Pilibustero.

Youngblood: A Simple Man

pilibustero — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:15:32 +0000

I am sharing/reposting below an article written by a friend, Roge Gonzales which appeared at the Youngblood section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Roge, 23 is a development journalism major at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. He was a former regional chairperson of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines:

Youngblood, PDI — My dad died several months ago. A heart attack triggered by complications from his diabetes ended his life at 62 years.

It was most painful to see my father lying inside a casket especially because I had not yet fulfilled the dreams I wanted to accomplish for him. But his passing also gave some kind of strength to every one of us in the family.

He did not have political power because he was not a public official. Neither did he have fame since he was not an actor or celebrity. But his funeral rites drew almost a thousand people. He was a simple man but a great man nonetheless.

My father spent most of his life as an overseas worker, someone whom the government gives the flattering title of “bagong bayani.” As one of the topnotchers in the civil engineering board exam, it was easy for him to join the first exodus of professionals to the Middle East during the Marcos era. He was there even before he married my mother. They kept their romance alive through love letters.

I practically grew up without a father by my side. However, he never failed to attend every commencement exercise in my elementary and high school years. One time, he arrived as the awards were being handed out after a nine-hour bus ride from Manila and, before that, a long flight from Doha, Qatar.

Shortly after he decided to stop working abroad, he suffered a mild stroke. He was partially paralyzed and almost lost his speech. Thankfully, he recovered—but only after several months of hospitalization and therapy. His medical bills, including professional fees for his doctors and multicolored tablets and capsules, wiped out everything he had saved over several decades as an OFW.

To save money, dad had one of his operations done in a public hospital. I can still picture how the wards at the Philippine General Hospital looked like, with around a hundred patients lying in one room, each one requiring urgent medical attention, much like an infirmary in a war zone.

My father once told me that the governments of countries in the Middle East provided people like him with additional medical benefits (he was given a free supply of insulin, for example). From that point on, I always wondered why in our country hardworking people do not get the services they deserve.

Entering the University of the Philippines and getting involved in the school publication eventually provided me with the answers. I learned that protecting workers’ rights was never a priority of lawmakers. I learned that sending workers abroad was not just a matter of “personal choice” but part of the government’s labor export policy. I was awakened to the fact that allocations for social services, such as health and education, were drastically reduced during Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term.

In one of our conversations, I asked my dad why he chose to work abroad. He told me that he couldn’t bear to be part of a corrupt system that was devouring the motherland. He used to work at the Department of Public Works and Highways, but in just a few months he was seeing contractors making payoffs and politicians getting kickbacks from government projects. He said he didn’t want to feed us, his children, with food that came from stolen money. Because of my father’s example of making a living through honest labor, I find it hard to comprehend how powerful individuals can live from day to day with their conscience even as they pick the pockets of the people who pay taxes.

These days at home, I sometimes miss my dad’s frank commentaries as he read the newspapers or watched television. He had the ability to make concise analyses of burning issues. I wonder what he would have said now that the peoples of various Arab countries, where he once worked, are protesting against their fascist regimes. What would his take be on the Occupy Movement’s protest against corporate greed around the world?

I have come to realize that my political views were forged neither inside the walls of the university nor in street protests but by a whole lifetime of dad’s experiences. He was able to point out to me the conditions that need to be transformed into something much better.

These days I can’t shake off the feeling that what I believe to be the purpose of my life isn’t any different from what a mother of a desaparecido, such as Erlinda Cadapan, or a daughter of a slain journalist, such as Mika Ortega, yearn for. All of us want to attain social justice and to do away with a system that tolerates neglect by those who should be held responsible for making our society better.

During dad’s burial, I sent a text message to close friends which dad inspired during our family’s darkest hours. It read:

“We need to change this kind of society wherein parents are forced to sacrifice their love for their families and leave their homes in order to overcome the harsh realities of our society. We need to continue building our dream of a better future so that the next generations will no longer have to act this way.”

