Building Sportsmanship and Friendship

Is there a game that despite losing, you can still win? How could you play a “no-loser” game in a competition? What could the defeated person or team bring home? Competition­­--most people define it as a condition of contending to impose supremacy over the other which at the end there is a winner and a loser. To secure victory in a competition, a person or a team must be competent; able to perform beyond other’s capacity and have a unique exemplar skill over them.

Engaging in sports is a choice. And this choice should always be coupled with sportsmanship in which any competition is anchored. Whether a person or a team is into table tennis, basketball, soccer or running, its essence should instill to everyone. Each participant should nurture the value of fairness and respect so that everybody can enjoy the spirit of true competition. Competition is not always about winning, but it is also about how one played the game.

Competing without any privilege is a silly thing for many. There is always an expected reward that motivates the involved parties. But take note, not all competition requires an external consequence; there is an immeasurable intrinsic achievement when it comes to winning a competition. And that is, friendship which goes together with sportsmanship. In playing any form of sports, building friendship among the competitors is the most awaited part by many players. They primarily compete and aim to bring home the bacon in order to uplift their own self and school pride. But during the do-or-die struggle, they strengthen camaraderie and rapport among their rivalries and colleagues which is truly the heart of playing sports. Whether you lose, you can still bring home the greatest prizes in sports, and those are sportsmanship and friendship.

Building the culture of excellence is clearly shown between the ADDU Blue Knights and NDDU Kingfishers during their friendship game 2013. As the game ended, sportsmanship and friendship ignite the fire among individuals. As students, we must manifest these two vital words to attain an intellectual thinking that forms brilliance both in our hearts and minds. 

Jonnafe Mae A. Prongco

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War: who’s to blame?

WAR is sometimes a "necessary evil." But, it is still evil and it should be avoided at all cost. In the absence of war, we have peace where growth and development can prosper. In armed conflicts or violent hostilities – war, whether amongst political movements and local communities or between nations and allies, will always be more costly in terms of social disruptions and economic destructions (Abarece, 2013).

The month of September seemed a frightening commotion to the people in Zamboanga City as the war outbreaks in the place between the colonial Philippine occupation soldiers and the Bangsamoro freedom fighters of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Various reports include the city schools, public offices and businesses closed; food, medicine, toiletries, and other basic needs supplies running out; thousands stranded as commercial flights and ferry services were suspended; and at least 60 people have been killed and 52 wounded. Thousands fled their homes as some were used as human shield and hundreds of houses were burned down to ashes.

Who will be accountable for the damages and injuries? Who will shoulder the costs of rebuilding the lives of the thousands of civilian victims? And the biggest question is, who to be blame? Is it the MNLF or the government or we, the nature of people?

These questions bothered many Filipinos not just those who lived in Mindanao. It occurred because of personal interests and desires to take something from its enemy. Both the government and the MNLF should ponder about the possible effect of this conflict. When one request is not granted, a revolution immediately occurred that produced “War”. War is not the solution to such misunderstandings and disagreements of disapproved requests because at the end, the innocent people will be the most affected. Sometimes such mentality of development for one’s own good delivers undesirable result.

Many would think it’s the MNLF who to be blame because they started the killings. They did immoral acts to Filipinos because of their selfishness, yet many of us failed to look on the real reason why this group plotted this way. The government has also a big part in this war, especially on the way they responded to the terrorist’s intervention of asking for a do-or-die battle. Instead of making a process of fixation on the problem in respect to September 2, 1996 MNLF-OIC-GRP Jakarta Peace Agreements, the government withheld an off-thinking decision of war. It is the duty of the government to protect its state that is why they have said they did what is the best for the nation.

Whoever started or caused it, each one is accountable to act for peace. Each one has the tendency to think for his or her self only, but should at the same time consider the majority. The greediness to power may lead to unhealthy and disastrous living in this world. Instead, of cooperating and making every necessary action to maintain the harmony, we have the attitude of wanting war to exist in order to get benefit from it. Thus, we have no difference to the MNLF who we labeled as selfish people. Taking advantage of war for one’s own interest is an immature way of looking into it because this may destroy what is important to us, both family and society.

Whatever is the reason behind the credulous war in Zamboanga City, one thing is sure it brought no good to everyone because many lives have lost for such mischievous act. It may shatter life that will shed tears and blood. This will also hinder each one to live together in progress for an aim to improve. It is the fact that war need to end and it will depend on us: MNLF, government, and the people. Pointing fingers will never solve war, but instead pointing and giving emphasis to peace talk as well as resolution will do better. Who to be blame? No one knows, yet we have the right to say and support for PEACE rather than WAR because at the end if this war will continue, no one will win, both will lose.                                                                  

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High Price-Rice Commotion

One afternoon on July 11, 2013 at around 7:00 p.m., I arrived home. Feeling tired and awful, I decided to sit on one of our chair furniture in front of the television screen. I turned on the TV and leaned my back to relax.

