The Economics of Child-Bearing and Raising

 

WANTED: Sons and Daughters

By Ivy Razel B. Ventura

 

"Maaaring ako’y mali ngunit sinasabi kong ang pinakawalang-halagang pamumuhunan ng isang tao ay ang pag-aanak, pagpapaaral at pagpapalaki ng bata, sapagkat bihira sa mga anak, kung mayroon man, ang nagbabalik ng utang sa pagpapakasakit ng magulang…"

-La Loba Negra

Maynila, 18 Hulyo 1869

Jose A. Burgos

("I may be wrong, but I tell you, the most worthless investment of a person is to have, educate, and raise a child, for it’s seldom for a child, if any, to return his parents’ sacrifices…

-La Loba Negra (The Black Dog)

Manila, 18 July 1869

Jose A. Burgos

When a child reaches the legal age, 18, independence is the game—he is his own responsibility—or for Western countries at least. Here in the Philippines, "18 years old" has a different definition. It’s the start of ultimate freedom. Freedom for alcohol, cigarettes, clubs, cabarette bars, marriage, and prison accommodation among many other things.

Independence is quite an alien household term in our country. No matter how old someone is, he is still welcome to live in the house of his parents. Married couples living with an intermediate family is also not an unusual event. These things have something to do with the Filipinos’ concept of family.

We, Filipinos, value family more than anything else. That’s why even if we’ve adapted a lot of Western customs, the independence-at-18 issue was never absorbed by most of us.

Another difference between the Western ways and Pinoy culture is the mindset on raising a child. For most Filipino parents, having children is a personal investment. Theoretically speaking, more children means more income generation and more people expected to take care of you when you grow old. If this must be the case, then neither homes for the aged nor the home shopping network would be progressive.

However, this is not the general case. In addition, the unemployment rate here in our country continues to rise as the literacy rate falls. More and more children are becoming uneducated. Consequently, there is a big accumulation of unemployed people here in our country, and the great poverty reigns the atmosphere.

Though the government must play the main role in solving this recurring problem, the citizens are also to blame. Well, for one, since time immemorial, the government can’t be trusted for initiating progress in our country, and we all know this for sure. As much as possible, the initiative must come from the citizens, since there’s nobody else expected to care for this country save its inhabitants.

More and more babies are born everyday, but the question is what can they do for this country. On a personal point of view, it’s annoying that many couples keep on producing offspring they cannot support anymore. I don’t have a problem with parents with a dozen of kids as long as each of them are fed, and educated. But just to contribute to the unmanageable overpopulation in the Philippines is a different case. Many children’s lives are wasted because of poverty. Is this the government’s fault? Yes. But this, as well, is the full responsibility of the parents.

Raising and educating a child may not be that efficient, since you cannot instill life-long values in them overnight. It takes years of hard labor before the fruit starts to grow. But is this a worthy investment? After giving much thought to this question, the best answer I can get is, "It depends". Depends on what? The parents’ point of view.

For the nth time, effectivity is meeting your set goals regardless of time. The main focus is the product, not the time nor money investments. Contrary to Father Burgos’ account, the welfare of the majority must be kept in mind instead of returning the parents’ sacrifices. The parents’ must seek to raise a child that will eventually be a functional citizen and asset of the country. Considering the country’s current situation, if most of the parents would care to think this way, then having, educating, and raising a child may not be a worthless investment after all.#

[This is an Econ (SocSci4) requirement under Sir Vlad.Para ito sa aming magazine.Woohoo.And,personally,this is one of my favorite essays.Ü]

Superhero for a day. Ü

[Another English4 requirement.We had to choose one superhero we'd love to assimilate even for just a day.]

 

E25

23 November 2006

Ventura, Ivy Razel B.

IV-Electron

Impossible is Nothing

Superman. Wonderwoman. Spiderman. Catwoman. Superheroes.

Superhero is the term used to describe a person who usually has extraordinary powers, also known as superpowers, and extraordinary enemies who are ever ready to pursue world domination at all costs.

These superheroes typically wear either a cape, a mask, a brief worn over tights, a belt around the brief, or a combination of those. Moreover, they usually hide their real names and their identity.

Superman. Wonderwoman. Spiderman. Catwoman.

Personally, I do not like my superhero in a cape because I think there’s no point for having one—aside, of course, from the fact that it looks goods as the hero flies. Weird costumes also do not appeal to my taste. I mean, do superheroes really have to match their superpowers with a horrible fashion sense? I don’t think so.

One superhero rose above the rest and caught my attention. Given the opportunity, I would want to be her, even for just a day.

Ever since I have entered Pisay, I barely had the time to watch television programs. Consequently, I am not familiar with cartoon shows. However, as I was scanning through the channels of the cable network, I decided to settle with the Disney channel.

VILLAIN: "It’s impossible!"

HEROINE: "No, it’s Kim Possible."

Kim Possible…sounds interesting, I thought.

Who is Kim Possible, anyway?

Kim Possible is just a normal kid with very amazing defense skills. She does not have superpowers, as most superheroes do. So what qualifies her to become a superhero? Her skills and unfaltering courage, which help her face her supervillain enemies.

