A Letter for the President

For President Noynoy Aquino (P-Noy):
Good day to our Beloved President,

Reading the news regarding the Tacloban stricken area, with the residents there still not having food and water for five days already. And with the decomposing bodies just lying around. These scenarios are not a good thing, it could cause a massive health hazards.

I had seen how dedicated you are in alleviating the conditions of the affected people. But correct me if I am wrong; my observation is this, it seems nobody got your back. You become a leader with no followers.

I could vividly see, that the LGU's in the said area are not functioning and not doing their job in leading and mobilizing their people.

Mr. President, sir, if these leaders are not working for you. Then, may I suggest, you create a task force and make it to be in-charge of this situation, maybe call it "Yolanda Task Force". You have to pick good, and charismatic leaders, that could command their people under them. It is pretty obvious, you can't do it alone. You need to trust your leaders.

There are many who would like to volunteer in our country to help the victims. As a leader, it is up to you where to look for these resources. Be a leader that will encourage people to move and awaken our "Spirit of Bayanihan". It is an innate character for us Filipinos; all we need is a leader who will be the voice to lead us.

God bless you, Mr. President Aquino. May you have good health always, specially in this time of trials in our beloved country, Philippines.


Yours Truly,
Jojette Asumbrado Ramos
mother and a believer of good governance for the Philippines

Mind and Heart

If I use my heart, it wants to believed you are special; someone who cares and nurtures. Could be also

be longing for me, to cradle me when in distressed. To run beside me, when needing your comfort and consolation.

But my mind, says otherwise. It sees how you are, an emotional detached person, unable to care because, deep in your heart it is devoid of emotions. How could it be? I want to argue with my mind, but lo, even my heart knows the answer. I am just hoping against hope. My heart maybe strong, but it will never be enough.

Ang Bomba

For two days, we had experienced scarcity of water. This was due to the super typhoon Yolanda, which hit our city last Friday, 8th of November. Because of that, my family and I were able to locate a handful of manual water pumps in our village or barangay, and to some neighboring barangays too. These ancient looking pumps, which before very common sightings, at a time there were still no faucets in every household. We call these things as "BOMBA", in my mother tongue, which is Visayan language, that I love so much.

These "bomba" thou old and seemed to be outdated, had given us the basic of all- WATER. One could live without electricity and not be updated in Facebook, Twitter, Blog site and other sites, whatsoever. But one can not do without water. I am so grateful of these thing which gives us the necessary thing in our life.

In our barangay, I had learned that there were at least four "bomba" around, I think there are more, but so far, that is sufficient for me to supply what we need. I had seen also, in another barangay, a water pump which is very visible to public's eye. I never realized, it's importance until we needed it.

When I saw "bomba" along the way, a glee feeling ignited in me. There were many people getting water in there, patiently waiting for their turn to pump those long handle, and be able to fetched some water. People of all walks of life, taking turns in pumping water. The best part, while waiting for our containers to be filled; we chatted about the calamities we were experiencing. I never knew, that the "bomba" could be a great venue for conversation.

Calamities, scarcity and trials... allowed us to connect to each other and to God, too. Thru it, God makes us realized that He is always here, giving us the help to just go thru our lives. We do not need to be complicated; life is simple. If we needed something, these are just available to us for our taking. It is just a manner of where to look. We do not need to panic or to do hoarding of things and food. In the end, God is always providing us.  Have FAITH in Him always.

For water, we have "bomba"- which had been with us since time immemorial. Our land is so fertile with water, a vast of it. All we need is to calm down, and fall in line and wait for our turn to pump those thing. And for what you know, you'll enjoy the experience. Because we did.

Bubble Economy

What is Bubble Economy? I thought, the "bubble" word is only used for bathing purposes. But lo, it is also an Economist vocabulary. Also, there is the word Bubblequake and Aftershock. It just sounds like an Earthquake per se. So why I am talking gibberish, well, I will just promote the two books of controversy lately by the billionaires in the USA and how it causes havoc in the stocks exchange. The name, Warren Buffet comes up, so I am interested, who wouldn't right? It will be good to feel like your rubbing elbows with the billionaires.

