Scenic Oregon

Scenic Oregon, originally uploaded by southernwx.

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Tolerance from YOUNGBLOOD of INQUIRER.net

YOUNGBLOOD
Tolerance
By Vida Soraya Verzosa
Inquirer
Last updated 01:46am (Mla time) 02/10/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- "Khadaffy Janjalani is hot!"

That was what a former classmate said after seeing his photograph in the Inquirer, back when we were 18 years old. Later, she joined the New People's Army and disappeared in one of the provinces near the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.

With news reports confirming Janjalani's death after DNA testing, I wonder how that old classmate of mine reacted when she learned that he had taken a bullet in his neck during his Fajr (Dawn Prayer). Several times in the past, we would closely scrutinize the ubiquitous poster of Most Wanted Terrorists at the Metro Rail Transit station and she would sigh that so much violence in this world resulted from lack of religious tolerance and respect for cultural differences. But for hose who ended up on the "wrong" end of the religio-political spectrum as defined by the al-Harakatul al-Islamiyyah, or the Abu Sayyaf Group, I doubt if tolerance and respect would help ease the pain of being kidnapped and held for ransom.

I grew up in a family that is half-Muslim and half-Catholic. My mother is the granddaughter of an imam, while my father is a former Jesuit ex-seminarian who converted to Islam so he could marry her. And in our home, tolerance is scrupulously observed. We are used to seeing the Koran and the Bible placed side by side. We make sure that our meat is halal for my maternal grandfather, yet we followed traditional customs in the all-girl Catholic schools where we went for grade school. My mother initiates development projects for disadvantaged women in Mindanao, while my father is active in the Bible Study Fellowship. My siblings and I were baptized in Muslim and Christian rites and we have both Muslim and Christian names. We were made to understand that we could choose our spiritual path when we reached the age of majority.

When we were younger, my grandfather, the first Muslim ship captain of his generation and a star athlete in Zamboanga, would take us to the Eid'l Fitr celebrations after Ramadan. After that, he would delight us with stories about our Tausug and Samal-Bangingi family history. One of his oft-repeated tales was about how his grandmother, a Dutch missionary in Borneo, was abducted by his grandfather, a pirate.

At that time, not having read the Revised Penal Code yet, being a pirate seemed to me like an exciting occupation that involved traversing the high seas, visiting exotic islands and bringing the loot home. Of course, in grade school, I didn't know that piracy also includes a host of other felonies now associated with terrorism. Before 9/11, the only conflict we read about in the newspapers concerned Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's tantrums and the Gulf War. Terrorism became real and apparent to us only when tragic events abroad triggered a global paranoia. Locally, terrorism and Islam were still mutually exclusive.

Among the educated, well-traveled Muslims I've met outside of my family, no one can even remotely be associated with terrorism. They always emphasize that peace is something they constantly aspire for, despite being stereotyped as either hawkers in shopping centers or people who are prone to running amok.

When my grandfather was still courting my grandmother, he had to endure discrimination and the malicious talk of their neighbors in their small town. Whenever our Theology teacher talked about the conflict between Catholics and Muslims, the rest of the class would steal glances at our lone Muslim classmate to see how he would react.

My grandma eloped with her Moro suitor. Now she never tires of telling visitors that she was lucky to have married him. "Pulido siya, hindi naman Abu Sayyaf" ["He is high-quality, not a member of the Abu Sayyaf"], she would say, with a hearty chuckle that belies her resigned acceptance of the reality that as the first wife, she had to put up with a second and a third one, and so on.

Since we moved to Metro Manila, we knew very little about how the rest of the clan was doing in Mindanao. In hushed tones, my mother once related how a distant uncle joined a separatist group and was among those killed when government troops overrun Camp Abubakar. She said that this particular uncle was known to be quick tempered, so his death didn't come as a surprise to her.

