I think we are mistaken if we are celebrating or honoring a person because he or she is beautiful. I think the real honor should be to the parents because the beautiful person did not do anything to have that face.
God and his/her parents gave that face :)
Do not get me wrong. I am not against beauty contests. In a way, I ply a trade that profits from beauty, a talent agency.
My point - let's correct how we honor beauty contest winners. Let's honor their parents. It is really because of them why we see beauty in the first place :)
"... why think like mere men?"
Wednesday
on our farmers
Our farmers work hard. They just do not know any better way of farming.
It is not their fault for the people in the past, people who were given the responsibility to ensure they 'crawl' out of poverty, saw profit in the status quo. It is easier to get, and buy, votes when the people who elects you is ignorant.
Farmers work hard. Harvest their crops. Get abused when they bring their produce to markets. Do not get the highest margins possible for their hardwork. They stay poor. And then, they work even harder. They stay poorer. And then, it is easier to really get and buy their votes :)
Philippine statistics will show that, on average, a Filipino farmer only reached Grade 5 schooling. It is not because they were lazy. It is because it is not physically possible to go to school if school is so far you spend more than half of a day reaching it on foot.
In this day and age, a grade 5 schooling will bring a person how far?
Will a grade 5 schooling be enough to appreciate what the world's soil experts tell about how rich our physical soil is? Will grade 5 schooling be enough, granting they know how rich our soil, to do something about the fact that our soil is rich? Will a grade 5 schooling be enough to study and to put into use modern day farming techniques?
Will a grade 5 schooling be enough to see that our "oil" is really our soil? That our gold in not yellow but green?
Yes. Our farms need the water system. Yes, they also need the farm-to-market roads. But they also need to have a mind to appreciate, to maintain and to improve upon these various infrastructure that will be built through foreign aid.
It would not be the first time someone wrote this, "... in order for our country to flourish, to progress... the educated people will have to step into our soil and put their heads in it, too!"
What kind of farmers do Japan have? How about South Korea? Do you think they only reached Grade 5?
"... why think like mere men?"
It is not their fault for the people in the past, people who were given the responsibility to ensure they 'crawl' out of poverty, saw profit in the status quo. It is easier to get, and buy, votes when the people who elects you is ignorant.
Farmers work hard. Harvest their crops. Get abused when they bring their produce to markets. Do not get the highest margins possible for their hardwork. They stay poor. And then, they work even harder. They stay poorer. And then, it is easier to really get and buy their votes :)
Philippine statistics will show that, on average, a Filipino farmer only reached Grade 5 schooling. It is not because they were lazy. It is because it is not physically possible to go to school if school is so far you spend more than half of a day reaching it on foot.
In this day and age, a grade 5 schooling will bring a person how far?
Will a grade 5 schooling be enough to appreciate what the world's soil experts tell about how rich our physical soil is? Will grade 5 schooling be enough, granting they know how rich our soil, to do something about the fact that our soil is rich? Will a grade 5 schooling be enough to study and to put into use modern day farming techniques?
Will a grade 5 schooling be enough to see that our "oil" is really our soil? That our gold in not yellow but green?
Yes. Our farms need the water system. Yes, they also need the farm-to-market roads. But they also need to have a mind to appreciate, to maintain and to improve upon these various infrastructure that will be built through foreign aid.
It would not be the first time someone wrote this, "... in order for our country to flourish, to progress... the educated people will have to step into our soil and put their heads in it, too!"
What kind of farmers do Japan have? How about South Korea? Do you think they only reached Grade 5?
"... why think like mere men?"
Tuesday
a legacy that is Pacquiao
To some, it could have been Eugene Torre. To some, it is Lea Salonga and the whole cast of Miss Saigon. To some it is, and currently, Charice Pempengco. Two generations before, it could have been Gino Padilla and Lilet :) And to others, it might be even be Efren "Bata" Reyes or Brendan "The Truth" Vera or Batista.
To me, it is Manny Pacquiao.
