TABLE OF CONTENTS -...
Transcript of TABLE OF CONTENTS -...
TABLE OF CONTENTS
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Food Poison or Medicine
84
HUMAN INTEREST
God’s Way of Teaching a Teacher
76
FINANCIAL ADVICE
The Value of Time
68
STREET SURVIVAL
Technology and Anti-CrimeOperations
50
OPINION
So Near. So Far.The Fascinating Story ofour Current Reality
58
FEATURED STORY
Kargada
06
MEN’S TALK
Part 2:Loud Reveries of ThreeDrunk Ancient Men
40
TOOLS, GEARS & SKILLS
The TETADA Kalimasada
Atmost Fit Elite,Low Priced Brand
26
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
It has been heard somewhere, sometime, that
‘it is more fun when you are not the only one
having it’. Thus, Spearhead continues to walk the
direction that men shall be interested in and wil l
make them enjoy the walk. It shares with friends
tools, gears, and ski l ls that may widen their
options on how to make fun. It wil l continually
strive to share ideas that may spark individual ’s
thoughts on values and friendship.
People who have the technical competencies to
dissect and share their thoughts on tools and
gears have reinforced the Spearhead. These
competencies wil l be uti l ized to assist the readers
in deciding on the type of gears that they may
wish to acquire. Spearhead wil l start sharing its
technical impressions on the next issue.
HAVE FUN.
PANCHO ADELBERTO M. HUBILLAPublisher
SPEARHEAD MAGAZINE, ALL THAT IT TAKES TO BE A MAN.
Spearhead Magazine is published monthly byExprimma Concept Management Inc.For subscription, advertising and editorial inquiries,Call: 632-2185806, 632-9893074Email: [email protected], [email protected]: www.spearheadmagazine.com
Opinions expressed in this magazine are solely of the writers and are not necessarily endorsed by the
Publisher. No part of this magazine may be reproduced unless with written consent from the Publisher.
The Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject editorial or advertising material. All rights reserved.
THE TEAM
PANCHO ADELBERTO M. HUBILLA
Publisher
NILL QUIZON - SALVADOR
Creative Director
JING VALDELLON
Managing Partner
JACEL G. DE JESUS
Managing Partner & Sales
and Marketing Director
ROMEO PERALTA JR.
Photography Editor
NICHOLAS D. TORRE III
Section Editor
ANNA LIZA MADAYAG GASPAR, CPA
Section Editor
RODOLFO DESUASIDO
BERNARDINE RUIZ
RHOANNE RAMAS
Writers
CHARD HOCON
Graphics
JEROME BONGABONG
Web
NOEMI DOCE
YESA BEDIOT
DONNALYN BRION
Sales, Marketing & Admin
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M04 05
Reuel Molina Aguila
Paboritong gamit ito ng tinatawag na
maniniyot.
Teka muna po, bago pa kung saan
tumungo ang imahinasyon ng
mambabasa, nililinaw agad na tungkol ito
sa kanyang ibon.
Teka uli, paglilinaw uli, tungkol ito sa Bird
Photography; wala nang iba pa
Ang mahaba at mataba ay ang lenteng
ikinakabit sa digital camera. At ang term
na maniniyot ay siyang tawag talaga sa
mga photographer (shoot / siyot;
mangsu-shoot / mangsisiyot; maniniyot).
Sa kargadang ito ng lalaki, mas
mahaba, mas mataba, mas OK.
FEATURED STORY
Mahalaga ba ang development
na ito?
Biglang bigla, marami ang nahihilig sa bird photography. Dala ito ng
paghusay ng mga digital camera at mahahabang lente. At, believe it or
not, masasabing malaki ang iminura ng mga gadget na ito.
May pumasok kasing new players at ang dating dominanteng brand ay
naglabas din ng camera at lente na kayang abutin ng publiko.
Ang Resulta: dumami ang bird photographer, dumami ang magagandang
litrato ng mga ibon, at na-document ang mga mahirap-makitang ibon at
behavior ng mga ibon na dating naoobserbahan lamang ng mga mata ng
iilang tao; tapos, isinusulat at idino-drawing.
Opo, labis na mahalaga. Kasi, ngayon-
ngayon lang talaga natin napapansin ang
ating kapaligiran. Na, totoo pala na sa maliit
nating bansa, maipagmamalaki natin na
maaaring pangatlo nga tayo sa buong daidig
sa dami ng klase ng ibong mayroon sa ating
bansa.
Ang masakit dito, hindi natin nakikita
ang mga ibong ito… noon. Pero dahil sa
pag-unlad ng mga gadget para sa bird
photography, namamangha tayo na totoo
ngang ang ganda pala ng mga ibon, ang
ganda pala ng ating bansa.
Halimbawa, Itanong Natin: mula sa mga
mahigit sa 600 na naitalang ibon sa Pilipinas,
ilan sa mga ito ang nakita na natin?
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M08 09
ang pangunahing grupo ng bird photographer ay may kasapi
sa Facebook na mahigit 14 na libo. At, may core member na
mga 150 aktibong “maniniyot” sa buong bansa.
Ang layon ng WBPP, malitratuhan ang ganda ng mga ibong
ito upang maging aware ang Pinoy. At. dahil sa ganda ng mga
ibon ay hindi nila ito saktan, at higit pa, pangalagaan.
Ngunit mailap kasi ang mga ibon. Sa kung anong dahilan, pa-
rang instinct ng bata man o matanda na batuhin, tiradurin o
barilin ang mga ibon. Ang iba naman ay poaching o illegal na
panghuhuli ng mga ibon para ibenta. At ang pinakamatindi ay
ang pagkasira ng gubat, kahuyan, bukid, tubigan, at kalikasan na
siyang tahanan ng mga ibon at iba pang wildlife.
