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Ricky Lee

May katuparan pa kaya?

Tatagalugin ko na lang ang entry ito para masabi ko ang saloobin ko habang isinusulat ko ito sa mga oras na ito, eksakto 2:20 ng madaling-araw. Dulot ito ng pagbabasa sa web blog ng isang batikang journalist na napahanga ako sa tapang at dedikasyon niya sa larangang kanyang kinabibilangan habang napapanatili niya ang papel ng isang supportive at mapagmahal na ina at kaibigan. Hindi pa kami magkakilala ng personal. Ayon lamang ang obserbasyon ko sa aking nabasa at nakita (base sa entry at mga larawan na nakapaskil sa kanyang blog). Pero ramdam ko ang sensiridad ng binasa ko. Hindi siya suplada (o may ere) madali nga siyang sumagot sa request ko sa Facebook. Salamat ha.

Ang paksa ko ay tungkol sa pagsusulat ng script. Mas malawak sana ang mundo ko ngayon kung nagsimula ako ng mas maaga. Kung sana ginamit ko ang mga naipong karanasan ng kabataan sa paghubog ng kung ano ako dapat ngayon — isang scriptwriter. Kung tutuusin isang magandang piyesa na sana para sa isang manunulat ng script ang mga karanasan ko o ang buhay ng mga taong nakasalamuha ko noong ako ay isang reporter pa. Ang pinagmulan ko nga mismo ay hitik din para maging isang story material. Hindi naman sa espesyal ang istorya ko pero maraming bahagi nito ang makakapagpatulo ng luha sa mga makakabasa o makakapanood.

Noong nasa PUP pa ako, natalakay sa isang subject sa kursong journalism ang pagususulat ng script sa radyo, telebisyon at pelikula. Naglaro sa isipan ko na maging radio talent kung hindi man scriptwriter. Nasabik ako sa ideya na magtrabaho sa radyo lalo na nung mainterview ko ang batikang personalidad sa radyo na si Bb. Helen Vela para sa isang thesis.

Sa tingin ko hindi pa naman huli ang lahat, puwede pa akong magsimula sa tamang panahon kasama ng mga tao na may kinalaman at kaalaman sa pagsusulat na puwedeng gumabay at maging kritiko na rin. Dapat talaga noon ko pa sinimulan ito. Gusto kong maniwala na hindi nagtatapos sa pagiging taumbahay lamang ang papel ko. Hindi po ako kasambahay. Pero huwag ipagkamali na ako ay nagsisisi sa ginagampanan kong papel sa ngayon, sabi nga ni Tatay Ben (Domingo), marangal ang pagiging mapag-arugang ina at mapag-mahal na maybahay. Isang araw mula ngayon, masisimulan ko rin ang mithi kong magsulat ng script.

Nakuha ko ang guhit-larawan na ito sa http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mba/lowres/mban1880l.jpg

A milestone

In a few hours I’ll be accompanying my daughter to her graduation ceremony. Today’s event will mark another milestone in my daughter’s life. She’s a little fidgety earlier today maybe because she’s anticipating the presence of so many people at the school ground witnessing the important occasion. My husband and I are excited because she’s going to receive the Model Citizen Award and another certificate for the Best in Essay Writing Contest. I’ll be posting photos in a while.Oh, by the way, I found her kindergarten graduation photo. I promise to post the same memento here.

Sister of Disaster, Sister of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

(I slept for only four hours this morning. I don’t feel well because of the flu bug, nevertheless, I just want to put this piece to bed. I’m sharing an article about a person worthy of remembering. Her name: Sister Aurora Macabebe, a nun who care(d) for the dying and the dead, literally. I’m reprinting the story as it appeared in Courier.)

FROM rampaging lahar flows in Pampanga to the great flood in Ormoc, Sister Aurora Macabebe was there to care for the dying and the dead.

“Isa ako sa mga namumulot ng patay, bringing their bodies to the funeral parlor,” the (then) 64-year-old nun said as she recounts her six-year stint as part of the disaster management team of the Daughter of Charity.

(Note: During the time of interview Sister Aurora is the spiritual counselor for patients afflicted with the deadly AIDS virus at the Halfway House in San Lazaro Compound in Sta. Cruz, Manila.)

