Wednesday, November 30, 2005
journeying inward
I find I can relate to this article on the 5 stages of dying, because leaving is like dying in many, many ways. Death and leaving are both ways of moving on to another place. I was in denial for years that I was going to leave. Then I got really angry and couldn'd find people to blame. Then I tried to bargain, and when that didn't seem to work, I got really depressed.
Now I just want to be quiet.
I just don't know what to make of myself. But silence is good.god and advertising
*** Disclaimer: Before you get offended, I'm not undermining anyone's beliefs, or questioning them. I'm trying to sound academic here. This is a comparison between two things, advertising and man-made religion. This is not a debate on whether or not God exists, or on the nature of God for that matter. If you have something to say about that, you can take those arguments somewhere else.
Today I hosted a confidential, private event held by a certain advertising agency that was trying to win over a very huge and important client. Said client is one of the world's largest and most lucrative fastfood brands, and with so many other advertising agencies vieing for the coveted throne, it was the sales pitch of the year.
The event was 3 hours worth of charts, tables, slogans, marketing strategies, propaganda, slogans, power talk, PR, etc. There were promises made, inspirational speeches, the whole song-and-dance-number shebang, all to win the client over.
After 3 hours of watching these smart, dynamic movers and shakers of the advertising world do their thing, I realized with both discomfort and amazement how uncannily alike advertising and religion are.
Both advertising and religion try to evangelize people, try to make them followers of the One True Path; in advertising it's in the form of a brand or a product, while in religion it's in God.
Advertising tries to create a personal and intimate relationship between brand and customer. They strive to make brands a household name, and part of that is working on making it's logo, mascot, or endorser friendly and familiar to all.
The same goes for religion. We're encouraged by our religious leaders to go beyond the textbooks and cultivate a more familial relationship with God. Aren't we taught to call Jesus "kuya" (big brother) here in the Philippines?
Advertising has slogans and campaigns, quick, catchy, and easy to memorize. Religion has formulated prayers, creeds and campaigns.
A goal of the ad agency is to outdo the competition by putting up branches, outlets, or franchises of the brand they are handling. With some competing brands like, say Mcdo and Jollibee for example, it's a turf war. Where Jollibee goes, Mcdo follows, aggressively nipping at it's heels. In the same way, where Mcdonalds erects its snazzy, golden arches, expect a new Jollibee branch to rise less than a block away in a few weeks.
The same goes for the Church and churches. In my neighbourhood alone, there's a sort of turf war in between parish churches. When "The Church of the Gesu" in Ateneo was built, a nearby parish complained that they might lose a chunk of their congregation to the "competition". Hence, they did all in their power to keep Gesu from becoming dubbed as an official parish in order to keep the customers loyal to their "franchise".
And lastly, both advertising and religion are about building a persona, making the unreal real. Brands have a face, mascot, or logo spearheading their name; so does religion. An ad agency formulates a brand's image based on sound principles; so does religion.
Take Disney for example, one of the world's giant companies, and Mickey Mouse, their main man (or main mouse). Is there anyone in the world who doesn't know Mickey Mouse? Millions of kids and adults grew up with him. We all know that Mickey is our friend. Mickey is a good person. We even know his girlfriend Minnie and his dog Pluto.
Funny how we can talk about him like we know him personally, or like he's a real, living, breathing "person", almost forgetting that he doesn't really exist. He exists only as a moving image on your TV screen, as a mascot in Disney Land, as a doll in a store, but nobody has ever seen or will ever see the "real" Mickey Mouse. He is only an idea of a "person", a concept, something unreal that Disney has made real through the power of marketing and imagination.
Disney has created an image for itself in the form of Mickey Mouse. And part of building Mickey's image is the laying down of clear parameters on his personality and nature. He is always portrayed as good and kind, smart and heroic. He is never shown to be evil, or cruel, or mean spirited. To deviate from these parameters would spell the end for Disney's rodent spokesperson.
So how does religion compare? Religion also strives to make the unreal real. Okay before you start calling me blasphemous, let me explain.
Disney deals with a fictional mouse. We know what he looks like through cartoons and mascots, but we have never seen nor touched the "real" Mickey. Religion on the other hand is similar in the sense that it deals with a being who is believed to be intangible, and metaphysical, something we cannot quantify. And since we cannot experience God corporeally (in the same way that noone has ever seen the "real" Mickey Mouse), he exists to us on a realm that goes beyond the physical, as an idea or an enigma.
Nobody knows for sure what God is like. Nobody will ever know. Sure, we have our religion, our teachings, our belief systems, or maybe even our own divine experiences. But still, nobody will ever know. If we did, then we'd understand everything in this universe. God exists (at least that is what I believe) but at the same time remains ungraspable, much like an idea. (I emphasize the word "like", because He is not just an idea although we may often experience Him as one.)
