FASCINATION

     The Filipino fascination for style over substance continues to rear its ugly head not only in the world of entertainment but also in all aspects of Filipino culture. It is very unfortunate
that even the field of athletics and sports , the Filipino's preference for style and glitter seemingly bends all sense of priority or logic. Case in point are the Azkals; football, or soccer as is it
is more commonly called in the country is a sport that is not very well recognized or even played in the country. However, since the influx of multiple fil-foreign players , notably those who
carry with them a more elegant physical presence, the sport and the Azkals as the team is called has gained amazing popularity. All this attention for a team that is ranked a very lowly 158 out of 208; a ranking that
is significantly off the bottom half of the world rankings. Compare this to the attention given to all the athletes who recently competed in the South East Asian Games where the Philippines
finished with a horrendous 6th place, behind the leader Indonesia (which is home to massive religious atrocities), Vietnam (which has yet to fully recover from the 70's war), and even Singapore with a population
of less than 5% of the Philippines! To put it in perspective, the Philippines right in the middle of the 11 nation tournament only ahead of significantly poor and devastated countries such as Myanmar and Cambodia!
To think that supposedly, with our American support and indoctrination, the Philippines should at least be leading the region in sports as much as our American compatriots do in the world. Yet, as results have
constantly shown, the Philippines is way behind even in the field of sports.

     Once again, a large part is due to the lack of support for our own home-grown heroes and athletes where sponsors would rather throw their advertising and support pesos in the direction of
athletes who make better billboard displays. A firm and clear understanding of our priorities, even in the simple world of sports may one day lead our country to greater heights we always dreamed was possible.
The Filipino is indeed capable of higher goals, but in the world of international competition, national support goes a long way in providing the much needed support for our local talents in terms of financial
aid, training, or even just the morale boost that goes with knowing that the Filipino truly does appreciate you, even if you have a local last name. There is time yet to train the next Manny Pacquiao, instead of
importing another Younghusband.

Ninoy Aquino International Airport 1

I still fondly recall the very first time that I saw the Ninoy Aquino Internationa Airport which is frequently referred to as NAIA around 10 years ago, I was in awe as I looked at this huge structure that bears the name of a famous Philippine president. I was with my parents then, we were accompanied by a few relatives who wanted to see a distant aunt as she was about to leave for abroad. It was the first thing that caught my attention after such a long drive that early morning. I was amazed by the sheer number of people there and wondered where they were heading as they disappeared through the brown doors of the building.

            Since then, the sight of that airport terminal has been at the back of my mind even if I developed others interests as I grew up. Any updates regarding the building continued to capture my interest whenever it would be featured on television or in the newspapers. I have not seen it again since then but I learned that there have been other terminals built as the need to accommodate more passengers each year was becoming evident. The airport terminal is now called NAIA1 to make it distinct from the additional airport terminals that followed (Terminals 2 and 3).

            Other facts about NAIA1 that I learned through the years are that the development of the airport terminal was spearheaded by then president Ferdinand E. Marcos way back in the 1970s. The terminal began operations after its completion in 1981, it is 67,000 square meters in size with a design capacity of 4.5 million passengers. Currently, it serves all non-Philippine Airlines international flights except for Cebu Pacific international flights which are accommodated in the NAIA3.

            The NAIA1 has recently been featured again in the media, this time it was facing criticisms from some travelers and bloggers for getting a bad reputation in the transportation industry. Comments and feedback from the public have been published in the internet regarding how the services have deteriorated, facilities are neglected and management has failed to address these issues. A website called the “Guide to Sleeping in Airports” ranked the Ninoy Aquino International Airport 1 as the 5^th worst airport in the world. I was concerned about these things and I made a conscious effort to know more about the public’s concerns by searching the web for any new updates regarding the situation.

Recently, I had the chance to revisit NAIA1 when I accompanied my family who went there to fetch a close cousin of my father, uncle JB dela Cruz. He just arrived last October 2011 from the United States of America after his 6-month stay for his OJT. I admit that I was dismayed when I saw the condition of the airport terminal, the worn-out façade of the building showed the obvious neglect that it’s 30-year existence has dealt it. I just hope that the management would consider immediate renovations and much-needed upgrade in the facilities as top priorities to bring it back to its former glory.  

Activities In My Community

When I was a little girl, I used to wonder why there are so many street children wondering the street. I could see the news and hear my parents talking about how irresponsible the parents of those poor families are as they continue to make babies but could not raise them properly.

As I grew older, I became aware of the difficulties and challenges in life. I became aware of natural calamities such as earthquakes and typhoons and how easily they could end lives. I used to remember the World Trade Center tragedy in the United States, the Ondoy typhoon floodwaters in Manila and the kids in Smokey Mountain to name a few. I have learned to appreciate how my parents have sacrificed their own personal material wishes just to provide me and my siblings a better life.

I also became aware of foundations and outreaches, especially those provided my Philippine Red Cross and television shows such as Wish Ko Lang. During typhoons, I was touched at how people would organize relief goods and help distribute to those people who are affected. I was touched at how these people would just help others out of the purity of their heart.

During college, I also became aware of the activities in our community.  There are basketball fund raising events, there are community watch groups at night but what caught my attention was the one person I see every Sunday. I watched Father Reyes hand out food packages to street children in our community every now and then. I felt a sense of happiness knowing that there is always someone willing to help the community.  I promised myself that one day, I would help out as well, no matter how small part I play.

Last October, I decided to step up my courage and ask Father Reyes if I could help him out distribute the food packages on his next scheduled outreach in our community. He happily obliged and asked me to come back on the next scheduled release.

Last  week,  I  handed  out  food  packages  to  twenty  seven  street  children.  I  could  see  the  smile  on the  children’s  faces  when  I  handed  it  out  to  each  of  them.  More  importantly,  it  provided  me  a sense  of  happiness  that  I  have  never  felt  before.  Being  able  to  help  someone,  this  wonderful feeling,  was  priceless  and  something  that  I  would  never  forget  the  rest  of  my  life.