Switching On the Sun

After “inhaling a breath of fresh air”, we exhale that sigh of relief... Election’s over! Much like how one holds her breath from a “stinky gust of air” reeking for quite a while, Baguio could now hopefully smell something that isn’t fishy... We are now to breathe an air of fresh hope and opportunity to start anew under a new brand of governance. More than having a new City Mayor, we have a leader! A new battle for this battle-tested highly-decorated leader... To lead Baguio under a disjoining process of sociological duplicity, members (citizens) should first learn to accept its new headship corresponding with solidarity. One man cannot do it alone. We need to unite. This past election saw how Baguio was in a state of discord. While we were given so many redundant options, it divided us into factions. Manifestation of that sense of entitlement with an assumed claim of exclusive right to Baguio under political inclinations and cultural/societal partiality seemed prevalent. Wit...

No to “Voting Blindly”. A lot are actually blinded by their sense of loyalty. With their condescending belief for that of their candidate to whom they seem to be blindly loyal to, they're swayed that that is the sensible choice... Thus, they believe they’re voting wisely. For us though, our loyalty is for the place where the candidate we are to vote for is likewise loyal to... 'The Soldier of Truth' On a different light (or the lack of it as a matter of unenlightened perception), campaigning has become a hotly contested battlefield of the candidates’ respective supporters as well. Similarly, respect for the “opinionated society’s” preference has been blatantly disregarded with their self-patronizing mudslinging denouncements. If none, they fabricate, hence the fake news, trolls and all. And even so, in defense by the guilty, they pass on those real stories detrimental to their image as fake news. They’re likewise blinded FROM the truth, blinded BY the lie. T...

Don’t be a stranger in your own city... much like how Baguio folks apparently shun away from its biggest festival, the Panagbenga (not to mention, long weekends) ... Attributed to various reasons, quite a degree of pessimism has been insinuated on Baguio City’s seeming suffocating situation. Deteriorating environment, worsening traffic, wavering peace and order, et al. All of which alienate people from the essence of Baguio’s good-natured environs. Most of which are unfortunately imputed to the booming tourism and the local government, corresponding with Baguio’s trade and commerce... By people, it’s from either side of the spectrum. Local folks generalize tourists and outsiders/traders as the unwanted visitors. Whereas among tourists, Baguio isn’t as welcoming as it was (or as they were)... Come on Baguio peeps! It’s the Summer Capital of the Philippines . We can’t take pride how inviting our city is without sharing it. How can we lay claim on such general perception of our Ba...

46 is the new 16 Not sweet 16 though... It’s more like the middle age where one either feels like he can still keep up with the young ones or he knows how it is to be young once. And from each of those sentiments, it can likewise be sorted out into different classifications and the needed balance between impulse and forethought. Much like a cross between introspection and one’s thought-of public perception leading to either refutation or acceptance, it consumes our consciousness of what transpired out of our existence over the years. I’m 46 Similarly, I ponder on the what-ifs, the how-comes, the why-nots and even the when-will-it-bes... Yes, despite of the seeming assurance of that “things-you’re-thankful-for-couldn’t-have-happened-if-you-had-it-any-other-way” sort of assumption, I do have regrets. Nonetheless however, I also have aspirations still. These two account for my quintessence as how I’d put it, I guess... Conditional on someone else’s impression, I’m either a failure o...

Last Friday (November 16), ‘Uncles and Aunties of Baguio’ turned one... It was quite timely that we’ve been invited to grace the Rotary Club of Downtown Session’s regular meeting as a speaker on social media influence corresponding with Uncles and Aunties of Baguio’s relevance. Surprisingly, they also awarded us with a certificate of appreciation for Uncles and Aunties of Baguio’s contribution along today’s social media generation; “app”tly, it generates different expressions. Being a new Rotarian myself from the Rotary Club of Baguio South, they invited our club to join them instead. It was an overwhelming support from both Rotary clubs wherein, on behalf of the ‘Uncles and Aunties of Baguio’ group, we’re likewise appreciative of their initiative to bestow us with such further source of inspiration. True enough, it’s fitting that Uncles and Aunties of Baguio’s essence and inclination on positivity harmonizes with this year’s Rotary Club’s theme, “Be The Inspiration”... And f...

“A vote that could be “boat” but shouldn’t be bought” A question for a title, yet an “enTITLEment” dependent of our discretion as much as it’s a taken-for-granted prerogative that we might as well address... Consequently, nowadays, “self-entitlement” pretty much sums up our dependence on imposed rights and privileges as if we aren’t suppose to sensibly play a role in it... We usually complain about issues, yet, do we do something about it. We depend too much on others, more so, on elected officials. Chances are, we rave about their failure for that motive to “play the blame game”. Or do we just rely on rants expectedly falling on deaf ears as we’re only after the overly used and usually misconstrued “freedom of expression” irresponsibly conveyed for all its possible likes and reactions? One manifestation of this is that complaints are aimed at discrediting the same recipients many times over because these same people get voted every time and assume power nevertheless. This b...

“Walang pasok” might as well be for “wala ng (puma)pasok na pag-unawa” among us... Suspension of classes during this rainy/typhoon season here in Baguio and Benguet has been a constant issue. Both are under separate government units. Thus, its respective local government’s discretion on such weather-concerning decision is rather sought, apparently for all the “authority and liability” aspect’s worth. One major concern however is that, there seems to be a discrepancy on the two governing bodies’ jurisdictions along the inclement weather’s path (and radius), geographically within a common “area of responsibility” which raises these concerns: Baguio is in Benguet What if a student happens to be a resident of, say, La Trinidad but studies in Baguio or vice versa... Do we have to rely (every time) on their discretion? How about considerations leaning towards common sense which could affect one’s academic performance (isn’t that ironic) ... will it be taken against the stud...

What if you only have a few more days left to live? Or what if you have a loved one in such a predicament? How about if you can actually help out in extending the days for one who’s about to “go”? Can we make that connection work amidst the digital connection that we’re currently more drawn into, investing in and spending on? Is there a fun way to do so? When having fun could be a responsible thing... Amidst today’s technological breakthrough and social media generation, a substantial means in manifesting fun is through the convenience of digital spectrum. One doesn’t have to leave a room (or should we say “one does not even leave a room”) yet virtually connects with that of anything that makes one have fun... On the other hand, some go out of the way if only to project (or brand their image as) some “virtual reality” of their own version of fun as much as it is “more than a profile” but it is for validation, acceptance, affirmation or for whatever reason that suits them per...