It's Time!

It's 1am in the morning today, and I just finished watching High School Musical 3 while arranging 5 new songs for my upcoming projects, and a line from that movie touched me the most, it is when the teacher, Ms Darbus told Troy "better to consider the opportunities now and in 10 years life may limit your choices"

Playing that scene over and over again, I began to feel nostalgic about what I have been doing for the past 31 and half years. Then suddenly it all came back to me, it flashback all the success, failures, disappointments, events, opportunities, etc... that I had experienced for the past years.

Questions, memories, things about what will my future look like and other stuff began to linger in my mind, then tears followed... There's a sudden mixture of different emotions that I felt, but then it all came to one point, and that is I'm just really thankful on how God planned my destiny. Yes there are regrets, lots of them, but when I began to realize that all the things that happened were a blessing. It helped me appreciate the things, events, and people more than I appreciate them yesterday, and it helped me become a better person that I am today, a person that looks forward for a much better person in accordance to the will and the destiny that God had already planned out for me.

I challenge you to make a step forward every single day. There's always a new day and a new start, grab those opportunities laid before your eyes, be more than an adventurer rather than an observer, be ready to take more chances rather than sit and do nothing, move forward rather than go backwards and be left behind.

Let us all say enough of those things, situations, and people who always says that you can't and start to really believe that you can, that you can do the things you wanted to do only in Christ.

As for me and for the years to come, I will always let go and Let God.

Allow me to add a few lines to the original line of Ms Darbus as I end this blog...

"It is better to consider the opportunities now than to regret it when years, situations, and life may limit it. Trust God and trust the desire that He puts in your heart"

Now is the right time!

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

What's BEST TV NETWORK?

The issue about what's the best tv network in town is still debatable. Of course, nobody wants to be the least, that's why, they are battling to win the title every year. Bloggers like me has its own favorite but let me site my point here.

What makes the best tv network? How do we measure its goodness and even its worst matters? As a viewer, we want to want to watch programs whose main goal is to entertain us and at the same time is to promote good values that will help us understand our culture as being displayed by mass media.

Three years ago, the Philippine tv sets a variety of shows that made people think and set a standard of being the best. Network war is vivid and strong among its talents and its shows. Like for instance, GMA-7. GMA-7 reinvented their talents and come up with shows that is as they say "world class". However, ABSCBN-2 didn't ignore that move. They also reinvented their shows and start producing a state of the art shows not only in local but in abroad. ABC-5 or what we call TV-5 now made a massive changes when they introduced new concepts of shows and started to venture to what the other networks are doing.

Nowadays, we have three giant tv networks and the quest is not easy. Viewers are very keen observing their programs and even celebrities. Network war becomes intense everytime they need to appear in awards night, or come up with new shows and etc.

Personally, I am not a huge fan of watching tv. I'd rather listen to music and read books all day but it caught my attention to answer the query. For me, whoever entertains me and the show promotes good values and promotes our culture as Filipinos, then, they have my heart. But this idea has changed when I started to be involved in music industry. My eyes were opened and start watching their shows not just because they are good but personally I believed that they play as a watchdog of our society. That's why, I chose them as my best tv network. Well, it shows on their records. Yearly, they are awarded as Best TV Channel in KBP, CMMA, PMPC and more.

Filipinos deserve to have this kind of network that truly caters the true service for Filipinos, ABSCBN channel 2.

