Response to Jo Goodwin Parker's "What is Poverty?"

Jo Goodwin Parker, I know what poverty is. I slightly know how it feels like. But only in your essay did I realize how tough it really is to be poor. I admire your courage in telling your stories, your bold experiences in trying to overcome poverty.

I definitely agree that poverty is dirt. Though I do not live in a squatters' area, I can imagine how tiring it is to always face the littlest problems with seemingly no hope. For instance, you explained about housekeeping with no money. Giving up money to buy toiletries perhaps for the more needed commodity, i.e. food, just makes one 'poorer'. You know, here in the Philippines, there are families a lot poorer than you and your family. I see that you can afford to buy diapers. Here, those poorest Filipinos cannot. Some live near the creek. Others do not have a permanent abode. But I appreciate and understand your desperation in telling your situation.

Just one thing I disagreed in your essay is when you mentioned that poverty is looking into a black future. We never know what may or may not happen. Your children might be given some support from the government. Or they might be given help from a charity. Yes, I say to you that there are schools. Schools are a powerful place for transformation, for education itself is power. Do not give me an excuse that your children have no health. Knowing that you send them to school, I can conclude that you are capable of giving them enough medicines or right amount of diet. I think your only problem is that you live far from town, far from stores where you can buy commodities.

As the saying goes, "Vision without action is a dream." Jo, if you dream, like I suppose, to get away with poverty, act it out. Give up and suffer what must have to be given up and suffered. Just never lose hope. Your children are your most prized possessions; give them the most care possible. In time, you'll get away with it. I look at you with an angry heart. And inasmuch as I would like to extend my help to you, you said that there are others around me like you. I hope there will be someone good enough to help those with situations like yours. Thanks for sharing and for giving me inspiration.

Message Sending Failed

How does text messaging become a language barrier for Filipinos? Language barrier is the hindrance in communication. This makes us difficult to understand and communicate with each other. One of the things that a language barrier makes it hard for us is learning foreign languages. There were times back in the past centuries where we don’t even have direct translation of language to language, thus making it really a nuisance to be able to understand other dialects. However in our modern age, there are many barriers that have been resolved due to our advanced technology and transportation. With just one click, we can look for dictionaries and translation in the Internet. There are also schools that offer lessons for foreign languages. Nevertheless, this is an issue in communication that is almost resolved.

With the rise of many gadgets and technological devices like mobile phones and computers, text messaging has become part of our lives. Written text messages are sent using devices with a network. However not so long after text messaging became eminent, a lot of Filipinos used “shortcuts” when sending a text message. Phrases like “wer na u, d2 na me” and “san knb” appeared. Instead of using the entire word, Filipinos got used to text shortcuts probably because of the difficulties in the past units of mobile devices. It came to the point that even students would unconsciously use shortcuts in their academic works and theme papers.  Though it is not a problem for those who can understand these phrases, it is quite inconvenient for some to be able to communicate well using these. If others would want to learn English or Filipino here in the Philippines, they will either experience difficulties or learn the wrong thing. It is not only the foreigners who may experience language barriers in text messaging, but that also includes Filipinos who know both English and Filipino. Those who used shortcuts are not in the standard form of the languages. In some ways, they are unlearning the real language that can result to language barriers.

Since they are being used, most people can understand text shortcuts by this time. There was a time when people would ask experts in text shortcuts just to understand. But now, that barrier is almost collapsing. Though text messaging was made to make an easier way of communication, Filipinos still experience a language barrier with the appearance of text shortcuts.