Liane’s Blog

12 Things Every Filipino Can Do To Help Our Country

Today, Zarah gave me this book, with the title just the same as the title of this post. It was written by a really good lawyer by the name Alexander Lacson.

Actually, I hit the shelves of National Bookstore weeks ago (just after NASSPHIL Congress have ended) to scour for this little book. For the reason that, hmm, well you see it was recommended by Ate Ivanna (she’s one of the ates from I Am S.T.R.O.N.G. and I Keep Love Real whom I really idolize, they are just great!). Anyway, so that’s practically the reason why I wanted the book so much!

And today, I received a surprise when Zarah just handed me a fresh-from-the-bookstore copy. What I did? Well I eventually became ecstatic and tored the plastic cover appart, eager to read it. I finished it just after lunch (even if there was a Physics exam first thing in the afternoon :))

I was not dissapointed for one thing. It’s just worth about 150 (at National Bookstore but I’ve heard it’s 100 at World Vision) and it’s way worth than that for my opinion. It’s just a meager sort of book but the message and content really made a big impact upon me.

What hit me big is the story behind the author. Alexander Lacson and his wife Pia had argued years ago if they would migrate to another country because simply put, they don’t see a green pasture ahead of the Philippines’ future. They sort of debated about it (lawyer folks :)). The deciding point was simple yet hard, if 20 years from now Philippines would be better, then they would stay. If not, then it’s bye bye RP.

Well, it didn’t took long before they figured out about it. The answer was, if they stayed and tried to make a better Philippines, then 20 years from now, maybe, just maybe, things would really get better.

And so they stayed. From then on, they became real patriots who did not only worked for the country, but actually did something and recognized their responsibility to uphold our nation’s status.

I was really moved by this book. Simply things like following traffic rules, throwing your garbage properly and asking for receipts, however small these acts may be, they still constitute our large need for improvement and if done by all would make a great uphill curve for this Pearl of the Orient we so love (and still do I hope).

Here is Pageman’s post to this book at Multiply

I think there’s just so much bad things about us. Not our country, us. We complain a lot but do very little to be part of the solution. In my eyes, the Filipino is the problem of the Philippines. That’s how sick our society is today. And it’s up to us if we continue making things worse or all for  the better.

Why not start by buying this book? A hundred fifty will be nothing for most of us who are just as lucky to have a close-to-stable financial status. But you know what, you don’t only make a move to be a better Filipino with this book, you also can help send children to school.

Why?

Well, Alexander Lacson and his wife Pia were not joking when they said they wanted to be part of the solution. They’re giving half of the books’ proceeds to scholarship programs
I want to be like them when I grow up.

I’m raging right now. Well not really, but close to it. My dear friends could’ve won the science quiz bee (1st place i mean) but she ended up having 3rd place instead.

The reason, they won’t accept a right answer.

Not that blatantly.  Example which have caused grave minus to the scores.

Gravity is not accepted, gravitational force is. Duh! Even an grade school pupil knows that when you talk about gravity, you’re talking about a force. It’s the same thing!

Why can’t those high ranking officials in the education office accept that they can make mistakes on formulating questions. They are teachers in the first place and they should know better than to trash a fact.

I’ve experienced the same thing on another quiz bee. FOrtunately, it has not affected my scores that much. But still…

Sigh… The only thing I can say is that it’s not my friend’s loss. They had the loss upon not having the best student to represent the province.

To dada, you’re still the first for us!

For so long, i’ve been a blogger. Yeah I am. But it took me ages to start blogging on my friendster account. So how does it feel, a little bit funny but otherwise fun.

I’d like to make a letter for myself for some unknown reason.

Dear Liane,

You’re not supposed to be writing right now. Look, YOU ARE BUSY and YOU HAVE A MOUNTAIN of tasks slightly smaller by a bit than mount everest (ok that was a little exagg) SO YOU DEFINATELY should quit writting here first and start MINDING the MORE IMPORTANT works.

But then again, you’re such a hard headed girl whose mind works perfectly on a reverse pshychology and so we (the both of us) just have to deal with this problem forever.  Still, I want you to just do what you want to do despite of all the things that keeps hitting us everyday.

You know what, I’m kinda scared right now about things. You know, the research, the congress, your journalism contests, the balagtasan, rotary impromptu and unit meet impromptu (if the school decides to join) plus the SSG duties to top that. No sorry, the SSG Duties is not the top, at least we have the periodicals and the tons of projects waiting for us just days ahead.

Yeah I’m scared. Really scared. How are we supposed to pass through all that. You’re a great girl (at least you believe you are) but doing that all seems not that possible, terribly exhausting too.

I wish for just a rest. You know, rest. Just a peaceful day without anything where we could just lie on bed and have no worries. I’m really really tired. We both are. We didn’t really made any actions as to NOT be busy. We accepted everything the school offerred for us right, and did the best in everything. I’m proud because we’ve won so much in just one school year (and there’s still more months to come) but in the end, they’re just, too exhausting.

Well, what’s the point anyway? Just go on and deal with it. Besides, when have we ever given up? Things are never easy but there’s always a good night sleep to cover it all (even for just a few hours).

I’ve always believed in you. You can do great, you are great in fact. So quit writting in here and start acting. Besides, we’re already running out of money to pay for the internet cafe.

You can do it! And take care always.

Love,

Your Self

Welcome to Friendster Blogs. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!