Simpleng Pinoy lang si Jarold

Last night, as I reached the crossroads of Osmeña Boulevard adn the National Highway, after trailing down from Crown Regency Hotel, I saw a few number of people crossing the busy street even when the DO NOT WALK signal was imminently conspicuous and the vehicles were brooming left and right.

I couldn't help but think about the grave situation of our country. Just watching that scene made me realize that the root cause of the Philippine's problems is our stubborness -as well as our refusal to exercise self-discipline

Everyday as I walk along the road of Colon, I see pedestrian walking on the green light. And if there are any City Traffice Office Management (CITOM) officers dispersed on the streets, I never fail to see jaywalking violators being fined or worse altercating with the officers. I must admit, I used to be a violator of the rule and was fined twice. But I never let that happen again. Apart from the embarassment and waste of money, violation of the law strongly attracts accident and traffic problems.

I understand that many of us are either on a jiffy or simply too tired to stand in front of the rushing vehicles and wait for the WALK signal. However, traffic rules are there for a reason. If we only follow these traffic rules faithfully, there would be lesser traffic congestion, lesser street accidents, lesser traffic enforcers to be paid for and other people wouldn't have the guts to violate the rule if they see us exercising the discipline ourselves.

LIke the golden rule says Do not do unto others what you dont want others do to you. Similarly, what you don't do, others wouldn't do, too. Therefore, discipline must start from one's self not from others. Do one good thing faithfully and others will follow.


This blog is inspired by AKO MISMO movement. Register now and begin the big change!

Ako mismo ang magpapakita sa mga kabataan na kaya nating iangat ang kanya-kanya nating kakayahan at talento (I, myself, will show to the youngsters that we each can elevate our capabilities and talents).

That is my commitment to my beloved country Philippines as I participate in Ako Mismo movement to start the needful change to a better and wonderful Philippine life.

We each complain about the ugly things that are happening in our country today. But if we all want a better Philippine life, the change must start within us. From a simple garbage disposal to the proper place, that is already a great start to the elimination of dreadful flood and vicious diseases.

So what else can you, yourself, do to improve your life in the simplest action, and eventually the Philippines? Act on what you can do now!

Ako? 'Di na ako maghihintay na ikaw mismo o sila mismo ang may gagawin. AKO na MISMO ang gagawa! IKAW? Ano mismo ang gagawin mo? (Me? I won't wait for you or them to do something. I will do it myself. What about you? What will you, yourself, do?)

Register now at akomismo.org and show your commitment.

Just when you thought the sea is safe because there are no storms, a devastating event might just be creeping along the way. Just as the line says in a Harry Potter soundtrack something wicked this way comes.

Who would have thought a ship as big as Super Ferry 9, famously owned by the Aboitiz Group of Companies per se, would sink in the middle of a calm sea and sky? Lesson from the MV Princess of the Stars tells us not to sail if there's a storm -both to shipping lines and passengers. The Super Ferry 9 tragedy, however, reminds us that accident knows no time and place.


But I just want to address this to all transport operators, be it airline, shipping or land: please do check your vehicles on a timely manner, especially giant companies like Aboitiz. It's not just about saving lives, it also saves your company from unexpected costs and losses due to this type of accident as well as spares you from problems such as guilt and lawsuits.

Let us just thank the Lord that even when there were lives which met their demise many were still spared. Our prayers for the departed and their love ones would greatly help them find peace.

Today, Senator Noynoy Aquino had publicly declared his intention to run for the Presidential slot this 2010 election after a few short weeks of contemplation.

While I strongly believe in his good intentions and steadfast heart, I am yet to be convinced of the development, improvement, and beneficial changes he can contribute to the country. I'm still uninformed about his platforms and totally clueless of the changes he had spearheaded, and on how he was ablt to successfully materialize those changes. Telling people what we want to do and happen is too easy -way to easy as a matter of fact. But having them materialized is not an easy feat. Realizing them entails you to have the combination of kindness, toughness and brilliance. Hence, we should not only look at a single facet of a candidate's personality and capacity but also everything about the candidate. Then we start chooshing who got the best character among the roster.

As for now, my decision to vote Mar Roxas for the Vice President position is intact and definite -no more second thoughts. But for President, give me a few more time to dig more information about Noynoy Aquino, Manny Villar and Noli de Castro.

Sikit-sikiti lang palihug (please squeeze closer beside your seatmate ) , dili lang nato bilangkaran palihug ha (please don't sit straddling) kuwang pa na og tulo ang wala (the left side can still accomodate three more passengers)

We hear these words inside a Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) every single day of our lives (Lucky for those who have their own wheels); and our ears are beginning to deafen.