Kaya naging mailap ang ating mga ibon; mas mailap kaysa
sa mga ibon ng ibang bansa na nagmamalasakit sa kanilang
kalikasan.
Kaya kailangan ng mahahabang lente para malitratuhan ang mga
ibon na mabilis na lumalayo kapag nakakita ng tao.
Ang WILD BIRD PHOTOGRAPHERS OF THE
PHILIPPINES,
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M10 11
Ang 200 sa mga ito ay mga ibong dito lang sa Pilipinas
makikita o endemic. Pero, kahit tayong nasa Pilipinas, hindi
pa natin nakikita ang mga ito. Pero rin, dahil sa malaking
improvement at pagmura ng mga camera at lens, dumami ang
bird photographer. At ang kanilang pagdami ay ang pagdami
rin ng posibilidad na malitratuhan ang mga ibong ito.
Mabigat ang mahahabang lente. Kaya, kailangan ng matibay na tripod at head (ito yong ikinakabit sa tripod para siya namang pagkabitan ng malaking camera at lente upang pwedeng itutok saan mang direksyon ang camera.).
Mabilis ang kilos ng ibon.
Kaya, kailangan ng camera na mabilis ang auto focus, may kakayahan ngsunod-sunod na maraming frame sa isang segundo, may kakayahan sa mataas na ISO at malaking opening ng shutter para sa hindi maliwanag na kondisyon (nakakaistorbo sa ibon ang paggamit ng flash at artipisyal na ilaw).
Sa panahon na film ang gamit sa camera, karamihan ay mano-mano ang pag-focus, mababa ang speed ng film (ang kapasidad na makalitrato kahit kaunti ang liwanag), at manual din ang pagkombinasyon ng f/stop o ang laki ng pagbukas ng shutter ng lente, at speed ng pagbukas at pagsara ng shutter na ito.
Kaya kadalasan, bago pa man mai-ready ang lumang camera, nakalipad na ang ibon. Sa mga makabagong digital camera ngayon, naging mas madali ang photography; pwedeng gawing fully automatic ang lahat.
Ang Karaniwang Gamit:Lente na may 500mm o 600mm. Ang iba ay gumagamit
pa ng teleconverter para madoble ang focal length na
ito. Kaya ng mga lenteng ito, depende rin sa ilaw, na
makakuha ng de-kalidad na litrato kahit mga 20 metro
ang layo.
Paano mo naman maa-appreciate ang black and white
na drawing, e, hindi naman black and white yong ibon. At
kung de-kulay man ang litrato, kadalasang malabnaw o
sobrang tingkad ng mga kulay.
Kaya noon, upang ma-appreciate nang mabuti ang ibon,
kailangang pumunta ka mismo sa field. Nauso sa mga
taga-lunsod ang bird watching. May largabista o binocular,
sisilipin ang ibon, itatala ang petsa, lugar, uri ng ibon, at
iba pang circumstance. Tapos, uwian na; dala-dala lamang
ay ang kuwentong nakakita ng ibon, walang visual na
maaaring ipakita sa kakwentuhan.
Mahalagang makita ang detalye ng ibon.
Noong drawing pa lamang at hindi sharp
na litrato ng ibon ang mayroon, mahirap
makita ang ganda ng ibon.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M12 13
at ang mahahabang lente,
lumantad ang pattern ng mga
balahibo, ang kintab ng mga
mata, ang tingkad at iba’t
ibang shades ng kulay. Parang
buhay ang ibon. Malilitratuhan
ding may kinakain, may
dinagit, nakabuka ang pakpak,
sinusubuan ang inakay, at iba
pang mga ginagawa ng ibon.
Nang dumating ang
pinahusay na digital
photography (mga 15
Megapixels ang minimum
na kapasidad),
Upang makuha ang maraming detalye, kahit mahaba ang lente,
kailangan pa rin talagang lapitan pa ang ibon (sa agwat na hindi
mabubulabog ito). Upang magawa ito, kailangan ng mapagkukublihan;
kailangang hindi mahalata ng ibon.
Kailangang gumamit ng pananamit na umaayon sa kaligiran: camouflage,
o madidilim na kulay. Bawal ang puti at matitingkad na kulay ng
pananamit.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M14 15
Maaaring gumamit ng hide: yong parang tent na pinag-tataguan;
o kaya’y isinusuot tulad ng tinatawag na ghillie suit; o kahit anong
maibabalabal para hindi mabulabog ang ibon.
Sa paghahanap ng malilitratuhang ibon, pati sapatos ay dapat tama
para sa ano mang terrain: mabato, maputik, maalikabok, matubig.
Nagdadala ang iba ng sandalyas o tsinelas pag lulusong sa tubig.
Ang iba ay may dala ring tungkod o walking cane.
At kung umulan, dapat may nakahandang pananggalang: payong,
kapote, dry bag, plastic bag.
Pag naiinip o napagod, mainam na may upuang dala. Pag nagutom,
may dalang pagkain. Pag nauhaw, may dalang tubig.
Pwera pa rito ang pampahid para hindi kagatin ng lamok o anumang
insekto; pwedeng sunblock o sombrero o net sa ulo na parang doon
sa mga nag-aalga ng bubuyog.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M16 17
Kung bitbit ng birder ang lahat ng ito, daig pa
niya ang isang sundalong patungong gyera. Kaya,
kadalasan, nag-aarkila ang birder ng isang porter o
taga-buhat ng mga gadget na maaaring umabot sa
mga 20 kilo ang kabuuang bigat.
