Bisayang Latagaw Travel Log: The lost wanderer

The true magic of my travels often lies in getting lost—venturing into places where tourists rarely tread. It’s in these hidden corners that I find the soul of a destination, far removed from the crowds and chaos. I always start with a simple question to the locals, asking for their favorite spots. More often than not, it’s in these quiet, secluded places that I find the essence of where I am. As much as I love exploring, I tend to be more of a silent wanderer. I prefer to roam solo, soaking up my surroundings, though I’ll strike up a conversation when it truly matters.

On one of these adventures, I found myself facing a 30-foot, 75-degree cliff with nothing but a weathered rope as my guide. I convinced two fellow travelers from my accommodation to join me—one, a German who’s been living the nomadic life for nearly a decade, and the other, a Middle Eastern medical student on a sabbatical. Despite their initial bravado, they hesitated. So, I went down first, proving it was doable.

Once we all made it, we were rewarded with a paradise that felt like it was plucked from another realm—completely untouched and surreal. What we thought would be a quick two-hour visit turned into an entire day of awe and wonder.

By the time we made our way back, darkness had set in. The med student, in a moment of panic, grabbed onto a patch of shrubs instead of the rope and slipped. Luckily, he managed to latch back onto the rope, escaping with only a few scratches. For him, it was a 'never again' experience. But as for me? I'd take that descent a thousand times over.

What about you? What's your most unforgettable travel adventure?

#bisayanglatagaw #trabilat

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Thought Catalog: Your reaction is valid but is it correct?

In my last drinking session with friends, we tackled how one should react to insults and bad situations. A lot of course of actions were opined and I just said to them that they are valid responses, but they need to consider if what they will be doing is correct.

In philosophy, particularly in ethics and moral reasoning, a reaction to a bad situation can be considered valid but not correct if it is understandable or justifiable based on human emotions or reasoning, yet it does not align with ethical principles or the most appropriate course of action. This distinction is important to consider because it highlights the difference between what feels right in the moment and what is ethically right in the broader context of moral principles and long-term consequences.

A reaction might be valid if it is a natural human response. For example, feeling anger or sadness in response to a betrayal is valid because it aligns with typical emotional reactions. These emotions are part of the human experience and are often immediate and instinctive. Similarly, a reaction may be valid if it can be justified by the context or circumstances. For instance, reacting defensively in a threatening situation is valid because self-preservation is a natural instinct. Such reactions are grounded in the basic human need for safety and survival.

However, a reaction is not necessarily correct if it violates ethical principles such as justice, fairness, or compassion. Responding to hurt with revenge might be emotionally valid but is not ethically correct. Ethical correctness requires a higher level of reflection and consideration of moral principles that guide us toward more just and compassionate responses. Additionally, a reaction might not be correct if it leads to negative long-term consequences for oneself or others. Making a rash decision out of anger might be valid in the moment but harmful in the long run, as it can cause further harm and perpetuate a cycle of negative reactions.

Ultimately, the difference between a valid and correct reaction lies in the alignment with ethical standards and rational analysis. While a reaction that feels right emotionally might be valid, it may not hold up under thoughtful consideration of all factors and potential outcomes. Ethical decision-making involves looking beyond immediate feelings and reactions to consider the broader impact of our actions, striving for responses that uphold principles of justice, fairness, and compassion. In this way, we can ensure that our reactions, while valid, also align with what is ethically correct.

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Thought Catalog: A Year After Typhoon Odette

When Typhoon Odette was about to hit Cebu, most Cebuanos already knew that it will be a strong one, but no one anticipated the extent of havoc that it will bring. For most parts of the island, electricity was out for a month and even longer. The scarcity of potable water, food, and other essentials brought something that the Cebuanos have only seen during wartime. To an island as vibrant and as festive as Cebu, Odette was a test of the Cebuano spirit and how we are able to triumph even in the worst of our days.

In my family’s case, we actually came prepared. I have stocked water, food, and other essentials that I know would bare for at least a month. But still, the storm did so much in the surrounding area of our home, and we even almost got hit by a water tank that was flown from one of the buildings near our house. Thankfully, the tank went in the other direction and our house was spared.

In the afternoon of December 16, 2021, Odette was already ravaging hard. A few moments later, the electricity is out and all we could hear is this roaring sound from the strong winds brought by the storm and the symphony of the debris hitting each other. This continued up until late evening and it was becoming evident that Odette would be leaving our vibrant island a scar like no other.

I am not sure if I was able to really sleep that night. The next day, when light broke the blanket of darkness brought by the lack of electricity, I and my cousins decided to survey the surrounding area and what we saw was heart-quenching – it was a scene like no other. We heard a lot of stories of people being trapped in their homes during the onslaught of the typhoon. There was this ever-rising casualty count. There was this news of a small island community off the coast of Mactan being wiped out completely – thankfully, a preemptive evacuation was made so casualties had been minimized.