While we the commuters understand the current economic status of PUJ drivers, given the current prices of food and commodities today, we still believe that we as their lifeblood deserve a comfortable seating condition each time we ride a PUJ. Sometime I just can't help myself but scold the konduktor (driver's assistant) when they're being so insensitive to the comfort and safety of their passengers.



Just like what happened in the PUJ I rode earlier tonight. An elderly man was sitting on the extension chair back-to-back with a teenage boy. Two passengers went out a little later and the teenager was able to take the vacated seat. The elderly wouldn't fit, so he remained standing with his body curved in the middle of the PUJ. I told the konduktor to let the man sit back to the extension chair because he might get into an accident. But he wouldn't put the extension chair back; and, instead, he insisted that someone's going to leave in just a little while. Now that's one example of the PUJ drivers and konduktors' insensitivity I'm talking about here. They don't even care if their passenger will meet an accident because of their indifference and stubborness.

But that's not it. They also force commuters to ride and sit even if they will just be sitting a few centimeters of space -just because they insist that each benches fits 10, 11, 12, 13, etc passengers. When the truth is the benches fit one or two passengers lesser that what they're saying. And when we complain about this, they discourteously tell us sakay og taxi para makalingkod mo og tarong, jeep mani (ride a taxi if you want to sit comfortably, this is a PUJ). And then we have the kapyot (clinging in the bars at the back of the PUJ). Albeit there's a regulation regarding this, drivers still allow this because it adds up to their income. What's worst is they allow more than two people clinging.

With all these indescretions going on in public transportation these days, the local government must start looking inot the matter seriously and come up with a strict regulation to put these unacceptable behavior into a halt. By coming up with effective regulations, I can forsee that there will then be a better distribution of passengers to all PUJs. Instead of one jeepney getting an overload of passengers because of the sikit-sikit which only allows the passenger to sit one-fourth of the actual seating space, the kapyots and the extension chair while the other jeepney is underloaded, passengers will now be distributed evenly to both jeepneys. Thus, both drivers earn the same level of income. Both drivers then can bring food to their dining table. Thereby having all members of the family eat three meals a day -no one will go hungry.

I can't quite discern whether I should feel happy or disappointed with what I've just seen in the news. My number one Presidentiable, Mar Roxas, had given up his Presidential bid and now settles for the Vice Presidential position inorder to give way to Noynoy Aquino to be their Party's standard bearer for the 2010 election.

He might have saddened his supporters with his unforseen decision but I completely understand his position; and I admire his nobility. What he just did is absolutely not an easy decision. Especially now that he has spent millions of fund for his campaign.

The good thing about this though is that he still has a chance to run for President in the 2010 Presidential election. And I'm definitely looking forward to that year. I am hoping and praying that all candidates' political decisions will yield prosperous results for the country.

When incumbent Senator Mar Roxas first appeared in an infomercial with the monicker Mr.Palengke, I knew right there and then that he would be my future Philippine President. There is too much charm and plausibility that exude from within him. And when he publicly declared that he will be running for the highest government position this 2010 election, I was truly glad and satisfied.

However, recollecting all the past, recent and current economic events, I'm beginning to rethink my position. In these times when economic disasters and uncertainties are stealthily plaguing randomly with political angst on the rise, we need a leader that is a combination of GMA's brilliance, Ramos' toughness and Cory Aquino's good heart. We simply cannot afford to creep into our country's downfall.

So there I have to consider Senator Manny Villar and Vice-President Noli de Castro. I have always believed that successful businessmen of huge corporations can run the country successfully. But then again, people say that politics is bad for business. So what can I do? But now we've got a Presidentiable who is imminently a successful business tycoon and politician at the same time. Now is the opportune time to prove my theory.

But wait! Is what I'm hearing in the news right? People wants Noynoy Aquino to run for President? Just because he is the son of former Senator Ninoy Aquino and President Cory Aquino? Wait! I really need to digest this information. Are these people sure about what they're saying and thinking? Come to think of it. What have Noynoy contributed to the Philippines that was truly beneficial to most, if not all, Filipinos? I'm not a follower of political issues; but if he really is good there must be something that I should have heard he'd done while he is sitting on one of those judicial seats.

Last night, however, I watched SNN in ABS-CBN, Kris Aquino and Boy Abunda's entertainment magazine show; and I've seen the interview of Noynoy Aquino when asked if he is indeed running for President. And you know what my reaction was? Whoa! Splendid! I've never heard any politician answered genuinely as he did. I can't quote Noynoy's word verbatim but his answer meant something like this, "I'm yet to decide whether I will be running running for President because I have to think of whether I can really do something good for the country. I don't want to say after my term ends that I did my best. When I become President and when I step out, I want to be able to say that these are what I've done."

Amazing, isn't it? That is what we call the spirit of LEADERSHIP. We think of how we can serve, not just lead. So there, my perplexity is now building up as the 2010 election is nearing, SO HELP ME GOD!