By Rolo B. Cena
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
04 September 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – It was his trumpet sounded off that concocted the greatest assembly of mankind, which consequently aborted the most horrible dominion of all times; a speechifying that enunciated the freedom defined solely for this act and purpose.
He caused change as he himself is an agent of change; a promulgator of freedom who denounced the most promiscuous of sins. He called forth the abortion of a sin that ruled for more than two decades and disgraced the Filipino people; an oratory manifesting a different passion of greed – a cardinal sin. It was the newest of freedom defined in the oratory of a Cardinal.
If he were alive, he would have sounded once more his rhetoric on the electoral fraud of the former strongwoman of the Palace; articulated an argument on the ZTN deal; verbalized his own way of protest against the most horrifying carnage of the millennium that took place in the remotest of areas in Maguindanao. He would have struck the hullabaloos of the previous administration and that of the son of the icon of democracy, whose political occupation he triggered via the world-acclaimed bloodless revolution at EDSA.
If here were alive, he would have opined on the “pajero bishops” that stirred the Roman Catholics in awe; he would have narrated how the drug lords build the churches in the drug rings of countries of the world, or how the most organized crime syndicates in the world finance foundations and refugee centers.
If he were alive, he would have recited once more his oratory on the “Poleteismo” staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines that blasphemed the faith the more than eighty-million Christian Filipinos behold for centuries now; he would have desecrated Mideo Cruz, et al, the exhibit halls, the minds and spirits of the organizers. All by his powerful prayers that come from his unstained heart and mind, he would have outdone the blasphemy. He would have dared “Kulo” artists to stage the same for Prophet Mohammed to prove to the entire world that the Islamic community would stage the same protest, or to prove that arts is supposed to convey the most beautiful and lasting of all messages and not to instill in the minds and hearts of the followers the most satanic or oddest of all pieces of arts.
If he were alive, he would have opined on the Reproductive Health Bill that sends all groups to the porticos of the Congress and Senate and halls of the academic institutions. He would have stressed the importance of eradicating poverty from the list of social concerns to and before the so called cause-oriented groups protesting against the RH Bill; he would have emphasized that the country has been plagued by population problem, more so, population control problems. He would have emphasized as well that population problem should be addressed by both the people and the government along with the assistance of the Church; he would have emphasized that the only thing that divides the church and the state is the thin red line that is so sensitive and fragile.
If here were alive, he would have recited once more his rhetoric over the first one-hundred days of President Benigno Aquino III, as was in the first one-hundred days of his mother, Corazon Aquino, the icon of democracy with whom he worked with in toppling the strongman and his cronies. He would have advised the son in the name of the father and of the mother to work honestly and conscientiously sans vested interests and future political plans.
His rhetoric is far greater than the rest; far valuable that the Congress and Senate. His rhetoric is beyond imagination, beyond meaning yet vividly visible and completely comprehensible.
Whatever happened to the country today, to the Filipino people – we owe them to Cardinal Sin, the prime mover of the EDSA spirit. Whatever happened to the political arena of the country today is not his cause – it was the peoples’ choice.
EDSA would have been enshrined more than ever; respected more than ever; and revered more than ever. If Cardinal Sin were alive, the spirit he had given birth would have been taken care of, would have been nurtured, and would have been nourished.
Such was the rhetoric of Cardinal Sin, removing sins from mankind. Godspeed, Cardinal!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Ramadan, the world, and the OFWs
By Rolo B. Cena
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
21 August 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - With Ramadan closing with the celebration of the Eid holidays from 25 August to 02 September 2011, everybody is just as expectant as all Muslims in the world. Ramadan, the Islamic month dedicated for fasting, happens to be celebrated in the month of August, which the world celebrates as the anti-Terrorism month.
As enunciated by their faith, Ramadan month teaches the values of patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God. Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting where participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and intimacy with their partners during daylight hours.
To my view, irrespective of faith or religion, submissiveness to God is a continuous commitment where an individual is supposed to actively profess that he is born in the image and likeness of God, the God of peace and freedom. Additionally, fasting should not only happen during this period but although the years as well, and this includes fasting from waging indifferences, or more appropriately, war. I strongly believe that war is not an option.
Ten years ago, the entire world was shocked when Al-Qaeda, Jihadist group of Osama Bin Laden grounded the World Trade Center in New York. Instantly, it claimed lives. To date, it still claims lives as anger and depression still linger in the heart and minds of the victims and those who condemn war.
The notorious effect and consequence of this attack still manifests in the economy of the world’s superpower. Lately the credit rating of the USA declined from AAA to AA+ after seventy years of good standing. While this is America, the decline in the rating adversely affects other countries and kingdoms with whom the “land of milk and honey” deals with.
Unemployment rose in the US mainland; and it creates ripple effect to countries or kingdoms where its economy controls. In the Middle East, several nations or kingdoms forced to implement their own austerity measures to address the status quo. Consequently, unemployment soared.
The 9/11 attack and Al-Qaeda’s subsequent terrorism activities generate newer and bitter approaches to conservative Islamic disposition and faith; these foster factionalism and indifferences. As a result, these create uncontrollable political unrests in the Arab world, more peculiarly in the Middle East and its neighboring nations: Tunisia started the protests that paved the way for its president to flee to Saudi Arabia; the Freedom Square in Cairo paved the way for the re-birth of a new Egypt and thus placed Hosni Mubarak, its president behind bars; Libya’s version of civil defiance still heightens the alert level with Muamar Khadafi defying international laws and attacks; Sudan follows the same suit; Syria’s episode grows worse.
Al-Qaeda’s figure head has been liquidated in an attack in Pakistan. However, as United Nations say, it’s too early to claim victory. While this incident places the group in a weaker stance, Bin Laden’s successor is once again taking control and gaining grounds. The US government and the United Nations anti-Terrorism group are confident that the Muslim extremists group will soon be terminated following these indications.
