Journey to Agape

Our journey to somewhere goes steady,
getting along with gravity.
Can be creepy as route's slippery.
Can be funny as trip goes slowly but surely.

A journey of earthlings.
Depends on the path they're choosing.
Halts if their courage is disarming.
While continues as guts are flowing.

A journey filled with twists.
As everyone's matter of life's in risk.
A survival of the fittest.
An episode of who'll be the remaining rest.

Of how long will it take,
is based on the actions we make.
Feelin' like we're walking while handling rake
or moving along boundless lake.

Everything is unsure,
so as demure.
Impending downfalls and downgrades,
may lead colossal hopes to fade.


Monstrous impediments are on ways,
as there are sacks of fraudulent hays.
Faint lights are the only guideposts.
Terror and fright are at most.

Feels like everyone is in diluvial

for bright lights are just ephemeral.
No egresses to go out.
No assurance that could sprout.

Yet, nothing to worry.
There's a man who lightens the load we carry.
We might think that we're alone in this journey,
but we're actually walking with God the holy.

Draw the Line

              What makes up the substance of life is that we know when and how to draw the line.

   Everyone can't fail to think of how arduous it was to fight for the democracy---for the freedom that we now enjoy; and it includes one's freedom to speak about his thoughts and panoramas. Hence, it is clearly expressed in the Philippine Constitution that there should be a subsistence of the freedom of speech and expression. Accordingly, the media exercises the power of this freedom---the power to ensconce truths that can uplift the citizenry from ill-treatment and disorientation. However, this is not an easy thing to manage. Media has to pass through several setbacks. Come to think of this: if Superman has kryptonite as his drawback, media has libel as its counterpart.

              We can't negate that libel has been tough to media, particularly to the print ones. According to Malou Mangahas, executive director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, libel has been a tool of the powerful, typically the politicians. She also stressed that it is an anathema to democracy. Thus, the Congress has proposed measures decriminalizing libel. Senator Ralph Recto has filed Senate Bill 2146 to delist libel from the book of crimes. Senate Bill 2146 seeks to repeal Articles 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 360, 361 and 362 of the Revised Penal Code and Section 4 (c) 4 of R.A. 10175 or the Cybercrime Law.

             With this proposition, journalists' doubts would be eradicated; and from there is a domino effect. There will be a firm print media to constantly provide a mechanism that fosters transparency over the operations of government. Also, the corrupt officials would doublethink to do any malefaction since the access of public information by the journalists is reinforced. Filipinos will likewise have the guts to meddle on issues needing full attention. As closely analyzed, freedom of expression is guaranteed if this bill would be passed into law. 

  In spite of everything, there should be presence of demarcations. To do that, journalists have to go back to the rudiment---the Journalists' Code of Ethics. The code provides that "a journalist shall refrain from writing reports which will adversely affect a private reputation unless the public interests justify it." For what reason? It's for them to preserve the dignity of their profession. But behind that, is the people's right to true information and one's dedication to objective reality. Here lies the notion that media shall exercise responsible journalism. To avoid incarceration or any punishment due to libel, one must try to weigh everything written within his article---if it is factual and reliable. Mind you, correct information is one of the easiest ways to a person’s heart. 

   Today that the trend of engaging on open avenues of opinion-sharing is proliferating, both media and concerned citizens will benefit, if libel decriminalization is carried into action. It is a great opportunity, but a great responsibility, as well. It doesn't mean that one can just throw any opinion he wants to throw. There must be thorough reflection. 

              For what makes up the substance of life is that we know when and how to draw the line.

                                                        

                                          Suntok sa Buwan

   Siguro, bukod sa pagtitiyagang mahalin ang taong di ikaw ang tibok ng kanyang puso, ay yung sakit na nakikita mong mas masaya siya sa piling ng iba pero patuloy ka pa ring umaasa...nagpapakatanga...tapos wala ka pang magawa para ikaw na lang ang piliin niya.

                                                 
   Yung tipong halos kitang-kita mo na kung paano niya ibigay sa iba yung pagmamahal na gusto mong sa'yo na lang sana, pero balewala ka lang...tuloy ka pa rin. Kahit halos ipinamumukha na ng pagkakataon na dehado ka na, fight, fight, fight ka pa rin. Yung pakiramdam na nasasaktan ka na nga at lahat sa kakaasa, mahal mo pa rin siya. Tapos hihingi siya sa'yo ng payo kung paano niya mapapaibig ang kanyang dream partner; pero ang payong ibibigay mo, sa'yo naman applicable. Tapos masasaktan ka. Babagsak sa mga mata mo yung luhang pilit mong pinipinid kanina pa. Para pa nga hindi halata, kunwari may gagawin ka. Lalayo ka. Aalis ka. Magkukulong sa kwarto. Magpapagulong-gulong sa kama. Mag-iisip. Tatayo't sasandal sa dingding. Tapos pakunwa'y iuuntog ang ulo sa dingding. Hahagulgol. Yuyuko. Tapos kinabukasan, andun pa rin yung sakit ng kahapon. Pero, as what is usual, haharapin mo ulit si lihim mong minamahal. Makikinig ka sa confessions niya tungkol sa kanyang hindi matatawarang paghanga sa karibal mo sa puso niya. Ikaw naman, kahit napipilitan, makikinig pa rin. Kahit na kitang-kita mo na sa mga mata niya yung naglalagablab niyang passion para ma-win ang heart nung karibal mo, magtitiis ka. Iiyak. Lalayo. Aalis. Tapos same process ulit. As in, routine ang lahat. Ito yung lagay na di sapat ang pag-untog ng ulo sa pader. Kahit pa isuntok mo ang kamay mo sa pader, andun pa rin ang sakit...dito sa puso mong mahina at mabilis mahulog sa inilaang patibong ng tadhana. Wala eh. Nagmahal ka kasi. At patuloy na nagmamahal. Yun nga lang, kumplikado ang bawat anggulo ng kinalalagyan mo.

