Morning Routine

I always make it a point to read the newspaper daily, even in my 15 minute break I try to finish one story and resume reading when my 1 hour break arrives. But reading the broadsheet always make me teary eyed. This past two weeks the newspapers are filled with stories of devastation, murder and families losing loved ones. One story was the fate of many parents who lost their only child in China's worst calamity in a decade. Since most areas of China already applied the one-child policy due to their overwhelmingly increasing population, parents were left childless as school buildings collapsed in the 8 magnitude quake. One story that struck me hard in the gut was the couple who waited for many years to bear a child. The father wanted so badly to enter the rubble to rescue his little girl but authorities won't allow him as it is deemed to be extremely dangerous. They waited for rescuers to arrive but the severity of the situation left the government struggling. Hours have passed and they feared for their child's life. And after two days of lifting heavy stones, they saw the bodies of little children huddled close together. One of them their little girl. Chinese government have been really lax with implementation of building safety and adherance to structural standards. Most buildings were made of sub standard materials thus they easily got damaged, not earthquake-proof. Economists agreed that that is surely a sign of corruption as politicians approved funds for school buildings but some percentage of it go to their pockets. I wonder how could these people get to sleep soundly at night knowing that their greed cost thousands of lives.



Another story was that of the massacre in RCBC in Laguna. 10 people died senselessly. 9 people died instantly, and how could they not if they were shot in the head at close range. The people who did this are pure evil. In the past times bank robbers just get the millions in the vault and do not bother to kill, only if they had to. Like when somebody saw their face and might have recognized them. The 10th fatality succumbed to death in a hospital bed, with his life depending on the machines attached to his body. His family hoped to see him alive but when he died they thought that their father, their husband, their son wanted them safe from the hands of those who killed him. Because if he had lived to tell the tale his life and those around him would be jeopardized. In death he still thought of his family and their safety. Life is so unfair. These bank employees work to feed their families and for their children to have better future, better lives. How could anyone just take the life out of them? How could these murderers not think of their own family, and how would they feel if they suffer the same fate. The children of those who died are just kids. Kids who are not even past their teenage years. My heart aches for them as they would not be able to see their mama and papa ever again. They would not be able to tell them how much they appreciate the hard work they put into ensuring that they have a secure future. Everything is over. And with our justice system, I doubt that the killers would be put behind bars anytime soon.





The last story that made me actually cry is the story of "Ka Bel". Unknown to many, Crispin Beltran worked very hard for the benefit of the Filipino workers. As a congressman, eventhough he had the access to a lot of money, he never used his position to take advantage unlike most congressmen we know. He lived a poor life, and he died a poor man. Dignified. But what moved me was his and Ka Osang's love story. It was a story unlike many, he was a taxi driver by night and a UP student by day. Rosario rode on his taxi one afternoon and asked to be driven around since she is fuming mad with her father whom she recently had a fight with. Ka Bel asked her why she ran away and if he could take her back to her father. But Rosario was persistent on moving as far away as she can from her home. Since she doesn't have anywhere to stay Ka Bel offered to take her into his home and she stayed there for three days, sleeping in his room while Ka Bel slept on the sofa. Rosario's father found her in Ka Bel's house and he beat him hard and he was hospitalized. Her father wanted them to get married. Even if Rosario didn't love Ka Bel that time, she agreed because she saw the pureness of his heart and his good soul. They had 10 children. And when Ka Bel was jailed for 2 years during the Marcos regime Ka Osang took over his responsibility and delivered speeches during rallies. Ka Osang even plotted his successful escape from jail. Even if they have a meager income selling fish and vegetable in the market, they were never enticed to do anything illegally. All of their 10 children graduated from college. During the burial of Ka Bel I was on the morning shift and witnessed the procession at Commonwealth Avenue, a mass will be held at Batasan in his honor and then they will proceed to Bulacan to lay his body to its final resting resting place. As people in red passed by I uttered a shirt prayer. That we may one day see the fruits of Ka Bel's labor. That one day our country will truly be free from corruption and proceed to have better economy and better leaders.