Hence, religion needs to create an "image" for this intangible being, attach a face, and assign a set of traits to give this idea a form.
While Mickey has dolls, movies, and mascots, religion has paintings and statues of the "agreed" physical appearance of Jesus Christ, Mary, the saints, even though in reality, nobody knows what they really looks like. Like Disney, we set parameters or basic principles to make it clear what God is, and what God is not: God is good, God is great. God is almighty, just, merciful, and forgiving. God is omniscient, omnipotent, eternal.
We "plot" Him out, high-light certain parts of God, set perimteres and outline Him with dogma to give Him some sort of form, something our minds can grasp. Why? Because we need it. When we believe in something as big as God, we need some sort of picture in our head to hold on to. It makes it easier.
But in the end, there is one essential difference between advertising and religion. Advertising is all about making the ordinary extraordinary through hype. Mickey Mouse may be great but he really is just a drawing. Havaiianas are cute but they're really just tsinelas. Things aren't really as great as they're made out to be.
Religion, on the other hand, sometimes manages to make the extraordinary ordinary. Religion can sometimes systematize God, reduce the divine, the transcendent, the all-encompassing to something petty and small. God becomes trapped in a cage.
Maybe the two can take a cue from each other ... or maybe not. Who copies who?and on to more important matters
My dad is having a photo exhibit entitled "Jim Paredes in A.W.E. (Air, Water, Earth)" in Renaissance Art Gallery, 4th flr, Bldg A, Megamall from December 8 to 15. Do drop by!
He has lovely pictures, my favorites being the ones of piers, coastlines, and seascapes; one of which I helped name "Neruda Pier" because it reminds me of one of my favorite Neruda poems entitled "Aqui Te Amo". A lovely poem, and a lovely photo!
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Saturday, November 26, 2005
a chinese curse upon me
My dad just wrote an entry on his blog about asking for what you want out loud. In the extremely overused words of Paolo Coelho, "when you want something bad enough, the universe conspires to help you get it". However cliche that quote may have become, I really think there is alot of truth to it.
There's an ancient Chinese curse that goes: "may all your wishes come true".
I don't know if it's a curse or a blessing that I've gotten almost everything I've asked for the past few years, sometimes in staggering amounts. I don't always know how to handle it. It's like wanting to have a child, just one child, but instead you give birth to quintuplets.
Be very careful what you wish for.
In my sophomore year of college, I asked the universe to get me one modeling job, just one, because I wanted to make a little money. Instead, I was given an entire godamned modeling career.
I also asked the universe for just a little bit of fame and recognition, just a little bit, maybe just for 15 minutes. Four years later, it seems I was dealt far more than the original bargain of 15 minutes. I'm no Sharon or Heart, but never did I dream that people would know my name in every tiny barrio I go to. I have only just learned to handle that. It took awhile.
I asked the universe for a band, just a small quiet band. Okay, so we're not Bamboo or Kitchie, but we've played in every single gig hotspot (except Mayric's, which is a place that scares me) and we played to 5,000 people on only my fourth gig, the Redhorse Muziklaban. Talk about baptism by fire. I'm still a newbie in the scene, but thanks to the power of connections, the band gets around.
I asked to see Africa.
I asked that I reconcile with my worst enemies, even though it seemed impossible.
I asked to be given the chance to see an old friend who lives far away at least one more time in my lifetime (and I did see him, through an amazing series of coincidences, in New York City, 3 years after I made that wish).
I asked to be given a good, intelligent show centering on the Philippine music scene.
I asked that I would be given the chance to write and be published.
I asked for good friends I could trust.
I asked to be given the chance to make a difference in people's lives (I have a long way to go with this one, but I like to believe I've taken the first step).
And right at this moment, I am eagerly awaiting news to confirm that yet another wish of mine has come true. I won't reveal what it is just yet but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Sometimes I wonder if there's some sort of catch to all of this. Why should I deserve to have it so easy? Then again, you don't question the blessings that life throws your way. You just have to say "yes", and "thank you".
Thank you, life!
And since we're on the subject of speaking our desires out loud...I hope...
... for the kind of work I do to require the use of my hands, my body, my voice, and my mind. I don't want to spend my life in a flourescently-lit enclosed space, ruining my eye-sight staring at a computer screen. I don't want to earn a living doing something mindless, and routine. I want lots of physical movement, social interaction, hands-on work, and creative thinking.
... to be fit and healthy enough so I can climb mountains. I was a frail kid growing up, and I'm tired of carrying around that mentality with me. I was always sickly when I was young and couldn't do sports, but that's all long past, and now it's just a mentality.