Ref: http://opinion.inquirer.net/21661/a-simple-man

Video: Lantern Flying for Sendong Victims at UPLB

pilibustero — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:43:21 +0000

Snaps: Lantern Flying for Typhoon Sendong Victims @ UPLB

pilibustero — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:30:59 +0000

On the night of January 19 (incidentally, my birthday), some 600 lanterns were flown into the sky of UP Los Banos to symbolize the sympathies of the Los Banos community to the victims and survivors of typhoon Sendong (International Name: Washi) that devastated the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan in Mindanao and Dumaguete in Negros. Most importantly, the event was able to raise modest amount from the lanterns sold to individuals and organizations for the benefit of the affected residents, specifically in the rehabilitation efforts.

Heart-shaped lantern

One for Sendong Victims

Up up and away

Wikipedia, Flickr, etc protest SOPA, PIPA

pilibustero — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:43:03 +0000

Online sites across the US and other parts of the world showed their respective protests either by suspending their services for 24 hours on January 18 (US Time) in dissent of the proposed “Stop Online Piracy Act” (SOPA) and “Protect IP Act” (PIPA). I’m sharing below the statement of Wikipedia Foundation and Flickr:

English Wikipedia to go dark January 18 in opposition to SOPA/PIPA

San Francisco — January 16, 2012 — On January 18, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, the Wikipedia community has chosen to blackout the English version of Wikipedia for 24 hours, in protest against proposed legislation in the United States — the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the U.S. House of Representatives, and PROTECTIP (PIPA) in the U.S. Senate. If passed, this legislation will harm the free and open Internet and bring about new tools for censorship of international websites inside the United States.

Wikipedia administrators confirmed this decision Monday afternoon (PST) in a public statement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SOPA_initiative/Action#Summary_and_conclusion):

Over the course of the past 72 hours, over 1800 Wikipedians have joined together to discuss proposed actions that the community might wish to take against SOPA and PIPA. This is by far the largest level of participation in a community discussion ever seen on Wikipedia, which illustrates the level of concern that Wikipedians feel about this proposed legislation. The overwhelming majority of participants support community action to encourage greater public action in response to these two bills. Of the proposals considered by Wikipedians, those that would result in a “blackout” of the English Wikipedia, in concert with similar blackouts on other websites opposed to SOPA and PIPA, received the strongest support. READ MORE.

Help raise awareness about PIPA & SOPA

Two bills are currently being considered in the U.S. Congress: PIPA the “Protect IP Act” and SOPA the “Stop Online Piracy Act” Both are designed to address a legitimate problem – foreign-based websites that are engaging in digital piracy and trafficking in counterfeit goods. Unfortunately, we and many others believe that these bills miss the mark. These bills have the potential to stifle innovation, require censorship of search results, impose monitoring obligations, and change the way information is distributed on the web. Government regulation of online activities is a slippery slope and these proposed bills fall down that slope without truly addressing the issues that ignited this debate.

With the pending votes on these bills, Flickr is joining other sites on the web on January 18th to help raise awareness about the potential impacts of this legislation.

If you would like to participate in this awareness campaign, Flickr is letting members darken their photos — or the photos of others — for a 24-hour period to deprive the web of the rich content that makes it thrive. Your symbolic act will help draw attention to this issue and let others know about the potential harmful impacts of these bills. READ MORE.

In support of this cause, I just darkened a photo post in my newly-born Flickr Photostream HERE

Screen grab of a sample darkened photo

UPCAT 2012 Results Released

pilibustero — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:33:02 +0000

University of the Philippines
UPCAT Results 2012 Online
(For incoming freshmen of AY 2012-2013)
MAIN SITE | MIRROR 1 | MIRROR 2 | MIRROR 3

