Investing in People’s Election: A Proposed System to Democratize the Electoral Process to Guarantee Equal Access to Opportunities for Public Service

ABSTRACT
This paper will present an idea on how to guarantee a real equal access to opportunities for public service and that is, by not allowing all candidates and/or their supporters to shell out money for the campaign. Since there is a strong move to decentralize the government, this paper suggests that campaigns must be funded and run by the government thru the office of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in every Local Government Units (LGU). This idea will also lessen the chance of corruption and “payback time” once the candidate started to serve the people.
Background and the description of the problem
Power Elite theory claims that only the elite controls the nation as a whole leaving nothing for the common people. Pareto’s Circulation of the Elite theory presents the same idea, adding that there is a competition between the conservative and liberal, still, making the poor people powerless. This seems to be the set-up in the Philippines since the era of the colonizers.
Since the passing of the Maura law in 1893 in the Philippines, only the wealthy and rich political families were being elected. That goes the same during the time of the American colonizers and even up to now. There are very few “new names” that appear in the quest for an elective position. In several instances, these “new names” often labelled as nuisance candidates.
In context, it is the right of all citizen of the land, meeting the basic requirement of the law, to file their Certificate of Candidacy (COC). This right is enshrined in Article II, Section 26 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution stating that “The state shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”
It may be a right of all citizen of the land, but, the filing of COC’s and winning the election are two different stories. Poor/common people can only file, but there is a difficulty in getting the position. All candidate needs to spend a big amount of money for the campaign alone leaving the poor/common people left behind. We can even say that it is more likely a combination of gambling and investment or business capital.
This paper does not claim that the elite people cannot really serve the nation. The idea is that most of them, (elite) only know the situation of the poor people on the theoretical level only unlike those poor people who really came from the grassroots. The only problem is how these poor people can take the position to serve their people.
The legal basis
ARTICLE 2 SECTION 26. The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.
This article as part of State Policies ensures all citizen of the land, regardless of their economic status, to be given equal opportunity to be public servants. The financial issue should not be the deciding factor in elections. Election spending must be made affordable to the citizen of the Philippines who are not only competent, deserving, well-intentioned and morally upright.
ARTICLE IX, Section C 7. Recommend to the Congress effective measures to minimize election spending, including limitation of places where propaganda materials shall be posted, and to prevent and penalize all forms of election frauds, offenses, malpractices, and nuisance candidacies.
The idea is to keep election spending at minimum cost and the same provision that can be used as a basis of the whole point of the paper since it can recommend to congress how to minimize election spending allowing common people to campaign.
The expenses
To keep the expenditure of each candidate in minimum, the Commission on Election (COMELEC) clearly presented in its Resolution No. 9476 the amount that a candidate or a party may be spent by the local and national candidate.
Section 1,. Authorized expenses of candidates and parties. – The aggregate amount that a candidate or party may spend for an election campaign shall be as follows:
a. President and Vice-President —Ten Pesos (PhP 10.00) for every registered voter.
b. For other candidates — Three Pesos (PhP 3.00) for every voter currently
registered in the constituency where the candidate filed his certificate of
candidacy.
c. Candidate without any political party and without support from any political
party — Five Pesos (PhP 5.00) for every voter currently registered in the
constituency where the candidate filed his certificate of candidacy; and
d. Political parties and partyJist groups — Five Pesos (PhP 5.00) for every voter
currently registered in the constituency or constituencies where it has official
candidates. [RA 71,66, Section l3,Paragraphs2 and 3]
Let us assume that candidate A wants to be a congressman of Oriental Mindoro with 400,000+ registered voters3. With a budget of P5.00 per candidate, the candidate will need at least 2 million pesos for the campaign. How and where will a common people get this amount? This gives double burden to the candidate. The first burden is how to raise the needed financial support, and second, how to conduct a campaign and win it.
The easiest way is to be part of a political party since they do help financially and all the support the candidate needs. Unfortunately, candidate A will be tied to the political party. I am not saying that it is not good to be tied to a political party. It’s just that, there are situations wherein your stand is totally different from the party.
Another possible solution is for the candidate to have corporate sponsors or contributions. COMELEC as well gave provisions regarding campaign contributions coming from all sectors. The sad part of this is that they did not put a cap or limitations on how much they can contribute. Knowing that in this country, the debt of gratitude operates well, this may give candidate A another problem. There is a high tendency that if candidate A won, whatever favour or advantage the sponsor/contributor may ask, will easily be accommodated.
Why do you think these big businesses and corporations gives a lot of money for a certain candidate or political party? Some argue that they may really have a strong belief in the capacity of those candidates or political parties they are supporting. But again, this is the Philippines, where culturally, a high sense of debt of gratitude operates.
The scenarios that were presented not only limit the capacity/possibility of poor people to have the elective positions but at the same time, prone to corruptions.
The politics, politicians, and the citizens
It is really evident that very few people see election seriously in this country. With the current political set-up, common people view politicians as a “Messiah” or a saviour and not really as lawmakers or executives. As a result, the election is seen as simply a process but not a way to make the society a better place for all its populace.
In most cases, when people need financial support for the funeral, when some family members are unwell and need medical treatment or even sponsors in marriage and sports league, they always knock on the doors of the politicians. People do not see or may be unaware of their political roles – they are not ninongs and ninangs.
This is happening because, historically speaking, only those who are financially well-off wins in an election. Marx’s idea of whoever controls the economy controls politics and culture may really be seen as applicable in this context.
When I mentioned that very few people takes the election seriously in this country, it is because, people simply see it as a celebration or a fiesta and at the same time, a gambling with political candidates as their bet. We often hear people saying, “sinong manok mo?” as if they are in a cock fighting arena. The election is seen not as a way to make the lives of the people better. What is happening here is that common people see their political part only during the election process. As a result, whatever these politicians do during their term, people simply allows it and wait for the next election.
These elections create a division between the rich and the poor, leaving the poor populace without anything.
It has been more than a hundred years of electing people in the government with the assumption that our lives would be better, but it seems that nothing has changed. Probably, the reason here is that only those rich people can win the election. Unfortunately, they are not really aware of the plight of poor people. Most of them only know it from the theoretical level, unlike those poor people who have been experiencing it every day.
We need to revolutionize everything in these elections to change people’s perceptions about politics and to give way to an equal playing field. The question now is how?
Levelling the playing field
Since there is a strong effort to decentralize the government, in essence, giving more power to the Local Government Units (LGU), the suggestion is to make a special Public Relations (PR) office do the campaign. This PR office will work as a PR arm of the LGU’s and will work with COMELEC during election season.
How will this thing work?
Since there is already an amount pegged by the COMELEC, they will still base the expenditure from their Resolution No. 9476. It is recommended that the government needs to amend some of its laws to accommodate this suggestion. This idea operates on the notion that, since the government is the caretaker of the people, they will also make sure that all citizens would be valued and treated fairly.
Issues
One major issue in this set-up is the proliferation of nuisance candidate. It is suggested that the COMELEC will do the same process and procedure in declaring whether the candidates are a nuisance or not. It is also suggested that some qualifications may be added such as educational background at least until high school since it is free in our public school system and some psychological tests to see the sanity level of each candidate. We need to see these candidates as people applying for a job and not as candidates that will save people from social ills.
The money will definitely be an issue as well. Since every fiscal year, the government presents its budget to congress, we can insert some money for the election campaign, particularly for the national election. Some LGU’s can also allocate finance to Municipal, Barangay and Sangguning Kabataan (SK) elections. It is not every year that we have elections, so it will not be that big. Again, it is like investing, but in this proposal, it is the people who are making the investments for the people in general.

Doing the campaigns
The idea is that all campaigns will be headed by the LGU’s PR firm with direct coordination from the COMELEC. This idea will not only give equal opportunity to the poor candidates but will also lessen the chances of corruption and vote buying as well as garbage connected to election campaigns. It will also make sure that election campaign laws will definitely be observed.
In this process, common people can easily see whether the COMELEC is favouring some candidates.
Summary, conclusion and recommendation
As mentioned, it will increase the chance of poor people to win an election. It will also change the mentality of the voting public regarding the roles of politics in their lives. It will also lessen the chances of corruption or giving favours to the political campaign donors. And lastly, it will make our lives better in the long run.
There is really a need to revolutionize election in the country to level the playing field. It must be the government who should invest and not the politicians. The government is the caretaker of the people’s welfare and not the politicians who shell out money during the campaigns.
For this suggestion to work, this paper recommends that some laws would be amended. It is also being suggested that a pilot study would be made in a certain municipality for a Baranggay or an SK election to see which area needs to be fine-tuned.

