After the mindset altering trip to Tokyo and Osaka last week, I was welcomed with the Finals week in my university.
I hit Monday running for all my final examinations were scheduled last Tuesday. Well, what better time to put into practice what I've observed in the land of the rising sun - move. Now.
After the rush last Tuesday, I am now on the final legs of computing grades. I facilitated learning for 5 classes and I am done with grade computation for 4 of them.
And then, the advocate came. Texted.
To the students who use brokers/agents to turn failing grades to passing grades, let me be clear on this, do not even try. It will not work. Not because I do not respect the advocates you use but because your future is more important than the relationship I have with your advocate.
And let me clear about this too, because I do not know what your advocate told you on what transpired between your advocate and me, so I will tell you here. You deserve to know the truth.
Your advocate texted me last night if I can lower my passing grade to suit you because you apparently failed two courses already and you might be kicked out of the university.
To that I replied, "...then maybe, this student needs to have this experience this early in this person's life. A situation where a rethinking on how this person is handling life. This is important to any human being. The student was given all the chances. I returned all the quizzes on time. The students knew where they stood in my class every time. (Your advocate's name), you have my respects."
That was the conversation I had with your advocate. If your advocate told anything less or more, then your advocate lies to you.
That's the problem with using advocates, not unless someone tells you, you really do not know what really transpired :)
Dear Student, have you truly given up on life that you truly accept that you will always need other people to do the significant life battles for you?
Will you be forever dependent on other people? Do you like to be in this situation? Forever? Do you enjoy being a 'slave' to the whims of your advocate?
If you're using money now to buy, not earn, your diploma, save it. The Mapua diploma does not mean anything without self-respect. Without the truth that you earned it.
How will you compete, in the future, with the Japanese, Indians, Chinese, Taiwanese, Koreans, Singaporeans, Thais, Malaysians, Indonesians, Mongolians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans and Vietnamese who earned their diploma when you know in your heart of hearts that yours is actually fake?
How can you compete with that?
My dear student, use this time to think. To pause. To reflect. Your life is still ahead of you. And even if you're in this situation, know that your future is still bright. Do not fall into temptation that you need to barter, exchange or even throw away your self-respect for a fake passing grade.
Believe me, your future is still bright. And it is brighter if you have your self-respect intact.
"Why think like mere men?"
Friday
Monday
a reflection on Tokyo and Osaka
Same time last week, I sat at the conference room of Asian Productivity Office (APO) in Tokyo. I was one of the two who were chosen by APO to represent the Philippines as a learner on a soon-to-be-called ISO 14051. Currently, ISO 14051 resides in a name called Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA) in academic journals and research papers.
I listened to what the experts said. But above all, I watched and observed.
I was in Tokyo and Osaka for six (6) nights and seven (7) days. Half of the time I was seated in a conference room. The other half, I was riding. It was a choice among a chartered bus, an express train or a bullet train. All of these mode of transportation comes and leaves on time. Every time. When the ticket says the train arrives at 13:46, it arrives at 13:46. Not a minute early. Not a minute late.
Just in time.
Though it can be intellectually appreciated how nice if things are like that here in the Philippines, one has to see and be immersed in an environment to see the power of what happens when things are on time.
I wonder how did they do this. Was it because they made good use of the Marshall Plan after World War II? Or was it the spirit behind the surrender of Japan at the end of WW II of not seeing it as an end of Japan but a beginning of a new Japan?
It is easy to compare our infrastructure with theirs. And, I think, it is perfectly understandable to feel a bit bad about the state of our public infrastructure when one experiences theirs.
Ours is so bad that if theirs is a masterpiece, ours will be a blank canvas.
And that for me is good! For now we can use theirs as an inspiration to draw ours :)
Regarding MFCA, my mind is still a buzz. Excited. Swirling. I need more time to express that one :)
I listened to what the experts said. But above all, I watched and observed.
I was in Tokyo and Osaka for six (6) nights and seven (7) days. Half of the time I was seated in a conference room. The other half, I was riding. It was a choice among a chartered bus, an express train or a bullet train. All of these mode of transportation comes and leaves on time. Every time. When the ticket says the train arrives at 13:46, it arrives at 13:46. Not a minute early. Not a minute late.
Just in time.
