What the RH Bill and Cybercrime Prevention Law have in common

I’ve been called dumb, stupid, closed-minded, etc. It usually happens when I sound to be talking against something that is popular.  Though the fact is I do not speak against something not for the sake of just being against it. I just try to look for balance. Most of the time, I’m really not against it but just figuring out the pros and cons. But for some it’s like either you accept it or you’re a moron. For them, some things are like sweet candy that we can readily eat, enjoy, swallow and forget about anything. For the objective of these things are good and it’s for the benefit of everybody. Including me and you. There are a lot of things created for a righteous goal but not all means are acceptable. This is something difficult for most people to understand. That is until something surprise almost everybody and it includes both sides.

According to some law experts, the Cybercrime Prevention Law includes the online libel. It means that a person can be penalized by fines and jail terms if found to have committed defamation of another person “using the internet and any other similar means which may be devised in the future”. That’s according to Sec. 4 of the said law.  A lot of people are protesting it being deemed as an enemy of freedom of speech. Libel laws in our country criminalize defamation and malicious discredit of another person’s reputation. And defamation does not always mean telling lies. It could also be of speaking the truth but having no good motives.  And most reason given by people who are against it is that this specific part of the Cybercrime law is vague. And that this will be in danger of being abused by some people. And also, being “malicious” and “discrediting” will mostly depend on each people’s perception. And allegedly, this might threaten the Filipinos right to opinion and thus curtailing freedom of expression.

A Facebook profile photo.

And unknown to some, or probably to many, there was a similar controversial clause found in the RH bill. I heard it was removed. Or maybe not but I’m sure it was there. You can check it on this link.  On Sec. 28(e) of the bill, it was stated there that “any person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent or provisions of this Act” will be penalized thru Sec. 29 of the bill. Either fined or a jail term. The “act” pertains to the RH bill. 

Like what was mentioned on this other blog post, there are those among us who talk about one thing but do the opposite. Like how most people are currently exerting a lot of energy to fight and to reverse the implementation of cybercrime law especially that specific clause that non-verbally includes “online libel” while many of them totally embraced the RH bill version that included the clause with the similar logic of penalizing people due to “disinformation”. And also those who were angered at the swift passing of the Cybercrime law but raised brows due to the “delay” of voting for the RH bill. The “delay” that makes it possible for our lawmakers to remove clauses and provisions which they may see as unnecessary. Just like the “disinformation” prohibition part and then the others.  And probably to avoid the same thing which is now happening around the Cybercrime Law.

Nice shirt design

Now a lot of us are crying out loud and blaming anybody we could blame. That is bound to happen if someone looks at personalities rather than the issues. And using emotions rather than logic. We'll contradict even our own selves. But never would we find fault of our own. 

For some, it’s still about the RH bill. But no it’s not. It’s much worse. It’s uglier. But unless we stop focusing on personalities, side issues, etc, we’ll continue being sidetracked, divided, weak and less effective. One thing I’m thankful about this Cybercrime Law is that people now realize how hard it is to accept certain freedom being taken away. Now most of us are hurting. Crying like caged birds. Whichever side you are, almost everyone is now angry.  Almost everyone is now up in arms. But then again,where were you when we were fighting for that same freedom when it was threatened by the RH bill?

(sources are found by clicking on the hyperlinks)

Quitters Win

I felt insulted and disrespected. Earlier today, I had my lunch alone. It is one time I enjoy during my days at work. I rarely go out with teammates during lunch. I just love the solitude. So I was alone until a group of former workmates came at the place. I knew only two of them as I usually had meetings with them during my stay at their company. And the others were just familiar faces. The place was full. So they asked if they could share seats. I gladly accommodated them as it was also a chance to have a chitchat with former workmates.  Then one of the other familiar faces said she didn’t know me. Then in return, I told her I recognized her as she’s someone who’s always on the registration table during events.  Then she asked for my name then she suddenly remembered me. Just my name to be exact.

So I was eating this

They were around 6 or 7. They seemed to be in a playful mood. They were the usual groups we see, joking around, talking aloud. So I was eating my meal then. I stopped for a while as part of courtesy. I talked a bit with the two that I knew. And at times the other familiar girl joined in.  They were waiting for their orders.  Then one of the two persons I knew had her food. She had a large cup of drink. I asked her if what she had was the large tea. I’m not yet familiar with the menu there as the resto had just opened.  She had a large cup at hand but I’m not sure if it’s the one that was in the promo ad at the counter so I had to ask. Then this just-familiar girl butted in on a sarcastic tone saying “no, it is not. It is the SMALL one”. Yeah, ok. We’re close, NOT. She did not even know me like she said. And she disturbed my solo time. Yet she's trying to make fun of me. Or maybe I was just not clear if I was referring to the promo. But still I don’t think I deserved that.

