is still alive. These people also teach him the five essential lessons that a person must have in their lives which are; all people are connected to one another, the value of forgiveness, the value of asking for forgiveness, the value of sacrifice and the value of love.  

The world indeed is round; we are all connected to one another. In the book, Eddie met the first person that gives an impact to his life; the “Blue man” which teaches him the lesson about all people in the world is connected to one another because in the story the blue man sacrificed his life just to save the little boy which is Eddie who is playing at the street.  The story also teaches the readers about love and this thing remains in the person until they die. This lesson agrees with what I believe because love forever remains in the heart of a person and it continues until that person dies and begins their journey to heaven. Love never fades away, as what Marguerite says to Eddie, “Life has to end, but love does not”. 

My personal view when it comes to forgiveness has changed after I read the book. The book teaches me the value of forgiveness. Despite how big or how small the thing that a person did bad to you, you should still forgive them. We must always remember this, if God, can forgive all of us, despite how big or small our sins, how much more to an ordinary people like us. In the story Eddie learned to forgive his father despite his father violently abuses him.

As I read the book I also learned the value of sacrifice, in the story the persons who made sacrifices were the blue man and the Captain. The blue man in the story sacrificed his own life so that he can save Eddie during the car accident and the Captain risks his life in order for Eddie to be saved from the fire during the World War 2. Both of them made big sacrifices in order to save Eddie. Sacrifices don’t just circulate in risking oneself. Another way of sacrificing is like the things that our parents did to us; they sacrifice their time and all other things so that we can have a good life. We must be thankful to them, by just simply saying “thank you” and “I love you” will give a great impact to them.

The moral values taught in the book do relate in my family and in the society that I belong to, in a way that everyone in the family must not just think of their selves only but also for the benefit of the whole family. It is related because in a family you must learn to forgive one another and continue with what you and your family pursue, also instill within the family the value of Love. Love binds all the members of the family to one another in order for them to be together forever.

The book taught me the idea on how a person dies, their journey after they die and forgiveness. For me the author of this book is very imaginative. He made a strong impact as I read every chapters of this book. The story is simple yet very sentimental. I would recommend this book to those people who doubt about their life and haven’t yet seen the sacrifices of other people to them. In the future, I will still read this kind of book because this kind of book teaches many people about life, and it do relate to a person’s day to day living.

Heaven indeed is a place where a person experiences no worries, pain and sorrows. In the story, Eddie’s unanswered questions in life were answered as he enters heaven. There he met the five people who help him realize all the moral values. Remember, God gives us only one life, that’s why we have to cherish it. Remove all the hatred in our hearts, instead put love onto it. Forgive all the people who made bad things at you. Remember, “You live only once, but if you do it right, once is enough” (Mae West).