NO: 108 January - February 2001 Gloria Macapagal … no.108 • January - February 2001 • Page ¾ NO: 108 January - February 2001 Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is the legitimate President

Parola no.108 • January - February 2001 • Page ¾

NO: 108 January - February 2001

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is the legitimate President

Voting 13-0, the Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is the country’s legitimate President and not her de-posed predecessor, Joseph Estrada.

“Estrada has effectively resigned by his acts and statements,” said the ruling written by Associate Justice Reynato Puno.

The justices also voted 9-4 on Es-trada’s loss of immunity from suit.

The twin decisions were officially released on March 3.

The ruling paves the way for the fil-ing by the Office of the Ombudsman of plunder cases against Estrada with the Sandiganbayan.

But Estrada, who was toppled in a military-backed citizens’ revolt on January 20, has 15 days to file a mo-tion for reconsideration with the high court.

In deciding the legitimacy of the Macapagal administration, the high court quoted liberally from the diary of

former Executive Secretary Edgardo Angara.

The tribunal ruled that Estrada had effectively resigned even if he did not sign his resignation letter.

The diary of Executive Secretary Angara is an insider’s account of the last two days (January 19-20) in office of deposed President Estrada.

The ruling deals a major blow to efforts by Estrada to fight corruption case against him and retake power. Estrada has asked the court to de-clare Arroyo the acting president only, saying he never resigned as president when he left the palace and still has claims on office.

Estrada is under investigation on several possible corruption related charges including economic plun-der, misuse of funds, violations of anti-graft law, perjury, bribery and possession of unexplained wealth.

Lifting the economyThe Supreme Court ruling has

calmed investor sentiment, presiden-tial spokesperson Renato Corona said. With the legitimacy of presiden-cy cleared, analysts said they expect Ms Arroyo now to start steering the economy back into shape. Corona predicted that the government would get the economy “turned around in no time at all.”

The government has forecast the economy growing at least 3.8 percent this year, which would still make the Philippines one of developing Asia’s economic laggards based on regional forecasts by the Asian Development Bank. (AFP and AP, Inquirer News Serv-ice, Mar/03/01).

People Power II toppled the presidency of Joseph Ejercito Estrada.

Parola no.108 - January - February 2001 - Page ¾

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The International Commission on Shipping (ICONS) has proposed the introduction of severe penalties for charterers and major shippers who use deficient vessels and called for qual-ity operators in the industry to “take an overt public role in eradicating sub-standard shipping”.

According to one of the commis-sion’s recommendations, port state authorities, led by the US Coast Guard, the Paris MOU and the Tokyo MOU, would develop the penalty system, which would be designed to minimise the financial advantages of operating a deficient vessel, estimated at 15 to 16 per cent of annual operating costs.

Penalize sub-standard shipping- ICON

Also among the ICONS recommendations is a proposal to establish a confidential ship safety incident reporting system to be known as COSHIRS. Releasing his report, ‘Ships, Slaves and Competition,’ at the International Symposium on Safer Shipping in the APEC Region, held in Sydney today, ICONS chairman Peter Morris declared there should be “an end to the winging process and a beginning to the action process”.

Mr Morris said the onus was now on quality ship owners, their organizations, charterers and cargo owners to champion the implementation of the commission’s recommendations. (Fairplay Daily Ship-ping News, Mar/06/01)

The International Transport Work-ers Federation(ITF) proposes to the ILO Joint Maritime Commission, the creation of a “fourth pillar” maritime human factors convention, to su-persede more than 30 current ILO conventions.

The ITF wants the proposed code to achieve similar status in the ship-ping world to the IMO’s existing Solas, Marpol and STCW conven-tions.

ITF secretary general David Cockroft told Fairplay, an interna-tional shipping weekly magazine: “We have been negotiating a lot with ship owners about a human factors minimum standards convention. We have come to an agreement to try to

ITF proposes maritime human convention

adopt a resolution to take the existing long raft of ILO maritime conventions, some of which are ratified by some and others which are out of date , and encompass them all into a single con-vention. If it works it will stand as the industry’s first maritime human factors convention.”

“It will stand as one of the four major conventions that you will have to com-ply with to operate a ship,” Cockroft explained. “It will be the first time that if you do not have the rights of work-ers on board a ship taken care of, you can be detained until you put things right.” (Fairplay Daily Shipping News, Jan/01)

Panama has begun sending claims filed by Filipino seafarers against foreign ship owners resulting from illness, injuries or death suffered for settlement in the Philippines.

The first case involves a suit against a vessel in rem for personal injuries suffered while at work.

The suit signals the movement of other cases pending in Panama to the National Labour Relation Commission (NLRC) of the Philippines. It follows a landmark Panama Supreme Court decision in December that recognised the validity of a release executed by a Filipino crew member or his heirs.

