Decaffeinated Life

Sembreak

2009-11-07T00:59:00.000-08:00

So its been a really while since I last touched my blog.YES.After a sem.and after my almost consummated sembreak. Law had been fun and crazy.

AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH MY NEW SEMBREAK.

Before the sem ends I was planning to write my univ paper. BUT... due to the haunts of grades which could actually affect my term (and not tenure) in law school, it seems that the two week break had been FUTILE!! :(

Soo... even if my break would be over in just less than 72 hours... here are the things which I would really want to still do...

1. Read One-L! Cheska, one of my law school buddies and my housemate recommended this book by Scott Turrow. The story hovers around the life of the author who was a first year harvard law student. Cheska exclaimed that... "I CAN REELLAATTEE!" :)

2. Lose weight. Stress of first sem freaked me out. And my body that I really dramatically put on some pounds. And my parents being alarmed... offered me to have a vacation somewhere in asia. :)

3. Cook- I really love food. And i really stop experimenting and cook something REAL. Father also told me this.

RH Bill: Natural and Positive Law

2009-09-24T08:02:00.001-07:00

I. Introduction
House Bill No. 5043, “An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development,” or more commonly known as the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill is the bill which deals in promoting contraception.
Dubbed by the authors and co-authors, it is the pro-poor measure which will (as they always affirm) be the real solution of problems in high fertility among poor families, high maternal mortality rate, high infant mortality rate, the increasing number of unintended pregnancies and abortion, and increasing number of teenage pregnancies. As the researcher analyzed the bill and the intent of its main authors, the researchers had synthesized that the bill presupposes two essences—reproductive rights of women and poverty alleviation.
According to Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, who is the main author of the bill, the bill actually seeks the following:
• RH is about the right of mothers and children to good health.
• RH is about the right of women not to die from childbirth or pregnancy-related causes.
• RH is about the right of children to improved quality child care and better development outcomes.
• RH is about the right of parents to have the prospect of investing more on the health and education for their children.
• RH is about the right of women for more income generating activities and educational opportunities as they are liberated from unremitting pregnancies.
• RH is about the right of women to avoid making the unbearably painful decision of having an abortion because they and their husbands simply cannot afford to raise another child.
• RH is about everyone’s basic human right to exercise reproductive self-determination.
• RH is about people-centered development that upholds human dignity.
And in order to achieve such goals, contraception is one of the agents which it entails to promote. However, as the researchers examined the bill, there are ambiguous provisions which entail the promotion of abortion and distort the image of the family.

II. Natural Law

A. Physiology / Essence of the woman
Falsity is going against what is true to its nature. The ethos or the essence of a woman is her capability of bearing a child. Falsity with regard to conception, is when a woman uses artificial means in order to prevent her from bearing a child. This rejection actually rejects as well the real essence of motherhood—which entails a distinct femininity of a woman.
There are forms of contraceptives which manipulates certain physiological characteristics of women. One of which is the manipulation of hormones of women. Just as affirmed in reproductive technologies, such manipulation results in the lack of control over the body. Hormones are chemicals released by cells and affect other cells in the body. It basically transports signals from cell to cell. Therefore, these are natural occurrences of the body which, if either altered or modified by artificial methods, ‘falsify’ the ethos of a woman.
Moreover, there are contraceptives which thin the lining of the uterus. Such drugs make the uterus a disposable place for the formation of life—rejecting whatever natural tendencies it may have. Being the uterus the central formation of life which is a natural occurrence to women, it therefore ‘falsifies’ motherhood and womanhood.

B. Freedom
Freedom is not absolute. In the exercise of human freedom, every person has to be responsible for his or her actions. Both the means employed and the end in which such means are for, should be for the common good. The RH bill provides a wrong sense of freedom for it shrouds itself under the veil of a greater range of choices, but what it actually does is that it creates mandatory provisions that force people such as doctors, and institutions such as hospitals to provide contraceptives for people.
Just as in the context of Immanuel Kant, the will is the core which constitutes freedom of every human being. Such freedom is accompanied by reasons. Man and woman, being rational beings, fulfill their identity when “we free our conduct from determination by merely natural factors such as inclinations and desires and determine their conduct and by adhering with the universal law and reason. ”
Since man and woman are finite creatures, both desire happiness which is deemed by a natural stimuli or incentives to action. And being rational creatures, it is therefore natural to man and woman to achieve decisions which adhere to the universal law—affirming nature.
It has been said that fertility is in so much importance that the state cannot give all the decisions to individuals since the life and death of a society depends heavily in its population.

