The living room of the suite accommodation given to us before heading to Shanghai.

What a beautiful place to stay…

I am dismayed because I am letting this opportunity pass of booking online an international flight! Cebu Pacific is currently having a promo at this very hour (the promo ends by 8pm today). Their flagship promo is “Low Fares De Mayo” –that is, you can now travel to different countries in Asia (except Japan) anytime during the month of September this year for only P599 all-in! If, however, you want to travel domestic, it will only cost you P299 all-in!

In my case, I have wished I have booked a round trip ticket to Bangkok. My PR teammates are actually in the process of searching the best dates to travel. They have also found a hotel to stay that will only cost $4 per room per day.

I have wished I know my definite schedule for the coming months so that I can now book ahead of time. I will know my fate by early next week. By that time, I hope I will have a clearer vision of my undertakings.

In my picture below, it is very obvious that I am so happy and excited to board the plane. And yes, I still can remember the feeling. I was very happy that I was heading home for the Christmas break. For sure, I will be happier if I will once again board the plane departing for Bangkok, or just anywhere around the Asia as my kick-off travels.

I received a text brigade that is currently being circulated among students. It says something like this:

“STUDENT SUMMER EKSTRAVAGANZA”
Promo Period: March 19, 2009 to June 7, 2009

Promo Mechanics:
* The promo is only for all Private and Public School Students who have a valid SY 2008 – 2009 School ID.

* Ticket Price:
P275 - weekdays (2p-9p)
P335 - weekends (11a-9p)

* This scheme operates on a one-ticket-per-student-per-day basis.

* Upon getting inside EK, each student is entitled of receiving 1 Pepsi Can for FREE.

* Promo is available at Santa Rosa Group Sales Office & Makati Sales Office.

* For UP students, you can present your ID to avail this promo. A booth is available from May 12-16, 2009 at the AS Walk.

Yesterday was a very relaxing day! I, together with Rech Leopardas, travelled all the way from Quezon City to Bulacan to attend the Thanksgiving Dinner of a colleague, Ace Nicanor. The trip was a quick one. But our fingers are much quicker clicking the button in the camera.

The whole travel took us thirty minutes (we were expecting at least an hour travel). We arrived in Guiguinto, Bulacan an hour before the call time. Knowing Ace, he wanted everything well-organized, he wanted everyone treated specially, at least on his celebration. That’s why, I and Rech decided to stay in one of the cafes of the town. The one we first spotted was the ever-famous Dunkin Donuts. We were there for an hour, literally killing the time. While eating my mid-day snack, I was actually engrossed in reading again Nicholas Sparks’s A Walk To Remember (I started flipping the pages a day before so I had no way of stopping it).

After an hour, we were fetched by a white car (was it white? uh-oh). Ace’s elder sister fetched us and drove us to the venue. Both I and Rech were ASTONISHED. Our jaws dropped when we reached the resort. All the while, we thought that Ace’s Thanksgiving Dinner will just be held in his family’s house. Oh well, this should much more exciting and fun, I thought.

Ace, as expected of him, was very accommodating not just to us, but to all of his guests (there were a minimum of 50 guests who graced the celebration). And it was not only true with Ace. All of his family treated us so well. In fact, as a souvenir, we posed for the picture (including Ace’s Dad and Mum).

Of course, how could we fail to forget to have a picture on Ace’s huuuge banner. This time, Debbie Lagdaan (she’s late!):

We thought of something special and memorable for Ace. We thought of having a small program while the band was having dinner. I was very honored that Ace asked me to host for it, impromptu as it was.

During our whole stay there, we roamed around the resort and took pictures. The place was so magnificent. Thanks to Ace for inviting us over. (Ace Nicanor graduated Cum Laude, BA Arts Studies in the College of Arts and Letters, UP Diliman).

Here are some of our pictures around the resort:

Meeting high school friends has always been one of my priorities wherever I may be. Early today, I chose to get a flight via Cebu so I could meet up with my Cebu-based friends. Because it was a short notice, I was only able to meet two of them. They were Donna Celesta Plaza and Genne Grace Abing. Unfortunately, Lovella May “Czaji” Sagetarios was not found in the moment so she wasn’t there. Poor Czaji, you missed the fun. Here is a picture Czaji.

(L-R): GG Abing, Donna Plaza, Yes Dumagan

After spending Valentine’s Day in San Narciso, Zambales, we had decided that before proceeding back to Manila, we stop by in Subic. Early morning today, we readied ourselves for our trip. We only got four hours of sleep because of the party in PMMA. But we had to get up early and pack up because it took hours to travel.

It was only when we were in Subic had we decided to go to Zoobic Safari (and not in Ocean Adventure). The locals there recommended Zoobic over Ocean Adventure. The reason was left unasked, though I know it was a bias opinion. But never mind it, we proceeded to Zoobic via van. Yes, in order to get there, one must rent a van if you don’t have wheels on your way there. One-way ride cost P500 that means for a round trip, it was a thousand bucks already.

