Marvin Isidore "Sid" Macatol Weblog

Being someone from Mindanao, I cannot help but get concerned about the news of renewed hostilities between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The question, "when will this end?" echoes through history in the Christian-Muslim confrontation in the South. I too ask that, when will this end? Honestly, I do not see an end to it. But I admit my vision is limited on this matter. There are seemingly irreconcilable forces at work here. The history of Christian-Muslim relationship that dates back to the middle ages in Europe has somehow translated itself into the southern part of the homeland. We honor Lapu-Lapu , who was Muslim, for slaying Magellan , who, incidentally, brought with him priests who introduced Christianity into the islands. We honor Sultan Kudarat for his sense of nationhood and his defiance against Spain, which ruled us for 400 years and brought the influence of the Catholic Church into our lands. See the conflict that is raging inside me. I...

When a friend referred me to the Proudly Pinoy site, I didn't know what was waiting for me there would captivate me. I saw there a the coolest logo I ever found that captured the Filipino spirit, as well as the Filipino pride. I couldn't explain it yet. Two friends saw the logo too, and they too were captivated, and I meant, totally captivated. They had all praises for the logo. Again, they couldn't explain it. Reading about the logo further, you will see that it is the one voted best among 297 entries . Amazing process they had there. Perhaps it's why we can't explain it. We can only appreciate it, with our hearts. All I can say at this point is I like its simplicity, round shape and the red and yellow colors shaped like two hands carrying the round thing, which to me looks like the globe. The star smack in the middle of the globe is powerful. It's like, hey, Filipinos, we're making our own mark on the globe! Go, look at the logo yourself and tell us what ...

When we were in high school, we asked, "What did they {the 'old guys'} do to our country?" In as little as 20 years, we're already the 'old guys.' One of my high school classmates ran for Congress. While I remember this classmate to be a bright and passionate guy, in my unguarded moment, I found it difficult to reconcile this man with that classmate of mine. Time passed. I didn't notice it, or was not conscious of it. That young lad (like myself) back then, became a full-grown man, and he was running for Congress. In my discomfort I asked him why, on earth, did it cross his mind to run for a political office? His reply stunned me: "We're 35. If we don't move now, who will move? When these old guys fade, who would replace them? Who would take care of this country?" What immediately ran in me was, "who cares about who'll run this country? Certainly it can't be us, for goodness sake." I was passing the buck. You see, th...