CYBERCRIME LAW

As a blogger , I am often asked for my stand onRepublic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 . My stand on the law stays the same as eight months ago when it was still a bill. Cybercrimes are real. Cybercrimes happen everyday. Cybercrimes are offenses committed against a person, or a people, a government--- threatening national security, for example or a corporation--- disrupting financial institutions. Cybercrimes have criminal motivations. Cybercrimes are meant to harm the reputation of a victim. Cybercrimes can cause physical or mental harm to a victim, whether directly, or indirectly using the amazing technology we have around us like The Internet, chat rooms, emails, message boards, groups, social networking, and even through our mobile phones. There is zero doubt that there is a clear and present need for a cybercrime law. There is no doubt that women’s rights need to be protected. There is no doubt that children need to be protected. There is no doubt that when someone is attacked online, he or she needs to be protected. There is no doubt that fraud, spam, need to be stopped. There is no doubt that government and law enforcement need to be armed to deal with these threats. The need of for a cybercrime law, and the need to protect people’s rights was never in doubt. I, myself was a victim of HACKING and IDENTITY THEFT. I consider it as a crime, digital crime. BUT... The Cybercrime Law as framed in Republic Act 101751 is fundamentally flawed. It centers to the OPPRESSION OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Republic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 aims to be the bastion of this freedom. Let me quote my friend "Genie Soriano" on her post regarding the issue. "Utilizing the benefits of cyberspace means one word: RESPONSIBILITY. Everyone should be responsible for what they do to this privilege but since there are some of us who find it difficult to discipline themselves and be responsible, we've got to waste time and money just to create this Cyber crime Law. I think RA 10175 has its flaws when it comes to qualifying what should be and should not be posted on the web. Words/statements from other people can be understood differently by various groups hence making a statement libelous to one person and not to another. Libel is a SUBJECTIVE MATTER. There's a very thin line between constructive criticism and malicious slander. The law should provide an objective parameter from which we can categorize what we see or read from cyberspace. I think our law makers need to think what will benefit not only their political careers but to consider what is the best for the general public." I strongly believed and agree to her that WE, users have its own RESPONSIBILITY. Social responsibility to whatever we post omline. Wisdom is needed to avoid conflicts. The Cybercrime Law is a guide on how to behave “properly” when using computers (as defined by the law) whether online or offline. It dictates that we only use computers in a positive way. However, there are certain provisions which needs clarification and re-thinking. Like the provision on how to collect real-time traffic and the inclusion of Libel. I vehemently oppose the inclusion of libel as its oppressive characteristic easily paves way for the state and its fellow power-abusive actors to impose exorbitant measures against its citizens." “It is a dismay to realize that this so-called son of Philippine democracy icons who once gained popularity by accident leads the country to cyber-imperialism." (another blogger said) "The government can put us in prison for Facebook ‘likes’ or ‘shares’ and they now have the power to listen in on our Skype conversations and take down our blogs and websites for mere suspicion.” In conclusion, the law has loopholes. So, we better THINK BEFORE WE CLICK. But GUARD OUR FREEDOM.

Safety Lies

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. - Matt 24:6-8 (NIV) The “birth pains” have now become quite frequent, and we know that with more birth pains at shorter intervals, the inevitable isn’t far off. It is not meant to threaten anyone but to encourage everyone that while there still is time…make that decision and move to safe ground. “Safety is not in the absence of danger but being in the presence of the Almighty God.” For me, there’s no other safer place to be.

AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD

June 19, 2012, at exactly 3am, God woke me up and leads me to an intimate prayer with Him. Rarely do I cry out for something not related to myself. But tonight, for some crazy reason I cannot explain, that's all different. Tonight I'm crying out for those I love, my friends, because many of them are hurting right now, in very different, but very specific situations. Tonight I am actually literally crying for them. I sense the brokenness, I sense the hurt, and in some ways I feel their pain, in other ways. I do not feel their pain, but my heart breaks for them, and cries out tonight for them. Don't get me wrong, the situations are very different, in very different ways, but I hurt and I cry out for them regardless. Many are praying that God will reveal his will to them, and that's hard to understand and hard to see and hard to know, and I know this all too well because I am right there with them. My heart cries that God will intentionally and assuredly show them his will. Many of my friends are struggling with where to go in life, whether it means a certain job or certain vacation, or what relationship to pursue, and I pray that God will reveal those decisions and those paths to them and He will make it clear to them to know which way to go. So God, I can only do what I know to do, just come to you, bring my friends to you, lift them up to you, and TRUST that you have their life already planned out and full known and have for a long long time. Please make your will revealed to them, and please restore these broken relationships all around me, and heal broken hearts from death of loved ones, as you're the only one that can heal the brokeness inside us. Please help all of us know what plan you have for us and pursue it with everything within us. Because of this reason, I realized how special I am to God because He choose me to be part of His family as His princess. God leads me to His words full of compassion and love; “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:18-19a NIV) – then you’re on your way to understanding the extraordinary value of every human life, how each individual is a masterpiece created by God. WE are a masterpiece created by God. The point is, God thought you up (Jeremiah 1:5), and now he lovingly thinks of us. We are of immeasurable worth to God, and our value is not determined by our appearance or performance, or how much time or money we can contribute, or how well we sing or teach – or how long we live. The value of any container is determined by its contents, and WE are a one and only, custom-made container of Uncommon Stuff – as a believer, you contain the very life of God. Rejoice in this truth, and be set free. What does this mean? God’s love transforms – When you understand your value to God, you will be less likely to sin. His love will compel you to walk in the light. In conclusion, I am so thankful God loves me so much that He is thinking of me always. Well, after my encounter to God, I am overwhelmed and challenge to do this: If you think good things about someone, tell them. Go out of your way to fill their lives with joy while there's still time. Those expressions of appreciation, those words of forgiveness, that special gift you've had in mind, give it while you can. And lastly, Don't keep your love in a box! well, thanks for reading!

HAPPINESS

What is happiness exactly? Is it something as complex as electrical impulses from the brain or chemical reactions in the body telling you to feel good? Or is there a deeper sense of happiness? Bar none, today was a happy day for me. Well, at least compared to the way the past few weeks have been. This day was filled with small things that made me feel genuinely happy. I talked to and spent time with someone really special who made me understand why things are the way they are, I took one gigantic step forward in my new career path, I saw old friends, made new ones. All in one day. And for the first time in weeks, my heart was the one smiling. I guess that's what happiness is. Small things that touch you in a very profound manner when you least expect it. Maybe, God uses these small trinkets of joy to remind you that even when you think that layer of sadness is impenetrable, there are other things and people out there who can still break right through it. So I guess what we should remember is, anyone can be happy. He just has to allow it to happen and let God do the rest. Here's what my friend sent me a while ago which I think perfectly explains it. "Yes indeed, it won't be long now. God's decree - things are going to happen so fast, your head will swim. One thing fast on the heels of the other. You won't be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once, and everywhere you look, blessings!! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills." - Amos 9:13 Time for me to start looking around. Loving unconditionally goes against many of the social standards that we place a premium on. It is also very difficult to do because in loving unconditionally, we do not give our love in trickles, we give ALL of it, all of ourselves. Nowadays, people tend to measure the amount of love they give out and more often than not, the more they give, the more they expect in return. So how do children do it? How do they surrender their whole heart to love and easily give it back? Maybe the key is selflessness. Loving and caring for others before yourself. I know, that's hard to do because looking after your own interest becomes second nature to us in this dog eat dog society. But remember, when we fall deeply in love, and we think deep inside that the person deserves all our love, don't we effortlessly give it regardless of the repercussions? Don't we just go all the way for that person even though some people say we shouldn't because of love? That means we CAN love unconditionally. I believe that when Jesus died on the cross for us, he gave us that gift. The ability to love unconditionally. I remember asking a loved one before why she does all these things for me and she said, "Because my happiness comes from seeing you smile, hearing you laugh, and feeling your happiness." The feeling I got from hearing that is how good it is to be on the receiving end of unconditional love. A love that only the child in us can give. Let's all dig through the mess inside and find that child in us, with His help. I THINK THIS IS THE REAL HAPPINESS...SERVING GOD AND LOVING HIM FAITHFULLY. My happiness is when I dig down deep in God's word and worship Him. How about yours?