Understanding the Vulnerabilities of Family in the Semi-feudal and Semi-colonial Philippines

The Philippines continues to provide workers to the world – a primary characteristic of a semi-feudal and semi-colonial society.
Almost all people in the Philippines have knowledge about the English language. Even unschooled kids can communicate or can understand this conquerors tongue. In schools, from primary years of schooling until tertiary level, students are trained how to properly use and pronounce this English language. In most cases, babies first learn several English words such as close, open, and counting numbers before learning our own language while, in some situations, some Filipinos were trained to only speak this English language.

While it is true that we learn how to properly use the English language, it is not the only thing that school gives us. Schools are supposed to train its students to be fully functional member of society thus, making students equipped with knowledge and technical know-how that they can use to have a better future. Unfortunately, this same education that is supposed to provide students’ knowledge/ideas to be fully functional and to have a better future is also the one that delimits our own potentials – that hinders us from becoming a really successful one.

In this paper, I will illustrate how the interplay of economics and education contributes or attack the vulnerabilities of Filipino families and what are we supposed to do.

The Cause – Economy

This year, Philippines is considered by CNN Money data as the 4th fastest growing economy with its gross domestic product (GDP) continuously growing. Thanks to the remittances of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) that makes up the 10% of this continuously growing GDP. (the Philippines is the world’s third largest recipient of remittances)
If our economy is continuously growing, how come a large number of people in the Philippines remains to live under the poverty line? Are we really improving? Or, can we hypothesize that this economic growth is only being experienced by the few elites in the country. Even though there are figures being presented, the fact still remains that there are many poor people in the country – poor people who are unemployed in the country.

The unemployment rate in the Philippines remains as one of the highest in ASEAN region. The government cannot really create jobs for its continually growing population. Well, creating a job is not directly the role of the government, their role is to facilitate investments that will evenly distribute wealth and generate jobs for its people, but it appears that the government is not doing their mandate.

This issue of unemployment is a global concern. Though some countries have a higher unemployment rate, the sad part in the Philippines is, there are so many university graduates who are either unemployed or under-employed. If this is the case, where is now the better future promised by education?

The Process – Education

Last year, more than half million Filipinos graduated with a degree – additional half million that competes with those who are already unemployed. Hypothetically speaking, it must be easier for a university graduate to have jobs or better future; unfortunately, it is not the case in the Philippines.

Let me present these characteristics of Philippine education that contribute to unemployment.

1. Learning business – an education for profit. It is a reality that education in the country remains to be a big business. There are so many school drop-outs because of this system. This year, there are almost 4 million drop-outs in elementary and high school while college drop-outs are estimated to be 2.3 million. There are many reasons to these school drop-outs, but poverty remains to be the top reason.

The full implementation of the K-12 system will give rise to more out-of-school youth and more school drop-outs. Most of the graduates from public school system cannot enrol in senior high school since most schools that offer grades 11 and 12 are private schools. The governments’ solution is a voucher that will be given to the graduates of public school system that ranges from P11, 250 up to P22, 500 in the National Capital Region is not enough since most schools have tuition fees triple that amount. Again, this scenario will increase the unemployment rate. Can we say that the government is really doing its job?

2. Graduates for sale – an education that serves the interest of the foreign land. For the longest time, our educational system provides what bigger nation needs. During the brown Americanization, most of our grandparents loved the Americans since they gave education to all without us knowing that the education that they gave is for the benefits of American business and economy. This system is still happening today. We continue to provide foreign nation workers and technical know-how needed by their economy through courses offered and the use of English language. The concrete manifestation of this system are the changes in the in demand courses in the country – nursing used to be the trend and right now, service courses such as tourism, HRM and IT’s.

In the case of nursing industry, there are so many graduates who are either unemployed or under-employed since the government did not facilitate well the investments. They allowed so many schools to offer this course creating a large surplus of nurses in the country.

3. English only please – the conquerors tongue. It has been mentioned earlier that in we are trained to have the knowledge how to use the English language. This is a very important policy from the perspective of the government since if we know how to speak this language, it would be easier for us to have a job outside the country. The sad part of it is, it seems like the government is driving us away from home thus fuelling the economy of the foreign land.

4. Prioritizing degree, devaluing education – a degree motivated students. Many students in today’s society simply want to have a degree or to graduate to have a job immediately. What they are seeing is the process of education to employment. Many students are not looking at the bigger picture of education. It may be true that almost all courses offered in the country prepare students to be workers, it is still important to see that learning is more important than simply having a job. This degree will probably give you a job, but learning will give you more than that. The real learning will develop you and mould you as a real person and probably transcend the basic concept of being a human being in a consumer-centered society or probably create jobs for others.

The first characteristic is a common scenario or problem of the poorest segment in our society, the second is probably being experienced by the middle-class sector while the last two are experienced by all segments of our society
These characteristics of Philippine educational system contribute a lot not only to unemployment but might lead to a dysfunctional family or even a different family set up.

High unemployment rate, ability to communicate and technical know-how coupled with the genuine love for the family increases the possibility of family members leaving their loved ones behind – a real hard hitting scenario among Filipino families.

The Victim – Family

The family is an integral part of every society. It does not only provide consumers and workers but most importantly, it provides a sense of security – emotional and financial. With this high unemployment rate and family’s role of providing financial security, family members are placed in a dilemma whether to provide financial support, which means leaving their loved ones behind or spend each day with the family, that means never missed any special occasions or milestones of each member while continue living in poverty. Another predicament may be is, who should leave, the mother, the father or the kids.

It may be cliché, but it is really true that it is not easy to leave your loved ones behind. “Mas mahirap at mas masakit ang umaalis kaysa naiiwan.”

Though leaving the family behind is not the easiest decision to make, there are times that it is really necessary. Those who are left with the only choice of prioritizing financial security will now have to rely on technology – but still, money, balik-bayan boxes, and technology cannot really replace the actual presence of the family member.

The Set-up

Given this set-up, can we still call this as a family? Let us always remember the reason why they work outside the country, and that is, to support the family they loved so much. So even though they are not physically present, as long as constant communication, trust, respect, and understanding is present, they are still family.

The idea is that constant communication, trust, respect and understanding should always be present. The moment that one party stop any of these three key terms, it may result to unwanted realities.

What will you do in these situations?

You regularly do your job, day and night without any messages coming from your loved ones in the Philippines. Then one day, you receive a message asking for money to buy etc needed for the school. Definitely, you will send money. Or one day, you receive a message saying that your high school daughter was kicked out because of drugs while your son went home with a pregnant girlfriend. It is not really easy to leave family members behind.

You regularly do your job, day and night and saving a lot for the family. Then one day, you were raped or abused by your boss. What will you do?

There are so many negative experiences of our OFW’s that we don’t know and we will never know. It is really difficult to be an OFW.

I mentioned earlier that the feeling is more depressing to those people who leave compared to those who are left behind. Again, those who are left behind still have other family members to be with in times of disheartening moment unlike those who went away. Those who are working day and night who misses’ special days and milestones of family members are more vulnerable and might experience really being down.

The sad truth is, they might look or search for anything that would ease up their heavy loads. The issue may be handled easier by those people who have strong faith with God – they can talk to God. Some may end up committing suicide, others might have psychological problems and other might look for someone to be with.

The Prayer

As we can see here, the negative scenario happened because of their love for the family. Probably, the same love that tears apart the whole family because of lack communication, trust, respect, and understanding. Again, we already have the technology to start with, and then let us make use of it. Constant communication is the key element to continue giving trust, full respect and understanding.

Let us always remember that they are there for you. They are working for the security of your family. The best thing that you can do right now is to value the reason why they missed special days in your lives, and that is because of you, because of your education – the education that will break the chain of leaving behind your loved ones. For your own family someday to not experience the same sad experience that you had.

