What does it mean...

What does it mean when around 1 million Pilipinos leave the Philippines every year?

This was the first question posed in the video and it struck me because it sheds light on some of the most fundamental issues facing the Philippines every year. In addition to rampant poverty, government aide to the least fortunate has often been stymied and blocked. This has led young families to relocate every year in hopes of achieving the life that is beyond their grasp in their homeland. As a Pilipino-American and a beneficiary of parents who sought that same dream, I am often perplexed as to how I can be more effective in alleviating these issues beyond simply being aware of the problems in the first place. Sustainable solutions to these issues are not simply created via political and economic theorists and experts because much of the problems can also be attributed to the cultural and religious perspectives of the Philippines. As a college student, I am constantly bombarded, every day, with the many issues that California and the US face every day and with the globalization of economies, everything seems to be more interconnected then ever. Yet, it also puts into perspective the many privileges that come with living in a developed country. In order to complain about rising tuition and fee hikes, there had to be accessible education in the first place in and order to combat the privatization of our university system, it had to be public first as well. These things are often lost in translation to begin with but it sheds light on the dire situation that exists in the Philippines. To be honest, I don't have much of a solution at the moment - it is difficult to hypothesize one when you live 4,000 miles away - but acknowledging the problem is always the first step. Hopefully we can all figure out a way to make that next step....

My relationship with my roommates has been a roller coaster. First of all, my actual roommate (there are 4 of us, two rooms and I share a room with on eof them) is one of my friends from high school but the thing is, sometimes, we drive each other craycray. I'M DEAD SERIOUS. I'll be sleeping and he'll wake me up... JUST TO FLIP ME OFF. WHO THE EFF DOES THAT? But I mean, at the end of the day, if push comes to shove, he's the only person who can contact my family back home if something were to ever happen to me (God forbid >.<). But overall, we cool.

Secondly, there's the homie Mikey, who be slangin' from the 707 American Canyon, Vallejo. He be a dancer, always doing that P90X stuff. He got lots of posters and stickys up in his room. Plays video games... A LOT. A LOT LOT LOT. And he's majoring in Political Economy... I think, might have to check up on a homie for that one. He a cool dude though, we get a long well. Takes long showers sometimes but hey, the cleaner the better, yanadameeaaannnn...

And then there's mahh babyboii Rivo. He's new, moved in over the summer, hailing form the 619 WHICH IS WHERE I'M FROM, a former MORSE TIGER dooeee. He's a loveable and cuddly fellow who be doin' lots of PAHC rep stuff. He's our community mascot and he's HILARIOUS. He loves me a lot but tends to show it in this weird way where he denies it a lot and acts like he don't currr. but he really do. ya kno. I'm happy to have him around because he's always watching charmed and other cheesy shows but its pretty entertaining so I like having him around.

MARR's

MIKEY

ANTHONY

RIVO

ROEHL.

GET AT US.

whatup.

My Siblings

"Sometimes, being a brother is better than being a superhero."

Found that random quote off the net and spoke true with the relationship I have with my siblings. I am forever grateful that I have the most caring, understanding, and loving siblings. They provide unconditional support and love with no questions asked and asked for nothing in return. They inspire me to be a better person. We have inside jokes, we make and poke fun of ourselves especially our dysfunctional family. I realized that as we get older, our bond is also getting stronger. 

My mom

The one person that has had the most impact on me is my mom. She has always been there for me through ups and downs. She has been through so much in life, and she sees to it that she is able to impart her life wisdom on me. She has proven herself to be quite tenacious and I aspire to be as tough as she is. One thing she does that I have really come to appreciate is how she reminds me to try to see the good in people - to refrain from making hasty judgments as much possible.

Lisa

One relationship that I really value a lot is with my girlfriend Lisa. She's my best friend, support system, my tutor and just about everything. I can always go to her for anything I need. Theres a lot of times I've given up on myself and she inspired me to keep going. I believe its really important when you find a significant other that they make you better and bring out qualities you didn't know you had in yourself. So here's to someone who keeps me motivated every day.

Alaina

A relationship that I value a lot is my friendship with someone called 'Alaina.' More than a friend, I often call her my "sister from another mother" because people actually mistake us for siblings many times over. She's helped me through thick and thin and always supported me in school, in my family problems, and just life in general. She was the person I turned to when I couldn't even talk to my own family about certain things. Whenever she heard my problems, she wouldn't judge (ie. "Some people have it worse,"-thing, which is true but...) but always lent her shoulder. I remember where we had a sob-fest in which she started crying 'cause I was crying. LOL. And she'd also be the person I'd go to and spazz with when it comes to K-pop. Heh.~

Anywaaay, we still keep in contact and she still in fact remains my best friend even though she's in SoCal. I admire her lots in her determination and creativity (she makes her own clothes and so crafts.) So seeing her, I can't give up yet ! :C

I'm proud of...

1.) I'm proud to be a Cal Bear. Getting into the #1 public university in America is no joke, and we should all be proud of ourselves for this accomplishment.

2.) I'm proud of my parents. I truly admire their perseverance and resilience. We may not get along sometimes, but they have always been there for me no matter what.

3.) I'm proud of myself for taking the effort towards becoming an agent of altruism. I volunteered at an Alzheimer's facility and it has truly been such a rewarding experience. Being able to make a difference in the lives of other people allowed me to get a better sense of what it is to be truly human.