“We were able to persuade the court that the NLRC had been cre-ated to provide a speedy resolution to all claims by crew members against their employers,” said Panamanian law firm De Castro & Robles. (Fair-play Daily News, Feb/20/01)

Panama opens Filipino claim

process


The second People Power in 15 years led to the collapse of President Estrada and ushered in the leadership of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

On January 20, Ms Macapagal took the oath of office admin-istered by Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. at the Edsa Shrine, site of the historic 1986 revolt that toppled the Marcos dicta-torship.

Her family, various officials, Manila Archbishop Jaime Car-dinal Sin, former President Corazon Aquino, former President Fidel Ramos, foreign diplomats and tens of thousands of peo-ple comprising “People Power II” witnessed the ceremony.

In her inaugural speech, Ms Macapagal promised not to make the mistakes of ousted President Joseph Estrada and reiterated that her administration would be one of “leadership by example.”

She thanked the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos who assembled for three days at the shrine to call for Estrada’s resignation, and asked all to help in the healing and rebuilding of the nation.

“Let us build an edifice of peace, progress and economic stability,” she said. (BBC News Online, Manila Bulletin, Philip-pine Daily Inquirer, The Star, Jan/20/01)

His biggest flop ever

People Power II deposed Estrada

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, Jan/21/01.

The new president of the Philippines, Gloria Arroyo, has appointed a chief op-ponent of her disgraced predecessor as her vice president.

She’s chosen Teofisto Guingona, the first senator to make public cor-ruption allegations against the ousted President, Joseph Estrada. He’s also a lawyer and a former justice secretary. Mr Guingona was born in the southern province of Mindanao which has been racked by separatist violence.

Mrs Arroyo said she had chosen him because it was time to build a bridge to an economically vibrant Mindanao from one wracked by conflict. (BBC World Service, Feb/06/01)

The appointeesExecutive Secretary - Renato de

VillaNational Security Adviser - Roilo Go-

Pres. Arroyo names VP and cabinet members

lezPresident’s Chief of Staff and Presidential Spokesman - Renato CoronaChief, Philippine National Police - Leandro MendozaPresidential Adviser for Reginal Development - Paul DominguezDirector, National Bureau of Investigation - Reynaldo WycocoCustoms Commissioner - Titus VillanuevaGen. Manager of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport - Edgardo Manda

Budget and Management - Emilia BoncodinEducation, Culture and Sports - Raul RocoEnergy - Jesus AlcordaFinance - Alberto RomuloHealth - Manuel DayritInterior and Local Government - Jose Lina Jr.Justice - Hernando PerezLabor and Employment - Patricia Sto. TomasPublic Works and Highway - Simeon DatumanongTrade and Industry - Manuel RoxasTransportation and Communication - Panteleon AlvarezTourism - Richard GordonSocial Welfare - Dinky Soliman(Manila Bulletin; Inquirer.net; Phil. Embassy, The Hague, Jan-Mar/01)

Please turn to page 7 for excerpts of the President’s inaugural speech.


Eat, work, sleep – a routine activity, boring isn’t it? Especially for us sea-farers, we have our job always with us. Even on our day-off – Sunday, when emergency arises, we are obliged to work, even when we arrive at ports, there’s no way we can elude the nature of our job. We can’t help it my friend, this is the culture and tradition of being on the ship.

Good for those seafarers who just have short contracts, three to four months then wah! la! Home sweet home. But how about those who have one year contract or more? And much harder to admit that while we have a one-year contract, the Captain or Chief Engineer has been relieved 3 or 4 times. Our great dilemma is the way they treat us, whether good or bad, just or unjust. If it’s good and fair and humane then one year is peanuts to endure. But sometimes one comes along who is much worse than a fascist…he! he! he! They can afford to behave this way, be-cause their working contract is just two to three months with their wives also on board. It is evident as you can see here that there’s really an imbalance in our maritime culture. What a life?

Enemy of the shipLet’s go back to our routine job on

board the ship. Sometimes we say to ourselves, “this is it”, we have had enough, we cannot take it anymore? This job is no longer a career but just a sheer means of survival. But I tell you my friend, without knowing it, so many things have been exercised and learned, say for instance, our patience, perseverance, our tolerance in terms of our work, condition, our body, our rela-tionship with one another and the most

Denying responsibility

important is that day-by-day we learn the art of accepting responsibilities. There are instances, which happened that we have rejected these responsi-bilities and have extended our fingers pointing and blaming, judging other people. Instances like — something blew up in the engine room during our watch, emergency situation such as fire on deck, failure to secure the hatches holds and valves that leads to a hostile situation during sailing, contamination of cargoes by sea-water. All of these lead to one common enemy of the ship – ac-cident. How we embrace our duties and responsibilities regardless of our posi-tion, matters.

Could it have been prevented?

Allow me to share a story, which re-cently happened in one of the ports of Rotterdam. I believe we can pick up something of a great moral value in this story. One Filipino seaman, AB, was air-lifted and rushed to the hospital. A tragic accident occurred resulting to loss of his left leg, loss of his job and his career. At one glance, it would seem to be an ac-cident, it happened and we could not do anything about it, but if we dig into the bottom of the story prior to the accident, this tragic incident could be avoided.