We thought that that was the end of Odette's wrath, but we were wrong. With the extent of the damage she brought, Odette took away the festive spirit of our holiday season and made the first quarter of 2022 a struggle for most Cebuanos. The price of gasoline doubled and even tripled in some areas. A 5-gallon distilled water container which originally cost between 15 to 25 pesos is now being sold for 100 to 200 pesos. Food and other commodities prices have significantly increased as well. Most banks and ATMs are not operational, so a lot of individuals were out of cash. To a still pandemic-stricken island, it was like adding insult to injury. 

But Odette did not just bring bad things, it also brought out the best in Cebuanos. We witnessed the spirit of Bayanihan - restaurants offering free hot meals to locals, kind-spirited people bringing water supply from the north to the metro, and companies opening their doors for people to charge their devices. And while not as festive as it was before, we celebrated the holiday season still with smiles on our faces.

It has been a year since Odette, and still, some of us are healing from the wounds left by her wrath. As I look at the days that came by, I can say that it was not an easy year. 

Consequently, Odette was just another reminder about the feebleness of our lives. It was a clear message from Mother Nature that when she takes vengeance, it’s gonna be hard for man to handle. 

 

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Ang namulat ay hindi na muling pipikit

 Ang namulat ay hindi na muling pipikit

Pilipinas, oh inang bayan
Patawad at kami ay nabigo.
Gayun pa man, kami ay hindi susuko.
Magmamasid at patuloy na makikialam.
Patuloy na lalaban para sa kinabukasan.

Susuporta sa tamang adhikain

Tutuligsa sa maling gawain.

Magmamasid at makikialam!

Sambayanan ang nagdikta sa iyong kinabukasan.

Mali man o tama, dapat na ito ay igalang.

Hayaang kasaysayan ang magbigay kapaliwanagan,

At naway pinili nitong lipi ang tamang daan.

Gayun pa man, kami’y di titigil,

Magmamasid! Makikialam!

Pagkat walang katapusan itong laban

Para sa bukas na ikaw ay puno ng kaluwalhatian,

Sa bukas na hindi lulong sa pangakong napapako,

Kundi sa pagbabagong umaagos saan mang dako.

Laging kami magmamasid, makikialam!

Sana nga’y ang namulat ay hindi na muling pipikit.

Na ang alab sa puso’y patuloy na sisidhi

At ang diwa ng yaring isip ay patuloy na gigising,

Hindi maiidlip, di matutulog, di mahihimbing.

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How to reactivate Smart/TNT/Sun mobile internet service

The Smart Terms and Conditions has a "Fair-use Policy" provision that when violated (whether intentional or unintentional) will cause your account's internet service to be deactivated. While most are aware of this, quite a few know what to do when this occurs. Lucky for you, this post is here to guide you on what steps you can take to reenable the mobile internet service of your Smart/TNT/Sun sim.

 Step 1: Make a handwritten request addressed to SmartFM requesting for the reinstatement of your mobile internet service. A sample format is shown below.

DATE

Hi SmartFM,

Greetings!

I, YOUR NAME, a Smart/TNT/Sun subscriber with mobile number 09XXXXXXXXX, would like to request the reactivation of my mobile internet service. I am unaware of the exact reason for the deactivation of my internet service but I hope and pray that through this request, you will be able to reactivate my account. 

Rest assured that I will be more prudent in using my mobile internet service in the future and will always subscribe to your Terms and Conditions and to the Fair-use Policy.  

Thank you!

Respectfully yours,

SIGNATURE ABOVE PRINTED NAME

Step 2: Take a photo or scan your request letter and a valid ID. Send an email to smartfm@smart.com.ph with the following content:

Subject line: Request for Reactivation of Mobile Internet for 09XXXXXXX.

Message: 

Hi SmartFM,

I am requesting for the reactivation of my mobile internet. Please see the attached request and a copy of my valid ID.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best,

YOUR NAME

Make sure to attach your handwritten letter request as well as a copy of your valid ID. 

Step 3: Wait for their response. Usually, it takes no more than 24 hours for them to respond but in any case, you can always send a follow-up email. Here is a sample response from SmartFM

While not necessary, before doing any of the steps above, you may also try to call Customer Support (Dial *888 on your handset) and confirm with the support agent if your device has been blocked from accessing internet service. If you are indeed blocked, you can proceed with the above steps. Otherwise, most likely you just have bad APN settings or your device is faulty or you are on a dead spot or the network is down.

Hopefully, this was able to help you!