At hindi lang literal na mabigat ang mga ito. Sa dami
ng iba pang kagamitan, mabigat na rin ang mga ito
sa bulsa.
May ibang umaabot ng halos isang milyong piso ang
buong set-up at napapasigaw kapag ang porter ay
muntik-muntikang madulas o madapa o mahulog
habang dala-dala ang isang-milyong pisong gamit.
Pwera pa rin ang lalagyan ng gamot at f irst
aid; lalagyan ng mga baterya, SD o CF card,
charger, cellphone o radyo at iba pang
mumunting abubot.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M18 19
Hindi pa rito nagtatapos ang litanya ng mga gadget ng isang birder.
Anong bag ang pagsisidlan ng mga ito?
Naririyan ang mga espesyal na backpack, o hardcase na waterproof at
shockproof, ice box, lunch box, at kung ano pang mga sisidlan.
At dahil ang karaniwang lakad ay sa madaling araw at ang uwi ay gabi
na, kailangan ng sasakyan. Hindi lang basta sasakyan. ‘Yong pwede sa
rough road, akyatan, maraming maikakarga, matibay.
At, bag pala para sa mga damit na pamalit kapag pinagpawisan,
nabasa, naputikan o nag-overnight. Pati na ang gamit sa pagligo,
pagtulog; depende sa kung ilang gabing kailangan.
Mas mahinang digital camera (mga 5MP lang) at mas maikling
lente (kit lens lang halos) ang mabibili sa ganitong halaga rin.
Tapos, pwede nang tipirin ang ibang gamit: mumurahing
sapatos o sandals (o magtsinelas na lang (ang porter at local
guide nga na inarkila ay naka-pambahay na suot at naka-tapak
lang kung minsan).
Kaya nang dumating ang higit na murang set-up (mga
P80 libo para sa camera at lente), mas magaan ang
bitbit (sa bulsa man o sa balikat) . Mura na ito kung
ikukumpara 15 taon ang nakararaa.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M20 21
Ok na ang anumang pantalon at t-shirt. Kahit ukay-ukay. Ok na
rin ang itim na garbage bag ang gawing pang-waterproofing
kung umulan. Magpaluto na lang ng pagkain sa baryo (matutuwa
pa sila dahil may extra income sila). At, mag-carpooling para
makatipid.
Sa dulo, ang esensyal lang talagang kargada ay:
Disenteng digital camera at
mahabang lente. The rest, wika
nga, nasa diskarte mo na yan.
Ang May Akda
Si REUEL MOLINA AGUILA, Ph. D. ay guro sa
Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas, UP,
Diliman. Makata, mandudula, mananaysay, nagsulat ng
iskrip para sa telebisyon, radyo at pelikula, hinirang
din siya sa Hall of Fame ng Palanca Awards (2009).
Ang ilan pa sa pangunahing pagkilala sa kanya ay:
Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas (2004), lifetime
achievement award para sa dula; Gawad ng Dangal ng
Wikang Filipino, lifetime achievement award para sa
kontribusyon sa pag-unlad ng Pambansang Wika sa
pamamagitan ng kanyang mga nasulat (2008); Makata
ng Taon (2008); Mananaysay ng Taon (2007).
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M22 23
Premyadong photographer, siya
rin ang nag-curate at kalahok na
photographer sa Bagwis: Birds of
UP, Diliman (2013), Birds of Baguio
and Benguet (2014), Bagwis 2: Birds
of UP, Diliman and Quezon City
(2016).
Si Aguila rin ang isa sa dalaang
tagapagtatag ng Palihang Rogelio
Sicat, pambansang pagsasanay
sa malilkhaing pagsusulat; at
tagapagtatag ng Kataga, Samahan
ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M24
Pancho Adelberto M. Hubilla
TETADAThe
27
TOOLS, GEARS & SKILLS
The Spearhead decided to feature a
skill that is not commonly known and
is not as popular with the Filipinos as
other forms of martial arts to widen
the selections of skills that boys and
men (and ladies too) may get into – the
TETADA. This was previously referred
to as Kalimasada but was replaced by
TETADA Kalimasada as more reflective
term of the practice.
We were fortunate to interact with
Mr. Mar B. Robosa @Mars. He is
one of the early practitioners and
qualified coaches in the country. Mars
participated and was rated in the
Pilatih Nasional 2010 at the TETADA
Indonesia. Mars in his UP Diliman days
was a judo and karate aficionado but
unconsciously relegated the practice
for his career. A friend introduced him
to TETADA Kalimasada because he was
observed to be suffering from gout. The
friend told him to try TETADA and Mars
observed that after his fourth session
he was greatly relieved from his pain
without the usual medications.
Brief Background
Mars explained that the practice of
Kalimasada started sometime five hundred
years ago in Surabaya, Indonesia. The
story is that it is an ancient and secret
form of healing and martial arts. In Java,
‘Kalimosodo’ means great weapon of King
Puntadewa while in Bali ‘Kalimosada’ refers
to the method of traditional healing. In
November 1991, the TETADA Kalimasada
healing component was shared with the
public through the Institute for Energy
Cultivation. TETADA is an Indonesian
acronym for TE – Terapi, which means
therapy, TA – Tenaga that, means Energy,
and DA – Dalam that means inner. It is
practiced in several parts of the world and
it was introduced in the country in 1994.
The Practice
TETADA Kalimasada is being
propagated for its healing benefits
albeit practitioners of other martial
arts especially Kung Fu discern
the fighting technique that it has.