Recently, riots and unrests were seen in the United Kingdom, another country believed to have a very strong and stable economy and political climate. In Spain, riots, which were triggered by economic depression, are staged.
Consequently, changes in economic and political reforms in these kingdoms and nations usher a new threat to the Filipino workers abroad. For instance, when Bahrain followed the same suit from Egypt, thousands of Filipinos were ferried home and thus landed jobless. Filipino workers in Egypt and Libya were displaced involuntarily. The 17,000 Filipinos in Syria this month were advised to leave the country, which means another story of unemployment.
Conversely, any political unrest, protest, or riot that may take place in countries where expatriates are, particularly Filipinos, will surely bring about personal economic unrest to an individual, regardless of breed or creed.
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, an abrupt and massive change in employment benefits for its constituents was immediately instituted. The move is aimed at curtailing future political unrests and violence that are similar to its neighboring nations and kingdoms. One major change is the implementation of its re-designed and re-enforced Saudization Law that can effectively bar non-compliant employers from renewing the Iqama of the expatriates, or from hiring expatriates if the required rate of complying with the Law is not met. Incidentally, most employers are not meeting the requirements of the Law, and thus, give millions of OFWs in Saudi Arabia a stern warning.
Arguably though, similar phenomenon will surely come into as the world fights against terrorism and depression. As the month of Ramadan suggests, submissiveness to God brings about newer and better lives. How I wish their world practice what they preach!
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
21 August 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - With Ramadan closing with the celebration of the Eid holidays from 25 August to 02 September 2011, everybody is just as expectant as all Muslims in the world. Ramadan, the Islamic month dedicated for fasting, happens to be celebrated in the month of August, which the world celebrates as the anti-Terrorism month.
As enunciated by their faith, Ramadan month teaches the values of patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God. Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting where participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and intimacy with their partners during daylight hours.
To my view, irrespective of faith or religion, submissiveness to God is a continuous commitment where an individual is supposed to actively profess that he is born in the image and likeness of God, the God of peace and freedom. Additionally, fasting should not only happen during this period but although the years as well, and this includes fasting from waging indifferences, or more appropriately, war. I strongly believe that war is not an option.
Ten years ago, the entire world was shocked when Al-Qaeda, Jihadist group of Osama Bin Laden grounded the World Trade Center in New York. Instantly, it claimed lives. To date, it still claims lives as anger and depression still linger in the heart and minds of the victims and those who condemn war.
The notorious effect and consequence of this attack still manifests in the economy of the world’s superpower. Lately the credit rating of the USA declined from AAA to AA+ after seventy years of good standing. While this is America, the decline in the rating adversely affects other countries and kingdoms with whom the “land of milk and honey” deals with.
Unemployment rose in the US mainland; and it creates ripple effect to countries or kingdoms where its economy controls. In the Middle East, several nations or kingdoms forced to implement their own austerity measures to address the status quo. Consequently, unemployment soared.
The 9/11 attack and Al-Qaeda’s subsequent terrorism activities generate newer and bitter approaches to conservative Islamic disposition and faith; these foster factionalism and indifferences. As a result, these create uncontrollable political unrests in the Arab world, more peculiarly in the Middle East and its neighboring nations: Tunisia started the protests that paved the way for its president to flee to Saudi Arabia; the Freedom Square in Cairo paved the way for the re-birth of a new Egypt and thus placed Hosni Mubarak, its president behind bars; Libya’s version of civil defiance still heightens the alert level with Muamar Khadafi defying international laws and attacks; Sudan follows the same suit; Syria’s episode grows worse.
Al-Qaeda’s figure head has been liquidated in an attack in Pakistan. However, as United Nations say, it’s too early to claim victory. While this incident places the group in a weaker stance, Bin Laden’s successor is once again taking control and gaining grounds. The US government and the United Nations anti-Terrorism group are confident that the Muslim extremists group will soon be terminated following these indications.
Recently, riots and unrests were seen in the United Kingdom, another country believed to have a very strong and stable economy and political climate. In Spain, riots, which were triggered by economic depression, are staged.
Consequently, changes in economic and political reforms in these kingdoms and nations usher a new threat to the Filipino workers abroad. For instance, when Bahrain followed the same suit from Egypt, thousands of Filipinos were ferried home and thus landed jobless. Filipino workers in Egypt and Libya were displaced involuntarily. The 17,000 Filipinos in Syria this month were advised to leave the country, which means another story of unemployment.
Conversely, any political unrest, protest, or riot that may take place in countries where expatriates are, particularly Filipinos, will surely bring about personal economic unrest to an individual, regardless of breed or creed.
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, an abrupt and massive change in employment benefits for its constituents was immediately instituted. The move is aimed at curtailing future political unrests and violence that are similar to its neighboring nations and kingdoms. One major change is the implementation of its re-designed and re-enforced Saudization Law that can effectively bar non-compliant employers from renewing the Iqama of the expatriates, or from hiring expatriates if the required rate of complying with the Law is not met. Incidentally, most employers are not meeting the requirements of the Law, and thus, give millions of OFWs in Saudi Arabia a stern warning.
Arguably though, similar phenomenon will surely come into as the world fights against terrorism and depression. As the month of Ramadan suggests, submissiveness to God brings about newer and better lives. How I wish their world practice what they preach!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
The Wives of the OFWs
By Rolo B. Cena
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
14 August 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Undoubtedly, if they can only be nominated for life-time achievement awards, they can be winners by unanimous choice. Surely, no amount of major, major achievement can outbest their performance in life.
In search of the classic greener pasture, husbands cross the borders to share with colleagues the adversities in uncharted kingdoms: high seas of immeasurable depth, hectares of badlands and infinite sand dunes, and miles of jungles and undefined territories. Back home, high prices of commodities, soaring unemployment rates, unfavorable political climate and disturbed economy pushed them to the edge.
Let alone risks come to pass, lest, the tough should get going.