To me what is surprising is that despite all the resources funneled to the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, an egalitarian, lasting peace remains elusive. In this regard, I must agree with my friend, the New People's Army amazon. No, I am not going to say that Janjalani was indeed an attractive man, but I happen to believe that whether we go to a mosque or a church to pray, peace will continue to elude us for as long as the sounds of gunfire drown out the voices calling for sincere inter-faith dialogue.

Vida Soraya Verzosa, 24, is a student at the Ateneo School of Law.

Copyright 2007 Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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My Tennis Player

Maria Sharapova, originally uploaded by Camuss.

should i still name her? if u dont know her... pity you hehehe

My Tennis Player

Maria Sharapova, originally uploaded by Camuss.

should i still name her? if u dont know her... pity you hehehe

February 7, 2007 TV Ratings

SiS 13.8% vs Homeboy 13.5%;

Yellow Handkerchief 18.9% vs. Game Ka Na Ba 18.7%;

Eat Bulaga 21% vs. Wowowee 22.2%;

Daisy Siete 16.2%, Makita Ka Lang Muli 14.6% at Princess Charming 14% vs. Kapamilya Cinema 13.9%;

Full House 16.4% vs. Inocente De Ti 14%;

Jewel in the Palace 18.3% vs. Pangako sa 'Yo 12%;

24 Oras 26.1% vs. TV Patrol 23.1%;

Asian Treasures 32.9% vs. Deal or No Deal 25.5%;

Atlantika 28.5% vs. Super Inggo 24.7%;

Bakekang 32% vs. Sana Maulit Muli 24.8%;

Jumong 29.3% vs. Maging Sino Ka Man 25.6%;

Starstruck 18.5% vs. Princess Hours 17.3%;

Nuts Entertainment 16.1% vs. Bandila 9.9%.

Sent away... from YOUNGBLOOD of INQUIRER.net

YOUNGBLOOD
Sent away
By Grace Ann Arce
Inquirer
Last updated 00:45am (Mla time) 02/06/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- I have a very strict father. He has one inflexible rule (which I think no teenager can follow): No boyfriend until graduation from college and even then, he must be earning at least a six-figure salary monthly.

His strictness has really affected my social life. I can't answer a phone call from a guy without being subjected to a 10-minute interrogation by him afterward. I cannot go out with my friends without a chaperon, or attend a party alone.

However, it didn't stop me from having a boyfriend -- until one day my sister found out and told my father about it.

Because of this forbidden love, I was sent all the way to Europe. I didn't want to go, I didn't want to leave my guy, but who do you think will win in a battle between a father and his 18-year-old daughter?

My first stop was Vienna, Austria, where three of my father's sisters live. I stayed with an aunt who was running an art gallery and she urged me to discover the world of artists. I enjoyed her company because she brought me to some places in Europe where her painters' works were being exhibited. We also went shopping for branded clothes at lower prices in different places like Brussels, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy and Austria. Because of the language barrier, I had a very hard time communicating with people in the malls, fast-food outlets or parks. Even my cousins could barely speak English.

In Manila, my dad let me drive a car and so I had no experience commuting. The first train ride I took was in Vienna. I felt physically and mentally comfortable riding on the train, knowing I was not in Manila. I told myself this was rich Europe, where there would be only a few snatchers, kidnappers, murderers or rapists.

I was wrong. On my very first trip on train, I was robbed. And I didn't notice it because I was wearing a very thick trench coat. I lost my perfume, my makeup kit and my wallet with my license, IDs, credit cards and pocket money. That led me to the conclusion that there could always be a bad man in every room in this world and it made me very cautious.

When my Schengen visa was about to expire, my aunts convinced me to stay on as a TNT, or "tago nang tago" (an illegal alien) and try to find and marry a very rich guy who was about to die. They didn't want me to go back to Manila because they were also my father's victims as regards this boyfriend thing. But I told them marriage was not yet in my vocabulary. I also wanted to stay in London for some months to ponder my future.

I won the battle this time. So off I went to London, but I was still under my father's shadow: I had to stay with another aunt and her diplomat-husband.