 

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Narsisismo at ang mundo ng social media

Nakababahalang isipin na sa panahon ngayon higit sa pagiging isang kasangkapan sa pakikipag kapwa-tao ay para bagang nagiging daan ang social media sa pagpapakita ng narsisismo. Wala namang masama na ipagdiwang ang iyong kaginhawaan, gawing bukas na aklat ang buhay, o kaya’y ipaalam sa mundo ang iyong mga galaw. Subalit ang nakababahala ay para bang nagiging peke o minsan naman ay sobra na ang iilan sa pagpapakilala sa kanilang pagkatao at pagpapahayag sa kanilang sarili. 

Ayon sa isang kilalang medical website, ang narsisismo ay ang lubhang pagkalulong sa sarili ng isang tao kung saan ay kanya ng isinasawalang bahala ang mga nasa paligid. Dagdag pa nila, bagamat lahat tayo ay may okasyonal na pagpapakita ng mga katangian narsistik, ang mga taong lulong sa narsisismo ay tuluyang kinakaligtaan ang kapakanan ng iba at tanging kanilang pansariling interes na lamang ang binibigyang importansya.

Sa pag usbong ng social media, naging mas laganap ang pagkakagiliw ng tao sa pagbenbenta sa sarili. Sabi ko nga sa isa pang likha ay hindi ito yung literal na pagbenenta ng katawan kahit na mayroon din namang ganyang galawan sa online world ngayon. Ang pinupunto nito ay ang pagbebenta sa sarili para pag-usapan, maging viral, o di-kayay para maipakita na masaya ka o nagiging matagumpay ka sa buhay. 

Bago ko ituloy ang diskusyon ay nais ko ng pangunahan kayo na karapatan ng bawat isa sa atin na ipagdiwang ang ating mga kasiyahan at kaluwalhaitan sa buhay gaano man kaliit o kalaki ito sa paningin ng iba at higit na walang masama kung atin itong isambulat sa mundo. Ang masama ay kapag sumobra na. Ika ngay, lahat ng bagay ay nagiging masama kapag sumusobra. 

Ngunit kaylan ngaba masasabing tayo ay sumusobra na at tayo ay nagiging narsistik na? Ayon sa isang health journal, ang mga taong may Narcistic Personality Disorder o NPD ay masasabing nabubulag sa pansariling kahalagahan. Kadalasan silay ay nagiging mapagmataas at grandioso. Nagkakaroon rin sila ng pantasya ng pagiging makapangyarihan, ng kagandahan, ng pagiging matagumpay, at ng katalinuhan. Marami sa mga taong may NPD ay pinapalobo at ipinagyayabang ang kanilang mga tagumpay at abilidad. 

Kadalasan ay nanghihingi ng atensyon at paghanga mula sa ibang tao ang mga taong narsistik. At sa panaho ngayon, nagiging behikulo para sa kanila ang social media upang makamit ang mithiing ito. Marami sa kanila ay nagiging mapagmataas lalo na sa mga taong kanilang tinuturing na masa mababa ang antas sa lipunan. Mayroon rin silang pinalobong sense of entitlement at lubhang kinahuhumalingan nila ang kanilang estado sa buhay na para sa kanila ay kinaiingtan ng iba. Ang mga narsistik na tao ay uhaw sa papuri at atensyon kaya namay angkop para sa kanila ang kasalukuyan disenyo ng social media kung saan ang mga tao ay maaaring magbigay ng mga papuri at reaksyon. 

Isang mahalagang aspeto na masasabing mong ang isang tao ay nagiging narsistik ay kapag hindi nya tinatanggap ang kritisismo. Sa mundo ng social media ngayon ay kadalasang kinukutya o kaya ay ginagamitan ng ad hominem ang mga kritisismo kaysa sa sagutin ng maayos. Ganito rin ang asta nga mga taong narsistik, kapag may pinuna ka sa kanila ay tiyak na aatakihin nila ang iyong pagkatao at hahanapan ka ng butas imbes na sagutin o kaya ay akuin ang kanilang pagkakamali.

Ang mga taong narsistik ay kadalasang hindi nakikinig sa iba sapagkat tingin nila’y sila lang ang tama. Kadalasang nanggagamit sila ng tao para sa pansarili nilang interes. Higit pa, sila ay kulang sa kakayahang umintindi at makiramdam. At ngayon sa mundo ng social media, mas napapalubha pa ang mga dikanais-nais na katangiang ito. Ang mga narsistik sa mundo ng social media ay kadalsang hindi kayang makipagtalo gamit ang katotohan at datos sapagkat mas pinipili nilang maging self-absorbed – na keyso opinion nila yun at dapat respetuhin, na keyso alam nila sa sarili nila na sila ang tama. 