Though it can be intellectually appreciated how nice if things are like that here in the Philippines, one has to see and be immersed in an environment to see the power of what happens when things are on time.
I wonder how did they do this. Was it because they made good use of the Marshall Plan after World War II? Or was it the spirit behind the surrender of Japan at the end of WW II of not seeing it as an end of Japan but a beginning of a new Japan?
It is easy to compare our infrastructure with theirs. And, I think, it is perfectly understandable to feel a bit bad about the state of our public infrastructure when one experiences theirs.
Ours is so bad that if theirs is a masterpiece, ours will be a blank canvas.
And that for me is good! For now we can use theirs as an inspiration to draw ours :)
Regarding MFCA, my mind is still a buzz. Excited. Swirling. I need more time to express that one :)
"... why think like mere men?"
Friday
the end that also begins
The workshop has ended. The presentation prepared and delivered. The examination taken and passed. The certificates given and received. It is the end.
And a new day begins.
I sat in the conference rooms. I listened to the Japanese-English of a number of sensei. I wrote notes. I dictated in recorder. I took photos. I walked. I observed. I embraced. I allow myself to be immersed. Changed. Be better.
But most all, I rode. Buses and trains that always come on time. Every time.
If there's one clear take-way, a nugget of wisdom that's implemented in my heart. It is this - move. Do. And then, reflect. Then, do. Move. Reflect. Japan made sure that they move efficiently, precisely and on-time.
Japan is the only place where a pedestrian crossing is considered a tourist attraction. And that says a lot. They move. They keep on moving. Improving. Until perfection happens. But they know it will not happen. But still, they move. They improve.
Lord, thank You for letting me understand, "The faith that moves forward is rewarded!"
Coming here to temporarily live with the constantly moving and astonishing Japanese people, You prepared me. First, on faith. And now, for the past days - the importance of moving forward.
I am humbled, Lord. Thankful. Grateful. Tearfully joyful. You are great!
I pray for safe journey towards my home, the Philippines. To the arms of my beautiful and waiting wife, Beb.
Thank You for keeping us safe.
I lift up to You what it is that You have given me. Pangunahan Ninyo po ako. Make my footsteps firm. The world is so big. I am so small. But I have You! :)
"... why think like mere men!"
And a new day begins.
I sat in the conference rooms. I listened to the Japanese-English of a number of sensei. I wrote notes. I dictated in recorder. I took photos. I walked. I observed. I embraced. I allow myself to be immersed. Changed. Be better.
But most all, I rode. Buses and trains that always come on time. Every time.
If there's one clear take-way, a nugget of wisdom that's implemented in my heart. It is this - move. Do. And then, reflect. Then, do. Move. Reflect. Japan made sure that they move efficiently, precisely and on-time.
Japan is the only place where a pedestrian crossing is considered a tourist attraction. And that says a lot. They move. They keep on moving. Improving. Until perfection happens. But they know it will not happen. But still, they move. They improve.
Lord, thank You for letting me understand, "The faith that moves forward is rewarded!"
Coming here to temporarily live with the constantly moving and astonishing Japanese people, You prepared me. First, on faith. And now, for the past days - the importance of moving forward.
I am humbled, Lord. Thankful. Grateful. Tearfully joyful. You are great!
I pray for safe journey towards my home, the Philippines. To the arms of my beautiful and waiting wife, Beb.
Thank You for keeping us safe.
I lift up to You what it is that You have given me. Pangunahan Ninyo po ako. Make my footsteps firm. The world is so big. I am so small. But I have You! :)
"... why think like mere men!"
Monday
Sunday
the old man at the airport
I landed today in the country of the Rising Sun. I got my Japanese welcome when the plane arrived 30 minutes early :)
Our host sent us a notice that somebody will meet us at the airport to help us get into the train from Narita to Shibuya, Tokyo. I did not get his name. Aside from the broken English he had, he was a reminder, a switch, a jolt or a mentally shift that I am in Japan already.
You see, from where I come from, you bring everything with you. You don't leave your things. Most specially to strangers. But from the expression of his face, he looked offended when I initially decline his offer to leave my bags with him as I change my dollars to local currency. He insisted. That's when I knew that I was simply carrying a way of thinking, I thought was universally natural, in response to what is not right.
