I often involve myself in Current Events discussion, whether done inside the classroom, on dorm lobbies or at the dinner table. I make it a point to be aware of what is happening in my side of the world. I have always exercised free speech when it comes to issues of the society. I am vocal of my stand. But sometimes, knowing and speaking too much could be dangerous.

Last May 22, 2008, PNP surprised us of their ‘progress’ in the RCBC Robbery after shooting 4 people in Tanauan, Batangas. I remember very well how they described it as a ’shootout’ that occurred between the Task Force RCBC and their alleged suspects of the said crime. Oh, come on! There was no exchange of bullets, for crying out loud. It was a rub out, an out-and-out execution, so to speak. (Details here) This brutally harsh incident leads me to hastily assume that it was a cover up. I believe that the tagged suspects in the successful robbery of RCBC in Cabuyao, Laguna were killed because they knew too much. And so, there was a need to eliminate the chances of them to speak out.

This kind of ‘drama’ is not new at all. Looking back, you would see that there have been more savage cases of killings than this, all of which have been abruptly dismissed and forgotten due to lack of evidence. We do know that there is always something bigger, more explosive in crimes handled by our police. (The exact words of Ms. Abby) Most, if not all, of our ‘law-enforcing, crime-preventing’ civil force have always done a great job to take this so-called justice into their ruthless hands. (Just because the police are responsible of such acts, does this mean they are impune of the possible legal ramifications that their act entails? Is axing them out of duty enough? Just a thought.)

It’s both sad and alarming to know that the people who should be protecting us are actually the ones most probable of harming us. With all these happening to my motherland, I wouldn’t dare put my trust on them. Because from where I am standing right now, with the police in the picture; justice is horrible, horrendous and horrifying.

In the words of Ricardo Javier, the brother of one of the gunned-down men, “It is no longer safe nowadays. You are being killed inside the comfort of your house. And worse, by policemen,”

We are all clamoring for unlimited rice, I know. Since this rice shortage began to terrorize us, I have been deprived of the extra rice privileges. There is food crisis all over the world. And, some people have the mentality that we’re actually running out of food to eat. The truth is, the actual problem lies in the allocation of food. With this, it implies that food harvest around the world is enough to suffice for everyone but it’s not going to the right mouths.

I am but a small kid. I can’t control the rice hoarders from depriving us of our rightful share. But I could surely help the United Nation’s World Food Program put an end to hunger. Play and Feed the Hungry. Click on the icon on the right side and start playing. This is having fun for a cause.

Philippines in UNcylcopedia.

I wonder who wrote this f*cked up article. Really.

Please read this. I can’t cite statements since the whole write up is actually very offensive.

I am not one to speak of patriotism. But this one has crossed the line. I don’t know if the one who wrote this was just trying to be funny, or he’s actually holding a great deal of grudge on Filipinos.

Some of these might somehow be are true, but please, spare the decent ones some dignity. Do away with the exaggeration and most especially the cussing; not all of us are gold diggers.

• Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day.
• The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the poorest 48 nations (i.e. a quarter of the world’s countries) is less than the wealth of the world’s three richest people combined.
• Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.
• Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen.
• 51 percent of the world’s 100 hundred wealthiest bodies are corporations.
• The wealthiest nation on Earth has the widest gap between rich and poor of any industrialized nation.
• The poorer the country, the more likely it is that debt repayments are being extracted directly from people who neither contracted the loans nor received any of the money.
• 20% of the population in the developed nations, consume 86% of the world’s goods.
• The top fifth of the world’s people in the richest countries enjoy 82% of the expanding export trade and 68% of foreign direct investment — the bottom fifth, barely more than 1%.
• In 1960, the 20% of the world’s people in the richest countries had 30 times the income of the poorest 20% — in 1997, 74 times as much.

More facts here.

The truth may bore you. But however you shake this world, it will still remain as it is. The poor will still be on the lead when we speak of numbers. Majority of our population will still belong to the state of poverty.

To whom do we point the finger? Do we have to blame the poor and needy for landing into such situation? Some of the fortunate few believe that the poor are solely responsible for their plight. Their own predicament is just a consequence of wrong decisions and indolence.

I express my dissent in a contrary opinion. We could probably examine the government. They have definitely pursued policies that have actually harmed successful development. Behind the increasing interconnectedness promised by globalization are global decisions, policies, and practices. As expected, these are controlled by the rich and powerful which includes high-ranking officials and global actors in the form of multinational corporations, institutions, and influential people.

Now I understand why they blame the poor for being poor. They just want someone to cover up their ulterior motives.

Benazir Bhutto’s assassination has crippled international hopes that Pakistan might achieve the state of stability the world has always longed for it. In addition, analysts think that her death might even plunge Pakistan into further peril.

“This assassination is the most serious setback for democracy in Pakistan,” said Rasul Baksh Rais, a political scientist at Lahore’s University of Management Sciences. “It shows extremists are powerful enough to disrupt the democratic process.”

Her assassination on Thursday is yet one more horrifying reminder of how far Pakistan is from both — and how close it is to the brink. Read on.

Her death only exacerbates the problems Pakistan has been grappling with for the past few months: how to find a modicum of political stability through a representative government that the army can accept and will not work to undermine, and how to tackle the extremism spreading in the country. Read on.