Stress

Stress. A few good weeks without the subject of manacom has paid its price on us all. we are now in the brink of self destruction as numerous deadlines come knocking at our door. we have been too laid back in realizing that this is serious business. a bulk of our grade comes from these so called "assignments" and failure to compromise would cause detrimental effects on our grades. our only option is to trudge on and take in the heat. The time is almost up for all of us and we want to be able to look back at the fruits of our labor.

Something That Has Nothing To Do With Mancom

I have absolutely no clue regarding what we are supposed to blog right now, so let me share a little something in my mind that I have no idea if you would find interesting.

When the Senate voted on passing the Human Security Act on February 8, much speculation had erupted. Has the uniquely disguised Anti- Terrorism Act’s establishment brought us any benefit, or just more unfair practices and unnecessary power tripping? I certainly believe that the definition of terrorism is extremely vague. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines terrorism as “the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.” Unfortunately, the parameters of which the word “terrorism” constitutes will still be determined by the Malacanang. It is in this regard that Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, with the full support of Malacanang, can use this new law as a method to quell whatever threat she may perceive to either the country, or even her administration. She has also come into terms with using phrases such as “destabilization plots” and actually using the law to simply “take care” of the so called “terrorists.”

The passing of the bill could be a good thing though. People may feel a lot more protected. The streets could be more secure. Bomb threats could be lessened, and perhaps our daily lives can would be a lot safer. It is just that like all good things, sacrifices and negative occurrences may arise. The predicaments that have come to my attention remind me of the Spanish and Marcos eras. It would not be uncommon for a simple fish ball vendor to be taken into a dark dim room in the middle of nowhere to be questioned regarding why he sold squid balls to an alleged drug lord. It would also be common that the military undergo several mobilizations in areas that the President feels is in a brink of “rebellion.” I have mixed emotions regarding the passing of the bill. First of all, yes I do believe that it is a complete necessity to our country. The rise of organized crime and international terrorism is in the brink of engulfing the entire world, not to leave out our own country. Also, several reports of us being targeted by the big time terrorists such as the Al Qaida organization has made me scared enough to simply accept any form of protection that the government can have for us. But just as I am happy, I have also become quite insecure of my surroundings. Perhaps the bill would benefit us, but I do hope that it would not reach a point that I would become involved in its misconducts. The scary stories of police taking in random people inside black vans as they walk in the street have sent shivers down my spine. Perhaps much of these are urban legends, but horrendous stories still. But do we not have the right to be silent? Do we not have the right to know why we are being questioned and detained by the authorities? If I have understood the law well, then I believe that this law has the capacity to remove this right of yours, scary and spine tingling indeed. Suspicion has also enveloped my mind as I have found out that the law is also being used to quell strikes. Is it not the people’s right to be heard and express what they feel?

Is Gloria using the law to protect our country’s safety? Or is she merely using it to protect her own seat of power in the Philippines? We will never really know for sure. We were never really a part of the decision making process in the passing of this ball. It was our elected officials who took matters into their hands to decide for us. All we can do is to pray to God that our country’s law makers have made the right choice in its implementation.

Poetry

The Orgcomm student. The sky is but a symbol of hope and freedom from the chains of which bind us to our course. Barren are the fields of happiness as guilt and emotional distraught take their sweet succulent time to reveal themselves. Gone are the days of carefree frosh parties, daily alcohol binges, and casual flirting with absolutely random strangers that you've never met in your entire life. What is bestowed upon us now are the fruits of hard fought labor, ripe for the picking. To attain them however, we must cross a fiery bridge of death enveloped with fog and screams of what I would like to call as "undead students", gnashing their teeth, clawing their way through society and attempting to drag us down to the burning pits of repetition that they call home. And what are we to say about our battle hardened instructors, who's every drop of sweat symbolizes blood on our hands, blood that we sometimes merely wipe away and never give meaning to. We are mature enough to realize that this is no longer a game. We are nearing the point of no return. Do we succumb to the temptations of stagnating ourselves to becoming mere children, or do we break free from all inhibitions and simply get the job done. I myself have yet to answer this question for I am a child at heart, but I know sooner or later, I will have to make the ultimate choice.

My First Blog EVER

Organizational Communication practitioners are important in organizations simply because they are the only ones who know how to handle certain situations. More often than not, most organizations would not feel the need or even the importance of the said occupation. These are the organizations that are usually the ones in dire need of the lowly Org Comm practitioner. Just for kicks, I usually talk to members of certain organizations and ask them some of the problems that they encounter. True enough, most of their recurring problems have a direct link to organizational communication. These include internal disputes among members, shoddy organizational structures, disorganized rules and policies, and even faulty proxemics. It is in this regard that I have found a new love for my course. I have realized that the people who said “ano yang course na yan???” to me would be the people chasing me upon graduation. It is in this regard that I am sure to be a proud Organizational Communication practitioner who will not only make millions of pesos by integrating what I have learned in my career, but will also prove to the world the worth of all those lonely nights reading and typing so called “gibberish”.