Mom Writes

Philippines - What have become of the Peace Talks that everybody’s seeking and struggling to achieve? World Peace is just a cliche for those who joined beauty pageants. An elusive dream or a campaign ad for those who were aiming positions for government offices.

Yesterdays’ incidents in a number of places in Mindanao was a faux pas. Many innocent people lives’ were taken, properties were burned down, and civilians were forced to evacuate their domains, fleeting for Ozamis City on pump-boats at 1 am. A shocking story. A very sad news.

I was born and raised in Davao City. But I was in Lanao del Norte some years ago for a vacation. My father’s relatives harmoniously lives with their Muslim neighbors. Christian and Muslims are treated equal, that is to my view point. In college, my father went to MSU (Marawi State University). He says he used to play ball games with his Muslims classmates. He had many Muslim friends and none of them treated him differently. Few years ago I helped campaign for an uncle running for Mayor. This uncle is a Muslim, and we are not blood-related, but think of us a family.

How could this evil be stopped? Mindanao is not for Muslims alone. Some mere bandits and murderers stand behind the name of our Muslim brothers. They used the old political rivalry issues of Christian and Muslims to sustain their mundane needs. I am shaking in disgust watching the news on TV yesterday. A boy was crying because his father was killed. People were running and hiding for fear. These bandits ransacking the town under the banner of MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front). They robbed, vandalized the town, and took hostages to shield them from the Military troups. And the newspaper this morning says, that MILF has no control over their commanders. No control? That makes the ongoing peace talks senseless. Why do we have to listen to MILF, or MNLF demands when they don’t have ascendancy to their people? The government should make everybody understand that Mindanao is for Mindanaoans, for Filipinos, for Christians and Muslims alike.

My husband woke me up at 5am one morning. He was so troubled over what he saw in youtube.com that he needed to stir me up from my sleeping. It was a video clip of a boy with Autism. He was so moved by the video that he began to look up about the illness. To his surprised, some claimed that Autism is triggered of vaccines. And to some specifics, it was the MMR vaccine they pointed out.

MMR (Mumps-Measles-Rubella) vaccine protects our children to these diseases. But why was the issue raised against this vaccine that’s supposed to protect our kids and not hurt them? My two-year-old son already had his shot of MMR. And it bothered us a little though he’s good and healthy. Are vaccines safe? Will it be safe for the kids not to get vaccination?

I take pride of making sure that my child gets all the shots. I feel it is important to protect my baby from all deadly diseases. But these issues arises suspicion. I came upon autismpinoy.com and they have a slogan that says; ” it’s your child, it’s your choice.” But what are the choices? Should have i gone back to college and finish my BS in Chem Engg to be able to understand the chemical compounds and elements of my child’s vaccines?

Also the misleading presentation of Formula Milk has caused an alarm to parents. We always wanted to give all but the best to our children. Reading can labels and trusting enough to TV commercials and ads of these products is but being irresponsible. But how to check and understand them?

This is a farce and the government, or whoever is responsible for public health safety, should look into this matter.

Shop til you drop could mean shop til your budget drops, or until your body exhausted from shop-hopping. It’s one of my favorite things to do in the world. My husband says it’s a sport I’m good at, and found it amusing that I can freely round my way to the different shops in the mall with shopping bags and the baby stroller, plus the baby. Imagine how my feet hurt and body ached when we get home. I should say nothing beats the conventional shopping, meaning having to go to the mall and personally checking on stuff. But think of the convenience of your home while checking on some retails over the internet.

E-shopping or online stores makes it all easy. Hang on to your credit card and internet connection. Hunting for new clothes and shoes is just a browse away over the internet. Not only for clothes, but you can buy anything and everything else over the world wide web. During the early 90’s, Amazon started their online shop. I remembered checking on a book but find it difficult to purchase because I don’t have a credit card then yet. Then comes after Amazon is the popular eBay. People can buy and sell and offer bids at eBay. etsy.com’s one of my favorites. The site’s populated of artistic and creative business people.

Purchasing over Amazon, eBay and other international online stores could be expensive. We have to pay extra for the shipping fees. And then when it gets to the Philippines, we have to handle customs, duties, and taxes.

