Why Are People's Movement Restricted?

Colonization and globalization have affected our lives in many ways. We act, think, and behave in this way because of them. We tend to forget our own identity because we are too dependent on what colonization and globalization have taught us as years go by. As a matter of fact, the culture and beliefs of Spaniards, Americans and Japanese are still present and alive within us because we continue to practice them. We are not totally free because we are “restricted” too dependent on these foreign influences. For some reason, we are capable of losing our own identity because of them.

A lot of people all over the world are migrating to other places because they want to have a better life. They try to look for their luck in the countries where there are more opportunities to get a good and stable job. However, it is unavoidable that sometimes, they tend to do it in an illegal way. Just imagine our fellow Filipinos who live in other countries who cannot go home to the Philippines because they might not be able to go back to their work. Thinking about it makes me feel bad in a way because they are not with their families. They sacrifice their own happiness in order to give their loved ones money or to provide them with their basic needs.

I think that things like this can be avoided if we only give our very best in making our country more competitive and nationalistic. I’m still hoping that one day, the Philippines can be as successful as China, Japan and Korea. If we learn how to appreciate our culture and try to enhance our talents and skills in different fields, there will be more jobs for the people and the economy of our country will be better. If other countries can do these, why can’t we?

Can We Move Beyond Conflict?

In a society, conflicts are inevitable. Peace cannot enter easily in societies where war, violence and trauma are evident. However, there are some conflicts which can be solved or managed while some are not. The author of the article, Roland Bleiker, focused on the situation of Korea. As we all know, Korean peninsula is divided between a communist north and a capitalist south because of the influence of the countries that colonized it such as America, the Soviet Union, China and Japan. Based on Bleiker’s description, I clearly saw the difference between the North and South Korea. For me, their situation is similar to the Prince and the Pauper. The South Korea is the prince because it is more successful and its economy is in full bloom. On the contrary, the North Korea is one of the poorest countries in the world and isolated. Unlike in the South, violence in North Korea reigns. And it is more capable of doing mass destructions. As a matter of fact, the people who live there are very eager to push through their nuclear program. However, this has yet to be approved because a lot of countries are not in favor of it, since they know that nuclear power is dangerous for everyone.

I suddenly remember some situations that we experience in our everyday interaction with our friends and family. There are times wherein we develop “petite conflicts” with them due to misunderstandings. But whenever one of us tries to talk to the other and say sorry, we become “friends” again. However, this kind of approach is not effective for North Korea. It becomes even more aggressive when “confrontational approach” is being used to negotiate with them. Several South Korean Presidents have had developed some plans and agenda to negotiate with, engage and encourage North Korea to end their nuclear power ambitions. It somehow worked because it reduced conflict in a way. Because of this, North Korea is often seen as “evil”.

After reading the article, I realized that pen (or rather engagement for this case) is mightier than the sword. War is not the answer to solve any conflict. In order to move beyond conflict, I learned that each party involved should learn how to look at its roots to be able to deal with it. Instead of dwelling on the past, why not try to move forward and look beyond, right? Although they take time, I think that we have to learn to forgive and forget in order to create and promote peace. I honestly believe that by doing so, they can definitely make us live with no regret, feel happy and be peaceful in the long run.

What Can We Do to Stop People Harming Others?

Have you imagined our world without laws? What do you think will happen if there are no laws? Without laws, the world will be much worse and more chaotic. Extensive stealing, throwing trash everywhere, smoke belching and other activities that are contrary to the law will be prevalent. There will be no discipline at all. And each nation will not become a better place to live in.

When our professor asked us the difference between legitimacy and legality, I began to think carefully because for me, they are just the same. During the class discussion, he explained how these two terms differ from each other. I learned that legitimacy is acknowledging or recognizing the authority because there is something in return, while legality is concerned with laws. Without legality, the world will be no peace and order. While listening, I realized that knowing difference of legitimacy and legality is important because it enables us to understand the role of laws in our lives. In the Philippines, legality loses its sense because it is not being practiced properly. For example, admit it or not, when we go against the traffic law, we give some money to a police so we will not surrender our driver’s license. I have nothing against the police but this is the reality. Unfortunately, this is happening in the real world.

