TIRIGSIKAN NIN MGA BURAT

Tigsik! Tigsik ko!
An arak na naula,nalasik
Ay tara an bote dai na nabirik!

Tinitigsikan ko si padi
Inom ka lang sagkod na marindi
Daing bale, ta an aldaw na ini
Saimong gayong bertdi!

Tigsik ko an sili
Kagaton mo orog kapwerte
Pero hare ka ta an lata’
Yaon sa malanit na dila’!

Tinigsik ko an dai sukat tigsikon
Natatagong birtud kan babaeng gi’tilon!
Inarukay baga mga lalaking bale-baleon!

Tigsik ko sakong singsing
Nagkikilyab, nagsisilyab
Sinasapo sa odo nin damulag!

Tigsik kun tigsik
An ngabil mong iswil
Nagsiram nang ita’pil
Sa bote ni San Miguel!

Tinitigsik ko an sakong kainoman
Onra na yaon ka sa aratubangan
Dai ka man logod maburat o
Magkamangkamang!

Tigsik, tigsik kita!
Sa aripompon nin mga boyong
Pierde kita sa inomon
Arak baga linala’gok
Garo sana tuba’ sa darikon!

Tigsik ko si Pedrong maton
An tindog garo na sa oragon
Talsot man kun angaton
Ni Tinay na saiyang agom!

Tinigsik ko an si’mong burak
Si’mong pinaka’ingat-ingat
Dawa anong tapal mong barat
Malalaog man giraray
Kan makamandag na halas!

Tigsik na kun tigsik!
Sa saimong buhay-bagsik
Maggurang ka man logod
Dawa dai ka nang tagik!

Tigsik ko an bitoon
Nin sakong buhay
Hidaw ko an imbong
Kan saimong sinasaray!

Tigsik kita nene ko
Saimong bertday
Ngonyan na gayo
Ano gusto mong
Sakong iregalo?
Sa aldaw na ini
Espesyal saimo?

Tinitigsik ko si Mading Coring
Reyna sa kusinang maoring
Minsan iba an linuluto
Kun mayo si Pading Fermin!

Tigsik ko man an Padi sa Isla Bato
Sa pongaw nakape narosario
Nag’abot si Mamo paka odto
Pinatimplang kape si Rosario!

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Finalists of 2006 Premio Tomas Arejola Named

by Cora A. Arejola

Thirteen literary pieces and seven collections of poetry have been shortlisted for the 3rd Premio Tomas Arejola para sa Literaturang Bikolnon. This was announced by Carlo Arejola, managing director of the Arejola Foundation for Social Responsibility, the pioneering spirit behind Bicol’s premier literary prize.

Finalists

Novel
Introibo Ad Altare Dei, Carlos A. Ojeda, Naga City
Badas ni Satanas, Otello L. Santiano, Naga City

Poetry
Mga Rawit-dawit ni Padre Cabalquinto, Fr. Philip Francis R. Bersabe, Naga City
Karangahan, Jaime Jesus U. Borlagdan, Tabaco City, Albay
Folio, VICTOR DENNIS T. NIERVA, San Fernando, Camarines Sur
Dios Marhay na Aldaw, Honesto M. Pesimo, Jr., Naga City
An Pirang Aram Ko Manonongod sa Saimong Ngirit, Edgar A. Ramores, Naga City
Sa Gapo kan Nakaagi, Jericho H. Rabadeo, Calabanga, Camarines Sur
Aripompon nin Kapapadayawan, by Otello L. Santiano

Short Story
Ibalong 2080, Estelito Baylon Jacob, Camaligan, Camarines Sur
Anghel sa Dalipay, Austin John M. Ortinero, Goa, Camarines Sur
Kolor Takla an Agaw-Diklom, Edgar A. Ramores, Naga City
Nagpalta an Dios, Otello L. Santiano, Naga City

Essay
Bingkay, Fr. Philip Francis R. Bersabe, Naga City
Pagkahalo-halo saka Hegemonikong Direksyon kana mga Rimang Pang-igin sa PNR Site, Siyudad nin Iriga, Jose Jason L. Chancoco, Iriga City
An Bikolano, Honesto M. Pesimo, Jr., Naga City
Paghuba sa Magayon, Adrian V. Remodo, Lagonoy, Camarines Sur.