Sister Aurora works for the AIDS prevention program of Caritas Manila. Aside from teaching hobby-craft to patients to temporarily relieve their minds of the inevitable (that is death), Sister Aurora conducted one-one-one counselling sessions with each patient.

But oftentimes, they walk an extra-mile for many “special cases.”

One such case is that of a patient whose only wish was to meet his mother whom he had not seen for a long time.

“I called up a fellow sister in Sorsogon to let the mother visit his ailing son. They hugged and kissed upon seeing each other. Now he’s very happy and seem to get stronger each day,”

The soft-spoken Ilongga sister, said doing social work entails equipping one’s self with KASE - knowledge, attitude, skill and experience.

She added that one must have self-discipline, good values, maturity, and knowledge of cultural values to be able to interact with different kinds of people.

“Before we really don’t mind about ourselves, but at this point in time, self is very important because you cannot give what you don’t have. So if we lack these things, we don’t know how to listen to them,” the nun stressed.

Citing her 15 challenging years as a social worker, Sister Aurora said she and others in the same profession perform a very unique role in the community as far as bringing individuals to the mainstream is concerned.

“When you see a sick person, whom do you call, a doctor; when somebody is at fault, you call the police or lawyer to defend; so when somebody is dying you call a priest to save his soul; but when somebody cannot interact with others or if somebody is maladjusted to his environment or his community, who is the one answering, intervening? It is the social worker,” she explained.

“My work here is very challenging, you only need a lot of patience, generosity and compassion. You cannot expect something from them but give them compassion and this can bring them back to God. In their last days, they could die a happy death,” she shared.

Sister Aurora said she has learned to love each of the patients at the half-way house.

Sister Aurora said a patient who ws not even a Catholic requested that the receive the Holy Communion before he died.

“He cannot find peace of mind, he later became a born-again Christian. He joined group sessions and activities like group singing. But when his time came, I asked him if he wants to see a priest, he agreed so we prayed for him, he took a communion that night at about 11 p.m. the man died. Hindi mabibili ng pera ang nararamdaman naming kaligayahan ng mga oras na ‘yon,” she narrates. Miriam V. Torrecampo

This article was one of the few articles I did for Courier, the flagship publication of PJI, before it fold up in 2000.

Images are found in these sites:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3272/3004668324_6f1150aaaa_m.jpg
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/images/thumb/a/a0/San_Lazaro_Hospital.jpg/200px-San_Lazaro_Hospital.jpg

Beating the deadline

In a couple of days school is finally over. Vacation is a wonderful time for recreation and learning new stuff. For me and my kids, we just can’t wait to watch our favorite DVD movies over and over. Vacation saves me from waking up early every morning to prepare my kids for school. Now I’ll just take my own sweet time to lie around, catch up with my readings (been wanting to do this for a long time. Aye, the procrastinator in me). I will now have more time to blog. Yes, I’m getting the hang of web blogging and must admit beginning to like it.

When I was working, I look forward to a new assignment or coverage each day. I would make a mental list of all the possible angle in a story/data at hand. And boy nothing beats the adrenaline rush that I get while I am pressing the keyboard just to meet my deadline. Do I get the same feeling in blogging? I must say yes, but on a different level. Since I have no boss to please (re story material) here and deadlines to worry about. I should say I still get excited to write anything of importance to me and to my (selected) reader. Somehow, I’m reviving my interest in writing (after two years of hiatus). Thanks to blogging!

Achievers

My youngest was grinning yesterday when he said that he is included in the list of Harvest of Achievers come Recognition Day. The Achiever’s Award is presented to those who got an overall grade of 91 percent and above. An awardee is given gold medal and a cash incentive.
On the other hand, my eldest is eyeing the Model Citizen Award on her Graduation Day next week. Students recognized as Model Citizens are those who have earned marks not lower than B in the school’s list of behavioral assets (including self, interpersonal and work habits). Although my eldest did not make it to the top graduating candidates this year (mahigpit ang labanan sa academics at extra curricular activities) she grabbed first place in the Essay Writing Contest this year. Anyway, she hopes to better her performance in high school. Way to go kids!

I got this cute cartoon image from http://image03.webshots.com/3/9/63/78/11396378itUcHcDILf_ph.jpg

Book enthusiasts

My daughter just turned 12 this month and already wrote a few short stories by herself. Her stories deal with friendship and mystery. They were inspired by reading Nancy Drew series….She has read books that I have not seen when I was her age.

