It was as though Mother Nature was seeking to cleanse itself from the filth and grime that its inhabitants had thoughtlessly let accumulate. Typhoons Parma and Ketsana devastated the low lying areas of Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces with rain that turned streets into streams and highways into oceans of trash and muck. One of the hardest hit was Provident Village in Marikina, just down the hill from Ateneo de Manila. Continue reading ‘A Great Flood’
Author Archive for DnG
Bawat araw, lumalaki ang pangangailangang matuto tayo ng wikang Ingles. Patuloy na lumiliit ang mundo dahil sa dumadaling paglalakbay sa pagitan ng mga bansa, at patuloy na dumadami ang ibayong kalakal na pumapasok sa ating bansa. Dahil dito, marapat lamang na hasain natin ang pananalitang banyaga.
Ganumpaman, sa konteksto ng lumiliit na mundo at ng lumalagong ibayong kalakal, higit pang mahalaga na pagyamanin natin ang kaalaman natin sa wikang Pilipino. Tumitingkad ang pangangailangang maging hiyang tayo sa sariling wika hindi lamang upang mangusap, ngunit dahil ang ating wika ay sisidlan ng ating mga pagpapahalaga, kasaysayan, at kultura—mga bagay-bagay na hindi nahuhuli ng payak na pagsasalin sa ibang wika. Kung tayo’y makikitao sa ibang lahi at kultura, ang ating pagpapakilala sa sarili at sa bayan ay maaayon sa mga ito.
Continue reading ‘Bakit Mahalagang Tangkilikin ang Wikang Pilipino?’
Aside from the sheer volume of vehicles and tight roads, there are two main reasons to heavy traffic in Metro Manila: the unpredictability of roads, and bad driver discretion.
I was inspired to write this entry by my 2.5 hour (minimum) daily commute to and from the office, an ordeal forced upon me by both reasons mentioned above.
We’ve drafted a short write-up we’ll be sending to friends who have yet to hear of One Tama to invite them to visit the website and join the campaign. We would like to request all of you who have heard and signed up for One Tama to forward the following invitation to your own friends through email, facebook, and word-of-mouth as well.
Thanks!
On August 30, 2009, we celebrate the National Heroes Day. It is a time to commemorate all the heroes – known and unknown. For all the national heroes that we know like Andres Bonifacio, Gabriel Silang and Dr. Jose Rizal, there are many more munting bayanis who have inspired us to live our lives better, to constantly do one tama after another, just by their simple acts of courage and selflessness.
Share their stories, because actions speak loudest when shared. Continue reading ‘One Tama August Action: Share a Story, Inspire Many’
I recall a 1967 march used by one of our high school teachers as material for English instruction: “Stouthearted Men.” The song was over 30 years old by then, and I could understand how students aged 14 considered its sound out of fashion. I felt the same way too. It didn’t sound the same as popular music of the late ’90s. It didn’t even sound as current as the “oldies” our parents liked.
Ironically, some 11 years wiser, grappling with what we consider to be our country’s most current concerns, I find the song the most time-relevant over any other. Perhaps not for its sound, but for its message: “You who have dreams, if you act they will come true. To turn your dreams to a fact, it’s up to you… Start me with ten who are stout-hearted men, And I’ll soon give you ten thousand more.” Continue reading ‘Stout-Hearted Men’
The weather was kind, the participants eager, and the Walled City was waiting to be discovered. With Ivan ManDy of Old Manila Walks leading, 40 people walked the streets of Intramuros much like how the myriad of colonizers, traders, and generations of Filipinos must have over the past 400 years or so.
The tour begins in front of the Manila Cathedral, Plaza Roma, Intramuros
It was One Tama’s Action Day: rediscovering this city we call home. It fittingly began at the Plaza Mayor of our Nation’s first capital. From where we stood, we gained insight on what influences drove our first Spanish colonizers. To the north was the center of military might. To the east and west were the centers of regional and national politics. And to the south, the formidable structure of Manila’s oldest Catholic Church.
Continue reading ‘One Tama Action Day: Rediscover Your City’
The world is getting smaller as air travel becomes quicker and cheaper. In fact, it’s come to a point where travel to nearby countries: Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Vietnam cost only a little more than flights to Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Bohol, and Davao. Therefore, by many people’s logic (and sometimes ours, too), it’s easy to say: “Well, if I’m spending just as much anyway, I might as well take a trip to another country rather than just to some Philippine province.”
The key pressumptions of this school of thought, we think, are: 1) There is more to see and do in another country; and 2) The Philippine destinations are just around the corner, and we can always go there next time.
Allow us to try and refute these assumptions by sharing some of our thoughts and research with you. Continue reading ‘My One Tama Action for the Day: Getting to Know my Country’
I’ve made a personal commitment to reduce my plastic bag usage in my day-to-day life. Although it may seem trivial to some, I am convinced that the impact of this one act, multiplied by its frequency, and hopefully by the number of people I can convince to do the same, will be a positive contribution to our campaign to save our environment.
Real Cost of Plastic Bags
Most plastic bags today are made of Polyethylene, 80% produced from natural gas, which is a non-renewable resource. What makes this versatile material popular is its relatively cheap production cost. What people fail to consider, however, are the collateral environmental damage and disposal costs associated to plastics. Continue reading ‘My One Tama Action for the Day: Save on Plastic Bags’
In partnership with Dialogues@Starbucks, One Tama continued its conversation on changing the country through simple actions last April 16, 2009. The Dialogues@Starbucks featuring One Tama was held at 6 PM in Starbucks 6750, Makati. The assembly was an informal get-together for people to know more about the campaign. At the same time, it was a great opportunity to share and be inspired by personal stories of doing simple yet concrete actions that are right and meeting other people with the same desire for a better country. More than 60 people came, enjoyed the pastries, brought their own mugs and tumblers (that was the One Tama collective action for the day) to enjoy the free coffee and listened in as people shared their own One Tama stories.
Testimonies about Mang Rey, a rose vendor in Makati, and from Ate Girlie, the founder of Kythe, an organization which helps kids stricken with cancer, were inspiring to all who went. The stories of Mang Rey and Ate Girlie prove that, indeed, small actions that are right go a long way.
Toward the end, a simple raffle, One Tama-style was held. Attendees were asked to write a One Tama story that they are proud of on pieces of multi-colored post-its. The post-its were collected and from the pile, the winners were drawn. 5 Starbucks tumblers, courtesy of Dialogues@Starbucks, were given to the lucky winners. But in order to claim the prize, the winners had to share their own One Tama stories to the crowd.