Okay, so they’re in playful mode. So I just tried to join their mood rather than feeling bad about it. Then I asked if what she’s having then is the “very small tea” as she’s holding a relatively smaller cup, almost half the size. There’s just a 10 peso difference between the prices of the large and regular tea as seen on the list so I had to ask again. But the reply I received was a sarcastic blabber. So I just shut my mouth. Then I let them do the joking among themselves. Then I just learned that what she’s drinking was not the tea but milkshake. So my question was indeed valid but she seemed to be disinterested with a respectful chatting.  I quit trying to make a serious talk with them except for the two I knew.

To quit is not at all that bad. It may also mean freedom. Freedom to chase the things you really wanted.  To do other things which were not possible.

Quitting does not mean surrendering your goal. It is actually a way to reassess your target. Is your objective to be the best employee in that company or is it to achieve a better life thru your job? Is your dream to be the best player in your team or to achieve your maximum potential as an athlete? Is your target to earn on that particular stock or investment or is it to attain financial freedom? 

Most of the time, we are blinded by the drive to succeed in every engagement that we do. Or by the motivation being told by the people around us which inspires us to push further to become better in our current situation. We usually get sidetracked from our main goal trying to work harder thru that particular medium.  

Your goal is to shoot that and win. Not to make good dribbling and look good.

That’s what most things around us are. A medium to achieve our end goal. But most of us end up simply trying to be the best in that specific medium. And then forgetting what our initial targets really are.  And we end up ignoring other possible and better options to attain our dreams. And we got stuck. And then it’s too late.

If quitting crosses your mind, for once try to give it a serious thought. Weigh things around it. Listen to your body, your emotion and your thoughts. They are trying to say something. Listen carefully. Think twice. Thrice.  And then choose. You will have two major options. First is to quit what you’re doing now while bringing with you what you learned from it and finding a better medium to get to your target. Second is to quit the blame game. It’s your choice to stick to that situation anyway. 

So I still had a meal to finish. I tried to excuse myself so I can continue eating in front of them. So the typical Pinoy I am, I said “kain”. We know what this statement mean, right? I just had to say it so I could excuse myself from talking and to finish my meal. Again, in front of all of them. Then this other guy who doesn’t even have a familiar face whispered loudly (yes, it can be done) to that familiar girl. He said “kain daw”. I knew what he’s up to. The coward's trying to drag that familiar girl to throw another sarcastic joke on what I said. Such a very disrespectful group. Well, the two I knew didn’t join in. They showed courtesy.

Somehow, it made me feel good that I quit my former job. Not that I have anything bad to say about it.  I actually had a great time with them and leaving it was a big decision for me. I learned and gained a lot from my stay there. It’s just that if I didn’t quit, I could have been assigned to lead this bunch of disrespectful people.  Well, it’s actually better for them that I quit. If they only knew what I was like back then. They were lucky. And good thing for me that I changed. For the better. I hope so. 

Takot ka na ba?

Takot akong magutom. Sa pag-grocery, kadalasan may mga binibili ako na mga pasobrang pagkain.   Tipong mga miryenda tulad ng mga instant pancit canton, tinapay, crackers, etc, yan madalas ang stock namin sa bahay. Abutin man ng gutom anumang oras, may makukutkot kahit papaano. Ang problema nga lang, minsan nga sumosobra na talaga.  Kahit nananawa na ko dun sa pagkain na yun, kailangang ubusin ko para di masayang. At ang mas malala, may ilan na inabot na ng expiration date. Sayang. Tsk. Teka, isang linggo pa lang naman pala lagpas, puede pa to. Lutuin ko maya itong pancit canton.

Napakamakapangyarihan ng takot. Napapakilos nito ang isang tao ng hindi nakakapag-iisip ng maayos kaya nakakagawa ng bagay na minsan ay hindi niya gusto. O kaya naman ay hindi lohikal. Parang ang isang machong lalake ay magpipipiglas na parang bulateng naasnan kapag naliparan ng ipis sa may batok.  Kung alam mo kung paano gamitin ang takot, maraming bagay na posibleng mangyari.  Na posible mong magawa. Na posible mong makuha.

Nakatatak na sa ating mga Pilipino na pag Undas ay may magandang episode ang Magandang Gabi Bayan. Kahit ngayon na wala nang MGB sa ere ay nagpapalabas pa rin ng special episode ng MGB tuwing ganitong panahon. Marami pa rin kasi ang humihingi. Nakakatakot naman kasi talaga ang pagkkwento ni Kabayan. Boses pa lang kakabahan ka na. Naging tradisyon na nga. Dagdagan pa ng matitinding reenacment na talagang nakakagulat. Kaya naman todo taas ng ratings ng MGB tuwing ganitong panahon. Lahat tayo ay takot pagkapanood nito. Ayaw magpaiwan mag isa. May natutulog ng bukas ang ilaw. At ayaw ng walang katabi. Praning na praning.  Takot na takot. Pero taon taon ay inaabangan pa rin natin ito.