Laws have an important role in our lives. They are fundamental. They are here to guide and protect us so they should not take them for granted. However, most of us do not abide by them since we are not oriented about them. Laws should be practiced properly by us, so they could be effective. We should take an extra effort to follow these laws to keep our country peaceful and orderly. On the other hand, law-makers should be a combination of metaphysical, decisionist and democratic, rather than a realist. Laws should not be made as a result of self-interest. They should be "people-centered". In other words, they are focused on the good of the people, to serve them in a just way. Our professor shared that we should be the protector of human progress. We can have the peace and order tand even justice, once we learn to understand the importance of the account of law.

Why Do Some People Think They Know What's Good for Others? What Makes the World Dangerous?

I believe that the nature of the human person consists of two sides: the good and the evil. However, the good side weighs more than the other. People think they can do something good because they can. They do good things, like helping those who are in need, because they give them a sense of fulfillment. Doing so can make him or her feel good about themselves. In addition, the environment is a factor that influences the people to be good because of the moral values that revolves within it. However, there are some circumstances that prevent them from doing good. There are times when they are forced to do bad because it can affect their well-being. For instance, when children disobey the order of the elders, they tend to lie because they don’t want to be reprimanded. People can also do bad things for their benefit.

Conflict is justifiable when people think that what they are fighting for is right or is good for the others. Our world leaders do everything to address the concerns of the people, to end global conflict and violence, because everyone is already affected. They even come to the point wherein they set aside their differences and try to bridge the gap between them and the others. By doing these things, I think that they can somehow end this global concern. Unfortunately, there are others who do not participate in the leaders’ advocacy. How will the global conflict and violence end if these people continue to challenge the world leaders’ orders?

The world leaders can promote peace among all nations by being humble enough and selfless. Like what my classmate Claude said, I think that this is a difficult task for the leaders because this kind of act makes them swallow their pride. But I honestly believe that this is a better solution. In this way, it would be easier for them to reach out to others. Through their humility, they would be able to listen more to the voice of the people, to work together and to understand each other, to resolve their issues. If only all the world leaders will be like this, peace is being achieved.

Why Does Politics Turn to Violence?

In class, Professor Bugarin said that violence and war are embedded in our culture. Unfortunately, they are considered as a cultural phenomenon. As we grow up, our family and school environment teach us the moral values and the ethical standards because they want us to become better individuals. Through these moral values, we are able to learn about the difference of what is right from wrong. However, isn’t it ironic that the world is becoming more violent and people are more engaged to war? As a matter of fact, whenever I watch news, there are reports about mass killings and murders and I hardly see news about people doing good things to others. It seems that some of us have forgotten about the moral values and the ethical standards.

Economics, territorial ambitions, evil leaders, political ideologies, and strategic concerns are factors that trigger violence among the different countries around the world. Adolf Hitler had these factors in himself when he was still alive. These factors made him a very powerful man. He used his brain to achieve his dream. During his time, a lot of people died because he allowed violence to reign in order to get what he wanted. He conquered Germany and got rid of the Jews. Some people had no choice but to follow him because they were afraid of him. Good thing I was not born at that time yet because I don’t think I would have survived.

I think that “evil things” happen around us because we are not brave enough or scared to stand up for our rights--- for what we believe in. Yes, it is our duty to follow or obey orders of our leader/s. However, if we feel, know and believe that they are not good for everybody’s welfare, we have to practice our right to object and say “no”. Perhaps, it is time to end violence and war because they have caused so much chaos in our lives. But the question is, can we do this?

Honestly, I’m quite worried because this kind of culture goes on and on. I’m wondering about how our future will turn out if they continue to shape or control the society.

How Is Internet Changing the Way We Live?

Professor Teehankee once said that the geeks and nerds will rule the universe one day. This can be true because nowadays, the Internet completely dominates our lives. On one hand, the Internet is very convenient because it has information that we need to know. Gone are the days when we spend hours in the library, looking for the right books to satisfy our curiosity. Today, the answers to our questions are just one click away because Yahoo, Google and Wikipedia exist. On the other hand, it becomes an avenue for us to keep in touch and updated with our loved ones and friends who live abroad through electronic mails and social networking sites such as Facebook, Multiply, Twitter, Tumblr and Friendster.

