Kasalukuyang panahon.

"May naglalaro sa aking kaisipan sister simula pa kagabi." Marahan ngunit mariin ang salita ko sa madreng si Sr. Lea na siyang nag-aruga at solong tumitingin sa kalagayan ng kalusugan ko sa loob ng dalawang buwan na ngayon.

Napatingin sa akin ang butihing madre habang minamasahe ang aking mga kamay at braso dala ng biglaang pagkahilo ko makaraan ng sampung minuto pa lamang. "Ano naisip mo?" tanong niya sa akin.

"Na kaya hindi pa ako tuluyang sinundo ng ating Panginoon ay sa dahilang may mahalaga pa akong gagawin sa lupa." Wow!... kung sa English pa, heavy ang dating. Ma-drama di ba? Nagbunga eto ng ngiti mula kay Sr. Lea. Aniya "Tiyak naman na may pinapagawa pa SIYA sa 'yo Doc dito sa mundo. Kahit anong pagsubok, madali man o mahirap, ay nakayanan at kaya mo pa." Parang gusto ko nang tumawa ng malakas sa kadramahan ko kahit na nangangalay ang aking buong dibdib, likod at mga braso. Dalawangpong taon na mahigit ang karamdaman ko na 'to; sa totoo lang, di ko na alam kung papano maramdaman ang walangsakit o pangangalay sa katawan. Ang pagiging kenkoy ko, o palatawa ko ang siyang gamot na nakatiis ako ng mahabang panahon sa sakit sa katawan. Di na nga tiis ang palagay ko, kundi bahagi na ng buhay kaya bale wala na lang ang sakit. Naks! katapangan! Kayo na ang bahala mag-isip kung eto ay bola o katotohanan... di ba ngyayari rin eto sa inyo? Sa madaling salita, no big deal ang sakit sa katawan dahil lahat naman tayo nakakaranas nito. Maliban lang sa mas matindi at seryoso na dahilan: kung ang pananakit ay dala ng maselan na mga karamdaman tulad ng kanser sa bituka o colon, problema sa puso, diabetes at iba pa na komplikasyon resulta ng diabetes.

Tila parang alam ni Sr. Lea ang dahilan? Hindi siguro... O baka alam nga niya. Sa loob ng ilang buwan na namalagi siya sa aming bahay at nagmamasid sa kalagayan ko at mga kaganapan sa buhay namin ng anak kong si Alfonso (Aljon ang palayaw), madaling basahin ang nobela ng buhay ko. Bukas eto sa lahat. Walang misteryo, walang naitago sa mga taong malapit sa akin at sa mga taong nakadaupang palad ko.

Ilang beses na rin naman ako nakipagbakbakan sa karamdaman. Lumagay ako sa bingwit ng kamatayan ng limang beses sa loob lamang ng labing limang (15) taon magmula 1996. Eto ang taong inatake ako sa puso sa unang pagkataon. Nalampasan ko ang krisis na yun at ang mga sumunod pa na panganib nong 1998, 2003, 2005 at 2010. Resulta ng "angiogram" sa akin nuong 1996 nagpahayag ng dalawang primerang "artery" sa puso ko ay barado, dagdag pa ang kakulangan ng "oxygen" sa circulatory system ko or sakit na ischemia, nagdudulot ng kapos na hininga. Taong 2005 ng malaman ko na ako pala ay may diabetes. Eto ang nagpahirap lalo sa kalagayan ko. Ang pabago-bagong antas ng bilang ng "glucose" sa dugo ko ay napakahirap ayunan.

2009 ang isa sa pinakamahirap na taon sa 57 taon na ako ay buhay. Ang unos ay di natapos sa pagkamatay ng kaisa-isang tunay kong kapatid na si Ate Judy nung Hulyo 16. Colon cancer and dumale sa mahal kong kapatid. Ang mas matinding unos sa akin: ang sentensya ng kamatayan - kanser of the colon ay meron din ako! Taong 2010 na ako ay binugbog ng nakamamatay na mga sakit. Lumagay sa alanganin ang hanapbuhay ko. Naubusan ako ng lakas subalit pinilit kong tumayo pa rin sa dahilang wala akong maasahan na may tutulong sa akin at sa anak ko. Yan ang akala ko...

