The near future…

Just last week, two of my closest cousins/friends passed the June 2009 Nursing Board Exam. Kudos to you Jay and Khatz! I love you both! The sad part is, they’re both leaving us behind as they search for greener pastures abroad –> which got me thinking of my own future.

With only a few months to go before graduation sets in, some questions come to mind…

What career path will I take?

Will I start a business or will I join the corporate world?

Will  I stay in the Philippines or will I work abroad?

Or…

Will I take up masters? If so, do I take it here or accept scholarships in Europe?

And what about law shool? I’ve always dreamed of becoming a kick-ass corporate lawyer

How silly, i’ll be turning 20 soon and I still have no idea where the hell i’m heading. Although one thing’s for sure, I will no longer depend on my parents’ financial support as soon as I can manage. I want to be independent and I want to make the most of my yuppie days. I’m not afraid of starting from the bottom. I don’t mind taking on clerical work and getting promoted eventually. Kasi i’d like to believe that the real world is not that bad (right…). Nonetheless, I think i’m ready for it, I just need proper guidance and a pinch of motivation.

Still, it’s not all about me. I have my angel and OUR future together to think of. At this point in time, we both hope to end up together. Kayo ba naman mabuhay ng more than 7 years with your special someone right there beside you, di mo ba nana-ising kayo na lang sana habang buhay? Pero syempre before the happily ever after comes, kailangan munang stable kami holistically. And when we talk about how it’s going to be for us, the idea of working overseas always gets brought up.

I personally don’t want to work elsewhere. I love the Philippines and this is where I want my family and I to live in. Abroad for me means vacation/leisure, not work. Unfortunately, a comfortable life will not materialize without a good paying job, and that is something other countries can offer. It is inevitable that in time, my angel and I would have to acknowledge that option.

So why do I cry everytime I think about him working oceans away from me if it’ll be for our future naman? Dahil i’d rather that we separate before he leaves. Why suffer from a long distance relationship when you can both look for someone else near you? Trust or even faith can only do so much. Will you still be able to say “i miss you” when right behind you is someone who’s willing to fill up the emptiness you feel? Or say “i love you” and actually mean it when day after day it’s just the computer screen or mobile phone that you’re cultivating a relationship with?

Why drag the relationship ’til it falls apart when you can spare yourselves some loving memories? I know a lot of couples manage despite the distance, but us? It’ll be extremely difficult given the fact that the very foundation of our relationship is supported by our proximity. A few months is still bearable but a year or so. Definitely a no-no.

So will I say “no” or “stay” when a better opportunity comes along? NO. Because before the US/WE/TOGETHER, there is a Jul and Cy, two individuals who both deserve to experience life. Bakit, maibibigay ko ba sa kanya yung ipagpapaliban niyang oportunidad abroad? Maipapangako ko bang mas magiging maayos buhay namin dito when there’s nothing to compare it with? The loving memories that we’ll leave behind might still work to our advantage naman eh. Maghiwalay man baka sa huli magkabalikan din (It’s not a miracle, we’ve been there done that).

But he also has his side of the equation, he’ll probably post it here someday. For now, we’ll just veer away from this topic dahil bata pa kami at marami pang pwedeng mangyari. Nevertheless, I will only stop crying whenever we talk about this future of ours if someone can assure me that “love is sweetest the 3rd time around”.

Hate mail

Dear Ms. Overbearing,

Ever since I was in China you were already demanding too much from me, like as if I can actually do something about it. Teh, i’m miles away from our banks and i’m burdened with 6 units of Mandarin Course. Sige nga, try memorizing hundreds of characters and Chinese words in an hour or so, see if that doesn’t take up most of your time. Besides, even before I left, I already made sure that all my immediate concerns were already addressed. So all you had to do was shut your mouth and be considerate about it. I admit I neglected some of my duties given the limited amount of time that I can actually have fun. Malamang I wont spend that time reading all the updates and emails that didn’t really need my opinion or help. So if you have some brain cells and a mere particle for a heart, then you would realize that that doesn’t mean that I’m a bad officer or that I don’t deserve my position. Girl, I was already here even before you joined the group. It just so happened that I didn’t want to take your position when it was offered to me - that I regret most given that you are now my so called b*tchy ”head”.

