WINNING THE FUTURE

My wife tells me that I write better when the topic is politics as opposed to my last article describing my Las Vegas stranding and my corresponding luck.

So here I am writing again about politics which also means listening to and discussing with my barber who has always given me the closest thing to a public pulse.

Last night President Barack Obama delivered his second State of the Union address. My barber and I listened to it with utmost interest and great expectations. Expectedly, the delivery was excellent, inspiring and of course, devoid of too many details. After all, if the devil is in the details, there is no better way than to avoid it.

I like the speech. First of all, it reiterates our democratic beliefs as a nation. Ours is a robust one and that despite our differences, “the noise and rancor of our public debate…. in a country where every race and faith and point of view can be found, we are still bound together as one people.” That America is the “first nation to be founded for the sake of an idea -- the idea that each of us deserves the chance to shape our own destiny.“ And as the American people wanted, Republicans and Democrats would and should work together.

Secondly, also as expected of an inspiring and optimistic leader, President Obama described the State of the Union as “poised for progress…..the stock market has come roaring back……Corporate profits are up….The economy is growing again.” As a result of the tax cuts and of both Democrats and Republicans working together, “Americans' paychecks are a little bigger today. Every business can write off the full cost of new investments that they make this year….will grow the economy and add to the more than one million private sector jobs created last year.”

But he could not divorce himself from the reality that the unemployment

rate is still high and that more jobs have to be created. Because  the budget

deficit is too large and the sovereign debts too high, we now see the need for

greater reduction programs.

He also recognized that the world has changed. And that change has inflicted pain which he saw “in the shuttered windows of once booming factories, and the vacant storefronts on once busy Main Streets…in the frustrations of Americans who’ve seen their paychecks dwindle or their jobs disappear – proud men and women who feel like the rules have been changed in the middle of the game.”

Thirdly, the speech. in bringing forth the reality that both the State of the Union and of the World have changed,  proposed specific steps to meet the challenges of today and fulfilling our obligations to “win the future.”

“Winning the Future” is a phrase I first encountered during the tenure of former Philippine President Fidel Ramos who also incorporated it into one of his speeches and used it as the title of one his books. I  know this because I was part of the law and lobby firm that represented the interests of the Philippines and of the Ramos government at the time.

Yes, indeed! It is all about winning the future. I like President Obama’s action steps for an effective and efficient strategy to beat the competition: “Out-Innovate, Out-Educate and Out-Build.”

Innovation and new revolutionary technologies have had exponential effects in our socio-economic and political lives. Indeed, they “have transformed the way we live, work and do business.”

Drawing from the past, President Obama suggested our own generation “Sputnik Moment” – a moment when we surpassed Russia in reaching the moon by investing in better research and innovation. He says, “We'll

invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially

clean energy technology -- an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create countless new jobs for our people.”

I am a proud descendant of a School Principal (my mother) and a School District Supervisor (my father), and a member of a clan (Gal-lang Maynigo) that produced over a hundred teachers.  I also have a graduate degree in education to go with  my background in philosophy, business and law. That’s why for me, the best part of President Obama’s speech is his recognition of the role of education and teachers in his drive to win the future.

He says, “In South Korea, teachers are known as "nation builders."

Here in America, it's time we treated the people who educate our

children with the same level of respect. We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones. And over the next 10 years, with so many baby boomers retiring from our classrooms, we want to prepare 100,000 new teachers in the fields of science and technology and engineering and math. In fact, to every young person listening tonight who's contemplating their career choice: If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if you want to make a difference in the life of a child -- become a teacher. Your country needs you.”

To out-build the competition, President Obama wants us to achieve, among others, the following goals: 1) Give 80% of Americans access to high-speed rail within 25 years; 2) Provide next generation high speed wireless coverage within five years; 3) By 2035, 80 percent of America's electricity should come from clean energy sources.

My teacher-parents used to quote to me very often an Asian philosopher who said, “if you want to plan for a year, plant corn; if you want to plan for 30 years, plant a tree; if you want to plan for 100 years or more, plant men.”

President Obama’s speech was about “winning the future”. To achieve it, “plant men and women” we must!