I was introduced to reading good books when I was already in high school. I remember my first pocket book was Mills and Boon, not a child reading material though. But it was the only available book that I found in our house or must have left by someone in our house.

And now that I am a mother myself I make it a point to spend a little for a good book or two for my kids. My youngest by the way is a 9-year-old boy.

We don’t really buy expensive titles just the right book for a reasonable amount. We even visit second-hand bookshop once in a while. While their love for books is impressive for their age, I make sure that school activities are not neglected. Studies remain their priority. We give them books as a reward for their good performance in school. Reading I observed has improved their comprehension and has kept them abreast of the latest information.

Books are a great learning tools and my kids’ best collection so far.

The picture was taken inside a mall in Marikina City.

Stressed out? Try blogging

I think one way of keeping ones sanity or reason if you are a full time housewife is through journaling. I maintain a Friendster and a Facebook account to keep up with my friends and former co-workers. It somehow eases a stressful day. Blogging, on the other hand, demands a lot of time and thinking. Oh well, I still want to give it a try.

As I (re)post my articles here, I will also share (hopefully on a day-to-day basis) interesting stuff about my home. Bits and pieces, from the trivial to the important events in my life.

I hope to keep up to the demands of my new “home”.

Mommies, let’s blog our way to a stress-free day!

I find the following sites worth reading:

http://www.acqyr.com/stress/stress-busters-for-moms-sanity-saving-tips-for-stressed-out-mothers
http://stressmanagementqueries.blogspot.com/2008/01/helping-mothers-in-dealing-with-stress.html

These cute images are found in these sites:

http://www.clipartguide.com/_named_clipart_images/0511-0709-2512-2727_Harried_Mom_at_the_Supermarket_clipart_image.jpg

http://www.christinelarsen.com/sketchbook/images/040908_a.jpg

Social worker eases prison life

EIGHT years ago, I met social worker Virgie Daniles from Caritas Manila. She deals with inmates and convicted prisoners, both of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) and the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW), extending paralegal assistance, boost their spiritual life, and even do some errands for them.

Virgie said it was God’s plan that drove her to do social work. She fills in the vacant post at the Prison Justice and Development Program (PJDP) of Caritas at the time when no one seems to fit in the job.

“Maybe due to lack of enough exposure in dealing with inmates and convicted prisoners,” she shared.

(Caritas is a 55-year-old charitable institution run by the Catholic Church in Pandacan, Manila.)

Since Virgie is dealing with almost all kinds of offenders in the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) or the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW), she discovered that many of the inmates were wrongfully accused and rejected by their own families.

Virgie’s works extend from paralegal assistance to reuniting families separated by imprisonment.

The woman recounts an instance where she had to accompany an ex-convict to a bus terminal that would take the person back to his province. She and other volunteers also helped in reuniting an inmate mother to her child whom she had not seen for a long time. The child at present is under the custody of the institution since relatives refused to take care of him.

Virgie also shared a story about a dejected person whom she helped recover.

The man came from an affluent family, was a drug dependent and committed various crimes. For three instances he was placed behind bars. His siblings also blamed him for the death of their parents. Also a dispute among his relatives about a piece of land aggravated his depression.

But persistent counseling from Virgie and her group finally changed the man’s outlook in life.

Their client now works as a janitor in an institution and is an active participant in spiritual activities held by social workers and volunteers for prisoners.

With a smile on her face, Virgie said they still conduct follow up counseling to ensure that the man will be okay.

She heaved a sigh of relief every time she recounts the same story, “there is fulfillment in helping other people.” Miriam V. Torrecampo

This story first appeared in Courier, the flagship newspaper of the Philippine Journalists, Incorporated in Oct. 2000.

Image source : http://www.caritas.org.hk/Caritas_HK/images/photos/other_services1.gif

Women’s Month Celebration

Miriam’s chronicles

This site will serve as journal for all my published articles from 2000 to 2007. The data highlights the lives and experiences of people from all walks of life. Some articles even feature rare to common diseases, including a condition that afflicted my own child.

© 2009 Pen, paper, pan Header & Footer by pehpot. Coded by kAyE.