Stories for Children
Sabi ni ‘Pay, Nestor R. Alagbate, Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte
An Rosas sa Disyerto, Jericho H. Rabadeo, Naga City

Authors of the said cited entries will each receive a framed Diploma of Merit in a gala awards night on September 12, this year, 7 p.m. at the Naga City Youth Center. The best entries, to be named in said occasion, will be awarded P2,500 and gold medallion. A grand prize winner shall then be chosen from among the said category winners, who shall then receive 10,000.00 and the Premio Tomas Arejola statuette.

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It is a bit late now to publish in our blog who were adjudged the winning entries in each category but we will try to get the results from Carlo Arejola, the managing director of the Arejola Foundation for Social Responsibility. If anyone is interested to get in touch with him, his office is located at the 2nd floor of the Dabu Bldg., Elias Angeles St., Naga City.

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Lola, Iba Nang Maray An Kinaban

Lola, ano ta dakul daraga ngonyan, nagaaki
Pero mayong agom?
Ano ta kaidto ‘La dakulang disgrasya an
Maakian?
Simbaga daw ko ‘La kun ano ta dakul daraga ngonyan
Nagyoyopyop na nin Malboro
Magpabuga garo tsiminiya
An koko madarag na, an hangaw mabata pa

Ano ta ngonyan dai na napondo an tawo pagbagting nin alas seis
Magkimotkimot an nguso nin pamibi sa Angeles
Ano ta diit na an nangungurus pag-agi sa simbahan?

Garo baga an mga drayber na sana kan Francia
An napangurus ta habong madisgrasya
May rosaryo pang sabit, ginagamit na anting-anting baga

Ano ta an mga bagongtawo kun mabisa ,
Tinitikwas na sana an palad ninda,
Binibisa an saindang angog mansana?

Ano ta bako nang tarakot an daraga makipagseks
Sa lalaking kapwa liberated
sa bagay na dapat ginigibo sana, kaidtong may lisensya?

Ano ta dakul nang nabibihag sa teks sana,
Madaling mapasimbag, mapa-oyon
Paagi nin selpon, sa lalaking tataong magdoondoon?

Lola, ano ta iba nang maray an kinaban?
Kaidto balalong totoo an pinopokpok kun may
Gustong inaapod

Lola, kaidto kamo kun sinisirip nin mga pilyo
Sinusukib an tiklad sa pantaw, maanyapan an susong nakalaylay
Kan daragang nagtatabo’ sa dulay

Dai mo aram ‘La, dai na kaipuhan ngonyan an pantaw
Makamansay lang nin lubot na hilaw?

Iba na talaga, ta an mga tinedyer ta
Sa monitor nasirip sana, nasurf sa mga sex sites baga
Gabos na klaseng boobs, mga baak pa, nakikita ninda!

Lola, ako nariribong
Dai ko marorop an gabos ining nagtatalibong
Iba nang maray an hiro, an nginisi asin an harakatak
Iba naman na maray an mga bagay na pigkakasibotan
Pigkakaintresan, sabihon pa kompyuter an pigkakarongawan!

Naiba na kaya an pagtubod kan mga tawo?

Kaidto simple an orolay
Dapit lang sa karsonsilyong laylay
O ki Kikay na nalislis an tapis

O ki Gurang Kakoy na paramama
Mapula na an ngipngip kasasapa
Kan bunga, apog sa buyo na dahon

Lola, iba na palan an kinaban mo
Sa kinaban kan saimong apo

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Mga Tigsik Na Mabagsik

Tigsik ko an pilyong malsok
Borahat kun makatorohok
Sa susong gobok na gobok
Nin babaeng bados-bados!