... to do something good for this country and for this earth. I want to do more with my life than just make enough money to buy a car, a computer, and a place to live, and be comfortable forever. If material comfort will do nothing but make me stagnant and complacent, than I'd rather have just enough but still be a useful person. (Nevertheless, I still hope for enough material comfort to sustain me so I can pursue my ambitions)
... to be a licensed diver soon. I don't know what's been stopping me all these years.
... to travel, and live in other places.
... to own a motorbike.
... to see for myself what I really believe in regardless of what my parents, relatives, friends, and religion say.
These are my hopes for the near future.
And in the more distant future, I hope for my own beautiful, artsy-fartsy, world-ethnic, bohemian-inspired house with lots of big windows, my own art studio/ workshop, and a big wooden deck for jamming and throwing little parties. It will be set in a semi-provincial area with lots of nature, in the mountains or by the beach, maybe an hour's drive away from the city. It will have solar panels, and be built and run in a manner that is environment friendly (I thought of this all even before the whole Greenpeace thing, okay? :-p)
I'll have 3 beautiful children who will prefer playing outside in the sunshine to staying inside with the Nintendo (they won't even own a Nintendo). They will be pesca-vegetarian, and hate soda and fastfood. They will be knowledgeable in art, music, other cultures, and new-age concepts. (I can already see my children growing up to be new-age, pot-head hippies. They might have problems in school)
I will also own a cute dog. A tiny one.
Oh yeah, and I guess I'll need a husband, too. Tsk, tsk.
Dreams, dreams, dreams.post-trip hang-over
Look how tanned I am from my trip. I used my friend Conrad as a basis for comparison.
My friends call me "negra" or "amazona" and it took awhile for some people to recognize who I was. I still feel like I'm bobbing up and down sometimes. The city is so damn noisy.
I made a cutesy collage as a present to the crew. Click on the ship to see it.
i miss you.
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Tuesday, November 22, 2005
The 2nd installment of an ongoing blogumentary of life aboard the famous Greenpeace boat, the Rainbow Warrior, on the Philippine leg of it’s ”Asia Energy Revolution Tour” to campaign for clean energy; as told through the eyes of a non-activist who now dreams of living her life as a shipmaid. Visit asiacleanenergy.org for full details on the campaign.greenpeace out! day 5– Ilo-ilo- Pulupandan, Negros!
November 20, 2005, 6:30 PM- 'Baile para sa Matinlo nga Enerhiya'
I suppose that if you’re not used to life on a ship, and if you’re on the go all day, everyday, under the sun, and if you haven’t been sleeping enough, it’s all bound to catch up with you eventually. I got mild heatstroke in the middle of doing open boat tours this afternoon, and had to retire to my cabin. I woke up at 6 and saw that the sun had already gone down.
Today we arrived at the port of Pulupandan, Negros at 9 am after a 4am departure. I stayed up to watch a fantastic sunrise despite the wild baile that the people Concepcion threw for the Greenpeace crew the night before.
The celebration began with short presentations on the impacts of climate change in South East Asia and glimpses about Greenpeace’s Asian campaign for clean energy, given by Red Constantino. The Concepcion townsfolk cheered as they were encouraged to continue the fight against the proposed coal plant.
The crew was called to the front and introduced one by one before immediately being swarmed with attention and requests for autographs. The way the community welcomed them, you’d think they were the cast of “Panday” instead of a bunch of seamen.
The crew were very game and decided to come in Filipiniana. As promised, pictures of cute foreigner sailors in barongs:
from left to right: Valdemar, Dani, Shannon, GianLuca, and Hans
Filipino hospitality is not something you really experience fully in the parties we go to in Manila. As proven by the warmth with which we were received by the community, it is in the provinces where sincerity of welcome can really be felt.
There was a smorgasbord of sea food, and a band playing disco and Latin ballroom music. Soon, the sun-burned crew members, not quite comfortable in their barongs, were dancing up a storm.
The Rainbow Warrior’s captain, Daniel Rizzoti from Argentina, was king of the dance floor, being the only man from the crew who could do an authentic Tango! And true to form, all the Latin American crewmembers were the best dancers. Dancing isn’t dancing to them unless they are thisclose to their partners. Woah! Keep them away from the women!!!
Eventually, the crewmembers and the little children of Concepcion joined together on the dance floor, jumping up and down and twirling around. It was quite a sight, these foreign environmental activists from all over the world, dressed in itchy barongs, having the time of their lives with a large crowd of squealing children at a baile. The captain closed the celebration with his own rendition of- "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina"!
Many agreed that it was the most sincerely thrown celebration they had ever attended.