Raaarrrrr!

When we arrived there, we got a ticket for three (because we were three, obviously). Zoobic Safari’s highlights are as follows: Zoobic Park, Savannah, Serpentarium, Croco Loco, Rodent World, Aeta Trail and Show, Animal Photo Opportunities, Animal Show, animal rides, and the most famous Tiger Safari. All worth the visit!

As analyzed on the last issue, among the many environmental problems that are on the priority list of Africa include: land degradation, deforestation, declining of marine resources and water scarcity of deteriorating of water and air quality. More to these problems and more to the pressing issue on HIV/AIDS (that was also discussed last issue) that has been taken a serious toll on this region are the tropical diseases.

Tropical diseases are one of the main environmental problems of Africa S. of the Sahara. This tropical climate creates epidemics such as malaria, river blindness, cholera, Ebola, and sleeping sickness. Sleeping sickness comes from tsetse fly infestations from the cattle. Sleeping sickness has had the power of killing more than 200,000 people in one year.

Like HIV/AIDS, these tropical diseases have a cure, except of course that many people can not afford health care to treat it. So, the problem goes beyond the surface level.

Environmental problems in Africa have been discussed on considered on the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) which was held in South Africa in August 2002. Basically, the material of the summit points out main environmental problems and challenges. The key issues which dominate African environmental problems were addressed during the summit. They include:

1. Water pollution and sanitation. First of all water pollution is caused by oil transmission in ship ports, water resources poor management, lack of financial resources required for sustainable development and efficient utilization of resources, absence of effective regional and basin development plans and shared management, and under-estimation of the groundwater potential to supplement irrigation and drinking water supplies. Thus, Africa’s freshwater problems are acute and worsening. Freshwater shortage is the two greatest limits to development in Africa;

2. Energy. Energy consumption in sub-Saharan Africa varies dramatically and dominates fuel consumption. Africa is home to one of the world’s largest rain forests. It is obvious that rain forests are lungs of the Earth and their reduction cause air pollution. They protect and stabilize soils, recycle nutrients and regulate the quality and flow of water. Deforestation is one of the most pressing environmental problems not only in Africa but in other parts of the world and has negative implications for the local and global environment. Forests cover about 22 per cent of the region, but they are disappearing faster than anywhere else in the developing world. During the 1980s Africa lost 10.5 per cent of its forests. Thus, African forests are shrinking as a result of deforestation;

3. Biodiversity. The richness of African biodiversity requires greater protection and a sustainable use that will ensure the income of those who depend on it. There is a need to maximize biodiversity landscape protection, to give priority to biodiversity areas close to areas of high population density, and to give balanced attention to such regions as the arid and semi-arid areas;

4. Oil pollution. In a number of countries such as Nigeria and Angola, fore example, oil is the principle source of benefits. However it is pretty clear that new technologies used in oil exploration are extremely harmful for the environment. Environmental problems are common and rise heated debates. On the one hand, it expands relations among states, diversify trade relations, bring benefits. But, on the other hand, the benefits from oil are not fairly distributed among the population. The revenues from oil mainly belong to some local government communities or certain groups of interest. But the commons of Sub-Sahara have to face the oil-related problems;

5. Agriculture. Increased food insecurity resulting from rapid population growth, degradation of agriculture and arable lands, and mismanagement of available water resources combined with poor economic policies to support food production.

The summit was therefore very essential. Not only they identified the environmental problems in Africa, also they seek solutions to solve these serious problems.

To summarize, the address of environmental issues first of all lie in environmental awareness. To cap it all the environmental issues need regular monitoring, assessments and public reports of the state.

It is noting to submit however that these problems that Africa encounter aren’t exclusive to them. They are present and are even malignant to other regions of the world.

There have been various environmental problems that Africa is currently experiencing. Several scholars have continued to study the continent’s environmental concerns and found out that these problems were caused by the inhabitants’ ignorance of the universal knowledge that they need to be aware of.

Many problems have arisen in the status quo and it is said that new developments in industry and manufacturing have been root causes of environmental degradation over the past three decades. This thinking has been supported by Sandon. To him, “the rapid growth of population, urbanization and globalization are the driving force of the environmental problems.” He stressed that “the challenge is extremely high not only for the well-developed regions, but in poor parts of the world as well.” Among the many environmental problems that are on the priority list of Africa that he mentioned include: land degradation, deforestation, declining of marine resources and water scarcity of deteriorating of water and air quality. Sandon admitted that Africa has a vast majority of poor states and regions, and blamed poverty to be the major reason and consequence of the environmental degradation.