When husbands leave their homesteads, several values at the same time slip off the domicile: fatherhood, control, and affection. Presumably, the ordeal begins.
Unquestionably, wives take over the roles husbands vacated. While they cannot forgo their motherhood, by default they should take on fatherhood. Although it’s psychologically manageable, this vacuum grossly becomes a scare to most of them: authority over kids may not be as effective as the way fathers execute. In our culture, fatherhood dictates authority; more so, authority is always associated with masculinity – an orientation most women dispute or argue with. And to some extent, I agree!
Wives have to earnestly perform blue-collar jobs most of the time: cook, driver, janitor, plumber, electro-mechanic, messenger, tea boy, and guard. While these menial jobs husbands execute become irritating and taxing, the requirement to do takes precedence over ire. Quipped one wife close to me: “Superman has no room in this modern-day environment anymore; wives are!”
Wives have to dutifully execute white-collar jobs most of the time: tutor, counselor, entertainer, priest, and king. While these job roles are shared by husbands and wives, most of the time husbands maintain stronger dominance over these roles.
Although there are wives who are more domineering than husbands, this authority figure or control mechanism over family is more associated with the husbands. Literally and figuratively, fathers do have peculiar and innate quality that make them effective controller. Hercules takes superiority over Aphrodite, in this regard.
Over financial matters, wives are better controller than husbands, although to some extent wives can sometimes be imprudent. The obsessive-compulsive behavior of majority of the wives becomes disparaging as this point. While there are husbands who are themselves imprudent by nature, our culture associate this thing with women.
Quite sensibly, wives are emotionally battered. The temporary alienation from husbands is by itself the cause; it is deterrent to psychological composure that is required in achieving and maintaining self-esteem. This alienation obviously becomes a hindrance to emotional stability. It has become a psychological war wives have to seriously deal with in achieving familial and domestic objectives.
This is why, most marriages fail. Nope, this is not absolute; this is a general statement that should be qualified. Venus is more fragile and more prone to temptations; Mars is tougher than thou, though. But the fragility of Venus cannot be taken single-handedly as the reason why most Gardens withered; Eve leaves home to look for a new Adam. Conversely, husbands who are as tough as Hercules and as hot as Mars are also fragile and prone to temptations. This nature husbands cannot deny or preclude.
Seriously, what is more pressing is when evening falls, no Cupid can provide comforting hugs to usher emotional and psychological security. When nights turn cold, no Romeo can accord gentle caress and body contacts to make one sundown calmly relaxing. When the urge comes, no Adam can share with to release warmth and experience the gist of sensuality and sexuality the beautiful Garden of Eden reserves for them. Conversely, the nights are as maddening as when Cupid escapes form Psyche, or Romeo from Juliet, or Adam from Eve.
However, as one OFW noted, when husbands leave, wives become more substantial, more powerful, and more esteemed.
Yes, they become women of substance: Assumption of fatherhood propelled them to release the energy that’s within them in battling pro-actively the concerns ahead. The vacuum that they occupied accorded them the opportunity to work like “one of the guys” sans the masculinity apparent to these roles. Wives taking on the “suit of husbands” elaborate them with the alter-ego.
Yes, they become women of power: Alienation induces them to exude the power anytime of the day, working hard and double time to relieve husbands from these roles. The energy popping out of status quo exemplifies the conviction that by default wives have to do it with gusto. They are the sentinels and rulers equipped with the most sophisticated of arms and dignified with all the majestic powers.
Yes, they become women of esteem: Emptiness and alienation pushed them to maintain the same self-esteem they used to have. They are the beauty icons enthroned to a superlative degree; honoraries professing faithfully the values of life. They are Aphrodite dressed with the gentlest fabric of human kindness and wrapped with lacy values of life called motherhood.
When children top the class or win competitions, mothers are behind them; when husbands are promoted abroad, wives are behind them. When the government hails overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as modern-day heroes, wives are with them.
After all, behind every man’s achievement is a woman. Let’s not talk about failure!
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
14 August 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Undoubtedly, if they can only be nominated for life-time achievement awards, they can be winners by unanimous choice. Surely, no amount of major, major achievement can outbest their performance in life.
In search of the classic greener pasture, husbands cross the borders to share with colleagues the adversities in uncharted kingdoms: high seas of immeasurable depth, hectares of badlands and infinite sand dunes, and miles of jungles and undefined territories. Back home, high prices of commodities, soaring unemployment rates, unfavorable political climate and disturbed economy pushed them to the edge.
Let alone risks come to pass, lest, the tough should get going.
When husbands leave their homesteads, several values at the same time slip off the domicile: fatherhood, control, and affection. Presumably, the ordeal begins.
Unquestionably, wives take over the roles husbands vacated. While they cannot forgo their motherhood, by default they should take on fatherhood. Although it’s psychologically manageable, this vacuum grossly becomes a scare to most of them: authority over kids may not be as effective as the way fathers execute. In our culture, fatherhood dictates authority; more so, authority is always associated with masculinity – an orientation most women dispute or argue with. And to some extent, I agree!
Wives have to earnestly perform blue-collar jobs most of the time: cook, driver, janitor, plumber, electro-mechanic, messenger, tea boy, and guard. While these menial jobs husbands execute become irritating and taxing, the requirement to do takes precedence over ire. Quipped one wife close to me: “Superman has no room in this modern-day environment anymore; wives are!”
Wives have to dutifully execute white-collar jobs most of the time: tutor, counselor, entertainer, priest, and king. While these job roles are shared by husbands and wives, most of the time husbands maintain stronger dominance over these roles.
Although there are wives who are more domineering than husbands, this authority figure or control mechanism over family is more associated with the husbands. Literally and figuratively, fathers do have peculiar and innate quality that make them effective controller. Hercules takes superiority over Aphrodite, in this regard.
Over financial matters, wives are better controller than husbands, although to some extent wives can sometimes be imprudent. The obsessive-compulsive behavior of majority of the wives becomes disparaging as this point. While there are husbands who are themselves imprudent by nature, our culture associate this thing with women.
