Places I Have Visited

The Philippines is full of wonderful destinations that are truly worth visiting. Here are some pictures of the best places in the country that I’ve visited so far.

This picture was taken outside my room at the Women’s Residence Hall in the University of the Philippines Los Baños. Besides being a premier academic institution, the university also has some of the most fascinating structures in the country. Some of these structures are the Carillon Tower and the Thai Temple.

The white pillar that you see from a distance is the Carillon Tower. The Carillon Tower was built in 1996. It has 37 bells of different sizes.

This is the Thai Temple.

During my undergrad years at UPLB, I was able to visit Mt. Banahaw in Dolores, Quezon twice—one for my P.I. 100 (The Life and Works of Jose Rizal) class and the other for my Psy 101 (Filipino Psychology) class. The place is considered mystical and is full of religious cults, spiritists and faith healers.

A wonderful view of Banahaw.

My classmate took this picture on our way to Calapan, Mindoro.

The waters between Batangas and Mindoro.

So blue but so deep...

A white sand beach in Batangas.

Ideal for people who want a tranquil place with a magnificent scenery.

This picture was taken at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City.

A tobacco plantation in Ilocos Sur.

See the mountains? Tirad Pass is located somewhere there. Gen. Gregorio del Pilar, one of the Philippines' greatest heroes, and his men positioned themselves at Tirad Pass so that Emilio Aguinaldo could escape the American troops who were after him for a complete control of the country. This town was named after the young general.

This is in Banaue, Ifugao. We passed the area on our way to Sagada. This place has a breath-taking view. If you think it's fantastic just by looking at the picture, what more if you see it in person?

Banaue can only be described as "picturesque."

A closer look at the Banaue Rice Terraces.

Me and some of my classmates in Sagada. We traveled to this place to conduct a study for our Soc 129 (Race and Ethnic Relations) class. It’s very cold in here, particularly at night. The place is full of "hanging coffins" and caves; unfortunately, most of us weren't able to see them because of time constraints.

On Terrorism

The events of September 11, 2001 have served as a wake-up call for most nations and people in the world. The terrorist attacks have opened our eyes to the effects of terrorism and the importance of addressing this problem.

Acts of terrorism have been prevalent even before the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. However, these acts were largely seen as regional or local in scope. I believe that the threat posed by terrorism to global order and security was only given greater emphasis after the events of September 11 in the U.S.

With the prevalence of terrorist activities and the growing awareness concerning this issue, it is only appropriate to have a better understanding of the concept of terrorism.

According to Thomas Magstadt and Peter Schotten, authors of the book “Understanding Politics: Ideas, Institutions, and Issues,” terrorism comprises a political effort to oppose the status quo by inducing fear in the civilian population through the widespread and publicized use of violence, including murder, injury, and destruction. Terrorism takes many different forms, for Magstadt and Schotten these include state terrorism, international terrorism, domestic terrorism and transnational terrorism.

Terrorist groups commit terrorist acts for a variety of reasons. Many groups seek to overthrow an existing political institution or dominate a particular territory. Others commit acts of terrorism to seek attention and express their grievances. Al Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiyah, Abu Sayyaf and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam are just some of the groups designated by the U.S. government as terrorist organizations.

Efforts to combat terrorism have been made in the national, regional and international realms. The U.S. led a campaign against terrorism which it dubbed “War on Terror.” In Southeast Asia, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) adopted the ASEAN Declaration on Joint Action to Counter Terrorism at the 2001 summit in Brunei Darussalam. Bilateral and multilateral agreements have also been signed by national governments to counter terrorism.

Enhancing police powers, increasing surveillance activities, and intelligence-sharing among countries are just some of the ways to combat terrorism. However, I believe that the best way to deal with this issue is to address its root cause. There is a reason for the prevalence of terrorist acts as well as the rise of terrorist groups. It could be poverty, marginalization or imposition of a certain form of government. Each government and the international community must address the root cause of terrorism to contain, if not totally resolve, this problem.

Fate

I have been to places I never thought I'd be.

I have seen some things I never thought I'd see.

I have gone through life not knowing what will be.

I have often wondered what will become of me.

The Transition of an Idealist

Once I was an idealist.

Before, I often prayed for peace.
I saw the world as a beautiful place to live.
I imagined life to be wonderful always.
I was concerned with being good
and doing the right thing.

Once I was an idealist.

Now, I have changed.
I've realized peace is just a dream,
attained only in death.
The world is beautiful yet it is
starting to ruin.
Life is always full of difficulties,
only hope makes it bearable.
Being good and doing right is fine but
don't be too good at all times.

Once when I was an idealist I never
even thought of these.

Now, I have changed.

Life

Life is more than existence
It has to be experienced
Life is not always wonderful
Though, it can be full.

Some lived a miserable life
Others lived a desirable one
The difference lies on luck
Or on decisions made in life.

Holocaust

After reading the novel "Holocaust" by Gerald Green, I was saddened with how man can ignore his conscience. I cannot fathom how the mind really works. I also cannot understand how people can take innocent lives and justify what they had done.

I wish to God that the Holocaust will never happen again, I also wish that people will deal with their differences without resorting to violence.

Having read about the experience of the Jews during the Holocaust, I kept on wondering why they were not able to resolve the issue concerning Palestine. I mean, the Israelis know how difficult it is to be "unwanted." Anyway, I hope that the Israelis and Palestinians will be able to settle their dispute in the soonest possible time to avoid more bloodshed. Both groups of people have suffered enough, gone through so much difficulties that they need and deserve to have a decent life.