TETADA as its Indonesian name
connotes focused on harnessing the
practitioner’s inner energy towards
healing of the practitioner’s ailment
and as he advances in his practice,
he gains the ability to address
other people’s ailments as well.
Mars Robosa attests to the health
benefits that he has acquired as
a practitioner while other people
attest to several instance that Mars
relieved them of their ailments.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M28 29
There are three general progressive courses.
The first and introduction is the Dasar. It has
six stages geared towards development of inner
basic energy. The second is Pancar Sona. It
hones the energy gained and combines it with
Prana of the universe for superior effectiveness.
The third is Pancar Daya. It trains the mind
to increase and intensify the energy outflow
from the practitioner’s body. The practitioner
advances by completing the required number
of sessions and passing a test on ‘energy
synchronization’ as evaluated by a coach (Pilati)
and finally by the
Grand Master.
Mars clarified though that in a month’s time
there will be noticeable improvement on the
practitioner’s health. The Spearhead inquired
why the TETADA did not gain popularity as
those of other martial arts. He said that the
more popular martial arts like Judo, Karate, and
Thai Boxing are spectator sports while TETADA
is geared towards healing the practitioner’s
body and others.
We requested Mars to make more
public rather than esoteric by
demonstrating how focused energy
works and how it is delivered. The
video of the bottle breaking through
focused energy is at The Spearhead
Gallery.
Mars Robosa can be reached at
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M30 31
Crystalynne D. Cortez
My heart rate is experiencing seesaw effect because
of obesity. Having difficulty breathing, I decided to
monitor my heart rate and get a fit band. I looked for
the cheapest brand in the market because I know,
FitBit is too expensive. I found Atmos Fit Elit for Php
890.00 in Kimstore, an online shop. Knowing its price
ranges from Php1,090 to Php1,290 in malls, I grabbed
the opportunity and bought it. The band comes in
two colors, black and blue, so I got my favorite, the
blue one.
ATMOS F IT EL ITE : L O W - P R I C E D F I T B A N D
33
TOOLS, GEARS & SKILLS
When I got the device, I was mesmerized by its packaging.
It really looks posh and elite. Opening the box, I got a fit
band, a USB charger without an adapter and a piece of
paper stating, ‘Manual and User Guide.’ Since it was my
first time using a fit band, I read the entire manual and
it is not helpful. To turn on the band, manual said I had
to press the sensor button for 3 seconds, I did and even
counted 1 to 3. I figured out I had to long press the sensor
button for 5-10 seconds to turn it on and off.
I installed Atmos Fit App to my
Android phone and connected the
fit band via Bluetooth to maximize
its functionalities. Using the fit
band in stand-alone mode, only
four features can be utilized: heart
rate monitor, pedometer, distance
monitor and watch.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M34 35
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M36 37
The question, “Is it really a smart fitness band?” Being smart
does not only mean knowing but having an accurate data, so
my answer is NO. Starting as a heart rate monitor, several
times, I got readings of 78 to 81 beats per minute (bpm).
Am I having a heart attack? Reason was the sensor is more
sensitive to external light. Pressing the sensor button harder
to tighten skin contact yields a more accurate result of
around 95%, 3 to 4 beats greater than manually monitoring
my heart rate. As a pedometer, I wonder how did I get step
counts when I am sitting and lying down on bed? Sensor
counts based from the movements of my hand. I wore the
fit band on my left wrist and tried moving it, automatically
it counts. As a distance monitor, the distance travelled was
calculated based from the step counts made. In an average,
a person walks 2,000 to 2,500 per mile. As a watch, I noticed
that every time I turned off my fit band for several hours,
I had to sync it again to my phone. The fit band itself does
not support internal memory. This is acceptable since the
design is small.
As for weeks of using it and mastering
the technique of getting pulses, I found
the heart rate monitor quite reliable.
My purpose of buying it was to check
whether my heart rate is rising so
I can apply immediate intervention
like resting for a while, oxidizing my
body and breathing shallowly, Atmos
Fit Elite satisfied this need. Using the
pedometer and distance monitor in
stand-alone mode is very unreliable. I
suggest turning on the GPS of Android
phone and connecting the fit band
when jogging or walking to monitor
the distance more accurately. Other
functions of Atmos fit band while
connected to Android phone, like call
and text notifications, alarm clock
and remotely taking pictures, worked
perfectly.
The accuracy of every biofeedback
device falls in good algorithm and
sensor calibration so for Atmos Fit
Elite, I suggest recalibrating the sensor
to yield a more accurate result. But
despite its flaws, I still found Atmos Fit
Elite cool in terms of design and easy
to use.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M38
Pancho Adelberto M. Hubilla
LOUD REVERIESOF THREE DRUNK ANCIENT MEN
PART 2:
Whoooaaa! The three ancient men
suddenly switched to reminiscence
mode. FAM (fat ancient man) was
shaking his head and expressed regrets
that he was not able to think about such
possibilities in his time. There were
billboards and large ads postings during
the ancient men’s younger years but
FAM said he was not as innovative and
as imaginative as that fellow who did it.
The three ancient men were in their
spirits (pun intended) while on their
seventh round of sub-zero cold beers
when BAM (bald ancient man) saw on
twitter that a guy was inviting out a
lady through a billboard post
05| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M40 41
MEN’S TALK
BAM and SAM (slim ancient man) were
sure though that the reason why FAM
was not able to device it in his time
was simply because he did not have
the financial ability to even think about
it. There is an ancient esoteric mystical
principle from the ‘sage of the drunk old
men’ that said, ‘you can only imagine as
far as your wallet will allow you to or as
far as someone’s bank account inspires
you’.