C. Right
Freedom is not absolute since it affects the rights of other people and that the environment itself poses restrictions on freedom. The RH Bill, with its aim to give women the absolute freedom to choose whether or not they would continue with their pregnancy, disregards the right to life of the unborn child. Under natural law, the common good must be upheld, thus the right to life of both the woman and the unborn child must be protected. No one right may be chosen over the other.
Contemporary delineation of right entails liberty. However, if the underlying philosophical basis is considered, such notion is ‘off beam’ or skewed. In the legal environment, rights are not created by laws; these are inherent materials of the state which the law regulates—being protected and being regulated.
In the words of Justice Holmes: “a right was indeed a kind of metaphysical substance which was supposed to underlie the empirical fact that public force would be brought against those who contravened it.”
Further delineation of such right reveals that it is beyond conscious act like choice and decision. Just as said by Lewis, we can actually say: ‘Your choices did violence to your rights. ’ Natural rights are expression of natural facts. In this case, there are no other alternatives, since man and woman are rational being, man and woman are with certain drives. Hence, a society which does not adhere with the natural right “frustrates an ultimate desire in us to an extent not warranted by objective material circumstances. ”
Moreover, as we delineate rights, it is then unnatural not to touch human dignity as it is, just what various philosophers had confirmed, inherently attached to human rights. Just as in the Declaration of Human Rights:
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Human dignity dominantly presupposes social, legal value and legal concepts of person, personality, attribution and responsibility. Lewis further explained that:
“This insight reveals why constitutions and human rights agreements protect human freedom of action and the right to develop one’s personality; it is because these rights are necessary for standards of good law—meaning a legal system that is in accordance with the basic facts of human existence. The personality is individualized, because it essentially perceives itself from the first-person perspective – even “John Doe” is unique from his own inner-perspective. ”

Today’s contemporary living, the society defines dignity as a respect towards another person. Therefore, abortion and contraception are seen as agents of such dignity as these avoid the conception of unwanted children who are just going to suffer when they live.
Delineation of its hermeneutical definition bestows us that it is, indeed, respect as it is actually being invoked with human dignity. However, dignity, just like respect, opposes utilitarian thinking which presupposes abortion and contraception. As we used Kant’s reasoning, just as in the previous discussions, he explained that the approbation of man and woman to adhere to the law classifies dignity.

He further explained it by distinguishing ‘objects of respect’ from ‘object of interest.’ Object of respect contains all absolute approbation which object of interest does not have.

III. Positive Law

The Legal Positivist detaches the Law entirely from morality and values. Unlike those who subscribe to the Natural Law theory, the Legal Positivist does not concern himself with the rationale behind the law. For him, ethics and morality have no necessary connection towards the validity of the laws. As long as the laws are in place and have been enacted in accordance to procedure by the legislators, then its validity cannot be assailed. As far as the positivist is concerned, if a Law has been passed conforming to the secondary rules – the rules governing the procedure for the enactment of primary rules – then that law is valid and is binding on the citizens of the state.

From our perspective, the Reproductive Health Bill cannot be enacted into law without violating our existing secondary rules governing legislation. For laws to be properly enacted in the country, they must conform to both Procedural and Substantive due process. It will be easy for the RH Bill to comply with the Procedural due process requirements, but the Substantive provisions of the Bill itself are not in harmony with our existing laws governing Legislation – laws that the Reproductive Health Bill by itself has no power to amend.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, protects -- in the Bill of Rights -- the Right to Life and the Right to the Freedom of Religion. As such, no laws can be passed violating the aforementioned rights because such a law would be Unconstitutional. This is the secondary rule that the Reproductive Health Bill will violate if enacted into Law. The reproductive health bill may lead into the legalization of abortion in the country, an action that will be clearly contrary to our Constitutional mandate to protect every individual’s right to life, even that of the unborn. More so that with the abortifacients it mandates to promote, the bill will risk the health of women, which is also unconstitutional.

The RH Bill will also make it mandatory for all hospitals to provide contraceptives to anyone who requests for it, and refusal to do so shall subject the hospital to criminal liability. Note that this provision exempts no one, regardless of the nature of the institution. By this provision, hospitals that are run by Catholic and Christian institutions will be forced to, against their Religious convictions and principles, comply with the requirement of distributing contraceptive paraphernalia to their clients. Clearly, forcing institutions to adopt practices that are contrary to their deeply held religious beliefs is a violation of their right to Religious freedom. Again, the RH Bill violates a secondary rule of Legislation. Therefore, in the eyes of the Legal Positivist, the Reproductive Health Bill cannot be validly enacted into law because it is in violation of the existing Rules and Laws governing the enactment of Legislation in the country.

