History Repeats Itself : The New Form of Martial Law

In our present society, Cyberspace has become the stage of the best and worst that people can create whenever they’re online. Thanks to it, people are given the chance to showcase their artistic and individual ideas. However, as time progressed, it has also become the breeding ground for online trolls and cybercriminals.  With that, many Filipino senators have decided to create and pass a law that may soon change the Philippine cyberspace forever.

The Republic Act No. 10175, known as “An act defining Cybercrime, Providing for the Prevention, Investigation, Suppression and the Imposition of Penalties therefor and for other Purposes” or to most people as the “Philippine Cybercrime Prevention Act”, was created in order to provide an environment for the people which reinforces development and acceleration with regards to the exchange and delivery of information. It was also created to protect the integrity and confidentiality of the people from any forms of misuse, abuse and illegal access of cybercriminals.  It prevents a person from using libelous words against another person and stop hackers from invading the privacy of netizens. From this, we may deduce that the law is very useful to the people. However, it also has some severe elements that cannot simply be ignored. 

First of all, because of R.A. No. 10175, any law-abiding citizen who happens to use blogs, Facebook, and Twitter to pour his or her emotions against any other citizen can be considered as a cybercriminal.  The Philippine Cybercrime Prevention Act filters what people say and forces them to simply say nice things. Even if the person is telling the truth, if he or she publicly causes the dishonor, discredit, or contempt of another person, he or she is effectively considered a criminal and guilty of Libel. The law basically states that if you can’t say anything good, then you better say nothing at all or else, it’s six to twelve years imprisonment and a maximum fine of 1,000,000 pesos for you.

Second, the law also disregards the freedom of speech of the people. It ignores the Article III of the Bill of Rights of the1987 Constitution which states that “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances” and the United Nations Human Rights Council which declares internet to be a human right.  It also effectively puts out democracy and bestows all the power to the Department of Justice just like how the freedom of speech was taken from the people during the Marcos Administration decades ago.

And lastly, the law compels the Internet users to stop downloading files from a lot of websites. These files include games, movies, music and torrents. It prevents the netizens to enjoy the privileges the Internet offers them just because the Government wants to stop hackers and libelous people from doing their deeds.

For many years the Philippine Government has been the symbol of freedom and liberty to the people. Now, thanks to the Cybercrime Law, it has become the very thing that binds the people in a society divided between darkness and in light.  

The Dominating Junkfood of the New Generation

            We, being a part of the Age of Technological Advancements, are exposed to media. From televisions and radios to newspapers and magazines, various forms of media affect our daily lives and even tend to shape our very way of life.

            Ever since I was a child, I have always been surrounded by media. Thanks to the cartoon series that I used to watch on the television and to the nursery rhymes that I used to listen on DVD players, my personality has slowly been moved. And as the time progressed, the cartoon series became anime episodes which are very influential. And because of the impressive way the characters act in these shows, I tend to imitate them. As such, these imitations have steadily affected my daily life especially in my abilities to socialize with people. Because of media, I tend to separate myself from groups and become socially awkward when communicating to people. This has been me for about 4 years. But ever since I socialized more and listened to media less, I have been able to slowly change the state of my personality. Now, I am trying to develop the bonds which would have been forged earlier if not to the trance that media have hypnotized me with. And although the media contains such an immense power, I am trying to regulate my use of media and focus more on the reality that I should have embraced since the beginning.

A Gothic Lovestory in Ghoulish Proportions

Set in a Victorian British village most probably in the late 1800s, this morbid animated film was developed by its director, Tim Burton, along with his crew and some promising actors and actresses such as Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Emily Watson.  Though it is gothic in nature, this film contains more than meets the eye.

Victor Van Dort, the son of neauvou riche merchants, deliberately found himself in an arranged marriage with Victoria Everglot, the daughter of bankrupt aristocrats and a classy woman whom he's never been able to speak to. But when they first met, both of them were quickly attracted to each other. However, after Victor ruined one of their wedding rehearsals, he ventured deep into the woods to practice his wedding vows. Unfortunately for him, during his practice, he discovered that he accidentally recited his vows to a corpse. His new, deceased bride, delighted by the idea of wedding, took him with her to the Land of the Dead, while his living fiancée waited desperately for his return in the Land of the Living. With two brides both wanting to be with him, Victor is faced with the predicament of choosing between his love-at-first-sight fiancée Victoria, and his tragic corpse bride Emily.

Though at first, some would often say that it is a horror movie, the film is actually more of a gloomy fairy tale musical filled with dancing skeletons and magical potions. I love the fact that Tim Burton chose to portray the Land of the Dead more vivid and lively compared to the dull and gloomy Land of the Living. The dead are more energetic than those who are still living and while most of those who have still-beating hearts care more about money and worldly possessions, the Land of the Dead inhabitants are more concerned to what happens with their fellow dead and are loyal to their friends.

            Corpse Bride is definitely a must-see movie. Its colors are fantastic and the musical it contains would definitely appeal to your senses. And though it runs for less than 2 hours, the message this 77-minute movie contained would definitely touch you for a lifetime.

A Compelling Play of Intellectual Sophistication

Last July 24, 2012, at the MSU-IIT Mini-theatre, I was able to see the phenomenal play of the creative director, Mr. Steven Patrick Fernandez and the astounding Integrated Performing Arts Guild (IPAG) entitled Ming-ming.  The story was all about three generations of a powerful political family which was dodging the controversies that threatened their survival.  And in order to ensure political and personal survival, her family was pushed to make painful decisions that determine the lives Ming-ming (the main protagonist), her mother, her grandmother and her uncle took. 