The Internet has affected my life in various ways. It helped me see the world in a different way and learn more about different things through researching in Yahoo, Google, etc. The Internet has become a part of my school life and without it, I might have not survived. And like I said, it is a tool for me to get connected with my relatives and friends who live far from our home in Laguna or the Philippines itself.

I believe that the power of the Web 2.0 can be harnessed by giving more people opportunities to learn about it so they can create designs, programs or softwares that can make Internet surfing, researching, job hunting and the like more accessible. By teaching more people about Web 2.0, there might be programs or softwares that can cater to those who don't have full access to Internet (and it includeds those who have special needs). These can help them learn how to use the computer and have Internet access in a much easier way. As a result of this, the digital divide can be resolved too.

Since I have mentioned the positive effects of the Internet, now it’s time to look at its negative effects. For instance, the use of the social networking sites allows us to express ourselves and let the world have a glimpse of what is happening to our lives. But, if we are not careful enough, it can be damaging. They can be used as a tool to invade our privacy. That is why using them can be scary at times because what we post there might earn a point against us. It can give some people who look at it a wrong impression about ourselves. Therefore, when we use the Internet, we must be careful in everything that we say and post to avoid things like this. It should be an instrument to build positive relationships with others and not otherwise.

How Can We End Poverty?

What we saw on the previous master lecture was quite related to this topic: poverty. The master lecture started by showing us pictures that are quite similar to the real-life scenario outside of Brother Andrew Gonzales building, the tallest education building in the Philippines. The pictures portray the life of the people who are living under the poverty line. In the pictures, we saw houses made of pieces of wood, metal and the like put together so they could have a place to stay. These pictures were not pleasant to look at and they made me realize that I’m luckier than one hundred million people (or more) because I get to study in a good school, live in a nice house, eat good food and sleep on a comfortable bed.

Poverty has been a worldwide concern and those who are in power keep on thinking about the possible solutions to solve it. But as years go by, it becomes even worse because more people suffer from it. In the Philippines, there is a growing number of people who can’t afford to go to a good school, who are homeless, who seldom eat food. Since we are education majors, our professor gave an example that is related to our field. I couldn’t agree more with what he said in class, “everybody has the right to be educated, but not all can go to good schools”. The people who didn’t have the opportunity to receive quality education end up doing nothing or trying things or job that make them completely forget their dignity, as long as they can have money to survive.

I have learned that the reason why we experience poverty is because we don’t have a structure or economic policy to improve our third world state. There is something wrong with our structure and we, together with our government, need to exert more effort to help our fellow Filipinos who are greatly stricken by poverty. We should work hand-in-hand so we can come up with the best and possible ideas and to solve our country’s problems in a more systematic way. In addition, we should learn to love our own, so we can have a better future. By loving our own, we can somehow improve the current situation of our country. For instance, if we buy our own products, our condition of our economy might change in a positive way and the unemployed would have jobs. It can also motivate us to produce products that can compete in the world market. We are talented and creative people. We should make use of our talents and creativeness to make the Philippines a better place to live in. This is possible if we begin to teach the next generation to appreciate our own culture. I strongly believe that it is our responsibility to help them develop a sense of Nationalism, and enhance their potentials so they would be able to contribute something beneficial for our society. We should always keep in mind that the future of our country is in their hands.

Why Are Some People Better Off than Others?

We cannot disregard the truth that in reality, there is inequality. The professor in our master lecture said that it is inevitable. There are a lot of opportunities for everyone but inequality still exists. Globalization may have helped the people live a comfortable life but not everyone benefits from it. For instance, the rich gets richer while the poor gets poorer. Those who are educated get good jobs but the ones who are not remain unemployed. The developed countries enjoy the best things in the world whereas the developing countries suffer from poverty or hunger. In a sense, life is definitely unfair.