In your education, do not simply aim for the degree that will give you jobs someday but rather aim for knowledge that you can use whether you ended up employee or employer.

We cannot change the system right now, but we can soften its negative effects. When we go home today, give them a call, hug them, kiss them … surprise them. Again, they sacrifice for you right now for your own future and it is a right thing to give back something to them – to our parents.

A Sociological Dissection on the Anatomy of Cyber-Sex in the Semi-feudal and Semi-colonial Philippines

Today, it is easier for us to be anyone or anybody that we want to be. We can be the best in everything. The most highly intellectual person, with the physique that all people envy and face that is far more than the beauty of Venus. But at the same time, we are prone to all kinds of theft – investments including financial and intellectual and even identity. And on the extreme, there is a higher tendency for us to really lose who we are. The biggest problem here is, our enemies are faceless, nameless and some are just doing it for fun like we do. And this is all happening in the cyber world.

A cyber world which is a product of advancement in technology that was created to make our lives better is at the same time the same tool that can make our lives miserable. This world is a new lurking place for exploiters victimizing people of all sexes, age, and nationality. They only differ in the degree of exploitation but at the end of the day we can all say that they are all victims by the powerful and the rich.

The Filipino people are one of the highest internet users in the world. Being a semi-feudal and semi-colonial country, there is a higher tendency for us to be victimized. With the technology present coupled with poverty and knowledge in the English language, Filipino people are somehow being prepared to be exploited.

But cyber-sex is not all about exploitation. It serves society more than what most of us knows or imagined it to be. It also triggers an assessment of morality operating in a society with dual value system like the Philippines.

This paper is for you, for me, and for all of us living in cyber world – the digital natives and the digital migrants.

Chat Technology Commence – CTC

Human beings continue to create and innovate for the good of humankind. Technology continues to make our lives better or perhaps easier particularly in acquiring knowledge or information specifically through the use of the internet technology. This technology created a totally different world from what we are used to – the cyber world where communication was made far easier and better. This world also created the chat communication that was intended for humans to keep in touch with each other and to meet new set of friends that was eventually used not only to satisfy our need for communication but at the same time even for sexual gratification. In short, this chat technology started to create a new avenue to have new friends and explore the new world and new “we”.

Arousing Sexual Libido – ASL

In any chat group, while lurking and waiting for someone to chat with, people often use the symbol CTC or care to chat particularly during the age of MIRC, ICQ, and yahoo chat – the era of dial-up internet connection that is always intermittent. People in the early days of chat communication often visit a chat group with people having common interests. The chatters send a message of CTC to the prospects and if they reply, the next expected message would be asl or age, sex, location. If these people simply want to have friends, why do they need to ask for asl? I assume that they want more than cyber friendship.

As connection bandwidth continues to improve, a new term emerged – cam2cam. In the same manner, why do we need to see our cyber friends if our interest is simply for friendship. Definitely, some people simply want to see their cyber friends but if it is preceded with asl, I think it is more than simple friendship. The main point here is, chat communication created a new means for sexual exploration.

Cyber-Sex – CS

I define cyber-sex as any sexual act directed to or from anybody using internet technology. The simple idea is there must be sex happening between two or more people facilitated by cyber technology. Is watching porn from the net constitute a cyber-sex? How about those people who are exhibitionists?
The answer is no even while she or he is masturbating because the definition says there must be a sexual act directed to or from anybody and there must be a partner.

Love, Sex and the Filipinos

“The heart has its reasons which reason knows not.”
― Blaise Pascal

Love is love! It’s hard to understand and explain so let us not waste our energy here. What is clear is that if you believe in the concept of love, it is universal. It traverses through different social classes and even cultural boundaries. If love is universal, sex is universal as well particularly to those people who see carnal activity as a manifestation of love. For them, sex and love go together.

The concept of love and sex is present in all society. Society continues to exist because of these two. The question now is, is sex possible to exist without love? In one paper I wrote, there is a discussion that says “ang sex na walang love, exercise lang” and in today’s society, there are so many people who simply wants to exercise.

How does Philippine society see the idea of sex? Historically, both men and women in the country are sexually liberated. This claim is supported by the myth Si Malakas at si Maganda whose concept of first human beings in the country talks about equality and even from the accounts of Antonio Morga in his Sucessos de las Islas Filipinas, where he said that women in the Philippines are sexually liberated. This sexual liberation of women only changed when patriarchy became a practice in the country – a concept brought by the colonizers and sustained by Catholicism. This sexual liberty of women is dormant and still waiting to for an avenue where it can be activated.

Again, love is universal, sex is universal, sex is a good exercise, Philippine society is sexually liberated from the beginning, and sexual liberty of some women is still dormant waiting to be triggered.

CATEGORIES

It would be easier for us to fully understand the world of cyber-sex and have a balance perception on the cyber-sex role-taker if we will be making categories for them since these people have different reasons for doing the said activity.

a. The Distant Lovers
The Philippines continue to send workers abroad. They are even branded as Bagong Bayani by the Philippine government. Without their remittances, there would be no more Philippines. Because of this phenomenon, many families have mother or father living outside the country. And a couple away from each other for quite some time, given the technology, might be engaging in cyber-sex. We can say that the main reason for this activity is both partners want to keep the flame alive. This is also a way for them to eliminate or at least minimize the chances of infidelity. I think these people must be thanking the technology now.

b. The Young “Dora”
Growing kids or teens are in the age of exploration, experimentation, and discoveries. They want to learn so many things including anything that they can about sex and sexuality. These kids and teens are mostly coming from the middle class to upper class that has an access to the internet and have their own gadget that they can use privately. I assume that some also explore how to be of different gender and age. These kids and teens must be guided because unlike Dora, there is no map that is available from them except the guidance of the parents.

c. The Promiscuous Exercise Buddy
Some people are more adventurous than the others like some people being more sexually active than the others. These people see sex as simply an ordinary thing. If we’re talking about Filipina here, they are the ones who have seen the cyber world as an avenue to express what they want. They are the ones who simply want to exercise for public consumption. These people might come from different social class but again, people coming from higher social status are prone to be like them since they all have everything that is necessary to commit this act such as time and technology.

d. The Confidently Unconfident
Some people are sexually deprived (including those people who have a wild sexual imagination). Most of the time, these are the people who lack self-confidence and people with reserved personality in which the only avenue for them to express is the cyber world. While some may be engaging in sexual activities, they can be considered as deprived in the sense that they have wild sexual ideas that they cannot do with their real life partners. And again, cyber-sex is the only avenue left with them for some considers it as less sinful and lesser chance of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases.

e. The Literary Artists
There is a market for erotic literature in the country. This is evident in the countless numbers of soft-porn tabloids and magazines in the market. These erotic writers may casually engage in cyber-sex to know more and write more about anything regarding sexual intercourse. Probably these writers come from the middle class segment in our social strata since they are the most commonly hired in the media industry.

f. The Researchers
It is not easy to give justice to cyber-sex discussion if you haven’t really engage in this activity. Real researchers who really wants to learn the ins and outs of this cyber-sex need not only to rely on an interview with victims of cyber-sex trafficking. The major problem that researchers will encounter if they would rely on interview with victims is that they will only get the negative side of it and not the total idea connected to it that makes some cyber-sex workers continue to love what they are doing. Most researchers came from the middle class in our social stratification.

These researchers are also of big help to authorities in apprehending people involved in cyber-sex trafficking.

g. The Cyber Prostitutes
We can further subdivide cyber prostitutes in three depending on the degree of exploitation they are experiencing. Most of these cyber-sex workers are coming from the lower and middle class in our social strata. Some may already have money but to sustain their wants, they see cyber-sex as a good source of more financial stability.

– Couple Cyber Prostitutes that probably caters to those people who would love to have an orgy
– Solo Cyber Prostitutes that is either male of female who satisfies their customers in any way possible
– Child Cyber Prostitutes that is mostly female whose main customers are the pedophiles

Let us Anal(yse) It

Almost all categories of cyber-sex role takers voluntarily engage in cyber-sex for their own personal or social needs. But I am sure that not all cyber prostitutes are doing it because they want it but because they were forced to do so particularly the kids whom we can call the life-long victims. There are two possibilities that might happen to these kids engaging in sex in early part of their lives – they may see sex as an ordinary thing or some may feel insecurities and uncertainties that will haunt them till the rest of their lives.