Tigsik ko si Akang
Masirot an anyap sa katabang
Ano kayang iniisip na maharang?

Tigsik ko daragang hilaw
Sa hitsura garo sarong bayawas na hubal
Mas manamit kaya sa a’ngot na makubal?

Tigsik ko an talusog
Mahalnas pag tinakma’ sa ikog
Pag nadakop, orog na napulokpulok!

Tinigsik ko an paratigsik
Kun ano-ano an yawit,
Liwoy nagtataralsik!

Tigsik ko an mga parainom
Matabil na kun naboboyong
Pati malsok nagpipirong-pirong

Tigsik ko an ulianon
Halipot na an paggiromdom
Dai na nabisto an saiyang agom!

Tigsik ko si Manoy
Dai na baga naliwoy
Alang na sa tagik,
Pirmi na lang tongloy!

Tigsik ko an sakuyang agom
Dai pwedeng ribayan kun sakali
Ta siya an ranga kan buhay kong ini!

Tigsik kun tigsik!
Namarakpatik,namarakpasak
Ika an Pedrong bugsak!

Tigsik ko an parabulang
Mas pang padangat an saiyang ataman
Lalong na pampurok, sagkod na magadan!

Tigsik ko an parapadyak
Maghapon nagsisikad-sikad
Kan saiyang bisikletang karag!

Tigsik ko si Vanni
Kun ngumirit tiwi’
Kun maglakaw tabingi’!

Tigsik, ika an sakong tinitigsik!
Tawong de honra, politikong lataw,
Pero an gibo, puros sa palpal!

Tigsik ko sa mga tabili
Nakaupot sa lanob ni Padi’
Natagsik kun na-ihi!

Tinigsik ko an mahamot na tangid
Kahoy na halangkaw, burak nya giyaw
Maray na lindong, sa tawong nagbuburu-
bula’tay!

Glosario ngani maglinaw an kahulogan:

malsok – mata (sa suya’ na pagtaram)
torohok – maigot na pagmaan
gobok – pagpano nin gatas sa suso
a’ngot – gurang na daraga
tagik – (tagok, manongod sa tagok naluwas sa lalake/babae)
ranga – nakakaaling, nakakahale nin karibarawan isip

namarakpatik – an pagparahiro kan hawak
namarakpasak – pareho man kan sa itaas
bugsak – aliwalas sa buhay, usmak
karag – luma na, dakul nang hirahayon
palpal – estupido
tagsik – pagpatanog kan dila sa ngaragngag
tangid – sa Tag., ilang-ilang
giyaw – yellow
bula’tay – sabi sa tawong mayong gibo, nakahuros lang sa tukawan

ORAGON- A Word Pregnant In Meanings

The pre-Hispanic Bikols associates the word “orag”with sex. And the sexual urge. It is neither a dirty word, a word to shun, nor a word not fit for polite crowds. Way back then, sex was regarded as just one of those human needs and, like hunger for food, it should be satisfied in the course of human affairs..

The attitude towards sex was much simpler then, until the Spaniards came along and Puritan values were imposed by them upon bikol society. We get a glimpse of how the old bikols regard sex in the sexual practices they had .

They naturally enjoyed sex in an uninhibited way,. As ethnographer William Henry Scott said, the bikol women thoroughly enjoyed sex with male partners who were wearing “sacra” and disdained those who did not wear them during intercourse.

Now for those who are no longer familiar with this term (sacra’, syn.: ‘tikala’), this word still survives in bikol vocabulary to mean “a ring around handles of bolos or knives”- made of metal or rattan (‘binaklaw’)) This prevents the handle to split apart during heavy blows of the sharp instrument. One can immediately see the apt symbolism in applying it to a sexual gadget.

