Ibabao Christmas Sharing 2012

Stolen shot during the packing session

This year’s sharing of goods to our underprivileged brothers and sisters soared high unexpectedly.  Donors generously gave substantial amounts for the project to end up a success. I was actually only hoping to double the figure of last year’s recipients (120 households in 2011) but ended up a list of 290 households (initial listing was 270 but since there was still available funds, we added 20 more names) gladly receiving  3 kilos of rice, 3 cans of corned beef, 3 cans of sardines, 3 cans of beef loaf, a pack of bihon and half kilo of sugar.  We also raffled off 25 Christmas gifts of assorted table wares.

 This year’s distribution of goods also ended up with some donors taking time to personally hand down the Christmas gift to all our ever excited and ecstatic recipients. The whole afternoon of December 30, 2012 saw a lot of fun and gratitude from those taking home the goods.

But while 290 people walked home happily, some more 54 waited  to have their share of blessings. Unfortunately, they were not included in the list for reasons I considerately explained to them. I wish there were more bags of goodies for them.  

To all the donors who wanted their names withheld for reasons of anonymity, thank you very much for your extraordinary big-heartedness.  God will never be outdone with His generosity so expect loads of blessings this year. May we continue to bring smile to our destitute brothers and sisters in the years to come!

The ever excited and grateful recipients patiently waited for the distribution

Some of the recipients carrying their bags of Christmas goodies

Some friends volunteered to help during the packing session

The Joy of Sharing at Christmas

I am always fascinated at how Christmas season sparks off that snoozing yearning to share a little of what I have to those who are in need.  And this desire pushed me to initiate a Christmas sharing activity which I intend to continue for as long as I live.

I was thinking of setting aside Two thousand  Pesos ( Php 2,000.00)for a Christmas sharing plan.  With a limited funds, I intended to share my blessings to five people only each receiving 3kilos of rice, 3 cans of sardines, 3 cans of corned beef, 3 cans of beef loaf and 3 packs of noodles.

My next problem was to identify the recipients who are supposed to be the poorest of the poor in my community.  So I decided to personally went out with the aim to pinpoint the most destitute family in my neighborhood.  Surprisingly, as I rambled around,  it was so hard for me to find only 5 recipients because there were hundreds of them begging to be included in my list.

a recipient's house

Because I wanted to reach out to as many unfortunate brothers and sisters as possible, I decided to get in touch with some of my close friends here and abroad and ask them if they too would love to share some of their blessings to a number of destitute fellows during the Christmas season .  And quite a number of them willingly agreed to donate some cash and/or goodies which prompted me to finally start off the sharing activity I have in mind.

This activity started last December of 2010.  With the help of some generous friends, we were able to distribute goodies to 80 households. The following year was a great one. In December 2011 the number of recipients almost doubled as donors also grew in number.  We distributed rice, canned goods and assorted chocolates and candies  to 120 households.

December 2010 distribution

December 2010 goodies

December 2011 goodies

 waiting for their turns

Some of the recipients

December 2011 Distribution

 Each recipients’ smile is always a picture to behold.  The beam you get to see in their faces is a reminder we are fortunate in this world.  And even more fortunate not because we have more in life but because we take responsibility to share what we have.

This year might be just  as great. We hope to come up with a larger number of recipients and donors as well.

My sincere gratitude to my partners in this activity. God knows who you are. Let’s continue to be blessings to others.

2011 and ME

The previous years had been so intense for me both emotionally and psychologically. Finding and eventually losing a lover, witnessing a lousing friendship and getting vertigo all at a very close time interval were just so extreme and had me almost blown out of proportion. I must admit I was caught unguarded with those disparaging events in my life.  And thank heavens I have a God bigger than all of those nit-picking  experiences to help me continue living my life positively.

But while the previous years brought so much distress, I was also luckier to have witnessed friends getting so much blessings in their lives. My best friend was able to pursue a career in Singapore and then another friend followed also and I had the 2010 ended with a successful  gift-giving activity I initiated with the help of some of my friends here and abroad.

This year might just be a surprise in the making. Who knows. Hehehe...

This 2011, I would like to try out some principles I have encountered through my readings and from the advice of some people close to my heart. I am sharing them with you and in case you find them practical and helpful, go ahead and make them your own!

               

·         Keep only the friends who truly value you. Discard the rest.

·         Be an entrepreneur in whatever capacity you can.

·         Focus on helping people who cannot repay your generosity.

·         Be honest all the time.

·         Always give time the best value. Never steal other people’s time.

·         Be nice always to your family. 

·         Always trust in God’s will for you!

·         Always think positively in the midst of all the negativity surrounding you!

·         Be a wise spender.

