A Girl’s Notebook :)

I was watching the replay of Marimar this noon when a news was flashed about MILF attacks in Lanao del Norte. In the news it said that there are about 3 barangays were attacked by MILF or the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. In the news about 12 civilians has been killed and more than 10 houses are burned down by the rebels. There is a certain barangay in Lanao del Norte that has been hostage and the military men can’t get into it for about 300 MILF are waiting for them. There are also several civilians that have been captured and used as human shields.

Hearing this kind of news really made me upset. I really don’t understand why these rebels need to do this kind of act. Oh yes, our government is not a perfect one, its not even close to being perfect. But then again, if those people will continue to do terrorism then they’re just making the situation worst instead of helping our government to progress.

MILF or the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is a Muslim rebel group located in Southern Philippines. They are the largest separatist group in the Philippines. Bangsamoro is the term used for the area where the group is active. Bangsamoro covers the southern portion of Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago, Palawan, Basilan and the neighboring islands. I get scared for ney for he is now in Palawan to work.

Several peace talks has been done over the years but that doesn’t do anything to stop them killing innocent people. I understand that they are fighting for something. Their rights? Power, position, money? It’s not about religion for a lot of their Muslim brothers, Muslim civilians has been killed because of their acts. What I believe is that a lot of these rebels are not properly educated. Poverty is one reason why so many people even teenagers, whether a girl or boy are persuade to join this group. Their boses their leaders should be the one to be blamed. I’m really pissed off. Is this the kind of culture and environment they wanted to pass on to their children?

Today, August 18 is a national holiday in the Philippines. The president moved the non-working holiday from August 21 to August 18 for people to have a long weekend.

So what do we celebrate on August 21? This coming August 21, the Filipino people who are “worth dying for” will celebrate the 25th Death Anniversary of our nation’s modern day hero, Benigno Aquino Jr. Ninoy was a Philippine senator and a leading oppositionist to the autocratic rule of the then President Ferdinand Marcos. He was assassinated at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983 that led to a people power which made his widow, Corazon Aquino to be the first Philippine Woman President and the replaced the 20-year long presidency of Ferdinand Marcos.

My youngest sister, Pauline, who’s taking up Broadcast Journalism in PUP, asked me then to help her with her research papers about this. She said that they were asked to do a compare and contrast essay on how the Philippines become after his death. Are the Filipino people whom Ninoy said were worth dying for, really showed our worth? Does his death made a difference in the type of living we have now or have we forgotten already the virtue that Ninoy left us?

Well, I’m contemplating about this when she said that if I’m not going to help her write the research, then she will just go to Recto Avenue in Manila and look for “buy essay sign in one of the stores there. I just shook my head and smiled.

I told her that writing an essay about Ninoy Aquino will be very easy and inspiring. She just need to look around her and see for herself how the Philippines has become after his death..

My cousin Anne, celebrated her 25th birthday last August 15. It was the same day when the Catholic believers celebrated the Assumption of Mary. But she treated us the following day. She asked my mother to cook pancit for her.

Pancit is always present in our table everytime a member of our family celebrates his or her birthday. But since my mother cooks pancit well, sometimes we also have it for lunch or dinner on regular days.

Pancit is actually a Chinese dish. It was said that its literal meaning is easy to cook. Why can’t I cook pancit then? Of course, I can! But not as good as my mom’s version of it!

Pancit is also referred to a birthday dish, for long life, whether is it bihon, sotanghon, canton or palabok. Maybe because of its noodles is long.

The 2nd best pancit, I’ve tasted (for my mom’s pancit is the first ) is i one of the panciteria somewhere in Ongpin Street in Binondo, Manila where China town is located.

Grab a pancit now!