I have nothing against your efforts to make it a great year for all of us. I share the same vision dear. That’s exactly why i’m here again nga eh. I ran for this position because I knew it in my heart that i’m the best person for this job. I already know what to do and what to improve on. Even beyond that is the fact that I love this organization. I will do anything I can just to see it progress into a tight-knit family capable of producing excellence. So don’t you dare question my dedication again. Saka think again! Ever since I came back lahat na lang sinusunod ko. I come to meetings kahit kaka-announce lang a day before. So malamang kinacancel ko pa lahat ng naset ko ng appointments. I even arrive hours before you do. And you’re reason for arriving late and leaving early is - “I have some stuff to do”. Woah! I bet if I try making that as an excuse, you’ll be blowing my head off lecturing me on how important it is to be on time, present and active, and whatever bull you can come up with.

Just so you know, I have a personal life aside from our org. I have a family, I have a lovelife and I have a lively social life. So stop calling or texting me every now and then asking for updates and anything else you can think of just to ruin my free time. There’s always a proper time for everything! Live a life dude!!! No, I don’t appreciate you asking for attention during breaks, during weekends and especially during wee hours in the morning or late at night when i’m suppose to be taking some time off away from your weekday-power trip! Give me some air! Stop hovering me like you’re some kind of flea! I very well know my responsibilities and I am doing them professionally. I can even do all your tasks way better than you can actually do - i’m betting my whole life in it.

To hell with you and your eagerness to have sponsors. You effing expect me to come up with 300k in a sem? Aba, sa sobrang kakapressure mo sa ‘kin, haggang alas dos ng umaga nakikipag negotiate ako sa clients ko. Come on! Wala ka ba talagang konsiderasyon at pati sponsors natin eh gusto mong sinisira ang rest period at weekends! Do you even have an effing brain? Even ignorant people know when to give a person space! 

Sobrang nagtimpi na ko sa pagiging obnoxious mo ha. I mean you don’t reply to my urgent emails the way I do when it’s you who asks for help, you don’t respect my decisions (even if all the world would agree with my opinion), you talk like as if you’re my freaking boss (grabe ha, mas kupal ka pa sa pinakakupal na boss sa mundo) and you just don’t improve your attitude. And how dare you text me “Where are you and why are you not here?”. Well maybe it’s because I’m not suppose to be there and I have better things to do than sit there at tumunganga hanggat makaisip ka ng ipapagawa sa akin! I will not settle for this kind of harsh treatment. I will not sacrifice all my time and efforts just to be humiliated. I will not just stand here and have you make me feel like I’m mediocre or that I can’t deliver, when in fact I am doing my best and my outputs are way beyond your expectations. You just hate to admit it. If you keep this up, I’m definitely leaving you guys behind. Teh, there are so many offers out there waiting for me to say yes. So don’t push it girl, ’cause i’d rather be in another org where people can appreciate the love I put into my work.

Grabe, I’m no longer happy with my job because you. I used to love this association. I used to cry over the fact that i’ll be away from it. But now? I’m crying because of your dictatorship. I’m always pissed because of your interventions. And i’m thinking of leaving because I can’t stand to hear you talk with your conyotic language and high pitched voice, nor read your selfish and arrogant texts and emails!!! The worst thing about this is also the fact that you are the first person to make me want to tell the whole world that I detest you. I hate having arguments or misunderstandings with people. Especially people I work with. I’ll be standing at the end of the line if it calls for war freaks. I hate being mad or feeling ill towards anybody. So kudos to you girl! You’re the 1st ever person to make me feel this angry!

Look, if you actually think that i’m shortchanging the org, I will gladly resign. If there’s one thing we can agree on - it’s the fact that this org deserves only the best and most dedicated people in school. And the mere fact that one person would like to contest my competency means that there is indeed something wrong. But whether that’s because you’re such a b*tch or i’m too negligent, that remains to be proven. Just one question though…

If i’m the one who’s really at fault, then how come my colleagues feel the same way towards your so-called leadership?