FAM grudgingly agreed to this ancient
esoteric mystical principle but bewailed
the absence of social media in his time.
He felt that if there were social media in
his time maybe he could be as imaginative
and innovative too. SAM agreed and said
that with FAM’s rich imaginations he
could be earning tons as a troll.
Reminiscence
Mode
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M42 43
SAM posed the query as to ‘what
does it take to be a man’ in their
younger days? The three ancient and
near-drunk men pondered on the
question. BAM blinked a few times
and shared that he can recall that
boys were considered as men when
they were already circumcised.
FAM and SAM agreed. They recalled
that the only time that they were
accepted to join the banter of the
teen-aged guys was the time that
they were able to prove that they
were circumcised. SAM qualified
that at that time, among circumcised
boys, there was still a question of
who was ‘more man’.
The three ancient
men switched to
reminiscence mode on
their eighth rounds of
sub-zero cold beers.
Torn cloth from an old t-shirt rather than
gauze was used as bandage.
The trio agreed. Indeed, there were
lesser men and true men. FAM narrated
that he became best friend with SAM
because there was a time that SAM was
bloodied in a melee in their town’s public
market long time ago. It happened when
five unruly drunk men harassed his
sister who was then buying foodstuffs.
Incidentally, SAM was there and tried to
escort FAM’s sister out of the situation
but the situation went out of hand. It was
unfortunate that SAM was reading so
many Arthurian Novels that he thought
chivalry makes him a better man. SAM
said he felt it made him a better man sans
the broken ribs, five stiches on his torn
eyebrow, and of course the lost tooth.
SAMs smile with one tooth missing made
him the ‘crush ng barangay’ for a while.
FAM recalled that those
circumcised by an MD
were considered as lesser
men. The ‘true men’ were
those who had it cut along
a river bank after soaking
for around thirty minutes,
done by a certified
‘mangtutule’ with the
use of a newly sharpened
barber’s razor, and the
‘patient’ personally spitting
the chewed guava leaves on
the cut skin.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M44 45
BAM recalled that it
was some sort of a
practice in his town
for young men to help
carry the loads of
elders and women they
met along the way.
They even kiss the hands of the elders. It
was a manifestation of respect. There was
an ulterior motive though. This practice
places the young men in good graces in
an instance that they decided to court a
relative of those assisted. Expression of
respect makes people smart, sometimes
in those days.
The trio agreed that those were some
of the best that could be done in their
younger years. There was no earthshaking
technique comparable to the billboard
invite. They also decided to be on the
lookout just in case the invited lady will
respond through the billboard too. BAM
is very interested to see a meme of a
‘tokhang looked’ barista or smiley barista
depending on the lady’s response. SAM
asked as to what is a ‘tokhang look’.
BAM said it is a crying man looking over
on what looks like a huge fresh lumpia
roll with what appears to be a human
silhouette.
It meant then that a man could work
longer hours in the farm inspite of
the weather or could trod on with his
responsibilities despite the challenges.
Tough guy then was in the mold of
the epic movies where he serves and
protects the helpless. BAM was wide-
eyed surprised and inquired whether the
tough guys were cops too. SAM clarified
that maybe ‘to serve and to protect’ is
the current cliché for the policemen but
in the olden days it was their duty. BAM
blurred by the sub-zero cold beers asked
whether to be tough guy requires that
he must boast and commit to killing of
so many people categorizing the dead as
either criminals or collateral damages.
FAM patiently explained to blurry BAM
that a barangay holds a man in esteem
because that man upholds the values
and aspirations of his barangay. Thus, if
a barangay wishes to forego of the ‘due
process as prescribed by the laws’ and
support the killings, then it makes the
killer a tough guy and the barangay’s
hero too.
FAM recalled that in
their younger days the
description of a tough
guy had a different
meaning.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M46 47
It is typical of conversation
among presumptuous men.
FAM suggested that they must
really be in cadence with the
modern times and the best way
is through the social media. BAM
said that that he could request his
nephew to give them a tutorial on
the different social media. FAM
replied that there is no need for
tutorials because social media
are designed for idiots. SAM
in form of correction said that
social media are not designed for
idiots but these were designed
that even idiots can access them.
The exchange accelerated BAM’s
transition towards stupor.
The drunk ancient men
did their respective bottles
in singular swig without
understanding whether
they understood what they
were talking about and
none was gutsy enough to
seek clarification.
Envy Mode
FAM agreed while BAM drunkenly nudges
SAM. They said that they noticed that in
the social media there are so many new
standards on ‘what does it take to be a
man’ and they felt being left out.
BAM was suddenly excited, he said
he saw in his nephew’s twitter that
people can cuss, threaten, and make
other utterances that will make his life
miserable if his late mother would hear
him saying. FAM shared that he even
noticed that people threaten those who
disagree with them with rape or other
mayhem. BAM felt envious that people
can say all those nasty stuff without
the risk of being physically smashed
or mauled. SAM said that it is brought
about by the anonymity offered by the
different social media platforms. This
time FAM really wished there were social
media in his younger years.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M48 49
Nick Torre III
TECHNOLOGY AND ANTI-CRIMEOPERATIONSThe Philippine peace and order situation is a highly
dynamic landscape that is continuously changing
together with the other development indicators and
barometers. Among these indicators is the technological
advancement especially in the field of information and
communications. As such, it is imperative that the
capability of the country to protect its citizens from
crime must progress with the headway that the country
is making on other fronts.
