Abandoned

No Baby Talk

By Georgene Rhena P. Quilaton-Tambiga

                  I just fell in love.

              His hands are so small my index finger barely fits in. His smooth pinkish skin still had traces of vernix caseosa (a white, cream cheese-like substance that acts as a skin lubricant in new born babies1).

               Yet, the most disheartening fact is that the woman who was taking care of him when I visited him was not his mother. Editha would have willingly stepped in and claimed him to be her own. But she couldn't afford to. I would have willingly done the same, myself, if only...

                Ken, this is how Editha's husband would like to call him even though the couple knows that he is there only for few precious days in both their lives.

                Ken was found in a flour sack cloth which was far from being clean, recounted Editha. His eyeballs were not white but yellow. He was so fragile yet so charming no wonder I fell in love with him. If only he could be mine but I already have one adorable two-year old hurricane to take care of at home.

                Looking at Ken teleported me to my college days when I was researching for our advocacy TV ad (which I have already mentioned in this column during the height of the issue of a baby abandoned on an airplane). My heart bled for yet another abandoned child. This time, though, the bleeding comes with an even more overwhelming realization: that in our society many children are being abandoned in so many different ways. And, no one seems to confront the question: Why?

Hold-up!

Bantay Banat

Ni Rics Cañisarez

                Ang akong sinaligan nga tigpani-id, misumbong kanako nga niadto kunong nakalabay nga semana dunay usa ka konsehal nga nagdala ug tsik diha sa Center Mall gitulis, wala lang niya gisugid kon unsa nga armas ang gidala  sa nagtulis apan, nahibalo sya nga ang nakuha mao ang kwarta (hinuon gamay ra) ug ang cellphone (mahal ra ba to nga cellphone da).

                Ining hitabo-a ako nagtuo nga kung pangutan-on sa asawa kon hain ang cellphone ni Sir Konsehal, ang tubag tingali nga nawala kay natagak.  Maayo lang gani kay wala unsa-a sa tulisan ang tsik nga dala ni konsehal.

                Kung mangutana mo kung si kinsa ni nga konsehal, adto lang mo pangutana sa mga nanagan sa dihang nahitabo ang tulis. Ang akong nakulba-an ug may nahitabo sa tsik nga kuyog ni Sir Konsehal mabani-og gyud sa tibuok dakbayan.

Summer Reading Escapade 

and Workshop 

for kids and kids-at-heart!

Starts on April 23, 2012, MON

at the San Carlos City Public Library

Magdalena gisikop

Pikpik sa Abaga

Ni Henry Sandoval

                Bisan pa man sa isyu nato nga gipaguwa niadtong milabay nga tuig nga gipanguluhan ug Mga Magdalena sa Kawayanan padayun gihapon nga makita nato kini sila sa daplin sa karsada diha sa gitindahan ug kawayan sa may eskina National Haighway ug Dalan S. Carmona. Dili man sad nato mamahayan nga naa ra sila dinha nagpadayun sa ilahang trabaho kay wa man say nagbuyag nila. Sa mga parokyano sad nga hilig kaayo sa kadiyot nga kalipay giganahan ra pud kay sayon ra pangita-on.

                Niadtong milabay nga gabie, Abril 11, mga alas otso ang takna, kalit lang nga gidakop sa mga pulis uban ang City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) ug City Health Office (CHO) personnel sakay sa ilahang patrol car ang mga magdalena nga nag stand-by sa daplin sa karsada. Matud pa sa mga tawo nga naka saksi murag nag abat-abat ang pulis ug ang mga magdalena kay nanagan man kini. May nasakay gyud sa patrol car ang mga pulis nga ilahang gidala sa Police Station.

Komentaryo 

Ni Dodong Mondragon

Human sa Edsa

II. Pagbalik sa Kagawasan ug ang Nasud Karon

                Wala mosaler ang mga tanke de guera nga gipadala ni Marcos tungod kay ginadilihan kini sa mga bagang katawhan.  Ignon niini ang sitwasyon sa pipila ka adlaw ug adunay posibilidad nga madangat kini sa dugu-ong konprontasyon kay nabahin na ang military.  Ug kini nakita sa gobyerno sa Amerika nga nakadaut kini sa ilang interes sa Pilipinas busa ilang gikumbinser si Marcos nga manaog na sa gahum ug mobiya sa Pilipinas.  Malagmit nakita ni Marcos nga wala na sya'y padaug kay wala na sya'y mandato sa katawhan nga kon magmagahi-un sya, ang Amerika na ang mohipus niya. Kauban sa iyang pamilya milagiw sila patubang sa Hawaii ug sa Pebrero 25, 1986, nahibalik ang kagawasang demokrasya sa Pilipinas gikan sa diktatoryang rehimen.

                Kon ang pangutana, human sa EDSA unsa na? Ang tubag niini mao ang sobra na 26 ka tuig nga milabay ang mga Pilipino nakatagamtam ug kagawasan ug nawala na ang kahadlok ngadto sa gobyerno tungod kay ang nanag-iya mao na man ang katawhan.  Busa angay gyud nga hinumduman ang EDSA Revolution kay bunga kini sa pakigbisog sa katawhan batok sa mga malupigon nga kon wala kini mahitabo, unsa kaha kita karon?

Friendly Observer

By Arthur Keefe

Good, honest service

                Modern airline transport is generally very good. Prices are reasonable and the service is normally very good. Why then are their frequent criticisms, especially from those flying often? It is partly a change in the business model used by airlines, but not yet matched by a change in passenger expectations, and partly an issue of honesty and transparency (or the lack of it) by many airlines.

                Firstly, the business model. Until quite recently, flying was the preserve of the wealthy or an occasional treat for the rest of us. Consequently, we expected to be cosseted in the air. to be treated like royalty with free food and drink and attentive stewards at our back and call. This was what the airlines delivered, but at a price. As long as the model persisted, flying would remain the preserve of a minority.

                The pioneers began breaking this tradition by eliminating these costly frills and reducing their prices. Freddie Lacker instituted the "Skytrain" between the USA and the UK, followed by Easy Jet and Ryan Aiur in Europe, and Air Asia, Tiger, and Cebu Pacific more recently in Asia.

                Their model was essentially to redefine flying as similar to catching a train or a bus, the sole purpose of which was to take you from point A to B as cheaply and safely as possible. Anything extra was chargeable, food, drinks, head phones, etc. as most flights in Europe (or in the Philippines) take under two hours, the basic services hardly constitutes a hardship. The public have generally accepted the no-frills service due to the saving cost. These no-frills airlines now dominate the market in Europe and Asia. However, even the no-frills principle has its limitations. Michael O'Leary, the MD of Irish Airline Ryan Aiur (now the biggest in Europe), has a reputation for treating his passengers like cattle, and has now proposed removing one of the two toilets and charging P 70 for use of the other. This would provide for two extra seats. The public (who at first thought this was a joke) were outraged, and the proposal has been put on ice!

Holy Week

 Taking a time off from the city buzz,
these beachcombers enjoy the sun, sea and sand at Sipaway Island.
Photo by: Yvette Sarabia