Feeling Sorry for Jimmy Sieczka

Just recently, we were caught off guard by the compelling video uploaded by channelfix.com on Youtube, brandishing several reasons why a certain Jimmy Sieczka hated/disliked the Philippines. The video, which has generated 128,000 hits since it was uploaded on Youtube, brutally talked about several factors why the Philippines is not a good place to live, from problems on poor services in traffic, garbage collection, sanitation, and peace and order, among others. 

In less than no time, the video went viral on different networking sites, including the blogosphere, where viewers of the video vehemently aired their personal indignation and ire over it, stating that it’s quite unfair for the Filipino people to have this video circulating on the web, thinking that it might scare the hell out of the tourists planning to have their vacation here, and perhaps could also be a big blow to the steadfast and extensive drive of the Department of Tourism to internationally market the Philippines on the very competitive tourism arena.

Several government and non-government organizations alike had went amok and launched their retaliatory attacks against those who uploaded the video, specifically, to Jimmy Sieczka, who almost had the verdict of being considered “persona non grata” of the Cebu City, if not for his follow up video stating his guarded apology over the fiasco that the video had created.

Jimmy had mentioned on his apologetic video that he was just plainly stating the obvious, but he really never hated the Philippines. The scenes on the video may not be a product of fiction or a playful imagination, still it is somewhat unjust to generalize. Philippines, unequivocally, is a country known for its rich biodiversity, culturally-inclined and downright religious people. Just recently, we ranked 8^th on Forbes Magazine’s Top 10 Friendliest Countries. This is more than enough to consider our country a good place to live for natives and foreigners alike. We may not have all the advancements on technology within our hands, still, it is our optimism and inimitable resilience that make us stand out among other races.

However, the whole idea of giving criticisms to our country gets a different light when a stranger, or let’s say a foreigner who wasn’t even born in the Philippines, gives his or her own wayward sentiments over our country. The video may serve as a wake-up call for us Filipinos, even when we think we’re already awake. This unprecedented mayhem calls for collective efforts gunning for order and peace. While acknowledging its sinister effects globally may do little to change the status quo, a little may help move the wheel, other than letting it stagnate towards a lasting impression.

The 'Could Have Been' Valedictory Speech

Graduates and undergrads alike may now breathe a collective sigh of relief as the school year is finally coming to an end. After months of endless torture and boundless challenges, they can now indulge themselves with luxuries that they can’t possibly afford while simultaneously burning the midnight oil.

Meanwhile, school administrators and teachers will probably be on their toes preparing for the upcoming graduation rites. This is undoubtedly a laborious task, because I’ve been seeing my mom nowadays (She’s a public school teacher, handling Grade 6 students) fidgeting with all the work that needed to be accomplished at the soonest possible time.

My mom asked me to write a Valedictory Address for her student. Seeing this not only as a favor, I immediately said yes and turned on the PC to start writing it.

To be addressed as a Valedictorian and gracefully lead your fellow graduates as you speak your eloquent speech has long been a dream, but sadly, I fell short of expectations to be addressed as one. In the meantime, making a valedictory speech would hugely suffice my longing for such a dream.

So here it is, in full context, unedited.

VALEDICTORY ADDRESS

To our impeccable and hardworking principal, Noel S. Macapagal, gracious and astute school’s District Supervisor Dr. Lolita L. Molano, dedicated teachers, beloved parents, friends, and to my fellow graduates, a pleasant good evening.

It is with great exaltation and pride that I am standing in front of everyone as we all gathered here to cherish this particular milestone in our lives as students, our graduation day. This marks the end of our stay here in this institution, the institution to which I am deeply grateful for. This academe has served as my second home, my molder, and a melting pot of opportunities that had shaped me for who I have become today. Though I certainly dread this particular day that we have to step out of the grounds of this school, I still believe that the memories and lessons once taught to us by our mentors will always be with us as we depart. The values and good moral conducts that have been reiterated to us over the years will surely have their application as we conquer heights of opportunities outside the four corners of Masantol Elementary School.

The 2012 Graduation Rites mainly focus on the theme “Your Gift of Learning, Our Tool for Nation Building”. This is true to a sense. Education will always be our main artillery as we go along the battlefield of life. Nowadays, it has always been a question of how competent and knowledgeable a person is, that could predetermine his resilience and capability to overcome the challenges of life. As members of the youth, we must not lose our sense of idealism. We should have the same wisdom and discernment as that of Rizal’s. He pronounced that the ‘Youth is the hope of our nation’, seeing that the vibrancy of wanting change lies most radiant in us. We must not disappoint him, or categorically speaking, our country in general. We have to continuously strive for perfection in everything that we do, and above all, placing God at the center of our lives so that we may not go astray.