(One also recalls those “little rings” made of “goat’s eye” with hairs intact being sold in Ongpin. For those who are mischievous in sex play, this “hairy ring” tiokles a female sex partner no end )

The Spanish Franciscans immediately sensed the pre-eminent role of the “oragon” in old bikol society, that of the “hiyangta’”, “maginoo” and “dato’” who were of the highest social status because they earned their titles for being brave in wars and were allowed to wear tattoos on their faces and had the distinct privilege to own as many concubines they wanted, a harem, in fact, for their sole delectation.. They were the real “oragon” of pre-Hispanic times.

Thru religious brainwashing, the Spanish friars drummed upon the bikol people of the sinfulness of being “maorag”. One comes across the admonition in the bible, thus: “Dai magpakalalaw sa dalnak nin kaoragan.”.

But the word “orag” or “oragon” has expanded to so many meanings and contexts..

Its primal meaning associated with sex to denote “virility, lust, sexual prowess, masculinity” thereafter got linked to the concepts of ‘bravery, foolhardiness, fortitude, rashness, impudence, recklessness, temerity, venturesomeness, boldness, audacity, courage, intrepidity, rudeness, sauciness, insolence, and related patterns of behavior.

Now, “oragon” has morphed many times over. You find variants of the word of varying degrees of application and nuances:

Orag-oragon, one who swaggers and shows off
Naoorag, one who is extremely irritated
Inoragan, one who gets his come-uppance; or one who is beaten black and blue
Nagoorag-orag, appearing bold and impudent; one who is flip-flopping; also to mean ‘not functioning properly’
Oragan, to beat up a person
Oragan!, an expression of disbelief
Inooragan, subject to intense vexation, or intense urge or feeling
Naorag, got put off, get pissed off
Maorag ka?, to mean,”will you take my dare?”
Maynoragan ka pa!, meaning “you be damned!”
Payngorag. Plentiful, in great abundance
Oragi, an order to beat up or maul a person

The word “nangingirag” (< kirag, to be in heat) is obviously a cognate of “orag”, the former also strongly denoting an urge for sex. And the word “orog” is distanly related but the meaning takes on a more neutral tone not related to sex but sharing the same intensity.

Aside from these various contextual applications, we have variants in expressing the sense of the word: orati’, orastig, oyagon, orastigon,

It may be noted that the Tagalog word “astig” was borrowed from the Bikol word “orastig,” which is clearly a mutation from the word “oragon”. The Diksynaryo-Tesauro of Jose Villa Panganiban (ed. 1973) did not enter this as a Tagalog word for then it was a slangy word drawn from a nonTagalog source. This goes to show that a language borrows from any source for its own fullness of expression and convenience.

The term “oragon” is gradually taking on a dignified meaning and we now hear of oragonrepublic, oragon award, oragon (oragonon) magazine, and lately, I saw a commercial billboard along Elias Angeles here in Naga City carrying the name “Orastigon- the Bikol Republic.” But I am sure it is not selling a quick fix on sex!

Ikatolong Juliana Arejola -Fajardo Workshop Sa Pagsurat-bikol

Kan Mayo 18 abot 20, ginibo an Ikatolong Juliana Arejola-Fajardo Workshop Sa Pagsurat-bikol duman sa Training Center kan CSSAC, Pili, Camarines sur.

Naalok man ako ni Jason Chancoco, sarong amigo na nagtotolod kan okasyon, na mag-ayon. Kaya tolong aldaw ako “nawara” sa Naga, yaon sa CSSAC, Pili. Maogma baga an pagtiripon duman sa Workshop ta hininguto na gayo kun pano man ngaya magkumpos nin rawitdawit. An tema iyo an teknikal na aspekto sa pagkawingkawing nin sarong tula’ na tama sa porma asin tama sa pandangog.

