If I follow your logic, the extraordinary killings happening in the Philippines right now has nothing to do with the KOR too! Hence, I should just concentrate on my daily business, job, career, family, right? Wrong!
I may not write a whole page about it, because no one from the KOR died yet (or?), but I've attended meetings of German NGOs, "Philippinen e.V." in Duesseldorf that tackled such issue/s and similar themes. Why on earth do I go there, very far from me? Because on this planet, "No man is an island!" What happens to you affects us too! When you say "please take you out of the mailing list", you are in effect turning your back at real-life issues confronting mankind. Wild animals do not possess the intellect to think logically. They only know "fight or flight"!
The Lafayette toxic dump and gold mine is very far from here. Does that mean we shouldn't care at all? Never mind if the people will soon lose their forest cover as 75% of the island is mined, open pit style, every day? 6-10 years later, the people of Rapu-Rapu will have no jobs, gold is gone, left behind is toxic waste you and I can't hide nor ship to Australia! We should protest in 10 years first? No sir!
The protesting farmers who died at Mendiola bridge during Cory's presidency were not known to me. Reason for me to ignore such news, the anniversary they just had commemorating those wasted lives? I'm no farmer but I plant trees every time I visit the Philippines. Last year about 5,000 mahogany, white lauan, gmelina and some pili trees were planted through my initiative. Must one own land to plant trees? Nope! Just talk to the owner. If we plant, we could lose. If we don't plant, we have already lost!
Perhaps you know the Babaylan group? I'm not a woman, nor am I "bading". But when I could, I keep contact with them. MaryLou Hardillo knows me well. I bought several books from her. I support their cause.
Must one be a woman to protest the "Nicole" rape case in Subic? Smith's action was his choice. He has to answer for those! If no one protested, the case would have died down quicker, right? And Nicole's case would gather dust... forgotten as just another US soldier raping a Filipino woman.
What earth-shattering event must transpire so that you and your group in Belgium wake up and be heard? I'm not asking for your help! I'm only asking you to get your act together, "wake up and smell the coffee", at least read and be informed of the issues, instead of simply turning your back.
Global warming is upon us and no one can say it won't hit nor affect him and we can sit pretty where we are for we won't be affected! Better not. As the experts say, expect more "Super Typhoons" hitting the Philippines! Better work double time now because you will need more money to remit back home. ...and, please tell the same thing to your members also!
Do we wait till someone dear to us is the next victim, before we start saying something, protesting? Wrong again!
Sad to say, the ills prevailing in the KOR also are present in the Philippine society, also even here in Europe! That's a fact we can't run away from! To be not involved is inaction. That would go against your NGO's purpose! If you turn your back, you can dissolve your "Samahan" as well! Why keep it? As a badge? As a decoration? For show?
There was the Dutroux/Madeleine case in Belgium. Not Germany, but does involve and affect Germany! Siemens-Germany got caught with its hands dipped inside the "money-laundering jar" worth Euro 200-400 Million...and growing! Does not concern you? It does because
corruption is as rampant in the Philippines!
Why can't OFWs and tourists use the new international airport built by Piatco-Fraport AG team-up? Fraport AG can't even explain why they have an expense of US$25 Million! The amount is not small. Yet they can't identify what it was for? Or they don't want to admit to the whole world that Germans are corrupt too! Only, not in Pesos, but in Euros and Dollars!
You toil for family and country, far from home, considered the "new hero". Don't you realize that the balloon that's called OFW Remittances, holding the Philippine economy afloat, can burst anytime and you and I far from home, will once more start from zero? I speak this as I tell you I was trained as a banker and still active in bank work right now.
Don't you think, between the two of us, it should be me relaxing and not minding others' business! I own my house, car is fully paid for, my wife teaches here, my kids and family are doing much better financially than even the average German. Yet, why do I get involved, informing myself about the European Union action on extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, reading world events, even as far as North Korea, Iraq, Iran and Darfur?
Because we have only one country. If we can do something good now for our country, why shouldn't we do it now? For later will be too late! Each Filipino can say he/she is the Philippines! Each KOR member is the KOR. Can't deny that. But even some foreigners I know act as "better Filipinos" than the real Filipinos! Aren't you/me supposed to be ashamed of that?
I was reading the Inq.net today, particularly this letter from DENNIS TORRECAMPO, Fairfax, Virginia (via e-mail), dated 10 Feb 07. Here are his insights on what is or what could be wrong in present-day Philippine society:
"2. All it takes for evil to succeed is for us to sin by silence when we should protest. Aside from making cowards of us, silence allows evil to toy with us at every possible way."
