Bitter Sweet

There comes a point in your life when you realize:
Who matters
Who never did
Who won't anymore...
And who always will.
So, don't worry about people from your past,there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.
Although my email is also a source of trash and crappy stuff (specifically the Spam Messages), there's a particular email that gave me this inspiring words.
Recently, i had to choose a new path for myself, a decision that took me half a year to conclude. With every crossroad, i had to leave things behind, things that once meant a lot to me. But there are things that i continue to treasure, and yes, they will become part of my future. I undersatnd that this can be a one-way dedication, i can make them a part of my future, but they may not want to be part of it. And like the saying goes, i will not fret for this is a reason. With this, i am recognizing that my past is an essential part of me and i thank everything and everyone who has been a part of it. I never regretted the paths i chose to take, for they are products of spiritual discernment and personal convictions. So thank you to everyone.
Live.Love.Learn.

A SAFE HAVEN FOR VICTIMS "Informed Choice is the Right Choice"

The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, R.A. No. 9208, is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2444 and House Bill No. 4432. It was enacted and passed by Congress of the Philippines' Senate of the Philippines and House of Representatives of the Philippines (12th Congress of the Philippines, 2001-2004) assembled on May 12, 2003 and signed into law (List of Philippine laws) by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on May 26, 2003.
It institutes policies to eliminate and punish human trafficking, especially women and children, establishing the necessary institutional mechanisms for the protection and support of trafficked persons.
It aims "to promote human dignity, protect the people from any threat of violence and exploitation, and mitigate pressures for involuntary migration and servitude of persons, not only to support trafficked persons but more importantly, to ensure their recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration into the mainstream of society."
R.A. 9208 made the Philippines one of the few Asian countries in Asia that have enacted an anti-trafficking legislation. The law establishes an Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), first chaired by Raul M. Gonzalez, and composed of government agencies, non-government organizations and other civic organizations for the effective formulation of a comprehensive and integrated program to prevent and suppress the trafficking in persons.
In support to this, the Children's Welfare Code of Davao City states;
“Section 8. Child Trafficking. Any person who shall engage in trading and dealing with children including, but not limited to, the act of buying and selling of a child for money, or for any other consideration, or barter, shall suffer the penalty as prescribed in Article IV of the Republic Act No. 7610.
Section 9. Attempt to Commit Child Trafficking. There is an attempt to commit child trafficking under section 6 of this ordinance:
a) When a child below 15 years old travels alone to or from Davao City without valid reason therefore and without clearance issued by the Davao City Special Office for Children’s Concerns (DCSOCC) or written permit or justification from the child’s parents or legal guardians;

Thus, the Local Ordinance stipulates that those traveling minors who are 15 years old and below should provide a Travel permit (clearance) issued by the City Social Services and development Office (CSSDO in lieu of the DCSOCC); this is a local policy instituted to curb trafficking.

In our fight to combat Trafficking in Persons, the City even have the DCIACAT (Davao City Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking) and the RIACAT (Regional Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking). To date, municipalities has also formed their MIACATs.

An NGO (Non Government Organization) is also combating this "modern day slavery" phenomenon by establishing safe houses in major seaports along with its partner the Philippine Ports Authority. The safe houses serve as a safe haven for trafficked victims wherein Rights-Based, Child Protection and Participation Approach and Gender-Sensitive Policies are instituted. The Halfway Houses are duly accredited by the DSWD.

The safe house is a Temporary Shelter that provides Informational Assistance, accepts Referral of Cases, installed Hotline Counseling and recognizes that Outreaches, Training and Advocacy are indispensable mechanisms in our goal to empower all stakeholders in battling these traffickers who demeans and disregards human rights and human dignity.

The Halfway House accepts referrals from the Port Partners and Anti-Trafficking Networks . In Davao City, the traveling minors and/or traveling individuals who have bogus/inappropriate/lacking document and or trafficked individuals are referred to the safehouse for sheltering and safekeeping wherein they are provided with Information, Counseling and Life Skills Enhancement Activities.

Trafficked victims are forced into slave-like conditions, they have no choice when they are trafficked, they are caught in the web of individuals who take advantage of people who are finding work for economic subsistence. They are lured, deceieved, and manipulated.

The Visayan Forum Foundation, as an NGO helps in providing services, protection, and provide information to women and children stranded in the port. In general VF has the high hope that the intervention of the different individual and stakeholder groups in the port community could contribute positively in the fight against trafficking in persons. Let me tell you, when you see someone putting their head inside a Lion's mouth, would you walk away or pull that person to safety? Because what we do, is save people, intervene, empower them to make the right choices, and uphold human rights at all cost! THAT IS DEVELOPMENTAL WORK! NGO workers have been rallying for the welfare of the marginalized, the poor, and the oppressed let us not be incompetent in our understanding of our contribution to the protection of our fellow humans!

Its time we take a stand and join our WAR AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING!