Isa pang nakababahala sa paglaganap ng mga taong narsistik sa virtual world ay ang pagkahilig nila na kontrolin ang lahat ng mga nasa kanilang paligid at kapag hindi nasunod ang kanilang gusto, sila ay nagagalit o kaya ay pinuputol nila ang kanila ugnayan sa taong hindi sumunod sa kanila. Ika ngay, mas gusto ng mga taong narsistik ang mga taong uto-uto at sunod-sunoran lamang. Pero kahit na ang mga taong narsistik ay pinapakita na sila ay nakahihigit, sila ay may nakakubling kawalan ng kapanatagan at tiwala sa sariling kakayahan. Kaya nga mas pinipili nilang ipagyabang ang mga bintahe nila sa ibang tao.

Sa mundo naman ng social media, kapag may pinuna ka tiyak na tatanungin ka nila ano ba ang naitulong mo? Sino ka ba? Ano ba ang naabot mo? Para bang wala kanang karapatan na magbigay ng opinion at kuro-kuro kapag wala kang napatunayan sa buhay. Para bang sila lamang ang may monopolyo sa kung ano ang tama. Wag naman sanang ganon, mas maigi ang diskusyon na nakabase sa facts at sa datos at hindi sa mga walang basehang tiktok video o sa mga pekeng artikulo ng mga troll page. 

Ganun paman ay dapat na mahalin at intindihin parin natin sila. Ika nga ni Mother Theresa, “People are unrealistic, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway.” Gaano man ka self-absorbed ang mga tao sa social world, tandaan natin na higit sa ano paman, pag-intindi at pagmamahal ang dapat nating igawad sa kanila. 

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Thought Catalog: On Political Polarization

If only people can stop electing politicians based on their family names, celebrity status, fame, and false promises; If only people learn to distinguish between public servants from politicians; if only people elect based on competence and not on political leanings; then we can have a better Philippines. But the sad truth is that most of us tend to polarize the elections.

We stick to one color despite know that you can’t build a rainbow with just one shade – that you can’t achieve balance by letting all the stones sit on one side. That you can’t talk of unity when you shun your opponents instead of listening to them.

The truth is that none of us can have the monopoly on what is right for our country. We need to collectively work, we need to debate, to argue, to reason why we pick one over another. Because at the end of the day, we rise as a nation of one collective view and not as individuals of different opinions.

We have to talk, and we have to listen. Most importantly, we need to work with one another instead of being polar opposites. At the end of the day, the essence of our dominance as a species is our ability to unite and stand as one against every adversity that comes along our way.

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Thought Catalog: On Freedom

Of all the virtues of this world, one that has always been curtailed is freedom. In fact, freedom is almost impossible to achieve simply because we live in a world where order is needed – where we are bound by rules and laws. It is unarguably correct to assert that there is no order if by all means every individual is given the absolute free will – the luxury of doing whatever he wishes to do. And so we are posed with the questions: How can we value freedom if we are unable to experience it in its purest sense? Why do we continue to aspire for freedom yet take compromises to ensure societal order? What does it really mean to have freedom in this modern world?

This exposition on freedom is anchored on extrapolating the value of freedom and the reality that there is no absolute freedom, that in fact we are bound not only by our free will but by the rules of nature and of our society.

Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty

Perhaps one of the strongest philosophical maxims about freedom is the quote “Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty.” The proverbial implications of this statement make you wonder if it is possible to achieve absolute freedom. One can say that in order to achieve absolute freedom, you must have total control of what belongs to you. You need to carefully and religiously guard your properties, your personal space, the things that you considered part of your identity. If any of these gets violated or taken away from you, then your freedom had been curtailed.

Nevertheless, this curtailment of personal freedom is actually essential to ensure the coequal existence of the freedom of other people. So in a sense, your freedom curtails the freedom of other people whereas other people’s freedom can curtail yours. This duality is a little problematic when we want to establish absolute freedom, and so we are left with the notion that we must be in constant guard of our freedom lest we want the freedom of others to prevail over our own freedom.

There is no absolute freedom

The philosophical debate on freedom is exemplified in what we call as absolute freedom. The quintessential question commonly posed in these discussions is to what extent can the freedom of a person be - and if it is limitless and boundless what stops us from achieving such absolute freedom. Sadly, despite any effort, all these would still end up with an impasse for there is no such thing as absolute freedom. Nonetheless, it is absolute freedom that we must seek. It is just quite confusing because why seek something that is nonexistent? For me, the reason why we have to seek absolute freedom is simple. That is that as humans we must satiate our eternal desire to be at the apex of our existence. And this never-ending desire while wicked is essential to our very existence.

At the end of the day, it is obvious that freedom is something that can only be achieved to a certain point but not in its purest form. That is to say that freedom is not absolute but it is resolute and it should and must always be resolute. It should always be a goal that all of us must seek. It should always remain a core value of our society and our existence.

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