Idtong pigsumitir na mga rawitdawit pigrukitdukit asin pighimay kun saen nagkulang asin kun saen pwede pang pakarhayon na ngani matawan nin maray na pakasurat, mapagayon susog sa paghimate asin sa pagpili nanggad kan mararahay o maninigo’ na mga tataramon na pano nin kahulogan asin tagong simbolismo, mapukaw sa puso nin parabasa.

Mala ta haros maghiribi an kagsurat na iba ta natutuyawan na gayo kun saen nagkulang. Kritisismo na medyo palan magabat sa boot akoon kan suminurat ta aram ta man baga nalatob na gayo an siring na ehersisyo sa dangog, pangaran asin kakayahan nin sarong parasurat.

Pero, palibhasa nagpoporoon-poon pa man lang sinda, areglado lang ta ini an makakatabang sainda sa pagpagantad kan kalidad kan saindang mga sinurat asin tinogda’.

Sa parte ko garo sana ako paradalan, nagmamasid kan mga aktibidad asin kasibotan, kinakapa’ pa baga an importansya asin halaga kan siring na Workshop; dai man ako nagpadara nin rawitdawit, medyo supog ta mayo pa akong halawig asin hararom na kabatiran sa siring na pag-ngangata’(attempt) sa lantad nin literatura.

Ultimong aldaw, nagpirit akong magboses bilang reaksyon sa nakaaging Workshop ta gustong makakua man nin pa-ontol na tuyaw an mga kagtolod kan Workshop.

Duwang tema an binuksan ko na nakita ko dapat gayod ilakip sa siring na Workshop:

Enot, magtaong lektura sa mga nagbabali sa Workshop an manongod sa salaysay nin literatura nin bikol.

Sikyera, mata’wan sinda nin diit na pakaaram kun ano, saiirisay, anong mga klase, kasuarin sinururat an mga toklos (works) panliteraryo kan Bikol. Dai pwede nanggad na an modernong parasurat mayo lamang nin agimadmad sa bagay na ini.

Halimbawa, siisay an masasabi tang Ama kan Literaturang Bikol? Poon 1900, ano an mga nasurat na? Mga komedya, plusa, o mga nobena lang baga ini? Ano an mga rawitdawit kaidto anas lang pan-simbahan? Ano baga an kaibahan kan ariwaga, tigsik, dotok, tagolaylay sa ibang klaseng literaturang bikol? Dawa ngani an mga nasambit mas na itinataram (o iinaawit) ki isinusurat, ano an impluwensya ninda sa pagsurat? Sairisay an mga parasurat kaidto?

Malinaw na an modernong parasurat dai pwedeng mayo lamang pagkagamiaw kan AGI-AGI asin GIRA kan literaryong bikol. Pinaknit mo sinda kumbaga sa panahon asin nagsusurat sinda sa contextong kawang, mayong panakin asin mayong ginugunoan.

Dai ta man gayod menoson an mga paghingoa kan mga kamagurangan ta. Seguro, may maguguno man kita nin materyal sa mga sinurat ninda na lalong mapayaman kan mga susuraton ta ngapit.

Ikaduwang tema na dapat ka-rapot sa pagtais nin pagsurat iyo an dikit na giya o pata’naw kan tamang paggamit kan lenggwahe mismo na iyo baga an kasangkapan kun baga sa pagtogdok nin estraktura. Bako sana sa punto nin gramatika kundi sa punto nin bokabularyo, naguguma’ nya an sanga-sangang kahulugan kan kada tataramon na ginagamit.

An sarong poeta, nobelista, o para-osipon sa papel kumbaga, medyo dapat may sangkap asin maninigo na pakanood kan mismong lenggawaheng saiyang ginagamit sa pagtahi asin pagsuru-surogpon, ngani makahaman nin magayon na komposisyon. Dawa masabi tang may lisensya an parasurat, orog na an pararawitdawit, sa pagmukna’, dai man gayod pwede na rabaraba sana, maski saen makasorabag sa pagguhit an saiyang bolpen.