Sana meron uli sa Halloween

Nag-umpisa din ang pagkaadik din natin sa mga Asian horror movies dahil sa “The Ring”. Nagkaroon pa ng “The Ring 2”, “The Ring  3”, “The Ring  Zero”. Binili pa ng Hollywood ang rights para makagawa ng version nito. At di lang yan, nagkaroon pa ng iba’t ibang “The” movies. May “The Grudge”, “The Eye” at kung ano ano pang “The” movies na karamihan ay galing sa bansang Japan. Syempre, di tayo nagpahuli. Nagkaroon din tayo ng iba’t ibang horror movies na nakakatakot din talaga ang dating tulad ng “Feng Shui”,”Sukob”,”Segunda Mano”,” The Road”, etc. 

At bago pa yan, nauna na talaga tayo sa kanila. Bago pa yang mga “The, The” na yan ay may “Shake Rattle and Roll” series na tayo. Pang ilan na nga ba ngayon? At ang mga ito ay pinapalabas hindi lang Undas. Kadalasan pa nga ay pag Pasko tuwing MMFF. O kaya ay kahit anong panahon tulad ng mga aswang movies ni Lovi Poe. At talagang tumatabo sa takilya ang mga ito kahit anong buwan pa yan ipalabas. 

Ang original na halimaw ay hindi galing sa balon

Hindi lang sa palabas sa TV at pelikula uso at bumebenta ang takot. Maging sa tunay na buhay.Kung takot ka sa bagong lumalaganap na sakit, bibili ka ng lahat ng puedeng pamproteksyon. Magpapaturok ka ng lahat ng puede mong panlaban. O kaya bibili ka ng mga gamit na tingin mong magpprotekta sayo sa kung ano mang nakakatakot nay un.

Maging ang iba nating ginagawa at pinagkakagastusan ay dahil sa takot. Takot mapag-iwanan sa bagong model ng smart phone o gadget kaya kada bagong release kailangang nauuna. Takot mahuli sa kwentuhan sa bagong pelikula kaya kahit hindi talaga trip yung genre, pinapanood na. Dati ilan lang ang nakakakilala kay Thanos. Takot na ma-tag na hindi cool kaya nakiki-banat na din kay Justin Bieber at sa One Direction or sa bagong uso na tingin natin ay hindi astig. 

Maaagang pumila sa bilihan ng mansanas (photo from CNET news)

SARS scare, bird flu scare, end of the world, rice shortage, Dengue outbreak, Euro market meltdown, West Philippine Sea dispute, global warming, tsunami alerts, terrorists attack, overpopulation,  riding in tandem,  pagtaas ng singil sa kuryente at gasolina at kung ano ano pang mga bagay ang kadalasang kinakatakot ng mga tao sa panahon ngayon. Araw araw, yan ang maririnig, mapapanood at mababasa natin sa balita. Walang araw na di ka makararanas ng takot. 

Kung di mo man matyempuhan sa balita, siguradong ishe-share pa yan sa mga Facebook walls nyo at magiging viral pa nga. At malapit na nga pala ang December 21, 2012. Kung di mo pa nababalitaan ay di ko alam kung san kang lupalop nagtago. Pero ayon daw sa Mayan Calendar ay ito ang posibleng end of the world. Pero baka hindi ito magkatotoo. Pero wag mag-alala. Dahil meron nang balita na sa 2013 na matitinding solar flares ang puedeng makaapekto ng matindi sa mundo. Mapaparalisa ang komunikasyon at maraming bagay sa daigdig. At kung hindi pa rin ito mangyari, sa 2040 ay baka tamaan tayo ng malaking asteroid. Pili ka na lang kung ano mas nakakatakot. Pero bago pa ang mga yan baka magka World War 3 na. Astig di ba?

Wag kang OA. Kahit wala si Goku, si Master Roshi lang kaya ngang pasabugin ang buwan eh. Asteroid pa

Dahil sa takot, nauuna kadalasan ang emosyon. Dahil sa emosyon, nawawala tayo sa tamang isip at desisyon. Reactive. Natural na siguro sa tao. Pero dahil tao tayo, lamang dapat tayo sa karaniwang hayop. Meron tayong gift of reasoning. Pero sa ayaw at sa gusto natin, vulnerable tayo sa takot lalo na kung sunod sunod. Mas lalo na kung tayo mismo ang nagdadala ng takot sa ating sarili.  Bumibili tayo ng bagay na magpprotekta sa atin. Sa ating pamilya. Gumagastos tayo para maalerto tayo sa lahat ng uri ng panganib. Kahit yung panganib na walang kinalaman sa tin. Pag ipinasa pa sa tin ang takot, kadalasan ay exaggerated pa.