Dama na ba ninyo ang drama? sa buhay ng isang tao tulad ko? Hindi ako nagpapakenkoy mga mambabasa nitong nobela ko; sa halip, ako ay naniwala na lahat tayo ay may karanasang siphayo, pagsubok, o paghamon ng tadhana. Baka nga mas matindi pa ang pinagdaanan ng iba sa inyo. Aayon kayo sa katotohanang ilalahad ko sa inyo ngayon: na walang pagsubok na dumarating sa atin na hindi natin kayang harapin at lampasan; na ang paghamon sa atin ng tadhana ay nasa sa atin na ang pagpasya kung harapin natin ng buong tapang o magpakahina na lang at umayon sa kawalang pag-asa. Isa lang ang kinapitan ko, ang ating Panginoon. Dakila, makapangyarihan, maawain, higit sa lahat, ang lumikha sa akin, sa atin lahat na siyang tunay na nagmamahal sa atin. Tunay na kaibigan, ang ating Panginoon ay palagi nasa tabi lang natin, tawagin mo SIYA at hindi ka NIYA iiwanan. Maniwala kayo. Matagal na akong namayapa kung hindi ako yumakap ng mahigpit sa KANYA...

"Mahiga ka na Manang; hihilutin ko na kayo" ani Sr. Lea. Tuwing gabi, bago ako matulog, hihilutin niya ako. Matiyaga siyang ginagawa eto upang mapaige ang pakiramdam ko. Sa loob ng dalawang (2) buwan, ginawa ni Sr. Lea ang magpagod, magkalinga sa isang 57 anyos na katulad ko. Likas na mabait ang Diyos sa lahat ng oras!

Marahan ngunit madiin ang mga daliri ni Sr. Lea na dumantay sa likod ko. Sa pamagitan ng "pressure" ng kanyang kamay at daliri, naiibsan ang pananakit ng likod ko na nagsimula naman sa bigat at sakit na naramdaman ko sa dibdib. Eto ang eksena sa araw-araw na ako ay nakikibaka na manatiling buhay at humihinga sa dahilang may anak pa akong dapat kalingain at palakihin bilang obligasyon ng isang magulang.

Papano na ang isang katulad ni Sr. Lea na nagtitiyaga at kalingain ako ng ganito?

Abangan sa susunod na linggo...

Isang Nobela, sa Pilipino, sulat ng isang Ilongga.

Here it is folks, my ambitious attempt at writing a novel in Tagalog or Pilipino. It will come out once a week, in continuing fashion or series, and comments are welcome per issue. It is a true story, no less, but events may strike familiar chords with each one of us. What matters is, and this is my objective, that we can have little enjoyment and entertainment in reading the piece of work that I am attempting to do during my spare time, and for us readers to pick up some piece of lessons that can be life-changing. Somehow, one human being may be open enough to share his/her life's experiences in order to create an impact on others, for the better...

Life's challenges never end. And it is not enough that we are able to fend off negatives in our daily grind to live life to its fullest; we are certain that our faith in the Almighty and our courage to overcome the odds will always (never that it won't, believe me)l make us live life to its full circle.

How's that for an intro folks with sax music from Kenny G in the background while reading this?

Bio-Kleenitronix from the Philippines

BIO-KLEENITRONIX - This new technology, a discovery of fruit acid plant, is a breakthrough in the identification of the safer and earth-friendly alternative to Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS) in Methyl Chloroform currently used by the semi-conductor and computer hardware industry of the world. The ozone depleting substance is commonly known as CFC (Chloro-flouro-carbon). Thus, for the first time, we will be able to use CFC-free cleaning agents and contribute to the worldwide movement of averting depletion of the ozone layer in the earth's upper atmosphere. As we all know, ozone provides a natural protective filter against harmful ultra-violet rays from the sun, which can cause sunburn, cataracts and skin cancer as well as damage on vegetation.

"In the Philippines today, a science and technology based type of mainstream in the national economy could be the remaining bright spot as a genuine form of national progress." This was disclised in a research made by the injventor of BIO-Kleenitronix who is a Fellow i the London School of Economics (AY 2004-2005) after receiving his BA, M.Sc. and PhD in the Philippines. He is a Filipino.

He developed a climate change friendly product as alternative to the Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS) used by the semi-conductor and computer hardware industry of the world. This new technology, a discovery of fruit acid plant, is a breakthrough in the identification of the safer and earth-friendly alternative to TCA 113 trichloroethane used by the aforementioned industries.