Quite sensibly, wives are emotionally battered. The temporary alienation from husbands is by itself the cause; it is deterrent to psychological composure that is required in achieving and maintaining self-esteem. This alienation obviously becomes a hindrance to emotional stability. It has become a psychological war wives have to seriously deal with in achieving familial and domestic objectives.
This is why, most marriages fail. Nope, this is not absolute; this is a general statement that should be qualified. Venus is more fragile and more prone to temptations; Mars is tougher than thou, though. But the fragility of Venus cannot be taken single-handedly as the reason why most Gardens withered; Eve leaves home to look for a new Adam. Conversely, husbands who are as tough as Hercules and as hot as Mars are also fragile and prone to temptations. This nature husbands cannot deny or preclude.
Seriously, what is more pressing is when evening falls, no Cupid can provide comforting hugs to usher emotional and psychological security. When nights turn cold, no Romeo can accord gentle caress and body contacts to make one sundown calmly relaxing. When the urge comes, no Adam can share with to release warmth and experience the gist of sensuality and sexuality the beautiful Garden of Eden reserves for them. Conversely, the nights are as maddening as when Cupid escapes form Psyche, or Romeo from Juliet, or Adam from Eve.
However, as one OFW noted, when husbands leave, wives become more substantial, more powerful, and more esteemed.
Yes, they become women of substance: Assumption of fatherhood propelled them to release the energy that’s within them in battling pro-actively the concerns ahead. The vacuum that they occupied accorded them the opportunity to work like “one of the guys” sans the masculinity apparent to these roles. Wives taking on the “suit of husbands” elaborate them with the alter-ego.
Yes, they become women of power: Alienation induces them to exude the power anytime of the day, working hard and double time to relieve husbands from these roles. The energy popping out of status quo exemplifies the conviction that by default wives have to do it with gusto. They are the sentinels and rulers equipped with the most sophisticated of arms and dignified with all the majestic powers.
Yes, they become women of esteem: Emptiness and alienation pushed them to maintain the same self-esteem they used to have. They are the beauty icons enthroned to a superlative degree; honoraries professing faithfully the values of life. They are Aphrodite dressed with the gentlest fabric of human kindness and wrapped with lacy values of life called motherhood.
When children top the class or win competitions, mothers are behind them; when husbands are promoted abroad, wives are behind them. When the government hails overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as modern-day heroes, wives are with them.
After all, behind every man’s achievement is a woman. Let’s not talk about failure!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Tenebrae
By Rolo b. Cena
The Gulf Files
07 August 2011
Riyadh , Saudi Arabia – Shortly before the Ramadan started, seven members of the elite Philippine Marines were killed in fierce fighting with the Abu Sayyaf in the jungles of Sulu; five of them were beheaded. As far as I can recall, in 2007, ten Marines were also beheaded by the same Muslim factionalists.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which lasts for 29 or 30 days. It is the month of fasting in which participating Muslims are expected to refrain from eating, drinking and engaging intimacy with their partners during daylight hours. This month is also intended to teach Muslims about the following virtues: patience, spirituality, humility, forgiveness and submissiveness to God.
For the Islam, beheading is the punishment for committing serious crimes against Qur’an and against the Arabic government. Incidentally though, those Marines were not criminals; they were protectors of the country where they, these bandits, are living and are offered a better life after scavenging for an ideology only they can succumb.
Shortly before Ramadan, five noble Filipinos were beheaded in defense of their country, of their allegiance to the Philippine flag, of their commitment to their family and loved ones. On that very same day, a new breed of hatred and vengeance, frustration and despair, separation and disunity were born.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of patience these breed purport to behold during the month of fasting. It is the same patience those heroes profess to exemplify in the depths of the treacherous jungles of Sulu and Basilan; the same virtue their brothers claim in the badlands of Iraq.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of spirituality these breed claim to practice during the month of fasting. It is the same spirituality those Christians walk that became the living foundation of their service to the Country. It is the same spirituality manifested by Cardinal Sin in calling all the faithful to march to EDSA in the hope of toppling a tyrant without shedding any blood.
It is the same spirituality that brought an Irish priest in the hands of these bandits; the same spirituality that brought American couple missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham to the country and being kidnapped by the same group in 2001; the same spirituality that killed the former and saved the latter.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of humility these factionalists claim in utter disregard. It is the same humility those humble Marines project whose preponderance makes them distinct and elite from all other forces armed to protect the Country. It is the same humility that makes these Muslim factionalists distinct and peculiar from their race; the same humility that their Qur’an and the Holy Bible preach.
It is the same humility that catapulted then former Pres. Corazon Aquino to power; the same virtue that raised her name to be the icon of democracy; the same humility Mahatma Gandhi professed in the height of protests against the aristocratic United Kingdom.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of forgiveness these perpetrators believe they can manifest by way of beheading Christians. It is the same virtue of forgiveness Prophet Mohammad and Jesus Christ walked along the deserts of the chosen lands; the same forgiveness that Christ epitomized before His Roman and Jewish captors.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of submissiveness to God these attackers exude to their fellow Islam that could lead to total world peace. It is the same virtue that has been guiding those heroes despite the order to kill the enemies of the state.
It is the same submissiveness to God that led all Christians in Iraq to a bizarre situation: being hunted or pushed out of their own homestead. It is the same submissiveness to God that puts the Islam in Israel to be discriminated by Christians.
Those Marines couldn’t do more than killing them in pursuit of national peace and unity for the country; those factionalists couldn’t do more than beheading them in defense of their ideology. Each party is trapped: a circumstance that sprung out of an ideological conflict, the same ideological conflict that rocked the Americas via 911, the same conflict that manifests in the badlands of Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is the same ideological conflict that gave rise to the first and the second global war. Can we ever stop this?