I learned that our society has been dominated and shaped by capitalism. Our lives mainly depend on them since they provide us the things that we need and want. However, because of competition, instead of focusing on the welfare of the people, some of them become more concerned in producing more and reducing the price of their goods in order to sell in the market and make more money. Sometimes, it results to obliging the workers to work overtime and even receive low salaries. Although it may bring some positive effects on our economy because we try to compete with the international market, it also has negative effects in terms of the motivation of the people at work since they get no real benefits at all.

In France, the professor shared with the class that the workers who are on strike enjoy the rest of the day. They don’t go to work and they spend the whole day eating baguettes, strolling in parks or reading books. But in our country, even if the workers are on strike, they continue working because they have to earn money for their family. For this reason, their strike is useless and defective. By comparing these two scenarios, I realized that the professor has a point when he told the class that incidents like this happen in our country because the people lack political will. Our fellow Filipinos have the opportunity to fight for their rights, but they are not brave enough to do so. They may be afraid of the consequences such as losing their job. Due to our country’s current situation, I think that earning money matters most than anything else.

In my opinion, inequality among us can be lessened if we will try to come out of our shell and show the whole world what we can do. I believe that we need to strive harder in order to live a more comfortable life or get a job. Even if inequality exists and it is inevitable, we should not feel hopeless. Do something for a change.

How is the World Organized Economically?

Our life is like a pie. It is divided into three parts--- economics, social and political. They are interrelated with each other because they satisfy our needs and wants. However, although they are interrelated, the economics part takes the huge slice of the pie because it is where the things that are essential for us to live belong. The basic needs like food, water and shelter are found in this area. We need these things in order to survive. The social and the political, on the other hand, have equal slices. The social part enables us to interact and build relationships with the people me meet in our everyday lives. Meanwhile, in the political, we practice our right to negotiate with others so we can get what we want. The exchange and division of goods happens here.

In class, we define economics as the “production and distribution of goods and wealth”. However, these are not produced equally because they are scarce or limited. Adam Smith once said that a man, by nature, is selfish. Though we may not be fully aware of it, we become selfish because we want to have what is best for us. At times, we are like crabs; we don’t care what the others feel, as long as we are happy and contented.

In the article that we read, the world is divided economically by means of the three periods in history: Liberalism, Neo-liberalism and Marxism. Each one of them has different perspectives on economics, and they have changed people’s way of living. For example, when the invention of the machines was born, the production of goods and wealth increased. The unemployment rate grew because the machines were doing most of the job. Because of these machines, there was an abundance of goods and wealth and they were somehow beneficial, most especially to the elites and the entrepreneurs, who became even richer as they received more money, while the others were not. For this reason, some were forced to be involved in illegal operations to support their well-being. As Peterson mentioned in his article, “growing inequalities drain people’s sense of inclusion in a global community; increase feelings of frustration, despair and resentment; reduce the likelihood of people working together for common goals.”

From our class discussion, I learned that we should learn how to listen to the voice of those who are greatly affected--- the poor. They are the ones who suffer because of our selfishness and own desires. We should think beyond the box (critically) so we can find the best alternatives to help them have a more comfortable life. Like what Nash proved to us, we could work together for a greater good. We don’t need to be like crabs in order to survive in this world. If we only compromise, we will be able to solve this global concern.

How Does the Nation-State Work?

A nation-state is a “community of persons, more ore less numerous, permanently occupying a definite portion of territory, independent of external control and possessing an organized form of government to which the great body of inhabitants render habitual obedience.” In this kind of nation-state, based from the class lecture, the people share the common language, history, religion and even tradition under one territory. However, even if they have the same beliefs, sometimes, they also have conflicts for the reason that some of them are not sensitive towards the feelings or concerns of the others. But, regardless of their similarities and differences, they are bound to create or develop a deep comradeship because they live and abide by the rules of the government. Because the government has an autonomous sovereignty, the people are obliged to express great solidarity to protect and make their territory a better place to live in. Like what our professor said in his master lecture, “A government can exist without a state but a state cannot exist without a government.”