He accelerated, solidified, intensified the sputtering and stammering walk towards being proud to be a Filipino and to wear that pride on my sleeves.
I respect him for his work on the ring and the quality of work he puts in to be on the ring :)
He re-acquianted to me the fruit of hardwork and the gift of having no choice but through :)
"... why think like mere men?"
To me, it is Manny Pacquiao.
He accelerated, solidified, intensified the sputtering and stammering walk towards being proud to be a Filipino and to wear that pride on my sleeves.
I respect him for his work on the ring and the quality of work he puts in to be on the ring :)
He re-acquianted to me the fruit of hardwork and the gift of having no choice but through :)
"... why think like mere men?"
Monday
the un-learned ondoy lesson
Eighty percent (80%) of the residents of Provident Village came back to their houses and still lives there after all that televised destruction last September 2009.
Who can blame them if that's the only place they call home.
So, as we enter the season of Signal 4 typhoons, my prayers go out to the families receiving the Juan's fury up there in the north and to the brave souls who returned to their homes in Provident Village.
Though they made some adjustments by building a 3rd and a 4th floors, I hope it is high enough because the Marikina River is getting shallower every year and the water will always spill over when the heavy rain comes.
Any engineering mind could see that happening. But I think it is not an engineering thing anymore but of political will. Of good governance. Of pakikikapwa-tao...
Well, this another manifestation of how come we have over 10 million OFWs. The government is overwhelmed with problems because the government of the past did not govern. And we are playing catch-up. The government's good side is neck-deep with work as the government's dark side is waiting to put the blame so that they can have a short-term measure approved and for money to roll in.
As long as the good is in neck-deep, the Filipino citizens will be left to themselves to solve the problems. They will fly way, be an OFW and send money. Or they will build 3rd floors and 4th floors. Both are temporary solution until good governance is restored.
Where is the generation that will sacrifice their young lives so that the next generation will have it better?
When will we see that it is both a burden and a privilege so that when the future generation of Filipino ask why they have it better now than the past, they will see that those who were in the past were awake and was thinking of them even if they knew they will never hear the praise and feel the gratitude...
Lord, I pray...
"... why think like mere men?"
Who can blame them if that's the only place they call home.
So, as we enter the season of Signal 4 typhoons, my prayers go out to the families receiving the Juan's fury up there in the north and to the brave souls who returned to their homes in Provident Village.
Though they made some adjustments by building a 3rd and a 4th floors, I hope it is high enough because the Marikina River is getting shallower every year and the water will always spill over when the heavy rain comes.
Any engineering mind could see that happening. But I think it is not an engineering thing anymore but of political will. Of good governance. Of pakikikapwa-tao...
Well, this another manifestation of how come we have over 10 million OFWs. The government is overwhelmed with problems because the government of the past did not govern. And we are playing catch-up. The government's good side is neck-deep with work as the government's dark side is waiting to put the blame so that they can have a short-term measure approved and for money to roll in.
As long as the good is in neck-deep, the Filipino citizens will be left to themselves to solve the problems. They will fly way, be an OFW and send money. Or they will build 3rd floors and 4th floors. Both are temporary solution until good governance is restored.
Where is the generation that will sacrifice their young lives so that the next generation will have it better?
When will we see that it is both a burden and a privilege so that when the future generation of Filipino ask why they have it better now than the past, they will see that those who were in the past were awake and was thinking of them even if they knew they will never hear the praise and feel the gratitude...
Lord, I pray...
"... why think like mere men?"
Sunday
Friday
Could we afford to have another America?
Serious.
Could the world afford to have another America?
How much of the earth, the part that we mined and the part that we, well, destroyed, was necessary to produce a country like United States of America?
And if the idea and path of modern economics leads to becoming a USA-clone, will there still be an earth, a physical earth, that will house and support the lives of our children?
And I am not suggesting that we all be poor and live on one meal a day. But is it really necessary to have everyone be like America? Enjoy an American salary? Live an American lifestyle?
How much will it cost the current human race and the soon to be born human race to enable this dream? This wanting?