LAS VEGAS STRANDING, BLESSING IN DISGUISE AND LUCK BEYOND LOVE

I always believed, and I even wrote about this,  that it would take a magic wand or a miracle to make a major change in one's political, economic and social life both in style and substance, I also said that the closest thing to magic and miracle would be what I called "mind-boggling technologies."

This is why I like attending conventions, shows and exhibits like the annual International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is to witness the new products, technologies and discoveries that will affect people's lives being demonstrated and exhibited. They are as I described, "little miracles" on earth.
Counted as one of the 140,000 industry professionals attending and living witnesses to these "little miracles", I was indeed lucky to  be able to take advantage of this opportunity annually for many years. Only a stroke that paralyzed half of my body and the retirement of Bill Gates somehow de-motivated me from attending. Having recovered and now following the works of Apple's Steve Jobs and Google's Eric Schmidt in the technology fields, I am back going to these conferences of “miracle workers”.

I will be writing more about these “little miracles” in the immediate future but I would like to focus first on something that brought me blessing and luck. The Lord’s Prayer says, “Give us this day our daily bread.” I only prayed for a little bread but instead, from  a classmate Elvie and her husband Jun Sicam, a town mate (Herman Caoile and spouse), relatives (George, Raul & Consuelo Gorospe & spouses/sweethearts) and business associates, I was offered ALL YOU CAN EAT (Japanese, Filipino, and American – Prime Rib Steak, Pork Ribs, Seafood, Vegetables, Fruits) at different times daily. How LUCKY could one get?

“Lead us not into temptation” is also from the Lord’s Prayer. Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world and also famous for being a “sin city”. None believe me, not one even dared to “lead me into temptation.” The closest thing to what could be described as biblical sin or succumbing to temptation is my eating “apples” ala Adam and bananas ala Eva prior to the major meals of which I partook  as little as I could, relatively speaking.

As I wrote in my FB status update while in Las Vegas, I was stranded because my flight was cancelled due to the snow storm in the East Coast.  A friend on Facebook described it as a “blessing in disguise” and I “should not come back to this frigid place”. Many Facebook friends advised me to make the most of it and enjoy. Of course, one made sure that I should go to the gym regularly, another reminded me of the food that I should avoid, also one warned me of gaining weight, and most importantly, “bring home winnings”.

I have always considered myself the luckiest man on earth having married a very beautiful, loving, very smart and the nicest woman on this planet. I have also been gifted with great loving children who always shower me with nice and useful presents during Father’s Day and on my birthday. Coupled with great loving friends and relatives everywhere, I am what you would call “LUCKY IN LOVE”.

Making the most of it, I really did. When in Las Vegas, entertainment also means playing the cards or other forms of gambling. I decided to try my luck also in this field. So I went around the casino tables and stopped at one table playing the 3-Card Poker. To win against the dealer, you play your 3 cards against those of the dealer. To play for the bonus which includes the jackpot amounting to tens of thousands of dollars, you use your 3 cards and the 2 cards on the table. To win the total jackpot, you must have a Royal Straight Flush. To win 10% you must have a Straight Flush.
I observed first, studying the odds and the 3 players on the table; a Chinese and 2 Mexican Americans. As I watched, I noticed that the Mexican had  a Full House and won  $300 in one deal. Then, a couple of deals later, the Chinese also had a Full House and won $300. So I thought that this table was a lucky table for players.  I decided to sit down and play. After a few deals netting me over a hundred dollars, the “LUCK BEYOND LOVE” finally came. First, I got 4, 7 & 8 of the same suit as my 3 cards which means a Flush and based on the odds was already a winner. Then the 2 cards were shown on the table – 5 & 6 also of the same suit as my 4, 7 & 8. It was a Straight Flush.  Then there was shouting and cheering not just in our table but also in the neighboring tables. The winnings, after tipping the dealer who looked Ilocano and the other 3 players, was not much but certainly enough to pay for all the expenses incurred during my trip including my extended stay and for watching the Terry Fator (America’s Got Talent Champion) Show, for me to buy some of the “miracle devices” and partly pay off my credit cards.  There was a little red tape. I had to sign some IRS forms, I was given a W2-G doc for the withholding (25%), an Official Winner Certificate and an invitation to the Annual 3-Card Poker Championship this coming spring with 3 nights comp.

