In addition to Lorenzo's plea to help save the English language, I too was alarmed by how the quality of our country's education has unsurprisingly plummeted from mediocre to inferior.

I know how most class A & B people rarely watch local television precisely because of how brain-draining an hour of jaded gameshows, cliched telenovelas, and unfunny sitcoms can be. But my lack of things to do today (and the past few days) has pushed me to witness how poorly Filipinos can speak, or even understand English.

Take the show Wowowee for example. Its good to know that such a program still exists to bring hope and laughter to most of our kababayans. If youve caught Wowowee at least once, youll know that a lot of OFWs send money to the show so that they may be given to deserving contestants. AND youll also know how it showcases the common people's illiteracy just by how they fail to comprehend simple questions and process simple instructions. They cant even say "Tenkyu to ol tee-ep-si sabskrabers" right. Even the host cant speak well. o:

I have no intention whatsoever to demean these people. In fact, I have my fair share of barok moments and wrong grammar too. I always end up typing and saying the wrong things in English just because I am guilty of misusing the language as well. But I strongly believe that we shouldnt settle for this inferiority and go on living as ignoramuses all our lives.

According to a former Education Secretary, they found out through thorough research and studies that 99.4% of students who graduate from grade school are NOT ready/eligible to move on to high school. I mean, what kind of statistic is that?! Whats even more dismaying is the fact that these students only seem to have attained the education meant for 4th graders!

We have often been told that most students in our country have become miserably ignorant of the fundamentals of Math, Science, and English. But would you be surprised to know that they fail Filipino too? o:

Its these disheartening facts that keep us in the rut that we are already in. Not only dont we have enough classrooms, textbooks, cha-bles (chairs & tables), teachers, and funds, we are also slowly but surely losing faith in the system that is supposed to be the foundation for every individual, rich or not.

To the blessed, education may just be an ornament that is to be carried on until they reach their own successes. But to the people who are deprived, it will be their only refuge in times of greater adversity.

The Muntinlupa City Police & Government should be aware of the following abductions that had been happening the last 3 weeks here in Alabang.

Abduction # 1: Happened in Alabang Town Center one night 2 weeks ago. A lady was waiting for a jeep when a Mercedes-Benz van pulled up and the guys inside, (looked respected & polite) offered her a ride. When the girl refused, one of the guys jumped out, pointed a sharp knife at her and forced her into the van. The guys forced her to drink alcohol until she's drunk enough and proceeded molest her. She was returned to ATC 3 hours later.

Abduction # 2: Happened a week ago in Metropolis - at night. A girl was again abducted this time in Metropolis, by these guys riding in a Mercedes-Benz van. She was also gang-rape and returned to Metropolis 3 hours later.

Abduction # 3: Happened just last Friday, May 26, 2006 at 9:40 pm. A girl was walking along Wilcon (across Convergys alabang), Alabang Zapote Road when this Mercedes-Benz van stopped and forcibly picked her up. At around 3:00am the van dropped her at Indochina Street (near Asian Hospital) Filinvest. The girl was raped and bruised all over.

This warning was relayed to us by the VP of Filinvest-Alabang. The local police and/or Barangay Tanod should be on the look-out for a Mercedes-Benz van. The color and the plate number of the van has yet to be determined, but last week a silver-grey van (Model not known) with tinted windows was seen suspicously lurking along the Metropolis Mall stretch, with its headlights off.