The Chief Mate gave an order to two ABs to dispose the left over dannege (a sort of wooden garbage) to the big open container dumpster lying in the wharf. Halfway in their hauling of gar-bage, the Chief Mate ordered again one of the ABs to do some work in the gangway. At this point, the other AB was left alone in disposing the remain-ing garbage. Unknown to him, a giant forklift was coming his way, carrying three loads of 40ft. container. The fork-lift suddenly hit the left side panel of this dumpster container and it spinned right away, hitting the poor AB standing very nearby. Caught by surprise, the AB tried to jump away but that was in vain, his left leg was directly hit. Bones crushed and blood spurted out. He managed to yell for help but the excruciating pain gripped his heart and he lost his con-sciousness.

I don’t know of the reaction of the Chief Mate. I don’t have the capacity to judge but hearing the story and meeting this man while he was in the hospital, I

tried to assert and rationalize my think-ing.

The Chief Mate, I’m sure has been haunted by his own conscience be-cause he could have done two things. He could either deny his responsibility (iwas pusoy) and wash his hands by blaming the poor AB for his fault of not being careful. He (AB) should have seen the forklift coming his way and should have moved on the side. Or the Chief Mate could accept his responsi-bility for what happened (I wish I could read his accident report). In my opinion, the Chief Mate could have done one of the following prior to the accident: He could have

1. Made a request to the port ste-vedore to relocate the dumpster, not where the forklift passes.

2. Assigned two men to execute this work — one giving attention and signal to the forklift operator at the same time giving warning to his mate that the fork-lift is coming. He should have pulled out the other AB to work somewhere else, instead wait till this first job ends.

3. Taken the initiative to know the schedules of the stevedores working on that area — when and what time they will stop hauling the containers and maybe in between time as opportunity exists, instructed the ABs to dispose that garbage or he could have waited till the stevedores finished their job and then proceeded to his plan.

The Good SamaritanMy comparable analysis on this sea-

man’s story is one of the best parables found in the bible, in Luke 10:25-37. The parable of the Good Samaritan. Take a good look at the three characters of the story and their responses to the man desperately in need of help.

The first character: The Pharisee with the status of the teacher of the law, the priest and spiritual leader of their time. But what happened after seeing the man lying on the road, robbed, beaten and dying? The Pharisee just passed on the other side and left. This is an example of denying responsibility (iwas pusoy). A question might have come in his mind why the man was beaten. Maybe the man had done something re-ally bad that those muggers barely left

(Iwas pusoy - 1)

on page 11

2/Engr. Felix Pulmano


The publication of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) ‘white list’ of nations complying with the STCW ’95 convention in December 2000 provoked strong comments from the international shipping com-munity.

Of the original 82 submissions made by August 1, 1998 deadline, 72 made the much delayed list, thus only ten countries failing to make the grade. According to Fairplay’s inves-tigation, Myanmar and Georgia are believed to be the only significant la-bor supply countries not to pass the IMO’s threshold. The list will come into force in February 2002.

Doubts on the listIMO secretary general Bill O’Neil

identifies the ‘white list’ as “an impor-tant milestone in the life of IMO.”

UK officers union NUMAST voiced “shock and disappointment” at the contents of the ‘white list’ when the identity of compliance nations was finally made public. “I believe the ‘white list’ is a white wash and I have been to meetings attended by people from throughout the shipping indus-try and when I have said this, there have been nods right around the table,’ secretary general Brian Or-rel told Fairplay. “Anyone with sound common sense and knowledge of the industry was surprised at the extent of the ‘white list’. One has to question

‘White list’ or white wash?whether politics had more of a play than competency in the final analysis of who got on.”

“We were absolutely staggered by the countries that found their way on to the list,” ITF secretary general David Cockroft concedes. “We were involved with affiliates in the Philip-pines and helped them to put together their training colleges-cutting down numbers and increasing the quality of their training facilities. The ITF trust gave a substantial grant, but what do you do when Indonesia is also on the ‘white list’, when you have spent all that time and money. It makes it a bit of joke and you won’t find many peo-ple associated with the business that will disagree with that.”

International Shipping Federation (ISF) Secretary David Dearsley noted: “The ‘white list’ on its own is like the emperor’s clothes – it doesn’t stand up. It is vital that flag states go be-yond the ‘white list’. There is need for extra controls. If people do not carry out their own bits and pieces and rely on the ‘white list’ itself it doesn’t work.”

See list of countries on p.6

New President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has appointed the head of a domestic ferry operator as temporary head of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). Alfonso Cusi, president of Starlite Express, which runs between Batangas and Calapan, took up his position as acting general manager on February 26. His appointment followed a petition from port users to relieve the incumbent Juan O Peña, who faces a string of lawsuits related to port projects.