But here in the Philippines, we are not so left behind. There are a lot of local online shops that we don’t have to pay extra high fees for shipping and the taxes. Like sulit.com and buyandsellph.com. Also check out eBay Philippines. These sites approach to buy and sell, and bidding, too. From jewelry, clothes and accessories, computers, mobile phones and other electronic gadgets, cars and real estate properties, and a lot more.

Multiply.com is a growing network of online stores. Here we can find online shops of children clothes and toys, designer and branded bags, shoes, and clothes. And beautiful customized and hand-made fashion accessories. Even products from Greenhills, Divisoria and Baclaran, so you’ll need not to struggle to these crowded places for affordable buys. They’re all in these e-stores: HippieStore, FashionStreet, Tiddletots, FranceShop, theLittleStore, BeadHappy, Jolly Beads, Kizz of Goddess, Loads of Stuff, SanrioOnline.

Also you can check online for services, such as photography, prints, and web design and development are just few to mention.

When you purchase online, or planning to, always check the site’s credibility, terms and conditions, and make sure you have the correct details of bank account numbers and etc.

I am always a fan of Neil Buchanan and Art Attack. I always love to watch the show as a kid and even later when I am already married. I kept track of it on Disney Channel until lately that I have to cut off TV time for the baby.

Aluminum Figures’ one of the wonderful things Neil had for the show. Of course not too forget the massive art work of pictures made from different kind of materials.

Aluminum Figures

You will need:

• Sticky Tape
• Newspaper
• Aluminium Foil
• Cardboard Box Card

Start by scrunching up newspaper into a body shape. Use plenty of sticky tape to hold it in shape.

Twist some strips of newspaper into arms and legs. Again, use sticky tape to hold them in shape.

Bend the bottom of the legs to make feet.

Then scrunch up a thin ball of newspaper to make a head. Use more sticky tape to hold it in place.

Now that you have all the body parts made, tape them all together. Attach one at a time.

Just use plenty of tape and take your time - don’t rush!

To make your figure stand up, you need to make a base. Just cut a piece of cardboard box card to the right shape, and tape a scrunched up pad of newspaper onto it.

Now position your figure on the base. It doesn’t have to be in a standing position it can be in any position you like. This one’s walking, for example.

To create the effect of a priceless figurine, cover your creation in aluminum foil. You’ll need to use some double sided sticky tape or sticky tape loops for this.

Put your sticky tape loops onto the back of your figurine’s back, head, chest and so on, then simply cover with pieces of aluminum foil.

Remember, you can do any shape, size or pose of figure that you like. Try it yourself!

It was just drizzling when I came out of the house this afternoon for a doctor’s appointment. My husband was calling when I came out from the clinic . He was worried because it was raining hard and flooding and no vehicle could come out from the garage. Since the building is just a walking distance from our apartment he came out on-foot to fetch me.

We passed by Vito Cruz Extension that was heavy with traffic. And when we got to our turn, I was surprised to see the high level of flood water. My husband forced me into wearing the boots he brought for me. I felt I would look silly on it but i couldn’t decline. The water’s too high. It was knee-deep and impossible for me to swim my way through the apartment, of course. And as we course through the flooded streets I was laughing. But it was not funny, and it’s dirty. Even with the boots on, I think it’s gross. It was not like walking in the beach and so not like trudging rivers in the province. Imagine the spits, dog poops and unattended garbage bags on the sidewalks.

Improper waste disposal could be the cause of this effect, aside from the streets that were forever under construction. How difficult it is for people to realized that were going to pay high for our being irresponsible. On TV you’ll see some people don’t care, in fact they have happy faces watching after their children swimming in dirty puddles. A pity to their ignorance of good hygiene and cleanliness. They could get many diseases from this graying, polluted waters that is surely contaminated with different types of harmful bacteria. Should this be learned in school? Or maybe the barangay health workers could educate this people? Or maybe city government should look into the area’s drainage and the wastes disposal management?

The irony of it all. We are living in Makati, the business district of the Metro with high rise buildings of offices and residences. But the sewerage system of the city seemed poorly maintained, maybe not in Ayala Ave., but we’re just a few blocks away.

I never experienced walking along flooded streets until this afternoon.