"3. You've grown familiar with the style. Test the waters or sneak a poisonous idea past the dead of night, see how the "stupid masses" react, or remain clueless, and then make a law out of the sinister idea or keep it for another day."
"Cases in point: railroading of the impeachment rejections, the dance with the Charter-change devil, terrorism by the Executive (e.g., Executive Order 464, and libel suits) and execution (i.e., killing the messengers), ad nauseum."
"4. Let us stop seeking that perfect hero or so-called alternative as if we're stuck in some fairy tale in which we leave it to the hero to rid the castle of the evil witch and her ilk, and dispose of our own roles."
"5. Heroism burns inside everyone of us; we are the alternative. It's democracy. It is we the people versus dictatorship, which would have us powerless. Our votes and our voices to spread the word are the true powers of democracy. Let us use them while we still can."
"6. Much as it is ideal, we do not fight the evil liar, thief and murderer by imposing on a saint to run the government. We are the government, and again, this is not a fairy tale. It's ugly enough that we have allowed evil thus far. Let us start with something easy first: Get rid of the evil. The
rest will follow."
"8. When time comes the OFW money remittance balloon that keeps our economy afloat bursts or another Asian currency sting hits our shores, should we be surprised if our so-called leaders call for more belt-tightening measures (as if the 12-percent expanded value-added tax and the newly approved anti-terror bill were not enough to suffocate us) while running away to some Swiss/German bank with the national loot? The illusion ends, the suffering worsens."
"9. Accept the obvious: Wannabe-dictators would not like us to believe in vigilance and people power "anymore" although they have reaped a harvest from it. Vigilance, people power and democracy come alive not just every time we secure our votes, raise our voices in protests, or march in the streets with a prayer and a purpose."
"10. Vigilance, people power and democracy are alive in a nation proud of its race, freed from hunger, unemployment and landlessness, sheltered and secured, and in a people flourishing with a colorful past, a progressive present and a bright future. Do we really want to lose all that to an iron hand? Again, our votes and our voices to spread the word are the true powers of democracy. And that's what the evils of dictatorship want stopped. Only we can decide if we shall let them, especially the coming election and beyond."
I may not write a whole page about it, because no one from the KOR died yet (or?), but I've attended meetings of German NGOs, "Philippinen e.V." in Duesseldorf that tackled such issue/s and similar themes. Why on earth do I go there, very far from me? Because on this planet, "No man is an island!" What happens to you affects us too! When you say "please take you out of the mailing list", you are in effect turning your back at real-life issues confronting mankind. Wild animals do not possess the intellect to think logically. They only know "fight or flight"!
The Lafayette toxic dump and gold mine is very far from here. Does that mean we shouldn't care at all? Never mind if the people will soon lose their forest cover as 75% of the island is mined, open pit style, every day? 6-10 years later, the people of Rapu-Rapu will have no jobs, gold is gone, left behind is toxic waste you and I can't hide nor ship to Australia! We should protest in 10 years first? No sir!
The protesting farmers who died at Mendiola bridge during Cory's presidency were not known to me. Reason for me to ignore such news, the anniversary they just had commemorating those wasted lives? I'm no farmer but I plant trees every time I visit the Philippines. Last year about 5,000 mahogany, white lauan, gmelina and some pili trees were planted through my initiative. Must one own land to plant trees? Nope! Just talk to the owner. If we plant, we could lose. If we don't plant, we have already lost!
Perhaps you know the Babaylan group? I'm not a woman, nor am I "bading". But when I could, I keep contact with them. MaryLou Hardillo knows me well. I bought several books from her. I support their cause.
Must one be a woman to protest the "Nicole" rape case in Subic? Smith's action was his choice. He has to answer for those! If no one protested, the case would have died down quicker, right? And Nicole's case would gather dust... forgotten as just another US soldier raping a Filipino woman.
What earth-shattering event must transpire so that you and your group in Belgium wake up and be heard? I'm not asking for your help! I'm only asking you to get your act together, "wake up and smell the coffee", at least read and be informed of the issues, instead of simply turning your back.
Global warming is upon us and no one can say it won't hit nor affect him and we can sit pretty where we are for we won't be affected! Better not. As the experts say, expect more "Super Typhoons" hitting the Philippines! Better work double time now because you will need more money to remit back home. ...and, please tell the same thing to your members also!