I wish I could have had more fun but unfortunately, I was landsick. Again. I kid you not.
power team!
Before the baile, we conducted an open-boat at the port of Loboc. Being team leader of the tour guides, I was given a wonderful team of volunteers to work with. With very little supervision from me, they spent all day taking the students, teachers, and walk-in guests on a tour of the Rainbow Warrior.
They were a blast to work with!
the first battle won
And now today, we dock at the port of Pulupandan, Negros. It is a place with a special story to tell. For years, the townsfolk campaigned against a proposed coal plant that was going to be built in their area. Their victory against coal is the first battle won for clean energy in Asia.
It is interesting to note that the fight was led mainly by women like Elay Jacildo.
As we arrived on the pier, we were welcomed by a band, dancers, and a paraw regatta. We were also welcomed by a large group of young people who called themselves Solar Generation Youth, and who campaign for the use of solar energy.
Here they are waving paper windmills, for clean energy!
Mayor Luis Mundia closed the welcome festivities with a speech ending with, “So long as I am mayor, there will not be a coal plant in Pulupandan”, which drew roars of applause.
According to tests, the amount of windpower in Pulupandan has been found to yield 7 times the amount the community needs. Pulupandan hopes to rely completely on renewable energy sources in the near future!greenpeace out! day 6– Bacolod!
November 21, 2005, 6:30 PM
Halina sa Maskara!
We arrived at 9am in Bacolod, the "City of Smiles", welcomed by a merry host of maskara dancers much to the delight and awe of everyone on board.
Bacolod is yet another province concerned about the impact of climate change, and hopes to put up a renewable energy source plant. The province wants to go for complete clean energy!
I wish we could make that possible here in Manila.
As usual, open-boat tours resumed and I was put in charge of the SolarGen Youth who had come to volunteer as tour guides. They we're a very good group, and I was able to leave them on their own with no trouble at all!
The rest of the day was spent relaxing for the SolarGen farewell party to be held that night right on the port, beside where the ship was docked!
and finally... one last hurrah!
Dancing to live reggae and Latin ballroom!
See the bald guy gyrating his hips in the pictures? That, my friends, is Francisco "Fran-disco" Modest from Panama, 2nd mate on the Rainbow Warrior, and resident metrosexual, disco-dancer, and master of kakulitan. The only sailor in the crew who manages to smell good and look neat during all hours of the day, even when everyone else is covered with grime, paint, and dirt. You'll never go bored with this guy around, but then you just might go crazy :-p He likes to tease and annoy me on purpose and calls me his "favorite nightmare". Hahaha! He also swears that he's only 21, and that he's a Lacoste model back in Panama. Can anyone from Panama verify this? (should we bother? :-p )greenpeace out! day 7– Bacolod- Manila!
November 22, 2005, 5:00 PM
Here I am back in gloomy, polluted Manila, binging on Napoleones, and awaiting the inevitable barrage of noise that will undoubtedly fill my brain and shatter the peace and contentment of the past few days. Ah, well.
This morning, I gave a heartfelt goodbye to every member of the crew. Admittedly, I had been feeling a bit tender about leaving the ship, even a day before I was supposed to leave. I know, call me a cheeseball, but I couldn't help it. In the span of 6 days, I have admittedly grown attached to the ship, to the people I saw and worked with everyday, to working non-stop from 7:30 in the morning till dinner time, to being out in the open sea, so free and at peace with myself. On this ship, I always felt useful. There was no time to be depressed or bored. There was always something that needed to be done, and whatever it is you were doing was always important, somehow.
This entire experience has been such an eye-opener for me. I realize I've been wallowing within the narrow box of my everyday city life, unaware that there are great, important things going on right under my nose. I've forgotten that the world is so big (and to think I only stayed in the Philippines this whole time). This trip made me rekindle my sense of adventure, my sense of wanderlust, my sense of purpose. We should all live for something, live for a cause.
This trip has given me wonderful memories. I hope to go onboard again someday. No, make that, I will go onboard again someday.
I left the crew a CD of all the pictures I took, and a collection of MP3s to add to their already rich collection of music on board. I hope to work with these people again, someday, for one reason or another.
So to Captain Daniel, Valdemar, Francisco, GianLuca, Hans, Mehdi, Emma, Ashbee, Timo, Dani, Maan, Shannon, Beata, Marco, Noom, Serkan, and to all of you crazy girls Sarah, Maia, and Pam... GREEN PEACE OUT!
Ala, Hans, and Noom!
Every member of the crew has their own peace-out photo, but I couldn't post them all.
In the meantime, support the cause, guys! www.greenpeace.org.
