Gloria Macapagal Arroyo SONA 2009

State of the Nation Address (SONA) is an annual event in any republic, in which the president gives a report or summary on the status of the nation, eventually during the term of such president. In the Philippines, to give such address is a duty of the President as mentioned in Article VII, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution:
“The President shall address the Congress at the opening of its regular session. He may also appear before it at any time.”

This very day, July 27, 2009, the President of the Philippines, Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, had given her 9th SONA and had it in a way different from the others.
She gave a picture of the country that would have been “lying on its back” if “we had given in to our critics.” She had referred to the achievements her administration had during the nine years of her presidency, most specifically in the areas of education, infrastructure, and economics.

She had for her audience some of the individuals who became testaments with the progress of the nation; one of them is the champion, Manny Pacquiao. She also had her chance to deal with the many allegations given her by her critics. She said, “I have never done any of the things that have scared my worst critics so much.” Telling them that, “They are frightened by their own shadows.”

With her seventy-six minutes state of the nation address, she had given it her all, showing people with her acclaimed achievements and response to her opponents. But with all her ‘blabs’, I don’t think that the people, the citizens of the Republic of the Philippines, have been deeply ‘touched’ or even yet ‘moved’ by them. Talks do not walk as actions are seen by the people. Her 9th address would have been truer if she had it with all the honesty – if she still does have.

I personally believe that there would no longer be a need to somehow resurrect her self is she did really achieve the goals she had been telling the people. There would not be a massive rebellion against her if all the nine years that she had stayed at her position were not nine years of waste.

The SONA would somehow fit the definition that was originally given it IF she had just stated the very status, situation, or whatever you may call it, of the nation right now, even up to the moment she was opening her mouth, and let her words depart it.

People are not that blind to see the scavenging status of everyone just to live. People are not that deaf, to not hear the cries of empty stomachs and injustice cries. People are not that insensitive, to not feel the heat of the sun burning their skins and still enduring all the pain just to feed his family. People are people who see, hear, and even feel the devastation she had brought during the wasted years she sat at her ‘throne’.

There’s this comment that I have read in one of the articles regarding the same subject and I just love it so for it nailed it all.
“I h[a]ve to give GMA credit for giving out a pretty good speech, but you have to be completely dense to believe it.”


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The choice to live

Is the power to choose absolute? ? More often than not, the statements we hear from people is not “I have a choice” but “I don’t have a choice” instead. For people born with physical and mental inabilities, the freedom to choose was not handed over them. With those who have inherited family ailment, choice was not with them.
In most cases, what worsens a disabled little girl, a sick young man, and a forgetful old woman, is the fact that they were not given the chance to choose of whether they wanted it or not. Often, this leads to not accepting what was fated and even suicide to the extent.
The gift of health is what we always treasure. Our prayer every birthday is to have good health. We can choose to live a healthy life, or a miserable one. I feel those whom I have mentioned above but still I do not pity them. Why? Because still, they do have a choice – a choice to continue on living despite the circumstance. Unlike those who have not been given the chance to be born.
We may not have always the choice of certain things that come our way, but certainly, we always have the choice to do what is best for us. We have the choice to accept or reject. To build or to create. To progress or to fail. To love or to hate. To cherish life regardless of or to die and suffer in the end.


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Whack ! Food Allergies!

Allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction to a particular allergen; symptoms can vary greatly in intensity. Allergies may vary from animals, insect bites, to drugs and food allergies. In this article, we will be dealing mainly on what we call as food allergy.
According to research, there are approximately 8% of children and 2% of adults suffering from true food allergies. When the culprit food is eaten, allergic reactions occur within minutes. Itching mostly likely occur, as well as sneezing, itchy nose and eyes. Some may vomit; suffer from cramps and diarrhea, chest tightness and the like.

Most reactions to food are probably not allergic in nature, but rather intolerance. This means that there is no allergic antibody present against the food in the person. Intolerance can be classified as toxic and non-toxic. Milk, soy, wheat, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish and shellfish compromise more than 90 percent of food allergies in children. Allergy to milk and egg are by far the most common, and are usually outgrown by age 5 years. Peanut, tree nut, fish and shellfish allergies are typically the more severe and potentially life-threatening, and frequently persist into adulthood.
Allergies may differ from one person to another. That is why it is never a universal thing. Most often, people who have these allergy on a specific food, most likely would want to eat that very food. Odd, isn’t it?



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Pinkish gums versus Gingivitis

My dentist had always complimented, though not on my teeth, but rather on my gums. She said that I have healthy gums and it is a good thing to have. I wouldn’t be giving detailed info about my gums for I find it rather a gross thing to do. All I can say is that they’re pinkish!
Forgive me to brag on my gums but as healthy as mine are, there’s this what we know as gingivitis. Gingivitis is an inflammation of gums surrounding the teeth. It is caused by the long-term effects of plaque deposits which is also the major cause of tooth decay. When plaques are not removed, it turns into a hard deposit called tartar. This irritates and inflames the gums.