Fairplay sources said Cusi’s tempo-rary appointment might have hinged on the requirement to divest his interest as owner of Starlite Express, a move that he must still take to prevent a conflict of interest. (Fairplay International Shipping Weekly, Mar/01/01)

Ferry boss to run Philippine ports

The Professional Regulation Com-mission (PRC) has drawn criticism for issuing a new amendment to its certification system that appears to have been subverting the revised STCW Convention. Industry critics say memo circular 01-02, approved and issued in January by the PRC Board of Marine Deck Officers, has ignored the importance of simulator training in the revalidation of STCW endorse-

New STCW circular questionedment certificates. “The memo circular sounds as if only the board can know what is right for seafarers even without the aid of state-of-the-art technology required by the convention,” they said. The amendment qualifies an applicant for his certificate at the operational level without the ship simulator and bridge teamwork-training course. (Fairplay Daily News, Feb/16/01)

The scientific study made into the health hazards of using mobile phones has concluded that their use does not increase the risk of certain forms of cancer.

“This first-ever nationwide study of the incidence of cancer among mo-bile phone users does not support the hypothesis of a link between the use of these phones and cancers of the brain, salivary glands, central nervous system or leukaemia,” said the pioneering report, carried out by the Danish Cancer Society. How-ever, the study considered only the cancer question and did not clear mobile phones of causing other ail-ments such as migraine or tinnitus.

The Danish study, published in the US Journal of National Cancer Institute, supports the findings of studies in UK and the US that found no link between mobile phone use and brain tumours. (Financial Times, Feb/0 7/01)

Mobile phones not health hazards


Dear Roli, Nasaan ka man...Miss na miss namin ang kolum mo. Minabuti naming idaan na sa Parola ang sulat sa iyo at mukhang hindi mo nakuha ang mga padala naming sipi ng Parola sa China. Miss ka namin, lalo pa nga at bago na naman ang nagpapatakbo ng pamahalaan natin. Ano naman kaya ang palagay mo sa gobyerno ni Gloria Macapgal-Arroyo? Sana naman ay makasama ka namin ulit sa susunod na Parola. Ed

1. What has one entrance and three ex-its? _______________

2. What always hides itself but always shows its head? ________________

3. What is always coming but will never arrive? __________________

4. What has arrived and will never come again? _______________

5. What did the FBI agent say to the con-dom? _____________

6. What has 12 eyes and still cannot see? _____________

See answers on page 11.Nagpadala: FJson

Riddles There was a Filipino kindergaten teacher teaching her class how to do the hokey-pokey.She started off, “You put your right feet in, you put your right feet out, you put your right feet in...” Suddenly one of the children said, “Teacher, you have to say ‘foot’.” So the teacher said, “You foot your right feet in, you ‘foot’ your right feet out...”

Hokey-pokey

A Filipino gets stopped by immigration at the airport. Immigration tells him, “Use the words ‘chicken not bread’ in a sen-tence.” The Filipino looks around, puts a bag over a woman’s head and yells, “Chee kennot bred! Chee kennot bred!”

Use the words...

Ang mahirap na tumatanda ay “gu-mugurang”; sa mayamang tumatanda, the description is “he or she graduates gracefully into senior citizenhood”.Ang anak ng mayaman ay “slow learner’; ang equivalent na anak ng mahirap ay “bobo” o “pangod”.Kung mayaman ka at marami kang ku-main, you flatter your host who says “masarap kang kumain, and I like you, you do justice to my cooking”; kung ghastly peasant ka eating the same amount in the same house, your host will say to himself or herself na ikaw ay “patay-gutom” o “hampaslupa!”

Mayaman, mahirap

Kung isa kang domestic na maitim, ikaw ay “ita” o “negrita”, pero ang señorita mo kahit kasingkulay mo, ang tawag ay “morena” o “kayumanggi”.

(Source: Pinoy Jokes Online)

Shipping news...5

Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgar-ia Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Ger-many, Ghana, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Morocco, Nether-

The official IMO ‘white list’

lands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Romania, Rus-sia, Samoa, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Tu-valu Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam. (Fairplay Daily News)


January 20, 2001 -- In her inaugural speech as president of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called for improved moral standards in public life and a new style of politics. She paid tribute to “people power” and singled out for praise Corazon Aquino, who came to power in the 1986 uprising that overthrew Ferdinand Marcos.

I accept the privilege and responsibility to act as president of the republic...

The task is formidable, and so I pray that we will all be one, one in our priorities, one in our values and commitments...

People power and the oneness of will and vision has made a new beginning possible.

Pride will reign supreme as Filipinos recall the heroism and sacrifices and prayers of Jaime Cardinal Sin, Presidents Cory Aquino and Fidel Ramos, Chief Justice Davide, the legislators who fought the good fight in Congress, the leaders whose principles were beyond negotiation, the witnesses in the impeachment trial who did not count the cost of testifying, the youths and students who walked out of their classrooms to be at the Edsa shrine, the generals in the armed forces and the Philippine National Police, and the Filipino out there who stood up to be counted in these troubled times...