                                       

   Kumbaga, suntok sa buwan ang kalagayan mo. Ang problema, kahit pa nga ata maging sila na ng karibal mo, umaasa ka pa. Na sana hindi mag-work yung relasyon nila. Na sana magkalabuan sila. Na sana magkaroon ng maraming aberya. Na ma-realize nila pareho na hindi pala nila mahal ang isa't-isa. Na sana maghiwalay din sila. At higit sa lahat...na sana maramdaman ng taong lihim mong minamahal sa loob ng mahabang panahon na ikaw pala talaga ang mahal niya. Tapos magpapakasal kayo. And more joyous moments will follow. Kaya lang paano kung lahat ng mga ito, hindi mangyari? Another, sakit na naman ito sa iyong puso. Ang nakakainis pa riyan, nagmamahal ka pa rin.
                                        
   Yung tipong wala ka na atang itinirang pagmamahal kahit konti para sa sarili mo. Kaya sa huli, ang frustrationg mararamdaman mo ay to the zillionth power. Pero dahil may perspective ka na hindi pa dapat pinoproblema ang bukas, ni-reject mo ang masakit na posibilidad na naghihintay sa'yo sa hinaharap. Ito ang mahirap sa ilan sa atin, eh. Kahit gaano ka-imposible, gagawin natin para sa pagmamahal. Kaya lang, ilang beses mo bang gugustuhin na masaktan? Paulit-ulit? Hanggang sa may luha pa bang papatak diyan sa mga mata mo? Kaya nga tanungin mo ang sarili mo. Baka kasi hindi mo na kaya. Ang mahirap nga lang diyan, ang puso ang kinakalaban mo. Eh, ito pa naman ang mahirap kalabanin. Habang pinipigil mong tumibok para sa isang tao, lalong nagrerebelde. Lalong nagkukumawala ang damdamin. Yun nga lang, hanggang ganito lang palagi. Puro paramdam. Puro sakripisyo. Puro pagsugal. Ito yung tipong para kang nagpautang ng malaking halaga sa isang taong di mo alam kung kayang bayaran ang ibinigay mo. Yung tipong di ka na nga mabayad-bayaran, bigay ka pa rin ng bigay. Tapos wala. Ganito ang laro ng pag-ibig. Naging biktima ka pa nga ng sarili mong puso. Sumunod ka na nga at lahat sa itinitibok at ika nila'y binubulong ng iyong puso pero sa huli kasawian pa ang resulta.  
                                         
   Hindi mo naman masabi ang nararamdaman mo. Kasi nga may mahal siyang iba. Kasi hindi ikaw yun. Kasi kinakabahan ka. Kasi natatakot ka...na masaktan. Kasi naduduwag ka. Pero kaysa naman sa nasasaktan ka, sabihin mo na lang sa kanya. Natatakot ka pa ba na masaktan? Na ma-reject? Eh, sa bawat araw, palagi ka na rin namang pinapatay ng sawi mong kalagayan. Kaya wag ka ng mag-alala pa.
                                           
   Harapin mo naman ang katotohanan. Huwag mo itong takasan. Kasi sa bawat pagpapanggap mo na kaya mo pa, ikaw din ang nagsa-suffer. Huwag kang manatili sa mundo ng puro imahinasyon...sa mundo na puro sana at puro kasi. Ganun talaga ang buhay. Nagkataong nagsimula ka sa pagkabigo. Pero maniwala ka rin namang may nakalaan talagang nararapat para sa'yo. Malay mo, dahil sa kakatiis at kakahabol sa taong lihim mong minamahal, meron ka na rin palang nasasaktan. Kasi malay mo, may lihim na rin palang nagmamahal sa'yo. Yung taong kayang gawin ang ginagawa mong klase ng pagmamahal. Okey lang namang ipaglaban ang nararamdaman. Kaya lang, sana alam mo rin ang hangganan.

   Dahil sa totoo lang, mahirap yung tipong suntok sa buwan.