Do you think my luck stopped there? First, I found out that my wife’s stocks of MGM which owned Circus, Circus Hotel where I stayed and The Mirage where I saw the Terry Fator Show, was up significantly since she purchased them . Second, despite my willingness to pay for more leg room, I was given by Jet Blue 1st row seats (longest leg room) without additional fee on my way back to Washington, D.C.

As somebody said, “You may not get everything that you want. But sometimes, it is preferred that you get what you need.”

“Library in Your Pocket, Knowledge at Your Fingertips”

I am still in Las Vegas, Nevada after attending the International Consumer Electronics Show.  I am stranded here because my flight was cancelled due to the snow storm in the east coast.  Instead of writing my article on the plane as I had planned, I am writing it in my hotel room. 

        

                                               BGM photo taken from Kodak 3D Camera

The topic is obviously the show.  According to the preliminary release of CEA which organized the event, there were 140,000 of us industry professionals who attended and 30,000 were overseas visitors representing 130 countries. I understand that more than 2,700 technology companies were represented either launching, exhibiting, demonstrating and/or seeking potential distributors. Many were also looking for new products or technologies to distribute or resell.

CEOs of some of the big technology companies like Microsoft, Samsung, Cisco and 19 others gave keynote speeches.  There were thousands of tweeters, bloggers, columnists, reporters from mainstream media as well as status updaters from social media.

I could have tweeted, blogged, reported and updated on real time but I decided to utilize my limited time visiting the booths, attending the summits, exchanging views and witnessing the demos by so many young techies.

There were 80 tablets launched during the show. That’s about twice the number of tablets of medication I had to bring for the entire period.  While my tablets target my heart and my brain to prevent an attack or stroke, the new tablets launched at CES were all battling for the hearts and minds of the consumers.

Those on display were mostly Google’s Android-based tablets as manufacturers of new products using the former’s operating system were dominant.  While Windows 7-based tablets were ably represented by Lenovo’s IdeaPad, Microsoft’s presence was more felt in the gaming field with its popular Xbox Kinect and the Windows 7 phone.

These new tablets were obviously developed and launched to compete against the very popular IPAD of Apple which was not in the show formally.  Its presence, however, was felt due to the iPhones and IPADs that many of the attendees were holding while walking around the pavilions.  I also noticed that, in the iLounge Pavilion, many of the international exhibitors were selling Apple accessories. Noticeable there was the sign, “WE’VE GOT YOU (referring to IPAD and IPHONE) COVERED (referring to the cases or covers being sold).”

Based on what  was demonstrated, I believe the Battle of the Tablets will go down to Blackberry’s Playbook,  Motorola’s Xoom which has the Android 3.O (Honeycomb), Windows 7’s IdeaPad by Lenovo and of course, the IPAD 2 of Apple which will also have two cameras.

  

Lenovo's IdeaPad

Blackberry's Playbook

Motorola's Xoom

 They are all good products.  In fact, I would like to have all of them. As I mentioned above, this is really a battle for the hearts and minds of the consuming public. At the CES, the attendees were the industry professionals who would easily understand the features and functionalities of the gadgets. They do not necessarily have the same characteristics as the consuming public. At the CES, the products are demonstrated and their functionalities explained and exhibited by experts and/or digital natives.

The consumers need nurturing, educating and servicing. A daily mini CES for each of the technology companies promoting and distributing the above-mentioned devices are necessary to capture the market. This is where I think Apple and its products have a distinctive advantage. You go to an Apple store and you are always attended to by Apple experts who can diagnose and solve any problem that you encounter with your device. Most importantly, there are Apple stores everywhere.

I do not see a similar case with respect to the other devices. Unless they come up with a similar service-oriented network, the consumers will continue to love and patronize Apple products and technologies.

As a content provider creating electronic libraries for all these mobile devices, I spent some time going around meeting the experts of these gadgets with a uniform query.  Does your smart phone or tablet have an offline search engine? While each one has an online search engine, none seems to have one offline.

Google has a Desktop Search Engine which could search all the contents of a desktop.  Windows PCs also have a search engine that could find anything that is inside the PC or even the external hard drives connected to it. Yet, their smart phones and tablets still do not have such a feature. The common answer was that they will refer my suggestion to management.