In the forefront of the country’s fight against criminality
is the Philippine National Police and its subordinate
territorial forces. Close coordination between the
Local Government Units (LGUs) and their counterpart
PNP Offices is a must considering the convergence of
interests between them in the maintenance of peace
and order. LGUs, through the Peace and Order Councils
had been the major contributor of equipment to local
PNP units, donating patrol cars, firearms, and other
crime fighting equipment.
Time and again, the PNP implemented various
programs aimed at increasing police visibility in
the streets. Several Chiefs, PNP gave marching
orders to maximize the deployment of the PNP
at the frontline, particularly on the streets, to
spearhead intensified anti-criminality operations
to give true meaning to the PNP’s motto;“We Serve
and
Protect”.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M50 51
STREET SURVIVAL
Invariably, the common objective of these programs
calls for the streamlining of headquarters administrative
operations and redeployment of less-critical personnel
in admin units to patrol and police visibility duties in
the field. These strategies however can only achieve so
much. The biggest limitation of the PNP is its insufficient
number of personnel — the current police to population
ratio on paper is one policeman for every 600 citizens
but on the ground, taking into consideration several
units that are not performing patrol and visibility related
jobs, the ratio can go as high as 1:5,000. The obvious
solution, which is recruitment of more personnel, is
not always the most feasible considering the budgetary
requirements that it entails and the politics in the
bureaucracy that is involved. Moreover, the advent of
new trends of crime commission necessitates that the
police also adjust to the emerging modus operandi.
Among the new modus operandi include robberies that
take advantage of the mobility provided by motorcycles,
carnapping that take advantage of the well-paved
roads of highly urbanized communities, and thefts
that take advantage of the numerous convergence
places in commercial and business centers. Likewise,
the emergence of new white-collar crimes is noted.
Whereas before, robbers violently storm banks to cart
away a few million pesos, nowadays, billions can be lost
to thieves who do not even fire a single shot.
Urban centers such as Metro Manila, with its network of
the best roads, cutting-edge infrastructure, and modern
amenities of urban lifestyle, is among the top business,
investment, and leisure destination in the country today.
The heart of various Central Business Districts (CBD)
in the country hosts transient traffic that becomes a
major peace and order concern. Most of the time, the
numerous entry and exit points in and out of these
CBDs are almost impossible for the PNP to monitor due
to manpower constraints. Foot and mobile patrols are
effective only in its influence radius which is the line of
sight of policemen. As such, police response is usually
based on reports of witnesses. Often times, these
witnesses are indifferent to the plight of their fellowmen
and they do not deliberately report the incidents, thus
the police can only respond upon observation of a
situation that reaches their attention.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M52 53
Many crime prone areas are located in roads serving
as the boundary of two police units. Because of these
“gray” areas, two or more units often dispute for credit
during accomplishments and finger point responsibility
during lapses. Likewise, there are times that deployment
gaps are created resulting to failure of police service
during untoward incidents. The other extreme of the
spectrum is deployment overlapping and redundancy
that result in ineffective utilization of the already limited
PNP resources. At its worst, the boundary issue results
to porous chokepoints because one unit may depend on
another and vice-versa resulting in non-deployment at
all. Many crime prone areas are also unlighted or dimly
lit streets that are often used as a refuge of criminal
elements. These streets have usually busy intersections
with the lighting system either not properly maintained
or were vandalized by unscrupulous elements.
Among the most viable option to further extend
the sphere of influence of the police is the use of
surveillance cameras strategically positioned in critical
areas. These cameras can be monitored by a central
control that in turn could feed the information to
policemen on the ground. This system should improve
the response time of policemen as real time information
can be fed to them by a professional as compared to the
reports of bystanders and witnesses. Current data show
that if the PNP intends to keep up with the times where
technology permeates every facet of society, it must
take advantage of available anti-crime technology such
as surveillance cameras and modern communications
equipment. Another equipment being explored by the
PNP is the GPS in its patrol cars. Coupled with GIS-
based crime pattern analysis, GPS equipped patrol cars
can be deployed in areas where crime is assessed to
occur during the times that pattern is observed.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M54 55
In the post-crime investigation
function of the PNP, the Crime
Laboratory is another unit that relies
heavily on technology to catch up
with the emerging modus operandi.
Crime scene reconstruction is now
made easier by the use of computer
design software. Fingerprint
and firearms examination is now
faster with the use of automation.
Composite sketches of suspects is
also a breeze nowadays because of
computer software designed for the
purpose.
Technology is indeed both a boon
and a bane to criminals and the PNP
alike. Whoever gets ahead in the
acquisition and the exploitation of
technology has a better chance of
winning this endless war between
good and evil.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M56
SO NEAR. SO FAR…THE FASCINATING IRONY OF OUR CURRENT REALITY
Rhoanne Ramas
Social Media. I feel that a lot of people would agree
with me when I say that the birth as well as the
continuous development of various programs enables
each individual to transform our lives in such a way
that helps us become more at ease with the day-to-
day dynamics. Developers did a great job in creating
programs that engages people in many ways. Our
current technology enables us to become more
proficient and maximize our capabilities. It allows us
to think that a lot of things are just within our grasp.
These improvements are good as far as I think.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M58 59
OPINION
However…
I find it funny and ironic because
something which was originally created
to connect people is the same medium
that forms an invisible wall that divides
us from the people in front of us.
Technology was initially meant to bring
us closer to each other. It was meant to
bring us closer, but why does it feel like
it now becomes a distraction?
