Me.

     This summer, I had no opportunity to go anywhere else because all of my friends are oh-so-busy with school, work and on-the-job-training, so here I am so bored with my life. :)

    So what I did, I tried to collect some of my photos from the past. And here they are:

Smile guys! Happy Sunday!

LIFE.

How hard life must be

When you have no choice but to do what you’re told to.

How cruel life must be

When you dream of achieving something and you weren’t able to

How difficult life must be

When you are pushing yourself to the limit

And yet your efforts seem to be insufficient

Life must be really hard, cruel and difficult

You wanted things to happen

But it seems as if it’s all not meant to be.

But as you open your eyes

And see how fortunate you are

To be here, still.

It gives you an inch of hope

That all these things happening right now

Is just an obstacle that you have to go through.

Success might be delayed

But at least in the course of your stay

In this challenging world

You have fought for your LIFE

And have surpassed all its:

HARDSHIPS, CRUELTY and DIFFICULTY

Change: Social Engineer

You might have encountered a time in your life when you almost wanted to shout but restrictions stopped you from doing so. There might have been a time when you wanted to tell the whole world how you feel inside, however, no one listens. Until that day came and you met a friend named social media.  

                Indeed the latter is but a powerful platform where you could freely express your feelings, shout without making a loud annoying noise, or update the whole world where you are and what do you do. It is perhaps, our generation’s best friend.

                But social media users seem to have been so fond of expressing who they are and thus, have forgotten that they too, have personal restrictions to meet. They have been so fond of using social media, as a platform of info dissemination thus, it resulted to greater problems. Further, users have also abused freedom so much that they have caused too much hurt on others.

                Now, sins are not only present in the physical environment but also in social media.

               

How do we end this?

[1] Bear in mind that social media is not only about you, it is about everyone.

                You can express yourself provided that your words are pleasing and would not hurt others.

[2] Be sure that what you do on social media would not affect who you are years from now.

                This was the advice of Mr. Sonnie Santos during a seminar at the Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila.  This tells social media users to be more careful of what they post, because even though you have already erased things, chances are, there’s someone who might have kept a copy of such and give you a dose of your own nightmare in the future.

[3] Be sure that when you tell news, it is nothing but the truth.

[4] It is good to share your opinions but not to the extent that your opinions humiliate other people.

[5] Stop and think before you click.

                This was again from Sir Sonnie. Before you post things on social media, you might have to consider first the repercussion of what you are going to do.

                To end, expressing oneself is the best thing one could possibly achieve as an individual. It is of great relief that you make people know how you are, what you feel inside and how things are with you. However, along with the freedom given to you is an innate conscience and consciousness that things do not only concern you, but also others. Realizing that social media still has limitations of its own, users will then be informed of their own responsibility over such and therefore, turning into a changed social engineer.

Hazing's Last Episode

                                                                               (image by: Google Images)

             The implementation of the Anti-hazing Law has been less stringent for the past few years. A number of fraternities, sororities and other social organizations have been negligent of the rules set forth by the Philippine Constitution.

            Hazing as a form of prerequisite for admission to fraternities is illicit. The study of sociology maintains that organizations are formed to propagate unity and mutual reciprocity. In this regard, what happens now is a complete opposite of the norm.

Organizations are essential; it strengthens and gives inner importance to people. What is questioned here is their prerequisite for admission. It is provided by law that organizations are allowed to do their own way of facilitating admission. But just do not inflict any form of physical harm to neophytes. In this manner, the reformulation of the latter would have to stop all illegal acts by social organizations and therefore, prevent fatalities.

Fraternities nowadays, usually place their neophytes to humiliating and silly tasks and by subjecting them to physical and psychological suffering. In the effort to strengthen their brotherhood, initiation rites have caused deaths instead. It is such heartache that things have turned out differently as to how it used to be before.

            The reformulation of the Republic Act No. 8049 has to commence for if no reformulation happens, the problem is far from over. The growing negligence of social organizations is an alarming issue and the lawmakers have to make stronger regulatory policies so that these unlawful activities could approach its last episode.

           

                                                           

Why me, Lord?

            Life on earth is such a wonderful blessing God has given me. Before, I used to live life as ordinary as how other people do it. I open my eyes as a new day comes, and close it as the night unfolds. Back then, life was never a burden, I was just a young boy living my life as it is.

            But time flies and changes seem to have been introduced into my very being. Life was never the same. I had to grow physically, emotionally and spiritually. I was never prepared of what life has to offer and my eyes were not open for possibilities of failure. But change is constant, and so, I had to face it and enter the real world.

            Later on, God gave me trials which I had to go through each day. There were times when people had to question my principle about being a man. There goes the problem about love, money and studies. There go the unending in-differences between my mother and my father.

            Time came when all these trials seemed to have bombarded me, as if I was in a war. I was weak and longing for someone to hold on. And then, I asked, “Why me, Lord?”

            That moment was the turning point of my life. Realizations came as the tranquil environment opened my eyes to what God wants me to see. He is always there. He gave me problems to test and see how strong my faith is. He made me realize that problems are there to make man realize how to trust in Him wholeheartedly.

            Now, life is more meaningful. As the sun rises and as it sets, I believe that my Lord will always be there by my side. Problems may come and it will make me stronger. Failures may arise but in the end, it will eventually teach me how to fight and believe that I can.

           

Social Stratification Survey

Good day! I am Jerome C. Pamintuan, 2nd year student at the Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila taking up Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Well, this is not a part of my thesis nor a term paper. I just made this blog entry to ask you questions and to know your perceptions about the present society.