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Saturday, November 19, 2005
There was an old lady from the “Cree” tribe, named “Eyes of Fire”, who prophesied: “There will come a time when the earth is sick and the animals and plants begin to die. Then the Indians will regain their spirit and gather people of all nations, colors, and beliefs to join together in the fight to save the earth: The Rainbow Warriors.”
Welcome to an ongoing blogumentary of life aboard the famous Greenpeace boat, the Rainbow Warrior, on the Philippine leg of it’s ”Asia Energy Revolution Tour” to campaign for clean energy; as told through the eyes of a non-activist who cares for the cause anyway, and who feels darn lucky to be here. Visit asiacleanenergy.org for full details on the campaign.greenpeace out! day 1– Manila- Iloilo
on an ocean of light
We set sail on the midnight of November 15, being dragged by a tugboat out to open sea amidst the spangle of city lights reflected on the waters of Manila Bay. A full moon shone high overhead the ship’s mast, casting its ethereal glow upon the Warrior’s glinting helm. Sailing on a luminous ocean, we watched as the riot of colorful city lights grew to small specks in the distance. As we sailed further out, the stars grew in number as the sky turned a deeper shade of midnight blue. Silent, dignified barges, and a melancholy, old, broken watchtower played witness to our departure. As the wind whipped through my hair, I sat on the deck in silence and contentment, trying to make the dream last.
life adrift
It’s day one on the Rainbow Warrior. I woke up in my bunk this morning, turned over on my side, and suddenly felt all my innards jump. Whew! Thank God I’m not seasick, though.
I was flippantly awoken at 7:30 to report for breakfast and cleaning duty at the mess (i.e. the common area where the crew has their meals, movie marathons, and quiet time) with the threat of having to eat breakfast “late”- at 10:30 am- if I didn’t go.
“But I really do eat breakfast at 10:30 am”, I mumbled groggily to no one in particular. I had had a restless sleep last night and had only gotten 4 hours sleep the night before as I had to report early to Manila Bay where the ship was docked. I had volunteered as a tour guide to show people around on the Rainbow Warrior when they opened their boat for public viewing. I was at it from morning to afternoon, touring groups of students, teachers, relatives, and various guests. The day closed with a fantastic sunset and a dinner party on the ship’s desk with flowing wine and food catered by Cibo. I stayed up to watch the ship kick off, and ended up sleeping at 2:00 am.
It’s not that I mind doing chores. I was just really, really sleepy. But there was work to be done, and on a ship, skipping cleaning is a mortal sin that everyone will hate you for.
So I got up. Plodded blearily to the mess, had some oatmeal, and spent the morning wiping tables and washing dishes.
Life on a ship is interesting. As with all people who live together in a small place, they have strict rules of conduct and etiquette make it easier to live together (not that they’re miserable living together but I’m sure it does get tiresome at times).
The crew is composed of about 15 people, from Captain Daniel (“El Capitan”), to Waldemar the firstmate, Francisco the 2nd mate, to electricians, mechanics, deck hands, cooks, etc. They’re from all over the world, from the USA, to Tunisia, to Brazil, to Africa, to the U.K., to Panama, etc.- all together on the same vessel that travels all over the world to campaign for environmental causes. Not only are they sailors, but they are also activists, risking danger and incarceration to fight for their cause.
Sailing along as guests with me is Red Constantino, campaign manager for Greenpeace, South East Asia, and a bunch of young volunteers including four members of The Probe Team, another blogger named Pam, Sara, an essay-writing contest winner who works at Ayala Museum, and some other girls. They are all wickedly fun to be with.
Seems like there is always work to be done. Daily schedules are taken seriously, from duties, to meal times, and even breaks. People take initiative and work together like machinery. Everyone has an appointed role, and if you don’t, they’ll give you something to do; which is why I and the other girls ended up spending the morning polishing the ship’s huge, brass compass with old rags and metal polish.
Yep, life on a ship is no joke. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun and full-filling. Around 5:30 pm, I went up on deck to catch a beautiful sunset. The captain had stopped the engine and everyone was jumping off the main deck for a swim. The water was warm, and there wasn’t an island anywhere in sight. It was absolute freedom!
I end this now under the light of a full moon, and a beautiful, calm ocean. Never realized the moon could be so bright when we’re far away from the city lights! One more full day of sailing to go before we arrive at Ilo-ilo.greenpeace out! day 2– Manila- Iloilo
November 17, 9:36 am
I’ve accepted the fact that I’m not going to get any good sleep on this boat, at least not where and when I’m supposed to. It’s impossible to get any sleep when you feel like you’re in a drifting coffin, even though you’re really just in a narrow bunk bed with a very low ceiling. When you start hearing the water lapping against the sides of the ship, right behind your head, it gets a bit nerve-wracking. My over-active imagination starts generating vivid scenes from the movie “Titanic” (not the romantic scenes,).