IV. Conclusion and Recommendation

After conducting thorough research and reflection on the controversial RH bill, and using Natural Law and Positive Law in evaluating the validity of such bill, we therefore conclude that the RH Bill grossly goes against such laws, and we believe that it should not be enacted by Congress.
A change of mind set; a mind set of shying away from western tested measures. We should remember that their context is different from ours and this plays a big role in determining what policies are to be addressed by the state. Why should we impose to our countrymen a law which we know would go against our Filipino values and morals? Why do not we address the problem in a Filipino way that would uphold Filipino values? Why do not we just strengthen the natural way of family planning and resort to every available means that are consistent with our Filipino heritage? We should remember that we already possess our country’s freedom from foreign control long ago, let us not subject our blood fought freedom once again to westerners by adopting solutions produced by western minds. Let us create an answer that is fully Filipino, uniquely Filipino and inherently Filipino because at the end of the day we Filipinos are the ones who will be responsible for our country not aliens.
In Rubi v. Provincial Board of Mindoro , the Court said that the term LIFE “should not be dwarfed into mere animal existence.” This just shows that life is something that is protected and respected by the state and great weight should be given in favor of it not against it. In Justice Cruz’s words, “the word should embrace the enjoyment by the individual of all the God-given faculties that can make his life worth living. Included in the guaranty therefore would be his right to give full rein to all his natural attributes, to widen the reach of his capabilities, to enhance those moral and spiritual values that can make his life more meaningful and rewarding. The right of reproduction, for example, and the resultant savoring joy of parenthood, are part of the life vouchsafed to the individual under due process of law.
Since the intent of the authors of the RH Bill is to address the rights reproductive freedom of women and the control of population in alleviating poverty, it is strongly recommended by the researcher to address the notion by other greater solutions which do not affect the outmost nature of man and especially women and of the family.
In alleviating poverty, instead of investing the trillions of pesos in contraceptives as provided in the RH Bill, it is the researcher’s best advice to allocate this money to other efforts and activities of the government in poverty alleviation. Moreover, there are already existing laws which directly address such issue, but which efficacy has not yet established due to mismanagement and corruption.
One of which is the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act. It is a “multi-dimensional and cross-sectoral approach which recognizes core values, cultural, integrity and spiritual diversity of target sectors and communities. ” It also seeks to help Filipino families in the long run as it mandates livelihood, capital and training to beneficiaries.
In terms of reproductive freedom, since contraception defies the being of women, it is best advice by the researcher to use an alternative that promotes empowerment of women in reproductive matters—abstinence.
There are two kinds of abstinence, the mutual decision of the couple and the unilateral decision of a woman.
Mutual decision of the couple is a “self-imposed celibacy, either continuous or through rhythm method.” There were more approach in this kind of abstinence; one is male continence which makes the husband avoid ejaculation. A more woman-centered approach was later introduced—the avoidance of the climax. These methods require self-control.
The unilateral decision of a woman is, perhaps, the most empowering one. It is the power of the wife to say no to the sexual act with her husband. Through saying no, the woman gains more power in the conjugal act. It is often known as the voluntary motherhood. Just as in the words of Linda Gordon:
“xxx only in this kind of self-control can a woman be free from unwanted sex and repeated and punishing pregnancies and families from the cost of two many children. ”
Moreover, another suggestion is the strengthening of the families which is truly achievable. Under the Family Code, family is defined as:
“The family, being the foundation of the nation, is a basic social institution which public policy cherishes and protects. Consequently, family relations are governed by law and no custom, practice or agreement destructive of the family shall be recognized or given effect. ”
In strengthening the families, it is therefore necessary to start at the marriage of couple since it is the root and foundation of every family.
A city in the province of Bataan is already starting its initiative in strengthening the families. Just as said by its congressman and mayor of Balanga, the family should be the basic institution which the city government should be focusing on. Hence, the government adopted EDUchild. It stands for Education for the Upbringing of Children, a non-profit organization which aims parents to help other parents in the delicate rearing of children. And these initiatives provide basic education in strengthening the relationship deeply founded in the real definition of freedom and right which adhere in the nature.

never let go

2009-08-05T04:58:00.000-07:00

DETERMINED TO DO GOOD IN LAW SCHOOL...
(as i am watching Cory's funeral)

Exception to the rule

2009-08-04T20:25:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons why I wanted to become a lawyer is due to the influence of some great Filipino leaders who had presented passion in bringing justice and making our country worth living... and one of those is Pres. Cory.

Perhaps, she is the only contemporary president who did not benefit from her presidency!

Sexism has it. An inexperience house wife at the top position of the country. Perhaps, such statement has some certainty. But her dedication and loyalty for the trust the Filipinos gave to her is really untenable. I must say, her administration is perhaps, the hardest ever. legal crisis as her government reverse all the deceits,lies and human rights violations of the marcoses. worst calamities ever as mt. pinatubo erupted and as baguio was struck by earthquake.

some thoughts often occur to me-- what does it really take to be a great leader... is it really just about some academic and intellectual prestige just as the way a lot of people wanted to bash on the incapacity of erap and other aspiring government officials coming from showbiz industry... or on to other things?

But as I see the administration of Pres. Cory.I think its not really about the brain. Its more of the sincerity to govern. to serve. Just as Pres. Reagan (a movie actor by profession) who had superseded the legacy of any other contemporary president of the US whom were ivy-league graduates, it really comes from the heart. :)

Haayy... if wala lang akong midterms... I'll be there in the wake, ushering! >_<

Can Christianity Inspire Culture?

2009-07-18T05:36:00.000-07:00

This year's UNIV presents a very interesting topic... Can Christianity Inspire Culture?

Of course!

With more than thousands of years being established, Christianity has been one of the most popular religion around the globe. With such, various Christian teachings has been established in non ascetical areas.

Being a first year law student, analyzing the laws, be it in the constitution, in the penal code, or in the civil code... remnants of Christian teachings are well established. Aside from the law, Christian teachings could also be the best solutions in the worst crisis in--like in the collapse of the Global Market due to the bubbles created. Moreover, Christian teachings could also be traced in the lives of some great leaders which had shaped and moved the world to be better without being branded as 'Christians.'

AND THERE ARE A LOT MORE which could be patterned with the Christian teachings. :)

Pope, the Father, and UNIV!

2009-07-05T07:19:00.000-07:00

Its been months, but the experience lives on...

UNIV is an international get together of university students in Rome, tackling a certain issue and spending the holy week there. Last year's topic was about the root of UNIVERSITAS.

And... I must say, its really the best holy week ever--having seen the Holy Father up close... hear his voice directly from him... it was absolute bliss. More so that I was able to see and hear and even gave my letter telling him how much I pray for him and all his intentions... and some stuff in tahilan and my studies to Bishop Javier. Very lucky that we attended two get togethers. :)

Indeed, univ is a once in a lifetime chance! Its all worth it... because everytime I look back... the get togethers of the Father, the way he looked at us with great affection and care... and the way the Pope looked at us--realizing that he was praying for us at the same time... makes me more energized on what I am doing in law school.