Sabihon tang an teknikal na kakayahan importante sa pagkawing nin rawitdawit pero importante man an bastanteng kaaraman kan mismong lenggwahe. Lalo na pati sa rawitdawit mas magabat an pangangaipo sa paggamit nin tataramon. Dapat malikay, masiri’, asin maingat kun arin an kataga’ na iguguhit.

Halimbawa, kun an gustong ipahayag iyo an “grabeng kaanggotan”, pwede gayod mas bagay isurat “nagsolwak an dugo ko” imbes magsurat “orag na gayo ko saiya.” O “rupit na siwo’,” imbes sabihon sanang “basa-basa siya.”

An sa itaas ilustrasyon sana kun ano ta maray na gayo medyo mayaman kita sa tataramon ta mas orog kitang makakapahayag kan satong nasasaboot kun kita nagbibilog nin rawitdawit, o anopaman na literaryong gibo.

An mga puntong binuksan ko duman sa pagtapos kan Workshop pinagtawan man nin reparo ni Carlo Arejola, saro sa panelista, na nagpadalagan kan kasibotan. Sabi niya, gayod sa ika-apat na workshop iaayon an mga temang ini ngani magtaong mas hararom na adal sa mga mabarali.

An keynote speaker palan duman sa workshop iyo si Prof. Ma. Lilia F. Realubit, Ph.D. na sa saiyang pambukas na pataratara, nagsabi “Ikatolong taon na ining pagtiripon kan mga parasurat Bikol sa tabang kan Premio Arejola na matawan nin lugar asin oras na magkaorolay asin magkasararo an satong mga isip asin boot manongod sa tema ngonyan na taon: An Parasurat Sa Bagong Panahon: Nagpupublikar, Nadadalan, Nadadangog, Yaon Sa Tahaw Kan Kasiribotan.”

Logod, magin pertinente an parasurat Bikol, yaon nanggad nakikitusay sa tahaw nin kasiribotan tataong magpulso kan kutabkutab kan banwaan.

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Free Will and Determinism

As Catholics, the belief in Free Will is fundamental to our Christian philosophy.

We never doubted for a moment we are masters of our fate, or rather we were taught to believe so, the moment we begun our formal education. Being reared in Catholic schools, we never questioned the validity or truth in this belief.

Determinism which had spawned the seeds of Fatalism, never bothered us and it was an idea only held by people who, we believed, only wanted to put blame for their mistakes upon other people and, more so, to conditions and situations they believed were beyond their control.

But many things are changing. The advance of science, its unrelenting march towards more enlightened levels of awareness and the inexorable growth of knowledge are putting to great trial the validity of many long-held beliefs. They are, in fact, puting into serious question many centuries-old principles of that Christian philosophy we hold so dear.

Determinism is making a vigorous comeback riding on the crest of exciting findings in Genetics. Behavioral science tends to confirm genetic factors as well as environment play very important roles in shaping a person, and in the way he reacts or makes decisions in his life. Whatever part each plays in a man’s life is hard to unravel and the two perhaps are just so inextricably interwined one or the other cannot be said to dominantly determine the outcome.

Determinism now tells us what you are is because of what happened in the past. You make decisions not because you exercise your supreme power of free will but because such are simply reactions to causes. Everything it seems has been pre-determined. It is only a fool, we might say, who believes he is freely choosing to do that or this instead of the other. But to trace back the root of one’s action is to find a reason why he reacted the way he reacted. Ergo, he is not really very free in his action.

If it is a criminal action, it mitigates the seriousness of his crime. It may even be said it justifies and arguably exonerates him of the crime. In effect, determinism tells us one cannot be blamed and punished for an errant action which was literally, it would seem, dictated upon him by circumstances of genes and environment.

