A Writer’s Inspiration: May the Light be with You, My Friend

                 Tomorrow will be the 40^th day since my friend, Mark Joshua Bondoc passed away. Actually, I have moved on from the pain that we all suffered and I am now ready to let go. I don’t have any other intention but share my experiences with him. The way I have known him and the way my life would be incomplete if I wasn’t able to know him.

                He was known for being a playboy, a mischievous guy, an intelligent student and a good person. In everyone’s eyes that is, except for me. I have a different way of treating him.

                We are schoolmates since 1^st year. Our classrooms are not that really close, the way I’m not close with him before. Back then, the only reason I am familiar with him is because of the stories that my friend told me about him which is by the way, his ex-girlfriend. I was the ultimate teaser between the two of them. Every time I see them together, I would tease them both but still, we have not known each other that much.

                By December, our school had a “Youth Week” for students. We students participate by counter parting our teachers and he was the student counterpart of our teacher in Mathematics. In our classroom, he was famous because of his ex-girlfriend which made his work, a little awkward. My classmates and I became stubborn during their time and we kept on complaining that we didn’t get their instructions. So particularly, our Math class became a debate room.

                Then they had a roll call. They mentioned our surnames one by one but it seems to be that they were insulting us because they’re performing actions related to our surnames like. “Shield” for my classmate’s surname, Ilagan. Then his partner brushed off the chalk dust on our table towards my classmates sitting near it. It was really annoying and insulting for us so we tattled it to our teacher and she scolded both of them, saying “Sayang yung pagkaguwapo niyo Kung ganyan mga ugali niyo (You’re handsomeness is a waste if your attitude is filthy)”.

                The Youth Week ended and I personally message him in Facebook. I apologize for how we acted as students to them and he also apologized to me. We talked about our classmate. Then, I also found out that he and one of my classmates are already in a relationship. I was really shocked. I mean, how could he do that? So my rage for him started to arise because of what he did to my friend. He’s so a coquette, I thought.

                Then, I have observed him being so proud and I promise, it’s so annoying. Every time I pass by him, I would roll my eye but still, you can observed that he’s confused if he had done something to me.

                Our freshmen year have ended and it was already summer. I never talked to him again. Except for one time, we talked about our honor rolls and I have found out that we were both ranked one. So we made a promise to each other that by next year, we should be ranked one again in our own sections and if we succeed, we will receive a gift from each other then we also had a conversation in twitter and he sent me a tweet saying “<3 : )))”

                It was quite confusing so I asked him in Facebook instead. First I asked him about her girlfriend. He told me they broke up. When I asked him why, he told me “JANN CRUSH KITA! (I have a crush on you)” he even asked me if I want him to court me but I refused. I’m not that mature enough for those things but we remained friends.

                After a few days, he messaged me again. He told me he had some good news and that is-he already have a girlfriend who is my classmate, again. I became really furious because he just confessed to me and after a few days, he already had another one. I expressed how mad I am by not replying to his further messages. He just sent me “Hey, I just missed you” but I never responded.

                Our sophomore year had arrived and I did not talk to him that much. Whenever I see him, I just pass by and nothing more. By summer, I was involved in a knee injury. He knew that all the way and he was scolding me for it. I felt that he was worried and he has concern for me not like my other friends who just laughed at my stupidity. By that time, I realized it was time to let go all my hatred against him.

                Then, I found out that we would be classmates for our junior year. By that time, I’m already ready to be friends with him again.

                On our first day of class in our 3^rd year, he told me that I looked sick. Then I joked by kicking him even if I’m still in recovery due to my knee injury. Friday, June 8, 2013, he had headache so he asked permission to stay outside. I was about to go to him but I realized, who am I? I don’t have the rights to act like I care when everyone would just think that I only pretend but I was wrong, I didn’t know  that it was my last chance in seeing him.

                June 10, 2013, I have found out that he had leukemia and he was in comatose and we wouldn’t be able in communicating with him. It was already said by the doctor that they’re only waiting for days or maybe hours. That night, I was wondering if it was a joke but then I realized, why would you joke on someone’s condition?

                June 11, 2013, our day started not normally like every day. I was quiet. Then, a black butterfly passed by me, making me worry.  During our geometry class, our teacher have seen someone raised a hand, saying that he saw it from Joshua’s seat. Then during our Chemistry class, every one broke into silence.

               

                           He already died.

            

               I was not able to comprehend with my feelings and just burst into tears. Realizing, it was already too late. I never have imagined that he would die that young. I never imagined that he would just fade away from my sight. At first I was mad, he wasn’t able to keep any promise that he swore to me and it freaking hurts. By the end of our class, I never stop crying. I hugged every friend of mine, telling them that I love them because I can never handle losing another friend.