I ended up “helping” the two night-watchers, Dani and Francisco, by talking their ears off and blaring tunes from our iPods. Ok, so I was pretty useless as a watch, but it did make it easier for them to stay up till 4:00 AM!
And the moonlight was so beautiful! There I was in the middle of nowhere with nothing but the moon, the ocean, and the wind, on board a vessel that looked like it was taken straight out of my childhood fantasies of Peter Pan and flying ships. The clouds lay so low, and it looked as if we could take off and sail right into them. Every now and then, we’d see the lights of other ships in the distance, and as I watched the changing skies, I felt like I was somewhere far away and magical. I could’ve been on the ocean of another planet for all I knew. It was like a beautiful dream. I will never forget it.
trouble
So I ended up sleeping at 4:30 am this morning after failed attempts to sleep on the deck. I kept waking up with a sore back (that’s what you get when you sleep on flat, wooden surfaces). Finally tried to sleep in my coffin-bed but ended up tossing and turning for another hour.
Got reprimanded by Timo, the ship’s bosun (i.e. person in charge of supervising the ship’s maintenance), for failing to wake up for morning cleaning. Ack. I could swear I didn’t hear anybody wake me up.
I think I will try sleeping in the mess or in the computer room tonight. I got better sleep there when I took a nap yesterday afternoon.
123:30 PM
Dolphins and whales!!!
Had a nice barbeque on the deck. I swear, every single meal here is fantastic! Kudos to our chef, Marco, and his assistant, Maan. I’d live on this ship just for the food. The best part is, I get to really live the vegetarian lifestyle!
Today I helped make dessert, and continued polishing the compass with the other girls till it was gleaming. They are so naughtily fun! I am loving it here, loving it.greenpeace out! day 3– arrival ay Ilo-ilo
November 18, 2005, 9:53 am
Got up at 4:30 am today, to get ready for a big morning. Today the Rainbow Warrior sailed into the waters of Ilo-ilo. In the gentle light of sunrise, we were greeted by clusters of tranquil islands, and about 40 fishing boats.
This was the town of Concepcion, a place whose people have been actively campaigning against the erection of a coal plant in their community. This campaign is being led by a group called the Concepcion Alliance for Renewable Energy (COALFREE ). It has not been easy. Those against the coal plant have had to deal with threats and sabotage.
Fisher men, activists, townsfolk, media, and little children came sailing towards our boat bearing gifts of suman and drink. They came waving banners that had slogans like “No to Coal”, “Save the Visayan Seas”, and “Philippines Go Renewable”. We were all up on deck, and we welcomed the leaders and their families on board.
If I had never gone on this trip, I never would have known that somewhere on our archipelago, as a contrast to the world-weariness and squalor of city life, is a provincial community that still believes in uniting to make a difference. There are still people willing to fight for our air, for our water, for our environment, things that most of us don’t really bother to think about anymore because we’re all so jaded.
“Ang sarap magtrabaho na walang sweldo (“It feels great to work knowing I will not get paid.)”, said Alan, the secretary of COALFREE, as I chatted with him over suman. “Ang sarap ng pakiramdam na may ginagawa ako na hindi lamang para sa sarili ko, kundi para sa mga darating na henerasyon (It feels good knowing I am doing something not just for myself but for succeeding generations”).”
Don’t believe anyone when they say the Philippines is a hopeless cause. Don’t ever believe it. Despite crime, corruption, pollution, and economic strife, good things still happen here. There are acts of heroism everyday. This is a beautiful place! You just have to open your eyes.
Ang ganda ng Pilipinas!
united colors of the Rainbow Warrior
One thing I’ve noticed about myself is that I thrive in situations where I have to interact with people from other countries. It’s always so interesting to find out how different things are in other parts of the world, from music, fashion, religion, and culture. There’s always so much to learn from them, and vice-versa. But what I always love is finding out just how stirringly similar we all are in the end, despite age, race, and culture. What most people I meet have in common are a sense of humor, hopes and dreams for the future, and shared passions in many things.
People are like mysterious packages that you have to unwrap layer by layer. Each layer peeled off always reveals a new surprise.
docking at Ilo-ilo!
Our welcome committee
Ws appointed team leader of all the Ilo-ilo volunteers who wanted to be tour guide for this run of our open boat tours. Harassment galore! But it went ok. It’s hard to get a bunch of people organized and be authoritative when they keep asking you to look their way so they can snap a picture with their phone. Uh-uh. Not good.
landsick
Big seafood dinner at a big restaurant in Ilo-ilo. Yummy but we were all very tired. We’re now all at the mess kicking back and watching Starsky and Hutch.