A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle

Its the love month!
It has been a while since i wrote something here.
I had so much on my mind-not worth sharing.
it has been 5 months, oh how time pass by so fast.
Nothing has changed pretty much, except i gained a lot of weight--i thinK.
So what is with the title? I didn't write that of course, i would have been too smart if i formulated that! Indeed, i think its sadistically witty. I guess it solidifies our belief that we can survive after a break-up. I can't say that someone has ever broken up with me, not technically anyway, but i guess i have my turn of enduring pain from the attraction of the opposite sex that turned out unexpectedly. In the end though, pain can be very overwhelming, overpowering, but in the end, we always have a choice! and i choose to not wallow in the superficiality of my human desires! We can always move on...after all.

makati vs Makati

The Manila Peninsula Atop the Citibank Tower

Consuelo Foundation
Formerly known as the Children and Youth Foundation of the Philippines, The Consuelo Foundation is an indigenous Philippine foundation seeking to help improve the welfare and prospects of Filipino children and youth. - http://danilozuno.tripod.com/ConsueloFoundation.htm

The foundation spearheaded the conduct of our Case Management Seminar. It was an enriching journey for me: both professionally and personally as we tried to synthesize our practices into a legendary Manual.

Keep this in mind, "What is not written does not exists", the Manual will outlive us all and that ensures that our culture of improving the welfare of our Filipino Women and Children will become a legacy.
At the same time, being on the 27th floor of the Citibank tower provided me with a bird's eye view of the city. Enticing and Tranquil are two words i can describe Makati with as i glance from atop. It's a different story when we are down below...I can't imagine Davao City to come close to it as years pass by..it can be captivating but the lustrous beauty cannot compensate for the province-like tranquility of my Davao City.

SMOOTHIES

A Whole LATTE love @ Tata Benito's

I am a self-proclaimed sweet tooth and trips to the coffee shop and dessert kiosk are my idea of indulging to unrealistic cravings.. Since our office was near this coffee shop and i wanted to try the place, off we went. I ordered a Strawberry smoothie while my companion opted for an iced mocha...i was so excited to try it, we doubled it up with a triple chocolate moist cake...i could almost scream-"My precious" i was literally drooling...the cake was what i expected and more-not too sweet that i might end up with a tonsillitis, and not too "dark chocolate-bitter"..it was the best, it doesn's even stick on the edges of your teeth but it was moist!so good!
The smoothie was a different story, i mean the "Thirsty?All that Juice and other juice-shake kiosk" tasted better! we found ourselves stuck with ice. Was it strawberry-mocha ice cones that we ordered or was it a smoothie? Calle cinco's frozen choco was way better. But i'm still giving myself a second chance in discovering more from this cafe, so the next time i go there, i'll be steering out of the smoothies.

The Lion, Lying on the Wardrobe

Im not a fan of C.S.Lewis, not even his friend J.R.R. Tolkien got me interested in becoming a Book Worm. I'm the type of person who forgets what i read and then the images come flashing back at me when something triggers my memory lane. A deja vu feeling, but ultimately, something just jogged my memory. It happens all of the time. Like i read a book twice and in the middle it i ask myself why is this so familiar? and realize after half of a hundred pages that i have actually read them. Its the same thing with the Film, i forgot what i have read and then when i saw the film, i think to myself, damn i know that!there were so many scenes in the film that i felt the same way, but there are scenes where i said to myself "That did not happen!", twice more than the scenes i thought were at par with the book! and that's exactly what the film did, i think it was different, appalling and dangerously different. The moment a friend got me interested in the Chronicles of Narnia-its seven books was something i felt not suitable for children, as you progress along the books, it becomes more and more philosophical. So i think the book is meant to grow with the ones reading them. Making it into a film creates a widespread discipleship, of varying ages, genre and wavelengths, and that is dangerous as the screenwriters continue to sacrifice the story to appeal to the audience and fit the entire book on a 120 minute run. and i heard the Chronicles will be squeezed into a trilogy, a deducing ride for the movie goers. A devotee to C.S. Lewis claims he would have risen from the dirt to put these film claims to ashes!As the well-acclaimed production staff continue to bend for the sake of global capitalization, i now understand why people sing "a walk to remember" instead of I'll always remember, and "Blessing in the sky" instead of Blessing in disguise. And people intentionally miscontrue facts somehow for varrying reasons. If the film was able to get away with it?how can others not. If you ask me whether i'll let my children watch these crappy films, i still would, but i will also lend them a copy of the book. Films let you enjoy, but books, they are the true concept of REST and RECREATION.

SISTERHOOD

T
Three marias in the family was never difficult for my parents to keep track with. I remember heading straight home after class and verging away from those night life and rendevous under the sun. My parents devoted themselves to guard these three marias...and they did grow quite alright. What makes us look just the same?i guess that is more than the genes, i think it also has something to do with the food we eat, the lifestyle we share and the invisible bond called sisterhood, it is more than what science can explain. Growing up with these two persons i call my sisters was fun, we do dress-ups, make-ups, boy googling, shopping, movie watching, and all sorts of atrocious behavior we could think of. We are a one of a kind mixture, a philosopher, a hermit and a..nevermind. :) which keeps me wondering how did my brother ever found a normal childhood surrounded by these beauties?