Oo! Bahala na!

Tinanong ako ng isang malapit na kaibigan: Wala ka na bang choice? Diyan ka na talaga? Malakas ngunit medyo may alinlangan pa ang sagot ko noon, sabi ko: Oo! Bahala na!

Ilang oras at medyo maraming araw na rin ang lumipas noong unang tumungtong ako sa Gawad Kalinga bilang isang intern. Baon-baon ko araw-araw ang sagot ko saaking kaibigan, araw-araw, sinasabi ko saaking sarili, Oo! Bahala na! 

Ngayon ko lang napagtanto na ang sinagot ko saaking kaibigan ay medyo may kabigatan at kahirapan. Yung "Oo! at Bahala na." ay isang malakas na pagsagot sa paanyaya ng Panginoon at isang bukas na pagtitiwala sa Kanyang mga plano. 

Noong una, sabi ko, game ako diyan, sa mga experience ko ba naman bilang isang social worker, community organizer at volunteer ano pa ba ang hindi ko kakayanin? Ano pa ba ang hindi ko kayang gawin? Hindi ko nga alam kung ano ang pinasok ko. 

Lumipas ang mga araw ng tawanan at walang humpay na kwentuhan - masaya, napakasaya sa Gawad Kalinga. Ibang level ang energy ng mga community organizers at volunteers doon, parang hindi napapagod, hindi nagsasawa. Ngunit sa likod ng mga tawanan na ito ay ang isang mahapding kurot na pare-pareho naming nararamdaman sa tuwing kami ay nasa GK Villages. Oo, isang masayang pampalubag-loob na sa bawat hakbang na ginagawa mo alam mong natutulungan mo ang mga kababayan mo kahit papano, pero kasabay ng pagtalikod mo sa mga kausap mong beneficiaries ay ang lungkot na dadalhin mo habang ikaw ay pauwi, minsan babaunin mo ito hanggang saiyong kwarto, sabay tanong: Sapat na ba ang nagawa ko? 

Sa tuwing pumapasok ang mga tanong na ito saakin, tinitingnan ko ang mga kasama ko sa Gawad Kalinga. Sa kabila ng hirap at pagod, patuloy pa rin silang naglalakad patungo sa mga GK Villages para tumulong. Ibang klase! Ibang klase ang tiwala na binigay nila. Dito ginaganahan ako para mas maging isa pang mabuting intern, at mas magi pang mabuting Pilipino. Grabe kung tumaya ang mga kasama ko sa Gawad Kalinga. Baon lang nila ay lakas ng loob, tiwala sa Diyos at isang bote ng tubig.

Ngayon, alam ko na. Hindi lang ako ang sumagot ng Oo at Bahala na sa Gawad Kalinga. Bago pa man ako, marami ng tao ang yumakap ng buo sa panawagan ng Panginoon na magsilbi, maraming tao na rin ang napasubok at umiyak sa landas na pinili nila dito sa Gawad Kalinga, pero alam ko, lahat ng taong nandito ay isa lamang ang puso - isang pusong puno ng pagmamahal, pananalig at pagtitiwala. 

Oo, ilang linggo pa lang naman ako sa Gawad Kalinga. Kung ikukumpara ang mga araw na naibuhos ko dito, alam kong meron pa akong mapipiga at maibibgay para sa iba. 

Hindi madali maging bahagi ng pamilyang ito, ngunit alam ko na sa bawat problemang aming naririnig, ay ang isang malakas na sigaw ng pag-asa - maraming tao ang handang tumulong at magsilbi para sakanilang kapwa. 

Hindi ko alam kung saan hahantong ang lahat ng ito, ngunit patuloy pa rin akong sasagot ng Oo! Oo - dalhin mo kami Panginoon sa mga lugar na kailangan mong yakapin. Baku-baku man ang daan, maalon man ang karagatan, wala man tirahan o masasakyan.

Bahala ka na, Panginoon saamin! Nawa'y patuloy mo kaming bigyan ng lakas para tuparin lahat ng aming alituntunin at hangarin!

Understanding the WRIT OF KALIKASAN

The basis of the Writ of Kalikasan rests in Article II, Section 16 on the Declaration of Principles and State Policies of the 1987 Constitution, which states that, “The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature”.

This new rule, The Rules and Procedures on Environmental Cases, (A.M. No. 09-6-8-SC) came to life under the leadership of Retired Chief Justice Reynato Puno, a judicial environmental activist who is commended for taking a bold step in protecting our environment.  These Rules and Procedures on Environmental Cases will be the weapon of environmental activists in combating these politicians, the military and in most cases businessmen, who take advantage of their positions to favor these unwanted nature robbers and collect dirty money of huge sums from the unlawful exploitation and exploration of our natural resources.

The Writ of Kalikasan may be availed of individually and cumulatively and it may include the issuance of a Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) in cases when there is an extreme urgency and/or the applicant may suffer grave injustice or irreparable injury.