Moral renewal On many occasions, I have given my views on what

our programme of government should be... They converge on four core beliefs: One, we must be bold in our national ambitions so that

our challenge must be that within this decade, we will win the fight against poverty.

Two, we must improve moral standards in government and society in order to provide a strong foundation for good governance.

Three, we must change the character of our politics in

Ms Arroyo’s inaugural speech: ExcerptsThe new leader pledged a clean start

order to create fertile ground for true reforms... Finally, I believe in leadership by example...

Out with the old Politics and political power, as traditionally practised and

used in the Philippines, are among the roots of the social and economic inequities that characterize our national problems...

Traditional politics is the politics of the status quo; it is a structural part of the problem.

We need to promote a new politics of true party programmes and platforms...

This new politics is the politics of genuine reform; it is a structural part of the solution...

To ensure that our gains are not dissipated through corruption, we must improve moral standards.

As we do so, we create fertile ground for good governance based on a sound moral foundation, a philosophy of transparency and an ethic of effective implementation... (BBC News Online, Jan/20/01)

January 20, 2001 -- At twelve o’clock noon today, Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took her oath as President of the Republic of the Philippines. While along with many other legal minds of our country, I have strong and serious doubts about the legality and constitutionality of her proclamation as President, I do not wish to be a factor that will prevent the restoration of unity and order in our civil society.

It is for this reason that I now leave Malacañang Palace, the seat of the presidency of this country, for the sake of peace and in order to begin the healing process of our nation. I leave the Palace of our people with gratitude for the opportunities given to me for service to our people. I will not shirk from any future challenges that may come ahead in the same service of our country.

I call on all my supporters and followers to join me in the promotion of a constructive national spirit of reconciliation and solidarity.

May the Almighty bless our country and our beloved people.MABUHAY!

Joseph Ejercito-Estrada’s last statement as President of the Philippines

We must improve moral stand-ards in government and society in order to provide a strong founda-tion for good governance -- Gloria Arroyo


Dr. Margarita Holmes

Dear Dr. Holmes:

Napapansin ko na sumasakit ang puson ko, mga 1-2 beses isang linggo. Ito ay malimit mangyari kapag kami ay na-nonood ng sine ng girlfriend ko. Wala naman po kaming ginagawa sa sinehan sapagkat virgin pa ang girlfriend ko. Kaunting mga halik-halikan lang.

Ano kaya ang problema ko? Madadaan ba ito sa gamot? Minsan, umaabot ng 2-3 tatlong oras bago maalis ang sakit ng puson ko. Wala naman akong sakit. Very healthy pa nga po ako, 20 years old, non- smoker, at, maliban dito sa sakit sa puson, walang problema sa katawan. Salamat po at more power!

ROLLY

Dear ROLLY

Maraming salamat sa iyong sulat. Although hindi ako siguradong-sigurado, ayon sa isinalaysay mo, ang prob-lema mo ang siyang tinatawag sa ingles na “blue balls”. Sa Pilipino ay asul na itlog (scrotum). Ang blue balls ay isang kondisyon na nangyayari lamang sa lalaki sapagkat ang mga lalaki lang ang may itlog (scrotum).

Nangyayari ito sa mga lalaki kapag sumasakit ang kanilang puson dahil matagal silang na-arouse na hindi naman sila nalalabasan. Tinatawag itong blue balls dahil minsan nakikita ang ugat sa ilalim ng balat at ito ay kada-lasang kulay asul.

Ang dahilan ay simple lang: Kapag ikaw ay na-a-arouse, maraming dugo ang pumupunta sa iyong ari at sa paligid nito. Iyan ang dahilan na tumitigas ang ari mo: dahil sa dugong pumupunta roon. Kung labasan ka, ang dugo ay mabilis na pumupunta sa ibang mga dako ng katawan mo. Pero kung hindi ka naman labasan, (kagaya mo kapag kasama mo ang girlfriend mo sa sinehan) matagal bago makabalik ang dugo sa ibang parte ng katawan mo. Dahil nabibitin ka, parang “nabibitin” din ang dugo mo at ito ang dahilan na sumasakit ang puson mo.