For as long as kingdoms rise against kingdoms, nations against nations, race against race, scenarios like this will never cease. Coupled with the same greed that originated from the Garden of Iraq (Mesopotamia) and Persia (Iran), war will always play its uncanny role in controlling the world: the prey tightly squeezed by the claws of its troubled marauders.
War is more than just an expression of ideology; war is greed!
The Gulf Files
07 August 2011
Riyadh , Saudi Arabia – Shortly before the Ramadan started, seven members of the elite Philippine Marines were killed in fierce fighting with the Abu Sayyaf in the jungles of Sulu; five of them were beheaded. As far as I can recall, in 2007, ten Marines were also beheaded by the same Muslim factionalists.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which lasts for 29 or 30 days. It is the month of fasting in which participating Muslims are expected to refrain from eating, drinking and engaging intimacy with their partners during daylight hours. This month is also intended to teach Muslims about the following virtues: patience, spirituality, humility, forgiveness and submissiveness to God.
For the Islam, beheading is the punishment for committing serious crimes against Qur’an and against the Arabic government. Incidentally though, those Marines were not criminals; they were protectors of the country where they, these bandits, are living and are offered a better life after scavenging for an ideology only they can succumb.
Shortly before Ramadan, five noble Filipinos were beheaded in defense of their country, of their allegiance to the Philippine flag, of their commitment to their family and loved ones. On that very same day, a new breed of hatred and vengeance, frustration and despair, separation and disunity were born.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of patience these breed purport to behold during the month of fasting. It is the same patience those heroes profess to exemplify in the depths of the treacherous jungles of Sulu and Basilan; the same virtue their brothers claim in the badlands of Iraq.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of spirituality these breed claim to practice during the month of fasting. It is the same spirituality those Christians walk that became the living foundation of their service to the Country. It is the same spirituality manifested by Cardinal Sin in calling all the faithful to march to EDSA in the hope of toppling a tyrant without shedding any blood.
It is the same spirituality that brought an Irish priest in the hands of these bandits; the same spirituality that brought American couple missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham to the country and being kidnapped by the same group in 2001; the same spirituality that killed the former and saved the latter.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of humility these factionalists claim in utter disregard. It is the same humility those humble Marines project whose preponderance makes them distinct and elite from all other forces armed to protect the Country. It is the same humility that makes these Muslim factionalists distinct and peculiar from their race; the same humility that their Qur’an and the Holy Bible preach.
It is the same humility that catapulted then former Pres. Corazon Aquino to power; the same virtue that raised her name to be the icon of democracy; the same humility Mahatma Gandhi professed in the height of protests against the aristocratic United Kingdom.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of forgiveness these perpetrators believe they can manifest by way of beheading Christians. It is the same virtue of forgiveness Prophet Mohammad and Jesus Christ walked along the deserts of the chosen lands; the same forgiveness that Christ epitomized before His Roman and Jewish captors.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of submissiveness to God these attackers exude to their fellow Islam that could lead to total world peace. It is the same virtue that has been guiding those heroes despite the order to kill the enemies of the state.
It is the same submissiveness to God that led all Christians in Iraq to a bizarre situation: being hunted or pushed out of their own homestead. It is the same submissiveness to God that puts the Islam in Israel to be discriminated by Christians.
Those Marines couldn’t do more than killing them in pursuit of national peace and unity for the country; those factionalists couldn’t do more than beheading them in defense of their ideology. Each party is trapped: a circumstance that sprung out of an ideological conflict, the same ideological conflict that rocked the Americas via 911, the same conflict that manifests in the badlands of Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is the same ideological conflict that gave rise to the first and the second global war. Can we ever stop this?
For as long as kingdoms rise against kingdoms, nations against nations, race against race, scenarios like this will never cease. Coupled with the same greed that originated from the Garden of Iraq (Mesopotamia) and Persia (Iran), war will always play its uncanny role in controlling the world: the prey tightly squeezed by the claws of its troubled marauders.
War is more than just an expression of ideology; war is greed!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The Year That Was
By Rolo B. Cena
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
24 July 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – After one year from being sworn to office, President Aquino delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in a joint session at the House of Representatives last Monday. As in most State-of-the-Nation Addresses, that was by far a high profile presentation of figures and statistics vis-à-vis reality that were suggestive of, to say it conversely, achievements of the administration to date.
Philosophically, allow me set my own parameters in assessing his performance: Good governance, public finance and economy, graft and corruption, education, environment, peace and order, and health. To put things in proper perspective, let us objectively tackle each parameter in order to get through the assessment vividly:
Undoubtedly, the President is an example of honesty, pure and good intentions. While the world feasted on his purchase of a “second hand luxury car” early this year, no one from his detractors realized that his intention was pure and simple: Transparency. His overall drive to eliminate these malignant species from the public service is alone an indicator of good governance. Unconsciously, however, he failed to anticipate the negative behavioral responses of the Arroyo people in the service against the young Aquino administration’s reform programs. When he created the Truth Commission, no truth ever came out because he wasn’t able to contain the Supreme Court, a government body majority ruled by Arroyo appointees.
The P11B savings the government announced in the last quarter last year was achieved because his administration spent lower than the budgeted plan. It was an example of sort but truly insufficient to use as key performance indicator. These savings resulted from a narrowed public spending as his commitment to the people. Moreover, business programs like public-private partnership was a copy-pasted, Adobe edited version of the build-operate transfer program of the previous administration.
Holistically, Aquino’s stern drive against graft and corruption became his selling point from day one. Given 10 being the highest, I could’ve rated him 9. However, the rating gradually declined to below median when the questionable appointment of friends, classmates, drinking and shooting buddies became the qualification of appointing officials to sensitive posts.
Along this line, what is new? Aquino’s predecessors did the same: Arroyo appointed a classmate of her husband to the Ombudsman to protect and preserve her greed; Estrada appointed drinking buddies and gambling mates; Ramos appointed relatives, allies, and friends; Cory appointed political supporters and friends in her journey to the Palace; Marcos appointed his allies, relatives and friends to complete his political sojourn. What else is new in the Philippine political system?