Learning about this, I think that the different nation-states around the world would have a better future because globalization opens many opportunities for them to learn about, explore around and develop awareness of the things that are happening at present. Without globalization, for example, each one of them would not have offered their help and support when the others need some support when calamities such as typhoons and earthquakes hit them. In my opinion, globalization plays an important role in reuniting each nation-state as it enables them to forget their differences, even for a while, most especially in times like this. Furthermore, this kind of gesture can make each one of them build a sense of belongingness which for me is good because nobody in this world should be left behind or forgotten. Hence, I can conclude that globalization is also a key in closing the gap between the nation-states’ differences, which makes them understand and accept each other and maybe, even create stronger relationships. In relation, like what this famous Michael Jackson song says, let us “Heal the world, make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race…”

Before I end this blog, let me ask you, do we have to wait for another typhoon or earthquake to become united again? Think about it.

Why is the World Divided Territorially?

Spain had been the most powerful country in the world during the 19th century. It colonized a lot of countries and one of them was our country, the Philippines. For over three hundred years, the Filipinos were under the influence of the Spanish culture and rules. The Spaniards taught us their culture--- from their food, clothing and music to their religion, Christianity. And since the Philippines was their colony, the Filipinos at that time had no choice but to follow what the King of Spain ordered. Until that one fateful day when Jose Rizal, our National Hero, published his two books because he wanted to open the eyes of his fellow Filipinos to reality. He gave them an idea about on what they should do to attain their independence from the hands of the Spaniards. They fought and risked their lives so that the Philippines will have its freedom.

Had not the Filipinos fight for our country’s sovereignty, perhaps, until now, we’re still a territory of Spain, America or Japan.

In class, I learned that everything and everyone is driven by power. Each one of us has the desire to become leaders in our own ways to achieve different goals. Countries like Spain love to colonize other lands because it symbolizes power and money. Rules are being imposed for the people to follow or obey them. In my honest opinion, it is like crab mentality--- it does not matter if others are affected, as long as one gets what he or she wants to gain authority.

I think that this is what’s currently happening in our country right now. Since elections are fast approaching, the people who are running for a government position are trying to conquer the whole Philippines through their never-ending campaigns. They visit the different parts of Luzon, Visayas and even Mindanao to influence the people to vote for them. This is their only way to win the election in May since all of them are longing to have power in our society.

Our professor said that the Philippines cannot be a first world country because the lands are scattered--- an archipelago. Given that the lands are spread out, it is difficult for us to become united. Conflicts happen among the three big lands because their beliefs and practices are different from each other. As a matter of fact, Mindanao wants to become an independent land for this reason. May this serve as a challenge for the candidates of the upcoming elections. I hope that they will use their power to do good things, rather than bad, to make the Philippines a better and more competitive country.

Why Do We Obey?

During the time of Martial Law, Filipinos were forced to obey the rules imposed by the Marcos regime. President Marcos and his wife Imelda became more powerful and influential. I was not yet born yet at that time but because of the stories as told by my parents and history teachers, I have come to learn that the Filipinos were disciplined. For instance, unlike today, the drivers then used to follow the traffic lights and the people walked on the pedestrian lanes when they cross the streets. They were afraid to not to abide by the rules because they might get arrested, kidnapped, tortured or worse, killed. When the Martial Law ended, the Philippines became a democratic country. Until today, the Filipinos are enjoying the freedom to express themselves through music, writing and the like. We are able to share our thoughts and ideas about the government without being punished in a gruesome way. It is our own prerogative if we want to obey or not to obey the government.

We obey the government for the reason that it has the moral authority to enforce rules for the good of its country, to maintain peace and order. By means of the rules, we are able to know what is expected from us. Like what Jenny Edkins wrote in her article, “It is good to have a framework of conventions and rules in place even though some of them may not be ideal, and for them to be someone else, in a leadership position, who is responsible for dealing with many crises that may come along.” The rules serve as a guide for us to be prepared when something unexpected happens. In relation to this, we are also afraid of the consequences which we may encounter if we disobeyed them. On the other hand, if the government is bad, we are still obliged to obey it since its power is legitimate. No matter how bad it is, it is our responsibility to respect and acknowledge its authority. However, we have the right to disobey and oust the government if we feel that the rules aren’t becoming beneficial for our interests and needs anymore. Hence, the People Power in EDSA happened twenty four years ago and President Marcos lost his power to control the Philippines.