Hindi ka kailangang mag-alala rito. Gaya nang sinabi mo, mawawala ito sa loob ng 2-4 na oras. Hindi ito kai-langang gamotin sapagkat wala naman side effects at wala ring mas malalim na kadahilanan (weak ka-gaya ng masamang puso o mahinang dibdib o weak lungs). Kaisa-isa lang ang dahilan ng blue balls at ito ay kung matagal ngang ma-arouse (tigasan) ang lalaki pero wala namang outlet kasi hindi siya nilalabasan. Kadalasan nangyayari ito sa mga kabataan, kagaya mo, na naghahalikan, nagki-kissing at nagpe-petting, pero hindi dinadala sa punto nang pagtatalik o kahit na mas matind-

ing petting para mag-resulta sa iyong pag-o-orgasmo.Walang masama o tama rito. Desisyon ninyo ng girl-

friend mo na manatiling virgin ang gilfriend mo. Hanga ako sa inyong desisyon na ito. At wala ring problema kung mag-desisyon kayo na hindi na maghintay at makipagta-lik ng tuluyan. Ito ay as long as responsible sa inyong desisyon at kusang loob ninyong dalawang ginawa ang desisyon na ito. Ang mahirap ay kapag humindi ang isa at may halong puwersa o pamimilit. Iba na ito.

Habang ang pananatiling virgin ng girlfriend mo ang in-yong desisyon, mayroon kayong tatlong maaaring solusyon sa problema mo:

(1) Tiisin mo na lang at isipin mong 2-4 na oras na sakit ng puson mo ay maliit na pangbayad sa masasayang oras na kasama mo ang girlfriend mo;

(2) Puwedeng mag petting kayo ng girlfriend mo hang-gang labasan ka sa kamay o bibig niya-o sa kamay mo; at, finally,

(3) Puwede ring mag-masturbate ka para labasan. Kapag umuwi na ang girlfriend mo mula sa sinehan, gawin mo ito. Ikaw na ang maging responsableng maghanap ng isang lugar na walang makakakita sa iyo. Mas maigi siguro na maghintay hanggang makarating ka sa bahay ninyo, pero kung masyadong malayo ang biyahe at okay naman ang comfort room sa sinehan o sa isang restaurant/fast food, puwede ring sa comfort room nito. Dahan-dahan ka na lang ng hindi ka makita nang ibang tao, sapagkat hindi lahat ay nakakaintindi ng pangangailangan mong ito. Good luck at inaasahan ko na natulungan kita sa problema mo.

MG Holmes

Pahabol....

Sa mga nagtatanong ng aking e-mail adress:[email protected]

Sige, hihintayin ko ang mga tanong ninyo. Ingat kayo palagi.

MG Holmes


Hello Sailor,Let me first greet you: happy new-year! How was your Christmas? White and cold or was it warm and sunny? Although

half of the world celebrates Christmas in summer time I have never heard a Christmas song about the sun, it’s always snow and sleigh bells.

Once I spent my Christmas holiday in the Canary Islands. I really burst out laughing when I heard the song “Dreaming of a White Christmas”, while I was enjoying the sun and a Martini on the rocks. And I assure you that all I was dreaming of were more sunny days.

Last December the weather forecast promised the Dutch snow on the 25th. For a lot of people their wish came true, they had a white Christmas. In Rotterdam the snow came two days later and gave the children a few days to build their snowman. At the end of the year the snow fun was over and the streets were clean again.

Right now it’s freezing. In the country further from the coast the ditches are frozen already so the people can skate on them. For us here in Rotterdam it will take a few days more before we can start.

Snow and ice bring not only fun but as well as misery: car accidents on slippery roads and broken bones to people who fell down on frozen, slippery streets. The first aid in the hospitals makes overtime in such sudden cold period.

Talking about hospitals, did you know that Rotterdam has a special harbour-hospital? This is the Havenziekenhuis, which is located at the north bank of the river Maas, near metro station Oostplein.

The Havenziekenhuis was established in 1927 in behalf of the seafarers. Nowadays all patients are welcome but still the seamen have the priority. The doctors need tropical experience before they can work in this hospital.

The metro-station I mentioned, Oostplein, is a station of the Rotterdam subway or metro, to be specific, one of the east-west line. There also exists a north-south line. In the city centre they cross. Downtown the train runs through tunnels, and then comes out to the centre mostly on street level or viaducts. For people living in the suburbs this is a very good connection to Rotterdam. They get faster into town by metro than by car.

Petrol in Holland is dear, so is the car insurance and the road tax. Most of the town centres have become pedestrian areas, where it is hard to find a parking lot. If you are lucky to find one, it costs you at least US$ 2 per hour. The Dutch government is trying all possible measures to push the car owners to use the public transport. Is it succeeding? Travelling by car in the rush hour still means: queuing up or simply, traffic! So if you ever visit Rotterdam and you want to take a taxi, wait till the rush hour is over, otherwise it will cost you a fortune.

Well, this is it for now, good luck and till the next Parola.

Kaat MosselRotterdam, January 2001

Kaat Mossel

A bit of historyThe port outgrows the city

After 1870 Rotterdam’s harbour image changed dramatically. Wooden ships became iron vessels, steam engines took over from sails. The transshipment of general cargo retained its importance; new, however, was that of coal, ore and grain – bulk cargo. Waterstad, the old dock area in the town centre, was now too small to contain the expansion into an international port: so the Rotterdam docks made the crossing to the south bank of the Maas river. For the townspeople the horizon changed drastically. Instead of a polder landscape the view of South Rotterdam was now one of docks full of steamships, cranes and loading ramps. (Rotterdam Maritime Museum)

Getting to know...