I get “landsick” whenever I leave this boat. It’s a sign. I’m can’t ever leave this ship. I’m going to forsake my modeling and hosting career and live my life as a ship maid.
Me, Sara, and Maan washing dishes! (which takes a long time)greenpeace out! day 4– Ilo-ilo-ilo-ilo!
Was finally able to connect to the net and update my blog! I will resume being tour guide on the boat today which is docked at Loboc.
Later on, the people are going to throw a baile for us, which should be very exciting. The crew members have to come in traditional Filipiniana so expect pictures of cute foreigners in barong to follow soon. :-p
I miss being out in the open sea. I am still loving it here and don't want to think about going home.
I saw myself in the mirror for the first time yesterday. I am tanned, disheveled, and spend most of the day in grimy clothes. All the clothes I have brought with me are now dirty. My hands are getting rough. But I love it here. I feel useful.
I have not gotten sea sick at all. Yay! Argh, not making sense anymore here haha. Wait for my next installment!
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Saturday, November 12, 2005
how to get from Timog to Katipunan in the longest time possible
(as discovered today by me and Trina)
Destination: Ala's house, Katipunan.
Point of Departure: Trina's boyfriend Sib's place in Timog. (Yes, Sib of "The Sib Show" on Jack TV).
Designated Route: Find our way to Kamuning, then from there go to Xavierville Ave., and then finally turn left to E. Abada and right at B. Gonzales Street to get HOME!!!
Estimated Time: 15 minutes max.
Instead we discovered a longer way. A much longer way.
How To Take The Long Way(point by point):
- From Sib's house, take a mysterious wrong turn somewhere that will land you in Horse Shoe Village (wherever the heck that is).
- Get out of Horse Shoe. You're in the wrong place. Go straight till you see an Iglesia church on your left and a weird grassy knoll in front of you with trees and a flock of chickens. Somehow come to the conclusion that turning left will help you find a way to Kamuning.
- Somehow end up on some main road that takes you straight to Sta. Mesa.
- Turn right and end up near Gateway Mall. Head towards the mall. From there, ask the MMDA guy how to find Santolan to which he will answer "Twason!!!".
- Get lost while trying to find Tuason. End up on EDSA heading North.
- Make a series of wild turns and end up on E. Rodriguez heading towards St. Lukes. Call Sib and ask for directions how to get to Katipunan.
- U-turn on E. Rod and go straight planning to cross EDSA and end up on Aurora.
- Instead, end up right where you started. On the weird grassy knoll with chickens on it.
- Turn left, back on the road that will take you to Sta. Mesa.
- Make a wrong turn on a road that you think is Aurora. Get apprehended by MMDA. Weasel out of it by acting nakakaawa.
- MMDA lets you go "just this once" and informs you that you are actually on EDSA (and not Aurora) heading towards Makati and Ortigas.
- Get on Santolan.
- Left on Katipunan Extension.
- Go over the over-pass, U-turn at Mercury Drug, and turn right on B. Gonzales St. You are Home.
Total Time to Destination: 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Galing namin, noh?
That, my friends, is the reason why I don't drive even though I have a license.But after today, Trina and I will never get lost in Quezon City again.
P.S. Trina was the driver, not me. I was just co-navigator. :-p
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Monday, November 07, 2005
grateful afraid
I notice my posts have gotten alot less personal as time goes by. Sometimes I find I'm too cerebral (read: boring) and not as emotional or spiritual as I used to be. The truth is, I've been very emotional. Writing is my escape, and maybe that's why I switch to cerebral mode whenever I sit down at my computer. Things have been a little rough, what with the house being a mess from our on-going garage sale and the constant reminded that my time here is ticking-ticking away.
Sometimes I feel like I don't live here anymore. I am neither in the past or present. I'm in some sort of limbo, waiting for my destiny to be decided. Sometimes I feel, with great sadness, that the things I have now aren't real at all, that they'll crumble to dust when I wake up one morning. Sometimes, it's a little too much for me to take and I lose sleep and my appetite.
The good thing about all of this is that I'm suddenly surrounded by people whom I didn't know cared so much about me. I've been getting alot of lazy hang time with alot of my friends the past 3 weeks or so, people showing up unexpectedly just to ask if I'm doing okay.
When I'm with these people, I relish the moment like it's the last time I'm ever going to see them. Each moment becomes more special. But I can't help but sometimes feel a brush of sadness during moments when we're suddenly quiet. I'm always grateful and afraid simultaneously; grateful I have people I love, and afraid that I will lose them. I feel the same way everytime I do things I love: performing with my band, going out for hot chocolate, seeing my friends' kids growing up, and going to my favorite places.