In three months, a new government will be born. As citizens of this country, we have to practice our right to vote and choose for the candidates, who we think, deserve to become our leaders. We need a government that finds ways on how to solve the problems or issues in and caters to the concerns of the society. We should not only depend on their popularity or life story. Let’s become wiser this time. We don’t want another people power, right?

Who Do We Think We Are?

How do we define ourselves as Filipinos? Who are the real Filipinos? In my honest opinion, these questions are hard to answer. There is no definite answer yet because I think that we are still in the process of knowing who we really are as Filipinos. There may be distinctive characteristics that the Filipinos exhibit which are known in the whole world, but I suppose they are enough for us to be called as real Filipinos. We may be hospitable and happy people but if we are not proud of our culture and our country, everything will be worthless. As a matter of fact, we find our local products baduy, as we are becoming more attracted to the western culture. We are slowly moving away from our own identity, from our culture. We are becoming someone whom we are not.

Identity is important because it gives us a clear picture of our own self. It enables us to learn more about our nationality, ethnicity, race, class, gender and religion. It makes us different from the others. Our ancestors risked their lives and fought for our freedom because they want the Philippines to have its own identity. They believe that this is a great country and we have the potential to become as competitive as the other great nations in the world. Hahayaan nalang ba natin na mawalan ng saysay ang lahat ng pinagpaguran at pinaglaban nila?

I’m not saying that it is bad to be influenced by the western culture. However, I think that even if we support it, I hope that we will not forget our own beliefs and practices as well because they are part of who we are. I think that I’m a transformationalist because I believe that the intermingling of cultures can widen our horizons and help us become more open to the world. Perhaps, this can also give us an opportunity to let the others know about the wonders of the Filipino culture. It’s time for them to recognize the greatness of the Philippines--- that boxing is not the only thing that our country is truly proud of. And maybe, through this, we would be able to find the answers to our questions (on who we really are as Filipinos).

(for February 1 master lecture)

How Do We Find Out What is Going On in the World?

Since yesterday, I have been thinking about these two questions: How can I build my character? And how am I going to leave a legacy? I am not a powerful or influential person unlike our national hero, Jose Rizal, and the late President Cory Aquino, who became the source of inspiration to many Filipinos around the world. I never thought of the kariton classroom of Efren Penaflorida, the incumbent CNN Hero of the Year, which changed the lives of the Filipino youth who cannot afford to go to school. I am just a simple third year student who is, hopefully, graduating from college soon.

I have big dreams and goals in life. When I was still in my preschool years, I dreamed of going to Disneyland to meet Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto. During my grade school years, I studied very hard because I wanted to have a gold medal. When I entered high school, I envisioned myself in a prestigious university. And now, in my college years, I hope to become a better early childhood educator. As I think about these big dreams and goals of mine, I realized that what I want to achieve changes over the years. What I dream about in my preschool years is very different from now. Different factors such as my environment, culture and media may have influenced me to think this way, for the reason that I have been exposed to them ever since I was born.

Through this class, I learned about how the environment, culture and particularly the media shape the minds of the people. For instance, why do a lot of girls today buy beauty products such as powder, lotion, perfume and the like? It is because the magazines, billboards and television advertisements say that if they use these products, they will become more beautiful. I am not saying that it is bad to buy these. What I’m just pointing out is that if there are no magazines, billboards and television, girls will not know about them. In our society today, being beautiful is given much importance because it is believed that it can greatly affect our lives in many ways.

Our professor said that character is something which we cannot buy. It is like education, which nobody can ever take away from us. However, I think it is not easy to build our own character--- our own identity--- because the environment, culture and media dictate how we should live and how we should become. We tend to believe in everything say because we think that it is always right and true.

We always seek for the truth because we want to become involved so we can do something to make a difference. Being curious is our way of knowing about what is going on in the world. However, we also need to be careful as we try to find out the answers to our never-ending questions and dilemmas. Sometimes, we have to be critical thinkers since we do not know if what we see or hear around us everyday is true or not, biased or neutral, right or wrong. We need to analyze in every situation so we would know when to believe or not to believe.

