My Ultimate Eggsperience breakfast!
2 eggs per layer, sandwiching cheese, potatoes, a few corn kernels, basil and mushrooms!
Phone camera used. Real bad quality! I apologize.
The time when the teacher becomes the student.
I’m a part of the Literary Training Service program of UST. The idea is to teach and aid underprivileged school kids with their level’s curriculum and with other basic knowledge. During our 1st semester, we visited Palili Elementary school in Bataan, and this semester, in Pulilan Elementary School in Bulacan. We were with my blockmates and other collegemates/CFAD students, plus our head, Mr. Aboboto.
With this program, we aim to help the kids with their academics, but also wish to establish a long lasting and embedded relationship with the kids. It’s a great way to make them feel that the rest of the nation cares, and that there’s always hope and a way to get better in life.
Well, in the 1st semester, we photocopied a limited number of answer sheets, and forgot to bring much snacks for our learners. It’s really best to learn from your mistakes, because the second opportunity to teach, we came forth armed and ready. Although the copies were not sufficient for everyone (the number of learners were not foreseen), we managed to use up all our time productively, unlike the first time where we played introduction games and had getting-to-know sessions that ate up half the time we could have used for teaching our learners more things. In spite of all this, I’m really glad I’m given these opportunities to teach kids and at the same time, learn from them. First-hand information doesn’t come often, and for me, seeing the reality of it all makes things much more tangible that I get to think about these issues clearer. I got to test my patience, and use my English and Math skills to my advantage. Dancing skills? Well, maybe, for a little while when we were having fun with the learners, but more on my English and Math knowledge throughout the sessions.
The children I’ve taught had different personalities and different realities. Their stories seemed like something you’d pull out of a “teleserye,” but they made me realize that the “teleseryes” ripped a page or two from their lives. In one instance, I was asking my learner, Marjory, when her birthday was, and she didn’t know. She only knew the month, and wasn’t even sure of the year. It hit me how simple the knowledge seemed to be, and yet she didn’t even remember her own momentous day. I thought, didn’t she celebrate her birthday? Wasn’t she given much attention? When I asked how many siblings she had and what their names were, and she wasn’t sure at first, because she didn’t know the names of some of her siblings because of their age gap and the lack of time together. It occurred to me that maybe with all the children, they didn’t have time to focus on each child, so Marjory just learned to live with it, and develop a personality around her friends and surroundings instead. She even had a deceased sibling, which shocked me at first, then saddened me later on. Maybe they’re thinking life sucks. And the good thing is, I feel their pain, and I want to know it. I saw the world as a giant puzzle board with different pieces, and I’m just trying to put things together. As I view the finished work, I think it’s done, but really, there are lines in between and spaces underneath that are not for the naked eye, and are therefore, less tended to.
My openness and my efforts to radiate a welcoming aura seemed to pull-off because, for example, the learner from Bataan, Trixzie really was touched by me. I interviewed and asked questions, and probed her about her emotions. I thought, maybe no one pays much attention to her that’s why she felt touched immediately. She even gave me her bracelet and necklace, which made me feel bad because I didn’t think of bringing something for them, so I gave the bracelet I was wearing. Later on, she asked for my number, and we text each other from time to time. I really felt like I made a strong impact on her because of this.
Raising awareness is a lot of tough work, but for me, rational communication is the first step to raising awareness to other people. Paying things forward go a long ,long wat.
Anyway, as I relayed earlier, the relationship with the kids were really strong, and having them remember me and enjoying the company . Of course, my values are my way of life, and when I love it, I love it. I express my proper intentions to entertain and teach the kids, and for me, my values go through everything I do, so once I believe it, I live it, and hopefully, my positive attributes rub off onto them.
I realize that having great clothes or accessories or great materials mean nothing compared to the love in relationships and the people. It’s the people that make the place, and the people that give cultures their identities. I can say that I improved myself a bit with these sessions, mostly because I learn more from the kids and their situations that they realize. I learned to appreciate my teachers more, and I learned to value life and the things I [and my parents] work for. I also learned to keep in mind to be more patient and understanding of people, especially the people who are less privileged than me.
What was your childhood like?
Do you know the feeling of guilt just seconds after watching something really touching or something so painfully REAL? Well, do you know the feeling after those few seconds or minutes – the feeling of going back to your normal routine saying you can’t fight the norm, or that’s life, or saying you’ll just pray for the people involved in such cruel realities, hoping for the best? Bang.