For many people engaging in cyber-sex, it is better than having extra-marital affairs or having a real sexual intercourse with partners that they do not know. Since there is no real contact, unwanted pregnancy will be avoided as well as sexually transmitted diseases. It is also less sinful since there is no actual contact.

Other people also see this as simply an expression of their wild sexual imagination that in a way making them who they really are even if it is just for borrowed time.

There is also a possibility for people engaging in cyber-sex to be addicted to it. This is the time when they can no longer see real sex as pleasurable and needed by the society. We need people to replace the old and dying populace. People need to have sex.

We can consider cyber-sex as deviant act. And deviant triggers notion whether we really need to change or strengthen a social norm. Since many people in the Philippines are doing it, probably, this will no longer be considered as immoral in the near future.

Even though it is operating in the cyber world, this cyber-sex issue has a high level of social acceptance. Many Filipinos working outside the country is doing it and there really is a market for them. If you will visit some porn sites, there are several video clips of Filipino women engaging in it. Even these kids who are the real victims, most of them were actually encouraged or forced by family members including their parents. In this case, parents and family members see this activity as less immoral and acceptable.

It is already given that the Philippines is a poor country. And because of that, many would love to have easy money. Since from the beginning we are trained to speak the English language, it is easy for us to penetrate cyber world and in the end making us victims of cyber-sex. With the technology present coupled with poverty and basic knowledge in the English language even for young kids, it is easy for them to be victims.

Conclusion

Cyber world created a new avenue for people to explore sexually. Cyber-sex alone is not bad since this is one way of expressing who you are or making your fantasies as reality. It can be used in so many ways possible. The only problem is if you are forced to do so particularly older and powerful people manipulating you for their own interests.

In a macro analysis, cyber-sex is an arena where wealthy and powerful nation exploits people coming from the poor and less powerful country.

For my last note, as people living in the age of cyber technology, my suggestion is to use this technology for the good of mankind and not to let this technology use us.

Towards the Sociology of The Other Woman

Towards the Sociology of The Other Woman
Being The Other Woman is a conscious decision. A choice influenced by several factors that traverse different social classes and even religious and cultural boundaries. This practice was furthermore propelled by the advancement of technology and the portrayal of the same idea in Philippine mass media that awakened the dormant sexual liberation of Filipino women. Is this practice simply about enjoying pleasure and companionship or an exhibit of power, dominance, and control? And who are the real victims here?

For so many years, society conditioned us to see women as weak, demure, and simply there to support men in all of their endeavors. Rizal even created the concept of Maria Clara – his idea of what a true Filipina is. Is his concept a reality, a myth, or what he wants for women to be or his ideal women? Historical development about the perception of women by women and by men is important in this paper to give justice to the propagation of The Other Women.

The Wrecked Roots

During the early times, men and women in the islands now known as the Philippines were experiencing equal respect and treatment from the society. Our mythology about the origin of the first humans in the world, Si Malakas and Si Maganda, supports this claim. Both Malakas and Maganda came from the same bamboo at the same time which is totally different from the biblical accounts that say it was Adam first followed by Eve.

Another historical fact that supports this claim is the concept of Babaylan’s or Catalonan’s, the priestesses that is being respected by the Datu and the whole society. Even in the family, women are being asked by men in several situations. This situation really suggests that men and women were treated equally before the colonizers have arrived.

These equal treatments also lead to equality in how they perceived sexuality. From the accounts of Antonio Morga in his Sucessos de las Islas Filipinas, he said that women in the Philippines are sexually liberated. This sexual liberation of women only changed when patriarchy became a practice in the country – a concept brought by the colonizers and sustained by Catholicism.
In today’s pop culture, there is an abundance of the image and acceptance of the concept of having The Other Woman. Several mainstream movies and TV series portrays the said idea that lead to the awakening of the dormant sexual liberty of women. Perhaps the question is whether Philippine mass media is presenting the reality in our society or they are preparing the society to easily accept this as a reality.

Filipino women may be experiencing sexual liberty but the concept being The Other Woman is not simply about sex and sexual liberty. The interplay of technology, economics, education, social awareness, and personality are factors that greatly influence the choice of having and being The Other Woman.

The Other Woman – not a Querida

In this paper, the term The Other Woman is used rather than kabit, querida, or any other derogatory word that is connected to being The Other Woman to avoid the prejudgments that is attached to those words. In the discussion, The Other Woman will be looked at as a human being rather than the object of lust and sin and always the reason for the failing of families.

Categories

It is best to categorize The Other Woman for us to have a balanced perception towards them. In this paper, I came up with four major categories but we can also combine several categories depending on several situations.

The Financially Deprived

“Walang babaeng pinangarap maging kabit!”
-Bea Alonzo (The Mistress)

Economics could still be the most compelling reason why a woman becomes The Other Woman. She could be single or married that needs money for so many reasons. This category is common to the middle class down to last class in the stratum. It entails guts in the beginning and some eventually become hooked to the idea.

This is also a common scenario among our Overseas Filipino Workers who needs extra income to send to their family in the Philippines. This could also be dictated by society’s pressure to those OFW’s since it is expected by the society, people in the Philippines that if you are working abroad, you have a big income. The issue is survival. We can hypothesize that it would be easier if The Other Woman is single because there are no families to be wrecked and it is only her that needs to be financially supported but with the pressure coming from society and family, even though it is difficult, married woman still managed to do so for the need to send extra money for the family in the Philippines.

The Thrill Seeker – The Player

“Paano mo naman malalaman na masarap pala ‘pag di mo titikman? Kahit alam mong bawal, labanan mo cos’ eventually your body will just get used to it.”

-Anne Curtis (No Other Woman)

Like what has been mentioned earlier, Filipino women are sexually liberated even before the coming of the colonizers. This sexual liberty is dormant and only needs to be triggered and some women pulled the trigger already saying,“if men can, women can do better.”

It is true that sex is still a taboo topic in Philippine society/culture, but it does not mean that we are not practicing this idea. The Filipinos are religiously doing it regardless of social classes and perhaps even religion and culture. The incidence is also higher to those who are more academically and socially developed since they know how to deal with the situation.
These thrill-seeking women see sex as simply a game or an exercise. Sexual performance matters most for both people engaging in this carnal activity. Age matters as well.

For some thrill-seekers, it is connected to power that they posses every time that they can “play” – they usually can control their partner.
This is also common among the OFW’s who are totally free to do whatever they want overseas and also because of the communal concept of protecting each and everyone’s reputation in the Philippines.

Proximally Connected – Accidentally Involved

“The heart has its reasons which reason knows not.”
“Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. Love still stands when all else has fallen.”
― Blaise Pascal

Being in love is also a common reason why the Other Woman exists. Most of the time, it is a result of proximity – being close to a friend that could result to a relationship. Problems or issues that the two people share together make a good foundation for this kind of relationship. This kind of relationship transcends social classes and even religious boundaries.

The Other Woman of this kind needs not to be beautiful but a good listener who is always there when needs arise.

The Helpless

“Hindi ko kayang mabuhay nang wala ka.Nasanay na akong kasama ka.”
All relationships are founded on dreams that you made together. You dream about the future and lasting memories. What will happen if along the way you knew that you are the Other Woman? Will you stay or simply leave the memories and dreams that the two of you created?

Some Other Woman opted to stay and continue to be the Other Woman, even though they know that it is socially unacceptable – not because they are in love with the man but because they believe that they cannot live without the man. Many of this type stay in the relationship because they are used to being with the man and believe that they cannot live or stand on their own – problem in personality perhaps.

The Sinner

“Walang matibay na relasyon sa kabit na may determinasyon.”
Most of the time, we look at the Other Woman as the sinner and it’s totally wrong to be one. But what is wrong with being the Other Woman? The Financially Deprived are doing it as a matter of survival; The Thrill Seeker – The Player does it for fun and to enjoy their sexual freedom and being equal with men; The Proximally Connected – Accidentally Involved became the Other Woman because they are caught in the web of love that has reasons which reason cannot figure out; and The Helpless who simply cannot stand on their own because of having a weaker personality. With the enumerated reasons, these The Other Women are actually victims but not by men but rather by the society/community that cannot understand them.