St. Josemaria

2009-06-29T06:34:00.000-07:00

My fave saint!
His feast last June 26 made me quite nostalgic about college life and some changes on how I see things now.

College is all about limitless fun and learning a lot of things as I stayed in a residence hall named Tahilan. One thing which surely attracted me in the residence was the cheerfulness each embodies. I really learned a lot of things in the residence... from the eternal cheerfulness up to the eye to details with supernatural roots.

But what really struck me is the sanctification of work. It means to make holy one's work. Therefore, work can be converted into prayer...

And such concept makes me understand and love what I am doing right now.

Living a life that is so independent

2009-06-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

After living three years of my college life in tahilan, law school lifestyle is the time for some independence since tahilan is not sooo near at my new school...

And such independence is a mixture of fun and not-so-fun stuff...

Independence is fun because I get to really put in mind ORDER... which is one of the hardest virtues EVER... Tahilan is a great place to live for college girls not just because of the hollistic growth one could actually get in it, but also for the nice facilities they offer... Such facilities, however, have actually lasted for quite sometime since our Father had taught us care for little things. And I should also adopt it in my new home... And its not that easy... because academic load is really really HEAVY... and I have to cook and clean and study... But I am really having fun... seeing and doing things by myself. :)

BUT>>>

independence may actually be not that fun because I have this so big liberty which is sooo dangerous... especially with my interior life. that it'll be just so easy for someone having this kind of liberty to not actually follow the life of piety... more so that the my does not even have any oratory at all... and love for our Lord is now being tested...

BUT>>>

all I really have to do is to have FAITH and TRUST our Lord... and continue my saga in the law school... intrusting my apostolate and studies for Him.

Sex, videotape, etc.

2009-05-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

it has been a while since I last posted on this blog. A lot of things had happened. UNIV, graduation, honorable mention, ateneo, appeal, ateneo... and some more.

And I want to re-inaugurate my posting in this blog by talking about the latest talk of the town--the sex scandal. I cannot imagine Pinas, a country wherein Christianity is around 80%, would be trapped in this immoral circus which had kept a blind eye on the real essence of the issue.

First. What happened is IMMORAL. although media tried to make Katrina the victim--there is no victim actually since all of them are guilty of their immoral act.

Second. Being IMMORAL. It should not be treated by the media--feasting! Ugh... In court, cases concerning such are treated with privacy out of prudence with the women being involved. :)

Third. Media should just stop sensationalizing it!

why politic-ing is bad...

2009-03-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Well, look. Our Lady can withstand anything, including people who want to hijack her into their internecine fighting. She grew up that way, remember? Pregnant and not married. Bearing the Son of God. Yeah sure, said the people of her time and they were mightily insulted.

But, Guadalupe is the major girl gang leader in heaven. She can handle herself just fine. Remember, she is called La Conquista, the one who conquers the hearts of others. In other words, the mother of Christ is filled with love… and mercy toward others. She protects the torn hearted with her mantle. She soothes those falsely accused. She knows about these things firsthand, remember? She was accused. She and her Child needed protection too.

Earlier, Jazz, my coblogger at TMV, wrote a good article called Fauxrage In Mexico - Hillary Hates Catholics! about how some in media have spun a naive question Hillary asked at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City… into the Secretary of State being insensitive, disrespectful and so on… oh and don’t forget the WWGBD trope, that too.

I’d however, like to keep it to who Hillary insulted. The answer is no one attempting to live imitatio Christi… in some semblance, poorly or half-well, in imitation of Christ.

She asked who painted the ancient picture of Our Lady on the burlap-like cape, (called La tilma de san Juan Diego o icono de la virgen de Guadalupe,) that Don Diego wore in 1531 (post Conquest invasion in 1519) when she appeared to him on Tepyac Hill. The cloak is framed above the central altar in the basilica. The heavy gold frame certainly gives the cloak the appearance of being a painting.

But, the picture was not painted. It is similar to Veronica’s Veil, from the story in the New Testament: she who wiped the bloody face of the suffering Jesus as he dragged the heavy cross to Golgotha to be crucified. Her veil took on Christ’s image including his crown of thorns.

Similarly, the little enslaved Indian, Don Diego (as his conquerors had named him) received the impression of La Señora Guadalupe on his cloak.

So, I’d just like to add my rational two cents to the way the media played this out as Hillary being a person without manners, wit, or reverence. As a Catholic and as a Latina, I’d just say this and I hope you will find what I say is so, leaving the crud of political shivs out of it…

Most of us would not be offended at all by such a question from Hillary, or from anyone. Quite the contrary, most Latinos are not offended by people speaking Spanish poorly either. (There is a group of self-appointed keepers of the language, who are arch when people dont speak perfectly, but they are a minority.) When people don’t know some important or unimportant thing, whether they are inexperienced or naive… we feel sympathetic toward people who are trying, who are interested enough to ask. Deeply so.

We tell people who falter their ways through Spanish, ‘You are doing pretty good! Say some more!’ We’d repeat what they just mangled, in the way it ought to go, to try to set a gentle example. We’d answer their questions, encourage them and smile at them, not laugh at them or scorn them. It is true, there are ‘ugly Americans from the USA,’ but most are not that. Not at all.

