BROADENING APPERCEPTION (oratorical piece)
Curiosity is playing its tricks on me again. It has written a big question mark on my head after this unfamiliar, disembodied word. This word is, then, followed by a train of queries that has shaken my youthful morale. Everybody knows about it. None wants me to. And a lot of ‘why’s’ have flown through. “Why does it seem like there is something more to the word than what they want me to be aware of?”
Days have flown by and the realms of my knowledge have expanded beyond my reach. And now, my awareness has made me vulnerable to the existence of a process significant to human life. Sex. Scientifically, it is defined as the male and female duality of biology and reproduction. It is a vital element in the accouchement of offspring, thus increasing the longevity of human perseity. But still, it is a forbidden term in the commonsensical world. Mentioning it seems to be a crime not to be committed by young ladies like me.
A new age has dawned. Here comes a new decade: a decade of liberation and sophistication, especially for the adolescents who dominate the society. The blank expanse of innocence has been slowly filled with an ominous mass of intellect and judgment of reality.
A natural occurrence such as sex has been practiced since the very outset of man’s existence. It is a biological process that involves the union of man and woman, usually after the sacrament of marriage, where they are able to produce a young one to complete the smallest unit of the community—a family. But this fact is existent only for those who abide by what is morally right; its range goes beyond the bond of marriage. It is an act of love, of pleasure and sometimes, of entertainment.
The history of sex can be mapped out from the ancestral paths of India, where the first literature regarding sexual intercourse as a science can be traced. Culture and religion have played a significant role in the scientific development of the subject. Sex is a cultural rite of fertility which is done to develop the land’s productivity. Other literatures about sexual intercourse have been made, such as the Kama Sutra, the most prolific secular text in the world. Even Mesopotamians are part of the historical lineage of sex. The matriarchy in their culture, which revolves around the fertility goddess, Ishtar, implies the significance of sex in their culture. In this period, there exists a temple where every woman is required to go to, usually after marriage, and wait for a stranger to throw silver on her lap. She will then have sex with the stranger before she is allowed to go home. She is never allowed to refuse a stranger. Then comes the patriarchal period where the glory of Ishtar has taken a sudden drop, male gods have surfaced and so does the prostitutes who render sexual services for a price. There also exist male prostitutes who are culturally accepted. At a later stage of Babylonian culture, the attitude has changed: the Middle Assyrian Law Tablets, dating back to 12th century BC make it clear that some kinds of homosexuality can lead to castration. As in most civilizations, incest of any kind is strictly forbidden and is considered a capital crime. In addition, China also has a significant interpretation of sex: sexual intercourse is one of two fundamental models used to explain the world. With neither embarrassment nor circumlocution, Heaven is described as having sexual intercourse with Earth. In Japan, eroticism is treated as a central part of the esthetic life of members of the nobility. The sexual interactions of Prince Genji, the central figure in this extremely long story, are described in great detail, in an objective tone of voice, and in a way that indicates that sexuality was as much a valued esthetic component of cultured life as would be music or any other of the arts. While most of his erotic interactions involve women, there is one telling episode in which Genji travels a fairly long distance to visit one of the women with whom he occasionally consorts but finds her away from home for an extended period. It being late, and intercourse already being on the menu of the day, Genji takes pleasure in the availability of the lady's younger brother whom, he reports, is equally satisfactory as an erotic partner. There also subsists the geishas who are actually women trained in arts such as music and cultured conversation, and who was available for non-sexual interactions with her male clientele. These women differed from the wives that their patrons probably had at home because, except for the geisha, women were ordinarily not expected to be prepared for anything other than the fulfillment of household duties. But other geishas also express themselves sexually and in other erotic ways. The continuous chronicle of the history of sex briefly explains the difference in its elucidation in the society.
Having narrated a part of its history, it can be said that sex plays an integral role in the culture of man’s ancestors. But that doesn’t mean that it has always played a beneficial role in the social order. It has distorted lives of many, altered the course of the world’s history and, moreover, destroyed the lives of the youth.
I am a young lady with a great respect for human life. Life is the supreme bequest that the Father has blessed His children. It is His mandate, His word, to procreate and inhabit the world and be keepers of His creations. But man has twisted neurons that did not seem to have intertwined in the proper places.
In this century of drastic global metamorphosis, I am witnessing thousands of young women, in my age, carrying a baby in their womb. And this budding life within them may be a product of either the good or the bad. The former may refer to the youth’s pregnancy due to an undisciplined young love while the latter may refer to child prostitution or rape. Regardless of the raison d'être, I now know why elders tend to keep me away from more knowledge about sex than I ought to know.
Prostitution is just one of the many sexual abuse-related global issues that has been addling humanity. It is technically defined as sexual activity in exchange for a price. It is an immoral act of selling one’s soul to salvage life from the grasp of Poverty, an immediate yet temporary living for the provision of essential needs in life. Ironic enough, it is similar to selling the most important constituent of life in exchange of one’s basic needs such as food, clothing and lodgings. Sadly, the youth composes the majority of the victims in this dirty business.
