Tag: April 30, 2007

SENATE candidates from the opposition ticket slightly dominated a pre-election survey conducted by the Varsitarian among University student leaders, reflecting national voter sentiments as shown in nationwide surveys by professional polling outfits.

But the same survey seems to indicate apathy among the respondents characteristic of young Filipinos of voting age, as less than 50 per cent of the respondents said they had registered for the May 14 elections.

TWO SURVEYS conducted in the University one after the other are said to indicate that Thomasians are as politically polarized as the rest of the nation and may go for a mixed vote on May 14, neither giving the administration nor the political opposition dominance in the Senate race.

A mock election held last March 16 and 17 showed Thomasian preference for six candidates from the Genuine Opposition (GO), four from the administration’s Team Unity, and two independents.

A THIRTY-second TV political ad full of sweetened promises, canned precisely to draw votes, will cost a few millions. Not to mention the cost of production and labor one has to invest to create an effective and believable political campaign. Three years ago, a candidate for city councilor of Manila showered people with sugary platforms and made rounds in the streets, with endless jingles again and again every 30 minutes. It was very engaging that everyone in the street was infected with “LSS” (last song syndrome).

PERPEKTO na sana ang lahat. Mapalad ako sa pagkakaroon ng mapag-arugang ina at maunawaing ama. Binibigay nila lahat ng aking naisin—laruan, pagkain, at damit at kung anu-ano pa. Mga kapatid na lang ang tangi kong maihihiling pa upang makumpleto ang masaya naming pamilya. Nag-iisa kasi akong anak nina Tatay Lino at Nanay Blanca. Nasa akin na yata ang lahat ng mahihiling ng isang bata noong mga panahong iyon. Hanggang isang araw, nagbago ang lahat.

RUMURUPOK ang moog ng kagitingang

Nasa puso namin, sa paulit-ulit na pagdagundong ng kaba.

Mga bomba silang walang humpay sa pagsabog

Upang gibain ang aming katatagan,

Habang humahakbang ang pulutong

Sa masukal na gubat. Hindi namin alam

Kung saang sulok nakaabang ang kaaway.

Tila ahas silang nagkukubli sa batuhan,

Naghihintay, upang tuklawin ang aming wakas.

Subalit hindi kami dapat matakot.

Hindi. Sapagkat kailangan naming

TAG-ARAW na. Dagsaan na naman sa mga kalsada ng Maynila ang mga bagong tapos sa kolehiyo para maghanap ng trabaho. Kabaligtaran ng init na nararanasan nila sa labas ang lamig sa loob ng aircon ng bus na sinasakyan ko.

Napatingin ako sa mga pulang gumamelang nakapinta sa mga haliging sumusuporta sa LRT. Bigla kong naisip ang pagpipinta. Matagal-tagal na rin akong hindi nakakapagpinta. Lagi kasi akong sinisita ni Daddy noon sa tuwing nakikitang iyon ang ginagawa ko sa halip na mag-aral. Hindi ko raw kasi natututukan ang studies ko.

THE GUST of wind links you and I

As we breathe each other’s air, through nose or mouth–

It doesn’t matter at all.

As long as there’s wind to tickle the skin

Of workers, lovers and wanderers

Walking under the sun’s light

Inhaling dust and exhaling heat,

For it is a must, or there will be no us.

Day in, day out.

Sun in, sun out.

Sometimes the sun shines on our supple skin

Illuminating parts that once were covered

BREAKING away from run-of-the-mill living is not an easy task, especially if one’s only weapons are words. Ramil Digal Gulle, a former associate for poetry of the Center for Creative Writing and Studies, faces the challenge in his third poetry collection, Textual Relations (University of the Philippines Press, 2007).

DEAD flower garlands and bouquets surround the Dead Christ inside a glass casket. Stationary and with very few devotees except on very special occasions, Christ’s figure is in the helpless posture of a body without a soul.

Just like Alfredo Makabangon who, even now in his own home, cannot take a stroll. He looks at the image through the open door of his room as if looking into a mirror. These days, not one of his limbs can move and he eats through a tube in his stomach. “What a way to spend my last years,” he thinks to himself.

THEOLOGY professors from the Institute of Religion (IR) agreed with the stand of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines not to endorse any political candidate in the May 14 elections and called instead for intensive voters’ education through the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV).

IR is implementing the voters’ education into all the faculties and colleges through their Theology and Sociology classes last semester.