·         Be grateful all the time. Always value “debt-of-gratitude.”

To Suffer Rightly with Our Right to Suffrage

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Our right to suffrage should supposedly deliver us from the wayward politicians who have done less (if there was any) to pull us out of the economic mayhem we have learned to live by. But that is no longer what is happening now. The value of our voting power is no longer governed by what our conscience dictate. The worth of our freedom to choose our government is now dependent on the market value offered by every candidate. To date, I have yet to see a strong-willed Filipino who- amidst the tinkle of money (for the masses); the enticement of a promised position (for those rich ones close to the candidate); and the lure of regulation laxity (for the business tycoons) each politician offers- refuses to conform to the evil of vote buying.

Selling our votes means giving up our right to demand for the promises these politicians make. That goes to say that the Php1,000 (lower or higher) we get today out of our voting power inhibits us from whatever right for any objection we intend to raise tomorrow. With the small amount comes a long term silence- a silence that will give us the loudest uproar of deprivation; a silence that gives authority for those in our government to do whatever anomaly they intend to do; a silence that will keep our eyes open yet deaf-mute for all the irregularities in our country simply because we have sold our rights to rightfully question the culprits.

In analysis, there are no buyers if there are no sellers. The so called masses should realize how the money they receive so momentarily satiate some of their needs. That in the long run, they not only gamble their lives but also those who have chosen to exercise their right of suffrage conscientiously. If the masses who constitute the majority votes in this country (and who are the easy prey of those vote buyers) would only try to be selfless for once, we can rightfully and collectively condemn those who have not been faithful to their advocacies.

In a deeper analysis, there are no sellers if there are no buyers also. I wouldn’t blame the poor for taking what is being offered. I will blame the buyers for taking advantage of the frailty of those whose plights in life prompted them to contentedly pocket the small amount that would temporarily feed them and yet bit by bit would drown them into nothingness. Shame on the politicians who buy votes! -Shame on their selfish motives, shame on their hunger for power and shame on them for corrupting the minds of the poor.

Our uncertainties will continue to thrive. Our questions of deliverance will persist unless we start to take that one step of giving dignity to our voting power. Our current destitution is a result of irresponsible actions from both the voting public and the elected officials. The worthless blaming will continue unless we start to pin our hopes to not only the candidates but to ourselves as well. Let us respect our right to suffrage.

CONDOM CONDEMNATION

The recent DOH’s distribution of free condoms stirred up the Catholic Church into discomfort claiming the benevolent act of the DOH to be immoral and irresponsible (emphasis mine). The contradiction of rationale behind the condom’s issue, the DOH claiming condom to be the best alternative to control the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country and the church’s view that giving out condoms encourages people to engage in premarital sex and in promiscuity, set forth a divisive view of the Filipino people.
The church’s strong cause is to solve the issue of HIV/AIDS by treating the very source of it. This would mean rooting up the very reason why people would resort to premarital sex and promiscuity that is by building up strong values and a stable moral quotient. I couldn’t help but agree. However, I also accede with DOH’s point that while the epidemic has already spread to quiet a number of people, necessary control has to be done. Otherwise the virus will continue to spread considering that most of the infected people are actually unaware that they carry the virus or, if at all aware, are irresponsible enough to be cautious in satisfying their sexual urges.
Personally, while it is partly the government’s responsibility to address the issue on the increasing number of HIV/AIDS carrier in the country, the major burden should still lie in each of us to be more cautious in performing any sexual activity. And this is where the church’s view becomes more relevant. Because no matter how many condoms the government gives to the sexing public, if everyone engages in premarital sex and chooses to do without it (as majority claims “condomless” sex is better) the problem will continue to soar high no matter what effort is done. The bottom line still points to how responsible the sexing public is. And talking about being responsible is a matter of attitude. It is a matter of what values a person has and what outlook one believes in.
On the other hand, the church’s claim of using condom very “uncatholic” gets me into questioning. Would using condom make us less of a Christian? Would it really hurt our faith? Because as far as I’m concern it really doesn’t lessen my belief in God. I mean I know premarital sex is a sin but c’mon let’s face the reality that many of us do that. So the least we can do is take extra care against any negative consequence. If we cannot stop committing this wrongful act, we might as well do some justice by being responsible with our health and that of our partners’. And that’s where the use of condom becomes significant.
Can these two entities blend their seemingly competent solution? Why not give out condoms and institute a massive information drive and educate everyone on the values necessary to live out a responsible and worry-free life? Why not reinforce each other’s view between the issue of morality and safe sex. Combining two opposing unit wouldn’t really hurt, if only to address a more serious issue than the existing irreconcilable differences (if I may call it)? Who knows something good will transpire out of ignoring each other’s strong indignation. What do you think?