I guess when we begin to learn about making decisions on our own can help us build our identity, or rather our character. Maybe, if we have our own character, we would be able to know what we can really do to make a difference and in the long run, leave a legacy. Perhaps, this is the right time for us to unlock and set ourselves free from the doors of our environment, culture and media so we will be able to look at the different angles of the story. Our perception and point of views do matter too.

How Do Religious Beliefs Affect Politics?

Religion and politics play an important role in our lives because both of them greatly influence how we think, behave and interact in the society. They somehow dictate how we should live in this world to be able to blend in with the norms. Since they are powerful influences, we tend to be close-minded on the different phenomenon, because we are too attached to what religion and politics inflict upon us.

When I was in highschool, I learned that religion and politics should be separated for they often clash with their principles and values. There is a separation between them because they have different world views, which are religious and secular respectively. Religion is more on the conservative side while politics is more liberal. Let me give the Reproductive Health Bill as an example. I have read in an article in Philippine Daily Inquirer that this bill is passed because it is believed that it has fundamental effects in the human development. It may also help reduce poverty in our country for the reason that population growth is considered as one of its major contributors. However, the church thinks otherwise.

In class, we discussed about religion (Christianity vs. Islam) and its relationship with politics. As we all know, Christianity is the exact opposite of Islam. For instance, when it comes to food, Christians can eat pork while Muslims never eat pork. Whenever there is a terrorism attack (like the 9/11 tragedy in New York), the Muslims are the ones to blame because they are perceived as violent, selfless, heartless or evil unlike the Christians who "can't do such a thing" as they want peace and order. There is always a discrimination and inequity between this two religions. And I just realized it when we did an activity related to this topic, when I found out none of us prefer to live in Iraq and Afghanistan or marry someone from these places.

After the class discussion, I realized that there is still a chance to improve the relationship between the Christians and the Muslims. Religion and politics cannot be separated from each other because they are a huge part of our culture. On the other hand, if both of them learn to accept and understand each others' differences, they would be able to bridge the gap between them. As the hand-out says, they would be able "to achieve similar goals even where the language they use may differ."

I think that if the Christians and the Muslims will be open-minded or flexible, the conflicts between them may be avoided. Conflicts exist because they cannot afford to acknowledge each others' philosophies because maybe, they think that what they believe in is much better than the other. They are fully dependent or too "locked in" in their ideals and standards. Sometimes, we really have to think beyond the box so we would be able to recognize and appreciate the uniqueness of both religions. In this way, peace and order will reign or rule in the world.

What Happens If We Don't Think in Human Terms?

I learned something new today about how we, the humans, play a huge part in terms of the natural happenings that occur in the society. In class, I found out that most of us think that a sustainable city should include roads, more residential lands, municipal offices, commercial establishments and the like in order to support or provide the needs of the people who live in that area. However, I was quite amazed when our professor mentioned that a city or a particular place can be considered sustainable even if there are only three houses located in a huge land and a 7-11 near them. And I never thought of it before.

Last year, we had experienced Mother Nature’s fury when Ondoy, Pepeng and other natural calamities visited our country. A lot of people, whether rich or poor alike, were greatly affected by them. They started to live anew after losing their most prized possessions. Even I, myself, was not exempted from them. I thought I would never experience such thing. For instance, when Ondoy came, my fellow early childhood majors and I were stranded on the road for more than five hours, after we had our community service. Fortunately, there were people who willingly helped us. They gave us food and let us stay in their home and restaurant while we waited for the water to subside. It was really an unforgettable event for me, and I hope it will never happen ever again.

Actually, it is not too late for us to do something to avoid or prevent disasters like this. Like what our professor said, we directly affect the environment because we are a part of it. We cannot be separated from it since we are interconnected with each other. We are responsible for the different changes that are happening in the world right now, like climate change. Now is the time for us to “shift from the traditional perspective” and become more open-minded so we can adapt or keep up with the changes in our society. By being open-minded, we will be able to understand how we contribute to these changes. Open-mindedness can help us think of ways on how we can improve and make our world a better place to live in.