“Library in your pocket, knowledge at your finger tips,” we used to describe the eBookMan which is the predecessor of the Amazon Kindle. My company was licensed to manufacture and exclusively distribute it in the Philippines. For lawyers, we put all the Philippine Laws and the Supreme Court decisions in the device through an expanded memory card. We used to the tell the lawyers, law students and others who have them, “You can now take the law into your own hands.”

These new mobile devices are handheld and have become smaller, cheaper and more powerful. As we put contents into them, we would like to be able to search these contents offline and fast, hence my query.

I attended several summits including the Last Gadget Standing, The 10 Best Mobile Apps and the Silver Summit which was for Baby Boomers like me. I participated in choosing the winners in the first two.  I visited several booths and had discussions with some technology executives.  I tested some products which were given to me for free.

I intend to write my impressions about them in subsequent articles.  Many of the devices, technologies and software in the field of health and medicine, transportation, communications and entertainment are now affecting the lives of millions of people and will continue to do so in the future.

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS 2011

By the time you read this article, I will be in Las Vegas, Nevada attending the International Consumer Electronic Show (CES). This is the world’s largest show where the latest and emerging technologies are launched, exhibited, demonstrated, explored, examined, and reviewed. It “represents the crossroad where technology is the thread that binds many disparate interests.” As stated in its web site the goal of CES is “to gather the “passionistas” from different high tech lifestyles to exchange ideas.”

I intend to take advantage of this large gathering which I am sure would affect the lives of all living beings on earth not only presently but most especially the immediate and mediate future. I hope to collect, absorb, filter, store and organize for easy retrieval data, information, intelligence and knowledge as I have done for years when in attendance.

The world’s biggest IT and electronic companies are expected to be represented except Apple, Inc. which may be absent physically but overwhelmingly present virtually. Indeed, many new products were developed and now being launched as reactions to Apple  products such as the IPAD, IPHONE, IPOD TOUCH and their corresponding applications. I hope to be able draw an intelligent comparison between and among these new products. I understand that  Microsoft Windows 7-based gadgets and those of Google’s Android / Droid will have a strong presence and  some special surprises will be unveiled. A battle of tablets and smart phones are in the offing!

“There is nothing in the intellect that is not first in the senses,” says a scholastic dictum. I expect to gain substantial knowledge which is in the intellect. That’s why I see the need to go and see, touch, smell, taste and/or hear all about these products.  After the conference I expect to have gained knowledge which would be available at my finger tips. I am bringing with me my portable and mobile devices whose applications would easily allow me to retrieve knowledge I already have, acquire knowledge I still do not have, store and organize what I expect to procure and absorb. My hand-held business card scanner would immediately store the contact information collected. My portable hand-held scanner would immediately digitize accumulated bulky documents gathered. My MacBook Pro which also has Windows 7 and Windows XP will give me access not only to my offline data but also to the Internet through Wi Fi and broadband connection.  My sling media connection will also allow me to access all my favorite tv shows at home even though I am away. Being in Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, and the fact that the Pornographers’ Convention is also held at the same time  also at the Strip where I am staying, would probably redirect the attention of many of the attendees. I will exert extra effort to avoid unnecessary distractions. J

Aside from exploring the  many exhibits, I will also attend most, if not all, of the summits. This is a consumer show. It targets consumers from all walks of life: the kids, the moms, and the baby boomers. Many of the technologies are health, fitness and higher education related. Attendees in the summits are encouraged to participate and exchange views. New market trends or demands would most likely be created and the new products and / or technologies would hopefully create their own demand.

The Mobile Applications Showdown and the Last Gadget Standing summits would showcase some of the best among the best of both software and hardware. These are two showdowns which attendees like me would like to witness, be exposed to, and experience.

Among the finalists in the Mobile Apps Showdown are: 1. DriveSafe.ly 2.0, an app that aims to protect drivers from their own text-hungry fingers; 2. IDEAL Item ID, a free, open source, talking barcode reader and barcode maker that allows the visually impaired to identify things; 3. Line2, which adds a second number to your iPhone or Android phone; 4. ooVoo Multiparty Mobile Video Chat, a video chat service with both video and voice calling that can accommodate up to six people; 5. Pageonce Personal Finance, which allows you to stay atop many of your personal finance accounts and all from a single place; 6. Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite, a full-featured productivity suite to view and edit; 7. Twonky Mobile, streams personal and online media from your Android phone to any Web-connected gadget or device;  8. SwiftKey, one of the smartest and swiftest predictive keyboards we’ve seen for a mobile device; 9. WebMD Mobile, which brings to the Smartphone the medical resource site’s top tools, including its Symptom Checker, a comprehensive drug, supplement and vitamin treatment database, and essential first aid information. Another one will be announced during the summit.

