Exchange Gift

Hindi ako naniniwala sa salitang "swerte". Pero for purposes of this blog post eh gagamitin ko ang salitang ito.

Mula kasi nang sumali ako sa mga exche-exchange gifts na 'yan pag pasko eh talaga namang wala akong ka-swerte swerte sa mga natatanggap kong regalo. Yung, ika nga nila, eh, forgetable na mga gift items.

Ewan ko, pero siguro, nag-ugat yan dahil na rin sa akin. Ika nga nila, eh, "you reap what you sow". Noon kasing bata ako, isinali ako nang tiyahin ko sa christmas party ng kapatid kong nag-aaral sa kinder. Kumbaga ba, salingpusa ako. At dahil yung tiyahin ko naman ang may pakana nang lahat, siya na rin ang nag-abalang umisip ng ireregalo ko. Nalaman ko na lang bago kami umalis ng bahay na ang ibinalot pala ng tiyahin ko na ipang e-exchange gift ko ay mga itlog pala ng manok.

Hindi ko na alam (at hindi ko na talaga inalam) kung sinuman ang pobreng nakatanggap ng mga itlog ng manok; pero simula nga noon ay wala talaga akong swerte pagdating sa mga exchange gifts tuwing pasko.

(Tandang-tanda ko pa noong grade 3, matatawag kong all-time low ito dahil ang natanggap ko ay isang putol na Perla. Oo, yung sabong puti na ayaw bumula kahit ilang kusot na ang gawin mo).

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Para sa mga bata daw ang Pasko. Hindi nga ba't ilang libo rin ang nagagasta nang mga ninong at ninang sa pagbili ng laruan at pamimigay ng mga malulutong na bills tuwing kapaskuhan?

At gaano man kalungkot ang ating mga ala-ala patungkol sa natatanggap nating regalo noong tayo'y mga bata pa lamang, tila ba napapawi ang mga ito tuwing tayo naman ang nagbibigay na ng mga regalo at aginaldo sa ating mga mahal sa buhay?

Tama nga ang sinasabi nang karamihan. Ang diwa nang pasko ay ang matutunan natin na mas pinagpapala ang nagbibigay kaysa sa binibigyan.

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Ito ay sapagkat sa ganitong paraan inibig ng Diyos ang sanlibutan kaya ipinagkaloob niya ang kaniyang bugtong na Anak upang ang sinumang sumampalataya sa kaniya ay hindi mapahamak kundi magkaroon ng buhay na walang hanggan. (Juan 3:16)

How Reliable Is The Internet?

Whoever have discovered the internet has a very brilliant mind, I should say.

Nowadays, it is very easy to know about anything because with just a few clicks into the internet, you can have access to "almost" anything and everyting under the sun.

When you want to know of a current event or news, you need not have to wait for the evening telecast or get hold of the newspaper the following morning. That is because news are now being posted in various website as it happens.

But how reliable is the internet, many can argue; and the google screenshot below will tell you why:

Aquino, Trillanes, and the Morong 43

A few days ago, I happened to pass by a group of demonstrators at the Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, who were calling for the release of the Morong 43 (a group of Health Workers arrested by the military as they allegedly belong to a group of leftists).

To me, the case of the Morong 43 seems like the case of the Magdalo soldiers (led by former officer, and now Senator Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV).

But while there were questions raised on the validity of the Morong 43 being rebellious against the government, the Magdalo soldiers declared an open rebellion against the then-Arroyo Administration. While the Filipino people only learned about the Morong 43 after they were arrested, the entire nation watched on National TV at how Trillanes, Faeldon, and the rest of the Magdalo group, took camp at Oakwood Hotel in Makati City to declare rebellion and call for the resignation of President Gloria Arroyo.

On October 11, 2010, incumbent President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino signed Proclamation Order Number 50 granting Amnesty to the soldiers who took part in the Oakwood Mutiny and the Manila Peninsula Seige, thus giving the possibility for Trillanes and his group to be free from detention.

My question, therefore, comes to this: "If President Aquino can grant Amnesty to people who declared open rebellion against the government, why can't he grant the same to people who were charged without "very clear" evidences at all?"

I am against the President giving amnesty to the Oakwood Mutineers. Clearly, they have committed offenses against the government, and clearly, they should be tried and charged with corresponding penalties. But for the president to give to the other, while could withheld to another is just a different story.

Or, is this all just a political exercise?