High Pinay

Why are Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and the rest of the Royal Family so popular, that literally the whole world is always eager to know the latest happenings in their life?

Whether you’re a fanatic or not you must admit that somehow there was a time in your life when a certain story caught your interest, enough to take some of your time from your so called busy schedule to read and know more.

Recent reports that hit the international news was when :

A window cleaner was hired to work on Prince Charles’ new £1.3million estate - despite being a convicted burglar.

Royal aides paid Matthew Bell, 35, £1,200 for the two-day job just before Charles and Camilla moved in - and now plan to use him monthly.

However, no one carried out a basic background investigation that would have revealed his TWO spells in jail.

In 2003 Matthew got nine months for a break-in.

Last year he served 21 days for snubbing a road conviction fine.

The dad-of–two, of Llandeilo, West Wales, set up cleaning firm Inside and Out this year and insisted he was reformed. He said: “I’m a changed man and I’ve worked bloody hard for this.

“I did an absolutely beautiful job up there and nothing went missing.

“Prince Charles has talked of offenders being given a second chance. Now it’s his chance to give me one.”

“I’m not going to lie to them about my past but nobody asked me.”

Matthew said locals were happy to wipe the slate clean. His 300 clients include two nursing homes.

He said: “I told everyone I was a burglar but they admired me for my honesty and no one turned me away.”

A spokesman for the prince said: “He was employed on a contract basis following a recommendation. He was under supervision at all times.”

Now, why would such simple news as that attract millions (I presume millions ) of viewers (including me)? When in fact there are far more serious stuffs that need our attention.

Well, whether I like it or I still like it…since childhood, fairy tales are my favorite stories, where kings and queens and the likes are the main characters. And once in a while it’s good to relive those Magical stories. And even if the stories of our modern day Queen and Prince are not always splendid. It still feels good to hear Royal Stories, besides; we only have but few Royal Families around in this world.

And, I think their life is very difficult, even if they do not have state powers anymore, the duty of upholding traditions and giving inspiration to many people is not that easy - so much for my dream to become a princess someday!

There was a checkpoint while I was on a bus on my way home, one of the Police Officer asked our driver to inform their bus operator/dispatcher to go to the checkpoint place for some reason that I do not know, so dutifully our driver hailed the next bus going the opposite way and relayed the message, consequently we had to block both ways for only about less than a minute. (actually less than 30 seconds!)

So, if you are behind any of the two bus, it’s either you’ll be annoyed or wait patiently.

But the annoyed misinformed man behind our bus, honked his honks angrily and then eventually made a “f–k sign” to our driver while over taking.

Good thing our driver held his calm and allowed the driver to pass without giving him a chase.

My point in here is just that:

1. Technically speaking, I think it is really against traffic rules to stop and block the way…The drivers should have stopped on the shoulder lane.

2. But if something simple as this happens, first thing in consideration is that it’s not usual that two bus / drivers would stop unless it is really important. So it must really be important that is why they stopped…

3. I am aware that there are those Malicious Prankster who thinks they are the king of the road! Well, that one is really annoying!

So, sometimes it really pays off to be calm and patient, in instances like this worse things could have happened simply because of a few seconds of delay!

Aside from the worldwide oil crises, our country is being concerned today with the tremendous growth of the number of Filipinos being born each day.

The church is very strong on their stand against artificial method while many are saying that natural approach is not effective anymore.

Both parties are just concern about the welfare of families here in our country, but please let us not focus our attention on the who’s who of both parties or if what method is proper but instead on the real issue.

Economic Stability

Having a bigger family is not against the any law. Big or small family can always be a happy family, were the love and support of each member is abounding as long as the economic situation of the country is stable.

Provided that the economic situation of the country is good and both parents have a steady source of income and which can suffice to provide all the needs of their children and their self as well.

Respect Children’s Rights

It is the right of each child to enjoy life to the fullest; it is their right to be love, happy and to be well-cared.