"... why think like mere men?"
Could the world afford to have another America?
How much of the earth, the part that we mined and the part that we, well, destroyed, was necessary to produce a country like United States of America?
And if the idea and path of modern economics leads to becoming a USA-clone, will there still be an earth, a physical earth, that will house and support the lives of our children?
And I am not suggesting that we all be poor and live on one meal a day. But is it really necessary to have everyone be like America? Enjoy an American salary? Live an American lifestyle?
How much will it cost the current human race and the soon to be born human race to enable this dream? This wanting?
"... why think like mere men?"
Wednesday
Friday
un-TV
Not that we can't afford a new flat screen TV but my wife, Beb, and I decided that for the first few months of our married life, TV is out.
The thinking goes, and we both agreed unanimously, time spent not glued in front of the TV is time spent much much better for newlyweds like us.
And after four weeks, I cannot agree even more.
:-)
I love my wife more today than yesterday and definitely much more tomorrow :)
"... why think like mere men?"
The thinking goes, and we both agreed unanimously, time spent not glued in front of the TV is time spent much much better for newlyweds like us.
And after four weeks, I cannot agree even more.
:-)
I love my wife more today than yesterday and definitely much more tomorrow :)
"... why think like mere men?"
Wednesday
jeepney love
Traffic is bad if one takes a daily commute of at least an hour to travel, one way, 8 kilometers. I can jog 8 kilometers in less than an hour but I'll arrive sweating in the office :)
According to LTO's statistics of 2008, registered jeepneys across the Philippines number around 202,285. And if we include the tricycle drivers, the number expands to over 800,000. That does not include the sidecar drivers and the "walang prangkisa drivers" :)
That digit represents close to 3% of the employed Filipinos. What makes this situation simply not an engineering problem is that any move to make our transportation system in Metro Manila more efficient will result to unemployment to one of the least flexible part of our Filipino workforce. Suddenly, the mathematical models of quants won't be enough. Political savvy is needed :)
And further aggravating the situation is the fact that if we do not improve this situation, our air in the metro will get worse. And the number one victim of bad air are the growing children. And the majority of these growing children are the very children of our hardworking jeepney drivers. And if we get into the effects of carbon monoxide, jeepneys' exhaust, to a child's brain development, this blog entry will start to feel like Crime and Punishment :)
But why do we have jeepneys in the first place? And why are they only abundant in the Philippines?
After some alpha-numeric entries in Google, I came to understand that jeepneys were the American way of rebuilding the obliterated transportation system of the Philippines after World War 2. It was suppose to be a short term fix to get the country, literally and figuratively, moving. And of course, it was also a "brilliant" and low-barrier American solution to give employment to a war-torn Philippines.
I mean, why would the Americans build American transportation systems in the Philippines that will amount to millions of dollars in 1940s money, when they can cheaply sell to the Filipinos scrap US Army Jeepney and let the Filipino transform it to public utility vehicles that can run in World War 2 torn roads? It does not make American economic sense :)
My curiosity was stirred as to whose idea was it to declare the Philippines as an independent nation roughly less than a year remove from World War 2. Historians describe the state of the Philippines after the war as the second most devastated country. Next only to Germany. And we were an independent nation after how many months? Who is suppose to pay for all the destruction that my country suffered? But that curiosity is a subject of another blog entry :)
Now, back to jeepney love :)
Apparently, it is because of this "cheaply-sell-scrap-jeepney-to-Filipinos-and-let-them-transform-it-to-a-public-utility-vehicles" solution's easy implementation characteristics and the immediate money that came to the Filipino driver's hand proves to be the culprit of our "1-hour commute for a 8-kilometer distance" situation of today. Money came in easy. I mean, this was in the 40s and the 50s, with few drivers plying the routes, and economic activity being coaxed, money will come easy. But because of these easy money, the thinkers, the politicians and the leaders forgot that the jeepney, a Philippine cultural icon, was simply a short-term fix. They forgot that they should be building a better transportation system.