I just watched this video entitled “Batang Kalabaw” – a video diary ‘bout kids from Agusan del Sur (Philippines) and their routinely life. Again and again, videos like these touch my heart; make me realize how shallow I sometimes am and how much I have to be thankful for; open my eyes to new lifestyles and to worsening poverty … This video is no different. In fact, it’s more so those emotions doubled, with an extra dash of shock. I’ve never fathomed living conditions like those are usual sights. If I’m this shocked with this, who knows what’s hidden in the nooks and crannies of the marginalized populace.
Children are supposed to be cherished… taken care of… nurtured… Children are the hope of the nation, and yet, most of them aren’t even given a substantial amount of “training” and preparation for the world that they will supposedly “save” and “remodel.” No chance; just dance with life. Yes they have a right to choose, but how can they when the choice has been made for them even before they had a chance to understand. We need to make the future of our nation priorities because the yet-to-be of our very being – our nationality – depends on the type of people we instruct and train day by day… The very people who will take over in a few years time. No one wants the next Google search for “Philippines” be a long list of pictures of underprivileged people under inhumane living conditions, or run-down beaches and sceneries with an attached article “Where did the paradise go?”
According to the Bible, we are protectors of the innocent, and we uphold those very words into our daily lives. Well, children are innocent. Not only that; God cared for His children, us, when we were unintelligible, unassuming, unintelligent, and so must we with our babies and children. It is our duty to be the “apple” that provides knowledge to God’s children.
In scenarios like these, kids are totally deprived of what’s rightfully theirs without them realizing it. For example, in the documentary, the first and foremost violation is their deprivation of proper education. Of the group of children that work and travel barefoot, only one is privileged to pursue his education. The others are doomed to complete the chain of identical employment statuses – lumberjacks – for this generation. They walk up a mountain for four hours through dangerous dirt paths, knee deep in mud, beaten down by the intense sun but then weathered and drenched in acid rain, all for 3 hours to reach a place where they must beat their physical body even more. It is evident there, sensibly, that their right to a proper shelter, their right to be protected from work that threatens their health, education and development, and a safe and healthy living environment are disregarded. Since they can’t speak up that much, their right to self-expression is suppressed. The worst? They are deprived of their right to play, because of the fact that they have to work all day to make ends meet.
I understand that there are not much choices given to them, that’ s why as an individual – moreover, as a Thomasian – I won’t stand idly by. Once I see an act of abuse to innocent children, staying silent will be out of the question. Whether I step in directly, or indirectly by tattling them to authorities and such, depends on the situation. Personal instances, like once when I saw someone yelling at my niece, I immediately stepped in to make the person stop and think rationally about the best way to reprimand my niece. I also pointed out what my niece’s side might be. In general, just step up and speak up rationally to prove a stronger point. Maybe calm confrontation is the way, but for more violent situations, it’s best to ask help from the “big men” – police, authorities, et cetera. Being kind to all children, even street children, can do wonders. Pay it forward helps, and maybe with this issue, it may also be relevant. Kids will feel good ‘bout themselves and realize they need to be good to their peers; and yes, child abuse isn’t always an older to younger situation. Lastly, always remember: if you see something wrong, take action – approach or report. Be brave for justice.
Cute kid on his field trip in Fort Santiago. He was very, very cooperative :-)
We called him ‘number 4’ HAHAHA
Meet Alex Pettyfer haha
Not really… Yes. His name is “number 4” =)) <3
Cute kid on his field trip in Fort Santiago. He was very, very cooperative :-)
“No pun intended”
“Language is critical in shaping and reflecting our thoughts, beliefs, feelings and concepts. Some words by their very nature degrade and diminish people with a disability”
How many times have you called somebody retarded, or used it to refer to somebody or something and mean it to be derogatory? Then, when somebody scolds you, you hit back with a quick “it was just a joke.” Guilty? I know most of us are.
Have you ever stopped to think that your collective enunciation of the word can and will shape the context of its actual connotation? Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t; but let me tell you this: it’s not okay – it’s not okay to call someone retarded, referencing it for stupidity, and then say that you meant for it to be a joke, because somewhere out there, there’s a whole populace of people who are under the context of this word, and sometimes, even they aren’t supposed to be called that… so who are you to flamboyantly throw the word as an insult?
No pun intended.
Sometimes people get away with things just by saying these words. Well, the next time you catch someone using NPI as a sleazy slip-off from a major offense, better teach ‘em a thing or tw o about what they’re really saying.
Did you know you could actually get arrested for that – insulting a disabled person? Sometimes, abuse doesn’t merely involve the physical; in fact, verbal abuse is even more rampant, nowadays. (Agreed?)
Don’t believe me? Well there’s such a thing as a Magna Carta for Disabled Persons and it covers everything from how to treat them to their privileges, and penalties to those who go against the said laws. Before everything, though, let’s learn our terms in order to be politically correct.