The invention is generally a fruit acid based deflusher which takes away stains and unnecessary materials in computer case or covers. When applied to surfaces of personal computers and other electronic products, there is no need for protection from exposure because all the raw materials used are bio-degradable. Therefore, there is no added cost needed to maintain safety of workers and personnel. Moreover, Bio-Kleenitronix is an earth-friendly solution because it is CFC (chloro-flouro-carbon) free. Thus, potential corporate users of this product could easily add on to their merits for environmental tax imposed on non-earthly product.

TCA 113 (trichloroethane) is widely used by the electronic computer industries as cleaning agent and is known as descaler and deflusher. The descaler is applied to metal frames of the micro-chips before electro-plating in order to remove the unwanted metal oxides. The deflusher is used in the removal of excess flux in plastic beads of micro-chips as well as the removal of the soldering oils and flux coatings in the surface mounted boards. Both chemicals used in descaling and deflushing are known harmful to humans and the earth due to"Stevensons Johnsons' disease that attacks the nerves in the human skin during exposure a nd ozone depletion in the planet earth which impedes the ability of the Earth to produce food naturally in both the terrestial and ocean systems through the photosynthetic processes.

Global demand. Total global demand for TCA 113 descaler substances run by the hundred billion of US dollars. England alone has a total annual demand for descalers totalling
$2 B (see www.water and wastewater.com) In Singapore, there are there are eight (8) corporations engaged in this business. In China, there are a total of 1,404 corporations in descaling trading supplying their semi-con and electronics industry. In the USA, there are 32 descaler corporation, 96 in India and 29 corporations in Taiwan.

Sixteen (16) countries have already agreed to phase out this ozone depleting substance as early as 1996. However, despite the $4 B alocated by the USA government to research on best bio-degradable alternative to ODS used by the electronics industry as well as research conducted by the NOAA Scientists, North Atlantic Ocean and Atmospheric Agency, several ODS are expected to remain due to the absence of a safer alternative available at the moment.

The Bio-Kleenitronix is the missing alternative. It is discovered by a Filipino. It is made in the Phillipines needed by the whole world. Finally, it is a Philippine made product that will bring not only progree but pride to every Filipino.

Philippine demand. It was estimated that the total demand for this product in the domestic market of the Philippines totals to around Php 27 B annually. This was based from the fact that 68% of the total exports of the country comes from the semi-con and electronics industries. Growth rate of this sector in the Philippine economy is 30%.

These market prospects are real. There must be no delay in the large scale production of the product and it should be used worldwide as soon as feasible if we are to consider that planet earth is gasping for relief from our previous wanton neglect or incapability of preserving what is left of the natural cycle of environment to provide and maintain life on planet earth. The incapability to stop the depletion of the ozone layer is certainly no longer due to humanity's callousness to the call for environment conservation, rather, it is due to the missing alternative. This situation is now fully addressed by Bio-Kleenitronix.

Proex (product experts) Trading International, through its subsidairy that is currently being organized officially: Proex Envirosafety Products and Supplies, Inc. (PEPS, INC) is again undertaking the responsibility of introducing Bio-Kleenitronix to the electronics and computer hardware industries that will replace TCA 113 trichloroethane for their use as cleaning agent. Proex, a company that is has entered into a toll manufactruing arrangement for its Fire Truck Aid (FTA) brand of state-of-the-art fire suppression system has successfully introduced the innovative product as a substitute to the costly fire trucks. The technology in this design/product is also environmental-friendly.

The Other Usages. Housewives and household helps will soon find a very effective ally in their battle against greas, hard scales beneath cooking equipment in the Bio-Kleen version. With fruity smell and the convenience of getting rid of unwanted scales or materials from kitchen equipment and cooking wares, the billions of households in planet earth definitely can contribute to our environment preservation advocacy. For more details on how each of us can contribute effectively to our humble effort, please contact Dr. Wina Hernandez, through any of these links: email: firetruckaide@yahoo.com, tel. numbers (*632)3773390; mobile 09298021570.

Bio-Kleenitronix will hit the market on October 10, 2010. Fly high Philippines!