Make no mistake; I am not against the use
of such things as well as the advancement of
society. I’m all for that if it means enabling
people to live a well-balanced life. I support the
idea of helping people reach higher grounds and
see how far they can go. Still, ironic as it seems,
I find it quite saddening to think that we are a
click or swipe away from people miles away but
we seem to be galaxies away from the people
who are physically with us.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M60 61
Technology was
initially meant to
bring us closer to
each other
When I sit alone in a coffee shop (yes, I
take pleasure in having my alone time
once in a while), I can’t help but notice
families and friends so focused as they
look down and fiddle non-stop with
their gadgets. I am also guilty of such
actions. I guess I am no different. It’s
as if that we are creating a world of
our own. Constantly trying to connect
but becomes more disconnected
either way.
Then I wonder… when was the last
time that we made an effort in being
present in the moment? As in really,
truly present? When was the last time
when we conversed with the person in
front of us without being distracted by
the notifications that hums repeatedly
on our sides, or inside our bags?
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M62 63
I feel that at times, it is very important
to unplug ourselves in a digital world
that continues to envelope us. I’m not
saying quit it altogether because let’s
be honest, technology has become an
important part of our routines. That
is something that we are all aware of.
However, it is also necessary to take
time to just be in the moment. Turn off
the devices for a while.
Maybe an hour
or a day perhaps?
Look. Hear. Smell.
Feel. Just be.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M64 65
Take the time to
simply immerse
yourself to the things,
events and people
within your physical
reach.
UNPLUG.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M66 67
Anna Liza Madayag Gaspar, CPA
THE VALUE OF T IME
You may have heard of ‘The Time Value of Money’
over and over, that a peso today is more valuable
than a peso you’ll receive in, say, a year. Or you
may have heard about time being the great
equalizer. That a rich woman and a poor one has
24 hours a day, 7 times a week. Each. Though
the rich woman may pay as many people as she
can to spend some of their time working for her,
at the end of the day, that day will only have 24
hours.
All these tells us that time
has its own value.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M68 69
FINANCIAL ADVICE
ON TIME
Last April, together with some members
of the International Group of Ilokano
Writers, I was invited to perform at
the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
This event was organized by the CCP’s
Intertexual Division. My mindset as
regards to an event’s starting time is set
at the Filipino time, something that I don’t
actually like; however, there is nothing I
dislike more than going to a 9 A.M. event,
then made to wait until God knows when
until the event actually starts. I usually
bring a book to entertain me when I go
to meetings.
Imagine my surprise when the Intertextual
Division started most (except one) of the events
I attended on time. When I mentioned this to
one of the CCP people, Bebang Sy, she said
that if they don’t start an event on time, they
will get punished. What sort of punishment?
Bebang said her division will receive a memo.
I was very impressed. A mere memorandum
has this much power to change an ingrained
practice not only by institutions, but by our
entire culture. (Try reading bulletin boards or
forums with majority of expats working in the
Philippines as members and you’ll learn in no
time that we, Filipinos, are known for showing
up in meetings hours after the appointed and
agreed upon time. This frustrates them no end.)
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M70 71
I salute CCP particularly the Intertextual
Division for instituting this practice. I
hope that others, including me, will learn
from their example. This shows that they
respect the time of the people attending
their events.
PROMISES
Most of the times, we hear the Metro’s
horrendous traffic as the reason for
someone arriving late. Thankfully we
now have tools made available to us by
technology to ensure that we arrive to our
commitments on time. Waze can be easily
accessed from our mobile phones. It can
tell us what time to leave our homes such
that we will arrive at our meetings at the
time we promised.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M72 73
It’s not only about arriving to meetings on
time that we have to be mindful of. Fulfilling
time-bound promises is also very important.
For example, I promised this article yesterday
morning, but I failed to deliver. This means that
the entire magazine - lay-outing, rendering,
etc. - was delayed because I failed to honor my
promise.
Imagine if it’s a life and death situation. Would I
still be lackadaisical? I supposed not. I remember
what Congresswoman Sol Aragones shared about
replying to text messages from her constituents.
She said her constituents may be in dire need
that an immediate reply can meet life and death.
Maybe it’s time that all of us think beyond ourselves,
think about the impact of our actions on the lives of
other people. Of course, as someone who wants to
be a better version of myself, I am continually doing
my best to improve. I also think that at times when I
can’t deliver on my promises it is also important that
I am not hard on myself.
Yes, I failed, but that isn’t enough reason
to beat myself up. There is always the next
time to do better.
Liza was educated at the University of the Philippines, Diliman and the De La Salle
University. She is a published author of children’s stories. She’s saving up for the
Chartered Financial Analyst III exam. Email her at [email protected] or
follow her antics at www.facebook.com/annalizamgaspar.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M74 75
GOD’S WAYO F T E A C H I N G A T E A C H E RGaily Magan
HUMAN INTEREST
This is basically my life for 9 years.
I wake up, get dressed, travel for
2 hours, check lesson plans, revise
programs, win little kids, attend
parent-teacher conferences, and
sundries. My hands are full because
of infinite responsibilities at work
and there were days I wished to
take a break. Apparently, not this
kind of break.
Just a month before I turned
30, I was diagnosed with
Thyroid Follicular Carcinoma.
I was kind of confused at
first. I thought I was healthy
but it is cancer and it means
I have to undergo surgeries,
treatments, and months away
from work.
I did researches about my sickness.
Fortunately, it is curable. Still and
all, I have no single idea where this
sickness will take me and if I can zing
back to my everyday routine.
This sudden lifeless switch that
makes me stuck in bed daydreaming
is considerably more draining and
frustrating. I feel more exhausted but
it taught me in an unexpected way.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M78 79
It is to love what I have in
my hands, to become aware
of my work’s value and its
contribution to my life and all
things in between. However, the
moment I realized the gravity of
what I have in my hands, Cancer
is slowly taking it away. This is
the beauty of life and learning.