Kim Possible’s shuffling quite a business, too. She is an active student, a cheerleader, a daughter, a sister, an ever-dependable friend, and an awesome evil-stopper. Mind you, she dresses normally even if she is out for a mission, and she is not living a double life. I must say it runs in the blood.

Lately, I have thought that she would also pass for a role model. And if there is one thing that impressed me the most about her, it is how she showed that age isn’t a hindrance for anyone to start and make a change. After all, I realize that it really only takes a day to be this supergirl. I do not have to learn martial arts and other arts of defense, for, I believe, in my own way, making a change is possible.

WORD COUNT: 400

My own version of "A Modest Proposal". Ü

[This essay was a requirement for English4 nung highschool.Foreword lang: not for the light-hearted.Hehe."A Modest Proposal" ay isang literary work na pinabasa sa min dati.Search nyo na lang sa internet yung original text.Maikli lang yun e.Our English4 teacher,Sir Aghs,asked us to create our own "modest proposal" with no limits and boundaries except human cruelty.hehe.FYI: Sarcasm is the key. Ü]

 

E25

Date Due: February 20, 2007                                      Date Submitted: February 20, 2007

Ventura, Ivy Razel B.

IV-Electron

Put to Good Use: A Modest Proposal

"Are you proud of your president?"

Out of the blue, this question was raised by the Spanish interpreter my co-delegate requested for. I definitely know the answer, but it took me a while to find the guts to say it straight to the face of a foreigner.

"No," I finally said after he repeated his question for the second time.

I was relieved when my Mexican co-delegate answered the same without hesitation. We are both 16 and we both think that our country’s government is not worth being proud of. I don’t know his reason, but I’ll bet our president’s head that we have the same raison d'être—corruption.

Corruption is not nation-specific, it’s everywhere. It’s just that its most obvious manifestation is in the government. I don’t even care how Webster defines corruption, for me it’s a heinous crime that deserves Judecca. Now is the perfect time for justice to have its teeth and put an end to this insanity. Since the law doesn’t indicate appropriate measures to deal with corrupt pigs, I have a humble proposal.

Those who have been proven of corruption shall go to a nice 200°C hot bath in order to cleanse their body and temporarily soften their skin for easier chopping. The body shall be chopped into considerable parts, but all the blood must be saved as well as the internal organs. The internal organs will be osterized until fluid. The blood and osterized organs may be mixed with cement to make buildings stronger, since the funds are insufficient to make sturdy infrastructures.

We may now proceed with the remaining body parts. The skin, which is thick with greed, may be used as an alternative for leather. The flesh, on the other hand, may be fed to animals with tough digestive systems. I suggest the zoo animals such as the lion, tiger, crocodile, and their close relatives. We know that poultry animals are fed to these carnivores, but if we can feed them with corrupt officials’ flesh instead, then the poultry could be saved for the worthy humans.

The hair may be made into wigs for poor cancer patients. Or better yet, the hair may be arranged into brooms or feather dusters so that instead of producing synthetic fibers, the resources may be utilized for more necessary products.

"The good is oft interred with the bones," thus said Mark Antony, so maybe we can leave the bones to the felon’s family for them to weep over.

This proposed punishment applies to all levels of corruption. When will we ever learn that big things come from small packages? Well, I must repeat that this is just a proposal, in the mean time. But I am looking forward to its near implementation with the help of more concerned vigilante groups.

Word Count: 464

UP pics.

due to insistent public demand! [that's a lie.si Lei Infante lang talaga ang nag-request.hehe] una kong ipopost ang UP pics.hehe. Ü

Grad Ball.

Start:	Mar 27, '07 5:30p
End:	Mar 28, '07 02:00a
Location:	Manila Hotel, Centennial Ballroom

Celebration, I guess.

Graduation.

Start:	Mar 27, '07 08:00a
End:	Mar 27, '07 12:00p
Location:	PSHS-Gym

Ang katapusan ng Pisay life sa loob ng Pisay Campus.

FEAR.what frightens you?

Alam kong marami na kong utang na blog entries at pictures.

Pasensya na sa mga naghihintay.

Babawi ako.Promise.

Sa ngayon, tapos na ang apat na taong paghihirap sa Pisay. Graduation noong March 27. Sabog ang grad dahil sobrang kinram ang lahat. Haha. Pero, who cares. I like it better that way. Mas natural, mas totoo. It will be the best graduation I'll ever have. Gusto ko rin ang speech ni Usec. Fortunato dela Peña. Tao pala siya. Marunong mag-joke at tumawa. I like his sense of humor. Ang fable of the chickens and eagle. Magaling. Napaka-angkop. Nitatamad ako ulitin yung kwento niya. Next time na lang.

Ang talagang pakay ng blog na ito ay para magbahagi ng isang napaka-inspirational na tula. Kung napanood mo na ang Coach Carter, malamang di na ito iba sa'yo.

Lalo na sa mga Pisay dian, wala akong pakialam kung anong batch kayo. This poem is timeless. Mainam na mabasa ninyo. Personally, I think it reveals our true feelings and proper goals.

Kung sino ka man, no exception, damdamin mo ito:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves,
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people will not feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.
It's not in just some of us;
It's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we're liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson
A Return To Love (1992), Chapter 7