GOCC's - (gawks!)the draculas of our times, Philippine setting

In these times of high technology and unprecedented breakthroughs in science, communications, food production, among other thousands of human accomplishments, we were entertained by Dracula movies such as the Twilight saga that captured the imagination of and following by fans belonging to all generations, whether the babyboomers (like me), the xgen or whatever names we are defined. In the Philippines, we have a different kind of entertainment, one that does not only annoy and dismay us but strikes us with a blow that unbeknown to Filipinos could sap our nation's lifeblood slowly ( is getting fast, lately) but surely until blood dries up, rendering the body of our government and nation lifeless...

Who and what is this dracula-like entity(ies) that will hurt us as a nation of aspiring Filipinos who work hard to make life decent and dignified for our children in the future?

You're right, I put one such entity in the title of this piece - the government owned and controlled corporations or the GOCC for short. If we read this short cut the sound is familiar as in " gawk," as indeed I gawked at the insensitivity and callousness of the officials and even some employees to a certain extent due to their participation, of these corporations in receiving indecent incomes, bonuses, profit-sharings and other perks similar to what the private sector corporations are showering their officers and employees in accordance with meritocracy. Incidentally, the private sector corporations can do just that because they work hard to earn their keep, unlike government corporations who regularly receive funds from the national coffers for them to function. Never mind their own income generating activities, if they earn profits, well and good; but if they don't, they always go to mama for help. I don't mean the national government is in the hands of a woman president, for it is now lodged in the hands of a male leader who we overwhelmingly voted into office to straighten things out.

Here are facts with a taste of bad news that we should appreciate Sen Frank Drilon who is my kasimanwa, for informing us Filipinos. Php 532 billion have been appropriated for fourteen (14) gawks for 2010. That is roughly 37% of Philippine Government's appropriation (Php 1.441 Trillion). Whew! that's a lot a lot of money (not pizza)! The worst part is that these gawks have become independent republics according to Sen. Drilon, without their expenditures being publicly scrutinized as in the case of the agencies of the national government. The Department of Finance and the Department of Budget Management have no control over the expenditures of the gawks and GFi's (government financial institutions) for these institutions have their charters giving them independence from control. Of course, the lawmakers had the best interest of our country when they passed laws creating the gawks. However, planning, creating and implementing or executing are different phases of endeavor requiring different handlers or implementors. A law, no matter how best it was crafted, is useless if wrongly executed.

Mga kababayan, a mere one thousand pesos (Php 1,000) is stretched to last a week by our poor Filipino brethren, while gawk's officers feast on expensive and the best cuisine. Trips abroad for vacation are ordinary leisure activities samantalang ang mga mahihirap sa ating bansa ay nagtitipid ng pamasahe sa jeep, bus, at ngayon ay nakaharap bumayad ng mas mataas na pamasahe sa MRT at LRT! I know of one neighbor, a middle aged woman, who is compassionate enough to serve her customers who are minimum wage earners Php 20 to Php 30 per serving of food. Php 50 may kanin at ulam na for the working poor; yang mga tinamaan ng kulog na mga opisyales ng gawks ay pang tip lang ang Php 50 sa parking lot boys or barkers!

Are we going to allow this inequity in our Philippine society to continue?

By no means let us do something to stop the wayward gawks (I mean the GOCC's) from bleeding the public coffers! Distribute and spend public funds appropriately and wisely! I address these calls to our PNoy and to our lawmakers.

We urge congress to pursue vigorously the passage of a Public Enterprise Corporate Governance Act to allow REVIEW of GOCCs' finances. Let there be a provision in the law that MUST REQUIRE these GOCC's to be financially independent and profitable with accountability on failure to become profit centers for our government. Private sector corporations' managers are subject to performance review with profitability as the bottomline. GOCC managers should be treated likewise. Perhaps by then I may be able to express properly the word GOCC instead of GAWK.

Pilipinas kong mahal, panalangin kong magising ang mga opisyales namin sa iyong gobyerno sa katotohanang NAPAKARAMI pang pagtutuwid ang gagawin sa pamahalaan. Eto and samo't dalangin namin sa Poong Maykapal. Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

wina h

wina h: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Is leadership in our government working?