In the Last Gadget Standing showdown, the finalists include: Acer’s Iconia two-screen notebook; Barnes &Noble’s Nookcolor e-reader; Fujifilm’s Finepix Real 3D W3 camera;  Google and Samsung’s Nexus S smartphone; Loocie’s wearable camcorder;  Sifteo Cubes digital blocks; Sonomax’s Soundcage headphones; Fujitsu’s Skinniest ScanSnap Scanner;  Intel’s Potent New Platform. A still undisclosed special surprise gadget will be announced at the summit. 

In the Digital Health Summit, I hope to see advances in diagnosing and battling of disease as well as a new generation of high-tech healthcare products and services.  They are  advertised as “being the catalyst for better managed healthcare, patient/doctor communication, shorter hospital stays and faster recovery time, lowered costs for health insurance, early prevention and detection, digital patient information records, medical attention over distances, and so much more.”

In this field, we are expected to see the following: Telehealth Systems; Therapeutic & Diagnostic Medical Devices; Remote Monitoring Devices; Mobile Health Applications; Secured Wireless Communication Medical Devices; Medication Monitoring Equipment; Mobile Health Devices; Robotic Prosthetics; Personal Health Record; Communications Networks; and Telemedicine Systems.

I belong to the generation of baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964). There are now 450 million of us worldwide (78 million are in the US) described as “hitting their peak earning and spending”. Like the kids and the moms who make most of the shopping decisions, we boomers are targeted consumers. That is the reason why there is a separate summit showcasing the products and services that keep boomers engaged, entertained and connected .

I am an educator so the HigherED Tech Summit also greatly interests me.

The Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg will give his unvarnished insights into where digital technology is heading at the summit. He co-edits the All Things Digital web site.

“No more pencils, no more books…” I expect to “peek inside a high tech backpack and see what today’s students take to college and what they will crave in the future.”

The role of technology in our economic and socio-political lives has become more significant than ever. Its effects are exponential and its impact are at times sudden. So we have to keep up  and  pay serious attention to every new development.

CES, this digital Boy Scout is all prepared for you. Here I come!

New Decade: “Living Long Enough To Live Forever”

Bill Clinton        Rebecca "Becky" Singson-Zahar     Ray Kurzweill

I belong to the Gal-lang Maynigo Clan. There are many things to be proud of by being a member of this clan. Readers of my column, my blog and my Facebook notes found out some of them and will continue to do so during the course of our lives. But there is one thing that seems to bedevil each and every member of the clan. Based on our genes, we are all expected to have heart diseases.

Indeed, my parents died of heart disease. So did two of my siblings and several of my cousins. My two other sisters who now live in California have had several heart surgeries. In my case, I have had a triple by-pass, a stroke, and just a few months ago, a heart attack after which a stent was placed in my coronary artery..

I am sure that there are families out there who are similarly situated or might be soon without realizing it. This article might interest them as well.

I just graduated from my Cardiac Rehabilitation Program and coupled with my regular exercises at my sports gym, I am quite optimistic about the future relating to my health and to that of my entire clan.

In my heart procedure, only one stent was required. I was told by my cardiologists that because of my regular exercises small arteries were naturally created connecting to my heart allowing greater and better blood flow.

Over the years, the traditional reading for one’s blood pleasure for me was that, if the diastolic was low, it would be okay even if the systolic was high.  After some diligent research and self-involvement of my healthcare, I found out that the systolic also mattered.  Trying out certain drugs and coupling them with gym exercises lowered the systolic. But this was not regular. Sometimes the systolic was still high. It turned out that during those times I was taking my medicines together with the recommended fiber food (oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat bread, etc.) that I was eating.

The effectiveness of the medication is greatly reduced when taken within two hours of eating fiber. Knowing that and changing the eating and medicine-taking time, my blood pressure, be it systolic or diastolic has been normal or low ever since.