PAGE	NAME RANGE
1	AARON, EUNICE MONCADA – ABES, HECTOR SALAZAR
2	ABES, LOIZA ALLISON BANDIOLA – ACLAN, SHERLYN ANTOINETTE BOONGALING
3	ACLAN, STELLAH GRACE PALOMARES – AGREDA, ROCHELLE IVY DELACRUZ
4	AGRIMANO, RONALYN BENDO – ALAZAS, ANDRE MIKO BONTES
5	ALBA, MAXINE LALLY TYBACO – ALFARO, RACHELLE ANNE TOLENTINO
6	ALFARO, RUMEL ANGELO TORRE – ALVARAN, LOUISE MARIE ROSE TUMALIUAN
7	ALVAREZ, ANNE KRISTINE VILLANUEVA – ANCHETA, ALEJANDRO LORENZO SANTOS
8	ANCHETA, ELLICE DANE WEE – ANSUAS, ANGELO BAYE BRUCELO
9	ANTANG, EULA KRISTINA DELA CRUZ – ARAMBULO, LYRACHEL GENERAL
10	ARANA, JOHN PAUL NUNEZ – ARNEDO, JHON PAUL PASCUA
11	ARNIGO, JAY MAR BRIONES – AUSTRIA, FLORIE MAE SALAZAR
12	AUSTRIA, HANNAH FAYE MERCADO – BAGADIONG, RIZZAH MAE SIGUA
13	BAGAIPO, JAIRUS PAGAR – BALDOVINO, APRIL JOY GOMEZ
14	BALDOVINO, EUNICE MARICAR MAGSALIN – BANGELES, ROSIE GIL
15	BANGGAT, KENN RAPHAEL MANOOS – BARRIDA, APRIL GRACE VILLASIS
16	BARRIENTOS, MONSOUR ALBERTO – BAUTISTA, IVAN TEDISON ARELLANO
17	BAUTISTA, JANINA HIPOLITO – BELDEROL, KEMUEL CLYDE MEDRANO
18	BELDIA, JEFFREY THOMAS VILLAPANDO – BERNALDO, MARDY GRACE ANN RESCOBER
19	BERNALES, JASPER JAMOROL – BOADO, KEIZEL MINORKA JOLONGBAYAN
20	BOADO, KRISTINA ABIGAIL ARANZANSO – BORJA, MAYBELLINE ROSETTE CERVERA
21	BORJA, PATRICIA TACO – BUENCONSEJO, DANA GRACE SIAPNO
22	BUENCONSEJO, JULIAN HALLADO – CAAMOD, ANNABELLE CRUDA
23	CAASI, PAULO MALGAPO – CABUSAS, KAREN GRACE LASCUNA
24	CABUSORA, RINAH LAE INSIGNE – CALDERON, KENNETH BANZUELA
25	CALDERON, KHRISTA LHEY VILLANUEVA – CANCERAN, PATRICIA JUNE LAYCO
26	CANCIO, KHRISTINE CARINO – CARAGA, AGATHA ANGELA IGNACIO
27	CARAGAN, MARISA ALARIN – CARTABIO, THREB GABRIEL FULE
28	CARTAGENA, LOUIE BALBOA – CASTRO, JAIAN XEPHEL GAMOSO
29	CASTRO, JAN CARLO MARCELO – CEDENO, MA ALAILA GUMAQUIL
30	CEJALVO, RENELIZA DALIPE – CHAVEZ, TONI MARIE HARO
31	CHAVEZ, VAN PAOLO DEL CASTILLO – CLADO, DANIEL WEAVER
32	CLARIDAD, JENNY JOY CABALLERO – CONCEPCION, EINA IZABELA ZAIDE
33	CONCEPCION, GAYLE RAHAB ANN RACCA – CORTEZ, ANDREW TIAMSON