Their family was completely different from what I had thought a diplomat's family would be. With my uncle going to office every day and my aunt keeping house and raising their son who was in first grade. They didn't have any house help. Everyone helped with the everyday chores. And since I was living with them, I was assigned to do the dishes, the one thing I've always hated doing in our own house.

Since I was already in the city, my father insisted that I enroll in a short course in a college in Central London. So on weekends, my aunt and I toured around the country, and on weekdays I attended classes.

I got very depressed, perhaps because of the season or the different culture. All I wanted was to go home, but father wouldn't hear of it.

One night, as I was surfing the Net, I came across the website of a Filipino community in London. I learned that they had scheduled a gathering.

For the first time, I rode on a bus with another Filipina (Filipinos have a certain aura you can easily notice when they are abroad) and when we got off at the same station, I knew she was going to the same gathering.

When I arrived, all eyes were on me. Someone asked me to go on stage and introduce myself. Later I got to meet the heroes of our country, most of them nurses or house help. I learned that they would meet about twice a month just for "kumustahan" [saying hello]. They were like best friends, and they helped you all the way.

In one of our meetings, they found out that I sang rather well. They immediately asked me to help organize a choral group for teenagers so they would become more active in community affairs instead of drinking like their peers did. Although I am not a musician, I drew on my experience as a member of our church choir back home and shared with them everything I knew about music.

The months went so fast and before winter was over I had to decide whether to stay or go home. I began asking myself what was God's real purpose in putting me there. Once I glanced at the organ and looked at the choir and concluded that they were the reason. But I had finished the things I had to do, and it was time to go.

I booked a flight home without telling my family. I wanted my return to be a surprise. I told the travel agent not to tell anyone about my trip home.

But as soon as our plane landed, I heard my phone beeping (I had forgotten to turn it off). There was a text message from my sister welcoming me home. A cousin had told my sister I was going home? So much for a surprise homecoming.

When I got out of the airport, the first familiar face I saw was that of a guy with a great smile on his face, the love of my life. I thought he was taking me home, until I saw my sister.

Back in our house, I kissed and hugged my parents. My father tried to hold back his tears even as he held me close to him.

I had barely started opening my bags of "pasalubong" [arrival tokens] while recounting my experiences when I noticed that they were not even listening. They were watching their favorite "telenovela" [TV soap]. Hello! I had just arrived from abroad!

In this chapter of my life, I really hated my father. But I realize he only wanted the best for me, even if what he thought to be best for me cost him a lot of money as well as my long absence. Still my trip gave me the opportunity to experience a little more freedom, to meet real people and learn from their stories. I learned how to travel alone, deal with people of different cultures, appreciate nature, wash dishes and share the talent that was given to me. And for all that, I thank him.

Grace Ann Arce, 20, is a second year AB Mass Communication student at Our Lord's Grace Montessori School and Colleges.

Copyright 2007 Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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TV RATINGS - 2/5/2007

From PEX

Research by Jun Jun aska26ph2001@...
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/ABS-CBNKapamilyaPEXers2
Posted by cybermyx

AGB OVERNIGHT RATINGS
Monday - February 5, 2007

Sis 11.8
Homeboy 11.9

Yellow Handkerchief 18.9
Pilipinas Game KNB? 16.6

Eat Bulaga! 23.3
WoWoWee 21.8

Daisy Siete 17.1
Inocente De Ti 9.1

Makita Ka Lang Muli 14.8
Princess Charming 14.4
Full House 16.3
Kapamilya Cinema 14.5

Jewel In The Palace 18.7
Pangako Sa 'Yo 11.8

24 Oras 31.9
TV Patrol World 23.5

Asian Treasures 36.3
Kapamilya Deal or No Deal 26.2

Atlantika 32.3
Super Inggo 27.3

Bakekang 33.0
Sana Maulit Muli 30.7

Jumong 28.8
Maging Sino Ka Man 27.0

Starstruck 18.3
Princess Hours 19.0

Lagot Ka! Isusumbong Kita! 14.7
Bandila 8.4

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