This is cronyism expressed in different tone; it is the same dog with different collar.
In addition, Aquino appointed Human Rights lawyer and advocate Leila de Lima to the Department of Justice. The feisty De Lima commenced her works with full support from the President. However, shortly thereafter, Aquino had for several times weakened or reversed de Lima’s recommendations particularly in cases where friends or political allies are severely involved.
Department of Education’s K1 + 1 scheme could have been fairly a good indicator for an improvement. However, the lack of consultations from all stakeholders not only drew negative criticisms from the academic and public sectors; it at the same time thwarted the program’s implementation. More to this, the reduction in the budget for all state colleges and universities added fuel to the fire. These drastic moves caused his rating to decline in this critical area.
In the area of environment, nothing’s changed: No new environmental-friendly preservation programs and initiatives are instituted. Categorically, the same programs are in place since the time Aquino was installed to power.
The peace and order situation of the country has moderately changed from good to bad. Not to mention the situation in the South brought about the Abu Sayaff phenomenon, in August last year, the world witnessed how senior police officer hijacked a tourist bus and killed at least eight Chinese tourists. Sans his demand for reinstatement, the failure of the government to abort the merciless killing affected the peace and order situation of the country. It even sent us to travel ban advisories from various countries. Categorically, the President failed to correct and address this stigma the world associated with us.
Nothing is significant in the area of health yet. The Reproductive Health Bill could have been an indicator, but eventually, this will only address the growing population concern of the country. Health issues have to be addressed accordingly. What fails him in this respect is the absence of a short-term plan to address the rising protests led by the “Pajero-troubled” Catholic Church.
If I may opine, the President’s overall rating is barely passing. Personal biases that governed my judgment may have ruled my process but the reason is obvious: In most areas, he consistently mismanaged to outwit his “path to righteousness.”
Just expressing my eighth wonder: How does Aquino differ from Arroyo, Estrada, Ramos, and (Cory) Aquino from day one of service? How do you rate the President then?
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
24 July 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – After one year from being sworn to office, President Aquino delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in a joint session at the House of Representatives last Monday. As in most State-of-the-Nation Addresses, that was by far a high profile presentation of figures and statistics vis-à-vis reality that were suggestive of, to say it conversely, achievements of the administration to date.
Philosophically, allow me set my own parameters in assessing his performance: Good governance, public finance and economy, graft and corruption, education, environment, peace and order, and health. To put things in proper perspective, let us objectively tackle each parameter in order to get through the assessment vividly:
Undoubtedly, the President is an example of honesty, pure and good intentions. While the world feasted on his purchase of a “second hand luxury car” early this year, no one from his detractors realized that his intention was pure and simple: Transparency. His overall drive to eliminate these malignant species from the public service is alone an indicator of good governance. Unconsciously, however, he failed to anticipate the negative behavioral responses of the Arroyo people in the service against the young Aquino administration’s reform programs. When he created the Truth Commission, no truth ever came out because he wasn’t able to contain the Supreme Court, a government body majority ruled by Arroyo appointees.
The P11B savings the government announced in the last quarter last year was achieved because his administration spent lower than the budgeted plan. It was an example of sort but truly insufficient to use as key performance indicator. These savings resulted from a narrowed public spending as his commitment to the people. Moreover, business programs like public-private partnership was a copy-pasted, Adobe edited version of the build-operate transfer program of the previous administration.
Holistically, Aquino’s stern drive against graft and corruption became his selling point from day one. Given 10 being the highest, I could’ve rated him 9. However, the rating gradually declined to below median when the questionable appointment of friends, classmates, drinking and shooting buddies became the qualification of appointing officials to sensitive posts.
Along this line, what is new? Aquino’s predecessors did the same: Arroyo appointed a classmate of her husband to the Ombudsman to protect and preserve her greed; Estrada appointed drinking buddies and gambling mates; Ramos appointed relatives, allies, and friends; Cory appointed political supporters and friends in her journey to the Palace; Marcos appointed his allies, relatives and friends to complete his political sojourn. What else is new in the Philippine political system?
This is cronyism expressed in different tone; it is the same dog with different collar.
In addition, Aquino appointed Human Rights lawyer and advocate Leila de Lima to the Department of Justice. The feisty De Lima commenced her works with full support from the President. However, shortly thereafter, Aquino had for several times weakened or reversed de Lima’s recommendations particularly in cases where friends or political allies are severely involved.
Department of Education’s K1 + 1 scheme could have been fairly a good indicator for an improvement. However, the lack of consultations from all stakeholders not only drew negative criticisms from the academic and public sectors; it at the same time thwarted the program’s implementation. More to this, the reduction in the budget for all state colleges and universities added fuel to the fire. These drastic moves caused his rating to decline in this critical area.
In the area of environment, nothing’s changed: No new environmental-friendly preservation programs and initiatives are instituted. Categorically, the same programs are in place since the time Aquino was installed to power.
The peace and order situation of the country has moderately changed from good to bad. Not to mention the situation in the South brought about the Abu Sayaff phenomenon, in August last year, the world witnessed how senior police officer hijacked a tourist bus and killed at least eight Chinese tourists. Sans his demand for reinstatement, the failure of the government to abort the merciless killing affected the peace and order situation of the country. It even sent us to travel ban advisories from various countries. Categorically, the President failed to correct and address this stigma the world associated with us.
Nothing is significant in the area of health yet. The Reproductive Health Bill could have been an indicator, but eventually, this will only address the growing population concern of the country. Health issues have to be addressed accordingly. What fails him in this respect is the absence of a short-term plan to address the rising protests led by the “Pajero-troubled” Catholic Church.
If I may opine, the President’s overall rating is barely passing. Personal biases that governed my judgment may have ruled my process but the reason is obvious: In most areas, he consistently mismanaged to outwit his “path to righteousness.”