34	CORTEZ, ANGELICA JOIECE CANILLADA – CRUZ, MARYA CHRISTEL IMMACULATE BURIO
35	CRUZ, MENANDRO II VERZOSA – DABLE, FRANCES MARIE JANDONERO
36	DABUET, KRISTIANNE CHYNA CHU TE – DARATO, BRET JOHN ONCOG
37	DARCEN, NICA THERESE MERCADO – DE GUZMAN, CHRISTIAN BRAVO
38	DE GUZMAN, CHRISTINE MAE PITALBO – DE PADUA, JAN LOUBERT
39	DE PADUA, RUSSEL BALTORES – DEL ROSARIO, GUENEVE BASILIO
40	DEL ROSARIO, JAN NOEL DIAZ – DELARIARTE, MISHA LOUISE ALCAZAR
41	DELASAS, GEMIELE ELAINE CAPISTRANO – DEYTIQUEZ, MARRIAN JOHANNA COTIANGCO
42	DIALOGO, SANDRA SURITA – DISSANAYAKE, IVY JOYCE AQUINO
43	DISTAL, JOSEPH PATRICK – DOROMAL, ROCHELLE LOUISE DELA CRUZ
44	DORON, MICHAEL BERNARD BRYAN DORIAS – EBATE, NEIL PHILIP LAZARITO
45	EBDANI, JENNIFER DERESMA – ENCENDENCIA, CHRISHA DAGPIN
46	ENCINA, ZALDY MARK FERIDO – ESCUDERO, JOHN AGUSTIN PINEDA
47	ESCUDO, RODEL GOZO – ESTAPIA, MARIE NEIL OLANDRIA
48	ESTARDO, JESSICA LICUAN – FABICON, SAMANTHA JOIE FERRERA
49	FABILA, CHRISTY PACLIBAR – FERNANDEZ, ANGELA JOY BALAGOSA
50	FERNANDEZ, ANGELA LOUISE GUDANI – FLORECE, CHRISTINE MARIE CALA-OR
51	FLORENDO, CARL ANDREW ALIPALA – FRANCISCO, JEWEL MIKA MORENENCIA
52	FRANCISCO, MA CARIZA PASCUAL – GALANG, EIRA CHARIZ ROQUE
53	GALANG, ELSON IAN NYL EBREO – GANOTISI, FRANCES MIGUEL
54	GANS, NICCOLO AGUJO – GARZON, JIEZL MAE LEYBLE
55	GASAPO, KAREN ROSE VICENCIO – GERMINAL, CHRISTINE FAITH GEGANTOCA
56	GERMINAL, NINA GRACE RAMIREZ – GO-ACO, VONCARLO CENIZA
57	GOAD, JHONNABIE TINA – GOROSPE, MARIA CORINE BERTIZ
58	GOROSPE, STEPHANIE GRACE CAPAO-AN – GUIMMAYEN, NEIL ANGELO CONEL
59	GUINANDAL, ADELFA ROSE BELICARIO – HERBON, ARRON LUCIUS BESARES
60	HERBOSA, JONNEL REDONDO – HUBILLA, FATIMA ATHENA DESTURA
61	HUBO, NICOLE JULIET BUENDIA – INFANTE, JELLOU MAE SORIANO
62	INFANTE, VAN CARLO MIGUEL – JARENCIO, MARY JEEL CABANUS
63	JAREOL, JANE SUMO – JUAN, CEZ DOMINIQUE ABITAN
64	JUAN, DANIELE – LABANTA, DECEMAE LYKA REGATON
65	LABAO, JOREM PAULO MELENCIO – LAGUARDIA, JAMILAH PAOLA DELA CRUZ