Rotterdam


My warmest greetings and sweet hello to my loving wife, Celia and to my one and only beautiful daughter, Jewel. I love you and I miss you so much. My best regards to my brothers and sisters. No matter how far we are from each other, there is no distance in prayer. God will always make us close together.

Ch/Ck Benny P. RuadillaM/T Sidsel Knutsen

My valentines greetings to my loving wife, Charito C. Jimenez, my lovable children: Chery Lyn, Charlie, Cherle Mar and Cinderella.

4/Engr. Cirilo Y. JiminezM/V Maya

Valentines greetings to my beloved wife, Jing, I love you. Also to my children, Apot and Juhn-juhn. I will be home soon. See you soon.

3/O Oliver ZoiloM/V SD Progress

My warm greetings to my beloved wife, Vivian, and my only son, Joey, to my talented daughters, Joy and Jam. God Almighty be always with us.

Teofilo P. GervacioM/V Veni

Happy 4th Birthday to my lovely daughter, Jaya Wu (Feb. 21). Greetings from your Papa.3/O Tomasito G. WuM/V Ocean Galaxy

Happy Valentines to my beloved wife, Rose Tisbe and belated Happy Anniversary to both of us. Sa dalawang bunga ng pagmamahalan, Aldons and Ivan, pagbubutihin ninyo ang pag-aaral para sa magandang kinabukasan. To all senator crew especially sa mga Pinoy crew ng Contship Optimism ganoon na rin sa lahat ng Filipino Seafarers all over the globe. Have a smooth sailing!

Vic TisbeContship Optimism

Belated happy 5th Wedding Anniversary to my loving wife, Evangeline. My kisses and warmest hugs to my daughter, Clarice Eleonore and to my supportive parents. I love you all. May the blessings of our Almighty God give you more power.

Leo O. CadelinaM/V Euromerchant

Belated Happy Birthday greetings to my son, Gerry, daughter, Russelle and my son, Sunny together with loving wife, Sylvia. May you have many more birthdays to come. Greetings also to all officers and crew of SKANDI-HAV together with the crew of ALDA MARINE, TO Engr. Vic Esta and Capt. Hans Haase of Scanmar.

Rupert P. GuintoC/S SKANDI-HAV

My Birthday greetings to Miss Rosal Tomarong. May you have many more birthdays to come in your life and God bless you always.

C/Ck Nilo BangalandoM/V Athinoula

Greetings to my family in the Philippines: My sister, Ate Menzi, my brother, Kuya Edgar and Kuya Ricky, to nephew and niece, JJ Ashley and Angel, also to Ca-Bing. To my father ,Tony Gayoso and Mommy Mila Arzaga in Amsterdam, Holland.

Henry GayosoM/V Corriedale Express

My warmest greetings to my beloved family, especially to my loving wife, Terry, my children James, Paul, Gracia, Yumi and Kim. Happy Valentines, too. Regards also to Paps Enting and Moms Meling, also to my brods on board different ships, Ace and Andy of Career Shipping, Gene of Seapower, to my Compare Msgt. Elmer Puruganan, Lt. Nichol Lopez of Phil. Mariner, and also to Manny and Vangie and families. May the blessing of our dear Almighty God be with us always.

Carlos “Dong” TumacasM/V Calapalos

My warmest greetings to my beloved Mommy, to my smart little Queennie, to my Japomms, JJ and to my cute, Jck-Jck. May the Lord Jesus bless you and guide you always. I love you and I miss you all.

Joel ZerrudoM/V Hanjin Vienna


him alive. The second character: The Sad-

ducee. This man belongs to the rich, elite, business and influential group in their times. If anybody could help this wounded man, this character could be of best help there. He denied in helping the man but just left him half dead.

The third character: The Samaritan. He is just a common man and he is far being common. His personal back-ground is despised and rejected by the common Jews. He is a half-breed Jewish (malato). What happened when the half-breed man came and saw the poor guy lying on the ground? The Sa-maritan man felt compassion to help this guy. His action to help the man was off-beat, no holds barred, a help without “but”. All he knew was to help. He carried the poor guy on his donkey and brought him to the nearest inn. He paid all the bills.

In Luke 10:36, when Jesus Christ asked the scribes… who then in your opinion shows a true neighbour to the wounded man? The scribes (group of Pharisees) responded, “the man who had compassion to help him”.

We can read it in verse 26-28. What would be the reward of those peo-ple who love their neighbour and love God?