Determinism has long been trashed into the garbage by the Engligtened movement of the great Christian philosophers like St. Augustine but its simplistic approach to the complex situations of man’s fate finds attraction in many who have lost faith in a Supreme Being who is the First Cause; He gave us the free will to choose between evil and good but which faculty has been impaired because of the first sin of disobedience. But this is taking to task the issue with the aid of religion. This, of course, would not hold water with agnostics and atheists or those who nominally believe in God but does not believe and trust in his everlasting goodness.

Going back to the tenets of this unChristian philosophy, determinism therefore simply would want us to believe no one can be faulted and punished for a serious crime, or simply blamed for a misdeed or weakness because one’s genes have already written the blueprint for his determinate actions in the future.

Illustrating this point, it would give us an understanding why a man is a man of letters, privileged to have studied in the most exclusive university in Manila because his family simply could afford the costly education. His choice of career and his direction towards that university were a matter of family circumstances. The fact that his family was rich was also a matter of having good genes which instinctively guided his progenitors to be in luxurious cuircumstances.

It’s all a matter of cause-and-effect thing. You twist your head when you hear a loud noise to see the source of noise. You whack the fellow next to you when he has pushed you as to disturb your peace. You cussed one because he has cussed you first. You decided to grab back a pencil because it was yours and the other fellow took it from you. Perhaps you could decide not to grab it back but the urge to do so is greater. But you could say you can will it not to grab it back but it would sound silly if I tell you that reaction has a more compelling reason for its adoption. What you thought was an exercise of free will was simply an accomodation for that reason, say, you feared it might result to greater violence.

Sounds silly but the cause-and-effect argument appears valid. In fact, proponents of determinism tell us that with the First Big Bang it started the ball rolling. It is the Great Evolution of Darwin where the inexorable force of Nature moves along, closely and imperiously following the minutest instructions imprinted in the DNA helix built into each living cell.

And we are intimately part of that Nature, neither beyond or above it but bound into it, also moving along according to our DNA imprints. This is the crux of the tenet of determinism. This determinate, unassailable, uneditable movement fulfills a predetermined route and a predetermined end, with our Will totally impotent to reverse, to reform or to restructure. It is fatalism of the highest order.

We are what we are: bungling, sinful, weak, and ineffectual. What we do can never be blamed on us because we are, although unknowingly, simply following the ineluctable flow of Nature.

We are no better than animals. Just as animals kill, we also kill and for so many reasons which determinists would tell us should mitigate or even justify the crimes of murder or manslaughter because we have weaknesses brought about by faulty genes and unideal environments. This philosophy removes all notions of moral obligation, responsibility and the reality of sin. It, in fact, goes against all notions of ethics and in the Christian belief that we can merit reward or punishment for our acts.

With this philosophy we can never rejoice in the capacity of man to conquer his own self. We have taken away hope and faith. Hope as to nurture expectations for a better life and faith as to innocently trust in a God who is in effective control of his wonderful creation.

Mga Gologolo, Ginogoop

Sabi malanit kun magduta’ sa baga
Mapapaso’ ka, mababaklas an kublit pa
Arog gayod kaini an mamoot sa babae
Magayon kuta, igwang nang parabaribi

Hare na pagrani, maski anong lumay kan dawani
Igoop na lang an mate, sigboha an kirikiti
Malipot na si’wag bayaeng ihaplas
Sa naghohoto-hoto mahalnas na halas

Laman lang yan, bakong dyosnon na mawot
Higop nin pulospugos sa puson na girok
Kapahaan boot mong iharok sa ibang tapayan
Magrorip ka sa ibang salog na langoyan

Pakulpaa an kurabkutab kan daghan
Palsoka an laad sa matang nangangakan
Higota an habay mabagol an yaon sa ka’ka’an
Turoging nanok, sa pangiturogan magtimasang!

Should We Abolish The Death Penalty?

Suddenly, without warning, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo commuted the death sentence
of convicts in death row to life imprisonment.