Medication, exercise, diet, lifestyle, and new technologies are the major factors in the prevention and cure of heart and other diseases.

I understand that a maximum intake of 1600 calories daily would be good. This means that daily, a combination of 5 servings of starches and grains, a minimum of 3 cups of vegetables, 2 pieces or cups of fruits, 2 servings of milk, dairy and dairy alternatives and 8 oz servings of proteins (fish, lean meat, eggs, etc.) would be ideal.

High fat deserts, regular canned and cream-based soups, butter, coconut oil, partially hydrogenated oils, relish, sea-salt, and hard liquor should be avoided.

Former President Bill Clinton who has had a triple by-pass and a stent procedure  believes that based on certain studies the blockage of our arteries could be reversed through diet and exercise. He is now part of an experiment aimed precisely to accomplish this.

When I was still maintaining an office in Makati, Philippines a few years ago I joined the Rotary Club of Makati Dasmarinas. In one of our luncheon meetings, the first President of the club and also the Chairperson of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City Dr. Rebecca “Becky” Singson-Zahar made a presentation I will never forget. It was entitled, “The Possibility of Not Dying Is Just Around the Corner” explaining the advances in stem cell research, the effectiveness of transplants such as heart, kidney and other body parts and the invention/discoveries of new technologies in the field of medicine. Dr. Becky is a strong advocate of healthy living and is known to teach her patients how to eat right, exercise, relax, and rest.

Settling back in the United States for medical reasons, I came across the works of a multi-awarded and well respected author, scientist, inventor and futurist, Ray Kurzweil. He had written several interesting books but I will discuss only two in this article. Together with Dr. Terry Grossman, an expert on human longevity, Kurzweil authored and published “Fantastic Voyage: Living Long Enough To Live Forever”, and “Transcend: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever.”

In both books, they have essentially asserted that we can tap today’s revolution in biotechnology and nanotechnology to virtually live forever. They claim that startling discoveries in the areas of biotechnology, nanotechnology and genomics are occurring every day, As one reviewer said, “The array of scientific knowledge is mind-bending and that it is now possible to prevent nearly 90 % of the maladies that kill us including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease and liver disease.  It will be feasible for 10% of our blood cells to be replaced by artificial cells, radically extending our life expectancy and enhancing our physical and even mental abilities beyond what is humanly possible.”

According to them, the brain is like a muscle: use it lose it. The brain can be exercised showing that relevant brain growth can be stimulated with letter differentiation training.

They did not only talk of possibilities and feasibilities, they actually made predictions. Some of their predictions worth mentioning are:

1.      In the 2020’s nanobiotic cameras will perform endoscopies and colonoscopies; physicians will almost never examine patients by hand (or stethoscope), using imaging technologies instead;
2.      In 2023, stem cells will be able to overcome nerve damage such as spinal injuries; sleep can be replaced with devices and medication; drug therapies will be able to turn off bad genes or add new ones; robotic sex will be popular; most types of meat can be grown artificially in factories; early detection will make heart disease and cancer rarer and greatly improve survival rates; many injuries and genetic damage can be fixed using stem cells;
3.      In 2034, blood-stream nanobots will enhance memory and learning ability; bloodstream nanobots will replace some red blood cells greatly increasing oxygenation efficiency and reducing the emergency nature of a heart attack; virtual reality sex will be a reality; gene therapies will erase virtually all genetic problems.

In a book written several years ago, Kurzweil had made 109 predictions. Of these, 89 proved to be correct, 13 essentially correct, 6 partially correct and 1 has still to occur. .

With such a batting average, I would not bet against Kurzweil and his co-author. The best strategy is to stay in good health while we wait for technology advances which will greatly extend life.

Medication, exercise, diet, lifestyle and new technologies will make us live long enough to lend us the possibility, feasibility and even the predictability of living forever. Why not?

Remembering my First Christmas in America

 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)

I would have wanted to write about what I remember during my first Christmas in the Philippines but I was only a day and a half young then. Despite some scientific studies showing that babies of that age already have cognitive faculties, I must admit that I could not remember anything that would at least be of interest or significance to anybody. All I know is that I was born and baptized as Benjamin “JESUS” Maynigo, two days after my mother celebrated her birthday on the 21st of December and close to that of our Lord’s.