No one has the right to take the life of an innocent just because you cannot support these needs. Respect their right, before trying to bring out a new life in this world be conscious enough and respect the rights of the children.

Reproductive Education

Proper education is always a better method. If both parents are aware of their reproductive health and well educated about the different methods of family planning, they themselves can choose and plan the best method for them.

Respect for Woman

Above all, it is just all about respect! It is very dangerous for  women’s health to give birth several times and each pregnancy is both full of joy, pain and danger. So, please respect that and same goes for women respect yourself and don’t let your man abuse his right to your body.

I am not an expert on these, but then my curiosity was just aroused while I overheard the discussion on one radio program yesterday. There are actually two things that I had particularly taken interest with.

1. Elemental Ones

2. The Earth is You

Elemental Ones 

It all started with the flash news, that one school in Visayas region were alarmed when some of their students acted differently to the point of being eerie and strange sounds were heard from them. And as it was many believed they were possessed.

But then by whom or what?

Before going further, I want to make it clear that I am a Catholic by religion and a true blue Filipino by culture. It is true that religion, culture and science always have a tremendous disagreement ever since but I also believe that there is no wrong in listening to what each has to say. 

As I continue, the speaker said that it must be the elemental ones (as I call them) and continued to explained that even in the older times, many people already believed in elemental creations, and base on the researches, it was incorporated in the book of creations and were believed to be created prior to the creation of man. He further explained that there are 4 kinds of elemental creatures here on the earth.

4 Types of Element

1. Earth - which includes the gnomes or the wise spirits

2. Water - which includes the sirens
3. Air -  the fairies

4. Fire  - the salamanders

Culture says they are just myths or legendary creations,  while others say they do exist and are part of another dimension. And often times believed to be interacting with humans. The speaker explained that it may be against their law same thing with it being  against our cultural law to have interactions  with them. And since others call them Nature Spirits the interactions were being triggered due to our irresponsible deeds to our Mother Nature. And that they are not to be feared but to be respected.

2. The Earth is Us

Would you believe if someone says that the earth is You, these may not be new to others but for me it was.

Several facts were presented by those people who have already did some studies on how we bear a resemblance to the earth. One thing is your body and the earth are both made up of 75% of water.

True indeed, but do you also know that humans especially women are statistically proven to be affected by lunar activities? Women are said to have greater volume of menstruation during full moons.

So what does that has to do with you being the earth? Actually I haven’t done deeper studies on yet, but don’t you think the idea is amazing?

No wonder why we suffer the most everytime the earth needs to heal itself due to our own irresponsibilities. 

Last Sunday, Cling (one of my best friends) and I went to visit a high school friend who is suffering from head tumor… It was a very nostalgic visit ‘coz we haven’t seen him since high school graduation.

We laughed and remembered those good old days… but then behind those happy smiles at the back of our minds it was some sort of a “reality check” - that we are not getting any younger anymore and if before we never bothered to think about serious stuffs in life, because we were just mere children with just petty childish problems in life, (well.. no matter how insignificant those were problems before I still believe that they were important factors that have molded us into what we are now:-) but now things have changed - we are facing grave reality on how life should be lived.

Today, five days after that visit… Jordan passed away.

Although we haven’t been together for some quite time, knowing that his gone is somehow shocking, upsetting and sorrowing…’coz I feel that he is one of us, from our batch, same generation of my own, and he represents me, Cling and every batchmate of ours..

A young body that had gone to rest and was beaten up by a dreadful sickness…with dreams that won’t be fulfilled anymore. A life lived shortly… and what was the purpose of that life?

I remembered his painful words asking “What happened to my life?” Maybe Jordan did felt that somehow it was a wasted life…

But I saw the purpose of his death - on the meaning that he gave to our life now that he is gone. A lifeless testimony that would give life to our passion to live life to its fullest… to cherish everything and everyone around us and ultimately to let God be our greatest goal… ‘coz in the end it is where we are all going to…

Although the case is still under investigation, it was a wake-up call for all schools here in our country.