What the Other Woman does actually falls in the study of deviance – a recognized violation of cultural norms. But we must understand that deviance is not the action of bad people, but part of the way society is organized. What they are doing are actually challenging the status quo that might lead to change the perception of society towards them or perhaps strengthen the norms and in this case, strengthening the monogamous relationships.

“Remember this, no woman can seduce a happy husband. Kung hindi mo pa rin maintindihan, bakit hindi sarili mo ang sampalin mo, baka sakaling matauhan!”
– Vilma Santos (MinsanMinahal Kita)

The Real Victim

”Buong buhay ko, pakiramdam ko mag-isa ako…but not with her… nandyan siya sa lahat… she believes in me… she sees good in me, na kahit ako hindi ko mismo makita…”
– Aga Mulach(A Love Story)

Men are weak! In all categories that have been discussed, men are said to be the real victim. In The Financially Deprived, men support the women; in The Thrill Seeker – The Player, women uses her body, which is a common weakness of several men to seduce and play with them or play them in their idea of the worldly world; in The Proximally Connected – Accidentally Involved, the emotionally down men accidentally becomes involved; and in The Helpless, the women does not want to let go even though she knows that what they are doing is socially unacceptable. Perhaps, in most cases, it is the man who started everything – but it does take two to tango, and based on the enumerated reasons, it is the women who control the situation.

Social Acceptance

“Unfair noh, kapag lalaki ang nangaliwa tanggap lahat ng tao, pero kapag babae, makasalanan siya. Come to think of it meron ka na bang narinig na lalakeng tinawag na home-wrecker o kaya eh kabit?”
– Sharon Cuneta (MinsanMinahal Kita)

“Okey lang mambabae ang mister ko basta sa akin pa rin siya umuuwi.”

Eighty to 85 per cent of world’s culture favors polygyny but still the most common form of marriage worldwide is monogamy and the most common reason is economic rather than morals and the Philippines is part of this. We have a high tolerance level when it comes to the concept of having The Other Woman. One reason perhaps is because of the equal perception of both men and women in sexuality that has been proven historically. Another explanation to this higher tolerance is because of the prolonged mental conditioning that women are supposed to be demure, weak, and unworthy that they will accept anything that their man do. It could also be recognition of men’s machismo that every time their man has an affair with the Other Woman, their man becomes more macho and gives them more excitement.

If our society tolerates this practice, why then are there several laws enacted to confront the issue of having extra-marital affairs?
Laws were created to protect the interest of all people in society. Any trouble that is connected to having and being with the Other Woman, it is still the legal justice system that will prevail. But we also need to look at the issue on how the laws were created and its suitability in the society. There are several laws in the country that are hypothetically based and not patterned after the culture. We can actually say that the legal justice system is on the other end of what is happening culturally. We can easily change or create a law, but we cannot easily change a culture.

“Ang batas ay butas at ni minsan ay hindi magiging patas lalo’t likha lamang ng mga mambabatas at hindi nakaakma sa kultura kung saan ito iaatas”

Morality of Being the Other Woman in Durkheim’s Perspective

There are three components of morality according to Durkheim – discipline, attachment to society, and autonomy. Discipline is the constraint that is necessary to limit our individual or personal interests. Morality is attached to the society because the society is the source of morality. Autonomy is the determination of the people to work according to their will.

Using these components, being the Other Woman is moral. They are working according to their will; disciplined in the way it is not the personal interest that prevails and operates in the society which highly tolerates their activities.

Conclusion

Being the Other Woman is an issue that is always a source of heated debates. The Other Woman has been responsible for many failed relationships, and always the victim of man’s polygamous nature. But looking at it from a different perspective, we can say that the Other Woman is also a human being with several reasons why they became one. It is not fair for them to be called home-wrecker and other derogatory adjectives. They are performing a significant role in shaping our society and society’s need. What they are doing is highly tolerated in their society and still with a degree of morality.

I am not saying that we should all practice the idea of having and being the Other Woman. I am simply pushing the idea that we should respect and look at them as a real human being. #

mula sa karanasan tungo sa pagbabago

(para sa mga nagtatanong kung ano ang gagawin sa final requirement sa klase)

tinatalakay na sa simula pa lang ng klase ang paggawa ng isang sociological paper na dapat i-submit bilang pangunahing requirement sa klase. ginagawa ito matapos matalakay ang iba’t ibang sociological perspective at paggawa ng isang research paper gamit ang maka-Pilipinong pamamaraan.

pangunahing mga paksain ng pag-aaral ang anumang isyung may kaugnayan sa kaganapang panlipunan. (kahirapan, ‘di pagkapantay-pantay, pamilya sa kariton atbp) mungkahing isagawa ang pagkalap ng datos sa maagang panahon upang mas maging mainam ang pagsasagawa ng maka-Pilipinong pananaliksik. maaaring gamitin ang alinman sa mga sumusunod na lapit sa pagkalap ng kinakailangang ng datos:

Pakikipagkwentuhan – sa pamamagitan ng pakikipagkwentuhan sa isang umpukan, makakukuha ng datos na payak at tunay na galing sa karanasan ng mga kapawa mananaliksik.

Panunuluyan – sa pamamagitan ng tunay na pagtuloy o pagtira sa bahay ng mga kalahok sa pananaliksik ay madali ring makakakalap ng mga datos para sa pananaliksik

Pagdalaw-dalaw – may mga pagkakataong hindi kayang gawin ng mananaliksik ang pagtira sa mga kapwa mananaliksik ngunit hindi nangangahulugang hindi na makakalap ng mahahalagang datos, maaaring gawin din ang pagdalaw-dalaw o pagpunta-punta sa paksa ng pag-aaral.

Pagtatanung-tanong – ginagawa rin ang pagtatanungtanong sa pagkalap ng mahahalagang kaalaman subalit sa ganitong lapit, hindi kailangang direktang itanong ang mga nakahandang katanungan kung meron man. ang ginagawa rito ay pagtatanung-tanong mula rin sa mga kaisipang lumulutang habang nasaumpukan.

Pakikiramdam – sa maraming pagkakataon, hindi kaagad-agad nakapagbubulalas ng nilalaman ng kalooban ang mga tao sa mga taong hindi kakilala. Ito ang kinikilala sa pakikiramdam. Kailangang gamitin ang pakiramdam ng mananaliksik kung ang kapwa niya mananaliksik ay handa na o nasa yugto na ng “hindi ibang tao” bago magtanung-tanong.

Pakapa-kapa – sa ganitong pamamaraan, ang lahat ng datos ng mananaliksik ay mula sa kapwa mananaliksik. Hindi kinakailangang mayroon na silang kaalaman sa pag-aaralan bago magtungo at gumawa ng pananaliksik.

layunin ng sociological paper na ito ang paggamit sa mga teoryang natutunan ng mga mag-aaral mula sa apat na sulok ng silid-aralan upang mabatid kung may kawastuan pa ito o hindi na kasama ang usapin ng pagtulong sa mga mas nangangailangan na hindi sila tinitingnan bilang mga simpleng subject lamang sa pag-aaral kundi mga kapwa mananaliksik.

matapos makalap ang mga karanasan ng mga kalahok sa pananaliksik, kailangan itong suriin gamit ang alinman sa perspektibang sosyolohikal. lubos na mahalagang maipakita sa papel ang karanasan ng mga kapwa mananaliksik, ang pagsusuri sa kanilang kalagayan sa isang sosyolohikal na paraan at higit sa lahat kung paano nakatulong ang mananaliksik sa kapwa mananaliksik. mahalaga ring magbigay ng mungkahi hinggil sa kanilang kalagayan at kung paanong ang mga tulad nila ay matutulungan para sa pagkakaroon ng isang matiwasay na lipunan at bukas. Sa pangkalahatan, ito ang nilalaman ng Service-Learning kung saan ginagamit ang karanasan sa paglilingkod bilang mahalagang pinaghahalawan ng panibagong mga kaalaman patungo sa pagbabago.

TUA is GREEN . . . Ako ay IN!

