Filipinos going abroad

A mother is working as a Domestic Helper in Hong Kong; she sends money to her family every month. After a few years of working overseas, she decides to come home. She comes home expecting to see a welcoming family; but instead, she is met with a 6 year-old son who barely knows her and a cheating husband. This my friends, is but one of many situations that are happening to the many Filipino families. If you were in that situation, what would you do? For the past years, the number of Filipinos working overseas has been continually increasing. Today, more or less 10 million Filipinos are scattered around the world doing various jobs - from construction workers to nurses. But is this really an advantage? With the increase in the number of overseas workers is also the increasing number of broken families. Many Filipino children suffer from abuse and negligence because either or both parents are working abroad. In some cases, parents use money to compensate for their absence, spoiling their children and not thinking of its effects. Their children grow and become rebellious, drop-outs and some end up becoming criminals which is a big disappointment not only to the parents but to the nation as well. Marriages are broken because of adultery and infidelity. To make things worse, more and more overseas workers suffer from many kinds of abuses in the hands of employers, co-workers and others, and being strangers in a new place, they have no way of protecting themselves. Lastly, we have medical schools attempting to close down because the youth prefer to take nursing. We are lacking doctors because our doctors are becoming nurses in their likings to work abroad. What message does that bring to the youth? Many Filipinos agree to work abroad with the promise of “greener pastures and bigger opportunities”, but what do they get? Expecting “greener pastures”, they get abusive employers. Expecting bigger opportunities, they experience discrimination. Yes, it is true that a part of the Philippine Economic Growth comes from OFW’s. They say that it is a big help to the country and a big opportunity, but for whom? Why is it that instead of news about our country’s said development we get news headlines such as: Filipino domestic raped by 3 Kuwaiti cops, Maltreatment, unpaid salaries, rape, extended stay, Sexual abuse and maltreatment and hanging of a Filipina DH. What is the government doing about these cases? How many of them have been solved? The government focuses too much on the economic development that they seem to ignore the well-being of those that help in this development. What good is that doing to the Filipino people? What good do we get from sending millions of Filipinos away from their families? Are you not bothered that the government is using its own people for its own selfish reasons...Putting at risk not only millions of people but the country itself? What is the use of being a brilliant nurse if you can’t even cure your own son’s fever just because you’re too far away? What’s the use of being a good domestic helper if you can’t even stay home to look for your old parents? Is it worth your pay to be able to take care of other people but you don’t have the chance to watch your own children grow? What would it feel coming home to a broken family? People, think about it…

Animal Cloning.. reaction essay ulit

The article entitled “Animal Cloning: Facts and Fallacies” explains the process on animal cloning and corrects the misconceptions on the subject. Since there are always other factors that contribute to what makes up one’s personality, every organism is unique. Another idea explained is that with the need for matured nucleus for the process, a clone’s cells are always years older when it is born. The text also mentions how and why cloning should only be applied to live organisms. Now, after reading the text, I think that human cloning should be discouraged since there is a possibility that the purpose of experimentation may be defied and taken as an opportunity for selfish intentions.
The success of sheep cloning showed us that with technological advancement, who knows what we are capable of doing. With these scientific discoveries, we can find ways to make this world a better place. But in the same matter, these new discoveries could be used by rival countries for terrorism and warfare. It is quoted in the text that although some scientists believe that human cloning is only 10 to 20 years around the corner, the process would be far more difficult than a sheep. I agree. The process alone requires hundreds of donors and surrogate mothers. Every failure would mean a loss of human life. In other words, it would be like playing with human life and treating people like lab rats and that is unethical. In addition, cloning goes against a religious law that only God is allowed to create another being (not in a scientific way).
One argument for cloning is that we can produce more geniuses and thereby improve life for everyone through their contributions. I agree with the author that “Every human life, no matter how conceived, is unique”. Since clones are not exact copies, there is no proof that someone who is genetically identical to Albert Einstein, for example, would be a genius or would use his genius for socially acceptable ends. Upbringing and environment could turn an Einstein clone into another Adolf Hitler. Another notion is that we can produce clones to provide “spare parts” for people who need transplant. In my opinion, using clones for that intention is just as every bit the same with using your next door neighbor as a “spare part” provider.
Also, in the bible is the story of the Tower of Babel. Humans, with the help of a common language, were on the verge of building a tower all the way to Heaven. But God did not approve:
"The LORD said, 'If as one people speaking the same language they
have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for
them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not
understand each other.”
Imagine a world where everybody looks like everybody and nobody knows who’s who. The only result would, of course, be chaos. For example, a person decides to make a clone of somebody else so that he can control the clone and then embarrasses the other person. That simple act will lead to another stupid act and then another then another until…war and chaos. So, in conclusion, since the possibility of human cloning is now a definite maybe, it should be discouraged while it has not yet been proven to be possible because it only leads to chaos, an irrevocable effect.