Governing a country with diverse cultural roots is not merely managing companies that need to be uprooted from financial strain, nor re-orienting their priorities to deserve being labeled as reformist. For two months, the present dispensation believes reforms are taking shape. In which government front such reforms do commence is not clear enough for a watchful citizen like me. Our President should utilize and tap the experience, knowledge and skill of the career service or of special disciplines that will provide continuity in government that does its job for its true boss: the Filipino people.

Previous administrations took over the reins of government without disturbing public service. Notwithstanding the imperative of changing guards in the various agencies under the executive department or in the legislature as an aftermath of elections, government should impress or make its citizens feel that everything is alright, that services for public good are not disrupted, and that further, the bureauracy as well as command responsibilities are observed. We barely felt the gap or gaps in the exercise of Presidential prerogative in appointing officials who must readily assume responsibilities to continue the services needed by the public, and in the most important requirement of addressing the issue of "who is in-charge?" We need not ask this question, did we? Past leaderships simply knew what to do in the onset.

I can sense the obvious from the series of events that unfolded before our very own eyes. Going into its second month of running the Philippine Government by P-Noy and company unintentionally
exposed a rather incomplete, unprepared and less firm direction of the organization (or political party?) that should be the force behind the performance of a very big job of governing the Philippine Republic. Some positions that are imperative in government to perform its job are not filled up to this day probably due to "lesser" or non-interest at all from prospective appointees or the lack of decisiveness as to who will be given the responsibility(ies) from the perspective of the appointing power.

Are we experiencing a dearth of managers/public servants? Is our country losing a lot of "brainy" and competent Filipinos to gainful employment in foreign countries? Is this brain drain actual and real? Does our leadership recognize that this is a problem that it must immediately address as the best asset of an organization, of an administration is the availability of manpower that is nothing less but the best and the most efficient if it has to reform government? Effective leadership requires excellent performance(s) of people under its leadership.

Before going any further on this lopsided situation in the civil service, we zero in on the seat of our government by asking this question: is it working? Has this engine steered the wheels of complete turn-over of government by its acceptance of the mandate given by the electorate in July 1, 2010? If the engine of the new administration's vehicle has been ignited(started) in July, 2010, has the driver switched to full gear?

The events that occurred within the two months that PNoy and company assumed the job to govern clearly indicated a trip that makes stop-overs more than it should have. Fact is, there should be no stop-overs at all. I cannot comprehend why a cabinet secretary is appointed in an "acting" capacity at the start of the term of the one who governs. And there are three not one presidential alter egos in the cabinet who hang in the balance. I do not see it as an exercise of presidential discretion, rather, it is presidential indecision.

How do we accept the situation where police leadership cannot get their acts together during the HK tourist hostage-taking by a disgruntled Filipino policeman, to be aggravated further by their admission that they considered the matter local, and not national concern? Who should have taken the lead to make some sense of order in the rescue operation? I surmise that there was this issue of the DILG Secretary being sidelined in police matters despite the clear responsibility of being on top of everybody in his department that has supervision over the Philippine National Police. How can there be decisiveness when the landscape of leadership was altered to fit what the President desired of the line of communication/function in the department?

The President has the mandate to appoint his alter ego in the various departments under him and that basically requires confidence on the person he appoints. I believe, however, that the functions and the flow of work as defined by administrative law does not give way to the President's own idea of how it must work.

If Sec. Robredo was appointed mainly because of accommodation in accordance with arrangements made during the campaign, or if PNoy himself had expressed differences of style of work with the Secretary, why did he appoint Sec. Robredo in the first place? And why leave to the dictates of political party accommodation/.arrangements the fate of P-Noy's leadership over DILG?

The prime reason why our laws require that presidential candidates should at least reach the age of forty is essentially the need for mental and social maturity in the person of the candidate. Matured and well thought decisions are extremely required during challenging situations such as the HK tourist hostage tragedy. Leaders of countries opt to maintain a group of advisers or council of advisers with elders to act as their sources of unqualified wisdom in dealing with difficult situations that touch on the national security and pride/reputation of the their respective countries. Did P-Noy see the relevance of such a council or group immediately after his inauguration?

As I go on, the list of questions/issues may lengthen. I will stop right here, the same way that PNoy declared that the bucks stops with him when he admitted publicly that he was responsible for the hostage fiasco.

I simply do not like or want to accept that my President, and of my beloved country, has carried the burden alone. He does not govern by his lone some; he governs by leadership, and by effective leadership he must do now.