Same with La nuestra Señora, we would be delighted to tell her story, the story of the miracle, and about San Juan Diego, the pitiful slave under the Spanish— yet it was this little peasant she chose to appear to.

Hillary asked who has painted this picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe? Father Monroy’s answer was perfect: God!

It must also be remembered that to us Latinos, to convey the stories of the saints to another soul is considered a great blessing on both of us. We’d be thrilled at the opportunity. It is not an affront to us that people ‘do not know’ everything about matters we hold precious and sacred. We are happy to teach them!

There are those Latinos who are not good people, that is true. We also have our share of the snotty and stuck up, that is true too… those who major in being easily insulted… attempting to put themselves in the path of being insulted whenever possible… so everything must always revolve around them and their upset… thereby thieving the energy of the people to be put to good use elsewhere.

It is true as well, that in the Catholic church at present, there are some few prelates who are more well known for pointing fingers at people and hoping to punish them, than in shepherding others’ souls tirelessly and patiently. But overall, the faith is based, not on a God of earthly politics, but the God of Love.

Thus, for people with hearts and souls even semi-intact, when ignorant or naive questions are asked, especially by a visitor, the visitor is honored with kind answers… and stories… actually the stories start to roll and you might have to tell us Basta already, for we might go on and on telling you way more than you’d like to hear or have time for. We are a storytelling people. Someone’s question is the spark that starts the story engine.

The deeper truth? We respond to those who are new, naive, awkward, ignorant, rookies at matters… mainly because we ourselves already know how little we know of this world. We come from a badly, brutally conquered people and were and are sometimes yet, little wanted except for our backs and our bones… and we are grateful all the way back to ancestral memory, when anyone now helps us by explaining the hidden, the not easily apprehended matters that seem so customary to people who are not us.

We are grateful that anyone reaches to not scorn us with invective, nor to brand us again with name-calling, but to help us… giving to us in generosity of mind, with kindness of soul, with heart in full welcome.

Hillary’s question may have offended some who play los juegos politicos. But she offended no one who tries to live in some proximity to la alma, the soul.

http://themoderatevoice.com/27471/our-lady-of-guadalupe-a-catholic-latinas-take-hillary-clinton-vindicated/

Operation...

2009-03-16T00:38:00.000-07:00

Since my BRAIN is not that good in MATH... and I need a 0.05 increase in my cgpa to achieve something... It is time to launch operation REAL STUDY.

I need to increase my grade to achieve my target not because of just being grade conscious... but also for the apostolate (so that I'll be credible enough:) and for my parents (since I want to really make them proud) and... since sayang naman ang 0.05 X_X.

So... here is the plan:

1. MANASCI-- Operation super taas in my remaining quizzes. MANASCI is really hard since it involves numbers... argghh. So I need to get all the bonuses I can get.

2. TREDFOR and STRAMAN-- Do good in final paper and outputs.

3. WOMNRTS-- need to do real hardcore research for my advocacy paper.

4. REMALAW-- same with WOMNRTS really need to make hardcore paper on it.

5. INTFILO-- Thank God I had a super bait prof! Maintain whatever I can maintain.

Best Thing to do before an exam...

2009-03-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

Offer it up to your love ones...

On Law and Women

2009-03-14T10:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we had a visit in a women's correctional institution at mandaluyong. I know its kinda weird. But it was one of the best experiences I had in a month!

Amidst the fact that women in this institution had done something wrong which entitled them to stay there... the people we had interacted with were super kind and with a very SUPERNATURAL OUTLOOK.

The kindness could be somehow foreseen... but the SUPERNATURAL outlook really amazed me.

The place is not really a prison. It is like a purgatory. Wherein holy souls... not poor souls are placed. It is a place wherein souls still purify them for some defects.

These people who had given indications of self abandonment to God amidst all that had happened to them. It was really amazing how much suffering these people have... which could be compared to the suffering of the sick.

After the visit. I really realized how much these people, amidst their sufferings of being away from home remains calm and optimistic with abandonment to God. And I was really amazed and really taken a back to realize how much these people who had gone wrong are now atoning for whatever they had done. Good thing I brought some prayers cards to give to them.

God really rocks.

Oh, Rome!

2009-03-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

Three weeks to go before I see you, Rome!

On April 3-17, I'll be attending UNIV, an international congress held every holy week in Rome, Italy. And I am very excited. Thinking about it... makes me feel less anxious about life... about my future... and about law school!

I think, if God would not let me go to Law School this school year, this is the ultimate consolation. :) There are get-togethers with the people I love and I always pray for--the Pope and the Father. Seeing the Father the second time and the Pope for the first time... would really make me cry.haha.

Selfgiving

2009-03-10T17:51:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, March 8, 2009, my family was at “Heaven’s Gate” to commemorate in advance the sixth death anniversary of our only daughter Joyce which falls today, March 10, 2009. “Heaven’s Gate” is the memorial park at the hills of Antipolo which is the gravesite of Joyce. Somehow the place seems so aptly named especially last Sunday when I felt we were at heaven’s gate meeting and greeting Joyce; and reminiscing and renewing those times when we were still together, particularly during the last moments before she entered it.