66	LAGUDAS, JESSA BERONILLA – LARAYA, KURT JOSEFF VILLAREAL
67	LARCIA, TANYA ALYANA LIMBO – LEBRILLA, FREZEL JADE COLACION
68	LEDESMA, AUGUSTO XAVIER NAVAL – LIBERATO, LISA KATRINA CONDE
69	LIBIANO, MARIA CAMILLE REVILLA – LIMBAGA, LORENZO GABRIEL CASCON
70	LIMBAGO, ALLAN JOSEPH DATOY – LOBITANA, CARLO JOSEPH ESTIGOY
71	LOBO, ELOISA RACHEL CUA – LOZANO, ANGELA JOY TANGANGCO
72	LOZANO, EMMANUEL GOMEZ – MAANO, PRINCE LESTER CAPISTRANO
73	MAAPE, JOHN NOEL RATILLA – MAGALLANES, LOISE EMBERR JANE GALLEGO
74	MAGALLON, CLARISSE LAUNIO – MAGUAD, MA ALTHEA TACSAGON
75	MAGUAD, STEPHEN DAVE SERVANCIA – MALTO, ZABRINA BERNICE LACUANAN
76	MALUBAY, GERINA ROSE CABALBAL – MANGANTE, MARIZ RAGA
77	MANGAO, ARNOLDUS MARZONIA – MARABI, JUDITH ANN CUEVA
78	MARABUT, GIANNA MARIE LINCHANGCO – MARQUEZ, SAMANTHA ANGELES
79	MARQUEZ, SAMANTHA LORAINE ERANA – MATULA, IGNATIUS MATTHEW CUBAL
80	MATULAC, JULIE ANN ZERRUDO – MENDOZA, AARON JAMES FIGUEROA
81	MENDOZA, ABBYGAIL GARCIA – MERCADO, MIGUEL EDUARDO MANIANGLUNG
82	MERCADO, MONIQUE ELOISE TEVES – MOLAS, ROMULO MARTIN III SANCHEZ
83	MOLASE, EDA MARIE VILLANUEVA – MONTOYA, PATRICIA MINELA LUSONG
84	MONTUD, SITTIE NIZHRAN ALLYSSA DORO – MUNOZ, RICARDO JR RANO
85	MUNSAYAC, MICHELLE GONZALES – NAS, JOHN SYLVESTER BRUSOLA
86	NASAYAO, MARIA TRICIA BERTIZ – NICDAO, TRISHA JEM JOVELLANOS
87	NICOLAS, AHRJAE JOY PRINCESS SULFELIX – OBERES, RAYMUND JUN TORDA
88	OBIAL, DENNIE ROSE SAPONG – OLAZO, STEPHEN ANDY MONTEAGUDO
89	OLEGARIO, NEIL KARLO ZAFRA – OQUENDO, NOEL AGUILAR
90	ORA, VICELLE JOY ABARENTOS – OZARAGA, MARIA KATRINA CHUA
91	OZON, MAY FREDELYN MIOLE – PAGADUAN, JUSTIN CORDOBA
92	PAGADUAN, KAREN TAM – PALMES, CHARLENE MANDARICIO
93	PALMES, GILGEN PARRENAS – PARAGAS, ROSE ANN MARIE NATE
94	PARAISO, JAYVEE MAGBANLAC – PATRON, JENNIFER ESTOLLOSO
95	PATRON, ROED DERIS – PERALTA, MARGARETTE KAYE BOLARES
96	PERALTA, MARIANI ANGEL LOMUGDANG – PIEDAD, MARICAR ROLUNA
97	PIELAGO, PATRICIA ANN ANDAL – PON-AN, CHARLENE JOYCE FRANCO
98	PONCE, ALBERT ALLAN YAN – PUNZALAN, MARI JANAE PAULA ALIBADBAD