Now I present to you the answer to the mind-boggling question of “what’s the diff?” – the definitions by the INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF IMPAIRMENTS, DISABILITIES AND HANDICAPS (ICIDH):
Impairment: In the context of health experience an impairment is any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function. Impairment isconsidered to occur at the level of organ or system function. Disability is concerned with functional performance or activity, affecting the whole person.
Disability: In the context of health experience a disability is any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being.
Handicap: In the context of health experience a handicap is a disadvantage for a given individual, resulting from an impairment or a disability, that limits or prevents the fulfillment of a role that is normal (depending on age, sex, and social and cultural factors) for that individual.
Here’s another comparison by the World Health Organization (WHO):
‘An impairment is any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function; a disability is any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being; a handicap is a disadvantage for a given individual, resulting from an impairment or a disability, that prevents the fulfilment of a role that is considered normal (depending on age, sex and social and cultural factors) for that individual’
43 million are disabled, about 17% of 250 million; almost 1 out of 5 persons are disabled given these figures. [Congressional Committee findings for ADA].
120,000 totally blind
1 out of 2 thousand persons
600,000 legally blind
1 out of 417 persons
2.4 million visually disabled
1 out of 100 persons
I also present the Philippine Disability Statistics.
Going back, I do suppose that maybe some of you are unaware of the fact that such a Magna Carta exists, and I may have a theory why: maybe it’s not that prioritized in our country as it is supposed to. Yes, we are undergoing major crises, but that is no excuse for ignorance and indifference. Although major priorities exist, the absence of action towards the bottom part of the list is unacceptable. In order to prosper, even the tiniest issues must be addressed, and the mere fact that a lot of us (yes, even I was ignorant until a week ago) don’t even acknowledge the presence of these laws is saying something. But even though, this is not an issue of laws; this is an issue of RESPECT. If we had this in the first place, maybe such penalties need not exist.
In the RA 7277 Magna Carta for Disable Persons, as I said, such needs are addressed by the law. I, on the other hand, look for these needs to be addressed by the people.
1
“CHAPTER 1. Deliverance from Public Ridicule
SEC. 39. Public Ridicule. - For purposes of this chapter, public ridicule shall be defined as an act of making fun or contemptuous imitating or making mockery of persons with disability whether in writing, or in words, or in action due to their impairment/s.
SEC. 40. No individual, group or community shall execute any of these acts of ridicule against persons with disability in any time and place which could intimidate or result in loss of self-esteem of the latter.”
As in my opening sentiments, I assume that most of the constituents in our society nowadays fail to respond to this in a positive manner. Several jokes and gags are still about the disabled. They are often discriminated and isolated from the community, referring to them as liabilities and setting them apart from ”normal people.”
First, there’s such a thing as equality and uniqueness. It may not be the norm to have certain impairments, but nonetheless, it makes an individual who he/she is. And how can you be certain that you are a good judge of character? How do you know that God intended the disabled to be “abnormal” – as mockery refers – when you yourself cannot grasp the true context of normality?
There’s also the disturbing statistics on unemployment rates.
“A qualified person with a disability has a 1 out of 100 chance of getting a job when compared to people with similar qualifications.”
“Two-thirds of the unemployed respondents with disabilities said they would like to work but could not find jobs.”
2
“CHAPTER 2. Deliverance from Vilification
SEC 41. Vilification. - For purposes of this Chapter, vilification shall be defined as:
(a) The utterance of slanderous and abusive statements against a person with disability; and/or
(b) An activity in public which incites hatred towards, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of persons with disability.
SEC. 42. Any individual, group or community is hereby prohibited from vilifying any person with disability which could result into loss of self-esteem of the latter.
SEC. 3. Section 46 of Republic Act No. 7277 is hereby amended to read as follows:
SEC. 46. Penal Clause. - (a) Any person who violates any provision of this Act shall suffer the following penalties:
(1) For the first violation, a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand pesos (P50,000.00) but not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than six months but not more than two years, or both at the discretion of the court; and
(2) For any subsequent violation, a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but not exceeding Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) or imprisonment for not less than two years but not more than six years, or both at the discretion of the court.
(b) Any person who abuses the privileges granted herein shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than six months or a fine of not less than Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00), but not more than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court.
(c) If the violator is a corporation, organization or any similar entity, the officials thereof directly involved shall be liable therefore.
(d) If the violator is an alien or a foreigner, he shall be deported immediately after service of sentence without further deportation proceedings.”
