Social Media: The Old Dog and New Tricks6/29/2018  Today, we celebrate National Social Media Day. The holiday was founded in 2010, by a website known as Mashable.com. It celebrates how important social media has become. I worked in radio stations, newspapers, and television stations. In fact, my show, Isumbong Mo Kay Tulfo, is an industry pioneer and mainstay for public service shows with an investigative touch. I didn’t think much of social media. It was through the efforts of my loved ones and my dedicated staff that I realized how important social media could be. Isumbong Mo Kay Tulfo already had its own Facebook page. I then decided it was time to join the online world. Now, I have my own Facebook and Twitter accounts. I think that social media will supplant other media in ten years. Newspapers, radio, and television news shows and outfits will need their own social media platforms. Social media has made journalists of everyone. It has democratized journalism. Everybody is now a journalist in his or her own right. Social media, like current journalism, is subject to abuse, fake news, and other similar problems. Because of this, it is important that veteran journalists should adapt to the new world of social media. I see it as a way to reach out and help more people. I see it as a way to share my thoughts, unfiltered. It is a new way to communicate with what is now a global community. It is the future of news media. I said before that this old dog is learning new tricks. I realize now that I am not that old yet, and I have many more tricks to learn in this online world. Mabuhay tayong lahat, and let us all celebrate National Social Media Day.
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Romy Maganto, RIP6/25/2018  Romeo Maganto, a bemedalled policeman, was laid to rest yesterday, Sunday, June 24.
Maganto, one of the very few police generals who neither graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) nor the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), was admired by millions for his raw courage. His courage bordered on foolhardiness or stupidity. His fellow officers, who were PMAers or PNPAers, laughed at or mocked him for his foolhardiness. But he always got the job done. In places where he was assigned, peace and order became the norm. He cleaned up Ilocos Norte, fighting the New People’s Army (NPA) when he was the PNP provincial director there. Maganto, who had retired, died of natural causes. Romy Maganto was a relatively honest cop. Relatively, hindi garapal. By the way, wala namang pulis na santo. Romy, you deserve a lasting rest in peace. Values Education Is More Important!6/22/2018  There's a push to teach good manners and right conduct in schools, specially for the child.
I think schools should teach children the right values. Without the right values, our children won’t see why they should be good people, why they should respect others, and treat others as they would treat themselves. Science, math, and social studies are important, but values should come first before skills. I feel strongly that values education is more important than skills. I feel that people should know in their hearts what is right and wrong. Without that basic learning, our children's futures will be very bleak. Teachers themselves should also be responsible when teaching values to our children. Many parents are now very busy with work. Teachers are practically parents when they are in charge of children in school. The values that teachers want to impart in our children should be ones they believe in. This means that teachers themselves should be good examples. If they want students to be patriotic, then they should be patriotic. If they want students to be responsible, then they, too, should be responsible. Good values are learned when children see excellent examples, not because they are told that these values are important. Good values are far more important than good manners and right conduct. It's a good idea to teach children how to behave properly. For example, helping an old woman cross a busy street is better than greeting her "good morning" and then leaving her to avoid speeding vehicles in the middle of the street. Finally, let's visit the Constitution of the Philippines. Article XIV, Section 3, says schools "shall inculcate patriotism and nationalism, foster love of humanity, respect for human rights, appreciation of the role of national heroes in the historical development of the country, teach the rights and duties of citizenship, strengthen ethical and spiritual values, develop moral character and personal discipline, encourage critical and creative thinking, broaden scientific and technological knowledge, and promote vocational efficiency." As you can see, instilling values in our children is not just something we should do, it's enshrined in the Constitution, the basic law of the land. Murder in a Nueva Ecija Chapel6/20/2018  Richmond Nilo was a Catholic priest, a man among men, a man of action. Like Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, he was murdered. The cowards shot through a window of the Nuestra de Senora de la Nieve Chapel, in Nueva Ecija, killing Fr. Nilo while he was preparing to celebrate mass on a Thursday. Fr. Nilo was the third priest to be killed in six months. People say it may have been about a land dispute, or because he helped a rape victim. The third angle that the police are looking into is disturbing. It is that it may have been about his debates with representatives of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC). Fr. Nilo was known for questioning some of the fundamental beliefs of the INC. He knew that he lived a dangerous life. He accepted it as part of his calling. My first article in this blog was about my respect and admiration for Felix Manalo, the founder of the INC. I should make it clear that my admiration also extends to his son, Erano "Ka Erdy," and his grandson, Eduardo "Ka Eddy." Ka Erdy initiated land reform programs, and extended the INC's reach across the world. He was at the helm when the INC went on air in 1969, and when the New Era University was founded in 1974. The Central Temple was built in his time. He was a man who believed that the INC's money should be used to do good, to create institutions and infrastructure that would benefit the INC. His son, Eduardo "Ka Eddy" Manalo, continued his father's work for the INC, by extending the INC's reach into the internet. More churches have been built abroad, and the Philippine Arena was put up. The Manalo family should be recognized for their vision and will. This is why I do not think that the Manalo family members are directly involved in Fr. Nilo's death. If the INC were involved, it would be because of other people. These are the brigands, the rogues within the church. They disgrace the INC. Video from VeritasDipolog AbsoluteTruthLover It is healthy for the representatives of different Churches to debate with each other, in order to reach an understanding.
