My Reasons to say YES to Duwang Camarines

 Perhaps House Bill 4728, also known as “An Act Creating the Province of Nueva Camarines”, now amended and replaced with HB 4820, is in its incubation period. Hence, it’s not as noisy as other issues we have today. Yet as a constituent that is directly affected by this, I think it would still be worthwhile for me to discuss about this social issue.

History has it that the term division is not new to Bicol Region. The same process occurred for several times already since its foundation on 1573. Bicol was then split into two namely Partido de Ibalon and Partido de Camarines on 1574. Come March 19, 1919, the latter was further divided into Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte which was acclaimed as separate provinces by a decree of the first Philippine Legislative. This is my ground in saying that time is already ripe for us to undergo yet a similar process – for progress, and for the next generations’ benefit.

For one, legal requirements under R.A. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 are met; thus, qualifying the two consequent areas to be provinces themselves. In fact both shall easily qualify for first class status if ever.

This could also be logically advantageous in the sense that smaller areas of jurisdiction will make monitoring and management easier. It would facilitate administration of basic social services to reach remote and neglected areas. This in turn would provide opportunities for social and economic growth. In the same way, towns that will share the allocation of Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) would be decreased; thus, will and must receive more of it.

Analogically, this is like our parents seeing us graduate high school and progress to college. They would do everything just to support us; hence, investing for our future to be as bright as they plan. I know this would be costly a venture, yet every investment entails this kind of sacrifice. This is why those who spearhead this action must prove themselves trustworthy enough to bear this risk.

So I say, let not self-interest impede, or mainly promote this move. Decision-making must be guided not by maintaining or keeping neither status nor reputation. Rather, by the welfare of the present and future constituents.

A Soliloquy

I failed. Or at least I will. I do not know for sure but things just come hard for me now. I want to cry while hugging my Mama. I miss her very much. I yearn for the warmth that I feel whenever I'm within her embrace. I think I am suicidal. Yes, there I said it. I am having this urge to end it all now. I know it's wrong and against God's will yet I am having this notion that it's good to do it now. I now understand people who commit, committed, or feel to commit it. It's just too much of a burden to carry. My brain cannot function well now. It's too heavy. I feel there is this metal in my brain that puts its weight to my skull. God, please help me.

 

I envy others. Their lives seem to be light and easy. Failing is nothing of a worry. They'll just retake or shift course if they did given their affluece that makes them capable to afford matriculation.It is hard being a scholar. It's like you have this anxiety behind every exam or quiz or projects. Thus, you push yourself to the limit to the point that you become too hard to yourself. I am not enjoying this. I am not living my life. I am not living my life happily and comfortably the way I want it to be. I want to laugh out loud without any worries of not eating later because I'm short of my allowance.I want to eat everytime I feel the urge to do so. I don't blame my father for this. Or at least this is what I am trying to instill in my head. That he is doing his best. It's just not good enough to afford the cost of living of a struggling student in a prestigious school. Yes, I feel like a fish out of water being in the university that I am now. There are times that I want to engage in co-curricular activities yet though I know that I have the capabilities to assume roles and do responsibilities, I can't be as sociable. They're just so high I can't stand them looking down on me.

 

I am lost. I am shrinking. I am falling into a deep ravine groping for somehing to cling to. I am giving up. Right now I just want to fall into the deep and stay ther not caring of what is the brightness up there somewhere. I just want to let time pass without knowing and awareness.

 

I want to be alive, for I am dead. Being so idealistic, ambitious and being a social climber as to enter this institution is a mistake, in fact lethal. I've unconsciously engaged myself to an act of ending my life.

A Filipino Family Issue

Working at a far place and leaving the country means detachment from family members. It also means depriving one’s self of guiding children and watching them grow. Many things are indeed sacrificed when one does work in a faraway place. That is, one of the most prevalent problems of Filipino families today is unwanted separation due to job demands.

Moreover, this is an issue for a family because of several reasons. First, during periods of family separation, children may have feelings of abandonment, loss of love, and resentment. Lack of supervision and guidance can lead to undesirable behavior patterns and habits. Sometimes children and youth exhibit unusual behavior while a parent is away from home for extended periods of time. These behavior problems can be manifested in such ways as being disruptive, being continually depressed, or seeming to reject love and kindness. That is, some children can go astray as to engaging into illegal drugs and destructive vices such as drinking hard liquors and smoking and hanging out with friends that are of bad influence. Secondly, there can be a tendency for either the spouse at home or the one who’s working to establish association with single adults. In other words, extra-marital affairs can flourish. When life gets lonely, it is most likely for either of the two to succumb into temptations. Thirdly, though relatives are there, it is difficult for a spouse especially the one left at home to handle a crisis alone. Sadly, these implications that I mentioned really is happening in reality. That’s why no one can argue that this is indeed a problem.

Perhaps, this occurrence is mainly caused by the unstable economic situation in the Philippines, high unemployment rate and low and unsatisfactory salaries that are offered by local companies. These causes are mainly at the government’s hands to solve.

But the consequences brought about by the problem of parents’ unwantedly separating from their families due to job demands is for the members of the family to adapt and solve. This having said, I believe that this issue can be addressed through maintaining communication. Communication between the one working in a far place and their families is extremely important to ensure that family members stay connected and involved in each other's lives. That is, they could still have the chance to guide their children and talk to their spouses. This can be done through e-mail messages, telephone calls, letters Facebook chats, and in some cases, Internet video communications such as Skype. Regular communication helps alleviate family anxiety and concern over the welfare of the one separated. Also, communications can be great sources in helping the one separated remain inspired, faithful and resist temptation.