Save me! Save our souls! Save our being! This is the plea of millions of girls whose rights for protection and proper and healthy living have been deprived. This is the cry of thousands of women who have not claimed freedom from sexual abuse.
An act of procreation and preservation of life need not be an act of abuse and degradation. It need not be a final resort in response to utter desperation. Life is precious and the body is its sacred chamber. Sex should be an act of life perpetuation and not of soul violation. It is a process that should be interwoven with a logical intellect and a disciplined character so as not to bring about destruction of one’s own life, of others’ lives and of the life about to be born.
Awareness has been incorporated, as in many countries world-wide which have coalesced sex education in the curriculum, and Character is being honed for years now. It’s time to step up and stand against prostitution, sexual abuse, human trafficking, and pornography. Beyond that, AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a more raging battle to fight and win over. It is an incurable disease wherein the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is transmitted through the form of anal, vaginal or oral sex, blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids.
Curiosity is slowly decreasing now. A light has shone high above my intellect. There is always a choice and it is never too late to choose what is right. Now, ladies, let’s talk about sex. I want to hear what you’ve got to say.
MAKE WAY FOR THE FUTURE(essay)
Looking ahead, I could see the unwelcoming sight of a child writhing in hunger pain and crying her eyes out by the side of the dimly lit alleyway. On the right was a young one, with a thin physique but had an overly bulky tummy, a sign of being improperly fed. Around the corner slouched a mother with her children by her side. Though they seemed to be sleeping soundly, their worn-out dress, tear-stained visages and empty hands could tell how difficult life was for them. The face of the child seemed to be pleading, asking for help and compassion and crying for a hand to pull him out of his dreadful misery. Through his eyes, one could see hunger—a hunger for nourishing food, for unfailing justice and for loving empathy. One could see the anguish that was too much for a child to endure.
Beyond the walls of our existence, had the ill-fated members of the society, most especially the young who had never heard of nor experienced the life that was truly meant for them ever crossed our mind? Wasn’t it heartbreaking to take all the blessings that we have for granted knowing that there were fellows outside the four walls of our sanctuary who were starving, crying, and, moreover, dying? It might have not yet settled in our system, but a woman of great nobility had already made a remarkable stride to aid the “hope of the future” and to relieve them of their heavy burden and empty bellies.
Dr. Fe Del Mundo opened the minds of the populace to the reality of the existence of such children who are deprived of their basic needs which made them vulnerable to diseases. The young ones were her main concern and she dedicated her life for their well-being. I could say that she was a very dedicated young woman, having attended the College of Medicine in the University of the Philippines, from which she graduated first, and Harvard and Columbia Universities, which led to a residency at Billings Hospital in Chicago and a research fellowship at the Harvard Medical School. She was able to organize a Children’s Home, to aid Allied internees in Sto. Tomas University premises and to direct the Manila Children’s Hospital. With such overwhelming achievements, her desire to touch the lives of the depressed never faltered. Another upshot of her hard work was the Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City, in 1957, and the Institute of Maternal and Child Health, the edifice of which was her own property. The said institute educated doctors, nurses and paramedical workforce.
She opened my mind to the reality that a vast number of people are desperately pleading for care and sympathy, for food and shelter, and for love and affection. Her self-effacing determination to carry out a rather tedious task of initiating the now-vast programs promoting health and development of the young provided an inspiration and motivation to me and to anyone who is willing to be of service to the young and the needy. Anything seemed possible if we set our mind to it and had the determination and dedication to see the work through. A bit of patience, a sprinkle of perseverance, a trickle of hope and a chunk of love could make extraordinary wonders for the hopeless who needed attention. By her example, I was taught that to be moved by the plight of others, especially of those in need, was one thing but acting upon it was another. Moreover, I was also enlightened that to be able to make things possible, hard work, determination, and sacrifice are essential. These ideologies make our toil more worth it than anything else.
Her righteous and dedicated deeds were recognized locally and internationally but never did her sight of the right waver. Her mind worked tirelessly and her heart beat selflessly. Her actions moved thousands of people and aided millions of children who most need her heartfelt compassion and enduring endeavor to alleviate their scarcity.
Looking past the streets of our beloved land, one could see the change brought about by Fe Del Mundo’s efforts. The magnitude of the hungry and the malnourished decreased but they were still existent in our society. Unless every individual would take pride in Dr. Del Mundo’s masterpiece and would follow her lead, these unfortunate citizens would never cease to exist. Every single person should keep in mind that a person, in the form of Dr. Del Mundo, had already proven that it was possible to make our world a better place, especially for the children of the nation who were given the load of leading the development of the society’s “tomorrow.” Citizens of the present were already given an inspiration, a model to look up to and a motivation to spearhead a notion to prioritize the young so as to secure the very existence of our realms. Dr. Fe Del Mundo’s life conveyed a message to the public never to obstruct the way of the heart if it would move accordingly toward the deprived, the underprivileged, the poverty-stricken and, most especially, toward the young. A replica of heroism, patriotism and love, Dr. Fe Del Mundo well deserved the 1977 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service, for she had taught every individual to persevere in order to achieve the best especially if the actions were beneficial to those who were in most need.