General illness, poor dental hygiene, pregnancy, and uncontrolled diabetes are some factors that may raise the risk of having gingivitis. Bleeding gums, bright red or red-purple appearance to gums, mouth sores, and swollen gums are symptoms of having gingivitis.
Treatment for this kind of dental problem is not that difficult. Ones goal is to only reduce inflammation. So thorough cleaning of the teeth by the dentist and antibacterial mouth rinses gives a big aid for such problem.
Prevention is always the option for us those who do not want for their gums to suddenly bleed or so. Good oral hygiene is the best prevention against gingivitis – thorough brushing and flossing. Regular tooth cleaning is also important to remove any unnecessary residues found on teeth that may develop even with careful brushing. It is recommended by dentists to have your teeth professionally cleaned every after 6 months.



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Sexually Transmitted Disease

Sexually Transmitted Disease or commonly known as STD is really sounds a bell to anyone. STDs are diseases that are chiefly passed from one person to another during sexual activities or more likely in intercourse.
Although STDs are not predictable by just looking at an individual, it is still best to know its common symptoms and the most common ones that are sexually transmitted.

STD symptoms vary, but the most common are soreness, unusual lumps or sores, itching, pain when urinating, and/or an unusual discharge from the genitals.
The following are a list of some of the common STDs and some other genital disease.
• Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is not strictly an STD as it is not transmitted via sexual intercourse. It is caused by an imbalance in the normal healthy bacteria found in the vagina and although it is relatively harmless and may pass unnoticed, it can sometimes produce an abundance of unpleasant fishy smelling discharge.
• Chlamydia it is caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium. It infects the urethra, rectum and eyes in both sexes, and the cervix in women. If left untreated, long-term infection can lead to fertility problems in women.
• Crabs or Pubic Lice are small crab-shaped parasites that burrow into the skin to feed on blood. They live on coarse body hair, predominantly pubic hair, but can also be found in armpit hair, facial hair and even on eyelashes. The lice are yellow-grey in colour and use their crab-like claws to grip hair strands. They can sometimes be spotted moving on the skin.
• Genital warts are caused by some sub-types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV). They can appear on the skin anywhere in the genital area as small whitish or flesh-coloured bumps, or larger, fleshy, cauliflower-like lumps.
• Gonorrhea (once known as the clap) is a sexually transmitted infection that can infect the urethra, cervix, rectum, anus and throat. Symptoms usually appear between 1 and 14 days after exposure, but it is possible to have no symptoms.

These STDs as what have been mentioned may sometimes be passed on unnoticed. But just a rule of the thumb, always keep yourself clean and most of all, your intentions. There is never wrong on the right time.



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A second thought on cigarette smoking

Cigarette smoking has been the problems of many countries today, aside from the actual air pollution, although very minimal, it can cause, it also increases the fatality rate of both first and second hand smokers.
Here in the Philippines, cigarette smoking has not been banned. Though government warnings have been posted here and there and almost everywhere, still the rampancy of it has not minimized but has set to the opposite. According to recent study, cigarette smoking has now become one of the primary causes of deaths in foreign countries. Smoking encourages heart problems which could cause early death to anyone - no exception.
We have heard a lot especially from our parents that smoking isn’t good for our health but still we see it grow in number every single day, from all walks of life, and from all ages. Varying reasons flood our way into knowing why people indulge themselves to cigarette smoking. To look cool, to fit in, and to relieve stress are just a few of these reasons.

I have been with people who smoke on a regular basis. Although some of them do such for socialization, others do so because they do not have the restraint anymore to stop. It has become their vice already. According to my brother-in-law, it takes 21 days of practice to make such practice a habit. I won’t be discussing on the ailments that cigarette smoking causes on the smokers. What I want to share is my very own father’s experience regarding this matter.
While the fact of leaving this kind of vice is not as easy as 1 2 3, it is nevertheless an impossible thing to do. My dad was a chain smoker. He could actually consume more than one big box full of cigarette packs in a day, he was able to get through and get rid of this unwanted practice. Yes, cigarette smoking is dangerous to ones health but more than that, I believe that everything is a choice – a choice whether to stay on something or to leave something. My father had a his choice, have you?



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Dry Eye Syndrome

Just a couple of weeks ago, I have been experiencing this newly, sudden, and disturbing behavior with my eyes. It was not until this week that I found out that what I was experiencing was the so called dry eye syndrome. The term was relatively new to me until I got myself to search about it. And apparently, I’m making an article about it.
Dry eyes syndrome is an eye problem caused by certain troubles involving the quality of the tear film that lubricates the eyes. Tears are what lubricate the eyes. Tears are produced as a reflex response to eye injury or emotion and the like.
Occasionally, dry eye syndrome has many causes. It may be induced by simply the normal aging of an individual. Climates may also have a say on having this syndrome as well as cigarette smoking and air-conditioning. Eyes get irritated with constant reading and computer usage. Vitamin A deficiency and some certain medications may also cause the syndrome to likely occur. Periodical rests and blinks help our eyes more comfortable.
As to those who wear contact lens, instead of the aid given by the contacts, the tendency when the one wearing it suffers from dry eye syndrome makes everything more inefficient. Contact lens absorbs the tear film producing water in the eyes and with the said syndrome, the problem starts with the tear film itself.
There are medical processes that one may find helpful in curing dry eye syndrome but why go for medications when a very practical and easy remedy is at hand – have plenty your eyes plenty of rest and in no time, they will serve you the way they did before.



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