That sense of closeness to Joyce and memories of the times of our life together is stronger this year as we bade goodbye just ten days ago to one of her cousins, Menchu Sison who has also reached heaven’s gate at the end of her earthly sojourn last February 27, 2009. The windy hills of Antipolo last Sunday afternoon is so conducive to envisioning a scene where Joyce is welcoming Menchu at heaven’s gate with a big, warm hug.

This is a scene that looks so vivid and stirring because of the many parallelisms in the lives of these two young girls. Both of them served as numerary members of the Opus Dei. Menchu was one of Joyce’s cousins who became close to her and followed her at Opus Dei. The others are the ever smiling Tina and the jolly good girl Dottie who are both still serving God in this world as numerary members.

The most striking part in the life of Joyce and Menchu is how they live it. Joyce herself best described it when she once wrote: “I have always been happy wherever I am and just lived what I have seen I have to do. I consider my life as simple, simplified even with my sickness, by the idea that all I have to do is to love; Simplify life, love! Manifest that love in whatever may be asked of you at each moment”.

Menchu, like Joyce also died after a lingering bout with the deadly cancer. They accepted their affliction and suffering with amazing grace and serenity. Even as they experience pain, they can still manage to smile as their thoughts remain centered on others. In fact during her last moments the words coming out of Menchu’s dying lips were “thank you, thank you” and “I am sorry, I am sorry”. Thus I was no longer surprised when I heard for the first time at the homily during Menchu’s funeral mass that when Joyce was already ill, Menchu even wrote a letter asking to take the place of Joyce in her sufferings. More than a proof of how close the cousins had become, they have shown us the reason for their serenity and calmness amidst pain and suffering — by always thinking of others and not of themselves.

And so as we commemorate the sixth death anniversary of our daughter Joyce, allow me to share with you some of her words when she was already stricken with cancer:

“When symptoms appear pointing to a possible grave illness, the first thing you have to do is undergo some tests until you get to know what you really have. This is the hardest part of the sickness, I’d say, because of the unknown factor. We are usually afraid of the unknown - What is this? How grave is it? Am I to live long or will I die soon? Can I take the pain – physical or moral - those I will and those my loved ones will feel? The sooner you get to know what you have, the better. You can only fight once you know who or what your enemy is. And I was going through this stage during the merry days of Christmas. Blessed Josemaria taught us to judge events with the eyes of eternity, with the logic of God. So, I looked at the coincidence of the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word with the incarnation of a tumor. And what do I arrive at? A greater devotion to Our Lady! I saw the succeeding events in her life as those which are to take place in mine – the joys and sorrows, anxieties and abandonment in her bearing a child have a great parallelism in my bearing a tumor…Our founder would also teach us to live in divine filiations, to consider frequently that we are children of God and have to behave as one at all moments. So, if I am with my loving Father God and He sends me this, what do I have to fear? Besides my Daddy wrote this note to me (Blessed Josemaria would tell us that we owe 90% of our vocation to our parents): He knows you, he loves you and he will give you only what is best for you.

“The diagnosis came on January 2: Malignant! It was then that I asked that question I would tell my students to have the habit of asking, since doing so opens one up to a whole new world of knowledge: Why? Why? Why me? Why this? Why now?! . . . to my surprise, in the solace of prayer, God answers: Why not? Then the prayers our founder would usually pray came ringing in my mind: May the most just and the most lovable will of God be done, be fulfilled, be praised and eternally exalted above all things. Amen. Amen.

Take note, the Amen has to be said twice because one usually prays this in moments difficult to accept. That is the answer to the why? Or why not? - because, God wants it this way! The entire program of our life is to work for the fulfillment of God’s will, and for me, at this moment, He wants to carry out His will in and through this sickness. Many great things depend - don’t forget it — on whether you and I live our lives as God wants.

Now I know what we have to fight. I have to enroll in a course — chemotherapy, and in spiritual course of which he tells us in The Way: A whole program for a good course in the “subject” of suffering has been given to us by the Apostle: “rejoicing in hope,” “patient in tribulations,” “persevering in prayer.”

REJOICE…For those who cry when I break the news to them: Please change your tears for Joyce to tears of Joy! Or take advantage of all occasions in the ordinary events in your life to make fun out of them. I play magic with my nephews: Now you see the hair (wig), now you don’t (baldness)! You should see the look of wonder in those innocent eyes! Or when I look at any x-ray film of my bone structure: Imagine! I can see here my future! Rejoice! Just because you are sick, do you have to be sad? He says: The cheerfulness you should have is not the kind we might call physiological . . . like that of a healthy animal. Rather, it is the supernatural happiness that comes, from the abandonment of everything, including yourself, into the loving arms of our Father God. So, rejoice! And rejoice in hope! — Heaven is in store for you! Of course I have to fight sin, to go to confessions when needed…

Patience . . . Patient in tribulation . . . when you are told not to move or to talk while having a 30-minute bone scan and meanwhile here are the x-ray technicians talking about their experience in the morgue — of the yucky things they saw, and the foul odor they smelled! Thank God I’ll be dead before I see or smell myself in that state! . . . Patience! . . . . when your stomach tells you to eat and your head tells you to throw it out!...Pasensya!...when you are used to working surely and intensely for many hours a day and now you have to adjust to whatever small jobs your body will allow to work on! . . . Pasensya! . . . when you finally work but then the computer is not compatible with you!!! . . . Santa Pasensya!