I honestly think that we should not laugh at the people who are actively participating in different activities that are related to taking care of the environment. For me, they are doing the right thing because at this time, our environment is slowly “dying”. Maybe, we should start living a simple life and at least try to stay away from more worldly things. We need a global effort because we can’t save it on our own. We have to combine all our power in order to take good care of it. Time is precious. Let us not waste every second of it.

How Do We Begin to Think About the World?

I think that globalization is about the different progress or development which the world experiences over the years. Globalization has transformed our lives of in a lot of ways. For instance, there is modern technology that helps in making our work a lot easier to do and finish. The doctors and other medical professionals can easily find a cure to some diseases or sickness through the medicines which they make so we can feel better. Students like me can find the information that we are looking for by means of using the internet as a resource. Gone are the days when we use the encyclopedias and other thick books. Moreover, we become more aware of what is going on because of media, who give us full access to the different happenings around the world. Like the catchy phrase of Globe, globalization is “making great things possible”. On the other hand, the history of the world refers to how the people evolved, places discovered and the various events that enable us to learn more about our culture and identity. The history of globalization and the history of the world are inter-connected, hence they cannot be separated from each other.

Globalization influences us to look at the world in different ways. How we think about the world is shaped by the society where we live in. It may be a new word for imperialism, colonialism, modernism or capitalism as it is related to gaining power over a territory, perhaps imposing rules to develop it, making money and building it as a better and more comfortable place to live in for the people.

The Western colonizers were the ones who started globalization. They traveled around the world to spread the wonders of globalization. I think that this is an American phenomenon because it somehow dictates us to live and behave like them. They introduced us to their culture. And their culture lets us see that if we follow what they do, we will be great like them. No wonder why a lot of Filipinos patronize American products more than the local ones because they believe that they have a better quality and more appealing.

Globalization has made America and even China progressive countries. They are two of the most influential and powerful countries in the world. However, I think that it will reach a “tipping point” when the developing countries will no longer experience poverty, famine and the like. That’s why I’m hoping that Philippines will try to become more competitive in terms of producing and promoting our local products. I strongly believe that it’s not too late for us to show the whole world that the Filipinos can make quality products, like that of America and China.

It has its own advantage and disadvantages. It is beneficial because like I said, it transforms the lives of many people in remarkable ways. Without it, we will not be able to experience the good things in life. On the contrary, it is bad in a way because we, the Filipinos, tend to forget our own identity and culture, as we are easily influenced by the powerful countries. And in my honest opinion, colonial mentality makes us the losers and them, the winners. Philippines is a great country and in my honest opinion, we should also be proud of what we have or what we can offer to the international community. Let us learn to love our own.

Why Study Globalization and Development?

It is important to study globalization and development because it will help me to become more knowledgeable about the different phenomena that are happening around the world right now. I think that this subject will allow me to have a deeper understanding on the societal issues, so I can engage or participate actively in the development and improvement in the different fields such as politics, technology, science, culture, economy, education, and the like. By being actively involved, I would be able to work hand-in-hand and think of ways in making our world a better place to live in.

Globalization has affected my life in many ways. For instance, researching is much easier because there is the internet, where I can find the information that I need to satisfy my curiosity. Moreover, besides books, the internet provides me with necessary facts and trivias on different concerns and trends in the field of early childhood education, which serve as guides for me to become a better and competent early childhood educator in the near future. Furthermore, because of the modern technology, I get to experience a comfortable lifestyle. On the other hand, globalization has taught me how to save and budget my allowance because of the continuous price increase in basic needs such as food, clothing, and even transportation in our country.

I think that studying globalization and development should not be taken for granted because it will help me become connected with the whole world. By learning about the various discilpines and approaches related to it, a lot of opportunities will be open for me to contribute something to our society. Hence, it will serve as my passport to achieve my goals and dreams.

References:

Singh, K. (2004). Questioning globalization.

Manila: Ibon Books

Rodrik, D. (2007). One economics, many recipes: globalization, institutions, and economic growth.

New Jersey: Princeton University Press