Again, try to ponder on this question, what would be the reaction of the two characters that dodged and denied the responsibility to help that beaten man? I believe that they are being haunted by

Opinion...4 their conscience. Guilt will find them out. What about the wounded man? What

would he feel after overcoming his near to death experience? What about the seaman I mentioned in the beginning of this article? For sure the seaman and the beaten guy in the story has some-thing in common. They both don’t like the things which happened to them. They were both caught by surprise. One is, if the poor guy knew he would be robbed and beaten along that road for sure he would never pass that road. The seaman could have told the Chief Mate to suspend the garbage disposal till the stevedores finished their job. They both suffered terrible pain and a near to death experience. They are both indebted to God and to the people that helped them.

In my opinion, this is a trial that both won’t forget. If they overcome it, it will be marked in the chapters of their very lives. They will even discover that God still s. Providing a way of escape us-ing people to demonstrate His love and compassion. Although, it’s painful, God will use the circumstance to teach us, to be patient, to persevere, to have hope, to be dependent and to have a true faith in Him.

My dear brothers, denying respon-sibility is a human thing, but I firmly believe that the parable of the Good Samaritan written in the bible and the story of the seaman have a purpose. God is teaching us, encouraging us, to be responsible in all our undertakings and that includes other people too.

1. t-shirt2. a nail3. tomorrow

4. yesterday5. cover me, I’m going in6. a dice

Answers to the riddles:

Marlene Macatangay Editor

Basco Fernandez, Josie Pulmano and Nonoy Ty Editorial Staff

Margie Holmes, Felix Pul-mano and Roli Ancha

Columnists

Abas Abdula, Edgar Econ and Leshley Liauw

Technical StaffParola is published bi-monthly by

the Philippine Seamen’s Assistance Program(PSAP). PSAP is a non-stock,

non-profit foun-dation registered in the Chamber of Commerce No. S127664, Rotterdam, The

Netherlands.

PSAP was founded in 1981 in Rotterdam with the aim to support

Filipino seafarers in their struggle for better working and living conditions.

PSAP’s Objectives

To contribute to seafarers awareness about their workers and human rights.

To provide support and services to seafarers

To promote seafarers awareness on HIV/AIDS and other health related

issues

To enhance better cooperation among seafarers of various nationalities

through better unders- tanding of each other culture.

Addresses:

PSAP Rotterdam Oostbroekweg 4,

3089 KL Rotterdam The Netherlands

Tel. 010-2400930 Fax. 010-2400932

E-mail. [email protected]

Centro Filipino-Seamen’s Desk Calle Riera Vaja 6-4

0881 Barcelona, SpainKasapi Seafarers’ Assistance

Program Labor Center of Piraeus Skylitsi 19, Piraeus, Greece

International Christian Maritime Association(ICMA) 2/3

Orchard Place, Southampton S01 1BR England

Center for Seafarers’ Rights 241 WAter Street, New York,

NY 10038 Tel. 212-3499090 Fax. 212-3498342

Printed by: Drukkerij Dizayn

ISSN: 1389-9465

Subscribing to Parola is your way of supporting the publication.A yearʼs subscription costs

US$10.00. Send the amount to:

P S A P Oostbroekweg 43089 KL RotterdamThe Netherlands

Thank you for your support.See page 12, please...


Nang Umibig Ang Tarantadong Puso

Sa bawat nilalang, ang puso natin ay pinaka-iningatanSana’y huwag masasaktan at masusugatan

Pusong nagdurugo, maghilum man may lamat na naiiwanDamdamin natin ay maapektuhan, kasama na rin pati ang ating katawan.

Ang pag-ibig pag-sumibol sa puso’t isipan kanino man,Hadlangan man nang anupa man

Dikta ng puso’t isipan ay pakakawalan, kahit may masagasaanBugso nang damdamin mahirap pigilin, bingi na pag-ibig umaalipin.

Kung bakit minsan ang pag-ibig ay namumuo sa maling panahon at paraan Tadhana’t kalikasan kapag-gumagawa nang dahilan ay hindi mo maiwasan

Puso, umiibig na naman at walang pakialam sa kahihinatnanLiligaya ka man, kung sa bandang huli’y iyong pagsisihan ay ‘wag na lang.

Puso, bakit ka ganyan?Damdamin mo’y isang salawahan

Hindi ka na malaya’t may pananagutanTumitibok ka na naman para sa isang pag-ibig na makasalanan.

Puso, ako’y iyong tigilanHuwag mo nang guguluhin ang aking isipan

Nangangayayat na ang aking katawan pati bulsa ko’y wala ng lamanUmiibig na naman ang tarantadong puso ng aking mga kaibigan.

-- Inspired by my crewmates (Jun Pasco, Andy Mantos, Julius Antogop, Pablo Agustin, Franz Duran, Joe Salonga and most especially by my 2/Officer Victor “Daboy”Azurin).

Ch/Off. Angel B. Cagwing, Jr.M/V Katherine Borchard

YES, I would like to receive a copy of Parola regularly. Please send my copy to the name and address below.

Name:Address:

See page 11, please...

Documents

NO: 108 January - February 2001 Gloria Macapagal … no.108 • January - February 2001 • Page ¾ NO: 108 January - February 2001 Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is the legitimate President