But are these really tribulations? If they are not, I don’t know what you would call them. He would tell us to co-redeem with Christ in the pinpricks of daily activities. What value these pinpricks have! — to co-redeem with Christ! To save souls, win them for the Kingdom of God! These pinpricks may make us go through a rough time, so he wrote: Take upon your shoulders a small part of that cross, just a tiny part. And if you can’t manage that then…leave it entirely on the strong shoulders of Christ.

Persevering in prayer…Many people tell me they are praying for me. Since they are doing it for me, I have resolved not to pray for myself, but for those who pray for me. Mommy’s note reads: People who know you’re sick, worry and pray for you, please pray for them too that they don’t get sick worrying about you. And besides, I’m asked to pray for many intentions — people have faith that my prayers are powerful. How can I not pray if they have great faith in my prayers! Opus Dei was born in the hospitals in Madrid, with prayers of the sick people, I do pray, but I have to be persevering in doing so . . . because acceptance of the will of Father God has to be renewed each time He shows us what He wants. Being in the year of the Holy Spirit — another one of those coincidences with this cancer — this advice takes on a new form: Get to know the Holy Spirit, the Great Unknown, the one who has to sanctify you. Don’t forget that you are a temple of God. The Paraclete is in the center of your soul: listen to Him and follow his inspirations with docility. So persevere in prayer, persevere in the listening to the Holy Spirit, in following his inspirations of docility. And my God, the Holy Spirit is like a woman! — when you start listening to Him, He never stops talking to you! And like a woman, He speaks of small details of delicateness, of affection . . . of Love.”

Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=447171&publicationSubCategoryId=64

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=447445&publicationSubCategoryId=64

Just and Sanctification

2009-03-10T15:33:00.000-07:00

Real Estate Management Law is one of my fave law subjects. Even if it plainly talks about LAND, I like it because it touches a bunch of human rights.

Land, perhaps, is the strongest evidence of possession. That is why people fight over land... up to the extent of encrouching other people's rights. History can never be wrong that the Spaniards came and conquer the country building haciendas and haciendas everywhere... leaving Filipinos scratches of whatever had been left. More so that history can never be wrong AGAIN when educated powerful people outwitted the others as they used their knowledge of the torren system and apply for title to numerous parcel of land... defying the real essence of ownership.

Indeed, remalaw has been really interesting ever since the start.... however, my grades were not as stunning! Even how much I memorized the handouts... I keep on getting average grades.... I know I did my best without trying to cheat out.... and I guess, I just have to keep on exerting much effort on it. Moreover, studies made were work sanctified... I guess, even with average grade.... apostolate benefited. :)

I remember last year, when I examined myself and see the efforts I had been doing in my studies and compared it to others who had done much lesser effort but who were enjoying great grades (but some of them had cheat their way out)... sometimes, I just wanted to be like them... but then, I realized I was wrong... because I am even luckier that I can actually work real hard and offer up that work for many various things which could benefit various people.

Expiation

2009-02-27T22:13:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, a friend who always pray for our (Tahilan girls) intentions passed away. Menchu died of cancer.

At my first two years in Tahilan, I heard a lot of great things about her... how pleasant she remained amidst the very agonizing pain cancer brought to her body. I can still remember when things were getting rough that they were finding volunteers for blood donations. Actually, I only got the chance to quite know her few months back when I changed my chat (and my life became sooo new and reallllyyy at the right path.haha.). My chat is the cuz of her and she always talked about her in our chats. She always asked prayers from her for my intentions, especially those intentions which are very delicate. And with all her stories, I really got inspired and really make it a point to offer up things for her...

Coming from a family with a great history of cancer, I have seen my lolas and lolos really shouting for help when they were injected those sorts of med. That is why I can really imagine how painful it is to have one. Hence, I offered up things which were also hard to achieve... like my thesis, LEGAWRI (which was really hard since its a Caraan subject! hehe) and my advocacy paper in Women's right. And... I only got the chance to meet her few weeks ago when my chat invited me to visit her. And was really happy that I got a chance to personally asked her for my intentions and of course to thank her for all her prayers.

Everytime I think about her in my prayer, I always associate her with Maria Ignacia Garcia, one of the first women of the Work. Maria Ignacia is very ill with tuborculosis. She offered up all her sufferings for the intention of the Father and of the Work specially that the work was just starting at that time. And the same goes with Menchu... she had offered up a lot of things not just for me and other tahilan girls in need of prayers for exams, and special intentions, but more importantly for a lot of greater things like indonesia and more apostolate.

And what was really striking for me most (the same thing which strike me with Maria Ignacia) was the attitude toward the agonizing pain... that amidst how agonizing the pain was, she still remain calm, happy and pleasant. (She really is a saint. hehe)

I am sure, she's already in heaven.... happy and at peace.

B-L-O-G

2009-02-21T23:27:00.000-08:00

Being a lady with few words, blogging has been the best way for me to decaffeinate whatever 'stress' I have. ;)

RH Bill: Is it really legal?

2009-02-21T23:06:00.000-08:00

As man has been naturally granted with rights that are inherently obtained, statutes enacted through the effort of the legislature come to existence as the facilitating agent which lessens the intricacies in society. Thus, statutes which the legislature pass should always be adherent to the moral of the norms.

As these laws provide man uncomplicated living, these laws should never forget to set boundaries and limitations so as not to spoil man—to avoid promulgation of laws which conceal economic dreams with hedonistic and pragmatic outlook.