It was all too sudden and unexpected. It raised a ruckus in many quarters. Those against the death sentence rejoiced. In one voice, the families of victims of heinous crimes deplored the decision of the President. They said the President never tasted and experienced what horror they went through as their loved ones were mutilated, abused, raped, or murdered. They could never understand how the President could be so calloused as to let the mad criminals to live on and perhaps enjoy a life of liberty as our prisons are never safely secured.

This lady president, it is true, never was comfortable with the death sentence. When she was in fact in the Senate, she voted against the enactment of the death penalty law. As a Catholic, it bothered her to put an end to another life just as the Catholic church teaches judgment is of God and not of men. So it was a matter of conscience with her and true to her previous stand, now as a president, she did not want to sully her hand with the death of a human being, altho how unworthy he or she may be to live within a civilized society.

But as a capital punishment, is the death penalty an effective deterrent to the commission of crimes? Recent statistics are proving that this may not really be a real deterrent. Crimes are still being committed and its rise is more a result of economic deprivations rather than because of the paucity of the right moral values in a person.

Death is moreover so final and conclusive it erases any chance for a person to turn a new leaf. There is also the horrible probability what if the convicted is not really guilty and the State condemns him to an everlasting grave.

Sometimes judgment and final conviction are faulty, being based on facts not properly appreciated or information which, out of human failing, could be wrongly ascertained as truthful.

Wrongful Death Row convictions had been ascertained with the onset of DNA bloodtyping technology and proponents for the Death Sentence cannot rest easy with the realization that there were instances when innocent people were sent to their deaths due to a faulty justice system.

One should read the book The Wrong Men: America’s Epidemic of Wrongful Death Row Convictions by Stanley Cohen to get an appreciation of the stand of those who oppose the Death Sentence.

There are many pros and cons in this issue but is it not more Godly to uphold life than to destroy it? After all, it is not for governments to take life for they are not the creators of that life.

When Jesus Christ came upon this wretched world, did he not propose a new radical teaching, to forgive a sinner and to love one’s neighbor? This teaching is hard to comprehend and even harder to put into practice when one is most grievously wronged by another.

On a more practical level, a jaded columnist commented we would be overfilling our prisons literally up to the rafters if we do not now and then dispose of the dregs of society by killing them off, justifiably under the operation of applicable laws.

In fact, our prisons are bursting at the sides and pray, where do we get adequate budget to keep the bodies and souls of these inmates together who are condemned to be incarcerated for life- as the State is proposed to do away with the death sentence?

This is a ticklish issue that promises to rage on in Congress as we wait for our fundamental law, the Constitution, to be or not to be amended.

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Patawad, Pero Mahaldat

Si Gloria emperadora, aldaw nin kamahalan
Pasabong daa nin Diyos, dara nin kaherakan
Pakikapwa sa tao, ipatawad an kasa’lan
Kriminal, dai na isangal sa kagadanan!

Bigla daing ano-ano, sa semana santa
Mga tao naghorophorop, lubos dinadara
Pagsolsol na gayo nangangadye baga
Dai sukat maisip sa ginibo ni Presidenta

Biyo mundo sinda, anggot, ngipon nagraragit
Haros magbalingaw, mag-alborotong pirit
Ano ta paragadan, paralugos, teroristang posikit
Tapikon lang, maghablo’ pa ina sa binubuwis?

Mga preso daa may deretsong mabuhay man
Itratong makatao, ta’wan lugar magbakle’ man
Paano baya’ inutas nindang buhay, basta na lang
Marawrawan, marabsing sa mga namomo’tan?

Compassion, linti’ ini baga an tinaram ni may
Sabi ni Gloria mas pa syang nakikidumamay
Sa mga lolong, mga rongaw na daing ugay
Manggadan garo sana namiripit nin ukay!

Tit for tat, an eye for an eye, iyo man lang gayod
Dai nang hustisya, lingawan na sana iyo an pasabot
Dai inisip an sakit tios mga binayaan
Ika man daw magadanan, maray kun sa helang!

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