Baptismal Certificate bearing "JESUS" as middle name

But my first Christmas in America is something I remember and can scribble about as a writer. As a teenager living with an American foster family in Seal Beach, Orange County, California as a foreign exchange student under the American Field Service International Scholarship Program, I got to experience the Christmas of my life.

The Bauchwitz family were devout Catholics who followed most of the traditions that go with Christmas celebrations such as going to mass, Christmas parties, family reunions, caroling, Christmas cards and gift giving. Because I was far away from home, my foster family planned our Christmas so that it would be fun and memorable for me.

Let me focus on the gift-giving part. I loved it because understandably I was more a lucky recipient of those who in the spirit of Christmas were very happy to give me gifts. My foster Grandparents, for example, gave me seven gifts. I also received presents from my foster parents, three foster brothers (Harold, Barry and Freddie), foster sister Kay Ann, and foster Uncles and Aunties. Since I was adopted by the 200-member Seal Beach Women’s Club, I should receive a gift or gifts from them, right? Yes, I did. The AFS Club in school and the AFS Committee in the community somehow showed a similar spirit by also giving me gifts. What about the neighbors and my newly-found friends? Of course, they did! It was Christmas time and I was a very willing, thankful and appreciative gift receiver.  

While receiving gifts was fun and joyful, receiving and reading the Christmas cards from relatives and friends was as satisfying. Leading the way was my sister Manang Perla who was working as a nurse at the Mayo Clinic at that time and who also managed to insert a check. I also got cards from sisters Loreto and Nelly. Among my first cousins in the Maynigo side, I still have in my scrapbook the cards from Manang Ruth Maynigo Danao, Manong Manoling Maynigo and Father Vic Maynigo Arenas. From my first cousin on my mother’s side Manang Conching Gal-lang Raquel Duran was a memorable card. So were the Christmas cards that I received from friends such as Mrs. Felix Coloma and daughters Nenita, Olga and Bebe, Mrs. Flora Bass who featured me in the Philippines Free Press and town mate Manong Zosimo de Veas.

BGM with gifts and Christmas gift tags



Christmas Cards

                                                                                            
Christmas is not just about having fun and gift-giving. It is also about giving up something you enjoy for others and meeting your responsibilities. While I could not afford to buy gifts, I remember giving up something which I enjoyed so much in order to meet my responsibilities as an AFS student and as a foster child.

Before coming to the United States, I enjoyed playing basketball in the Philippines. I was our high school’s Team Captain of the basketball team. In fact, I made it to the Pangasinan (provincial) Team which became the Central Luzon Athletic Association (ClAA) Champion. My being in the short list for the AFS Scholarship and the leading candidate to be Class Valedictorian prevented me from joining the team to the National Interscholastic Athletic Association Meet.

In Huntington Beach-Marina High School, I was recruited to try out for the Varsity Basketball Team by the one slotted to be Team Captain who played with me during gym class and against me during Intramurals. I enjoyed the drill and try-out sessions so much that I popularized the shout, “faster” which is the English translation of “bilis”.

I was told later that I made the team but I had to join all the practice sessions during the holidays and would have to miss some AFS speaking engagements and trips. It would have ruined the vacation plans of my foster parents and disappointed the local AFS Committee. At 5’8”, I would have been the shortest “small forward” but arguably the fastest, having been a one hundred meter dash runner in the Philippines.

I gave up basketball and the company of beautiful cheer leaders that came with it. But to Lake Tahoe, San Francisco and Sacramento we went and enjoy we did.  And more gifts in the process! So I had no regrets.

Pictures are worth a thousand of words. So I am reserving part of my space to show some scanned images that illustrate what I wrote above.

Let me end by quoting the words of some famous songs about Christmas:

“What a bright time, it’s the right time; To rock the night away.” (Jingle Bell Rock)

“Long lay the world; In sin and error pining; ‘Till he appeared and the soul felt his worth. The thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.” (Oh Holy Night)

“Yet in thy dark streets shineth; The everlasting Light; The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” (O Little Town of Bethlehem)

Merry Christmas and MAyNIGOng Bagong Taon!

Reperire veritatem – Finding The Truth

Argumentum contra factum non-valet ilatio. Arguing against facts is not a valid inference.