99	PUNZALAN, MARIANNE CABALLERO – RABANOS, CARYL ANN ALCAZAREN
100	RABAYA, LUWIN JOSEPH ABADIANO – RAMOS, JOSE IMANUEL CRUZ
101	RAMOS, JOYCE ANNE LORIA – RECOPUERTO, HARMON SARDINA
102	RECOTE, JHOANNA REY CLEMENTE – REVEREZA, JEREMIAH JOSEPH LEGARDA
103	REVILLA, BRIAN JOSHUA MAPACPAC – REYNALDO, ERWIN ROMMEL TAYO
104	REYNALDO, SHAMAH REGIMEN – RODENAS, PAUL EMMANUEL REY
105	RODEO, ALMAIZA MARIE FRANCISCO – ROSALES, LLOYD BEIEL ATIENZA
106	ROSALES, MIKHAILA KLAUDINE AN – SABINO, ELHAINE MAE LOLONG
107	SABIO, EARL BRYAN PALMA – SALLY, ELENA GRACE LOCSIN
108	SALMANI, KATRINA JAYASHREE GUTIERREZ – SAN PEDRO, MARCUS JUDE PLEYTO
109	SAN PEDRO, PRESCILLA DIORGIA GUINTO – SANTOS, CHRISTIAN PAOLO MICO
110	SANTOS, CHYNNA SOPHIA ALONZO – SARMIENTO, SHAINE MARIE TANG
111	SARNE, MARAH DANICA CALONIA – SERDAN, SHARA KAYE ORONOS
112	SERDENO, HANNAH CHERYL LANIOG – SILVA, JOSE MIGUEL GERONIMO
113	SILVA, NIGEL ANDAG – SOLIS, ABBY GAIL TIROL
114	SOLIS, ARIANE CLAIRE BULADACO – SUA, FRANCIS DANIELLE MELECIO
115	SUACILLO, CARINE IRIES MARTERIO – SUYU, MA ANGELIE AGGABAO
116	SUYU, MA MESAELA BALLESTEROS – TAGALOG, KIMBERLY EVE SENARLO
117	TAGAMI, MARK IAN CALAPARAN – TAN, FRANCIS MICHAEL PADILLA
118	TAN, GABRIEL CANTARA – TARONGOY, JOHN KENNETH SILAWAN
119	TARONGOY, SARENA PALISBO – TIGLAO, JOSE ENRICO GONZALES
120	TIGLAO, LAURENCE MITCHELLE LANDICHO – TOLENTINO, ZANDY DE LEON
121	TOLENTINO, ZEIN EIRYN SINSUAT – TRINIDAD, IVAN RAYSON ESPIDOL
122	TRINIDAD, JANICA IRIS CACAL – UBAY, NIKKI JAMISON
123	UCAB, HAZEL GRACE RIGONAN – VAFLOR, DAN DEXTER LIBUNAO
124	VALARAO, REENA AMIRAH CONCEPCION – VARON, MARY FELENE DIVA
125	VARONA, CHARITY ANASTACIO – VICENTE, LYNETH PANGANIBAN
126	VICENTE, NERRISA SEPAYA – VILLANUEVA, JESSA MAE ASAYAS
127	VILLANUEVA, JOANNA NICOLE TENORIO – VIRATA, ANGELIQUE JOY NAPAO
128	VIRAY, BRYCE CORNELIUS YVANN DE LEON – YAP, HENRY OLIVER EVANGELISTA
129	YAP, JAYME MARIES GO – ZAMORA, KATE VALERIE ANNE SALDUA
130	ZAMORA, MARIEL ROIE DE LEON – ZURBITO, ROSANNE ANGEL ALMARIO