Napakaraming doomsayer sa mundo ngayon.  Para saan at kanino nila ginagawa ito, sila lang ang nakakaalam. Para sa tin? Para sayo? Para sa kabutihan mo? Siguro. Kaya siguro sa bawat “pananakot” ay meron agad silang “epektibong suhestyon at solusyon” para maprotektahan natin ang sarili natin. May bagong bakuna at antidote para sa pag-iwas natin sa isang bagong sakit. May bagong libro at dokumentaryong nilabas para ibigay sa atin ang impormasyon at mga kailangang gawin para maiwasan natin ang mabilis na pagkagunaw ng mundo. May bagong batas na isusulong at proyektong  popondohan para maiwasan ang patuloy na pagbagsak ng ekonomiya ng bansa. May mga bagong gadget na ilalabas para makatulong sa security mo at para updated ka uli sa mga bagong pananakot na ilalabas ng iba.

Kung ganito ang gagawin mong kalendaryo, gagawa ka pa ba sa susunod na taon?

Importante ang takot. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit nabuhay ang specie natin sa mundo. Dahil sa takot ay nalaman ng mga ninuno natin na hindi dapat tumalon sa bangin, magpakalunod sa dagat at tumabi sa mga mababangis na hayop  Subalit ang isa sa kinakatakot ko ay ang dumating ang panahon na lahat na lang tayo ay mapraning na. Sa tingin ko nga ngayon ay malapit na. 


Dumating na sa puntong karamihan ay pare pareho na lang ang reaksyon sa bawat sitwasyon. Pare-pareho na lang din halos ng sinasabi.  Tila ba nakaprograma na sa kung anong ikikilos at mararamdaman. Para tayong tinataranta. Parang minamadali. At ang pagkilos ng padaskol daskol ay kadalasang dala ng emosyon. Kadalasang hindi masyadong napag-iisipan. At kadalasan, ang ganitong kilos ay bunga ng takot.

Kaya sana itong post ko na ito ay makatulong sa pag-iisip natin ng malinaw. Makalma ka ng konti. Pero anong malay mo kasama pala ko dun sa nagbbrainwash. Pero at least hindi naman kita tinatakot. Sasabihin ko lang naman sa yo na pag di mo ni-like yung Facebook page nitong blog, tutubuan ka ng kulugo sa hinliliit mo sa kaliwang paa at di yan maaalis sa loob ng 3 araw. Biro lang.

Di na natuto... alak pa... mwah mwah

Ilang beses na nating narinig, walang pinagkaiba ang alak sa pag-ibig. Parehong nakalalasing. Tatawa ka ng tatawa ng walang dahilan. Minsan ay para kang nakalutang. Mawawala ang inhibitions mo pag nasobrahan. Masasabi mo ang lahat ng bagay na hindi mo masabi sa normal na sitwasyon. Magagawa mo ang mga bagay na di mo kayang gawin kapag wala ka pang “tama”.

Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol...

Pero ang alak, tulad ng pag-ibig ang kadalasan ding sinisisi kung kinabukasan ay gigising tayong masakit ang ulo. Masakit ang katawan. O masakit ang damdamin. Sa sobrang sakit ng ulo mo sa hangover, sinasabi mo na di ka na uli iinom. Sinusumpa mo ang alak. Katulad din sa pag-ibig. Pag nasawi ka, masakit. At sasabihin mong di ka na iibig pang muli. Kasalanan ng alak. Kasalanan ng pag-ibig. 

Dalawang bagay na walang isip. Mga bagay na di ka naman pinilit na kunin mo. Na angkinin mo sila. At ng napasobra ka sa pagkonsumo, sila na ngayon ang may kasalanan. Sila pa ang masama. Wala naman silang kinalaman sayo. Ikaw ang walang kontrol. Ikaw ang nagpabaya. Ikaw ang may isip. Ikaw ang may utak.

So sinusumpa mo na ang pag-ibig ha...

At bukas, panibagong araw uli. Wala na ang hangover. Wala na ang sakit. Sabi mo di ka na uulit. Sinusumpa mo na nga eh. Ngayon ok ka na kahit papano. Buti pa mag unwind muna tayo. Para makalimot lalo sa problema. Sa sakit. 

Alam mo, walang kwenta talaga yun. Kalimutan mo na siya. Ikaw naman kasi eh. Di ka nakinig. Tama na ang iyak. Pero alam mo, gumaganda ka pala pag medyo mugto ang mata mo. Walang halong biro. Oo nga.  Andito lang  naman ako lagi para sayo e. Oo matagal na. Andyan kasi siya kaya di ako makalapit sayo. Talaga?  Ganon ka rin? Ows? Tayo na. Yehey, I love you. I love you too. Mwah mwah tsup tsup. Lasing ka na yata. Hatid na kita. Bukas uli ha.