Heavy Dreams

        On December 14, 2012 at exactly 11:22 in the  morning, I came out from school and decided to Visit Sto. Nino Church (Cebu). On my way to the Church, I have noticed this old lady in front of me carrying five sacks of charcoal using her head. With tattered blouse and dirty skin the old lady walked like no one wanted to help her. As I saw her I felt pity for her because at her age she is still hardly working. At that time I really wanted to help her but I don't know this damn thing about myself that made me not to help her. I know its a coward act of mine but I think I can help her  in other ways. I managed to follow and took a stolen shot of her using the camera on my phone. I decided to put her on  my blog and did a story about her but my only problem is that how can I make a story if I don't even know her story. Maybe if I will be given a chance to see her again, I will really grab that opportunity to know and interview her. Since I can't really help her yet I just then included her in my prayers to Senior Sto. Nino de Cebu.

     

The Forgotten Deed

As I opened my eyes I witness the sun. It lightened me up and made me wonder. Why I am here and what is this place. Only a green grass land is in here. Is there’s anyone here, I shouted as loud as I can but only my resonance answered me back. I walked for a distance to observe the place until I found myself facing in front of a tree. It was so huge and wonderful to see and when I tend to touch it, its leaves started to fall apart. I was shocked, for it began to turn into ash. The green grass land turns into black and the sun was already covered up by a dim dark cloud. I decided to run and try to find a safe place but there are no changes and there is no place to hide. The cloud goes nearer and nearer to me like a pollution that infesting my sight. From the stillness that I sense, a sound of a bell shatters this unworthy madness. I just then realized that I was alone in a room left by others and slept for a moment again.

         

          Time is up for the lazy little thing. I need to go and fix myself for I have to meet a monster on the next room. Yes it is, again and again his words are invulnerable his listeners are despicable. Access denied my ears are already full but my brain is still empty yet imaginative. It was so boring and I don’t like the class. Waiting for an hour was crucial, solving for that, solving for this, when is the time I learned this things? That’s a big question I always wanted to answer with.

            At last the waiting time is over, it’s time for me to move and have some fun. I walked throughout the campus with a smile of innocence. Eyes are bloomed nose are doomed. Alright this is it; this is the place that I’ve been looking for. Tables are there, friends are present the main course is a must and it’s time to be flooded with a liquid that was said to be holy. Indeed it was holy because all of my lies become truth. I say anything and my secrets were told. It’s okay, it’s alright the happiness is still there and the emptiness I feel was gone for a moment.

            I went home at night, standing straight to our door with my polo buttoned in the holes of nowhere. I was surprised for I was waited by my angelic mom. Where did you go and why are you late, those questions are somewhat stated to me all over again. My ears are muted and my sight is bleared I don’t want to talk anymore but she let me burst and introduced me to a speech. I yell at her and I let her to be known that she was a good mother. Amen. Halleluiah praise the Lord she stopped and I stopped. I went upstairs seeing my father’s tears I looked on him and feel pity for him. In his case I knew that he can’t move he is always sitting on his throne with scattered bottles of empty remedy.

I want to stay calm but my heart beats so badly. I looked at myself on the mirror and saw the evolution of me. I knew that it was not me anymore and I always did something wrong for sure. I smiled and hooted, not knowing that my tears began to fall down into my frame of memory. What have I done? I asked myself. Thousand of questions filled my head. I can’t take this anymore. So many dos and don’ts but all I did are don’ts. What’s wrong with me? Why am I doing this and why is it hard to feel this way? I kept on asking myself but I find it with no answers. 

 I decided to lie down on my bed and started to feel the numbness of my body. I fell asleep and dreamed that dream again. I was back on that green grass land with no one to talk and with no one to lend. I walked again for a distance and saw this huge tree all over again I tend to touch it but surprisingly the leaves didn’t fall on the ground.  There’s nothing changes and there’s no need for me to run once more. But I was amazed to what I saw, for there was a man covered with glittering light, calling my name and appeared to brighten me up. I follow him and I entered to his light and there I realized that I was not breathing anymore.