Demolition Job. It’s More Fun in the Philippines

pilibustero — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:04:42 +0000

Violence marred the demolition of an urban poor community in Corazon de Jesus, Pinaglabanan, San Juan City, Metro Manila, a known bulwark of ousted President Joseph Estrada. Several dozens residents and supporters were injured and illegally detained by police and demolition team to give way to commercial development in the prime land. Estrada’s son with incumbent mayor Guia Gomez, JV Ejercito currently serves as congressman of the city’s lone district. Welcome to the Philippines!

photo by Luis Liwanag via Facebook

photo by Francis Malasig via Facebook

STOP ALL DEMOLITION IN THE PHILIPPINES!

In Solitude

pilibustero — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:55:53 +0000

BEWARE of this Modus Operandi (This happened inside UPLB)

pilibustero — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:55:14 +0000

BEWARE! Actual account of a supposed crime that transpired yesterday morning at the Freedom Park, UPLB as narrated by a friend. In the interest of public awareness and vigilance:

“Alarming… Kanina sa Freedom Park may mga highschool students na lumapit sakin, ilan sa kanila medyo umiiyak. Akala ko umaarte lang, pa-cute- so highschool kumbaga. Pero ng magkwento sakin ang mga bata at humingi ng tulong, naawa naman ako at natakot at the same time. Sabi nila, habang nagpi-picnic sila, may lumapit na mama na naka-motor at tinanong kung naka-register na daw ba sa opisina ng UPLB ang mga gadgets na dala nila like camera, phones, etc. Noong sabihin nila na hindi pa, nagmamadali daw ang mama na kinuha ang mga gamit nila. Pero ang nakakatakot, isiinama pati ang isa sa mga babae nilang kasama, pinilit nilang sumama din sa mama pero huwag na daw dahil isa lang ang pede i-angkas sa motor nya. Sa pinaghalo-halong takot at kaba, samahan pa na nagtiwala sila sa mamang akala nila ay UPLB staff, hindi nila nakuha ang plate number ni kuya.

Sinamahan ko ang mg bata sa UPF, may ilan na palang classmates nila ang nagreport dun. Kinausap ko si manong UPF about sa nangyari, sagot ni manong ” Yun nga eh, di naman nila nakuha ang plate number, basta motor na blue at nakared na t-shirt.” pero kasi po, isinaman kasi yung classmate nilang babae, sabi ko kay manong. Nagulat naman ako ng sabihin ni manong, “Yun na nga, pinapaikot na nmen ang mga patro,” at maya maya dinugsungan ni manong : “kaso isang oras na kasi wala na yon, mahirap yang inyong yan” (sa tonong parang balewala lang o siguro ganun ko sya tinanggap sa isip ko, diko din sigurado)…

Dahil may kailangan din akong puntahan at may mga taong naghihintay sakin, minabuti ko ng magpaalam at ipaubaya sa kanila ang nangyari. Nakakalungkot na hindi ko nakuha ang contacts ng mga bata para makabalita sa nangyari. Sana lang ligtas ang batang tinangay ng mama”.

UPDATE: The Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs has informed my friend that the ‘kidnapped’ girl was found safe in the vicinity of the University Library. Apparently, the motive was only robbery.

How to Extend Help to Victims of Typhoon Sendong

pilibustero — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:23:36 +0000

You can send cash, cheque and in kind food items, drinking water, used clothing, blankets, medicines, cash and what you have to the following instrumentalities:

1. Rural Missionaries of the Philippines

Visit HELP NORTHERN MINDANAO

2. Philippine Red Cross (PRC)

Online and Cash/Kind Donation Details HERE.

3. Xavier University-Atene de Cagayan

Visit, TABANG SENDONG

>4. National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP)

Visit, TULONG KABATAAN

5. Iligan Bloggers Society

Visit, ONE FOR ILIGAN

6. ABS-CBN Foundation

Visit, SAGIP KAPAMILYA

7. GMA Kapuso Foundation

Visit, OPERATION BAYANIHAN

8. Department of Social Welfare and Development

Volunteers are needed at DSWD Cagayan de Oro (Masterson Road, Upper Carmen) to repack and deliver relief goods. Call 09066150095 @DSWDserve

9. The Oblate Missionary Foundation (OMF)

Email: oblate.missionaryfoundation@gmail.com
Call or text: 0644212652/ 09177204604/ 09228366422
You can send food items, drinking water, used clothing, blankets, medicines, cash and what you have to the following dropping centers.