                During his burial, that was the time that the pain sunk in. I felt weak whenever I see him in his coffin but just so you know, he was smiling. Making me realize that he’s already happy where he is and he would be sad if he knew that we’re all crying because of him.

                I wasn’t able to move on easily. I still wonder about him day by day. His smile, his naughty acts, just everything. He even appeared once. I saw him and I felt him. I had to admit that I got a little scared but I am still happy because at least, I was able to see him once more.

                Tomorrow, July 21, 2013 is the 40^th day since he was gone. He will be with the Lord now. I hope he will be happy. I know that I will see him one day and I will tell him how I have loved him as my friend. He have taught me a valuable lesson in life and that is-never judge someone by how people think of him and we should value the people while they’re still with us.

                Josh, wherever you are, I know you could still read this. I am sorry for everything. Thank you for being there for me when I need you and when I don’t, you’re still there. Thank you for everything Josh. I love you very much and so as your family, friends, ex-girlfriends, all of us. I will continue our promise to each other. I will protect Mina: you’re little sister, Nay Rozel: My mother and your sister too, Chiara: the one you love and Fatima: the one who loved you most.  

                You never died. Your spirit and presence will forever remain in our hearts. If you had only knew that until now, Fatima and I laugh at our experiences with you. You’ll always be a part of my heart. Please guide us from wherever you are. May the light be with you, my friend. 

Mark Joshua B. Bondoc
(April 1, 1998- June 11, 2013)

A Student's View, RH Law: A Perceptional Recipe

One cup of remedy, one pint of inhibited rights and one gallon of ignorance-these are the perfect ingredients for the Filipinos’ view of the Reproductive Health Law. The remedy for one of our hindrance towards a better country in the view of the Pro-RH, the rights that this law inhibits in the view of the Anti-RH and the ignorance that most Filipinos impart.

Last July 16, 3012, the Supreme Court extended its order stopping the government from implementing the Reproductive Health Law. Voting 8-7, the high court extended the status quo ante order (SQA) it issued for 120 days in March 19. The order was supposed to expire Wednesday. (Courtesy: Philippine Daily Inquirer). So it’ll be another duel between the advocates and the critics of this law, another session of waiting for the implementation and another chance to prove the government wrong.

                The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, commonly known as RH Law is a law, which guarantees universal access to methods on contraception, fertility control, sexual education, and maternal care.

(Image Courtesy: getrealphilippines.com)

                     For the first ingredient, one cup of remedy. In the perception of the Pro-RH, this law will be the solution for our country’s headache. The Filipinos who are in favor of this law are fewer compared to the Anti-RH and the common people who doesn’t care. Here’s 10 reasons from the Filipino Freethinkers saying yes to the RH Law’s implementation.

1.)           RH will: Protect the health & lives of mothers.

2.)           Save babies

3.)           Respond to the majority who want smaller families

4.)           Promote equity for poor families

5.)           Prevent induced abortions

6.)           Support and deploy more public midwives, nurses and doctors

7.)           Guarantee funding for & equal access to health facilities

8.)           Give accurate & positive sexuality education to young people 

9.)           Reduce cancer deaths 

10.)        Save money that can be used for even more social spending

(Image Courtesy: angsawariko.com)

For the second ingredient, one pint of inhibited rights. In every argument we have the opposing side and that is-the Anti RH. The most popular in protesting against it is the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. They propose that this law violates the law of the church about life. One of the reasons is because they say that this law inhibits the child’s rights to be born therefore, killing the child. 

CBCP posted an article in their website entitled “Our Stand on the RH Bill” saying “We do not want the RH Bill to be passed because it condones abortion. The RH bill has provisions for “management of post-abortion complications”. People who have committed the crime of abortion /killed their own children through abortion should be held accountable. Abortion is murder of the unborn child”

(Image Courtesy: philstar.com)

The last ingredient, one gallon of ignorance. Within the three sides, this one has the largest part of the Filipinos’ view about this law. They are the Filipinos who doesn’t care about this law whether if it will be implemented or not. Their ignorance is a burden for our country but at the same time, decreases the inconvenience because instead of bothering to join the debate, they take their own steps towards change.

We will never have the perfect dish to satisfy our appetite for change that we all want. We all want our remedy for our country’s hindrance towards a better country. We all don’t want our rights to be inhibited and we all don’t want to be in a country that will have ignorance as our solution to our problems. Don’t think about what your country will do for you. Think about what you can do for your country.

