Abel possibilities

In a challenge to think of ways to use "inabel" - the traditional hand woven cloth from the Ilocos- aside from the usual blanket or table linen, I came up with these two items:

Puruntong/surfer shorts


Lambag

I support efforts to keep our local crafts alive. But I believe that for the crafts themselves to survive, artisans and their technology must at least try to keep up with the times by innovating and adapting in order to be relevant. It is not enough for mere goodwill and volition to sustain something that has lost its purpose except as curio displays in museums.

44

This is a day of deep grief for the country. Forty four Special Action Force members of the Philippine National Police were killed in Mamasapano, Maguindanao while on a mission to arrest a notorious bomb making terrorist.

It is already a great tragedy that these men had to give up their lives in order to secure peace for our country. But it will be a greater tragedy if we lose our heads all together and allow this incident to lead us to war instead of peace and we confuse revenge for justice.

Huwag kang magnakaw!

Nagkataon lang kaya ito o sadyang nagpapatama ang kung sino man ang naglagay ng karatula sa papasok ng simbahan sa Makati. Paalala ng karatula ang isa sa 10 Utos na huwag magnakaw.

Sa kalapit na kanto naman, at tanaw na rin mula sa simbahan ang Ospital ng Makati na siya ngayong pakay ng imbestigasyon sa Senado kaugnay ng malawakan at nakalululang pandarambong.

Sana lamang ay manaig ang katotohanan dahil gaya nga ng isa pang sinasabi sa 10 Utos, Huwag ka magbibintang ng kasinungalingan sa iyong kapwa.

Para sa akin, ang inaakusahan ay may buong karapatan at tungkulin na ipagtanggol ang sarili at pabulaanan ang mga paratang sa kanya. Ang hindi pagharap sa nag-aakusa ay para na ring pagpapatoo ditto.

nemo dat quid non habet

"We can not give what we do not have"

I have always believed that the really generous people are those who give of themselves.

In my book those who do social work, the NGOs and politicians who get compensation for "helping" or serving others are not being generous but simply doing their job. So too are those do-gooders who do charity work by soliciting from others, they too are in it for themselves and not for their target beneficiaries.

Pasaway

Ang mga Pinoy kunwari ay ligo ng ligo para ipakita na malinis sila sa sarili, pero bakit parang itinuturing nila na sa basurahan sila nakatira?

A permanent firecracker zone

Despite the great harm and nuisance caused by firecrackers and fireworks in welcoming the new year, fireworks merchants in Bocaue object to banning these items pleading that they stand to lose their livelihood.

As a compromise to them, I suggest that they just propose to make their town a permanent firecracker zone where firecrackers can be bought and lighted all year round.

As for the rest of the country, I still support the call for a permanent and strict ban on firecrackers and fireworks.

Splitting Christmas

From being a joyful and peaceful season, Christmas has become a time of stress and harassment where people are forced to endure nightmarish traffic and go through a ritual of frenzied shopping to keep up with its spirit.

But if it has become so, this can only be the fault of the people who have given up the spirit of Christmas for materialism and crass commercialism.

With a view to making the Christmas season more relaxed and less stressful maybe it would be a good idea to have two kinds of Christmas celebrated on two different dates or period.

The first Christmas will be the "commercial" Christmas celebrated on the first of December with parties, gift giving and all out materialism for those inclined to do so. People celebrating this Christmas can hold parties starting November but should not go beyond December 1.

The other Christmas is the original or the "spiritual" Christmas celebrated with family and intimate friends.

Some people may find this idea odd but those who believe in Christmas should try to get its true spirit back.

Cheap + China = Divisoria

For bargain hunters in the country, all roads lead to Divisoria.

My impression of the place however is that it is not anymore a part of the Philippines but a territory conquered by China.

We may be saving a few bucks when we buy cheap china made goods in Divisoria but I wonder what we lose in exchange.

Bonifacio: Bayani ng Bayan

wip

Christmas trash

I am all for recycling and up-cycling but I don't think the current fad to turn trash into Christmas decors fall into that category.

Frankly I find them ugly and they do not do much to bring in Christmas cheer. What they remind me though is the rule: Garbage in, garbage out.

When will we understand that cleanliness is the beginning of beauty?