Isang napakainit na usapin sa kasalukuyan ng pangangalaga sa kalikasan – usaping hindi maitatangging malaki ang kaugnayan sa ating buhay at kabuhayan. Sa larangan ng akademya, iba’t ibang subject ang tumatalakay rito gaya ng Ecology, Environmental Science, Environmental Communication, Environmental Sociology at kung anu-ano pa. Isang malinaw na katibayang patuloy at lalo pang nililinang ng akademya sa antas teyoretikal ang pagiging mapagmahal at mapangalaga sa kalikasan.

Bawat isa sa atin ay malinaw na bahagi ng mundo – may tungkuling ginagampanan upang maisaayos o sirain ang kalikasan. Isa sa pangunahing kadahilanan kung bakit tumaas ang antas ng kamulatan sa kalagayan ng kalikasan ay dahil na rin sa pinsala sa sambayanan bunga ng kalikasan. Mistula bagang naniningil ang kalikasan sa kapinsalaang gawa ng tao sa kanya.

Lubhang napakarami na ng maaaring sabihing kasalanan ng tao sa kalikasan gaya ng mga sumusunod: 1. ang simpleng pagtatapon ng iba’t ibang uri ng basura kung saan-saan na maaaring magdulot ng pagbabara ng mga daluyan ng tubig; 2. ang walang habas na pagputol ng mga puno sa kabundok na nagdudulot ng malawakang pagbaha sa kapatagan; 3. ang malawakang pagmimina ng mga likas na yaman ng bansa na nagdudulot ng pagpatag o pagbutas sa mga kabundukan na maaari ring magdulot ng pagbabaha at pagkalason mula sa mga kemikal na ginagamit dito; 4. ang kawalan ng plano ng pamahalaan hinggil sa pagpapatayo ng pabahay kung saan-saan na nagdudulot ng di mabilang na kalamidad; 5. ang kawalan ng maayos na imprastraktura hinggil sa tamang daluyan ng tubig patungo sa karagatan; 6.ang pagiging makasarili na iniiisip lamang ang kung paano kikita ng kamal-kamal na salapi kahit na isaalang-alang kaligtasan ng maraming mamamayan at ng kalikasan; 7. ang patuloy na paggamit ng mga bagay na may masamang epekto sa kalikasan; 8. ang kawalan ng disiplina ng marami nating mamamayan; at marami pang ibang mga kaganapang patuloy na sumisira sa ating kinabukasan. Hindi lamang tayo ang nakararanas nito. Suliranin din ito maging ng maga malalaki at mayayamang bansa. Isang pagpapatunay na lahat ng naririto sa daigdig ay dapat gumawa ng hakbang upang muling ibalik ang dating ningning ng kalikasan o kung hindi man, ay magawa nating pantay ang lahat.

Dapat isipin nating lahat na hindi sapat na alam lang natin kung ano ang dapat gawin. Hindi sapat na maituro lamang sa atin samantalang hindi naman natin gagawin – PRAXIS ‘ika nga. Sa programa nating TUA is GREEN, malinaw rito na maging sa ating paaralan, dapat nating gawin ang nararapat para sa ikapanunumbalik ng kaayusan hinggil sa kalikasan at ikagaganda ng buhay ngayon at sa darating na bukas. Umasa tayong maraming mga pagbabago ang magaganap sa ating pamantasan hindi dahil sa nakikiuso lamang tayo kundi ito ay isang pangangailangan dahil ang Trinitian ay may puso at damdamin para sa kalikasan at kinabukasan. Nananawagan ako sa ating lahat na sama-sama natin itong gawin hindi lamang para sa atin kundi lalo’t higit para sa mga susunod na salinlahi. Manindigan tayo, kumilos at gawing TUA is GREEN at sabihing AKO ay IN!

kasaysayang naglilingkod sa bayan

iilang mga tao ang tunay na may interes sa pag-aaral ng kasaysayan. kung hindi lang ito kahingiian sa pag-aaral mula elementarya hanggang kolehiyo, malamang hindi ito mabigyang pansin. mahalaga pa nga bang pag-aralan ang kasaysayan.

halos iisa ang kahulugan ng history, ito ay ang pag-aaral ng nakalipas. subalit hindi ito ganoon kasimple. ang una ngang maaaring maging tanong dito ay bakit history at hindi herstory. ano ang ipinagkaiba ng dalawa?

ang history ay hindi lamang pag-aaral ng nakalipas kundi pag-aaral ng nakalipas mula sa pananaw ng kalalakihan. at dahil sa magkaiba ng pananaw ang kababaihan at kalalakihan, malamang na hindi naipakikita sa history ang pananaw ng mga kababaihan. kitang-kita ito sa mga tala kung saan halos lahat ng nagsisulat at naisulat ay kalalakihan. wala bang nagawa ang mga kababaihan?

iba rin ang history sa kasaysayan. mula sa salitang saysay ang kasaysayan. saysay na may dalawang kahulugan, may halaga at pagkwento. kung pagsasamahin natin, maaari nating bigyan ng kahulugan ang kasaysayan na pagkwento ng kaganapang may saysay. kapansin-pansing walang kasariang itinatangi sa kasaysayan hindi tulad ng history subalit bakit ganoon pa rin ang ating history, mga kalalakihan ang nagsulat at mga kalalakihan ang sikat. mayroon ba tayong kasaysayan?

maaari talagang sabihing wala tayong kasaysayan dahil una, hindi naman mga Pilipino o Indio ang nagsulat ng ating history; pangalawa, kitang-kita ang pagkiling sa kalalakihan ng history dahil mga kalalakihan ang nagsisulat nito; pangatlo, pananaw ng mga dayuhan ang ginamit ng karamihan sa nagsisulat nito; at panghuli, ang karamihan sa nagtuturo ng kasaysayan ay inuulit lamang ang mga dati nang nakasulat at hindi sinusuri ito.

sa sitwasyong ito, mas lalo nating dapat pag-aralan ang ating kasaysasayan – ang kasaysayang hindi simpleng paglalarawan ng nakalipas kundi isang mahalagang gamit upang buhayin ang pagmamamahal sa bayan. dapat din nating muling isulat ang kasaysayan at gawin natin itong atin at magsisilbi sa ating interes.

Masaya, Masarap, Masakit, Mapait: Isang Silip sa Hindi Pantay na Pagtingin sa Sekswalidad sa Lipunan

Nakaiskor ka na ba? Natira mo na ba? Nagamit mo na ba? Naikama mo na ba?

Malawak na usapin ang sekswalidad. Kaakibat nito ang lahat ng usaping may kaugnayan sa pakikipagtalik tulad ng kasarian, pagpili ng magiging kaagapay sa buhay, maagang pagbubuntis at kung anu-ano pa. Nandiyan din ang usapin hinggil sa mga programa ng pamahalan, simbahan at ilan pang mga institusyong hindi magkaisa sa usaping ito.

Masayang pag-usapan ng paksang ito lalo na sa kasalukuyang panahon kung saan lantad na lantad sa lipunan ang mga elementong may kaugnayan dito. Para bagang iminumulat lamang ang iyong mata sa realidad ng kasalukuyang lipunan. Masarap na usapan din ito sa magkakaibigang nagpapayabangan ng bawat karanasan o nangangarap may maranasan. Samantalang iminumulat tayo sa ating realidad, masakit isiping tila baga walang malinaw na programa ang mga institusyong may kaugnayan sa paksang ito kung ano at saan ito patungo. At ang mapait dito, tila baga hindi makawala sa pagiging biktima ang mga kababaihan sa dulo ng bawat usapan. Tatalakayin sa papel na ito ang saya, sarap, sakit, at pait ng usaping sekswalidad sa kasalukuyang lipunan.

I LOVE YOU

Paano ba ma-inlove? Paano ba naipakikitang mahal mo ang isang tao? Kapag “love” ang usapan, ang daming tanong. Ang hirap kasing intindihin ng kahulugan ng “love”. Sabi nila, kapag naipaliwanag mo kung bakit mo siya “love”, hindi totoong “love” mo siya. Ibig ba nitong sabihing hindi talaga natin maipaliliwanag kung ano ang “love”. Kung ganito ang lohika, ayaw kong ma-inlove dahil baka niloloko ko lang ang sarili ko at ang partner ko sa buhay at sa bahay dahil sa isang konseptong hindi ko rin maintindihan.