So now, we are here.
I have a feeling that if we do not realize that the jeepneys were simply and fundamentally a short term fix, the children of our noble and hardworking jeepney drivers will continue with their highly disadvantaged beginnings and suffer. What does it take before we even consider that making jeepneys run on LPG is not enough?
Where are the leaders that's suppose to solve this problem? Where are youth that will have to sacrifice in order for the next next generation will have a better chance? And what can I do to help? To contribute?
"... why think like mere men?"
According to LTO's statistics of 2008, registered jeepneys across the Philippines number around 202,285. And if we include the tricycle drivers, the number expands to over 800,000. That does not include the sidecar drivers and the "walang prangkisa drivers" :)
That digit represents close to 3% of the employed Filipinos. What makes this situation simply not an engineering problem is that any move to make our transportation system in Metro Manila more efficient will result to unemployment to one of the least flexible part of our Filipino workforce. Suddenly, the mathematical models of quants won't be enough. Political savvy is needed :)
And further aggravating the situation is the fact that if we do not improve this situation, our air in the metro will get worse. And the number one victim of bad air are the growing children. And the majority of these growing children are the very children of our hardworking jeepney drivers. And if we get into the effects of carbon monoxide, jeepneys' exhaust, to a child's brain development, this blog entry will start to feel like Crime and Punishment :)
But why do we have jeepneys in the first place? And why are they only abundant in the Philippines?
After some alpha-numeric entries in Google, I came to understand that jeepneys were the American way of rebuilding the obliterated transportation system of the Philippines after World War 2. It was suppose to be a short term fix to get the country, literally and figuratively, moving. And of course, it was also a "brilliant" and low-barrier American solution to give employment to a war-torn Philippines.
I mean, why would the Americans build American transportation systems in the Philippines that will amount to millions of dollars in 1940s money, when they can cheaply sell to the Filipinos scrap US Army Jeepney and let the Filipino transform it to public utility vehicles that can run in World War 2 torn roads? It does not make American economic sense :)
My curiosity was stirred as to whose idea was it to declare the Philippines as an independent nation roughly less than a year remove from World War 2. Historians describe the state of the Philippines after the war as the second most devastated country. Next only to Germany. And we were an independent nation after how many months? Who is suppose to pay for all the destruction that my country suffered? But that curiosity is a subject of another blog entry :)
Now, back to jeepney love :)
Apparently, it is because of this "cheaply-sell-scrap-jeepney-to-Filipinos-and-let-them-transform-it-to-a-public-utility-vehicles" solution's easy implementation characteristics and the immediate money that came to the Filipino driver's hand proves to be the culprit of our "1-hour commute for a 8-kilometer distance" situation of today. Money came in easy. I mean, this was in the 40s and the 50s, with few drivers plying the routes, and economic activity being coaxed, money will come easy. But because of these easy money, the thinkers, the politicians and the leaders forgot that the jeepney, a Philippine cultural icon, was simply a short-term fix. They forgot that they should be building a better transportation system.
So now, we are here.
I have a feeling that if we do not realize that the jeepneys were simply and fundamentally a short term fix, the children of our noble and hardworking jeepney drivers will continue with their highly disadvantaged beginnings and suffer. What does it take before we even consider that making jeepneys run on LPG is not enough?
Where are the leaders that's suppose to solve this problem? Where are youth that will have to sacrifice in order for the next next generation will have a better chance? And what can I do to help? To contribute?
"... why think like mere men?"
Monday
live curious
As I was walking from SM-Makati to my cozy office along V.A. Rufino, I was taken by this awareness campaign by the venerable National Geographic in Greenbelt 3.
Live curious. Ask-holic. Funny :)
I enjoy watching National Geographic. And time passes by also as I tune in to History Channel and to Bio, too. I love those cable channels. I guess it is because of this habit that my limited window of the world has now become two limited windows :)
And as I walk away from the showcase, my mind started to wander to a National Geographic presentation of life forms surviving, living and thriving in extremes environment like that plant under the sea or that crustacean that lives near and on the small volcanoes. National Geographic has done a splendid job in showing the beauty and the resiliency of the species. And because of this magnificent job they did, we are fascinated by them.