I would also like to take this once in a lifetime opportunity to thank some of the key people whom I have shared my time with.

First and foremost, to my parents, for standing by me and for giving me the most valuable gift a parent can actually give to his children: the gift of education. My deepest gratitude also for the unconditional love and support that they have poured on me during those times that I almost succumbed to the temptation of giving up.

To my teachers and mentors, for the wisdom that they have imparted to us. Thanks for cultivating our distinct potentials which could have been lying idle if not for their utmost perseverance and dedication.

To my fellow graduates, most especially to my friends, for accepting my flaws and shortcomings. The times that we spent together will always be cherished for as long as I am a breathing soul. May we all succeed in our own endeavors in life.

And last, but not the least, to God, for bestowing me the gift of life, and by all means, giving me the chance to first-handedly experience everything that I went through, be it a painful or blissful experience. Rest assured, these challenges, failed or succeeded, have equally contributed to my personal character.

Life is everybody’s game. There is no glass ceiling to break, and you do not have to graduate with honors to be a successful citizen of this country. But while this is true, working hard for it is a requirement which could not be divorced from the equation. Only prayers, hard work and determination turn the impossible into something inevitably attainable.

On behalf of graduating class 2011-2012, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude and heartfelt thanks to those people who helped us attain this torch of success. Once again, CONGRATULATIONS!

Facebook and its Dire Effects

The advent of technology has greatly touched the lives of many people. It has dramatically changed the way people live. Through technology, some of the less convenient means of living were tremendously improved. For an instance, flipping through your iPad has caused reading newspapers an almost obsolete way of keeping yourself abreast of the news. Nowadays, not having complete access to the internet would mean paralysis for some. These advancements, by all odds, have made the world a better place to live; it’s as if everything’s being served on a silver platter.

The influence of technology is so powerful that it has also penetrated the way we communicate with other people. Different social networking sites had sprung like mushrooms, all aiming to make communication, at the least bit, comfortable (not to mention, entertaining).

One of the most notable and heavily-used social networking site would be Facebook. Facebook was launched in February 2004, and was founded by Mark Zuckerberg. This particular networking site has captured the interest of almost all people. To have a Facebook account nowadays has become a necessity, almost a way of life. Being capable of receiving news and updates from your friends first handedly is just one of the fascinating things you can do in this site, not to mention the great amount of hearsays that gossipmongers would love to acquire.

As many people know, Facebook is indeed the largest social network in the world today. Facebook is helping people connect with their friends, and relatives from all over the world. It makes human begin life much easier. However, since it is getting well-known, bad things start to take place.

Facebook is already losing its intended purpose. It has become a melting pot of misunderstandings, feuds, and complicated but nonsense virtual altercations, to say the least. Though Facebook categorically allows us to speak out ‘What’s on your mind’, that doesn’t give us the utmost freedom to write everything we wanted to write and be nonchalant about other people’s feelings. All great things in life come with responsibility and accountability. Bringing someone else’s rift on Facebook is like making public one’s private life (an oxymoron, indeed). These things, ultimately, are not meant for public consumption. To banter publicly (and brutally) with anybody is an aberration of social graces.

In addition to that, relationships developed on Facebook (at a distance) are by default weaker than the real relationships, lacking physical and emotional conduct. This leads to a ritualistic involvement that turns into addiction and belligerently deprives you from your real life by triggering you to log on several times a day.

According to a research, this social networking site has caused stress to some of its users. More than one out of every 10 users said that the site made them anxious, and about three out of ten claimed to feel guilty about rejecting friend requests. Others said they felt pressure to come up with inventive status updates, and didn't enjoy having to apply different rules of online etiquette to different friends.

But, if Facebook causes so much stress, why do so many people use it? According to lead researcher Dr. Kathy Charles, the "overwhelming majority" of students said they rely on the site to keep in touch with their friends, and many said they won't delete their accounts because they don't want to miss out on something important or offend others.

This pressure, Charles says, keeps Facebook users in a constant state of "neurotic limbo, not knowing whether they should hang on in there just in case they miss out on something good." Many of the students surveyed, however, weren't all that enthusiastic about the real or perceived benefits that the site offers. “Although there is great pressure to be on Facebook there is also considerable ambivalence amongst users about its benefits," Charles explained. "And we found it was actually those with the most contacts, those who had invested the most time in the site, who were the ones most likely to be stressed."

It’s not everything wrong about Facebook. In many cases, you can catch up with old friends, find valuable information, promote your work and your business, support really important causes and meet people who can be real friends in the process. Meanwhile, the usage of Facebook beyond its intended purpose must be curbed for our own sake.