The story was focused more on flashbacks with regards to the events that took place which led to Ming-ming’s death. It begun with the tonongs (spirits) and how they witnessed the family’s drama unfold.  Ming-ming’s mother, R, have already failed in two marriages and the last one being an indispensable excuse to hide the truth of Ming-ming’s birth, the offspring of her affair with an Economics teacher. R’s first marriage to an older man, however, was arranged in order to prop their family’s declining political fortunes. The husband, an ambitious politician, was more enthusiastic with being in the company of young boys who patronize his mahjong sessions.  R’s pregnancy of Ming-ming, was hidden in order to preserve family honor or maratabat, which is a traditionally upheld and dictated virtue which shame is a transgression greater than death. And so, R was kept in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, so she could give birth to Ming-ming. A marriage was then arranged with a distant relative who was unaware of Ming-ming’s circumstances; he only knew that the baby was adopted. MingMing was born seven months before R’s second marriage. However, this distant relative-turned-husband turned out to be callous and a chauvinist.

Conversely, I, Ming-ming’s grandmother have lied all about Ming-ming’s story to save maratabat and her only daughter’s life. She knew that even a small offense of dishonor will provoke death, which was to be sentenced and carried out by the family’s own strict codes. The penalty was essential in order to uphold honor to the family and restore the loss of its face. When she was just 14 years old, I had already sacrificed her love to respect her family’s obligation to marry the elder brother of her secret love and the uncle of Ming-ming, P. This was needed in order to end a family feud or rido and consolidate political power between the two antagonistic families. I’s decision however, devastated P who in turn, laments his life after losing I to his brother, the heir apparent of his family. He trains as a guerilla and cultivates a revolutionary attitude dictating traditional views to his family. Caught in this chain of events, Ming-ming tries to untangle herself, culminating in the occurrence of the inevitable.

The portrayal of the characters was definitely amazing. They did it so well that it was easy to understand the context of the play. Though it was not my first time to see the IPAG perform, it has been more than two years since I last saw one of their plays. And so, I am fortunate enough to have seen Ming-ming.  I am definitely looking forward in seeing another one of their spectacular plays in the near future. 

A Journey to a New Horizon

Change is constant in life. Yet, many of us are still reluctant to embrace it. Though change is never predictable, it will always be inevitable. And because of change, there will always be an opportunity to unravel new chapters that are yet to unfold.

It was the first day of school. The day that I began studying as a college student. I could feel the cold breeze of air in the morning touching my skin. I already took my bath, ate my breakfast, brushed my teeth and fixed myself. Everything was prepared...except for me. I was a bit nervous that day. But that didn't stop me from going to school. 

It was a most prestigious school. A state university renowned for its excellence in both fields of science and technology. It was the Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology. It was also the only university in the city. And as I began to enter its gates, I remembered past memories for I studied two years in high school there. 

When I reached the building where our classroom was supposed to be located, I was a bit distressed. The name of our section was not posted on any of the rooms. I had to look for it for quite some time. Luckily, I was able to ask one of the faculties there and he was able to point me to where my classroom was. 

I arrived there ten minutes before the class was supposed to start. My first subject was Humanities. As I entered the classroom, I saw various drawings. Some were of people, others were of nature, and a few were about  fantasies. They were made by the  students in the higher years. I was also shocked to learn that there were only few of my classmates sitting in the classroom. I was expecting that the room would nearly be full since it was the first day of school and the class was supposed to begin soon. A few minutes later, my friend came and finally I had someone to talk to. Soon, I was able to meet new people and found new friends. I learned a lot about them. Most of them were from different places. And although they had different personalities and different backgrounds, we were still able to talk with one another and feel comfortable with each other. 

Before long, we found ourselves wandering to different places inside the campus. We visited different canteens, libraries and College Departments. We also spent a lot of time eating together. But because not a single teacher was able to meet us, we went our separate ways. Today, we've made a lot more of new friends and our small group has become quite big. We still bond together and have fun together. And I'm still journeying in life.

Though there were a lot of things that have already happened, the experience I had on the first day of my College life would never be forgotten. After all, it was my new journey towards a new horizon. 

The Mystery of Believing

            Every person has their own set of unique beliefs. These things affect the way they think, say and do. Basically a belief is the acceptance of something as being truthful. But by definition, belief is a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing. They give things purpose and motivation.

As our discussion in my English 1 subject progressed, we’ve encountered this interesting story called the "Sweet Unforgettable Day" by Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc. The story was all about the supernatural experience by the writer on the wedding day of their family's cook and her father's long-time houseboy. On that day, she and her family felt the presence of their deceased mother. And though they tried to forget remembering their mother for that day, the experience they had would always linger on their mind.

Nowadays, many stories like this are circulating in the society. In fact, they are being narrated as ghost stories to scare or entertain people. However, that doesn't mean that they believe what they have heard or read. Others even say that unless they experience it, they will not believe. This is because we question the validity of these stories. We need proofs. However, I for one do not believe that everything requires absolute proof just to say that it is valid. There are things that exist but cannot be experienced. Example, the brain, it cannot be sensed by our common senses. But we know it's there. This is because we believe. Therefore, we cannot say that story aforementioned is true or false. We just believe what we think. 

But usually before people believe something, they require a lot of proofs. But without proof, doubt will always shadow the belief because no one can tell their certainties. But we cannot judge quickly. Because in my opinion, when it comes to beliefs, people only believe what they want to believe.