I wonder.
How come they never do the same take on how the poor lives? That instead of focusing on sadness, on sorrow and on ugliness of poverty, they focus on the poor's resiliency?
I am not suggesting that we celebrate poverty. Or we treat human beings as crustaceans. No. Just tell a story about resiliency. Maybe if we see that presentation of National Geographic, we manage to see the poor not only as a statistic but a very resilient people with a face and with a dream.
Or maybe I am just hungry. Time to munch on that takeout sandwich :)
"... why think like mere men?"
Live curious. Ask-holic. Funny :)
I enjoy watching National Geographic. And time passes by also as I tune in to History Channel and to Bio, too. I love those cable channels. I guess it is because of this habit that my limited window of the world has now become two limited windows :)
And as I walk away from the showcase, my mind started to wander to a National Geographic presentation of life forms surviving, living and thriving in extremes environment like that plant under the sea or that crustacean that lives near and on the small volcanoes. National Geographic has done a splendid job in showing the beauty and the resiliency of the species. And because of this magnificent job they did, we are fascinated by them.
I wonder.
How come they never do the same take on how the poor lives? That instead of focusing on sadness, on sorrow and on ugliness of poverty, they focus on the poor's resiliency?
I am not suggesting that we celebrate poverty. Or we treat human beings as crustaceans. No. Just tell a story about resiliency. Maybe if we see that presentation of National Geographic, we manage to see the poor not only as a statistic but a very resilient people with a face and with a dream.
Or maybe I am just hungry. Time to munch on that takeout sandwich :)
"... why think like mere men?"
Mapua student ver 2.0 (This one is for the new Engineering Management students of Mapua.)
First things first.
You are where you are right now because of your thoughts. And those thoughts made you decide that led to an action that led to consequences that led you where you are right now. A now that could be seen as an end or the freshest start ever.
You see, and here is the truth of the matter - when we hit rock bottom, there is no place but up :)
The thing is, would you believe what I just told you or would you rather believe your brain and how you see things that led you where you are right now :) Confused? :)
Be still.
This could be THE moment that changes everything :)
If there is one thing I have realized for the past years I have been walking earth, life has its way of nudging you. Of leading you where you are suppose to be. It is not a coincidence that you are reading this right now. Wink ;)
An end is simply a new beginning.
So, life somehow threw you a Pacquiao left cross. You must be in dreamland right now. Did you see how Ricky Hatton fell like a log? :)
Well, maybe you are not suppose to be a boxer? Maybe you are not suppose to be a trying hard Electrical Engineer? Or a wannabe Mechanical Engineer? Or a fleeting by Industrial Engineer? Or an "angry with myself" Chemical Engineer?
Maybe, you are suppose to be this legendary management thinker who will tell the next generation of companies how to behave as they face the challenges of Earth 2050?
Why do I say that for nobody knows what will be the challenges in 2050? The experts guess are as good as yours or mine :)
Here's the thing and this I know for sure, the one thing, the one skill that is necessary in the future is the ability to rise up and blaze a new trail. You see, the problems that Earth 2050 will face is brought about by the current thinking. By the current assumed truths that was taught to you.
Apparently, the truth that was discussed to you does not reverberate with your soul :) You find it disconnected. A "What is this for?" moment.
Have you ever wondered why you are this way? And I am assuming that most people had probably told you that you are a very challenged student. Well, that's true. But here's another truth. Maybe you were suppose to learn a different lesson :)
Be still. Listen. Answer this - what's was the REAL lesson for you?
And why do you think, life is teaching you this lesson as early as now? And more importantly - why you?
Engineering Management students are not castoffs nor second class engineers, as most limited thinkers would suggest. And we are cool with the fact that they do not get it :) We are not castoffs. We are simply a different type of engineers. A different breed :)
And I personally welcome you!
:)
"... why think like mere men?"