The Reproductive Health Bill introduced by the Honorable Edcel Lagman is the bill that had stirred so much attention. It is a bill which aims to “uphold and promote responsible parenthood, informed choice, birth spacing and respect for life in conformity with internationally recognized human rights standards.[1]” It has been drafted in order to aid in alleviating poverty and providing the poor health care services.

However, even with such great intention of attending the ‘needs’ of the poor, the bill instills the use of contraceptives, mandates sex education and encourages two-child policy. Given the rules the bill encrusted, regardless of the morality the bill has raised,, there are some provisions which are in question of law.

QUESTION OF LAW

Question of law arises when a certain law is not in accordance with the constitution or a statute; otherwise it is a question of fact[2]. As the writer read the bill, the writer had noted that there are some questions of law.

As man is inherently encrusted with rights, the state also has its counterpart, inherent powers. Hence, it is the constitution which balances the rights of man so as not to be abused and the powers of the state so as not to be intrusive[3].

Essence of Parental Authority

As the RH bill imposes and mandates certain acts, the bill becomes intrusive. More so, these provisions are utterly not in accordance with the constitution and the Family Code.

Given in the prohibited acts that:

“Refuse to provide reproductive health care services to an abused minor, whose abused condition is certified by the proper official or personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or to duly DSWD-certified abused pregnant minor on whose case no parental consent is necessary.[4]”

The above provision gives the minor emancipation different from the newly concept of emancipation in the Family Code. The Family Code provides that the decisions of the parents are deemed to be obeyed by the children as long as they are under the parental authority[5]. The above provision disregarded the parental authority of parents. Thus, emancipation of minors is not valid unless minors reach the legal age.

Law should never forget the basis of parental authority over minors. Minors are deemed to be the fresh blood of the society who is not yet ripe to be on their own. That is why there is such a parental authority.

Freedom of Religion

Freedom of religion is, perhaps, the most intricate part of the constitution because it involves a relationship with the Higher Being.

Just as Chief Justice Reynato Puno has stated:

“It is the most difficult area of constitutional law where man stands accountable to an authority higher than the state. To be held on balance are the state’s interest and the respondent’s religious freedom. In this highly sensitive area of law, the task of balancing between authority and liberty is most delicate because to the person invoking religious freedom, the consequences of the case are not only temporal.[6]”

Even with so many intricacies, it has been proven that the state cannot interfere with the practice of religion as long as it is not felonious in nature. The RH bill which is an outright contrary to the virtues and teachings of Christians bestow big threats in the exercise of the religion.

Following the trend of decisions by the honorable highest court and knowing that the country is predominantly Christian, it truly impedes the exercise of religion. It is the same notion which prompted the Supreme Court to decide the Ebralinag Doctrine.

“It is certain that not every conscience can be accommodated by all the laws of the land; but when general laws conflict with scruples of conscience, exemptions ought to be granted unless some "compelling state interests" intervenes.[7]”

It is therefore unconstitutional bestow penalty of not less than P10, 000.00 and a 6 month to 1 ½ year of imprisonment to those who threaten blocking information dissemination to anyone and even with non-compliance of all hospitals with the said bill.[8]

Right of the Unborn

The 1987 Constitution is very well crafted in terms of the rights for the unborn—that amidst all effort by the Congress to pass abortion rights bill, the bill would always become unconstitutional.

Even with the very much claims that the HB 5043 does not entail abortion, the contraceptives which are being used are abortionable which has been proven by doctors.

Having known such fact, it is therefore unconstitutional to enact the said RH bill, knowing the harm it can bestow to citizens.

Socialist Point of View

Just as stated in the Declaration of Policy in Article II of the Constitution, the Philippines is a democratic and republican state.

It is therefore unconstitutional to put into law the intervention of the state in the citizens’ lives as it encourage newly wed couples to have two children only.[9] It is also unconstitutional to put into law that non-compliance with the Family Planning of the Family Planning Officer renders newly wed couple non-issuance of Marriage Certificate from the Local Civil Registry.[10]

As the authors of this bill envy other countries with such kind of law, believing a pseudo claim for their soaring economies and art of living, there are still citizens of this great nation who believe that this is not the solution to attain such.

Instead of appropriating billions of pesos to this unconstitutional bill, the government should focus on long term plans to fight poverty such as corruption and misappropriation of funds.

[1] Sec.2, House Bill 5043 (2007)

[2] Caraan, Hilario (2008) Lecture on Documentation for Legal Management. De La Salle University-Manila

[3] Cruz, Isagani (2007) Constitutional Law. Rex Bookstore. Manila.

[4] Sec. 21, House Bill 5043 (2007)

[5] Title 9, Article 211. Family Code (1989)

[6] Estrada v. Escritor

[7] Sherbert vs. Berner, 374 U.S. 398, 10 L. Ed. 2d 965, 970, 83, 1790 cited in Ebralinag v. Superintendent of School of Cebu. G.R. No. 95770. March 1, 1993.

[8] Sec. 22, House Bill 5043 (2007) “Knowingly withhold information or impede the dissemination thereof, and/or intentionally provide incorrect information regarding programs and services on reproductive health including the right to informed choice and access to a full range of legal, medically-safe and effective family planning methods;[8]”

[9] Sec. 16, House Bill 5043 (2007).

[10] Sec. 14, House Bill 5043 (2007).