In 2006, Robert Wiedemer, David Wiedemer, PhD and Cindy Spitzer; a team of economists accurately predicted the collapse of the U.S. housing market, equity markets, and consumer spending that almost sank the United States. They published their research in the book America’s Bubble Economy. Which I posted below.

Because of the accuracy of the prediction of the economy in their book, it establishes Wiedemer as a trusted voice. Recently, they also published another book entitled Aftershock. Also shown below.

Ang Tsinelas ni Avkez

It rained so much. I had to buy a new pair of slippers for Avkez because the one he was using awhile ago, was swept by the flood. Since I idolized Rizal, I told my son to let go of the other slipper too. At least, when somebody will find it, he or she could use it.

Avkez said, "Nay, pwede isa ra kabuok ato paliton nga tsinelas?". "Hahaha, anak wala may mupalit ug isa lang," I answered. The people around were laughing, well at least, even if it was raining and flooding, we, Filipinos could still find the reason to be gay. "O sige na, ipa-anud nanang isa." He asked innocently," Kay ngano 'Nay?"..."Kay dili nana nimo magamit, useless nana, kinsay mugamit ug isa lang ka tsinelas, abir?". He giggled, then let go of his other slipper to the flood. I told him then, about the story of Rizal and his slippers too. Just like him, Rizal did throw his other slipper too.

Together, we watched the slipper floating gaily.

The Ring of Fire

The Ring of Fire is not a ring after all; it is a horseshoe.

What is the Ring of Fire then? It pique my interest to know more, since of the recent incident that our country had been experiencing. As I goggled, I found out, that it is an area where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in the basin of the Pacific Ocean. It is associated with nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts and /or plate movements.

The earthquake that we had yesterday, 15th of October 2013 with a magnitude of 7.2 in Cebu and Bohol province; it did not involve volcanic eruption, therefore the cause could be plate movements.

The Ring of Fire has 452 volcanoes and is home to over 75% of the world's active and dormant volcanoes. It is also called Circum-Pacific Belt or the circum-Pacific Seismic Belt. About 90% of the world's earthquakes and 81% of the world's largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire.

The Philippines, is in the Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. It's location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and it's tropical climate make our country prone to earthquakes and typhoons.

The Beauty of Innocence

Today, my son has a project for his Science subject. They were told to bring stems from various plants such as the santan, san francisco, gumamela and also, of spices found locally like the onions, garlic and ginger.

Last night, I told him to remind me tomorrow, that we could just get the spices in the refrigerator, and the plants in our little garden. Because of the rushing of events in the morning,both of us forgot about it. We only remembered, when we were already in a vehicle.

I told him, "Anak, we will just pick something along the way. I'm pretty sure there are lots of flowers along the way." But, of course, it means somebody owned it, and that I did not expound to him. He answered, "Okay 'nay," hesitantly. I think, he was like having a conversation within himself.

Then I found the flower to remedy to our predicament. A santan flowers in the school garden. Oh yeah, the one which were protected by three feet grilled fences. All I have to do is bend a little bit and get a small stem from its body. As, I was going to pick one stem, my son seemed to be uneasy. I asked him why. Even without saying really, I know what was in his mind. He said, " 'Nay, don't pick that flower, the school owns it." I said, "I know, we will only get one stem, it will grow back again," as I continued to get the stem. He was like looking all around him, looking guilty and so afraid to be reprimanded. I know, I am fully to be blamed of what he was feeling. I can not help but suppressed my giggle  inside, my son is so innocent in many ways. I just hope, we could make them at that stage always in their lives.

And so i gave the santan to him; he would never touched the flower. As if it is a poisonous snake. I just shoved it to his bag, and said, "There you go! Now you have a specimen, do not worry much, the flower will grow back again. Next time, do not forget your assignments, that this scenario will not happen again." His agreement is so fast and abrupt, that I know he will see to it next time he will prepare his specimens at night.

What I did was wrong, and I do not recommend it to anybody. My son is a better person than I am, and I am proud of him. He is the symbol of goodness and purity. An angel in my midst.

Innocence is very rare to find nowadays, and be able to see it in the eyes and action of my son, is a blessing. A whiff of fresh air.