It has ferocious dimensions
and unimaginable tests. And
no matter how hard we refuse
to let go, life will continuously
throw curveballs until we feel
like we are empty-handed.
This is going to be dark and I
am fearful but God is saying,
it is okay for me to let go of
everything. I just have to hold
one single thing in my hands in
this battle, and that is Faith.
Faith that God is
teaching me something.
That it is acceptable to stop so
that when it is time to move
again, I will truly appreciate my
work more not because I miss
the kids, the school, and the
sound of the copy machine.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M80 81
That I love it not just because
it helps me earn nor it is my
passion but simply because it
makes me feel alive. Now, I am
in the process of recovery and
I will be going back to work in a
few months.
God truly worked in ways
beyond my imagination.
This long battle has been
teaching a teacher something
she knows beforehand but
this time in a totally different
perspective.
The author is a preschool teacher. She had her BS
Psychology major in Clinical Psychology from the
St. Paul University, Quezon City and her Masters in
Developmental Psychology from the UP Diliman.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M82 83
Anna Liza Madayag Gaspar, CPA
FOOD: POISON OR MEDICINE?
One of the continuing mysteries of
existence is that the things that keep
you healthy and sustain your life are
the very things that can undermine
your health and cause your death. In
the same manner, the foods that keep
you alive are the very same foods that
can bring your death. For example, in
trace amounts, metals like cobalt, iron,
zinc, and magnesium are essential
to health, but in greater than trace
amounts, they can poison and kill you.
In ancient times, Hippocrates, the
father of medicine, often advised
his students and patients alike: ”Let
your food be your medicine, and let
your medicine be your food.” In the
absence of manufactured drugs and
prescription medicine, the medical
practitioners of Hippocrates’s time
have no choice but to go natural and,
needless to say, herbal.
85
HEALTH & WELLNESS
That food can be medicine and can
cure illness was proven in the case
of Dr. William Howard Hay, a medical
practitioner in Pennsylvania. When he
was a student at New York University
School of Medicine, he felt very strong
and considered himself to be very
healthy. He grew up to be a heavy
man, he weighed 223 pounds, but still
he continued to think of himself as
healthy. When he was 39, he found
out he was not really healthy. While
going to work one morning, he ran
to catch up on an oncoming train. A
sudden pain in the chest made him
collapse. He found out later he had
a dilated heart. As a doctor, he knew
that the tissues of his heart were
weak, thus the dilation.
Because of his weak heart, his blood
circulation was poor, resulting in a
swollen leg that stretched the skin to full
capacity. He was unable to lie down and
sleep for fear of drowning in his own
fluids. This condition was very familiar to
him as a practicing medical doctor. He
had seen this symptom in some of his
patients, and he had always told them
“to prepare for the final hop-off,” which
was never far in the future.” To make
matters worse Dr. Hay also found out he
had Bright’s Disease, an inflammation
of the kidney characterized by loss of
albumen through the urine. The illness
was also accompanied by hypertension.
Some colleagues who had diagnosed Dr.
Hay told him he had only three months
to live. Since he knew the “utter failure
of medical treatment in this class of
cases” he refused to take any medicine.
What was the use? He asked.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M86 87
It was at this point, over many long sleepless nights, that
Dr. Hay made a careful analysis of his previous habits.
He realized that since he graduated from the medical
school 16 years ago, he had eaten only at hotels, boarding
houses and restaurants where he had no control over
the preparation of food. He also realized that it was only
during the last five years after he got married that he had
eaten in his own home, “with controllable conditions at
table.” An analysis of his diet during his eleven years of
public eating showed that he had been eating meat or
other concentrated protein food at each meal, “usually
combined with white bread and generally potato in some
form.” In other words, a combination of animal protein
(meat) and starch (bread and potato), which are highly
incompatible foods that cannot be digested together.
As top dressing for this mixture of
incompatible foods, Dr. Hay had been
eating pastries freely. The whole was
washed down with two or three cups of
coffee sweetened thoroughly with white
sugar and enriched with cream. Dr. Hay
also smoked like a “veritable chimney”
and drank wines and liquor freely.
After realizing that he had been
poisoning himself with food for
years, Dr. Hay drastically changed
his diet. His usual diet of three
meals per day was reduced to one
meal a day, consisting only of a
little amount of vegetable at night.
In his book Health via Food, Dr.
Hay relates: “The coffee was also
discontinued, and in a few weeks
the stimulants cured themselves
through loss of desire for them.
In a few months the tobacco was
given up, and for four years,
there was no desire to smoke,
even after many years of heavy
smoking.”
He further relates: “Then
followed a period of rejuvenation
that was truly remarkable. In
three weeks there was not a sign
of dropsy (edema) anywhere in
the body. In three months the
weight had gone down [from 223
pounds] to normal, 175 pounds in
street clothing.”
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M88 89
At about the same time, Dr. Hay
discovered that he could run again as
far as he desired without disturbing
the rhythm of his heart, “and there
was surprising endurance and long-
windedness.”
Needless to say, Dr. Hay fully recovered
from his illness. He lived for another
33 years and died at the age of 74.
His case clearly showed that food
could be a poison if overeaten or if
eaten carelessly. For many years, he
has been poisoning himself by taking
a wrong combination of food—meat,
bread and potato— and wrong food
itself—coffee sweetened with refined
sugar. But if eaten sparingly and in
right combination, most especially, in
moderation or in very little amount, it
can become a medicine.
With today’s innumerable choices
of food, it becomes your choice to
make your food your poison or your
medicine.
| S P E A R H E A D M A G A Z I N E . C O M90 91