Parokya by the Bay

Waltzib

Originally uploaded by Waltzib2011.

This is a test. If this gets through, that means an hour of tinkering on flickr is not wasted.

That’s me in the photo circa Summer 2005 in Penaplata, Samal Island for the Caracoles festival coverage. That’s Jaybee Arguillas in 5 o’clock and my partner Chiza in 7 o’clock. Skippy Lumawag took this while we were contemplating to swim. But that was almost noon time so we ended up killing time. Me got my feet dipped in the water shortly after this was taken.

This could pass of as a “Squatting by the bay” shot. Above us is a summer house owned by Skippy’s relative. It’s been a while since I spent time in the beach, just whinning. I think that was the last.

Post 9/11 reality in Mindanao

I admit I haven’t done anything today to mark the anniversary of the September 11 attack of the World Trade Center in New York City. At least, nothing worth blogging about. Maybe, Merpu Roa, the New York-based MindaNews colleague would send in fillers about what’s going on there.

But I still think 12 midnight shouldn’t pass before I could post my own reflections about that historic event. These are not world-changing texts but take this as little points to a big cataclysmic event.

Five years after 9/11, I think the world is far-from safe.  For me, 9/11 is a Big Bang caused by many years of world powers’ long date with greed, selfishness, and domination.

Not that terror can justify terror. No one has the right to take life and sow fear on innocent people. But 9/11 has placed our generation in the meat of this reality.

Even if I’m from Mindanao, thousands of miles away from conflict point, I felt the terror and sadness of that historic day. Terrorism sucks.

The far-reaching response to that tragedy —war in Irag and more hostilities elsewhere in the world —even to the outskirts of Jolo, Sulu is the real consequence. It made multiplier effects to security and peacefulness.  

The pain of this is that it started a war much bigger than we thought it to be. Even worst than a supposed “Third World War”. iThere are points in history that wars were fought only between tribes, kingdoms or empires. In the 20th century the World Wars came. Now this war is fought with no frames: borderless, no time dimension, no face, no identity just violence and terror.

In this, the world becomes Mindanao; or Mindanao becomes the world – a war front. Even if we know that no-amount of peace work can overcome terror; but peace work have to be done. We have no choice but cling on the last chance within our reach. Otherwise, we’ll all go to extinction without really trying.   

People Support to launch Davao Center

On September 14, People Support will launch its Recruitment and Training Center in Davao
City. I understand this is NOT a call center. But this is already a good addition to Davao’s emerging tiger economy (shouldn’t we say, eagle economy?).

This will boost confidence in Davao’s image as an information technology haven or at least as a jump off point for the call center industry.

I hope the building construction helped many local laborers, engineers and construction suppliers. I hope too that more Davaoeños and Mindanawons will be employed and trained through the center.

The Center’s building is along Jacinto Extension beside The Venue, in front of Central Bank Convention Hall.)