Do we wait till someone dear to us is the next victim, before we start saying something, protesting? Wrong again!
Sad to say, the ills prevailing in the KOR also are present in the Philippine society, also even here in Europe! That's a fact we can't run away from! To be not involved is inaction. That would go against your NGO's purpose! If you turn your back, you can dissolve your "Samahan" as well! Why keep it? As a badge? As a decoration? For show?
There was the Dutroux/Madeleine case in Belgium. Not Germany, but does involve and affect Germany! Siemens-Germany got caught with its hands dipped inside the "money-laundering jar" worth Euro 200-400 Million...and growing! Does not concern you? It does because
corruption is as rampant in the Philippines!
Why can't OFWs and tourists use the new international airport built by Piatco-Fraport AG team-up? Fraport AG can't even explain why they have an expense of US$25 Million! The amount is not small. Yet they can't identify what it was for? Or they don't want to admit to the whole world that Germans are corrupt too! Only, not in Pesos, but in Euros and Dollars!
You toil for family and country, far from home, considered the "new hero". Don't you realize that the balloon that's called OFW Remittances, holding the Philippine economy afloat, can burst anytime and you and I far from home, will once more start from zero? I speak this as I tell you I was trained as a banker and still active in bank work right now.
Don't you think, between the two of us, it should be me relaxing and not minding others' business! I own my house, car is fully paid for, my wife teaches here, my kids and family are doing much better financially than even the average German. Yet, why do I get involved, informing myself about the European Union action on extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, reading world events, even as far as North Korea, Iraq, Iran and Darfur?
Because we have only one country. If we can do something good now for our country, why shouldn't we do it now? For later will be too late! Each Filipino can say he/she is the Philippines! Each KOR member is the KOR. Can't deny that. But even some foreigners I know act as "better Filipinos" than the real Filipinos! Aren't you/me supposed to be ashamed of that?
I was reading the Inq.net today, particularly this letter from DENNIS TORRECAMPO, Fairfax, Virginia (via e-mail), dated 10 Feb 07. Here are his insights on what is or what could be wrong in present-day Philippine society:
"2. All it takes for evil to succeed is for us to sin by silence when we should protest. Aside from making cowards of us, silence allows evil to toy with us at every possible way."
"3. You've grown familiar with the style. Test the waters or sneak a poisonous idea past the dead of night, see how the "stupid masses" react, or remain clueless, and then make a law out of the sinister idea or keep it for another day."
"Cases in point: railroading of the impeachment rejections, the dance with the Charter-change devil, terrorism by the Executive (e.g., Executive Order 464, and libel suits) and execution (i.e., killing the messengers), ad nauseum."
"4. Let us stop seeking that perfect hero or so-called alternative as if we're stuck in some fairy tale in which we leave it to the hero to rid the castle of the evil witch and her ilk, and dispose of our own roles."
"5. Heroism burns inside everyone of us; we are the alternative. It's democracy. It is we the people versus dictatorship, which would have us powerless. Our votes and our voices to spread the word are the true powers of democracy. Let us use them while we still can."
"6. Much as it is ideal, we do not fight the evil liar, thief and murderer by imposing on a saint to run the government. We are the government, and again, this is not a fairy tale. It's ugly enough that we have allowed evil thus far. Let us start with something easy first: Get rid of the evil. The
rest will follow."
"8. When time comes the OFW money remittance balloon that keeps our economy afloat bursts or another Asian currency sting hits our shores, should we be surprised if our so-called leaders call for more belt-tightening measures (as if the 12-percent expanded value-added tax and the newly approved anti-terror bill were not enough to suffocate us) while running away to some Swiss/German bank with the national loot? The illusion ends, the suffering worsens."
"9. Accept the obvious: Wannabe-dictators would not like us to believe in vigilance and people power "anymore" although they have reaped a harvest from it. Vigilance, people power and democracy come alive not just every time we secure our votes, raise our voices in protests, or march in the streets with a prayer and a purpose."
"10. Vigilance, people power and democracy are alive in a nation proud of its race, freed from hunger, unemployment and landlessness, sheltered and secured, and in a people flourishing with a colorful past, a progressive present and a bright future. Do we really want to lose all that to an iron hand? Again, our votes and our voices to spread the word are the true powers of democracy. And that's what the evils of dictatorship want stopped. Only we can decide if we shall let them, especially the coming election and beyond."
Vigilance is called for... from all of us!
Sincerely,
Rizal Victoria
Heidelberg, Germany
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