But if it is true, that Fr. Nilo was shot because of the machinations of a cabal in another Church, then that's asking for a dangerous situation. Days before he was murdered, he challenged INC representatives to a public debate. If that was the reason for his murder, then the cabal within the INC does not respect freedom of expression which is enshrined in our Constitution. Learning What is Right and Proper6/18/2018  The Department of Education wants to add more subjects in good manners and right conduct in school.
That is putting the cart before the horse. If we want to have true good manners and right conduct, then we should start with having proper values first. Many people are worried that the world is going to hell. It's as if being a decent, God-loving human being is slowly going out of style. We're not talking only about crime here, but a general breakdown in the core human values that every good person should have. It used to be that we parents could take care of passing on our values to our children. However, let's be honest: The world isn't giving us much time anymore. OFW families, for example, bear this pain more than many others do. Children are left with one parent to practically raise them, while the other makes sure there's enough money to give them a good life. The country has become a nation of contract workers. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, there were 2.27 million Filipinos working abroad as of 2017. The figures could have jumped by now, and that's not taking into account those working abroad who are unregistered. Lack of time with the children, combined with distractions and bad influences, makes for a nation with a youth population with a weak moral fiber. Values such as honesty, integrity, and patriotism should be part of a person's foundation. These values are required components of a person's character. Over the years, I have seen the evils of the world. It is why I fight against all of them with Isumbong Mo Kay Tulfo. It is why I take up the cudgels for the oppressed and the distressed. What I think is this: many people have grown up without proper values. Many of the crimes that you read, hear, and see in the news are committed by people who grew up with weak moral values, or no values at all. Important values must be taught in schools. They should already have proper values by the time they reach ten years old. Yes, it is important that they know their reading, writing, and arithmetic. But without proper values, children will not know what is good, what right, and what is just. Let's start at the pre-school level, and learn about honesty and integrity along with the ABC's. Discipline, of course, should form part of the curriculum. I shouldn't say this, but teachers themselves should have good moral standing. If our educators will teach proper Filipino values to the next generation, then they should have those themselves. I disagree with the notion that we should take shorten the time for teaching values in order to have more time for math, science and social studies. That's ridiculous. In the formative years of a child, the shaping of moral values and acquisition of knowledge should go hand and hand. Our schools must bombard our youth from pre-school to Grade 4 with values. Ages 4 to 10 are formative years. If we want to be a strong nation, let's starts with teaching our children honesty, integrity, discipline and patriotism or love of country. If our future generations don’t believe in anything good, then the world will really go to hell. Felix Manalo, my Idol.6/14/2018  As my readers know, I have been very critical of the Iglesia ni Cristo in some of my past articles and statements. However, let's set the record straight.
The founder, Felix Y. Manalo, is one whom I consider as similar to Buddha, Martin Luther, and Brigham Young. Buddha, who founded Buddhism, taught people about the Middle Way, about balance between the material and spiritual worlds. He believed that the right view, action, intentions, speech, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration were important for one to reach enlightenment. Martin Luther was a believer that the Bible was the only source of divine knowledge from God, and that salvation and eternal life was the gift of God's grace through belief in Jesus Christ. Brigham Young was the second and longest-serving President of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints, known as the "Lion of the Lord" for his force of personality. All of them were courageous men, who dared to ask questions and stood up for what they believed in. Just like these venerable people, Felix Manalo, too, was one who stood up for his beliefs, and formed the Iglesia ni Cristo as a foundation for those who believed in the Lord as he did. I have to say, I respect the foundation of the INC. I respect and admire what it does for its flock. It's a large family. It's a social security system for its believers in need of help, which is what a family should always do for its own members. The INC is also very loyal. In short, the INC, at its best, and in the vision of Felix Manalo, is a spiritual North Star that guides the INC family. This would not have happened if Felix Manalo were not a Spiritual Explorer, a man who dared to ask questions, and to build on what he believed in. However, the INC is under attack from within. There are those within it who want to turn it simply into a political tool, a mass of votes traded for influence or money. It makes one wonder where the dream and vision of Felix Manalo are these days. Let me end by saying that yes, there are brigands in the organization, and that they are doing the Iglesia a disfavor. Who these are, I know, because the sources come from within. I hope that the vision of Felix Manalo will prevail in the Iglesia ni Cristo. After all, the INC is a testament to Felix Manalo's life and beliefs. As for the brigands, they should go to hell. Ramon TulfoJournalist, Philanthropist, and now, a Blogger! Archives
October 2018
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