10. Panday Bulig Relief and Rehabilitation Center

Tabang Mindanao Center 12th-22nd streets, Nazareth 9000 Cagayan de Oro CityT/F: +63 (88) 856 6413E: pandaybulig@gmail.com(look for Ms. Beryl Tranco)
Rural Missionaries of the Philippines
Northern Mindanao Sub-Region Room 01, Kalinaw Lanao Center0016 Bougainvilla Puti, Villaverde9200 Iligan CityT/F: +63 223 5179E: rmpnmr@gmail.comW: www.rmp-nmr.org(look for Ms. Ida Melody Bucog)

11. StartArt Project drop center in Metro Manila

10A Alabama st New Manila Quezon City
Mobile:+63926 7112450
email:info@startartprject.org
ornikkiluna@startartproject.org
For cash donations: Bank of the Philippine Islands Quezon Avenue branch, 9200 Iligan City, Philippines – account number: 009359-1348-08, Swift Code: BOPIPHMM, Account Name and Address: RMP-NMR Inc.

12. University of Santo Tomas Tulong Tomasino

Bro. Carly Rey C. Canto: +639163611936
Bro. Christian Dale E. Dakila: +639276016286

13. De La Salle Greenhills

Donations in cash and kind can be received at Gate 2 of La Salle Green Hills at 343 Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550. You may also call any of the following telephone numbers for further inquiries:
Aluimni Office — 721-2729, 722-7750, 725-4720
Grade School Principal — 721-2482
High School Principal — 721-8914
Buildings and Grounds Office — 721-8904 (Telefax)

14. Ateneo de Manila University

The Ateneo de Manila University-School of Government and Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership will be accepting in-kind donations of clothes, slippers, blankets, bottled water, toiletries and ready to eat food starting tomorrow until Wednesday, 10am to 10pm at the Ateneo School of Government, Fr. Ortiz Hall, Social Development Complex, Ateneo de Manila, QC. La Sallian Mission Office — 726-5851 (Telefax)

15. LBC Foundation

You may send your donation in cash or in kind at any LB Branches nationwide or call hotline (632) 858 5999. LBC will deliver relief goods for free.

16. The Philippine Daily Inquirer

Inquirer office, 1098 Chino Roces Ave. at Mascardo and Yague Streets, Makati City.
Cash donations may be deposited in the Inquirer Help Fund’s Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) current account No. 4951-0067-56, under the name Philippine Daily Inquirer Inc.For inquiries, call PDI corporate affairs at 8978808 and ask for Bianca Kasilag or Connie Kalagayan.

17. All 7-Eleven Stores

18. All Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshops

19. Citizens Disaster Response Center: Metrobank (Examiner Branch) Account No. 636-3-63600741-3

20. National Union of Journalists of the Philippines: 4/F FSS Building Annex, 89 Scout Castor, Bgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City

21. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan: 1 Maaralin cor. Matatag Streets, Bgy. Central, Quezon City | 4359151

22. Los Banos, Laguna: SAKBAYAN/UPLB Kaiban Relief Center, Vega Mall, College, Laguna

Typhoon ‘Sendong’ wreaks havoc in Mindanao

pilibustero — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 09:53:38 +0000

Mindanao was swept in a tragic disaster yesterday when typhoon Sendong (International Name: Washi) raged through the island leaving some 180 deaths and 400 others missing and thousands homeless, with most casualties accounted in Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City due to flash floods. Public Storm Warning Signal is still up for the most part of Northern Mindanao and Southern Visayas, while the typhoon is heading to Palawan within the next 24 hours. Blogger Mindanaoan has shared some graphic photos in the aftermath of the killer typhoon via twitter, which I re-posted below:

A father weeps while carrying his child (Via twitter.com/#!/mindanaoan/media/slideshow?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwitpic.com%2F7udqwz)

Via twitter.com/#!/mindanaoan/media/slideshow?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwitpic.com%2F7udoml

Via twitter.com/#!/mindanaoan/media/slideshow?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwitpic.com%2F7udqwz

Donation/Help in cash or kind are most welcome through the following:

SMS – How to Donate via SMS
PNRC – Donate thru @philredcross Text REDAMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4143 (Smart)
Iligan City – Donations: Grace Saquilabon (CSWD Head) 09173089172 / Iligan City Town Plaza starting 8am tomorrow
Cagayan de Oro – Old Canteen, Xavier University