Well, do you know anything about social stratification?

(Social) stratification: ranking some individuals and groups as more deserving than others; from this a social hierarchy is formed which is a set of ranked statuses from highest to lowest. (The word social is in parentheses because in sociology it is often presumed you are referring to the social, i.e. groups of people interacting together rather than one individual by themselves.) (http://husky1.stmarys.ca/~evanderveen/wvdv/Class_relations/social_stratification.htm)


For better understanding, an example of social stratification is the caste system of India and in the Philippines it is well-known as the division between the elite, middle and low classes.


Now that I have given you a bird's eye view, please feel free to answer the questions below:


1. Why do you think social stratification exist?
2. As an individual from the 21st century or as a student, what can you do to lessen the issue of social stratification?
3. Give at least 3 benefits of social stratification in your own point of view.


You can post your answers here(if and only if you have an account) or pm me through facebook or message me via twitter.


Thank you.

Pag-ibig: Nag-aalab na Damdamin (Sanaysay sa Filipino 163)

     Noong bata pa ako, itinuro sa akin ng aking mga magulangkung ano ang pag-ibig. Sabi nila, ito raw ang damdamin na nananalaytay sa pagitan ng bawat isa, sa pagitan ng ating mga magulang, mga kapatid at sa Diyos. Basta raw may pag-ibig laging magiging masaya at matiwasay ang pagsasama ng aming pamilya. Siguro nga, ito kasi ang pangunahing dahilan kung bakit simula noong tayo ay isinilang sa mundong ito, pag-ibig na ang naghahari sa ating mga puso.
     Ngunit, habang humahaba ang paglalakbay natin sa buhay na itinakda para sa atin, aking napagtantao na ang lahat ng paninindigan natin tungkol sa pag-ibig ay nababago. Bunga na rin siguro ito ng mga karanasang nagpasaya, nagpalungkot o hindi kaya nakasakit sa ating mga damdamin. Sabi nga nila, karanasan daw ang nakapagpapabago sa pagtingin natin sa mga bagay-bagay. Oo, totoo iyon, dahil sa aking paglaki at pagtahak sa bawat karanasan, ang pag-ibig ay hindi na lamang basta sa pagitan ng isang pamilya kundi isa rin itong biyahe ng buhay na lahat tayo ay kinakailangang pagdaanan.
     Isang bagay nga ang makapagbubuod kung ano ang pag-ibig para sa akin, at ito ay ang depinisyon ni Zoe Johnson sa pag-ibig. Ayon sa kanya, sa lahat ng damdamin tanging pag-ibig lamang ang nangingibabaw sa pamamagitan ng oras. Kaya nitong hamakin ang lahat ng bagay. Ito ang pinaka-makapangyarihang elemento ng buhay na nagbibigay ng sigla at kagalakan sa atin. Walang saysay ang buhay kung walang pag-ibig. Hindi sa lahat ng oras ay tao ang kinakailangang paglaanan nating nga ating pag-ibig, maari rin naman itong ilaan sa mga bagay na tunay na nakapagpapasaya sa atin. Sinabi rin ni Johnson na kahit na lahat ng kayamanan ay nasa iyo na, kung wala ka namang mahal sa buhay na makakasama upang matamasa ang sarap ng buhay na mayroon ka, ang lahat ng ito ay walang saysay. Ang pag-ibig ay isa raw paglalakbay sa buhay na isang masayang karanasan.
     Isa pang paniniwalang aking pinanghahawakan ay nagmula sa liriko ng kanta ni KC Concepcion na nagsasabing ang pag-ibig ay hindi tulad sa isang pelikula. Totoo ito, karamihan kasi sa atin (lalo na ang mga kababaihan) ay inihahambing ang pag-ibig sa mga pelikula. Malayo ito sa katotohanan, dahil hindi sa lahat ng oras ay may magandang pagtatapos ang pag-iibigan. Marahil nga ay masarap tignan ang konsepto ng pag-ibig sa perspektibo ng pinilakang tabing, ngunit naniniwala ako na mas masarap itong maramdaman sa riyalidad. Maliban pa rito, naniniwala akong walang kahit isa sa atin ang nakakaalam kung ano ang storya ng pag-ibig na inilaan para sa atin, dahil ang Diyos lang ang sumusulat ng ating mga storya.
     Sa kabilang dako, hindi lamang ang aking mga karanasan ang nagturo sa akin ng tunay na depinisyon ng pag-ibig. Nariyan rin ang institusyong aking pinanggalingan kung saan pinalawak at pinalinaw kung ano ang pag-ibig. Ayon sa aming pag-aaral sa wika noong ako ay nasa mataas na paaralan pa lamang, may iba't ibang uri daw ng pag ibig:

• Eros - pagmamahalan sa pagitan ng dalawang tao
• Storge - pagmamahal sa pamilya
• Philia - pagmamahal sa pagitan ng magkakaibigan
• Agape - pagmamahal sa kapwa
• filia-nagmamahal sapagkat siya rin ay minamahal bilang kapalit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                Dahil sa mga kaalaman na ito na natutunan ko sa aking pamamalagi sa mundong kumanlong sa akin sa iilang taon kong pamumuhay natutunan ko na ang pag-ibig ay isang daan upang tayo lumago bilang isang indibidwal, ito rin ang makapagpapatibay kung ano tayo, sino tayo at ano ang ating kahihinatnatnan sa mundong ito dahil mayroong PAG-IBIG na naghahari sa ating mga puso.