EDUCATION AND INFORMATION: KEY TO CONSUMER EMPOWERMENT(oratorical piece)
I am a constituent of the nation’s economy, a significant member of the society to whom our country depends, to whom our lives depends on.
I am a valuable individual whose power over the nation is endless, though this you may not fully comprehend.
I can be an asset to the industry or a glitch in our progress.
I AM A CONSUMER. I am a part of the ecosystem of business, of politics, of every industry that you can think of. There cannot be a society without my existence.
I travel the isles of economy in search of the perfect trade. Although the days of the great Galleons are gone, the trade in which I participate is just as significant as those initiated by Spain and Portugal. Gone are the swords, silks and spices that spend long days at sea before the time of the trade upon various shores arrived. And yet, just as it was in the 15th century, my actions still fuel the ever-changing market; my decisions affect the vast sea of commerce. I am often cheated; I am often the subject of deception, yet I know that I am one yet never alone in the endless search for fairness and equanimity among the unstable grounds of the industry.
In the chess-like game of supply and demand, I am both king and pawn. I dictate the demand by my tastes and preferences, yet I am merely a tool in the bigger picture. I seem to serve to make the industry more prosperous, to make circumstances more propitious to the businessmen and women of the globe. But, as a consumer, I deserve to obtain my money’s worth. I deserve to receive what I bargained for. That is the precisely the reason why I must strive to strengthen my ideals, priorities, knowledge and virtues when sailing in the seas of the corporate world.
I play a big role in keeping businesses afloat. And so, companies must adjust to the needs and wants of clients. These companies and their officials are aware of the guidelines governing how they serve their patrons. Unfortunately, most are oblivious of the rights they have as consumers, as well as the proper way to utilize these rights. Without sufficient awareness, it is certainly difficult for me, as a consumer, to be empowered and to create a rapport between me and the producers.
I have the rights to basic needs, safety, representation and information. I also have the right to choose, to redress, to consumer education and to a healthy environment. The right to be compensated for misinterpretation, shoddy goods or unsatisfactory services, is exercised when I make a move when I am misled by the unscrupulous bandit. I then take a stand and exercise my right to redress.
In our present time and place, I believe that education and information are the keys to the empowerment of those who are like me; those who utilize economic goods; those who are the elixirs of the meticulous laws of supply and demand. Those who are on the receiving end of the indomitable environments and broadcasts that seek, sometimes to inform and sometimes to take advantage of my role in the community. In order not to be fooled by these boundless games, I strive to educate myself.
What is consumer education? Consumer education is the process of gaining the knowledge and skills needed in managing consumer resources and taking actions to influence the factors which affet consumer decision.
Consumer education offers more than knowledge and skills; it promotes critical thinking, problem solving and action.
Modern tools, such as the internet, are very useful inventions which allow me to gain a greater sense of my power as a consumer. It is also an increasingly influential factor in education. These tools allow me to further ponder upon the repercussions of my choices. They provide me with information that is vital to my understanding of the economy and the system which governs it.
Information. The communication or reception of knowledge or intelligence.
Information, as a concept, bears a diversity of meanings, from everyday usage to technical settings. Generally speaking, the concept of information is closely related to notions of constraint, communication, control, data, form, instruction, knowledge, meaning, mental stimulus, pattern, perception, and representation.
It is the knowledge obtained from investigation, study, or instruction. It may come in the form of written documents or through word of mouth.
I must admit, though, that not all information is indispensable in the quest towards the empowerment of the consumer. Indeed, a rigorous and yet rewarding aspect of the digestion of information is the process of deducing which of the presented ideas are helpful, useful and beneficial to one’s purposes. These ideas, once analyzed, may then be communicated to a larger audience who will benefit from the efforts.
An integrated set of components for collecting, storing, processing, and communicating information is referred to as an information system. Business firms, other organizations, and individuals in contemporary society rely on information systems to manage their operations, compete in the marketplace, supply services, and improve personal lives.
For instance, modern corporations rely on computerized information systems to process financial accounts and manage human resources; municipal governments rely on information systems to provide basic services to its citizens; and consumers use information systems to study, shop, bank, and invest.
As major new technologies for recording and processing information have been invented, new methods of production and advertisement have appeared. Thus, I, the consumer, must pay even more attention to the evolution of the economy around me. I must become aware of the benefits of the information systems and the advantages that they offer. I must also be vigilant regarding the value of my money. I must be watchful of my decisions as a consumer. I believe that the educated and responsible consumer is an empowered citizen and leader. Am I not best protected when I am well-informed?
I am emboldened by my choices. I am an instrument of fairness. I exhibit the traits which make me an invaluable resource-- these traits are honesty, integrity, wisdom and constant vigilance.
I am borne of the ever changing tides of the corporate world. I am a sailor in the sea of commerce. I set my sails to the winds of the developing industry. I live my life by the current of the growing economy. I am a child of the laws of supply and demand. I am warrior on the side of equanimity; my battleground is the trade in which I participate. I am inspired by education. I am empowered by information. I AM A CONSUMER.
