Tidbits

In lieu of our regular column format, let me provide my four centavos on various current events.

Edifying educator: The killer buses (that have been the subject of previous columns) were at it again, this time claiming the life of journalist-educator Chit Estella-Simbulan. Those who use Metro Manila’s thoroughfares will certainly attest to the general recklessness and arrogance of the metropolis’ buses. And as these mean machines continue to go around, I hope the MMDA will ensure that justice will come around.

Meanwhile, let me give a few centavos in honor of the memory of Professor Chit. I do not know her personally but from what I’ve read in the papers and blogs, she seems to possess a vibrant, engaging personality – the type whom you’d always like to have around the dinner table. A certified “foodie” and one who also enjoys the occasional spa pampering, she was described by Malaya columnist Ellen Tordesillas as “very ethical, very firm, what she taught, she really lived.” Indeed it would seem that it was through her ordinariness that her extraordinariness was revealed.

Mother Theresa’s words come to mind: “We do not do great things but only little things with great love”. Being involved in pedagogy myself, I am certain that she would be appreciative of being called a “life-changing teacher” which is an accolade that every educator would die for.

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Stray student: I found the news item regarding a UP student being convicted for torturing and killing a stray cat amusing, unusual and “just.” Amusing because, the student himself provided the evidence for his conviction by bragging about it in his blog. Somewhat unusual because with all the cases pending in the various courts, this 2009 case seemed to have been decided with relatively uncharacteristic dispatch (although arguably, this simple case could have even been decided quicker). Don’t get me wrong, the judge should be commended for the speedy decision, but why can’t other judges emulate her example? (more on this topic in a subsequent column). And “just” because part of the penalty rendered by the court for commission of the crime was to volunteer and take care of 255 similarly situated felines. How’s that for poetic justice? Incidentally, this was the first conviction obtained by the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) for violation of the Animal Welfare Act.

Indeed it is high time that the public are educated on the importance of animal welfare rights. Having said that, may I also confess that as young boys, my older brother (now a doctor) and I would pretend we were soldiers hunting for enemies. We would then fill balloons with water and drop them like bombs on these agile creatures. I am not sure if this act constitutes a violation of the law but even if it did, this happened a long time ago and the action would have already prescribed.

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Star ship: I was fortunate to have been invited by the amiable US Ambassador Harry Thomas to board the USS Carl Vinson the other day. Aside from being the “hearse” of Bin Laden (in fact there continue to be rumors that he may still be locked up somewhere), the ship is home to over 6,000 sailors, around 100 of which are Filipino-Americans. However, the proportion is small compared to the USS George Washington where close to 30 percent of the crew are Am-inoys. The disparity can be explained by the home base of the ship — Vinson’s base is in Norfolk, Virginia while Washington is based in San Diego, California, where a significantly higher number of Fil-ams reside. I also queried who was Carl Vinson, knowing that most of the aircraft carriers are named after US Presidents. Apparently, he was a Representative from the State of Georgia and, for 29 years, chairman of the House Naval Affairs and Armed Services Committee. He was also known as the “father of the two ocean navy”.

Since the Vinson is a nuclear-powered vessel, there were concerns that it’s entry into Philippine waters would pose a Constitutional issue. Article II, Section 8 of the 1987 Constitution states that “the Philippines, consistent with the national interest, adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory.” But note that the prohibition relates to nuclear weapons, not to nuclear energy. And we are not in a position to verify their existence since the US will neither “confirm nor deny” the presence of nuclear weapons inside their ships. Finally, one can argue that, allowing a ship which will bring in more than $4 million in fees and tourism receipts to enter Philippine waters, is pursuant to the “national interest”. 

Another interesting side was the acquisition by the Philippine Navy of the Hamilton-class cutter (to be renamed BRP Gregorio del Pilar) from the US Navy. While “hand me downs” are fine (I used to get a lot from my older brothers), pathetic is the fact that this roughly 45-year-old ship will now become the “newest” and largest ship in the entire Philippine Navy. Oh well, beggars cannot be choosers.

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Generous greetings: Today is the birth anniversary of my favorite mother-in-law, Pacita “Baby” G. Cruz. The reader may be thinking: Well you really don’t have much of a choice since one can legally have only one mother-in-law (at a time, that is). True, but even if I had a choice I would still have chosen her. Why? Mainly because of the qualities she exhibits and exemplifies which are represented by her initials — “P”, for patience; “G”, for generosity; and “C”, for compassion. And if we include her nickname, the letter “B” would stand for the obvious: beauty (Outer but more importantly, inner)... Ok, enough slurping made.

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“Set your course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship.”      — Omar Bradly

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