But when my friends start getting mushy and telling me they're going to miss me so much when I'm gone, or that they can't imagine life without me, I just smile and never want to say anything back. It's too soon. I don't like spoiling a good moment by getting sad. I try to live in the present.we have a gig tomorrow and the details are to be found here
Kitakits!
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Friday, November 04, 2005
It's the most wonderful thing in the world to wake up to your niece scratching at your door and trying to pronounce your name right ("Awa! Awa!"). She walks into your room as if she owns the place, but with a naughty, crinkly-nosed smile revealing her tiny, white, baby teeth. When she sees you, she acts like she hasn't seen you in weeks, like you just came home from a long trip, even though she just saw you the last night.
You're still sleepy and bleary-eyed, half-dressed, and haven't even thought about what you're going to eat for breakfast; but dressing, and eating are pushed aside and delayed for at least 45 minutes because she'll grab your hand and you know it's playtime. She has made her decree and there's no disputing it.
Today she was her best self: smiling, playful, naughty, and affectionate... not to mention mabango and bagong ligo.
harmony, love, and Green Peace
See this baby?
I'm going to be on board her as she sails to Ilo-ilo from Manila Bay in a couple of weeks. Yesiree, folks. Green Peace
is coming to the Philippines. They were just in Tubbataha recently checking up on our coral reefs (and got involved in an unfortunate accident which you might've read about in the papers, but that's another story).
Their local volunteers have been busy the past few weeks gathering signatures in a petition for clean energy by the year 2010. As one of the local volunteers, I will be acting as tour guide when they open their famous boat, the Rainbow Warrior, to the public on November 14 and 15. Do drop by for a rare opportunity to tour this ship! I'll also be helping them gather signatures, so do watch our gigs if you want to sign (the next one is on November 5, Magnet Katipunan).
As mentioned earlier, I'll be sailing with the Green Peace guys to Ilo-ilo afterwards to make a blogumentary about it (I think I just invented a new word: blogumentary. Remember, you saw it here first).
More about the Rainbow Warrior, taken verbatim from a document they sent me:
The Rainbow Warrior is the flagship of Greenpeace. It is also the most famous campaign vessel of the organization. The ship's name was inspired by a North American Indian prophecy which foretells a time when human greed will make the Earth sick, and a mythical band of warriors will descend from a rainbow to save it.
Greenpeace is an international environmental organization present in over 40 countries. We campaign to protect our planet through peaceful means and we do so with great independence, based mainly on regular contributions from over 2.8 million individual Greenpeace supporters worldwide.
The Rainbow Warrior that will visit the Philippines this year was launched on 10 July 1989. The original vessel was sunk in 1985 by agents of the French government who wanted to foil Greenpeace campaigns aimed at stopping nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific.
The French government's plan backfired, sparked worldwide condemnation and provided global focus on the anti-nuclear campaign. The rebuilt Rainbow Warrior proved that "you can't sink a rainbow" when it returned to battle successfully against the testing programme. Nuclear testing ended at Moruroa in 1996.
History
Greenpeace converted the Rainbow Warrior into a motor/sailing vessel by constructing three masts on the hull of a North Sea fishing trawler formerly called the Grampian Fame.
It is an ocean-going vessel equipped with the latest in electronic navigation, sailing and communications equipment.
Actions
The Rainbow Warrior's decks have been graced by the Dalai Llama and members of the rock band U2. She has challenged environmental crimes, relocated the population of a South Pacific Island contaminated by radiation, provided disaster relief to victims of the 2004 Tsunami in South East Asia, and sailed against whaling, war, global warming, and other environmental crimes on every ocean of the world.
Take a virtual tour of the ship here.
Arguably, the Rainbow Warrior's greatest moments were in her decades-long struggle to end nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific. Despite being rammed, bombed, and subject to every form of intimidation and opposition imaginable, she carried on the fight for a nuclear-free Pacific.
You can read about the ultimate success of those efforts here, in our 1996 web report of the end of nuclear testing in the Pacific. For more information about the ship and the campaign victories of Greenpeace, please go to www.greenpeace.org.
To be honest, one of the reasons why I'm so excited is that aside from it being a great learning experience, I'm such a techie and I can't wait to lay my eyes on that control panel, and all that satellite equipment they have.
Another reason is that I love the ocean and have never been on a ship for more than a few hours. I hope we don't accidentally hit any whales (believe it or not, I read in some headline once that an environmentalist whale-watching group accidentally hit a whale once during one of their outings. God has a sick sense of humor sometimes :-p)i went on vacation...
...in Lobos, Batangas. Got plenty of wonderful sleep.
Happiness is made out of moments like these.
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