Just expressing my eighth wonder: How does Aquino differ from Arroyo, Estrada, Ramos, and (Cory) Aquino from day one of service? How do you rate the President then?
Friday, July 22, 2011
Discriminated!
By Rolo B. Cena
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
24 July 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Travel has always fascinated me. Since I started travelling outside of the country in 1996, I never had done so without making sure my travel documents are ready.
Superstitions have, by certain norms and questionable bases, associated number “13” to bad luck. As I don’t believe in this and have always believed in the providence of God, travelling on the 13th of June 2011 to Jordan was just as normal and ordinary as travel during the April Fools’ Day.
On the instruction of the Management, I, along with my team member, a Jordanian, engaged on a premature seventeen-day business trip to Jordan, one of the countries I dreamed of visiting for three reasons: The Baptism Site of Jesus, the Memorial of Moses and the Dead Sea. It was premature in the sense that as planned by the team, it should have been a week later to make us ready for the activities.
The classy and gigantic Royal Jordanian Airline Airbus A310 took off from Riyadh International Airport twenty minutes past six in the humid evening and touched down the airport of Amman, the Capital City of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan two hours after. Passing through the Immigration officer, I handed my passport, my invitation letter from our subsidiary company in Jordan, certification from the headquarters of the conglomerate, and twenty Jordanian Dinars for my business visa. After examining my papers, he asked me to sit down and wait for his call.
After about ten minutes of frantically waiting, a dark non-English speaking Jordanian ushered me to a small office where I met an Arabic speaking officer. He was asking me for my return ticket. Their order was: fly back to Riyadh for travelling without visa. My heart began to pound and I started to entertain the fear that I had been trying to erase from my mind: denied and banned.
In a scant quantity of Arabic language, I managed to secure the nod of the officer to bring my Jordanian colleague in the same room where I was detained. I prayed and decided to call our Vice President in Riyadh who was himself a Jordanian. He called and negotiated for my visa. After more than two hours of detention, I was granted a one-month visa.
In our conversation wit the immigration officer, I requested my colleague to ask why my entry to Jordan was almost denied when tourists are welcome in the Kingdom. Translated, I come to know that airport visas are not allowed to Indonesians, Pakistanis, Sri-Lankans, Bangladeshis, Yemenis, Hindis (Indians), and Filipinos, among other nationalities mentioned. Specifically for us Filipinos, the reason is: terrorism.
Further the officer made mention of the popular engagement of our Muslim factionalists in the south and the world-watched August hostage taking that claimed lives of Chinese tourists.
What a way to discriminate Filipinos in this area where we used to be favored in the human capital exchange market? What exactitude of reference to this malignant social stigma that has been plaguing the country?
Can we blame them?
Rationally, no! We cannot blame them for placing us parallel with these nationalities. Just as we cannot blame employers in the Middle East and/or Gulf Countries for discriminating Filipinos in terms of compensation packages, workloads and social treatment when most of the overseas Filipino workers abused their positions, the privileges and the responsibilities assigned to them. But still surely, we are far different from them.
But what is it in us?
Undoubtedly, we are world class workers; we are world premier performers. Indisputably though, that favorable review about our race has gone down the drain. It was wasted when the Graham couples were kidnapped and tortured in Mindanao; when the protectors of the country attempted to dethrone a government made by people; when the friendly image of the country was stained by one false move of one officer in August last year; when a lot of Filipinos jump-shipped or toured countries and never come back.
Can we blame them?
Rationally, no! We have been promoting the country as a peaceful country and yet all branches of the government are in trouble with each other; one is trying to out-best the other; one is trying to superimpose over the other. Who shall believe us when our lawmakers are law breakers themselves?
Can we blame them?
Rationally, no! We cannot blame them to believe that we are socially well when one of our congressmen has been in drug mess in the neighboring Hong Kong state. We cannot blame them when the country is still listed in the travel bans of most countries.
And surely, we cannot blame them to enlist us in the roster of terrorists when terrorism and related activities are apparent in our home front.
For as long as we maintain the same perspective in our socio-economic and political life as a nation, we will still become victims of racism or discrimination.
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
24 July 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Travel has always fascinated me. Since I started travelling outside of the country in 1996, I never had done so without making sure my travel documents are ready.
Superstitions have, by certain norms and questionable bases, associated number “13” to bad luck. As I don’t believe in this and have always believed in the providence of God, travelling on the 13th of June 2011 to Jordan was just as normal and ordinary as travel during the April Fools’ Day.
On the instruction of the Management, I, along with my team member, a Jordanian, engaged on a premature seventeen-day business trip to Jordan, one of the countries I dreamed of visiting for three reasons: The Baptism Site of Jesus, the Memorial of Moses and the Dead Sea. It was premature in the sense that as planned by the team, it should have been a week later to make us ready for the activities.
The classy and gigantic Royal Jordanian Airline Airbus A310 took off from Riyadh International Airport twenty minutes past six in the humid evening and touched down the airport of Amman, the Capital City of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan two hours after. Passing through the Immigration officer, I handed my passport, my invitation letter from our subsidiary company in Jordan, certification from the headquarters of the conglomerate, and twenty Jordanian Dinars for my business visa. After examining my papers, he asked me to sit down and wait for his call.
After about ten minutes of frantically waiting, a dark non-English speaking Jordanian ushered me to a small office where I met an Arabic speaking officer. He was asking me for my return ticket. Their order was: fly back to Riyadh for travelling without visa. My heart began to pound and I started to entertain the fear that I had been trying to erase from my mind: denied and banned.
In a scant quantity of Arabic language, I managed to secure the nod of the officer to bring my Jordanian colleague in the same room where I was detained. I prayed and decided to call our Vice President in Riyadh who was himself a Jordanian. He called and negotiated for my visa. After more than two hours of detention, I was granted a one-month visa.
