English for the Philippines

In a column in THE LONG VIEW (Inquirer), Misplaced emphasis on English, by Manuel L. Quezon III, Last updated 01:38am (Mla time) 04/26/2007 he says, "Granted that the President’s intentions are motivated by a concern to keep Filipinos competitive and to make them better-educated, still, whatever reforms she undertakes must be compatible with the Constitution. Secondly, reforms should be reforms, not a reactionary attempt to simply decree an English-speaking campaign."

I say that if the Constitution is the problem, let us amend the Constitution. I believe that President Arroyo has only good intentions in mind with her decree to have English used as the medium of instruction in Philippine schools. She wants Filipinos the world over to be more competitive and be more marketable. What is wrong with that? Or are we still following the tract that says, "I would rather have a Philippines that is like hell but ran by Filipinos rather than a Philippines that is heaven but ran by Americans?" Enough of this foolishness. Let us move on.

First Steps

Just like a riddle first we crawl
But that is in the dark of dawn
Come morning we learn to scrawl
In the sand our imaginations spawn

By noon we manage to stand erect
Walk a step, an inch, a mile or two
Then holding hands the one we met
Tie the knot, kiss and sign indeed I do

Sunset begins the bright day wanes
Leaving only shadows that are long
Behind us the world speaks, profanes
The memory where once we did belong