Vraisemblance PS

Cherry Ann A. Rubio

Features and Literary Editor, BSECE V

Ponderings and Musings

“Sometimes, the best things in life happen after you’ve done what you’re supposed to do and are free to follow the path of your dreams.”

I first came across this quote way back in high school. It was written on a bookmark given to us on our graduation rites together with a rosary bearing our school’s seal.

It made me ponder on certain things in my life. It was like an unsolicited advice that came when I badly needed it. Ironically, I was at that point of being torn between pursuing my dream or following my mother’s advice.

To become an engineer was never part of my plan. My life should have taken a different course yet, for some reason, God had provided an unexpected twist to challenge me. Though I do not exactly know why I am here, one thing is for certain -- I am here to fulfill my purpose.

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Makeshift stalls and people from all walks of life filled the busy streets of Divisoria this Christmas season. For a regular commuter passing this route, I feel hassled and pissed off whenever I have to barge my way through the crowd in order to get a ride.

Amidst the crowd and different merchandise covering most of the area, I noticed this group of children aged 5 to 14 years braving the streets to ask for alms from the passengers.

They would distribute ampaos and go back to the entrance of the ride. As expected, they would sing some Christmas carols to entertain the passengers.

I can’t help but be amazed at how courageous these children are. What actually drives them to do this despite the risk of being hit by a vehicle? Where are their parents? They should have been inside the school premises and not found along the streets asking for a few pieces of coins.

Again, this is another sign of poverty. The next president must see this in order for him to conscientiously allocate the funds to the people, especially to those individuals who mostly needed it.

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The news regarding the massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao shook the country. Majority of the casualties were women, including media personnel and relatives of the Mangudadatu clan. To make matters worse, the vice mayor’s wife was raped before being executed.

The tragedy had just exposed one of the country’s weaknesses – our faulty democracy. The Philippines prides itself for upholding the rights of its citizens through a democratic form of government. However, what happened is already a clear indication of human rights violation.

This is how cynical politics goes in the country. Greedy people aspiring to hold the seat of power will use all means in order to get what they wanted – including killing innocent people.

Thanks to the tragedy, our country can now be tagged as one of the most dangerous places for media personnel. The number of casualties involving media men continues to escalate. Furthermore, no extrajudicial killing case has been solved until now.

The state of Maguindanao was placed under martial rule. The action taken was too harsh considering that other measures may be considered in order to bring back the peace and order in Mindanao. Majority of the residents’ rights was again trampled due to this hasty decision.

This is not the first time that we experienced political killings. The event only served as an eye-opener to every Filipino. If not for the fact that majority of the casualties involved were media men, people will simply shrug their shoulders and think that this is one of those common things expected to happen during elections. And the rest is left to oblivion.

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Educational institutions must keep in mind that students enroll in schools to attain holistic development. This pertains not only to their academic performance but also, to the honing of their character and potential.

The foundation of a student’s character is based on his values. The formation of one’s character depends mainly on the type of environment he is in and the people he mingles with and admires.

Students look up to their instructors as their second parents. They emulate their example. Instructors, in turn, play a vital role in the holistic development of a student. It is through their example that they may change to become better persons, or develop into another problem of the society.

After several years as a student, I have observed many problems that exist within the academic community. These are needed to be addressed the soonest time possible because the remedy has to be applied immediately.

Bias – to ECE and EE students, the term may either refer to forward or reverse voltage applied to semiconductor devices for several operations. To the entire student population, this simply refers to the unjust treatment of teachers to their students.

While it is true that it is difficult to remove biases, instructors must keep in mind that they serve as models to their students. They must not forget that the lessons they must impart included not only the academic aspect, but also, the values of respect, integrity and fairness.

I am still hoping for that ideal instructor to come and change my views regarding the injustice starting inside the four corners of the classroom.

(Raphaelle I.N.J)

Got an idea to share? Trespass the author’s lair at www.vraisemblance.blogspot.com and carve up a piece of your mind at rcyan_kaede@yahoo.com.