Value promoted by tv... my reaction essay

The article entitled Values Promoted by TV, written by Harry J. Skornia basically talks about the negative values promoted by TV to society. It talks about how television promotes materialism and violence. The only value of television, according to the article is only appreciated by those big businessmen, manufacturers and showmen who control it. It mentions that as broadcasting does not discriminate between opinions, people become indiscriminating. It is also explained in the article the effects of television to the social graces (especially of women) of people. Motion pictures usually show that fallen women are more acceptable than virtuous ones. The increase of the rate of alcoholism and premarital sex is caused by these motion pictures. The author pointed out that television exalts celebrities, treating them as society’s most valued members. They are more imitated than scientists, artists, journalists, teachers or doctors. The public know which product is best by noting what these stars use. In my opinion, viewer discretion and parental guidance should be strictly applied in watching television because not everybody (especially children) can differentiate television from reality.
Watching television is one of the most popular pastimes all over the world. In every community, at least ¾ of the population love to watch movies. Its purpose is simply for entertainment but sometimes, the public misinterpret what they see on TVs. Although everyone watches TV, its effects are mostly seen in children. At a certain age, children tend to follow everything they see or hear, it is a part of the learning process that’s why viewer discretion and parental guidance is important in watching TV. According to guidelines, children under 2 should have no “screen time” at all. Children have very photographic minds. Meaning, whatever they see, (real or on television) they remember. Television is as close to reality as it is. Children can learn a lot from television. Through television, kids can have an idea of what is happening around them without having to see it firsthand. But still, it can have the same effect as seeing the real thing. Despite these advantages, too much television can be detrimental. Kids who view violent events, such as kidnapping or murder are most likely to believe that the world is a scary place. The images and values that children absorb can also leave them traumatized and vulnerable.
Like violence for example, it is quoted in the article that lest the problem of violence or weapons be oversimplified, however, it should be made clear that the position taken here is not simply that violence is always bad. It gets confusing when we see in movies that it is not bad to use guns and violence as long as you are one of the “good guys” but the line that separates the “good” and the “bad” is grey. It is cited in the article that 35 percent of films show that the hero/heroine is motivated by revenge. Basically, it shows that “revenge” as motivation simply makes you a “good guy”. According to AAP, many violent acts are perpetrated by the “good guys” whom children have been taught to emulate. Even though children are taught by their parents that it’s not right to hit, television says that it’s OKAY to hit, bite or kick if you’re the good guy. And even “bad guys” on TV aren’t always held responsible or punished for their action. How can children possibly differentiate right from wrong in these situations?
Another misconception you see in movies as pointed out in the text is if a woman wishes to be interesting, she must have a past. To have fallen at least once qualifies her. Dressing scenes showing various degrees of nudity appeared in 23% and undressing scenes in 30% of the films. Movies like these should not be open to young people especially teenagers because they are at a critical stage when they are still learning about the “realities of life”- sex, drugs, violence etc. When you see romance and love in movies, it is most often associated with sex. Because of that, teenagers nowadays think that sex is showing that you love someone, hence, the increasing problems on early pregnancy and sometimes, abortion.
If these misconceptions are not corrected, young people will most likely grow up and become problems to the society. But since we can’t stop the movie industry from producing movies that show violence for example, the best thing to do is to choose what we allow our children to watch until they understand that what they see in movies is but half of the real picture.

Success....What it means to me...

When I read the story about "The Cracked Pot" I can't help but compare myself to the pot. Not that I am cracked mind you, but because in my failures, most of the time, I never gave a thought about the good things that those failures brought me... What is success? Faced with this question people often answer, “It is finally having what you deserve” or “Finally having what you worked so hard for”. Some also say that it is simply a matter of winning. Whatever it is that we think, this is what I’m sure of, we all want success. A person without a will to succeed doesn’t have anything to look forward to but failures. But a person who wants nothing but success will fail at something, somehow. Success doesn’t come everyday to everyone… But it can certainly come anytime to anyone who deserves it.So, again, what is success?? Is it winning? Is it finally getting what you deserve?? When you win does it mean that you succeed? And when you succeed, does it necessarily mean that you've won?? Winning has many faces and succeeding is a state of mind depending on how one sees it. It means that success comes from anything not just winning. All my life, I’ve always viewed success as something everyone deserves. Somehow, as I grew up, that notion changed. In my experiences, I’ve learned that everybody doesn’t deserve success but it will go to those who deserve it. I always felt that I was always doomed to fail at anything that I wanted to do. I don’t know how many times I asked myself the question, “When am I going to succeed in anything that I want to do?” Seems like everything I do, fails when I want desperately for it to succeed. When will I find something that I’m finally good at? Something that I’m sure I’m going to win? Lately, I came to view myself as a big failure. I failed at things I was sure I was going to win at. But somehow that didn't stop me from trying again. I don't know why. Maybe, I just failed too many times that it didn't matter if I lost the next time, which is, I just realized wrong of me to think so. Anyway, it just didn't matter anymore that I most often, take things for granted. I do things just for the sake of doing something. I sometimes tell myself, “Why do I do these things anyway? When I failed the first time and know I'm going to fail the second time, why do I bother to do it again?” I never realized that there was always the thought that maybe I would succeed this time or whenever I failed. Subconsciously, I always thought that maybe I would win the next time and I guess, that’s why there's always the disappointment every time I fail.I agree when they say that in order to succeed, you must be willing to fail. I realized that I wanted so much to win I didn’t think of losing. The reason why I always found myself doing something I knew I wasn’t really good at was because I was determined to try even if I wasn’t expecting to win, which was really good. I guess, that’s what success is all about, setting your mind into something and determined to achieve that goal. You can never say that you’re a failure. In life, it helps to be more optimistic rather than being pessimistic because you won’t achieve anything. When you want to do something, do it. Don’t think that you have to be always right in what you do to say that you succeeded. At least in the end, whether you succeeded or not, you won’t be wondering what might’ve happened if you did what you wanted. Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get. Don’t make right decisions, but rather wise decisions. Never regret the decisions you have made because at some point, it’s what you wanted. That’s what life is about isn’t it? Being happy…For me, I guess my goal is simply to succeed and as far as I’m concerned, I haven’t failed yet. Maybe somehow, I will also be given the success that I deserve. Maybe it will come when I least expects it, who knows… After all, success is a destination, not a journey, right? :)