~Cy~ 

Mint, orange, banana

Are we good?

This is the new tagline for the latest Frenzy condom television commercials. If you want to catch the three versions of these commercials, all you have to do is tune in to ETC, Studio 23 and other channels that are frequently watched by the younger audience. But in essence, this question is also something that the advertisers should ask themselves.

With regards to the storyboard, commercials on contraceptives particularly Frenzy condoms have been amusing. They know exactly how to catch the attention of their target audience, the youth. From the use of fresh and young endorsers to the vibrantly colored set and strategic airtime, the advertising of their products were well thought of. But nothing beats the image it was able to convey. Who would have thought that the use of condoms can be portrayed as hip and fun?

However, these strategies employed were also the main reasons why a controversy on this male contraceptive erupted early this year. It prompted religious and conservative groups like Human Life International and Family Media Advocacy Foundation to petition before the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) to ban the television and radio ads which promote the said products. But the results proved to be in favor of the advertisers as condom advertisements were demonstrated to be essential and beneficial as they help promote safe sex and disseminate vital information regarding sex education.

Still, the petition should have made the advertisers think twice about the impact that their commercials may have on society. One issue raised was the irresponsible use of media in promoting contraceptives as exemplified by a Frenzy condom TVC, where the act of purchasing condoms was likened to something as trivial as buying a candy from a candy store. Seeing this imagery aired every now and then inevitably leads to a distortion in society’s perception of the acceptable norm. It subtly implies that pre-marital sex can be equated to something so insignificant when in fact the consequences that individuals will face in the latter are a hundredfold more critical than suffering from tooth decay.

Yes, the commercials remind us that we have a choice to prevent the undesirable consequences that come with premarital sex but it also shows that it is as if our society no longer values the sacredness of the act itself. The condoms are publicized to be highly accessible to just about anyone, anywhere which is as good as saying that it is that easy to engage in the activity. We may be in a more liberated and open-minded society but to show that fornication is a widely accepted norm in our Philippine society is pushing it too far.

Furthermore, the hip and fun concept may be appealing to its target audience but it does not change the fact that it disregards the gravity and seriousness of the issue at hand. Although it does promote safe sex, it does not in any way remind the public that it only has 98% efficacy. The fact that there is still a slight chance of being unprotected is pushed aside when in reality, that relatively insignificant 2% ineffectiveness can drastically change a young couple’s life. Just because only one girl at the ripe age of 14 was faced with unwanted pregnancy or only two boys out of a hundred were infected with sexually transmitted diseases even after using condoms does not make matters any better.

It is but proper that the issue of responsible marketing must be addressed by advertisers. If alcoholic beverages and cigarettes are advertised with warnings like “Cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health”, I don’t see any reason why contraceptive advertisements cannot employ the same. It may reiterate the 2% ineffectiveness or it may advocate that the selling of condoms must be regulated and that it must not be sold to minors who by no means are ready to face the consequences it entails.

Corporate social responsibility must be done through a balancing off between the youthful appeal of the advertisement and the truth behind the implications brought about by the usage of such products. It is the least that can be done to counter whatever misconceptions the public may get from these advertisements. Only then will it be worthy to answer “Yes, we are good”

June 14, 2009

“Love can only take you so far…”

To date, my angel and I have “known” each other for about  7 1/2 years already. Wow! that’s almost half of my life! I can’t believe we’ve been together that long. But i’m not complaining, he’s everything i’ve ever dreamed of and this relationship is more than I could ever wish for.

Still, it’ll be hypocritical of me to say that everything was smooth sailing. We do have our share of ups and downs - from petty fights to near break-up scenarios. There are times when our principles in life don’t match and it’s so difficult to find a middle ground. Other times, our bad days just coincide and temporarily taking time apart is the only solution. Conflicts may tend to drive us nuts for long hours but at the end of the day, we both know that it’s all just part of having a relationship. After going through so many obstacles and challenges, we now know how to face them more carefully and maturely. It helps that we both know, understand and accept the fact that we have flaws and differences.