I’ve also read that your choice of words can mean stepping on the fine line of insult and rightness. For example, saying “disable young person” implies that the only thing worth remembering, or the only thing striking about that person is the fact that he/she is disabled, whereas referring to “a young person who is disabled” is better opted for, since you “emphasize the person first without denying the reality of the disability.”
“Terms such as cripple, spastic, hanthere dicapped, invalid are derogatory, offensive and you should avoid them.
Sometimes people with a disability are compared to normal people. This implies that the person with a disability is abnormal and ignores the fact that everyone has their own unique identity and abilities. For comparisons you could say other people instead.”
It’s always important to be politically correct, so take it from me – rather, the international organizations that brought you those definitions – to watch your mouth and learn your terms.
A blind person is either blind or visually impaired.
A D/deaf person is either deaf or hard of hearing.
A Deafblind person usually prefers the spelling Deafblind
A physically disabled person is physically disabled. In this context, it is appropriate to use mobility impaired to signify the person’s limitations.
A wheelchair user is not wheelchair bound or confined to a wheelchair. You can either say that the person is a wheelchair user or you can identify them by their specific disability- x has paraplegia.
If a person is disabled due to chronic illness, chronically ill is fine, or just disabled.
A person with a cognitive disability is just that- cognitively disabled.
3
“EO 417 – Directing the Implementation of the Economic Independence for PWDs (Series of 2005)
• All national government agencies including government owned and controlled corporations are enjoined to support and cooperate in the implementation of the Economic Independence Program for PWDs
• DSWD – shall develop and implement the national social preparation program that will deal on moral values and work ethics of entrepreneurs with disabilities
• DepEd/CHED/TESDA – shall continually develop a system of equivalency to ensure PWDs’ access to employment and entrepreneruship
• CDA – shall develop and implement programs to promote coop organizing and development among PWDs”
Most of the disabled have no jobs to begin with.
4
“BP 344 Accessibility Law
• “An Act to Enhance the Mobility of Disabled Persons by Requiring Certain Building, Institution, Establishments, and Other Public Utilities to Install Facilities and Other Devices.”
SCOPE
– Public and private buildings and related structures for public use and which shall be constructed, repaired or renovated.
– Streets and highways and public utilities
• Streets and highways
• Public transport vehicles
• Public telephones”
Yes, we always see the ramps or the parking spaces marked for the disabled, but often, people go under the management’s noses and park there anyway, just to save them the time and energy to walk a few extra blocks. What I say to them? Be thankful that you are fine, and use your strengths the way they were made to do. Don’t take away someone else’s right just because you want to.
5
(Under CHAPTER 8. Other Privileges and Incentives)
(k) Provision of express lanes for persons with disability in all commercial and government establishments; in the absence thereof, priority shall be given to them.
Salesmen, businessmen, et cetera, must train their staff to accommodate foresaid disabled people before others. Don’t let others cut lines or turns.
“People with disabilities rank among the uninsured at a rate slightly higher than the 14 per cent national rate. Medicare and Medicaid insure only about 1/3 of disabled people and [private insurance often rejects those with disabilities and pre-existing conditions.
It would also help if you watch some of these videos about ideas worth sharing, and a few minutes worth spending to hear their moving words.
http://www.ted.com/talks/aimee_mullins_the_opportunity_of_adversity.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/aimee_mullins_prosthetic_aesthetics.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/aditi_shankardass_a_second_opinion_on_learning_disorders.html
The first video particularly moved me, because of her motion about the discrimination against disabled. It opens with the dictionary definition of the word “disabled” from years ago, discovering that the 2009 updated version is no better than the blindness from years ago. She’s right. Everything she said is absolutely right, and all you have to do is click the link and hear what these women have to say. Trust me. These are worth a million times more than watching several three minute videos about musical cats or most embarrassing moments. Aimee opened my eyes to my responsibility on adversity. She’s an amputee, and she gives a deep and emotional insight on how we, the “normals” hurt and emotionally “cripple” with our unknowing actions. She reiterates my first sentiments that no one is actually normal – who knows what normal actually is? – and supplements it with better adjectives such as common and typical. Finally, it’s not about overcoming adversity, but dancing with adversity, and using it to our own advantage. Nobody is truly disabled unless they are “amputated” of their spirit and faith.
Sources:
http://hcdg.org/definition.htm
http://www.disabled-world.com/definitions/disability-definitions.php
http://codi.buffalo.edu/graph_based/.demographics/.statistics.htm
http://adpi-mpc.tripod.com/id20.html
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080422162835AAmIzHJ
i did all of that… and i still do..
lol when you were younger….what about now…
did? I still do.
(Source: nezymiai)