(Image Courtesy: pinoy-ofw.com)

A Person's Perception: In a Mind of a Random Person

                 I can never come up of a reason behind my reasonable craziness. What I mean by reasonable craziness is, trying to reason myself in other’s situation. I have always thought, what if I am in their exact situation or what if they’re in my exact situation but that can never happen. So I end up with myself, reasoning about by reasonable craziness which is by the way, unreasonable.

                I can never come up of a solution for my unbearable bipolarity. Sometimes I’m happy then I am sad but most of the times, I am in between. You can see me laughing on my own then crying and whatsoever. I can never understand why I came up to be like this. For an instance, I have thought of trying psychology as my course, not for the profession but for me to understand how my indescribable mind which is by the way, not understandable

                I can never come up of a solution of my narcissism. I have always wanted the attention of everyone and when I mean everyone, I mean everyone. However, it’s unnoticeable for the reason that is I’m too narcissistic about myself that no one wants to comprehend it anymore. So, I’m just stuck trying to praise and be proud of myself which by the way, not proudable.

                I can never come up of something. Something that will explain how these things tend to be and what are these things? How can a heartless, emotionless and mindless, mindless, shoot anonymous, anonymous like me can never come up of something. Something called something which is not entitled yet. So basically, this part of this thing I came up is just nonsense. Yes. Nonsense. Go on and never mind.

A Photographer's Perception: The Smile that Owned it All

I was taking pictures with my camera for our class in Photojournalism. Then I saw him. He’s a friendly guy eating at a stall where I also eat sometimes. He was talking with the vendor when I asked permission if I can take a picture of him. He was hesitant at first but he allowed me. I wasn’t satisfied with my captures because it did not have the emotion I was looking for. I asked him again. “Pwede po ba kayo ngumiti? (Can you smile for me?)” He just laughed. I took an angle and clicked. Here we go. For me, this is one of the precious smiles I have ever seen. From my observation, this guy didn't have that much but instead of complaining his status in his life, he just smiles and thinks positively. If only there are so many people like him who would make you smile with his smile. For me, it seems that he owned all the smile in the world in this picture. 

A Student's Perception: Cyberbullying: The Attention Road of Society

                Cyberbullying can be compared to anything but those things seek for just one thing, attention. Thousands of gibberish opinions but seeks for just one thing, attention. A bunch of drama but seeks for just one thing, attention. Everything about it is just about the attention. Indeed, Cyberbullying is a problem for the people who are affected by it but does it really affect the society’s concern? No it does not.

                 Everybody knows that cyberbullying is a growing menace for the society. It greatly affects the behavior of an individual especially when the level of hatred exceeds but this menace that we have come to know is not the real problem. It doesn’t even trigger the society’s attention when someone is victimized.

The real-world consequences of cyberbullying have been widely reported. We are familiar with the stories about children and teenagers driven to desperate, even suicidal acts after having been exposed to repeated harassment in the internet. We know that cyberbullying can damage reputations, and destroy lives.

It’s true that whenever an incident like this happens, the sympathy of the society emerges but it’s just temporary. After sometime, it will be just forgotten by the people and will just be remembered if another incident takes place. It’s just like a gossip that will be talked about but after a while, the people would not give concern about it anymore.

The people is the real issue of cyberbullying. If they have hate against one person then they can say it directly to them instead of creating issues in the cyberspace. The only thing that they will have from those things is, ladies and gentlemen, attention. It seems that attention is the most valuable thing for some people nowadays, as if they can’t survive a day without it. They keep on asking for it in the internet and some of them are almost begging for it.

Another thing is about the victims. If they don’t want to be bullied then they shouldn’t mind and care about the people who are bullying them. It’s not that hard to live normally without showing concern about those nonsense things because sometimes, if they see that you’re affected, they’ll be more complacent that they can control you.

The Republic Act no. 10175 also known as Cybercrime Law has been implemented by the government to address legal issues concerning online interactions and the Internet in the Philippines. The Act, divided into 31 sections split across eight chapters, criminalizes several types of offenses, including illegal access, data interference, device misuse, cybersquatting, computer-related offenses such as computer fraud, content-related offenses such as cybersex and spam, and other offenses. It may help in decreasing the cases of cyberbullying.

The government should also support advocacies regarding cyberbullying continuously. So that, the society’s awareness about it will be provided.

Even if thousands of intelligent opinions are gathered and created a conclusion from it, it's still not our solution. Just like what Theodore Roosevelt said "Knowing what's right doesn't do much unless you do what's right". It's in our hands if we'll do it for the righteousness or do it for what we wanted.