Furthermore, we don’t just consider our relationship to be that of “lovers”. We are the best of friends - we fool around, share secrets, talk nonsense, humiliate (barnak/bara) each other as often as possible and all other things normal friends do. We can be ourselves to a point that we don’t mind barfing, farting or doing anything disgusting when the other one is around. We’re also a family, we take good care of each other since we are both away from our parents and siblings. I’m more like the mother as I would always remind him to drink his vitamins, exercise every now and then, save money etc. While he, on the other hand is more like an elder brother since he always reprimands me from wearing short shorts/skirts, fetches me from parties, guides me through life and the like.

I know that things will be different this time around. Whether that’s good or bad, i’m not sure. All I know is that patience, honesty and fidelity are some of the virtues that will definitely help us get through all these. And our Almighty Father of course, His love and guidance will keep us together.

~Cy~

Ironically nostalgic…

It’s been 6 days since I came back from China and surprisingly, i’m still not “at home”. As shallow as this may sound, the realization hit me when I bought a 1-piece chicken meal in Jollibee for lunch. I’ll get to that in a while, drama muna…

It’s like a part of me is still in Sun Yat-Sen University (our school there), refusing to go home because it’s still enjoying all the things that that place has to offer. Not that I lost my nationalistic pride or something. I’m an all out proud Filipina by choice. What i’m referring to is the kind of life that people have there. 

Life there is peaceful and serene. The atmosphere is relax and comfortable. It isn’t as stressful and as fast-paced as it is here in the country.  There you can take your time, no hurries, no worries. Not like in our country where everything happens so fast and people are burdened with so much anxieties that it hurts to waste even just a minute of your life. This may be the case because we stayed in Zhuhai province, but i’ve been to their cities and even their cities aren’t as crowded as ours. Their streets are clean and free from traffic. People prefer to walk or use bicycles, and they are more disciplined when it comes to taking care of their surroundings. Apparently, pollution is a foreign sight. (I wonder why we, Filipinos, can’t find the initiative or discipline that other people have.) In addition, their weather is love! The cool breeze just makes you want to go out and have fun. You don’t have to hide indoors for fear or irritation of the piercing heat of the sun’s rays.

But that’s not all. Here comes the lunch connection….

The cost of living in China is so much cheaper than ours. You can have a decent complete meal (rice,two dishes, veggies, desert, beverage) for as low as P50. And if you’re on a diet and you just want a good serving of dumplings/noodles/chao fan, take out some coins that would add up to Php21 and you’re good to go. And this is why that 1-piece chicken meal which consisted of:

• a small chicken breast covered with so much *bread crumbs* (or whatever you call those ingredients that make it crispy looking) that makes it deceivingly big but in reality only had just enough meat to fill up a small serving spoon
  
• 1/4 cup white rice that hardly reached my throat and 
  
• a regular-sized bland iced tea submerged in countless ice cubes… 

made me regret handing over Php95 to the cashier. I mean seriously! super “WTF?!!!”. I gave almost a hundred bucks for a meal that left me unsatisfied and extremely annoyed. Aside from this, their dorm/house rentals and hotel accommodations are also cheap. You can get a room with aircon, cable, free wifi, bath/shower with heater, two beds and toiletries for as low as Php250. Here? “ASA boy!”. You’d be looking at a “short-time” accommodation in cheap motels if that’s your budget. Lastly, their transportation system is so organized and well-thought of that it only costs Php15 to travel a distance comparable to that of Quezon Ave to Alabang. Talk about heaven!

I mean if all that is possible at the other side of the world as what people usually refer to China, why can’t we have it here in our very own country? Obviously, we can’t have their weather but what about their cost of living? lifestyle? environment? I don’t wanna start pointing fingers and I don’t wanna go rambling about the government with all its animosities. 

I love the Philippines and all its imperfections. I guess I just want everyone to experience what I experienced without having to set foot elsewhere…

~Cy~