You are where you are right now because of your thoughts. And those thoughts made you decide that led to an action that led to consequences that led you where you are right now. A now that could be seen as an end or the freshest start ever.
You see, and here is the truth of the matter - when we hit rock bottom, there is no place but up :)
The thing is, would you believe what I just told you or would you rather believe your brain and how you see things that led you where you are right now :) Confused? :)
Be still.
This could be THE moment that changes everything :)
If there is one thing I have realized for the past years I have been walking earth, life has its way of nudging you. Of leading you where you are suppose to be. It is not a coincidence that you are reading this right now. Wink ;)
An end is simply a new beginning.
So, life somehow threw you a Pacquiao left cross. You must be in dreamland right now. Did you see how Ricky Hatton fell like a log? :)
Well, maybe you are not suppose to be a boxer? Maybe you are not suppose to be a trying hard Electrical Engineer? Or a wannabe Mechanical Engineer? Or a fleeting by Industrial Engineer? Or an "angry with myself" Chemical Engineer?
Maybe, you are suppose to be this legendary management thinker who will tell the next generation of companies how to behave as they face the challenges of Earth 2050?
Why do I say that for nobody knows what will be the challenges in 2050? The experts guess are as good as yours or mine :)
Here's the thing and this I know for sure, the one thing, the one skill that is necessary in the future is the ability to rise up and blaze a new trail. You see, the problems that Earth 2050 will face is brought about by the current thinking. By the current assumed truths that was taught to you.
Apparently, the truth that was discussed to you does not reverberate with your soul :) You find it disconnected. A "What is this for?" moment.
Have you ever wondered why you are this way? And I am assuming that most people had probably told you that you are a very challenged student. Well, that's true. But here's another truth. Maybe you were suppose to learn a different lesson :)
Be still. Listen. Answer this - what's was the REAL lesson for you?
And why do you think, life is teaching you this lesson as early as now? And more importantly - why you?
Engineering Management students are not castoffs nor second class engineers, as most limited thinkers would suggest. And we are cool with the fact that they do not get it :) We are not castoffs. We are simply a different type of engineers. A different breed :)
And I personally welcome you!
:)
"... why think like mere men?"
Sunday
2 types of people 1.0
Would you rather be someone who endures what he does or the one who enjoys what he does? And by enjoying what he does we do not mean someone paid you to enjoy the job :)
"... why think like mere men?"
"... why think like mere men?"
Saturday
overheard
"It is not that the future man should be more technological. But for technology to be more human..."
:)
"... why think like mere men?"
:)
"... why think like mere men?"
doctorate's first step :)
I will. Soon :)
But the one thing I can say for sure even though I still have to take the first step towards earning a doctorate is this: An undergraduate student in order to pass, must have the answers. While a graduate student needs less of the answers and more of the questions :)
To contribute to the body of knowledge of the human race, answers are needed. But we do not get into new answers and new knowledge if we did not ask questions that were never asked before :)
So, what shall be my question? What will be Elisier's question?
Would it be about learning? How poverty's benefits? Because a person that rose out of poverty is in a sense the most efficient dynamic system because it managed to rise up using the littlest of resources? How about passions? Because passions are the key, the window and the door for leveling up?
Or how about the humility of not knowing because that's the first step to knowing? :)
"... why think like mere men!"
But the one thing I can say for sure even though I still have to take the first step towards earning a doctorate is this: An undergraduate student in order to pass, must have the answers. While a graduate student needs less of the answers and more of the questions :)
To contribute to the body of knowledge of the human race, answers are needed. But we do not get into new answers and new knowledge if we did not ask questions that were never asked before :)
So, what shall be my question? What will be Elisier's question?
Would it be about learning? How poverty's benefits? Because a person that rose out of poverty is in a sense the most efficient dynamic system because it managed to rise up using the littlest of resources? How about passions? Because passions are the key, the window and the door for leveling up?
Or how about the humility of not knowing because that's the first step to knowing? :)
"... why think like mere men!"
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