In our conversation wit the immigration officer, I requested my colleague to ask why my entry to Jordan was almost denied when tourists are welcome in the Kingdom. Translated, I come to know that airport visas are not allowed to Indonesians, Pakistanis, Sri-Lankans, Bangladeshis, Yemenis, Hindis (Indians), and Filipinos, among other nationalities mentioned. Specifically for us Filipinos, the reason is: terrorism.
Further the officer made mention of the popular engagement of our Muslim factionalists in the south and the world-watched August hostage taking that claimed lives of Chinese tourists.
What a way to discriminate Filipinos in this area where we used to be favored in the human capital exchange market? What exactitude of reference to this malignant social stigma that has been plaguing the country?
Can we blame them?
Rationally, no! We cannot blame them for placing us parallel with these nationalities. Just as we cannot blame employers in the Middle East and/or Gulf Countries for discriminating Filipinos in terms of compensation packages, workloads and social treatment when most of the overseas Filipino workers abused their positions, the privileges and the responsibilities assigned to them. But still surely, we are far different from them.
But what is it in us?
Undoubtedly, we are world class workers; we are world premier performers. Indisputably though, that favorable review about our race has gone down the drain. It was wasted when the Graham couples were kidnapped and tortured in Mindanao; when the protectors of the country attempted to dethrone a government made by people; when the friendly image of the country was stained by one false move of one officer in August last year; when a lot of Filipinos jump-shipped or toured countries and never come back.
Can we blame them?
Rationally, no! We have been promoting the country as a peaceful country and yet all branches of the government are in trouble with each other; one is trying to out-best the other; one is trying to superimpose over the other. Who shall believe us when our lawmakers are law breakers themselves?
Can we blame them?
Rationally, no! We cannot blame them to believe that we are socially well when one of our congressmen has been in drug mess in the neighboring Hong Kong state. We cannot blame them when the country is still listed in the travel bans of most countries.
And surely, we cannot blame them to enlist us in the roster of terrorists when terrorism and related activities are apparent in our home front.
For as long as we maintain the same perspective in our socio-economic and political life as a nation, we will still become victims of racism or discrimination.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Commitment: a pre-natal analysis
By Rolo B. Cena
Project Team Lead, HCM
Shaheen News October 2011 Issue
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Commitment can be defined as the strong belief of the people in the basic philosophy and precepts of an organization and how faithfully are these carried out with genuine spirit and drive to achieve business objectives. It is an interaction governed by obligations, which maybe mutual, self-imposed, explicit or implied.
When members of the Core Team were brought to Riyadh on the 15th of May 2010, they were not technologists; they were business scientists who were dedicated to map out the Companies’ business processes for the technology called SAP.
And mapping these processes, considering the apparent diversity of AIG was not an easy task. True to its form, this exercise gave birth to the Business Blue Print that became the sole and major basis in developing the system for the Group.
The roadmap of Shaheen, no matter how plain and simple it appeared on paper, has always been very difficult. For one, the Core Team has struggled for a year now trying to make both ends meet, apart from grasping the wisdom SAP Technology offers vis-à-vis the actual business processes our respective companies have.
During those times, the overwhelming sense of pessimism or frustrations was just hard to suppress. These events paved the way for various approaches of disengagements, or attempts to, but the message was resoundingly clear: that while others leave or most become skeptical, the plan to proceed with the project remains relatively unscathed.
And it pays! The benefits may not be fully clearly visible now but soonest the team would be able to realize them. Truly, what Selman Al-Fares enunciated in the meeting made sense: “It always takes nine months for a woman to deliver a child.”
Conversely, one year of unsteady but relatively manageable pace has shown a great deal of commitment from both sides: the Core Team aggressively pursues for the prime demands and basic requirements to complete the project while the management strongly supports the Team at all cost.
Definitely, we are going to wear the suit of SAP.
Valuing the benefits now, ultimately SAP could further usher AIG to strategic locations elsewhere and may bring about another strategic change or repositioning especially in the global market scene. While major industry players have been in existence for decades now, the business conquest the group is tracking can precisely determine the passion to create the art-of-war strategy that can conquer uncharted islands in the long run.
Project Team Lead, HCM
Shaheen News October 2011 Issue
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Commitment can be defined as the strong belief of the people in the basic philosophy and precepts of an organization and how faithfully are these carried out with genuine spirit and drive to achieve business objectives. It is an interaction governed by obligations, which maybe mutual, self-imposed, explicit or implied.
When members of the Core Team were brought to Riyadh on the 15th of May 2010, they were not technologists; they were business scientists who were dedicated to map out the Companies’ business processes for the technology called SAP.
And mapping these processes, considering the apparent diversity of AIG was not an easy task. True to its form, this exercise gave birth to the Business Blue Print that became the sole and major basis in developing the system for the Group.
The roadmap of Shaheen, no matter how plain and simple it appeared on paper, has always been very difficult. For one, the Core Team has struggled for a year now trying to make both ends meet, apart from grasping the wisdom SAP Technology offers vis-à-vis the actual business processes our respective companies have.
During those times, the overwhelming sense of pessimism or frustrations was just hard to suppress. These events paved the way for various approaches of disengagements, or attempts to, but the message was resoundingly clear: that while others leave or most become skeptical, the plan to proceed with the project remains relatively unscathed.
And it pays! The benefits may not be fully clearly visible now but soonest the team would be able to realize them. Truly, what Selman Al-Fares enunciated in the meeting made sense: “It always takes nine months for a woman to deliver a child.”
Conversely, one year of unsteady but relatively manageable pace has shown a great deal of commitment from both sides: the Core Team aggressively pursues for the prime demands and basic requirements to complete the project while the management strongly supports the Team at all cost.
Definitely, we are going to wear the suit of SAP.
Valuing the benefits now, ultimately SAP could further usher AIG to strategic locations elsewhere and may bring about another strategic change or repositioning especially in the global market scene. While major industry players have been in existence for decades now, the business conquest the group is tracking can precisely determine the passion to create the art-of-war strategy that can conquer uncharted islands in the long run.
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