The very purpose of the Writ of Kalikasan is to protect the rights of persons whose constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology is violated, or threatened with violation that may involve an environmental damage of such magnitude as to prejudice the life, health or property of inhabitants in two or more cities of provinces.

Citing Section 15 of Rule 8 under the same Rules, the following are the reliefs that may be granted under the writ:

a) Direct respondent to permanently cease and desist from committing acts or neglecting the performance of a duty in violation of environmental laws resulting in environmental destruction or damage;

(b) Direct the respondent public official, government agency, private person or entity to protect, preserve, rehabilitate or restore the environment;

(c) Direct the respondent public official, government agency, private person or entity to monitor strict compliance with the decision and orders of the court;

(d) Direct the respondent public official, government agency, or private person or entity to make periodic reports on the execution of the final judgment; and

(e) Such other reliefs which relate to the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology or to the protection, preservation, rehabilitation or restoration of the environment, except the award of damages to individual petitioners.

Considering the above-mentioned reliefs and the extent of protection the Writ of Kalikasan have, it cannot be denied that it plays a vital role in protecting our environment.  The protection and preservation of our environment is an intergenerational responsibility, hence, everybody should take that first step and be an environmental activist.

The rampant smuggling of corals, the deliberate destruction of marine life, the continuing ignorance of others in the importance of preservation and protection of our natural resources is alarming.  Remember, our life on earth is interconnected that we are but one loose thread tied at the end so that no one will be left behind, hence, when one is damage, all will crumble down.

 

References:

RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CASES

A.M. No. 09-6-8-SC

Supreme Court

http://attylaserna.blogspot.com

RE-BLOGGED from: www.savephilippineseas.com

Please Don't Forget

Few days before the Impeachment Trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona resumes, I was able to read the post below from Gio Tingson's facebook, the Commissioner-at-large of the National Youth Commission. 

The arroyo case is not about a stand-off between the judiciary and the executive - it is about the will of the people and our quest for what is just and what is right.

As Sen. Diokno said, “Tagalogs, Ilongos, Cebuanos, and Pampangos use a common word for justice, katarungan, derived from the Visayan root tarong, which means straight, upright, appropriate, correct. For us, therefore, justice is not rectitude, the morally right act; and because it also connotes what is appropriate, it embraces the concept of equity for which we have no native word, and for which on the rare occasions that we use the concept, we employ the Spanish derivative ekidad. 

For “right,” we use karapatan, whose root is dapat, signifying fitting, appropriate, correct. The similarity in meaning of the root words for “right” and “justice” indicates that, for us, justice and right are intimately related.

On the other hand, for “law” we use batas, a root word denoting command, order, decree, with a meaning disparate from that of the roots of our words for “justice” and “right.” Our language then distinguishes clearly between law and justice; it recognizes that law is not always just.”

Indeed, JUSTICE and LAW are understood, seen and appreciated by Filipinos differently. Most of the time, we give biased decisions and biased sides in favor of those who are dear to us. I believe that this conscious decision of STILL being with the side of the President especially in pursuing the cases against the Arroyos and Corona is a manifestation that I'm still hopeful with our f*cked up justice system.

Some notes:

1. NEVER FORGET! 

Who among you still remember and up to now feel the pain and anger to the Ampatuans immediately after the Maguindanao Massacre. Time flies with our memories and feelings. We are strong against something wrong only for a short moment, only when the issue is hot. 

2.   Bad people will always have something to cover up the issue, DON'T LOSE FOCUS!

We were all terrified about what happened to Ramgen Revilla, we were all focused in trying to solve the mystery behind his death. We all followed the story until Ramona (Revilla) Bautista exits the Philippines. 

Everything dissolved after this stupid sex scandal was exposed.

Where's Ramona now? No one knows. How about the scandal? - It's EVERYWHERE!

3. (Sabi nga ng aking mga kapatid), Dapat kina-KARIR (Career) ang mga bagay-bagay!

Still remember the time when the Sumilao farmers walked from Bukidon to Manila? (Tears)

Still remember the time when we were all moved to do something for our farmers? 

PASSION

HEART

PRAYERS!

and positive FORCE to really change the status quo!

May we not forget, that there are still a lot of issues to be settled, still a lot of policies to be polished,

hungry to feed, children to educate, elders to support, trees and animals to protect!

May we never forget that we still have a nation to help!

Somebody That I Used to Know

Wouter "Wally" De Backer

aka Gotye

Amazing! They are using two instruments lang. Their vocals and a guitar.

Pentatonix

I like their version because it's A CAPELLA. 

O, diba, feel na feel mo ang hagod!

At first I thought, same sex relationship nanaman ang peg ng Glee. WRONG!

Hahaha. Brotherly pala. Nice rendition. Moving and touching. 

Feel mo?

I don't know kung bakit gustong gusto ko ang kanta na 'to. 

Siguro nakaka relate lang ang puso.

Mahirap eh. Mahirap yung dati, okay kayo

tapos bigla na lang - wala na.