SINCE I have been contributing some articles in SunStar Cagayan de Oro, I was recently asked about the depth of my interest with local events, considering that I have been away from the Philippines for about 24 years now.
I have always been following national and local news, because my core is very Filipino, very Cagay-anon. I cheer any good news, lament for any misdeeds, and rejoice with any triumph happening in my homeland, specifically my hometown. My day will not be complete if I can’t read the national or local news from the Philippines and Cagayan de Oro, respectively.
I am physically and emotionally invested, especially for any progress happening in Cagayan de Oro because my family and friends are still living in the city. So any hint of progress is good news for the lives of the people I love.
Thanks to the internet, national and local news can now easily be accessed online. For example, today I was reading an article from SunStar about the Philippine Statistics Authority’s report of the country’s accelerating inflation rate in July, reaching a new five-year high. The government’s economic team links this to a depleting rice stock inventory related to weather disturbances in the country and the Southeast Asia region, as a whole. This is worrisome to me, because rice is the lifeline of every Filipino.
I remember my parents and my sister when I took them out to an American lunch or dinner, a sandwich or pizza perhaps, they always look for “bahaw” when we get home, because their meal will never be complete without rice. So, this increasing inflation may potentially increase prices of rice and other commodities; hence, directly affecting the day-to-day lives of every Cagay-anon, including my family. As a kid, I was always taught to save for the rainy days. To put this simply, this children’s story may be a good reference point for a pro-active economic planning.
Another headline in today’s SunStar paper was about the temporary stoppage of DPWH’s planned drainage projects in Cagayan de Oro because of issues in payments and relocation of individuals whose properties will be affected by these major plans. This sounds like a complex problem on top of an already long-standing, complicated issue. So, it seems that I need to tell my family and friends to brace for more flooding in the city for the next few months. I should suggest to the editor of SunStar to place some emoticons after every article, so people can easily react to these issues. It can really be exhausting to think of these unsolved issues that have plagued the city for a long time. In fact, they are not only unsolved, they are worsening.
When Sendong happened, I was horrified by the images I saw in social media of what happened to our city. I travelled across the state of Maryland in the United States to speak to different social and religious Filipino and American groups. Along with other Cagay-anons who I met in these events, we passionately described the devastation Cagayan de Oro suffered, raising a hefty amount to send home through reputable national organizations including three dozens of shipping crates filled with clothes and canned goods. We never heard what happened to the money or goods we sent. I just hoped those donations were used well, as intended.
So, issues that affect the Philippines, especially my home city will always force me to act or react. I may not be physically present, but my spirit will always be Cagay-anon and I will always dedicate every ounce of my being to contribute productively through my expertise in mentoring, collaborating, and networking.