Allegedly the victim was raped inside the campus, four - aged 15 to 16 including three males and one female are accused of taking part in the rape of a 16 year old freshman for three consecutive days.

At first the victim was still afraid to talk about the sad fate that had happened to her but when her family noticed her strange behavior - she would take a bath several times a day and talk about how she she feels so dirty. That is when her family pressed her about what is her real problem and after learning her story, her enraged family went directly to the police station to file their complaint.

The series of tumultuous events that happened after includes the arrest of the alleged suspects inside the campus, where they were handcuffed right in front of the other students. The scene of the outraged parents at the precinct defending their sons and -yes daughter who was also one of the accused. The different reaction from the PUP students plus the possible case that PUP officials may also be held liable after they had admitted that they have no extra funds to hire more guards to watch over the 10 hectare school premises. Based on the medical findings on the victim, it is positive that there are lacerations on her private part. The story is not yet likely to end here, there are still a lot to happen.

But what is important here is the lesson we get from these traumatic and sad story of the minors, both the victim and the accused.

If I am not mistaken, it is in the CHED policy that any student proven guilty of a crime can no longer enroll in his previous school or any other school in the Philippines. Correct me if I am wrong, but if that is the case, then what would happen to the future of these students if proven guilty.

The declining number of students who are able to make it in college is already a problem in our country. Then this would happen pa. if I where to express my opinion, I believe the school official has really some accountability here.

It is a wake-up call for all school managements to watch closely, not only the academic standing of their school but as well as the security and social development of their students. I believe what happened can be categorically put into a form bullying. And bullying, although is not yet taken seriously here in the Philippines, is more damaging than anyone could imagine, it may not be in the form of physical abuse, but emotionally, spiritually… only the victims can tell how harrowing that experience could be.

I have spent the last two weeks of June dialing these numbers 1-800-3249-3282.. Whew! I can now sing a tune with these numbers… It is Digitel’s hot line if you have a problem with your phone or DSL connection.

At 2:15 pm of June 16 my DSL was not connecting anymore after three consecutive sags in the power. The first thing I did was to restart my modem… after about 30 minutes, still - there is no connection. I dialed the numbers and reported my problem. Okey, the operator is so friendly and she said they would immediately do action on it.

The following day, I was very positive that everything is okey with my internet connection now. But still, its negative!! Duh!

After 2 days of patiently waiting for their action, I went directly to Digitel’s Dagupan local office; while the lady I sought help from was verifying my complaint on her computer she said that… I still have no reference number for my complaint that is why the report hasn’t reached their technical team yet. At that time I was already wondering why the operators haven’t directly given me a reference number for my call.

Then I learned that it was due to the volume of repairs their office is receiving due to the typhoon Cosme that badly hit Pangasinan. So, does that mean that if I haven’t went directly to their office no operator would give me a reference number until they sensed the urgency?!!!

So, to make my story short, after two weeks, no technician came to check my connection, I have done my best to patiently call them everyday…I tried to be very understanding that they are really having a hard time dealing with the large volume of repairs they are claiming to have. To quote someone’s reply to me, “Ma’am, meron po kami more than 600 complaints dito, 4 lang po technician namin dito, kawawa na po sila nga sa kaka-overtime, pero huwag po kayo mag-alala, since business po sa inyo, nasa priority po kayo.”

Ah, ganun ba!!! My, oh my!…I thought it was their vision to be the most preferred full service telecommunications provider in the country?

I can’t wait any longer, so I take the initiative to ask the help of a friend, we tried his modem, and lucky me… it turned out that the old modem is the one with problem, so I stretched my luck to the fullest and ask my friend if he could lend me his modem until Digitel would take pity on me…

As of today, I reported my case to the customer service hotline as well as directly to the local office of San Carlos City… and will hopefully and patiently wait for their action…I just hope my friend won’t charge me kindness and for his modem