PAROUSIA

Rejoice full of choice
Make me believe in
And again you come
Teach us to regain

Words of yours touch us
Fraud silence relieves
Spinning lights of dark
 Blindfolded no more

Long naked past
Forgive us retreat
Long live we repent
Journey with no end

https://www.facebook.com/groups/192297000907325/

Summative report of the 2011 RSF and CPS surveys

            The life of a journalist is not a simple task. It holds a big responsibility and duty to send us information and became a knowledgeable one. Journalists tend to risk their lives to gather news and offer themselves in the service of their own nation. And every year journalist all over the world encountered great danger where most of them were killed for establishing factual information to the people.

            In the latest report of the Reporters Without Boarders for Press Freedom there were 59 journalists killed, 3 media assistant killed, 169 journalist imprisoned, 9 media assistant imprisoned, and 123 netizens imprisoned. It was also noted that the number of journalist killed includes only cases in which the Reporters Without Borders has clearly established that the victims were killed because of his/her activities as a journalist. A brief detail about the recent number of journalist killed was also shown in their report. It includes countries like Pakistan where 9 journalists died, Iraq with 7, Yemen with 6, Libya and Mexico with 5, Somalia, Honduras, and Peru with 3, Brazil, Egypt, India, and Philippines with 2 while only one killed in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Sierra Leone, Thailand, and Tunisia.

            On the other hand, according to the report of Committee to Protect Journalists there were 5 media workers reportedly killed,  41 journalists killed with motive confirmed and 33 journalists killed with motive unconfirmed this year. In their latest statistical analysis beats covered by victims has 7% from business, 17% covers corruption, 22% covers crime, 10% for culture and human rights, 56% covers politics, and 22% from war. Statistics also shows that most of the journalists killed are camera operator with the highest percentage of 22% while the least job is the publisher with 10%. Most of the journalists killed are males with 98% and females with only 2%. Suspected source of fire in murder cases includes criminal group with 29%, 18% from government officials, 6% from paramilitary group, 12% from political group, and 35% unknown. The type of death which journalists experienced was through murder with 41% which is the highest, 39% through dangerous assignment, and 20% through cross fire. Most of the murder victims are taken captive, threatened, and tortured.

            The CPJ also have a report regarding to the deadliest countries in the world. Their latest rankings are as follows:

1. Pakistan: 7                              10.  Philippines: 2                         19.  Peru: 1
2. Iraq: 5                                     11.  Nigeria: 1
3. Libya: 5                                   12.  Somalia: 1
4. Mexico: 3                                 13.  Thailand: 1
5. Bahrain: 2                                14.  Dominican Republic: 1
6. Afghanistan: 2                         15.  Vietnam: 1
7. Egypt: 2                                   16.  Ivory Coast: 1
8. Yemen: 2                                  17.  Syria: 1
9. Brazil: 2                                     18.  Tunisia: 1

            As what I have observed the most dangerous country and has the highest number of journalist killed this year is from Pakistan. It remains to its spot as first place from 2010 survey. While from the 2009 survey the Philippines created a record of 33 journalists killed due to the Maguindanao massacre. From being at the first spot it gradually descended at the tenth spot with only 2 journalists killed.

            It seems that every year there are new sets of journalist killed from all over the world. It was just really happened that danger is part of their lives. I am just hoping that the world and the people will change and aim for good to stop these killings.

Test 2 (covering priest)

            In religion the priest and other religious leaders are considered to be holy. They are holy in a sense that they offer themselves to serve and spread the word of God. However, if these religious leaders committed a sin or involved in such accusation which is against the law then they have to face it and never be afraid if ever their names were published by media.

            The church has the point of saying that media should not immediately named a suspected priest on the basis of mere allegations. We have to consider also that they have their rights and they have to protect their names, but the media is also right for saying that the priest should be treated like an ordinary suspect. Priests are considered holy but still they are ordinary people. Being holy or a leader doesn’t mean that they are always excused in such allegations and always need to be respected.

             I know that for priest, their only investment is their good name, but in the essence of giving truthful information it is the right of the media to establish their names in a proper process.

             Both entities have their own reasons and point of view regarding to this issue but as long as the media follows the proper way of naming a priest as a suspect then the church has nothing to worry of.