Sa wikang tagalog, kapwa tumutukoy ang pag-ibig at pagmamahal sa salitang “love”. Kung pag-aaralan natin ang morpolohiya ng dalawang salitang salin nito (love) sa tagalog, ibig at mahal ang salitang ugat nito. Ang ibig ay kasingkahulugan ng nais o gusto samantalang ang mahal ay pagbibigay ng halaga. Kung titingnan natin ngayon sa wikang tagalog, ang “love” ay pagnanais at pagbibigay halaga sa isang tao. Ang hindi malinaw ngayon ay pagnanais na ano? Maaaring pagnanais makasama ng mas madalas tulad ng ipinakikita sa lipunan ng mga taong “in-love” umano.

Kung talagang mahal mo ako mag-make love tayo.

Paano nga ba maipakikita ang tunay na pagmamahal, kailangan ba talagang kasama ang pakikipagtalik? Ang usaping ito ay hindi nawawala sa magkarelasyon lalo na sa kabataang nasa yugto ng pagsubok sa maraming bagay. Sa usaping ito, kitang kita ang mataas na pagtingin sa puri at pakikipagtalik. Para sa kababaihan at kalalakihan, ang puri at pakikipagtalik ay inihahanay nila na isang mahalagang kapalit ng pagmamahal. Bahagi rin ito ng pagpapaliwanag kung bakit hindi nagiging madali para sa karamihan sa ating mga Tagalog na sabihin ang mga salitang suso, puki at titi. Iginagalang kasi natin ang mga pribadong bahaging ito ng ating katawan kasabay ng pagtingin natin ng mataas sa kung saan at kailan ito ginagamit. Mataas man ang pagtingin dito, lugi pa rin ang kababaihan sa puntong sila ang maaaring mabuntis.

Sex lang.

Maaaring sabihing mataas pa ang pagtingin ng lipunan sa usapin ng pakikipagtalik subalit kapansin-pansin na sa kasalukuyan ang pagtingin dito bilang isang pangkaraniwang bahagi na lamang ng buhay. May mga lokasyon lang naman kung saan nagiging palasak ito tulad sa beach, bar, at maging sa iskul. Sabi nga nung mentor ko, naglo-loosen ang moral fiber kapag nasa beach at ganun din ang usapin sa mga bar at ng ilan sa mga nasa paaralan. Sa obserbasyon ko sa beach at sa bar, maraming nauuwi sa one night stand. Kailangan lang na magaling kang makipag-usap kahit hindi kagandahang lalaki at matipuno ang pangangatawan.

Nangyayari rin ito sa mga kabataan sa eskwelahan. Sabi ng nila, “basta may alak, may balak”, kung saan nagiging bahagi ng party ng mga kabataan ang one night stand. May nabasa rin akong post ng isang estudyante, “ang sex na walang love, exercise lang” na maaaring sabihing nakikita na rin ng mga kabataang pwedeng tingnan ang sex na sex lang talaga. Kapag tiningnan natin ang sex na sex lang talaga, pabata ng pabata ang susubok nito at mawawalan na talaga ng malalim na pagpapahalaga. Paano nga ba nagbago ang pananaw na ito at ano ang magiging bunga nito sa lipunan?

ForHornyMen

Isa ang pornograpiya sa hindi pa nabibigyan ng malinaw na kahulugan at hangganan lalo na sa ligal na usapin. Sa ating bansa kung saan nakalalamang sa bilang ang paniniwalang Katolisismo, paano ba ito tinitingnan?

Iisa lang ang layunin ng pornograpiya, ang paggising sa libog sa katawan. Sa ganitong layunin, pwede nating sabihing anumang nababasa, nakikita o napapanood na gigising/gumigising sa libog sa katawan ay maaaring sabihing pornographic. Kung gayon, maaaring sabihing naglipana ang mga tulad nito sa ating paligid.

Pwedeng sabihing pinakapalasak ito sa internet kung saan napakaraming pornographic web site. Pero palasak din ito sa bawat tabloid sa mga kanto-kanto at maging sa bookstore. Nababanaag din dito ang hindi pantay na lipunan kung saan ang binibili ng masa ay ang nasa kanto lamang samantalang ang maykaya sa buhay ay sa mga booktore na aircon.

Bagaman at may mga magazine na lalaki ang mga nakahubad, karamihan pa rin sa nasa paligid ay babae ang mga nakahubad. Kapansin-pansin din ang maraming billboard na nagpapakita ng mga hubad, o nakapanty/bra/brief lang na nadaraanan at nakikita ng napakaraming tao sa mga pangunahing lansangan sa kamaynilaan at pangunahing tema rin ng mga pelikulang kumikita. Naglipana rin sa mga kalye ang piniratang dvd na ito rin ang tema. Sa tingin ko, napakaliberal ng pagtanggap natin sa pornograpiya at wala ring ginagawa ang pamahalaan para masawata ito.

Usapin hingil sa pagsasamantala sa kababaihan at kabataan ang mabigat na kaakibat ng pornograpiya. Kung liberal ang pagtanggap natin dito at walang ginagawa ang pamahalaan, ibig bang sabihin nitong hindi natin nakikitang biktima ang mga kabataan at kababaihan.

Isa pang usapin dito ay ang pagdami rin ng kababaihang nagbabasa ng mga ganitong materyales. Nangangahulugan ba itong tanggap nilang sila ay ginagamit lamang o hindi na nila talaga nabibigyan ng malalim na halaga ang puri at pakikipagtalik?

Kalakal

Kaakibat ng pagbaba ng tingin sa puri at pakikipagtalik ang paggamit dito bilang isang kalakal na maaaring tumbasan ng halaga. Sa kasalukuyang patuloy ang paghihirap ng sambayanan, patuloy rin ang pagdami ng mga taong tinutumbasan ng halaga at ginagawang kalakal ang kanilang sarili. Kung noon ay sanasabi kong may tatlong antas ang mga prostitute, dahil sa hirap ng buhay sa kasalukuyan, nadagdagan pa ito ng isa.

Class A ang mga nasa escort service, ilang mga artista at modelo, at mga nasa malalaking hotel at casino, Class B naman ang mga nasa mamahaling Mens Club, Class C ang mga nasa maliliit na beerhouse at mga nasa mall at kalye at Class D ang mga nagpapabayad ng kalakal (na basura) at palit sopas.

Dahil sa semi-legal lang ang prostitusyon sa bansa, marami sa kanila ang nagiging kawawa. May programa ba ang pamahalaan para mahinto ang ganito? Sino na naman ang kawawa rito, ang kalalakihan na gumagamit sa kanila o ang mga kababaihan at kabataang ikinakama?

Nakaiskor na nagamit pa!

Bakit ginagamit ang salitang makaiskor, natira, naikama, nagalaw at nagamit kapag pinag-uusapan kung nakatalik na ang isang babae? Wari bagang ikinukumpara ang kapartner nila sa buhay sa isports na kailangan nilang pagwagian o kaya ay sa isang bagay. Kung ganito ang kaganapan, malungkot ito para sa mga kababaihan dahil kung pinagwagian ka, pang-display ka lang at kung gamit ka, kahit ano pwedeng gawin sa iyo at kapag nagsawa na ay pwedeng itapon at palitan ng mas bago.

Sa kabuuan ng pagtalakay, ipinakita kung paano nagbabago ang pananaw ng tao hingil sa usapin ng pakikipagtalik hanggang sa pagtingin sa sarili bilang kalakal. Ipinakita rin ang ilan sa mga bagay-bagay na kaakibat ng mga pagbabagong ito. At higit sa lahat, kung paanong sa dulo ng lahat ng usapin, biktima palagi ang mga kababaihan. Isang problemang tila baga walang solusyon at tinatanggap na lamang na isang katotohanan. Maging ang pamahalaan na siya sanang gagabay sa kung saan patungo ang sambayanan ay walang ginagawa hinggil sa usaping ito. Gayundin ang usapin sa simbahan marahil na siya sanang mas madaling gamitin para patibayin ang pundasyong moral ng sambayanan subalit hindi rin nito nagagampanan ang tungkuling ito. Mabilis lang ba talaga ang takbo ng buhay at hindi ito napapansin o talaga lang wala na tayong pakialam.