Reductio ad absurdum. Reduced to absurd or untenable conclusions.

As a Philosophy major and as a member of the Huntington Beach High (CA.), AB and Law debating teams of San Beda College (Philippines), I learned the above-mentioned Latin precepts as ways of winning arguments, thus in most cases leading to debate victories.

Indeed, if the facts support your argument, no amount of shouting or maneuvering would change the inevitable outcome of the case. In our judicial system, it should be expected that truth always prevails.

When Noynoy Aquino was asked to run for President after his mother’s death, the clamor was for somebody to step up to provide hope, humility, honor and honesty in governance. During the campaign, Noynoy was heard promising to the people that he would make use of all available resources of the Presidential Office to substantially minimize if not totally eradicate graft and corruption. Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap! When criticized for his performance as a legislator he said, “There are enough laws already made”.

He was elected overwhelmingly with that mandate, among others. The hope for a humble man running an honest government is finally here to bring honor to his people, his parents, and his country.

In an article published by the Asian Journal USA on June 18, 2010, page 18 entitled, “BENIGNO ‘NOYNOY’ AQUINO AND THE CORY CONSTITUTION” (http://www.scribd.com/doc/33530183/AJ-June-18-24-2010), I wrote about the Presidential Oath and what it would take to be an effective President by consecrating himself in defense and support of the Cory Constitution and in the execution of the laws which are more than “enough”.

As mandated by the Filipino people P-Noy is now taking the necessary steps to gather information and facts about the anomalies that occurred during the “previous administration” or specifically, the GMA tenure. This is admittedly in consonance with his executive and administrative powers. This is why the Department of Justice and all law enforcement agencies including the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the police and armed forces are under the President.

Gathering and determining the facts is necessary for the courts to interpret and apply laws as well as make wise and sound judgments. It is necessary for legislators to conduct investigations and search for the truth “in aid of legislation”.  It is likewise necessary for the President to have sufficient facts “in aid of an effective and efficient execution and enforcement of laws.”

Through Executive Order No. 1, P-Noy created the Truth Commission with data gathering and fact-finding duties regarding large scale graft and corruption during the previous administration.

President Diosdado Macapagal had his Presidential Anti-Graft Committee (PAGCOM); President Carlos Garcia, his Presidential Committee on Administrative Performance Efficiency (PCAPE); President Ramon Magsaysay, his Presidential Complaints and Action Committee (PCAC); and President Elpidio Quirino had his Integrity Board.

President Cory Aquino, of course, created the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) while President Joseph Estrada established the Saguisag Commission. President Marcos exercised dictatorial powers most of his tenure and was known to have used even torture in gathering information. President Gloria M. Arroyo is also accused of using similar tactics to elicit information.

Except for PCGG which still exists today, all the aforementioned bodies were ad hoc committees with limited terms of existence. The Truth Commission is like the latter.

My opinion is that P-Noy did not have to issue Executive Order No.1 in order to accomplish the objectives defined thereof. The Cory Constitution, Section 17 (1) Article VII, the Administrative Code of 1987 and other existing laws have provided him sufficient powers to go on a fact-finding and data gathering mission. In fact, the PCGG and the Department of Justice can independently assume such functions under the law.

But he did and the Supreme Court, led by a Chief Justice who was once the Presidential Chief of Staff and Acting Executive Secretary of the “previous administration” which is the subject of the fact-finding body, declared it “unconstitutional” because it is allegedly violative of the “equal protection clause”. It declares that the EO, by limiting the class to the “previous administration”, discriminates in favor of other past administrations. In fact, it proposes that it corrects the under inclusion by adding the letter “s” to become “previous administration(s).”

This is when I thought of the second Latin precept, reductio ad absurdum. If the proposition is followed, the Supreme Court is virtually telling P-Noy that for the EO to be constitutional, it should also investigate all previous administrations up to the time of President Emilio Aguinaldo – going back about 112 years. Considering that the prescriptive periods for many have lapsed and the likelihood that the truth has been buried with the potential suspects, persons of interest, and witnesses, plus the fact that resources are limited, it is indeed virtually impossible, untenable and ABSURD to comply, thus negating the reason for its being.

That indeed is reducing to absurdity all efforts to find the truth.