Our host sent us a notice that somebody will meet us at the airport to help us get into the train from Narita to Shibuya, Tokyo. I did not get his name. Aside from the broken English he had, he was a reminder, a switch, a jolt or a mentally shift that I am in Japan already.
You see, from where I come from, you bring everything with you. You don't leave your things. Most specially to strangers. But from the expression of his face, he looked offended when I initially decline his offer to leave my bags with him as I change my dollars to local currency. He insisted. That's when I knew that I was simply carrying a way of thinking, I thought was universally natural, in response to what is not right.
"... why think like mere men?"
Friday
hinilawuod
My roots are from Iloilo. Miag-ao, Indag-an to be exact. The typical Ilonggo speaks a dialect called Hilagay-non which is is commonly called now, by the Tagalog, as Ilonggo. But my forefathers speak something else, a sub-dialect of this Hilagay-non. It is called Kiniray-a.
Growing up, I've heard Nanay, Tatay, Lula and my Manangs speak this language at home. So it was a bit unnerving when I heard this language spoken at the start of a theatrical play at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. A play based on, what others may consider as, the longest epic of the world - Hinilawuod.
To put this into context. The Bible has around 22,000 lines. The great Greek tragedy of Odyssey has around 15,000 lines. Hinilawuod has something close 28,000 lines. And the reason this is only entering our consciousness now is because this epic is only sung until recently. Which suggests that our forefathers can sing from memory 28,000 lines of lyrics.
And 'they' had the audacity to call us 'indios'. Colonial Spain's pride and vanity has made their wisdom dull. Funny :)
We really need to think this one out. The limitations of colonialism were reached when the world ushered in democracy and its sister named capitalism. Now, we are at a time when we are now reaching the limits of capitalism and we, as a race, is still struggling to unshackle the yoke of colonialism.
Maybe, as we move forward, it is of worth to look back on who we are as a race before the colonials came.
As I sat their, watching and listening, the play made me teary eye. And when the cast sang "Bayan ko", the tears ran down my cheeks.
The tears fell down because we have done a very bad job, so far, in taking care of ourselves. As a Filipino who traces his ancestry to Miag-ao, Indag-an, I never knew the treasure that Hinilawuod is as I was growing up. The tears fell down for the Filipino educators have done a very bad job in instilling love to the young that wherever they are from, the bundoks or somewhere else, they should be proud of themselves and of their culture and dialect. The tears fell down because the prevailing local media, networks and advertisers, have done a very bad job in molding the mind of a brown boy that he should be proud of his skin.
We have done a bad job. And knowing that we have is the start of good.
Lord, thank You po!
"... why think like mere men!"
Growing up, I've heard Nanay, Tatay, Lula and my Manangs speak this language at home. So it was a bit unnerving when I heard this language spoken at the start of a theatrical play at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. A play based on, what others may consider as, the longest epic of the world - Hinilawuod.
To put this into context. The Bible has around 22,000 lines. The great Greek tragedy of Odyssey has around 15,000 lines. Hinilawuod has something close 28,000 lines. And the reason this is only entering our consciousness now is because this epic is only sung until recently. Which suggests that our forefathers can sing from memory 28,000 lines of lyrics.
And 'they' had the audacity to call us 'indios'. Colonial Spain's pride and vanity has made their wisdom dull. Funny :)
We really need to think this one out. The limitations of colonialism were reached when the world ushered in democracy and its sister named capitalism. Now, we are at a time when we are now reaching the limits of capitalism and we, as a race, is still struggling to unshackle the yoke of colonialism.
Maybe, as we move forward, it is of worth to look back on who we are as a race before the colonials came.
As I sat their, watching and listening, the play made me teary eye. And when the cast sang "Bayan ko", the tears ran down my cheeks.
The tears fell down because we have done a very bad job, so far, in taking care of ourselves. As a Filipino who traces his ancestry to Miag-ao, Indag-an, I never knew the treasure that Hinilawuod is as I was growing up. The tears fell down for the Filipino educators have done a very bad job in instilling love to the young that wherever they are from, the bundoks or somewhere else, they should be proud of themselves and of their culture and dialect. The tears fell down because the prevailing local media, networks and advertisers, have done a very bad job in molding the mind of a brown boy that he should be proud of his skin.
We have done a bad job. And knowing that we have is the start of good.
Lord, thank You po!
"... why think like mere men!"
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