Napakahalagang usapin ang paksang ito. Hindi lamang upang malaman ang mga nagaganap sa lipunan bagkus ay makatutulong ito sa pagsasaayos ng lipunan. Ang mga babae ay hindi dapat tinitingnang kalakal, pag-aari, bagay na pampasaya sa mga kalalakihan at sa halip ay dapat silang tingnan bilang isang taong may pantay ring karapatan.

Maka-Pilipinong Lapit sa Pananaliksik at Service-Learning

Maliwanag na nakikitang may problema sa bawat lipunan. May naniniwalang dapat tanggaping ganito talaga ang sistema. Mayroon din namang nagsasabing dapat baguhin ang sistema. Kung anuman ang nais tunguhin ng nag-aaral ng lipunan, mahalagang gawan ito ng pag-aaral. Maraming iba’t ibang pamamaraan ng pananaliksik, nandyan ang experimental, paggawa ng survey, Participant-observation, may pamamaraang maka-Pilipino at kung anu-ano pa. Dahil sa kinikilalang may roong pagkakaiba-iba ang bawat kultura, mas marapat sigurong pamamaraang maka-Pilipino ang ating pag-aralan.

Unang isinulong ni Virgilio Enriquez ang pananaw na bawat kultura ay may sarilng sikolohiya. At kasabay nito ang pagsusulong ng mga pamamaraan ng pananaliksik na angkop sa kulturang Pilipino. Sa ganitong uri ng pananaliksik, tinitingnan kalahok at kapwa mananaliksik ang mga paksa ng pag-aaral. Nakakakalap ng mga impormasyon ang mananaliksik sa mga umpukan o sa natural na sitwasyon. Iba-ibang lapit ang maaaring gawin hinggil dito. Maaaring:

Pakikipagkwentuhan – sa pamamagitan ng pakikipagkwentuhan sa isang umpukan, makakukuha ng datos na payak at tunay na galing sa karanasan ng mga kapawa mananaliksik.

Panunuluyan – sa pamamagitan ng tunay na pagtuloy o pagtira sa bahay ng mga kalahok sa pananaliksik ay madali ring makakakalap ng mga datos para sa pananaliksik

Pagdalaw-dalaw – may mga pagkakataong hindi kwayang gawin ng mananaliksik ang pagtira sa mga kapwa mananaliksik ngunit hindi nangangahulugang hindi namakakalap ng mahahalagang datos, maaaring gawin din ang pagdalaw-dalaw o pagpunta-punta sa paksa ng pag-aaral.

Pagtatanung-tanong – Ginagawa rin ang pagtatanungnong sa pagkalap ng mahahalagang kaalaman subalit sa ganitong lapit, hindi kailangang direktang itanong ang mga nakahandang katanungan kung meron man. ang ginagawa rito ay pagtatanung-tanong mula rin sa mga kaisipang lumulutang habang nasaumpukan.

Pakikiramdam – sa maraming pagkakataon, hindi kaagad-agad nakapagbubulalas ng nilalaman ng kalooban ang mga tao sa mga taong hindi kakilala. Ito ang kinikilala sa pakikiramdam. Kailangang gamitin ang pakiramdam ng mananaliksik kung ang kapwa niya mananaliksik ay handa na o nasa yugto na ng “hindi ibang tao” bago magtanung-tanong.

Pakap-kapa – sa ganitong pamamaraan, ang lahat ng datos ng mananaliksik ay mula sa kapwa mananaliksik. Hindi kinakailangang mayroon na silang kaalaman sa pag-aaralan bago magtungo at gumawa ng pananaliksik.

Anuman ang pamamaraang nais gamitin, ang mahalaga ay kinikilalang kapwa tao ang bawat kalahok sa pag-aaral.

Service-Learning

Mahalagang hindi naiiwan lamang sa apat na sulong ng klasrum ang mga napag-aaralan. Mahalagang magamit ang mga teoryang natutunan upang mabatid kung may katotohanan pa ito o hindi na. At mas magandang gawin ito habang tumutulong sa iba. Sa pangkalahatan, ito ang nilalaman ng Service-Learning kung saan ginagamit ang karanasan sa paglilingkod bilang mahalagang pinaghahalawan ng panibagong mga kaalaman. Mahalagang elemento ito sa pag-aaral ng lipunan.

Sa kabuuan, magandang pag-ugnayin ang maka-Pilipinong pananaliksik, ang konsepto ng Service-Learning at ang Critical Sociology upang hindi lamang nakapag-aamabag ng mga bagong kaalaman ang mga mag-aaral kundi nakatutulong pa sila sa lipunan habang nagsusulong ng pagbabago.

Oryentasyon ng Sosyolohiya

May tatlong pangunahing tunguhin ang sosyolohiya. Mga tunguhing alinsunod sa tatlong pangunahing teorya sa sosyolohiya.

1. Scientific

Hindi maitatatwang maraming magkakaugnay na yunit sa lipunan. Bawat yunit ay may kanya-kanyang tungkuling dapat gampanan. Parang sinasabing kailangan talagang mayroong mahirap at mayaman, ang mga mahihirap ay magsisilbi sa mga mayayaman. Dapat tanggaping ganito talaga ang katotohanan ng buhay – isang maayos na sistema.

Tinitingnan sa oryentasyong ito na mayroong obhetibong realidad – realidad na walang kinikilingan.

Tanging layunin ng pag-aaral dito ang makapag-ambag ng panibagong kaalaman para sa mga mambabasa mula sa mga datos na ikinakatawan ng mga numero.

Ginagamit ang Structural-functionalism theory sa ganitong pag-aaral kung saan tinitingnang ang lipunan ay binubuo ng iba’t ibang yunit na magkakaugnay-ugnay. Bawat yunit na ito ay dapat kumilos ng ayon sa inaasahan sa kanya ng lipunan upang hindi magkaroon ng problema. Parang sa katawan ng tao, kapag nagkaroon ng problema sa isang bahagi, naaapektuhan ang buong katawan.

2. Interpretive

Ang lipunan ay produkto ng tuluy-tuloy na ugnayan ng mga tao sa lipunan. Sa bawat ugnayang ito, nakabubuo sila ng mga simbolo at binibigyan nila ng sariling kahulugan. Ibig sabihin, ang realidad ay nakabatay sa kung paano binibigyang kahulugan ng mga tao sa kanilang araw-araw na pakikipag-ugnayan sa bawat isa.

Layunin ng pag-aaral na itong ilarawan ang isa sa pinakamahalagang bahagi ng lipunan ng tao, ang kahulugan ng mga bagay-bagay at kung paano nila ito nabuo.

Dapat nating palaging tandaan ang salitang “verstehen” – ang pag-unawa kung paanong binibigyang kahulugan ng tao ang mundo.

Ginagamit ang Symbolic-interactionism theory sa ganitong pag-aaral. Sa teoryang ito, sinasabing ang kilos ng mga tao ay nakabatay sa kung paano nila binibigyang kahulugan ang bawat pagkakataon. Halimbawa, bakit hindi natin pinagsasabihan ng masama ang ating mga magulang, dahil sa ang alam natin, dapat natin silang igalang.

3. Critical

Maliwanag ang usaping puno ng tunggalian ang lipunan. Kitang-kita ang hindi pagkapantay-pantay ng mga mayayaman at mahihirap. Ang katotohan ay mayroong nakalalamang sa lipunan at isa itong malaking problema.

Dahil sa tinitingnang may malaking problema sa nagagaganap sa lipunan, ang pag-aaral dito ay nakatuon sa kung paano magkakakroon ng pagbabagong panlipunan.

Ginagamit ang Social Conflict theory sa pag-aaral na ito kung saan tinitingnang ang lahat ng nagaganap sa lipunan ay bunga ng mga tunggalian. Halimbawa, sa usapin ng pagtaas ng sahod ay nagtutunggali ang pananaw ng kapitalista at mga manggagawa. Kung hihingi ng dagdag na sahod ang mga manggagawa, maaaring hindi magbigay ang mga kapitalista na magbubunga ng kilos-protesta ng mga manggagawa.