A working paper titled, “Fatal Problems in Africa South of the Sahara,” add up HIV/AIDS as another cause to the existing environmental problems of Africa aside from poverty stating that “this disease destroys a person’s immune system causing them to be more susceptible to other fatal diseases such as tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, cancer, pneumonia, and others. Many people contract the disease from having sexual intercourse without protection causing the bodily fluids to mix. It is also caused by the sharing of dirty needles, from mother to child either from birth or through breast milk, and through transfusions of infected blood. Once infected with this disease a person is incurable and will eventually die.”

People receive the said disease because of the increased spread of poverty, a traditional family breakdown of support systems, and miners having sexual intercourse with prostitutes and then transporting the disease to their wives. Many people can not afford to take on the medical expenses and they end up suffering until their death.

The said paper suggested that this problem can be solved and that organizations in the

continent are constantly working solutions in order to control this critical problem by providing condoms, sex education to the youth, and educating people on the harmfulness’ of the disease.

More environmental problems in the continent will be critically scrutinized next issue.

Legally speaking, if we are to base our count of our Mother’s Day celebration when President Woodrow Wilson of the United States proclaimed Mother’s Day a holiday in his motherland, together with them, the world is already celebrating its ninety five years of commemorating all mothers around the world.

Nominally speaking, we are actually now on the ninety-ninth year of celebrating the said affair. It was in the person of Ana Jarvis, a Philadelphian who appealed for this celebration in time with her mother’s death anniversary. Her mother, Anna Maria Reeves Jarvis, had an inspiring life. The elder Mrs. Jarvis organized a series of “Mother’s Work Camps” in West Virginia to improve health and sanitary conditions before the civil war. During the war “she declared neutrality for her organizations and regularly aided soldiers in need on both sides of the struggle.”

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a mother /n/ is a female parent who brings up and cares for another. But a parent may be a mother or a father. Therefore, by syllogism, if we are to be more philosophical, a father may perform duties similar to a mother. As in the Lexicon, to mother is to care for or protect like a mother. Therefore, a father could be a mother as well. And at the same time, a mother could be a father too. What I am pointing out is that why do we have to celebrate two different occasions for both our parents. Why do we have to celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day separately? Why not have one day instead? Parents’ Day.

I am not negating my former statements on presenting the facts about Mother’s Day (of course I value the heroism of Mrs. Jarvis) rather I am only claiming for gender sensitivity. Bringing to the scene the concept of masculinity and femininity makes me feel a bit ill. Are there really differences between and among males and females? Between parents? A mother can be as bold as a father I bet; and a father can be as gentle like mothers. I affirm that both parents can be as flexible with each other, can be as keen as they can be to do anything even when they least expect it especially when it already concerns to whom they considered the extension of their lives, their children.

I acknowledge the celebration of Mother’s Day and of Father’s Day as well. But can’t we not just have one time to celebrate it both? Parents’ Day.

We had all been very busy the first three months this year. And I am certain that, like me, you also looked forward for a break, at least a little time to wind up with family and friends before the next semester begins.
The previous semester for me was very traumatic and exhausting like every other semester. It was as if heaven for me for the first two months of the semester because everyone was looking up to the Christmas break. Everyone’s minds weren’t still conditioned the way it was set the first two months during the first sem. Mind you, not only the students, but the teachers as well, though not all. Based from personal experience, our professors used to give us tons of paper works and thick thick books to read on and study for the exams that shall welcome us to start the year. And of course, before we hallucinate to extend the break, we cannot forever hide the very fact that in every semester there’s always a feeling of living in hell. Why? Because these teachers we have always make it a point that they make it hard for us (for our personal sake, of course). Because it’s like a curse to every student that is passed on from generations to generations. Because it had just been hectic for me the previous three months. And all I needed was a break.

By the middle week of March, I was already almost done with my academic requirements; so that by the last week, I already left for Bohol . I still could remember the feeling of joy and excitement I felt at that time – the feeling of liberty from all those brainy activities and pushing works as its due got nearer and nearer each day; the feeling of delight that at long last I shall see my family again; be with them even for at least a short while.

I had my memorable moments in Bohol for my two-week vacation there. Each day wasn’t idle for me. I attended different significant occasions such as my brother’s high school graduation, my relative’s birthday celebration, a friends’ college graduation, and another friends’ wedding ceremony. I also met my family and friends who are very dear to me – my lola, my parents and brothers, my relatives and friends.

If I were to weigh it, the hectic schedule I had during the previous months has never been incomparable to the feeling of contentment I felt over my stay in Bohol . At first, I thought I need a break from school and have some personal time. But later, I realized that all I need is some time to be in the place close to my heart and be with the people I treasure most.
It is now my second time spending holy week away from my family. And it has always been like this since last year because like last year, I will take up summer classes again. I know this two months of learning would again mean hardship for me in meeting all my academic demands but I also know deep within my heart that after this adversity is a bright hope for me: that I will once again be back in the place I always longed for, in the place where I get to share my happy and sad moments with the people I value most.

Till we meet again.