            “…This sector grew 3.3 percent in the first three months of 2013. This is triple the 1.1 percent growth it recorded in the same time period in 2012. That is why we continue to sow initiatives that will certainly bear the fruits of even greater progress for our farmers…” a familiar voice caught my attention when I approached the TV screen. “Oh! Today is his SONA”, I exclaimed. I seriously listened to the replay of Aquino’s 3^rd State of the Nation Address. I felt really like an innocent child on what he said about the improvement of the country maybe because I only heard or watched over the news- about the economic development- yet haven’t experienced it.

            As a student, I’m aware on the burden of our country because I’ve been into it, but such appraisal on his SONA was unexpected. I continuously listened and he continued talking about his ways to decrease problems on poverty and crimes as well as the progress of living under his administration. Korina Sanchez and Ted Failon reported the situation outside the Malacañang. Such a historical SONA in our country makes many people wait for another hopeful statement from the considered most trustworthy President in the Philippines. People were interviewed and many still admired Pnoy in despite of some issues regarding his leadership.

            “Such a funny thing that happened in the market”, my mother told me from behind. “What?” I asked. “I’ve been in the market to buy five kilos of rice. I was shocked with its price- now from the normal range of Php. 30.00 - Php. 35.00 to Php. 38.00 – Php. 50.00. The usual household ingredients like cooking oil, spices, jams, milk, and utensils or materials used at home also have uncontrollable high prices.” she said as she put the groceries on the table. “…the vendor bragged and said, ‘high price commodities are due to oil price hike…’ when I’ve asked him, why?” she added.

            My mother was amused and told the vendor sarcastically, “Did you add gasoline in your rice?!” We both laughed as my mother stand and went straight to the kitchen.

            I’ve been thinking that my mother was joking, but she showed the reality behind Pnoy’s positive declaration of economic growth. Despite the perception that Pnoy took a “tuwid na daan” towards life betterment, many people haven’t seen it or even felt a bit of it yet because though he took the straight path, other officials procured the opposite one. That is why the latest high price commotion bothers many Filipinos; some says there is a rice shortage, others proclaim that it’s a hoarding agenda. Whatever the reason, Filipinos are the most affected with this issue. We cannot escape from poverty if diverged personal interests arouse from the individuals in the government. If government continues to take advantage over the whims of its countrymen, surely we will remain a poor country; hard works and labor of the Filipinos will remain useless. The issue on Janette Napoles and three senators proved the greediness and selfishness of some people to power without even thinking about the possible negative effects to their nation.

            But though this is the reality today, one thing the Filipinos should remember is to keep the fire burning for hope that there will still be change in the future. They should never stop smiling and working hard to live no matter what the price is or what the cost will be.

                                                          

                                Jonnafe Mae A. Prongco

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Filipinas or Pilipinas?

As the month of June was about to end, a new issue arouse in the country leaving this question unanswered, “Is it going to be ‘Filipinas’ or ‘Pilipinas’?”

Before we answer that let’s first discuss how this question came up to the news. According to the recent update, a resolution was moved that instead of using the ‘Pilipinas’, it will be revolted to the name ‘Filipinas’ as the official name of the country. The aim is to promote the country’s official and modern name that would definitely mirror the country’s history and development along with this month’s ‘Buwan ng Wika.’

Furthermore, they intend to scrap first the name ‘Philippines’ since it showed that the Americans’ rule was still retained in the minds of the Pinoys and also the name ‘Pilipinas’ since this name was just used as a substitute to the original ‘Filipinas’  because letter ‘F’ was not existing in the past abakada. Though everything that is spelled in ‘P’ is not required to be changed into ‘F’ such as ‘Pinas’ to ‘Finas’ and ‘Pinoy’ to ‘Finoy’, still it would affect a lot of sectors in the whole country.

For us students, we can never imagine how enormous the impact will be to our simple lives. Can you ever imagine, watching Ms. Universe Pageant, and then the candidate would say “I am Ms… 26…. Representing ‘Filipinas’!” Well, it’s a bit awkward. Even that idea would make us laugh. But it’s not a joke. Although it may appear to be one, the point is it’s hard to change a habit or a custom. That’s why, if we are to ask that question, is it Filipinas or Pilipinas, the common answer would probably: a.)‘Filipinas’ nalang para maiba, or b.) ‘Pilipinas’ nalang kasi nakasanayan na, or c) ambot oy, pakialam ko dyan.

Whatever will be our answer, their decision to change the spelling was already fixed. Although the changes will be a processed, it will surely come to pass. And soon, it will just be normal to use the new name.

No matter what name will be used, may it be ‘Finas’ or ‘Pinas’, we will still be the people that the world had known -  the people who faced fear from death march, the people who fought through swords of in waters, and the people who died for their own country to be free.

MC Fajardo

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