Discrimination et.al

We had a one-week training with the university personnel. I was shocked with the issues I heard particularly with regards to the workers at the food service. I love to eat at the UFS, i often buy arroz caldo and tokwa because they serve them hot and crispy. But woes befall them when they heard that the administration will eventually close the UFS for a "better" food service. This "rumor" is becoming real with the number of workers in the UFS being reduced from 130+ to only 30. Though still surviving, many of them now are doing nothing on the job because they have no more budget to buy for food supplies. My heart was bleeding while listening to them. "ahh, I thought my campus is the freest in the country but obviously with those actions they are bleeding their workers to death." If I could only tell them the blatant truth: truly privatization has already seeped in the university. They are using this 'bleed them dry' tactic to eliminate the "excess" workers. Another issue that touched me was the story of a pregnant single mother. She was deprived of her right for a maternity benefit for the simple reason that she intends to keep and raise her baby alone. Another woman related that she worked for 45 years in the university, but up to these times she had not received any commendation (loyalty award) from the job. Whew!!! I never thought officials in the universal could be that cruel! How much more in other universities which do not label themselves progressives. Perhaps, we can do something about these different forms of discrimination. Unfortunately, the union itself is divided and crippled with its own issue of "divisiveness". Perhaps, some re-thinking and grounding must be done to help solve those problems: we cannot remain silent and compromise our position primarily because work is an expression of life and love. Not finding ourselves in our work can only mean "death". What can we give to our country and how can we extol our humanity if we are just living "deathly lives".

I am a strawberry pocky!

what flavor pocky are you?

[c] sugardew

I never thought visiting blogs can be that enjoyable. I loved that kind of cross-country visits like that of simple-mom's blog on "taking-off one's shoes" before entering another home. She comes from Kosovo and yet that same practice happens almost in every Asian country, including the Philippines. I also visited "doy cinco's discourses on the use of the English language. He argued that most Asian countries which are now ahead of us (in development) did not make English their medium of communication in school or government. Another interesting blog is that of an intimate friend who narrated, blow-by-blow, her experience of finishing a 42K run. How I wish I was there to congratulate her. Other blogs that I nominated were interesting in their lay-out and color choices like that of Sanrio, the greens in theroserambler really attracts me and the scenic spots of Sagada held my breath...wow!

Hope i can combine those features of good writing, balance and attractive lay-out and a firm political stance on issues.

My Top Ten Bloggers for 2008

This is my entry to the top "Top 10 Emerging Blog of 2008"
1.on running and happiness
-a blow-by-blow account of a first time marathoner: thrilling!

2. pinoymountaineer
-perfect guide for first time travelers to Sagada especially the gallery site!

3. welcome to my world
-picturesque and pleasing to the eyes

4. mga diskurso ni doy
- written in the vernacular, talks about developmental issues particularly the use o the English language and development

5. blog ni inday!
- i love this one! full of Filipinoy-jokes

6. the wisdom journal
- if one wants to be a leader, one can truly gather wisdom from the writer

7. the rose garden rambler
- full of greens! if one wants to learn more about flora and fauna

8. simple mom
- her cultural approach in writing really invites me to come and read her articles plus homey pictures

9. only in the philippines!
- political commentaries on presentday issues

10. sanrio town
- this is click for girls and girls at heart! the big spaces in between pictures and words is comforting to the eyes!

Test of Patience

Malu was right. I was becoming so impatient waiting for an email from our woman speaker. Thus, I ate my lunch minutes earlier to dissipate my "impatience". Hope i can come up with lots of tips besides "praying" and eating while waiting for the computer to work.

Very Interesting topics and speakers!

We have two contrasting set of male speakers for today: the first set are lawyers and a community health doctor. Personally, I found one of the speakers as "theoretical" because he was trying to convince us that exploitation/abuse only happens with minors and with contact sex. The other I loved and enjoyed especially because he speaks in very fluent Filipino and a very firm stance on women's issues.

at last! i created my own blog

I always thought that blogging is a waste of time primarily because i am not fond of writing. I just love to move, to paint and teach but not writing. But this time, for the past 6 hours, I was given the space and time to appreciate this kind of mental activity. Hope I can always be this enthusiastic and sustain this blogspot.

Anyway, the title of my blog seems strange. Actually it is a combination of two female names (one greek and one islamic in origins). Perhaps, I will be delving on this issue of women, of women's dilemma ("that sounds greek to me') and of women in "shrouds" or "prisons" (not literally metal bars).